My Notes: got for house warming gift

My Notes: http://spannvineyards.com/id93.html 59% chardonnay and 41% viognier from Alexander Valley

My Notes: http://www.preceptbrands.com/wines/Bloom.asp

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My Notes: http://www.redtruckwine.com/

My Notes: picked up on fall 2008 wine tasting trip. Was on sale about 1/2 off. Lora wasn't a huge fan

My Notes: Cellar Rat March 2008 http://musewine.com/

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My Notes: http://www.wallacewine.com/#/TheWine/OurWine/WhiteWines/Four/

My Notes: purchased at a downtown San Francisco wine store while at CTIA Fall 2008

My Notes: purchased in Del Mar, CA

My Notes: got from wine.woot.com as part of a Cycles Gladiator 4 pack: http://wine.woot.com/blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=4840

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My Notes: Cellar Rat http://harasdepirque.com/vina/f_harasEleg.html

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My Notes: custom made Cellar Rat wine

My Notes: tasted too grape juice like. not much bite for a cab.

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My Notes: Cellar Rat, March 2008

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My Notes: housewarming gift from Doug D

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My Notes: housewarming gift from Matt M

My Notes: housewarming from Steve W

My Notes: housewarming gift from Tony D

My Notes: housewarming gift from Mark S

My Notes: housewarming gift from Doug D

My Notes: housewarming gift from Jason W

My Notes: housewarming gift from Steve D

My Notes: very flowery after taste

My Notes: winemaker's notes: The McLaren Vale region is strongly maritime influenced, with considerable variation in climate between the hill slopes and the sea. The hills produce favorable seasonal rains while the coast brings ripening sunshine softened by cooling breezes.

My Notes: The vineyard is located on the hillsides of the valley of the Ouveze, on sandy and stoney soils at the foot off the giant Provence: The Mont Ventoux. Grape varities: 65% black Grenache, 30% Syrah and 5% Cinsault. This wine is made in a traditional vinification of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault, with a short maceration (1 week) at low temperatures in order to get a wine with as much ripe fruit extraction and structure as possible.

My Notes: http://www.firestonewine.com/2003_merlot_reserve.html Winemaking The 2003 growing season was blessed with warm, steady temperatures throughout the summer and harvest months, ensuring balanced maturation of flavors and tannins. The grapes were hand picked in mid October. After destemming and light crushing, the must was inoculated with slow-fermenting yeast for balanced extraction. Extended maceration was employed for a total of 28 days of skin contact to refine the tannin profile. The wine was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, of which 75 percent featured new oak. The final blend included a 10 percent contribution of estate Cabernet Franc for enhanced structure and tannin composition.

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My Notes: purchased from wine.woot.com as part of a Chateau Souverain Pinot Noir -Three Pack http://wine.woot.com/Blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=5286 http://wine.woot.com/Forums/ViewPost.aspx?PostID=2386617

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My Notes: provided by Angela @ Barkley for tasting. included in her wine club membership http://aavwine.com

My Notes: definitely need to decant or let sit out a bit, because it was a bit young. tasted much better at that point

My Notes: http://www.bodegagouguenheim.com.ar/

My Notes: http://www.annegra.com/ The Wine Advocate (Issue #169: February 28, 2007) awarded this wine 91 points and stated: "Dark ruby-colored, with expressive toasty, smoky, kirsch and raspberry aromas and flavors, on the palate this medium to full-bodied wine is rich yet elegant, nicely layered, and has a long, pure finish. Drink this unique wine over the next 4-6 years."

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My Notes: got on closeout at Cellar Rat for $9, online for $19-27

My Notes: Sacha Lichine is the mastermind behind the concept of Vins Sans Frontieres, where the Old World meets the New in an exciting array of blended wines made both in France and the southern hemisphere. These wines are designed to appeal to the modern wine consumer in all markets and to spread Lichine's vision that wine should not be worshipped, just enjoyed. Toast your enjoyment of the wines with the musical suggestions accompanying each bottle. The Coq Rouge is wonderful with generous helping of vintage Rolling Stones, "I am the little Red Rooster too lazy to crow for days. http://www.winelegacy.com/ItemDetail.aspx?Item_ID=309

My Notes: http://snoqualmie.com/wines/Columbia/Columbia_Valley_Winemakers_Select_Riesling.cfm

My Notes: good everyday merlot. good value. http://www.cavitcollection.com/html/collection_merlot.asp

My Notes: Cellar Rat wine of the week July 21 2008. Tasted a little young, but after some good decanting, tasted much better.

My Notes: http://www.wine.com/V6/Beringer-Third-Century-Merlot-2004/wine/89947/detail.aspx

My Notes: http://spellboundwines.com vino 100

My Notes: http://www.delorimierwinery.com via Steve D Tom Fuchs and Bill McCardell established Mosaic Vineyards just a few years ago when they purchased deLorimier Winery. Fuchs and McCardell hired a very experienced winemaking team to craft their Alexander Valley vintages. In the vineyard, they aim to grow balanced grapes that express the terroir of the land.

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My Notes: 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc

My Notes: http://www.tormaresca.it/_Eng/flash_provaen.htm Cellar Rat 2/08

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My Notes: http://www.harasdepirque.com Cellar Rat May 2008

My Notes: http://www.domaine-solitude.com/english

My Notes: Cellar Rat - was featured at wine tasting in May 2008. large amount of sediment. very earthy . Vilosell 2004 Costers del Segre Red Wine is a blend of 50 percent Tempranillo ("Ull de Llebre" in Catalan), 26 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, 9 percent Grenache "Garnatxa") and 5 percent Syrah. It's fermented in tanks but then sees nine months in French oak.

My Notes: Cellar Rat 04/2008

My Notes: Referred by Steve D - An excellent wine that probably travels somewhat under the radar is Domaine de laSolitude’s inexpensive Cotes du Rhone, wine made from mostly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre. It is especially strong in 2005 with crunchy black cherry and raspberry fruit intermixed with some herbs, pepper, and garrigue. Spicy, round, and easy to appreciate, it should be drunk over the next several years.

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My Notes: Solid, with ripe plum and cassis flavors, backed by a layer of vanilla and mocha toast. Slightly firm, but with good weight and length. Drink now. Match: Beef and summer BBQ

My Notes: winemaker's notes: Archipel is the French word for Archipelago, an string of islands rising above the sea, and that meaning is carried over to the sourcing of fruit for the new Archipel wine, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. For this limited production wine, world acclaimed winemaker Pierre Seillan selected only those mountain peak vineyards in Napa and Sonoma that, on a foggy morning, sit above the clouds like a archipelago island sits upon the misty sea. This wine is the essence of California Mountain fruit expressed with French undertones, epitomizing modern sophistication, both in it’s mountain structure supporting a vibrant fruit profile, as well as it’s contemporary image which appeals to those intrigued by unique wines and progressive thinking. Vibrant black fruit with floral and spice notes. Rich, round, and full bodied. http://archipelwines.com/flavor_2002.html

My Notes: wasn't great. a little thin.

My Notes: Cellar Rat Wine Merchants co-branded. Wine of the month June, 2008, along with the CR Pinot Noir

My Notes: Cellar Rate Wine Merchants co-branded. Nunes Vineyard is located in the Russian River Valley Appellation of Sonoma County near Windsor.

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My Notes: got as birthday gift

My Notes: Cellar Rat April 2008 Beautiful golden yellow with delicate green reflections. Delicate tropical fruits aromas lead into red apples and pear flavors. Soft and finishing with elegance and balance. Winemaker is Federico Benegas Lynch, and famous consultant Michel Rolland.

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My Notes: http://www.ravenswoodwine.com/

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My Notes: http://closdubois.com One of the most delicate and finicky grapes, Pinot Noir demands special attention. But the results are well worth the effort – seductive, plush, subtle. To fully capture the unique character of this grape, we use traditional Burgundian techniques of small-tank fermentation and aging in heavily toasted oak. That technique preserves the smooth, rich texture and subtle flavors of the grape, producing the aromas of crushed rose petals and rich cherry characteristic of fine Pinot Noir.

My Notes: Reviews for 2003 Vintage From the Wine Advocate, #156 (Dec 2004): "Points: 89. The non-vintage Little James is a 100% basket-pressed vin de table that is not permitted to have a vintage designation, even though this example is all from the 2003 vintage. It is produced from a combination of young Grenache vines from the estate, blended with old vine Grenache that Louis Barruol discovered in the Roussillon region. Even with the poor exchange rate between the dollar and the euro, this wine sells for $10 or less. There are 40,000 bottles of this delicious, in-your-face concoction that represents the bottled essence of the sunny south of France. Aromas and flavors of Provencal herbs, pepper, kirsch liqueur, and hint of apricots emerge from this rich, fleshy red. It admirably proves that creative winemaking, good sourcing, and a minimal interventionalistic policy can result in tremendous value. Drink it over the next 1-2 years." © The Wine Advocate

My Notes: Cellar Rat monthly pick

My Notes: 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, all organically grown on our Conn Valley Ranch. When I tasted this wine recently with a group of trade professionals -- people who make their living tasting and selling wine -- several noticed the lovely cherry component in the aroma and remarked how rare it is to find that characteristic in Merlot today. In France, Merlot producers delight in the presence of what they call Griottes, an elusive wild cherry element that sets a Pomerol or St. Emilion apart from the rest of Bordeaux. Low crop levels are essential to experience it, and careful vinification is necessary to preserve it. Crop levels for our Merlot in 2004 were barely two tons per acre, less than half of the Napa Valley average for the variety. Our organic farming and natural style of winemaking allow for the maximum amount of flavor from the grape to make its way into the bottle. It's simple: organically grown grapes, fermented with natural wild yeast, aged without intervention, and bottled without filtration. Nothing added and nothing taken away. 2,268 cases produced http://www.neyersvineyards.com

My Notes: http://tinyurl.com/446emm

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My Notes: http://www.wine.com/V6/Two-Angels-Sauvignon-Blanc-2006/wine/91360/detail.aspx

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My Notes: http://www.cyclesgladiator.com/cycles/catalog/view_product.jsp?product_id=1006

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My Notes: had at Avenues for lunch with Dave

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My Notes: had at J Gilberts. went well with steak http://www.wine.com/V6/Franciscan-Cabernet-Sauvignon-2004/wine/90254/detail.aspx

My Notes: Had at J Gilberts

My Notes: Cellar Rat wine of the month, March 2008

My Notes: http://www.napacellars.com/merlot.php Move south a little in the valley where the San Pablo Bay cools the vineyards in the afternoon and you have perfect Merlot weather. The majority of the Napa Cellars Merlot blend hails from these cooler regions in Napa Valley, such as Oak Knoll and Carneros.

My Notes: http://www.rodneystrong.com/rodneystrong/catalog/view_product.jsp?product_id=1012&cat_id=1 To some people, merlot may seem like a new kid on the block. But at Rodney Strong Vineyards we’ve been growing it since the early 1970’s, when Rod Strong first planted merlot in Geyserville, the heart of the Alexander Valley. Today we farm over 100 acres in the Alexander Valley and the northern portion of the Russian River Valley. Together, these areas display the bright, red fruit character of the Russian River with the deep dark fruit flavors and mature tannins of the warmer Alexander Valley. The 2004 vintage began with an early bud break during an unseasonably warm March, followed by a contrastingly cool April. After a normal May and June, July and the first part of August were on the cool side, but by the end of August, harvest was well underway as a heat spell got ripening going strong and early for most varietals, with all of our merlot in by the 14th of October.We fermented this wine on its skins for an average of eight days, and barrel aged it for twenty-five months in French and American oak barrels. Plum and blueberry flavors predominate in this soft, rich, mouth filling merlot, and are enhanced by aging in small oak barrels for a toasty, spicy vanilla character, and a lingering berry-cream finish. Drink this satisfying merlot over the next 2 to 4 years.

My Notes: Plump and generous, a gentle mouthful of sweet blueberry and currant fruit, shaded with hints of mocha and cedar as the finish lingers nicely. http://www.thelittlepenguin.com

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