Ruffino Tenuta Lodola Nuova 2003

Yes, I only had one shoe on while taking that photo.

Smells of Christmas on the cork - cinnamon & spice mainly, with floral scents once it's in the glass. Ruffino makes this wine (or owns the vineyard) for about $25-30. It's a red blend, made mostly from sangiovese grapes. Very, very dry and not as strong as I expected for what the bottle calls a "full bodied Vino Nobile di Montepulciano." A strong/spicy bite at the finish. Looking forward the the 2nd half of the bottle tomorrow with some spaghetti. 7/10.

The town of Montepulciano, just outside of Tuscany, looks amazing. If you are interested in learning more about the area or the varietal of wine, this site is quite interesting.

Boschendal Grand Reserve 2003

Delicious. We picked up this beauty on our Cape Town journey in Nov 2006, so it's unfortunately tough to find. This 2003 Grand Reserve is a Red Blend with 70% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, 10% Shiraz, 10% Cab Sauvignon. Extremely smooth with immediate rocky/earthy flavors (I've noticed that with much of the region's wine - it's a good thing) very rich with flavor, and a finish which would be hard to improve upon. Smells of a campfire and legs like Giselle.


9 out of 10 for this champion. The winery is one of the oldest in South Africa and the grounds are breathtaking. Our taste buds must have been on that day, even though my driving skills were not (on the left side of the road with a stick shift in my left hand + wine). From what I can find on the 'net, the price point is around $25-30US. Worth seeking out, but does not surpass the previously reviewed Rust en Vrede. A special thank you to American Airlines for not breaking any of the 8 bottles that were in our luggage for the 4000 mile journey home.

M. Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche 2005

"Awful"
"I don't like it at all"
"It tastes cheap"
...were Caroline's tasting notes. I taste cherries, she tastes garbage. Well, "Luden's cough drops" was her exact flavor description. I find it acceptable, but it really doesn't have much flavor: dry and little to no finish to speak of. Pass up this 2005 Cotes du Rhone - so many better wines from the region. 3.5/10 rating as I'm not going to pour it out, but I'll have to tough this one out solo.

2006 Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel

Ah, another fine Campbell-wine-rack-standby. It's a bargain for a good everyday wine. Strong tobacco/cigar smells in this full-bodied zinfandel. Solid 7/10 and at $11 at Costco, you still have some coin left for a pizza slice or a dog/soda combo on the way out. (Sorry, this blog does not support the Chicken Bakes.)

If you've been to Sonoma, Cline is one of the first vineyards you'll pass on the way from SF after turning off the freeway when heading north to town. Unfortunately, all I saw was white sign from the road as my pregnant wife "wasn't going to drive me around to vineyards all day", apparently.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut

Blam, out of left field, we hit you with a Champagne review. Like chameleons of the internet, you never know what colors will be shown here on AWineAWeek.com. Despite it's Frenchie name, this sparkling wine came from the state of Washington (Colombia Valley)- so don't call it Champaign or pencil-thin mustaches will fill with rage. This Brut is very similar to me: sweet & fruity. Not as dry than your typical champaign and not something you'd want to drink all night. 6/10.

Erath 2006 Pinot Noir

Egad, the Erath is tasty. First, it has to breathe as it was rather alcoholly immediately out of the bottle. It was very light in color and smooth in flavor. Some light berries on the finish. This is a wine you could drink all night. 7.5/10 rating; $14 @ Costco.

What kind of name is Erath? As the bottle explains, it's because the grapes are from the Earth and the wine is from the Heart...hence, ERATH. Lordy, sounds like ex-hippies from Oregon are making a mint.

Clos du Bois 2006 Chardonnay

I usually steer clear of the mass-producing vineyard staples, such as this, but it was the cheapest chardonnay available at Costco ($7.99) and I was on a mission to find a cheap cooking wine. A little chardonnay, water, mustard seed, bay leaves, sliced lemon, and red pepper flakes make for a great shrimp-boil.

Let's give the 2006 CdB North Coast Chardonnay a 5 for being a go-to standard that you can always find. It's nothing special or memorable, but it's not bad. So an "I don't hate it" rating of 5/10. This is standard wedding wine mass produced for mass drinkers...you may be familiar with the morning-after gut rot that comes with this territory, so limit the consumption of this one. No tears shed when the remainder goes down the drain. Spend an extra dollar for the Kendall-Jackson Chard as it has a bit more flavor to dance on your tongue.

Veramonte Primus - Carmenere/Cab/Mertlot Blend

The name reminds me too much of that bassy band from my 8th grade awkward years (Jerry was a Race Car Driver, Tommy the Cat....anyone?).

Anywhoo, you probably care more about the wine...which is excellent so far. The Veramonte "Primus" (not the band) blend was a $13 Costco pick up today and the second time we've purchased it. I certainly looked forward to trying a few months ago, but it, and many other bottles, didn't make it through a "girl's night". Drunks ;)

This 2005 blend of Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot is a delicious treat from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. Long legs, berry flavors, oak smells, peppery finish - very strong. Great value at $13 and gets a solid 8/10. You are a better wine than band, Primus!

Zumaya Tempranillo 2005

Zumaya Ribera Del Duero Tempranillo...Say that five times fast. Picked up this bottle on a Costco treasure hunt a few weeks back for $8 or $9. I was pretty sure Tempranillo was from Spain, but the regional map of Ribera Del Duero on the bottle didn't confirm (hey, i'm still a wine novice). Google confirmed it.

The Zumaya gets a 5/10 on the taste scale. My wife certainly liked it more than I did. Strong, very acidic. Seems like my lips, tongue, and teeth will be purple after a 1/2 glass. We're convinced we smell tobacco and taste blackberries. The wife would re-purchase. I would pass.

P.S. I'm smarter than a 5th Grader because I knew Chuck Yeager was the first to exceed the speed of sound in an airplane. Million dollar question my arse. Or maybe I'm just that smart...or maybe it's Maybelline.

Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina

Served this 2004 Frescobaldi "Nipozzano Riserva" with some lasagna - healthy low-fat cheese and turkey meat lasagna that is. Excellent pairing with anything Italian. This is a wine you can usually find on our wine rack as it's one of the best Chiantis we've come across. Not as dry as a typical Chanti, which is nice. At $16/bottle at Costco, it's not an 'everyday' value wine - save it for guests or occasions. Even at $16, it's OK to serve to the snobbiest of wine drinkers. 8.5 out of 10 rating, on the Campbell scale. Bold/robust flavors, a bit sour (a good sour), & smooth.

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

Last night, we had some friends over for dinner and served two bottles of wine. We started with white, 2006 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. Can't say enough good things about the Sauv Blanc from New Zealand. We've noticed all the bottles from the Marlborough region seem to have screw tops. Fine by us and the word on the street is to get over it as it's more effective.

Back to the Whitehaven - i'll give it an 8.5 out of 10 on the 'goodness' scale. Guest loved it as well. Picked it up at Costco for around $16. Not too dry or too fruity. Flowery (floral undertones) & crisp. Pretty sure there was some asparagus and pear flavors in there. What do i know...enjoyed by all and highly reco this one.