anyway here's some reviews on wine that i've had recently, some affordable, some not.:
Fog Dog Freestone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007, Sonoma Coast $49.95
Love it!
Big nose, lots going on; very clean, pure scents of cherries and raspberries with some herbal, earthy notes. Medium weight. Really good concentration of fresh, sweet berries, a hint of mint and a touch of earthiness. Well integrated tannin. Outstanding overall balance. Good finish.
This will certainly hold for half a decade or more but honestly I think it's perfect right now while it's still fresh and vigorous. It ain't exactly cheap but you get what you pay for. If you're looking for a wine to drink with next Christmas or thanksgiving dinner, look no further.
Masi Costasera Amarone 2006, Veneto $38.95
91
Solid Amarone at a great price.Dark purple. Rich nose of raisins, stewed plums, anise, some floral notes and a hint of smoke. Alcohol is pretty high but very well contained in full bodied, ripe, dense, dark fruit and flavours of Christmas cake, vanilla/oak and a touch of espresso. Good acidity and very well balanced tannins. Long finish.
Delicious now but wiil certainly cellar for another decade.
Château De Beaucastel Châteauneuf Du Pape 2008 $89.95
91
Big smoky, tarry, stewed prune nose. Full bodied. Lots of concentration. Surprisingly open and drinkable right now. (I wonder if these will shut down in soon like CdBs are prone?) Like '02 it was a rainy vintage, I guess this was manipulated to make the most of what they had. Powerful & boozy. Flavours of christmas cake, plum pudding, anise. Good, but a bit overblown for me. '07 is a hard vintage to follow (not to mention the strong '05 and yummy '06). Drink now or lay it down, see what happens. Either way my cellar won't stock this vintage. Wait for the '09s.
Concha Y Toro Marques De Casa Concha Merlot 2007 $19.95
90
Dark purple. Excellent nose for a wine at this price: cocoa, menthol, blackberry, gingerbread spices, really nice.The full bodied palate is not nearly as interesting as the nose: it's right on the edge of over-ripeness and over-extraction. Plenty of soft tannin, sweet (a bit too sweet for my taste), decent balance. The palate is big and bold but also simple and singular. Tasty, but became boring. Good finish.
For people who like J. Lohr's Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon: good value, easy-drinking, borderline fruit-bomb crowd pleaser. Drink now or hold.
89 + extra point for the nose.
A By Acacia Pinot Noir 2009, Monterey County $17.95
89
I liked this. Not especially complex but it has a nice nose, good pinot flavour and nice ripe tannin. Overall quite tasty and well balanced. I've spent more on less. Good value.
Carmen Carmenere Reserva 2008 $10.95
88
dark red. dense floral (lavender?) and blackberry nose. Great concentration, good acidity. Fruity, spicy. Quite soft.Drink now.
A good party drinker.
A steal at this price. Well done.
Castello Di Farnetella Lucilla 2007, Igt Toscana $18.95
88
Dark wine. Spicy, fruity, oaky nose with a touch of volatility.
I liked this; Lot's a flavour, nice tannin, if a bit rustic. Medium, to full body. Very Italian; fruity, herbal, some rough edges.
Perhaps not a sipper but good wine to cut through rich food; This was actually quite perfect with a platter of prosciutto, Italian cave cheese, olives, pears and honey.
Ornellaia Le Volte 2008, Igt Toscana $28.95
88
51% Sangiovese, 34% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.Tight nose, some fruit and herbs, some oak. Medium bodied. Not bad, but it has a distinct green-pepper, vegetal flavour (probably due to less than ripe Cabernet Sauvignon). If it we're $20 I'd be underwhelmed. At almost $30 it's disappointing, especially for a wine from Ornellaia even if it is their bottom shelf label.
Rubens Valpolicella Ripasso 2007 $15.95
