PIEVE DEL VESCOVO LUCCIAIO - 2002

This Italian Super Tuscan is a blend of 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Sangiovese.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark purple color with musty fig and black fruit on the nose. Mouth drying tannins with smooth black fruit flavors, plum, hints of leather and cherry.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88 PTS

A well made wine from Umbria but its flavors and aromas are withdrawn. I found this red to be too subdued. The intial nose is very promising and I was hoping it would open up and develop more but it just never seemed to quite get there. It definitely has all the right elements to cellar for awhile, but I'm not convinced this will blossom with age. Enjoyable, but for $18 a bottle I think there are more interesting Italian blends worth exploring.

GARRETSON THE CRAIC SYRAH - 2004

Craic, which means fun or enjoyment, comes from Paso Robles. This 15.4% red is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier. The wine spent 17 months in French oak of which 47% was new cooperage. The bottle also comes with a screw cap.

TASTING NOTES:

Very intense color, aromas and flavors. Hard to believe this is from California. It tastes like an Australian fruit bomb. Flinty metal nose with distinct aromas of kalamata olive and extremely ripe berries. Super-sweet, super ripe raspberry and cherry jam explode on the palate. Incredibly smooth, full and soft with well integrated alcohol despite the whopping 15.4%.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

This is New World fruit syrup! Probably not for everyone, but this is the kind of wine that tastes great even on the third day because there is so much concentration and alcohol that it needs to settle down. Delicious but definitely over-the-top. If you like pedal to the metal fruit forward reds, this is a huge winner. Retails for around $24 a bottle.

CHATEAU CAP DE FAUGERES - 2000

This value Bordeaux made under the watchful eye of legendary oenologist Michel Rolland is a Cotes de Castillon blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

TASTING NOTES:

Purple color with ripe smokey oak berries, coffee and minerals on the nose. By the second day, the aromas turn to heavy scents of earthworms and wet dirt much like after a spring rain. Full tannins and smooth on the palate with flavors of black currant, cherry, and minerals.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS
There was a lot of buzz about how great this 2000 would be, but I found this wine to be a disappointment. Maybe it needs more time in the bottle. It smells inviting when you first pop the cork, but that quickly fades. There's not a lot of fruit here either. What does exist is overshadowed by the dirty earth nose. I bought this on release for around $16, but it now retails for $25+ which is way overpriced for this kind of mediocrity.

MONCHHOF ESTATE RIESLING - 2005

Robert Eymael Estate Riesling from Germany with 9.5% alcohol from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.

TASTING NOTES:

Extremely poor color that resembles clear lemon juice. Bright acidity with apple, pear, citrus and vanilla. Sweet, yet dry on the finish. Delicious with a thirst quenching sweet-sourness.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

So the color is weak, but the juice is divine! This is a really great Riesling with a nice flavor profile and mouthfeel. Retails around $12 making it even more attractive.

PRIMA TORO - 2004

From renowned winemaker Mariano Garcia, this Spanish Toro has 14.8% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Deep purple color with a nose of licorice and black fruits. Flavors of licorice, rich black currant, black cherry and oak dominate this heavily saturated red with tongue-tying tannins. Extremely dry finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 - 89 PTS

This is a very tough wine to score. It is an 87 point wine on its own but an 89 point food wine. The tannic, dry black currant and black fruits are a bit harsh, but this wine takes on new life when paired with food. The high alcohol content is invisible. It is very smooth and beautifully integrated. For $13 a bottle, this is an intriguing effort.

NAVARRITA CHARDONNAY - 2005

Catena makes my favorite Chardonnay from Argentina. This effort from Navarrita is a worthwhile runnerup.

TASTING NOTES:

Light golden color with pear/apple aromas and flavors. Smooth, not over-oaked and lots of yummy caramel candy on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89 PTS

This is good juice. Not too oaky or acidic. Good fruit and a great harmonious finish. As this $8 bargain wine opens up, you'll enjoy smelling the sweet golden candy aroma left in the bottom of the glass. I still prefer the great Catena Chards from Mendoza, but this Navarrita makes a very good alternative.

LAMBORGHINI CAMPOLEONE ROSSO - 2002

Maybe you can't afford to drive a Lamborghini, but you can definitely afford to drink one. Originally the hobby of retired car mogul Ferruccio Lamborghini, this winery is located in the hills (Colli) of Umbria surrounding Lake Trasimeno.

The Campoleone is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with 13% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Ruby-purple red color. Very smooth with a nose of dirt, vanilla, oak and leather and flavors of herbs, black currant, game, ripe berries and black pepper on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS
A very polished wine with Bordeaux-like elegance and earthiness to it. Retails for around $25 a bottle. A very well-made Italian red.

MARQUES DE GELIDA CAVA BRUT - 2002

3,000 cases of this Spanish sparking wine were made. The 2002 Marques de Gelida Brut Exclusive, is a blend of 35% Macabeo, 30% Xarel-lo, 20% Parellada, and 15% Chardonnay with 11.5% alcohol. It was aged for three and a half years before being released.

TASTING NOTES:

Golden color with apple notes, yeast and bread flavors. Easy on the palate and drinks like a Prosecco. Fruity with a dry finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88 PTS

Screaming value for $9 a bottle. Makes a great starter wine. Really unique and interesting plastic yellow label that wraps the entire bottle. A fun, spirited wine! Two thumbs up.

BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF SYRAH - 2003

I've raved about Boekenhoutskloof wines on here before. They are one of the top South African producers. Their wines are complex, rich, delicious and great values.

This Syrah is 14.5% alcohol and from Franschhoek.

TASTING NOTES:

Full bodied with a dark ruby red color and a nose of asphalt, woodsmoke, and bacon. A big red with lots of smokey spice, game, red fruit, a hint of coffee and black cherry on the finish. Smooth mouthfeel and meaty structure.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

This wine retails for around $35 a bottle but I purchased it on clearance for a mere $14. Excellent wine with an exotic blend of flavors. Definitely not for everyone, but wine geeks like myself will be thrilled with what this red can deliver. It is is full of the smokey meat and saturated headiness that you yearn for from great South African Merlots and Syrahs. That said, I'm not convinced it is worth $35 a bottle since there are many cheaper reds from this region that can compete with this one.

JUAN GIL JUMILLA RED - 2004

100% Monastrell (Mourvedre) is made from 45 year-old Spanish vines and aged for 12 months in American and French oak.

TASTING NOTES:

Inky purple color with light oak, black fruit and hints of tea and tobacco on the nose. Full bodied with toasted ripe fruit, a bit of blueberry and a long black cherry candy finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89 PTS

An excellent value red wine with great concentration and lush fruit. Fairly smooth with a thick mouthfeel. Retails for around $12 a bottle.