Price: ~$18

Blend:

Roussanne, Clairette & Grenache Blanc

Nose:

Bit O Honey, marzipan and ripe pear

Palate:

Medium bodied and firm acid.  Shockingly intense apple, biscuit, honeysuckle and peach.  Long stony finish

Synopsis:

Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer, Andre Brunel, has been blowing people away with this white Côtes du Rhône for some time now, but it’s only recently come to my attention.  Shame on me.  As much as I love Rhône reds, the whites often leave me wishing I had opened something else.  This, on the other hand, is quite delightful.  It has richness and weight but balanced wonderfully with acidity and fruit.  Enjoy with baked salmon, roast chicken or fennel salad.

The Som Rating: 7/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Price: ~$37

Region:

Ribera Del Duero, Spain

Nose:

Deep, complex and intense.  Roasted beets, cherries, spice and vanilla.  This has spent at least 18 months in American oak.

Palate:

Let the fun begin.  When we put this in our mouths we all looked at one another and our eyes lit up like deer on the highway.  Round and full it expands with licorice, plum and cherry.  Tannins are present but round and savory.  The finish is juicy and memorable.

Synopsis:

If you’re not drinking Vega Sicilia from Ribera Del Duero (and honestly who can at that price?) then you should be drinking Pesquera.  Alejandro Fernandez was the first in the region to use 100% tempranillo and before him there was only Vega and cheap Garnacha rosé to call Ribera Del Duero home.

The Som Rating: 9/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Price:   $10.99

Blend:

Shiraz, Cab, Merlot, Petite Verdot

Nose:

Black cherry, pork and celery salt.

Palate:

Leans to the medium side of full bodied.  Moderate acid and soft, ripe tannin.  Dark black cherry notes with tints of raspberry and cherry and a long juicy finish.

Synopsis:

I’m not sure who would dislike this wine with it’s perfect balance between new world fruit and old world restraint.  Also this really opens up in the glass and becomes more and more sublime as time passes.  Unstoppable at this price.

The Som Rating: 8/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Price:  ~$10

Region:

Mendoza, Argentina

Nose:

Jammy red fruits, violets and vanilla.

Palate:

Full bodied, moderate acid and round, ripe tannin.  Big, plush fruit of plum skin, cherry and fresh herbs.  Long finish with a mild dry kick.

Synopsis:

For me, this is what $10 Malbec is – - – simple, plush and bright fruit.  Cheap Pinot Noir meets Merlot.

The Som Rating: 6/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Region:

Central Otago, New Zealand

Nose:

Damson plums and chocolate covered cherries over cinnamon and sage.

Palate:

Medium Bodied.  Bright, juicy acidity and round, juicy tannin. (Notice the related theme to our latest show?)  Distinct coffee notes underneath the ripe berry fruit.  Moderately long finish but really no waves of flavor here.

Synopsis:

In the grand scheme of the wine world Pinot Noir and New Zealand are very recent acquaintances.  Not until the last 10 years did New Zealand grape growers decide that Pinot Noir would work really well there.  I feel that the jury is still out.  Is this a solid, well made Pinot?  Yes.  Would I regularly pay $20+ for it?   Hell no.

But, as I said, the jury is still out in my opinion.   These vines are still very young and not producing world class fruit yet.  I don’t think we will truly understand the potential of NZ Pinot Noir for at least another 5-10 years.  Keep your palates primed.

The Som Rating: 7/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Nose:

Roated meats, raspberries and red licorice

Palate:

Full bodied. above average acidity and smooth, ripe tannin.  Intense and up front fruit of plum, blackberry and black cherry.

Synposis:

This is rich and intense but it finishes light on it’s feet…like a long barefoot walk in the park after your first viewing of Reservoir Dogs.  The price of these wines reflect the labor it takes to produce them.  Bovee and I did a whole show on the wonders of Valpolicella and the many style of wine they can create.

This Ripasso style should be used with pretty hearty and intensely flavored foods.  It’s also perfect for the cold night on the bear skin rug with your loved one.

The Som Rating: 9/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Price:  ~$23.00

Region:

Umpgua Valley, Oregon

Nose:

Ripe, burnt cherry with smokey bacon fat, and a touch of tobacco store.

Palate:

Full bodied with smooth, round tannin.  Powerful notes of roasted cherry, pine, vanilla and Christmas spices.  Very smooth and velvety finish.  It’s drinking great right now.

The Som Rating: 9/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Price: ~ $30.00

Nose:

Toasty nose of black cherry, roasted beef and minty thyme.

Palate:

Full bodied, high acid, moderate tannin.  Bright, intense kick of raspberry, cherry and bitter chocolate but a truly fres and juicy finish.

Synopsis:

My one issue with this wine is the tannins are a bit harsh on the back end.  Other than that, there is plenty of freshness and vitality.  As these tannins soften slighty over the next few years this will become more & more delightful.   You should try and find it now because only about 100 cases were produced.   Grab some and enjoy it all summer long with grilled pork.

I love Adam Lee’s passion and the kind of wines he makes.  His Siduri line consists of his large variety of Pinot Noirs.  All of his other goodies are under the Novy name (his wifes maiden name).  This Grenache is from the Bennet Valley, a cool climate growing area north of Sonoma Mountain.

The Som Rating: 7/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Nose:

Peppery beef notes, green pepper.

Palate:

Full bodied, moderate acid, soft tannin.  The attack is all about soft, plummy fruit.  The finish is all about a spicy pepper kick and a mild vegetal finish.  ‘Nuff said.

Synopsis:

Yet another in the long line of value based Chilean reds.  Carménère is a red grape indigenous to the Bordeaux region of France.  After the phyloxera epidemic in the late 1800′s, Carménère was the odd man out in Bordeaux.  It’s qualities were mimicked by Merlot, but it was never a great ripened to start with.  An easy grape for the Bordeaux folks to part with.

Eventually it found it’s way to Chile and that is where it has truly flourished. In fact, it’s damn near extinct in France and has become the signature red grape of Chile.

This version is pretty boring and not worth searching out unless you are dying for something red, wet and soft ( hello Kirstie Alley).  However there are many high quality Carménères out there that will genuinely turn you on.

The Som Rating: 5/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Price: ~$25

Nose:

Stewy, thick fruit with notes of blackberry, garrigue and hot bacon grease.

Palate:

Full bodied, moderate acid, and sweet ripe tannin.  Intense frontal attack of dark berries, S’mores, and brown spices.  Long finish with a touch of bitter cocoa.

Synopsis:

Terrific stuff.   I’m going to go into a little more detail than I normally do because of my Rhône preference.  Perrin & Fils is the producer.  Rasteau is the southern Rhône village from where the grapes came.  Côtes-du-Rhône Village is essentially alerting you to the fact that this is indeed a C-d-R wine.  L’Andeol is the vineyard name from where these grapes came from within the town of Rasteau.

I am well aware that I am not the first guy to proclaim the wonders of the 2007 Rhône vintage nor will I be the last.  The growing season was near perfection and the proof is in the many 07′s I’ve tasted thus far.  All the pieces are there to make an amazing red wine, but as I taste through the 07′s I’m often reminded of Brett Favre’s comment before joining the Vikings:  “The pieces are in place.”   At the time I composed this (12/06/09) the pieces are not in place.  You’ve got your fruit over here, your acidity over there, your structure right there, and tannins in your face.  This vintage would love to lay down in your basement for 6 months to a year just to let the pieces relax and meld together a little.  It will happen, but a little patience is required.

All that being said,  the 2007 P&F Rasteau is the first one I’ve tasted where I can feel it coming together and it is awesome!  It will probably cost you upwards of $25.00 but is easily worth it.  SJH wise…better than an 8 but right now I cannot go all the way to 9.

The Som Rating: 8.5/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads