Peter Lehmann 2005 Barossa Shiraz

My second Peter Lehmann bottle on A Wine A Week - both good selections, with the red Clancy blend getting a slightly higher rating. This one is also above my expectations for a $13 bottle from Costco, so a 6/10 ranking.

Resolution Media just held it's 3rd annual chili cook-off, so I had the one leftover bowl tonight that I was able to smuggle out. Surprisingly, Pete's Shiraz was able to stand up to it.

The Shiraz has a pungent cigar-tobacco flavor and smell that I immediately noticed. This is followed by and oaky finish with hints of chocolate. More spicy on the first night it was opened, so recommend drinking the full bottle after a 30-60 min decant. That said, it was still delicious the second night. Overall, a very good bottle - although there are better if you know what you are looking for, but you can't go wrong here.

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah readers!

Marco Bonfante 2005 Barbera d'Asti Stella Rossa

A nice dry finish made this a good choice for parmesan chicken night. It was actually first opened back on Wednesday night at Terragusto. What's nice about BYOBs, is if you don't drink the bottle you opened, you can cork it and walk off. So this bottle sat, missing only a single glass, until Sunday night when we could try to finish it off before it turns.

It's not harsh like many Italian wines, and in fact, is a bit sweet. The light tannins make it easy to drink. Again, the dry finish is nice. $10 at Costco, 5.5/10 rating.

Arboleda 2006 Carmenere

From the Colchagua Valley in Chile, the Arboleda Carmenere is an excellent inexpensive wine. $14 well spent at Costco for this one. I particularly enjoy the strong vanilla flavors and aromas that spring from the glass. The tobacco notes are also nice and complement the cherry start nicely.

We used this wine to toast to my wife's last day at work today. After 8.5 years in advertising, this was her first taste of freedom. ;) A great choice: 7.5/10 rating, well worth up to $20 and it's a steal at $14. I'm grabbing another at Costco this weekend.

2005 Beauzeaux California Red Blend

About a week after thanksgiving, after the allure of turkey is gone but the leftovers remain, it's time for the casserole...or 'hot dish' as those in the North call it. It's when everything goes into a dish with cheese and/or cream of mushroom to disguise the same food you've been eating for a week.

Well, Beazeaux, from Beaulieu Vineyards, is a casserole of grapes. This blend has about every grape you've ever encountered: zinfandel, syrah, carbono, petite syrah, lagrein, valdiguie, grenache, and tempranillo.

There isn't much good about this wine - it tastes cheap, too harsh & strong. Strong black cherry flavors, not in a good way, though. As I take the long sip to taste the details, I just want to swallow and get the rubbing alcohol flavors down. 2/10 rating. $5 at Sam's Wine.