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Price: ~$15.00
Recommended by: This was a gift, but we've had this on our wish list for a while. We think it was recommended by Sunset Magazine.
Comments: Yum. It was yum from the first sniff. Very flowery on the nose and the palate. We also smelled Fruit Loops (honest!) and tasted plum, cherry, and oak. The flavor lasted a long time, and the finish was very smooth. Lots of flavors going on in this wine. It's rather different from the California (in-yer-face-with-fruit) Cabs, but this was excellent. We're becoming huge fans of Washington State wines.
Ratings: 7.75/10
Price: $11.99 @ Blanchard's (Jamaica Plain, MA)
Recommended by: sucked in by store advertising
Comments: We totally shouldn't have opened a second bottle of wine tonight. And yet, we're so glad we did! We so rarely drink old world wine, and yet this one is really good, and a fantastic deal for the money. We found strong flavors of plum along with chocolate and black cherry, and perhaps a hint of black licorice at the end. The wine consists of 70% Merlot and the rest is Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The finish is quite long and smooth. We've never been happier to succumb to good advertising!
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $9.99 @ Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: We wanted to compare this with Chateau Ste. Michelle's Gewurz.
Comments: We have to brag. We made an EXCELLENT meal tonight. We cooked some Moroccan-spiced swordfish (with yogurt-mint sauce), couscous, and Brussels sprouts. And this wine was a perfect complement to the meal. It's an almost-organic Gewurz (organic grapes but a non-organic process), with a nice orange/grapefruit and spicy taste. The finish is long, a bit steely, and very smooth. We liked it better with the food, but it is also enjoyable on its own. Rob noted that this wine might be slightly "creamier" than and not as spicy as the Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurz, but it is just about as good (CSM now owns Snoqualmie Vineyard). We can understand how Wine Enthusiast gave it a respectable 88 and "Best Buy" designation. We will be buying this wine again soon! Did we tell you about the amazing meal? :)
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $11-12 @ Spagio Cellars, Columbus, OH (we think)
Recommended by: in-store tasting
Comments: Considering the cost, this is a very nice wine. We've learned from our friends at Wine-O-Rama to keep our eyes open for German Rieslings, particularly those from the Rheingau region. This one isn't from that specific region (it's from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, the other major Riesling-producing region), but it is very tasty. We particularly liked how dry it was and how nicely it accompanied the salmon we had for dinner. Flavors of peach dominate the palate along with flowers and mineral notes. We would definitely have this one again, particularly with any fish dish.
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $10.99 @ Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: We've loved everything we've tasted from this winery.
Comments: We just got back from a wonderful week-long vacation in Colorado, and after a long, tiring day of traveling we enjoyed some sushi and this great find from our friends at Chateau Ste. Michelle. We are fans of dry Rieslings (especially Kabinetts), and this one is wonderful. We tasted lime and peach -- a crisp and refreshing summer wine. We found it very similar to CSM's Gewurztraminer, which is probably our favorite domestic Gewurz. The two wines differ in that the Gewurz has a bit more spice to it, and the dry riesling has a bit more citrus taste. However, they both rock!
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $8.99 @ Gary's Liquors
Recommended by: a Wine Spectator "Best Value" wine
Comments: Can we agree with Wine Spectator two nights in a row? Say it isn't so! This wine is fantastic -- it earned every one of its 90 points. We had tried the Grand Estates Merlot before and enjoyed it, but this year's vintage is much better. Flavors of cherry and chocolate dominate the palate along with a healthy dose of blueberry, all brought together by a surprisingly long, smooth finish. For the price, this wine can't be beat. We'll be getting another bottle or two for the shelf soon!
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $9.99 @ Derby Street Wine & Spirits, Hingham, MA
Recommended by: We love the Paringa Sparkling Shiraz, so we wanted to give this one a try.
Comments: For once we agree with Wine Spectator! This 87-rated wine was a nice surprise. For the price, it's smooth, complex, and delicious. It's not as fruit-forward as many other Australian Shirazes; instead it has an enjoyable earthiness and balance. Additionally, the wine's long finish is unexpected for a Shiraz in this price range. We look forward to enjoying this one again soon!
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $13.99 @ Wine and Cheese Cask (Somerville, MA)
Recommended by: Sunset Magazine (we think!)
Comments: Yet another example of why we love Spanish wines! We are munching on chips and guacamole, enjoying the blizzard-like conditions, and watching some March Madness on the tube. This wine pairs well with all of it! It's a heavier wine than Las Brisas, but shares many of the characteristics we love in that wine. It has robust flavors of lemon, lime, honey, and kiwi (and maybe some apple). You notice the crisp steeliness one finds in a Sauvignon Blanc (this wine is 100% Verdejo). We will be getting this one again soon!
Rating: 7.75/10
Price: $13.00 @ Solera
Recommended by: Atlantic Fish Co. (wine flight)
Comments: Dios Mio! Me gusta los vinos de Espana! Here's another Spanish wine we really dig, but this one is white. Without knowing it was from Spain, we would have guessed it was another great Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. However, this one is only 50% Sauvignon Blanc with the other half consisting of Verdejo. The result is a wine that demonstrates all of the characteristics of a great Sauvignon Blanc: crisp, complex, citrusy, grassy. It has flavors of lemon, grapefruit, peach, and green apple. Yummy! The smell also carries a bit of kiwi. It goes great with seafood and we look forward to having it again soon. Viva la Espana!
Rating: 7.75/10
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
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
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
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
Price: ~$15.00 
