Artezin Zinfandel 2007

This Mendocino zin was purchased from Wine.com for $17 with some highly rated reviews as well as a 90 pt rating from Wine Enthusist. I have to say this, combined with the price, had my expectations higher than what was delivered. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but didn't impress. 4.5/10 rating.

Raspberry, pepper, & spice dominate and leave a harsh, tannin filled finish. My wife mentioned it "left her tounge tingly and didn't taste much like a zin." Not for solo sippin', kill it with dinner.

Mirassou 2008 Pinot Grigio

This Pinot Grigio was purchased for the “1 cup of dry white wine” needed to boil some shrimp for $7.99 at Costco. It was the cheapest non-Chardonnay they had and was rated 90 points by someone who knows more about wine than I. The Mirassou was certainly better the second night as the overly-lemon bite had settled down and the peach came out more. It’s sweet and makes for a good sipping wine without food.

On the first night, I would have rated this at 4, at best, and on night two will raise it 2 points for a 6/10. Good buy for the price…just let it breathe a while. Didn’t know one needed to let whites breathe, but the proof is in the pudding…er, Pinot.

d'Arenberg 2008 Stump Jump Shiraz

This shiraz was purchased from wine.com - mainly because it was only $10 and ranked #82 in the top 100 wines of 2009 by Wine Spectator. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the cheap, ranked wine.

The cherry flavor is quite forward and stronger than expected. This paired well with pasta tonight, but is a bit too sweet and juicy for sipping without food. Earthy undertones make this an interesting wine. It's above average, but didn't knock my socks off. For $10, it's good...but as they say, good is the enemy of great. I'll rank it 6/10. $10 from Wine.com.

Reignac 2005 Bordeaux Superieur

I was turned on to this bottle from Sam's Wine, which was sold a year ago...*tear*. Any 2005 Bordeaux is excellent, but this one was at the top spot on 2008's top wines, according to Sam's. At $28, I splurged and have been holding on to this wine for 3 years. With the wife delivering a healthy baby boy late last month, it's time to celebrate. You can still find this wine online for around $30 - and it's well worth it. I'll give it a 8.5/10 rating...excellent.

First off, the back label wins the award for the most technical wine mumbo jumbo to ever appear on a label; words like maceration, malolactic and enologist make me wonder if this was ever translated from French ;)

As for the wine, it may have one of the finest bouquets I've ever smelled from a glass of wine. Seriously, I could just smell it all night and never drink it...but that would be wasteful, because the flavor is equally brilliant. Smoky oak and floral on the nose.

The Reignac is a 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The merlot brings the ripe, sweet, and fruit forward beginning and the cabernet leaves a nice bite with a dry finish with medium tannins. The oak barrels leave a wonderful smoky flavor to complement the nose.

Monte Antico 2006 Toscana

This red blend from the hills of Italy was an enjoyable red blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet, & 5% Merlot. Give it at least 30 minutes to breathe. It is much better as a dinner wine versus sipping without food. Very light and sweet with acidic overtones. The sweetness subsides a bit after it opens up, but is replaced with a bitterness on the finish. Wine Spectator gave this 90 points and put it as #61 on their top wines of 2009.

This Super Tuscan bottle was $10 at Costco. While decent, I wouldn't get it again despite Wine Spectator's admiration of the vintage. 4.5/10 rating from this wine spectator.

Falset-Marca 2006 Etim Seleccion

Spain brings it with this inexpensive bottle from the Montsant region. Very complex wine for under $10, with dark berry and a lingering dry-oak finish. A bit minerally as well. Oak on the nose and enough tannins to give a medium bite. Hold it in your mouth for an extra second and you'll taste the blueberries.

This wine was a bit much to pair with the Turkey dish we had with it, but after diner (and the following day) it really came out well. The Etim is 60% Grenache, 30% Carigane, and 10% Syrah.

I will certainly be picking up additional bottles to keep on hand when I visit Costco next - viva la Spain! 7.5/10 rating.