Wine Spectator 2006 Top 100

The Wine Spectator recently published their Top 100 list for this year, and of course most of them are out of our price range, but there are some under $20. We've tried a few of them, including #37, Matua Sauvignon Blanc. Here are a few that we've made a note to try at some point:

16. Langmeil Shiraz Barossa Valley Valley Floor 2004 - $23
43. Yangarra Estate Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre 2004 - $25
52. Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer 2004 - $19
64. Jacob's Creek Shiraz Reserve 2003 - $16 (this is now in our wine rack)
65. Greg Norman Estates Cabernet-Merlot - $15
67. Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos 2004 - $12
79. Johannishoff Riesling Kabinett 2004 - $17
80. Benton-Lane Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2004 - $22
84. Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2003 - $22
91. Chateau Gigault Premieres Cotes de Blaye Cuvee Viva 2003 - $14

So many wines, only one liver!

Beauzeaux Red Wine 2005

Price: $8.98 @ Gary's Liquors (W. Roxbury)
Recommended by: our curiosity and cheesy advertising at the store
Comments: This wine (pronounced bozo!) is a fun, new California blend of 68% Zinfandel, 21% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, 3% Charbono, 2% Lagrein, 1% Valdiguie, 1% Grenache, 1% Tempranillo. (Takes a deep breath.) It had bold cherry and raspberry flavor, with a hint of cranberry and a smooth finish. It is quite comparable to several Spanish reds that we've tried recently. For the price, it is very nice. And it would be great for pizza night!
Rating: 6.5/10

Fancy Wine Frenzy

We're back down to Planet Earth after

enjoying a few really nice, expensive
wines over the past few weeks. First
of all, Karie had an article published,
so we celebrated with our favorite wine
from our trip to Napa Valley -- Artesa
Reserve Merlot. Then, we traveled to
Philly for the Thanksgiving holiday, where
we enjoyed three great Napa Cabernets --
Franciscan, Robert Mondavi, and Hess
Collection. Yummy! We loved all of the
Cabs, but Hess is still our favorite. Then
we returned to Boston and celebrated
our 5-year anniversary with a bottle of
Mount Veeder Cabernet. Since the
winery is near Hess on Mount Veeder
Road, we were curious to taste the
difference between the two. The Mount
Veeder was amazing, with an interesting
chocolatey, earthy, tobaccoey
flavor, with hints of pencil lead. In fact,
we liked it so much that we bought another
bottle to save for another year or two. Let's see
if it will last that long! We're going to have to
kick our habit of drinking expensive wines or
else head to law school.

Drylands Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Price: $9.98 @ Gary's Liquors (West Roxbury)
Recommended by: hype sign at Gary's
Comments: We were blown away by this wine. Matua and Villa Maria have been our favorite sauvignon blancs for a while, and we didn't think that anything could compete with them at that price range. This might. In fact, this might win. Drylands (Marlborough, NZ) has a wonderful grassy opening, followed by a bold, citrusy flavor. Rob thinks it has a hint of vanilla, but I think he's full of crap. :) However, we both agree that it's fantastic!
Rating: 8/10

Note: The 2005 vintage of this wine is #3 in Wine Spectator's Great Values of 2006.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva

Price: $6.99 @ Blanchard's Jamaica Plain
Recommended by: wine seller at Blanchard's
Comments: We don't know Jack about champagnes, but we do know that Jack Bauer probably doesn't drink it. Nevertheless, we've been trying champagnes (sparkling wines, whatever) that are mostly Pinot grapes (Chardonnay, blah), but this Spanish one came highly recommended by the wine seller. It is a blend of different grapes, none of them Chardonnay or Pinot, and it is surprisingly tasty. It's a bit citrusy (lemon/lime/orange), and we would definitely get this again. Plus, the price can't be beat. (Rob wants to try it with sushi -- big surprise there!)
Rating: 6.5/10

Veramonte Primus 2003

Price: $14.99 @ Gary's Liquors (West Roxbury)
Recommended by: our curiosity
Comments: This Chilean blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carmenère is bone dry. The peppery, tobacco flavor is nice, but we don't know if it's worth $15. If you're going to pay this much, you might as well get a Napa Merlot (or J. Lohr). Wine Spectator gave the 2002 Primus an 89 rating, so we might be full of crap.
Rating: 6/10

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $8.49 @ Blanchard's
Recommended by: the price (plus, we want to try more sauvignon blancs from this region)
Comments: We were worried that this Chilean sauvignon blanc would be as unimpressive as Casa Lapostolle's, but we were pleasantly surprised. This wine has a bold grassy and citrusy flavor, with a nice acidity. We had it with Indian food, and it was a perfect match. Considering the price, this is a wine worth trying!
Rating: 6.75/10

Artesa Elements 2001

Price: $13.99 @ Gary's Liquors, West Roxbury
Recommended by: Artesa's reputation
Comments: We have been big fans of Artesa since our trip to the winery a few months ago. Their merlot is something to worship, and their merlot reserve may be the best red wine we've ever tasted. Artesa's affordable Elements -- a blend of Bordeaux varietals (cabernet sauvignon 51%, merlot 29%, syrah 15%, others 5%) -- does not disappoint. It starts out tasting like a bright, fruity cab but finishes like a smooth merlot. And it only got better as we drank it. (We recommend decanting it for an hour or so before enjoying.) We're not certain that it's as good as Artesa's merlot, but for the price, this one is a real winner. (And if you make a sojourn to Napa Valley, make sure to visit their amazing winery!)
Rating: 7.75/10

Fleur du Cap Merlot 2001

Price: $9.99 @ Blanchard's JP
Recommended by: no one -- we just wanted to try a different Merlot.
Comments: This South African merlot is nothing spectacular. It has a fairly mellow flavor, with your expected berry taste. It's smooth with a decent finish. I don't know if we will be running out to get this again, but it was enjoyable.
Ratings: 6/10

Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha 2005

Price: $9.99 @ Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: no one -- we've been wanting to try more tempranillos and grenaches, and this one looked good (and had a pretty label!).
Comments: This Spanish old vine tempranillo/grenache has a really deep taste with smoky, berry flavors. It is smooth with a very dry finish. We drank it by itself, but we suspect it would taste better with a nice food pairing. We have enjoyed some Spanish reds a bit better, namely Vina Alarba, Rojo Mojo, and Panarroz Jumilla, but this one is tasty.
Rating: 6.25/10

Sterling Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $11.99 on sale at Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: How much we enjoy Sterling's Merlot.
Comments: Among the Napa Valley sauvignon blancs that we've tried, this one does not rate very highly. It has flavors of tangerine and lemon along with a nice oaky finish. However, it is not very rich in flavor and it has a bit too much acidity to it. We enjoyed this wine, but comparably priced Marlborough sauvignon blancs (like Nobilo, Matua, and Villa Maria) are superior.
Rating: 5.5/10

Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Price: $8.99 @ Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: reputation of the winery
Comments: This Chilean Cabernet was a bit young, but we let it decant for a few hours; it certainly got better as we drank it. It is a tasty wine, with strong cherry and plum flavors and a nice, oak finish. We did not enjoy it as much as the Casa Lapostolle Cabernet, but we look forward to trying some other Concha y Toro wines!
Rating: 6.75/10

Dr. Hans VanMuller Riesling Kabinett 2005

Price: $6.99 at Blanchard's
Recommended by: On sale!
Comments: For the price, this wine is pretty good. It is a bit sweet, but not cloying, with flavors dominated by green apple, lemon, and lime. It is not a complex wine, but its flavors last longer than we expected at this price. Also, it finishes with a steely cleaness that is quite nice.
Rating: 6/10

Dr. L (Loosen) Riesling 2005

Price: $8.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: Loosen's reputation
Comments: This riesling is a really nice everyday German wine. We were surprised by the fruitiness, with hints of pear, lime, and lemon, and a really nice, zippy, sweet finish. For the price, you cannot go wrong; plus, it's really easy to find since it's one of the more popular affordable rieslings.
Rating: 6.5/10

St. Supéry Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $15.99
Recommended by: Food and Wine magazine?
Comments: This is a special Sauvignon Blanc. From Groth and Hess, we've learned how good Napa Sauvignon Blancs can be, but this may be our favorite so far. The wine has strong flavors of grapefruit and lime with hints of kiwi. The taste is long and delicious, and we look forward to having it again. Right now, it is our favorite Sauvignon Blanc. Its flavor reminds us a bit of Matua, and it may be better (although it also costs a few dollars more).
Rating: 7.5/10

Ca La Bionda Valpolicella Ravazzol 2003

Price: $13.00 @ Blanchard's
Recommended by: Abe, the wine guy
Comments: We were about to pick up another bottle of the Santi Solane ripasso, when Abe, the wine guy recommended that we try this one instead. Thanks, Abe! You da man! This Italian red is delicious in every way that the Santi is, and it might be even better. The black cherry flavor is big, and the taste lingers. We will definitely be getting this one again!
Rating: 7.5/10

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $10.99 @ Blanchard's
Recommended by: wine dude at store
Comments: We enjoyed this South African wine, but found ourselves hard pressed to adequately describe it here. So, we went online to see what other people said about it. We quickly found a few reviews, but it turned out that they all said the same thing. EXACTLY the same thing. What a bunch of plagiarists! To show our disgust, we're going to reproduce exactly what they say. This wine is "a delightfully elegant and restrained wine with long flavors of citrus and pear, a bit of mineral and a slightly herbal lemon-butter finish." Well, not exactly. We tasted a bit of pear and it certainly had a mineral element and some butter and spiciness in the finish. But there was little lemon and just a hint of citrus. We also tasted some grassiness. It was a light, enjoyable wine, but we lean toward those in-yer-face New Zealand and Napa Sauvignon Blancs. This wine was different and we enjoyed it. If you find the Matua or Villa Maria overpowering, this one might be just the summer wine for you! (Oh, and some of the profits go towards saving the whales -- just another reason to buy it!)
Rating: 6.5/10

Writer's Block Pinot Noir 2002

Price: ~$15.00
Recommended by: wine seller at Wine & Spirits in Hingham
Comments: We had this wine a few years ago, and we liked it so much that we bought another bottle and saved it. Tonight, after another chapter of Rob's book has been written, we opened it, wondering whether we would like it as much as we did when we first tried it. We were not disappointed. The wine opens with a burst of cherry and raspberry flavors, along with hints of cinnamon, and the yummy flavor lingers long after you take your initial sip. This is a fantastic, complex wine and our favorite pinot noir to date. It is a bit hard to find, unfortunately. (The photo says syrah -- we could not find a photo of the pinot.)
Rating: 8.5/10

Matua Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $9.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: don't remember
Comments: We've had this Marlborough wine several times. We haven't rated it because we like it so much and know we won't forget it. But we'd like to share it with others. Here's the scoop -- buy this wine! It's just as good as Villa Maria (maybe better), but instead of a fierce grassy, lemon flavor it's more of a grapefruit taste. It's particularly great with ... sushi!
Rating: 7.75/10

Fleur de California Pinot Noir Carneros 2005

Price: $13.99 (Downeast Beverage Co., Portland, Maine)
Recommended by: wine chick at Downeast Beverage
Comments: This wine came highly recommended for a California pinot, even though the wine chick preferred Oregon/Washington pinots. It has a nice cherry and cranberry flavor with a tart, peppery finish. We found it decent but not exceptional. We haven't had many pinots, so we don't have much with which to compare it. One site recommended to pair it with an appetizer of pate & smoked salmon, with broiled portobello mushrooms with garlic. Maybe we should try that next time!
Rating: 6.25/10

Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón Calatayud Viña Alarba Old Vines Grenache 2005

Price: $7.99 (in Portland, Maine)
Recommended by: wine shop owner who specialized in Spanish wines
Comments: To the crazy, overly friendly wine shop dude in Portland (he even gave us a free bottle), thank you for introducing us to this wine! We don't know anything about grenaches, and very little about Spanish wines in general, but after this one, we want to try more! This is a tasty, tasty wine. Bursting with flavors of black cherry and raspberry, followed by a peppery finish, this wine is a mouthful of happiness. With the price under $10, we want to go out and buy a few more bottles. Now. (But we'll wait till the effects of this 14% alcohol wine wear off a bit.)
Rating: 7.5/10

Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $9.59 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: one of Wine Spectator's 100 Best Buys of 2005
Comments: In our quest to discover great domestic sauvignon blancs, next up is Kenwood (Sonoma). It's a solid "savon blanc" (that was for you, bro!). It is quite lemony with a little bit of grassiness and a smooth, oaky finish. The flavor won't knock you out like a Matua, but we would enjoy drinking this again, and it's fairly easy to find.
Rating: 6.75/10

Rojo Mojo Shiraz 2005

Price: $7.99
Recommended by: nice lady in Portland, Maine, who has had several bottles.
Comments: Well, we just got back from Portland with 6 new bottles in tow. We're not going to bother reviewing the mediocre merlot we had last night (so mediocre that we don't even remember the name). However, this Spanish (La Mancha) red is muy bueno! It's got a great, happy, fruity flavor -- with raspberry dominating -- and nice hints of pepper. It also has a nice, smooth finish, which we think distinguishes it from Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz (Australia).
Rating: 7/10

Zed Sauvignon Blanc 2004

Price: $10.00
Recommended by: the price
Tasting notes: None, really. It was unimpressive for a Marlborough, which usually contains a burst of fruitiness.
Rating: 5/10

Panuelo Rojo Roble 2003

Price: $11.99 @ Wine Gallery
Tasting notes: This Spanish (Navarra) red is a helluva wine for the price. It is 60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon, and it is a really tasty, fruity wine. It has hints of blackberry, blueberry, and cherry, with a remarkable complexity. We will definitely be enjoying this wine again.
Rating: 7.5/10

Groth Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $17.99 @ Blanchards (J.P.)
Recommended by: oenophile relatives in California
Tasting notes: This Napa wine was really refreshing on a hot, summer evening. It surprisingly competes with the great Marlborough sauvignon blancs that we've tried. It has notes of lemon, pineapple, and green apple and has a long, delicious finish. It is a bit expensive, but certainly worth it! We look forward to trying other Groth wines (the cabernet has been highly recommended to us as well).
Rating: 7.75/10

Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $9.99
Recommended by: a magazine (cannot remember which one)
Tasting notes: Not very fruity like a Marlborough. Tastes a bit like Chardonnay. Nuff said.
Rating: 4/10

Peace Shiraz 2004

Price: $7.99
Recommended by: staff at wine store in Hingham
Tasting notes: This wine makes us smile. Bright with flavors of cherry, blueberry, and plum, it is very light but rich in flavor. Its price and yumminess guarantee that we will be getting it again soon.
Rating: 7.25/10

Concannon Petite Sirah 2003

Price: $11.49 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: a friend who likes petite sirahs
Tasting notes: This petit sirah may be as good as Bogle but costs a few dollars more. It has a bold, dark fruity flavor, with hints of blueberry and raisin. It has some tartness to it, but a smooth finish. We will definitely get this wine again.
Rating: 7.5/10

Laboure Roi Bourgogne Rouge Maximum Pinot Noir 2003

Price: $14.99 (@ The Wine Gallery)
Recommended by: The Wine Jukebox tasting carousel of happiness
Tasting notes: This is a bright, fruity smooth wine (the winemaker says "an aroma of mixed red berry fruit dominated by strawberries and black currants"). The mixed berries dominate the palate. We only drank one bottle, but we're sure that the third bottle would taste just as smooth and delicious. One of the better pinots we've had.
Rating: 7/10

Conte Di Bregonzo Amarone della Valpolicella 2002

Price: $12.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: the price!
Tasting notes: This wine was a wonderful surprise. Amarones usually run over $30, but we found this one at TJ's for under $15. We expected little but were amazed to find so much flavor in this bottle. It has a rich, long taste dominated by raisins, dates, and cherries. The alcohol content is high but not overpowering. We will be getting another bottle of this soon!
Rating: 8/10

(addendum: Quaffability had the best line about this wine: "Despite its complexity, this is definitely a good beginners wine, a good wine for white drinkers looking to go red, and a great seduction wine, though you run the risk of draining the bottle, and maybe another, and going to sleep before anything interesting happens.")

Ayler Kupp Riesling Kabinett 2004

Price: $8.99 @ Wine Gallery
Tasting notes: When we opened the bottle, we thought the wine might be skunky. It certainly has a peculiar, metallic smell. However, the taste was very nice, and the smell seemed to get better as we drank it. It has a sort of pineapple, green apple flavor with a nice acidity. It is not too sweet nor too dry, with a steely crispness. We really enjoyed it with our cioppino seafood dish.
Rating: 6/10

Wolf Blass Gold Label Riesling 2004

Price: $11.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: We've loved the Wolf Blass shirazes (both Yellow and Gold Label), so we assumed the riesling would be great, too.
Tasting notes: We were shocked that this wine was not better. It's not terrible, but it has very little to recommend it. It is relatively flat, not sweet, with tastes of lime and lemon. Considering the price, we are not likely to get this wine again. There are much better, lesser expensive rieslings out there.
Rating: 4/10

Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $9.99 (@ The Wine Gallery)
Recommended by: We're on a quest to try as many Marlborough sauvignon blancs as we can!
Tasting notes: Very citrusy (particularly grapefruit), as expected from this Marlborough wine. It's not as powerful as the Villa Maria, but it is smooth, refreshing, and very enjoyable, much like Matua. The bottle label mentioned tastes of bell pepper in addition to citrus, but we did not notice a pepper flavor.
Rating: 6.5/10

Graham Beck Railroad Red Shiraz 2003

Price: $8.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: The wine jukebox at The Wine Gallery
Tasting notes: This is a very full-bodied Shiraz. It's surprisingly smooth with bursts of fruit flavor. We will definitely be enjoying this South African wine again.
Rating: 6.5/10

The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc 2004

Price: $6.99 @ Trader Joe's
Recommended by: the price!
Tasting notes: This wine is very citrusy as expected in a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, but it isn't as smooth or as tasty as, say, Matua (which is a few $$ more), but it is certainly enjoyable. We're not in a hurry to buy this again.
Rating: 5.5/10

Kitfox Foxy Red 2003

Price: $10.99
Recommended by: The "Wine Jukebox" at the Wine Gallery
Tasting notes: Fruit forward and enjoyable. Hints of cranberry and cherry, but by no means complex. A yummy basic California red, especially with pizza.
Rating: 6/10

Panarroz Jumilla 2004

Price: $7.99 (Blanchard's)
Recommended by: Wine Gallery (Brookline, MA), and Wine Advocate gave it a 90.
Tasting notes: We have heard that there are some great Spanish reds for affordable prices, and this wine was certainly one of them. Bursts of fruit flavor -- tastes of blackberries, cherries, and chocolate -- and it was much smoother than we thought it would be, with a nice finish. We tasted it with chocolate brownies, and it was a very nice pair! Because of the price, this is definitely a wine that we will purchase again.
Rating: 7/10

Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $2.99, baby!
Recommended by: The cult following among the Trader Joe's crowd
Drinking notes: We call it "drinking notes" because this is not really a wine to "taste." But what can you say -- it's Two Buck Chuck! And how can you really have a blog for budget wines without reviewing Chuck? Honestly, we were surprised that this wine was enjoyable. It's not a wine that lasts -- it doesn't get better as you drink it -- but for the money it's a good bargain. We have been drinking a lot of New Zealand fruity sauv blancs, so this certainly doesn't have anywhere near the flavor or boldness of those wines, but it's a decent, moderate alternative.
Rating: 6/10

Amarone Tasting

Last night we attended an amarone tasting at Les Zygomates, a French restaurant/wine bar in Boston. We tasted four different amarones, along with delicious duck, steak, and veal appetizers and a very impressive wild mushroom and cheese bruschetta. Amarone is a very full-bodied, high-alcohol, Italian wine, in which the grapes go through a drying process for five months, creating a sweet raisin, before they are pressed.

2001 Santi, Amarone della Valpolicella
This wine was the lightest of the amarones we tried. It wasn't as smooth, but especially when paired with the food it was still very enjoyable. Bright, fruity tastes of cherry and plum and spices (cinnamon and cloves), with a toasted almond finish.
(Retail: ~$25-40)

1998 Tomassi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
This was our favorite wine of the evening. Bursts of fruit flavor and some chocolate notes, and it was the smoothest of the four. This amarone was also a few years older, so the tannens weren't as prevalent. As our sommalier explained, 1998 was a great year from amarone, especially in the Classico region.
(Retail: ~$45-55)

2000 Luigi Righetti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
This amarone was not as fruity as the Tomassi and not as enjoyable. It was a bit more chocolatey and smelled like chicory, and it went well with the food pairing, but overall it did not blow us away like the Tomassi.
(Retail: ~$25)

2000 Tenute Galtarossa, Amarone della Valpolicella
This was our second favorite. It had a nice complexity with a pronounced tobacco flavor. It was very lovely, but in a different way than our first choice, the Tomassi. It might be hard to find. (Retail: ~$35-40)

Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel 2002

Price: $12.97 (Blanchard's, Jamaica Plain)
Recommended by: Tasted at Boston Wine Expo
Tasting notes: Big, bold, jam flavors. Smelled of grape jelly and a taste to match. There was also some nice complexity there. However, the grape jelly taste grew overpowering and I couldn't finish the bottle. I would buy this again if I was in the mood for its flavors.
Rating: 6

Santi Solane Classico Superiore Valpolicella Ripasso 2003

Price: $13.00 @ The Wine Gallery (Brookline, MA)
Recommended by: the wine jukebox at the wine shop
Tasting notes: This is a very nice red. You can taste the hints of cherry, vanilla, and almonds. It finishes dry but smooth. It's light but does not lack in flavor at all. What a treat! We did not drink it with food, but it is supposed to go well with veal, roasts, pork, pizza, game, duck, and chicken.
Rating: 7.5/10

Hogue Gewurztraminer 2004

Price: $8.00
Tasting notes: Not as sweet as, and maybe a bit more acidic than, the Chateau Ste. Michelle, but certainly as joyable. The spice was slightly more pronounced (and we drank it with the exact same meal as the CSM). We will certainly be enjoying more bottles of this in the future.
Rating: 6.5/10

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer 2004

Price: $8.99
Tasting notes: This is a very happy Gewurz. And considering the price you cannot go wrong with it. We drank it with a seafood stew, and it was a great pairing. The stew really brought out the spiciness of the wine. It has the classic grapefruit flavor of Gewurz in abundance, and we look forward to drinking it again soon. (Can you tell we're fans of Gewurz?)
Rating: 7.75/10

Amity Vineyards Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2002

Price: $14.99
Tasting notes: Like all late harvests, this Oregon wine was very sweet, but maybe a bit too sweet. It finishes with a nice, classic Gewurz taste, and you can taste the sweet and classic flavors at the same time in the middle. A nice dessert wine.
Rating: 6.5/10

Montinore Estate Pinot Noir 2003

Price: $12.00
Tasting notes: We picked this wine from a sale bin at the local wine shop, so we decided to give it a try. It was a mediocre Pinot. It was better than Rex Goliath, but we're not in a hurry to purchase this Oregon product again. Writer's Block is still our favorite Pinot Noir (review of this wine to come) -- just a few $$ more.
Rating: 5.5/10

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Price: $9.99 at Trader Joe's
Recommended by: Patron at the Boston Wine Expo and Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine (see "Recommended Reads" in sidebar)
Tasting notes: Strong flavors of lemon and peaches. It wasn't as smooth as Villa Maria, another Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but has a great citrusy taste.
Rating: 7/10

Covey Run Gewurztraminer 2004

Price: $7.99
Recommended by: Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buys of 2005
Tasting notes: A nice wine, but not as edgy as some Gewurz’s. It lacked some of the spicyness and complexity of comparably priced ones. We prefer Columbia Winery or Chateau Ste. Michelle as far as domestic Gewurz's go.
Rating: 5.5/10

Casa Lapostolle Merlot 2003

Price: $11.99
Recommended by: Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine (see "Recommended Reads" in sidebar)
Tasting notes: Sweet fruity taste with a slightly spicy finish. Rob didn’t love the smell but liked the taste. But as far as Merlots go, this was a good one. Although we enjoyed this winery's Cabernet Sauvignon more, we would buy this wine again, particularly if we could find it for less than $10.
Rating: 6.5/10