HUGEL ET FILS PINOT BLANC CUVEE LES AMOURS - 2008

100% Pinot Blanc from Alsace, France

TASTING NOTES:

Light golden color with dried flowers, apple, pear and lemon upfront. Straight-forward with wet stone minerality and balanced acidity.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

Pinot Blanc is one of my favorite white varietals because it delivers great aromatics and pairs effortlessly with light fare. I love that this wine is available in half-bottles for only $10.50 which encourages sampling. For those of you who have never experienced Pinot Blanc, this is a good place to start especially with smaller and affordable 375ML bottles available.

HUGEL RIESLING CLASSIC - 2009

100% Riesling from Alsace, France.

TASTING NOTES:

Golden-green color with peachy-apple aromas and flavors. Lots of minerality and citrus. Tart with a decent amount of acidity. Relatively dry with just a hint of both sweetness underneath. Soft and smooth texture.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

Great entry to mid-level Riesling with good aromatics. This is more of a food wine than one you might approach to sip. Retails for around $24 so it might be somewhat pricey for what it delivers.

LA RASINA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO - 2005

TASTING NOTES:

Young, smooth, dark color, leather, cassis, black fruit, plum. Raisins and cinnnamon on the finish. Still very young, chewy and dusty.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

92 PTS

Needs some time to open up. Still very young, but after some breathing, this wine comes to life. Very balanced and polished. Has some great depth and complexity. Will improve with some bottle age, but really very approachable at this time.

BLACKSTONE SONOMA RESERVE PINOT NOIR - 2009

14.5% alcohol. From Sonoma and Napa County Vineyards. 100% barrel aged in French oak.

TASTING NOTES:

Bright, transparent red color with a strawberry-raspberry nose. Cranberry, cherry, charred oak with vanilla and spiced berry on the finish.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

87 PTS

A good mouthfeel, pretty well-rounded and you can see your hand through the glass like you should with a good Pinot Noir. Nice, clean fruit expressions. Retails for approximately $18 a bottle.