Wines scored out of 10 points.
Favorite Wines of the Summer
September 2013 – Michele & Ted
8.0 J. Bouchon Las Mercedes Reserva Especial Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Chile) $18
Nose of green pepper with faint cigar box and mint, soft with good finish
7.5 Michael David Petite Petit 2010 (California) $25
An impressive label accompanied a nose of faint liquorice; black cherries on the palate
7.5 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (New Zealand) $23
Gorgeous bouquet of pineapple and grapefruit, fruity, flinty and delicious
7.5 Les Hauts de Castellas Vacqueyras 2010 (Rhone) $20
Spicy nose, cherries on the palate
6.5 Alain Jaume et Fils Vacqueyras 2010 (Rhone) $26
A closed nose leading to caramelized sugar and cherry cough drops
6.5 Waka Waka Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (South Africa) $13
A reticent nose, fruity and dry, hard to pin down as a sauvignon blanc
2010 Rhones
October 2013 – Nicole & Chris
9.0 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2000 $50
Whiffs of barnyard and caramel on the nose, spicy, smooth and utterly delicious
8.0 Eleve en Fut de Chene Reserve des Armoires Cotes du Rhone 201 $16
Menthol, mint and some lemon on the nose, long smooth finish
8.0 Domaine La Fourmone Vacqueyras 2010 $23
Woody with cherry bouquet, rather tannic, long finish
8.0 Chateau Fortia Cuvee du Baron Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010 $39
Mint and confected sweets on the nose, mildly spicy
8.0 Ferraton Pere et Fils Saint-Joseph La Source 2010 $25
Grapefruit and green pepper bouquet, smoked meat flavors
7.5 Famille Perrin Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 2010 $35
Spicy and smooth, oak flavors
Celebrity Reds
November 2013 – David
8.5 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $80
Rich, dark fruity nose, tannic, youthful, black cherry, long finish
7.5 Coppola Director’s Cut Zinfandel 2011 $35
Sweet chocolate and menthol on the nose, traces of rubber on the palate
7.5 Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $24
Rich and minty, tannic, well balanced
6.5 Wayne Gretzky Cabernet-Merlot 2010 $16
Sweetish fruit and burnt flavors on the nose, light, somewhat dilute taste
5.5 Dan Ackroyd Cabernet-Merlot 2011 $15
Menthol and grassy, also dilute
4.5 Mike Weir Cabernet-Merlot 2008 $17
More menthol and grass, a bit skunky maybe, dilute again
Sparkling Wines
December 2013 – Michele & Ted
9.0 Tarlant Brut Nature $45
Bubbly and extra-delicious
9.0 Domaine Chandon Etoile Brut $40
Bubbly and extra-delicious (and Champagne-like)
9.0 Perrier Joulet Grand Brut $66
Bubbly and extra-delicious
8.0 Graham Beck Brut Rose $20
Bubbly and delicious
8.0 Paul Clouet Rose $52
Bubbly and delicious
8.0 Chateau des Charmes Brut $23
Bubbly and delicious, eh
7.5 De Chanceny Vouvray Brut Excellence 2010 $21
Bubbly and delicious
BYO Cabernet Sauvignon
January 2014 – Don & Rob
8.0 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $??
Bell peppers on the nose, opened over time, dark fruit, balanced
7.5 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $25
Bell pepper bouquet, fresh, good fruit, faint petrol
7.5 J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $22
Initially closed, opened to be sweet with cherry flavors, balanced with soft tannins
7.0 Ca’ Momi Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $23
Slight menthol and cherries on the nose, balanced, velvety and raspberry jam
7.0 Marques Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $20
Rubbery nose changing to grapefruit and then to marijuana (although how anyone knows is another story), smooth, round and full-bodied
7.0 Napa Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $30
Sweet fruity bouquet, good structure, black cherries and blackberries
Chardonnay – USA vs France vs Australia
February 2014 – Lousie & Neil
8.0 Ramey Chardonnay 2010 $43
Vanilla, lemons and pears, short aftertaste
7.5 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard 2010 $35
Heavy vanilla notes, spice, buttery
7.0 Domaine Jean-Pierre Pouilly-Fuisse 2011 $28
A bit tropical, fruity, not exciting…
7.0 Louis Jadot Macon Village ?Vintage $18
Fresh and fruity, crisp, light and acidic, a great summer wine (except it’s winter)
7.0 Mountadam Estate Chardonnay 2009 $25
Musty nose, buttery, oaky
7.0 Hill Smith Estate ?Vintage $21
Thin and musty, flabby and non-descript, otherwise delightful
Obscure Wines of Europe
March 2014 – Ellen
Summary: Better to stick to less obscure grapes.
7.0 Weingut Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner 2012 $22 (Austria)
Faint floral bouquet with a touch of fruit, a bit fizzy, fresh and tangy
6.5 Ucedo Mencia 2005 $41 (Spain)
Sweetish, but otherwise non-descript nose, some unknown fruit
6.5 Sanorini Assyrtiko 2011 $17 (Greece)
Apples and a hint of petrol on the nose, fresh lemony taste
6.5 Capo di Gallo Aglianico (no vintage) $19 (Italy)
Musty nose, soft, lacking tannins, red berries
6.0 Vigneti Saint Helena Fantinel 2011 $21 (Italy)
Dilute, non-descript, unappealing
5.0 Rio Madre Rioja 2011 $15 (Spain)
Dates on the nose, sweet, flabby, like Koolaid
Red Wines of Northern Italy
April 2014 – Rob and Don
8.5 La Pieve Barolo 2009 $30
Full-bodied, toasty and dark fruit flavors, plush and rather tannic
8.0 Aurelio Settimo Barolo 2006 $40
Leather on the nose, dried fruit flavors, tannic
7.0 Bera Azienda Barbaresco 2008 $24
Black cherries and chocolate. good balance, soft tannins
7.0 Travaglini Gattinara 2007 $30
Spices and raisins with earthy notes, mild tannins
7.0 Poderi Colla Nebbiolo D’Alba 2010 $21
Red cherries, a little sour, tannic
6.0 Casana Bozzetti Lanzanetto $10
Flavors of Vicks Vaporub and carrots
BYO Cheap and Charming
May 2014 – David
8.0 Goats in Village Shiraz-Pinotage 2011 $13
Smoky, meaty and menthol nose, fruity with soft tannins
8.0 Thirty Bench Riesling 2012 $18
Petrol nose, lemon notes, bright and nicely acidic
7.5 Lacrimus Rioja Crianza 2009 $20
Raspberry nose, herbal notes, smooth
7.0 Cafe Culture Pinotage 2012 $13
Strong salami on the nose, chocolate and vanilla notes
6.5 Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 $16
Oaky and black fruit, slightly sweet
6.5 Domaine Pascal Aufranc Chenas 2011 $17
Sweet fruit, burnt sugar and cataloupe on the nose, light and smokey