SYRAH DU MOROCCO "SYROCCO" THALVIN (ALAIN GRAILLOT) - 2005

While cycling in Morocco Alain Graillot met the owners of Thalvin, who have made wine for decades on the black tirss soil of the rolling hills of rommani. 13% alcohol and 100% North African grown Syrah.

TASTING NOTES:

Purple-red color with very grapey nose and subtle scents of Play-Doh. Blackberry and blueberry on the mid-palate with plum skin on the finish. Very smooth and lush with vibrant fruit.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

This is a delightful wine with a really nice composition. Simple and delicious. The experience of tasting a wine from North Africa is also part of the appeal here and well worth the $15 admission price.

MONCHHOF URZIGER WURZGARTEN SPATLESE RIESLING - 2006

10% alcohol, German Mosel Riesling.

TASTING NOTES:

Pear-gold color with citrus and petroleum on the nose. On the palate there's ripping acidity, lemon-lime, peach and sour apple. Lots of frizzante, zippy fruit, and a clean, crisp mouthfeel.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

89 PTS

A very well-structured Riesling but sort of lacks the whizz-bang to make it exceptional. Wine Spectator scored this wine 92 points which suggests it is something more extraordinary. For $22 a bottle, I expected a little bit more complexity. This wine won't disappoint you, but on the other hand it is not a stunner. Many Rieslings in this price range can compete.

JOSEPH PHELPS VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON - 2003

14.3% alcohol. From Napa Valley, California. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc

TASTING NOTES:

Lush fruit with vibrant color. Dark fruit and creme-de-cassis on the nose. Gobs of cassis, vanilla cream, subtle toasty oak, black and red fruit on the mid-palate with plum on the finish. Smooth and somewhat elegant with a graceful mouthfeel.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

A very polished wine with everything you look for in California Cabernet. The wine completely falls apart on the second day quickly losing all its initial allure. Retails now for around $45 although was available for much less on release.

HITCHING POST HIGHLINER PINOT NOIR - 2001

From Hartley Ostini, this is the Pinot Noir made famous by the movie Sideways. Santa Barbera County with 13.4% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Garnet color with ripping acidity. Flavors of cranberry, plum and pomegranate are overshadowed by the oak which dulls the fruit. Good mouthfeel and pleasant overall, but needs more time in the bottle.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88 - 90 PTS

I really love the racey acidity in this wine. It reminds me of a great Etude Pinot. The wine is drinking like an 88 point wine at the moment but has potential to improve. Two days after the bottle was open, this wine tasted its best like a 90 pointer. It really begins to take shape suggesting that this wine needs more time in the bottle to overcome some alcohol and oak issues.

EL MOLINO PINOT NOIR - 2001

From Napa Valley. Bottled in St. Helena, CA. 14.4% alcohol. Founded in 1871, El Molino was one of the first wineries in the Napa Valley.

TASTING NOTES:

Transparent ruby red color with leather and dark berries on the nose. Cherry and mellow oak upfront with cranberry and pomegranate on the mid-palate. Silky smooth with spice and figs on the tart finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88+PTS

Delicious and mellow with good acidity. This wine has definitely peaked already and is on the decline. I'd say its at the very tail of its drinking window. With the explosion of top-notch Pinot Noirs on the marketplace, at $50 a bottle there are better options available.

PRADO AYALA RIOJA - 2006

90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Grown in Zone 3 in the town of la Guardia, Rioja in clay, limestone and sand soil.

TASTING NOTES:

Transparent purple-red color with barnyard, wild berries and cherry kirsch on the nose. Cherry, black pepper, Sweet Tarts and charred oak dominate the mid-palate with hints of green pepper and tart cherries on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

There's too much alcohol/heat on the back-end of this wine but it has very nice fruit for a $10 wine. Lots of Old World earthiness progresses to an explosion on the mid-palate of over-the-top Australian-esque fruit bomb. A very interesting wine worth exploring given its price.

CATENA ALTA CHARDONNAY - 1999

13.7% alcohol from Mendoza, Argentina

TASTING NOTES:

Golden color like a Sauternes. Butter and oak on the nose with flavors of citrus, pear, piña colada, honey and caramel apple on the finish. Somewhat oily mouthfeel yet soft with good acidity.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS

Elegant and structured with good complexity. A step up from the Catena Chardonnay, this wine packs more of a punch on both the aromatics and flavor profile. Retails for around $30 a bottle.

PETER LEHMANN STONEWELL SHIRAZ - 2004

Peter Lehmann's special high-end Barossa Shiraz is made from the best wine of each vintage and from small old vineyards with low yields. The wine has 14.5% alcohol and was matured in 90% French and 10% American oak hogsheads for about 18 months.

TASTING NOTES:

Dark purple-red color with a somewhat subdued nose of dark cocoa, Sweet Tarts, and black fruit. Huge fruit bomb with a big tannic structure, tremendous saturation and intensity. Flavors of goji berries, cranberry/pomegranate and briary berries are mixed with charred oak and lots of fresh red plums on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90 PTS

With only 300 cases imported and priced at $90 a bottle, this is purely a collector's wine. There's great power to this Shiraz and it could definitely benefit from some time in the cellar. Right now there's a bit too much alcohol on the back-end and that needs to settle down. Despite its quality, it is hard to recommend due to its high price point and the fact that there are many $25 - $40 Barossa Shirazs that do this just as well.

PETER LEHMANN MENTOR - 2004

This Barossa, Australia Cabernet Sauvignon was fermented and matured in 100% French oak hogsheads and has an alcohol content of 14%.

TASTING NOTES:

Purple-black color with a pretty nose of blackberry, flowers, cassis and vanilla oak. Silky smooth, beautiful and supple with blackcurrants, charred oak and hints of baking spices underneath. On the second day, tart fresh cherries emerge on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92+ PTS

This is a phenomenal effort. The oak is perfectly balanced. The alcohol is exceptionally integrated and almost non-existent. The tannins are just enough to make you pucker without over-drying your mouth. The feel is sleek and elegant. Reminds me of much more expensive Cabernets. My only criticism is that the mid-palate flavors are a bit simplistic. If this had a bit more complexity this wine could have been a 93 - 95 point wine. Retails for around $38 a bottle and will only get better with a few years in the cellar.

PETER LEHMANN EIGHT SONGS SHIRAZ - 2003

From Barossa, Australia with 14.5% alcohol and fermented in 100% new French oak hogsheads. The name of the wine was inspired by the operatic work, "Eight Songs for Mad King," first performed in the Barossa in 1993.

TASTING NOTES:

Deep red color with rich berries, perfume/floral notes and brand new baseball card bubblegum on the nose. On the second day aromas of shaved chocolate emerge. On the palate there's lots of plum on the mid-palate, candied fruits, vanilla, hints of clove and tart cherries on the finish. Smooth and concentrated.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

88+ PTS

A very good Barossa Shiraz with saturated fruit and alcohol that is kept pretty much in check. Anyone who's tasted a lot of Aussie Shiraz knows that the alcohol on these reds are often out of whack. That's not the case here although the wine is a bit sugar-shocked and leans into the fake fruit flavors a little too much for my taste. On the second day the wine is still incredibly vibrant and shows some prune and fig undertones. Retails for an expensive $38 making this a questionable recommendation.