2009 MontGras "QUATRO" (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 15% Carmenere, and 15% Syrah) (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

I have had several vintages of this dark Chilean red and they have all been very good or better.  This is another winner, and it remains a very good value.

Completely saturated plasma color.  Wonderful nose of blackberry and ripe cassis, along with smoky balsa wood and lemony minerals.  Rich, mouthfilling flavors of blackberry syrup, graphite, and iodine-laced minerals.  Very full-bodied and tannic, but soft enough to drink now.  This wine will easily compete with California Cabernets costing three times as much, but this wine has less obtrusive oak and will go better with food.  Acidity is a bit low, but it doesn't feel flabby or out of balance.  B+.  I got this for around $13 at Kroger's on Westpark/Buffalo Speedway.

2009 Rabbit Ridge ZINFANDEL "Estate Grown" (Paso Robles, Cal.)

A bit too oaky and overripe for my taste.  Those who like massive, thickly-fruity Zins with lots of new oak will like this better than I did.

Dark ruby with a hint of brick.  Rich, very ripe nose: Sweet blackberry syrup and loads of smoky wood.  Low-toned in the mouth, with inky flavors of dark, dry blackberry syrup, sweet oak, and graphite.  Very low acidity and loads of body.  Concentrated, but a bit overripe and out of balance (the label says 14.9% alc., which isn't that far over the top for Zin, but it tasted far riper than that).  Very fine-grained tannin coats the mouth in the finish.  B-.  Was $15.57 at Spec's on Weslayan and Bissonnet.

2010 Chateau Routas "Rouviere" ROSÉ (Coteaux Varois en Provence, France)

Fantastic rosé and a great value!  But it tasted like a much more expensive Sancerre Pinot Noir rosé than a rosé from Provence -- which is strange given that this wine is a blend of Provencal varietals (Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet) and has no Pinot Noir in it.  But that's fine by me, since Sancerre rosés are my favorites.


Gorgeous, delicate light coppery color.  Fresh, high-toned nose of flowers, strawberry, and chalky minerals.  Beautiful, light-textured dry strawberry/cherry juice fruit in the mouth.  Medium-light body and excellent, crisp acids.  A little minerality in the clean finish completes it.  If I were served this blind, there is no way I would have placed it as a Provencal rosé.  This screams Sancerre.  A.  Was $11 and change at Spec's on Weslayan and Bissonnet.

2009 Chateau Magence GRAVES Blanc (White Bordeaux)

This blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon (the typical white varietals that are blended together for most whites in this region) has LOTS of character--maybe too much for some--but is kind of a clumsy bruiser of a white.

Light gold color.  Big, open, chameleon-like nose that changes on every sniff.  First intensely grassy and burnt herbal (from the Sauvignon Blanc), then showing lots of waxy, lanolin scents (from the Semillon), then golden delicious apple and gooseberry scents.  Big and mouthfilling, with loads of grassy/herbal fruit, but an intense bitterness hits the palate quickly and stays throughout the finish.  It's dry and low in acidity, giving it a fleshier texture than many other whites from this region.  If Alex Karras's Mongo character in Blazing Saddles was a white wine, this would be him.  This wine will definitely polarize people.  B-.  Got it at Whole Foods on Bellaire for $13.99. 

2009 Hesketh GRENACHE "Wild at Heart" (South Australia)

Not the deepest or most complex Aussie Grenache I've had, but flavorful, balanced, and satisfying.  I think Grenache goes with many of the Italian dishes I tend to cook, which is odd, given that it's a grape that is grown only in one small area in Italy (a clone of Grenache called Cannonau is grown on the island of Sardinia).

Medium dark ruby.  Direct, big nose of kirsch, crushed stones, and lemon juice.  Full-bodied, with straight-on ripe, spicy raspberry fruit and a dry, saline, gravelly minerality that comes on in the finish.  Pretty big, but with good acidity for a Grenache from down-under, and a long, juicy finish.  B+.  Was $13 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2009 Bonnet MUSCADET DE SEVRE ET MAINE Sur Lie "Les Dabinieres" (Loire, France)

I drink a fair amount of Muscadets in the hot weather.  Good ones are crisp, refreshing, bone dry, with loads of mouthwatering crisp fruit and razor-sharp, clean stony minerality.  This one was excellent -- slightly riper and fuller than typical, but still very much identifiably Muscadet.

Light, bright silvery-gold color.  Intensely chalky, lime and green apple nose.  Crisp, tart apply fruit attacks the palate.  Extraordinarily pure stony minerality. Excellent fruit and acids too.  Very lively.  The texture actually displays some very light tannin -- very unusual for whites from this region, or any whites, actually.  Clean, zesty, relatively long finish.  B+/A-.  Imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  Can't remember where I got it or how much it costs.  I'll look for a receipt and update if I can find it, but I know it wasn't more than $15 because I simply don't spend more than that for Muscadets.

2009 Charles Joguet CHINON ROSÉ (Loire Valley, France)

This was a very good, earthy, muscular, yet balanced rose.  I think it was made of Cabernet Franc grapes, like most Chinon roses.

Beautiful light coppery-watermelon color.  Inviting, earthy, strawberry/cherry nose with a steely mineral spine.  Big, dry, earthy flavors with lots of ripe, dry cherry fruit.  Good acidity for an '09 to balance out the fairly full body.  Long, powerful, clean finish.  Very good.  B+.  Imported by Kermit Lynch.  Got this on sale from B-21 Wines in Florida for $12, making it a great value.

2007 Chapoutier COTES DU RHONE "Belleruche" (France)

I bought this two years ago (along with a 2007 Jaboulet Cotes du Rhone "Parallele 45") because I was going to have a "Big 3" Cotes du Rhone tasting when Guigal released his 2007.  I figured it would be good intel for readers faced with all three on store shelves.  Well I waited and waited but it wasn't until just a month or two ago that Guigal's '07s actually hit store shelves here in Houston, so since Guigal's tardiness nixed the commercial relevance of my planned tasting, I figured I'd just start drinking these one at a time.

This one is a beauty.  If you see any left (unlikely), snap them up.

Dark black ruby.  Inviting nose of sweet, dark spices, rich plummy fruit, and fragrant dry gravel.  Soft, mouthfilling flavors of inky, ripe blackberries, along with lots of gravelly minerals.  Great balance, and still a bit of soft tannin remaining.  Clingy but dry finish.  Everything seemed in perfect balance with this wine.  Very elegant for a basic entry level Cotes du Rhone.  B+.  I think I got this for about $15 at Whole Foods on Bellaire well over a year ago.

2007 Fritz ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

A good value in a medium-weight, intensely minerally Zin.

Dark ruby garnet.  Medium intensity, inviting nose of warm vanilla, spicy blackberries, and salty, stony minerals.  Soft and fruity, lots of up-front blackberry fruit, along with a striking saline minerality.  Good acidity and a fair amount of tannin in the finish.  Good, not great concentration, and a medium-long, dry finish.  Solid B.  I got this for $14 and change at Spec's on Weslayan.

2008 Wine Guerrilla ZINFANDEL (Dry Creek Valley, Cal.)

A very good value, flavorful Zin.

Dark ruby garnet.  Pleasantly rustic nose of dark blackberries, roasted green herbs, and brambly sandstone.  In a leaner more rustic style than most Zins, this wine has drying flavors of blackberry, brambly underbrush, and scorched earth.  Good acidity and a bit of tannin in the medium length finish give some structure.  Would pair well with rustic, assertive dishes.  B+.  $14.73 at Spec's on Weslayan.

(Sorry, 2009 shown)

2009 Cline "Ancient Vines" MOURVEDRE (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

Cline has cranked out yet another excellent iteration of this wine.  Let's hope that the vineyard owners in the region don't sell out anytime soon to the real estate developers, which apparently is a real issue with the old vines in Contra Costa County.

Dark, violet-tinged ruby.  Rich, low-toned fruity nose of sappy blackberry juice, toasted baking spices, toffee, and sandstone.  Soft (especially for a Mourvedre, which can sometimes be a bit coarse), ripe, mouthfilling flavors of blackberry, smoky gravel, and a hint of peach juice.  Long finish with well-integrated tannins and the barest trace of heat.  A winner.  A-.  $13.99 at Spec's.

(BTW -- I had the 2009 Cline Ancient Vines Zin while on vacation, and while I have no notes for it, it too was a great value in a fleshy, balanced Zin).

2008 Chono CARMENERE Reserva (Maipo Valley, Chile)

A very classically Bordeaux-styled wine from the New World -- pretty rare.  It was very good: elegant, some complexity, not a fruit bomb.

Saturated dark ruby/mulberry color.  Gorgeous nose of cedar, ripe, dark berries, smoky stones, and chocolate powder.  Concentrated, focused, and balanced, with medium-full body.  Mouthcoating (but not heavy) flavors of low-toned berries, accented with minerally sandstone and bitter milk chocolate.  Reminds me of a high-quality, old-school Margaux but at a fraction of the price.  If the finish were a bit longer I would have given it an A, but as is it's an A-.  Imported by North Berkeley Imports, I think I got this for around $13 at Whole Foods on Bellaire.

2007 Trinitas OLD VINE CUVEE (Mendocino County, Cal.)

This is very good and a good value, but neither the label nor the Internet discloses what varietals make up this wine.  There's obviously a lot of Zinfandel, but beyond that I'd only be guessing.

Nearly saturated blackish ruby with some violet.  Gorgeous nose of sandstone, baking spices, sweet cream, and ripe black raspberries.  Dense, ripe fruit coats the palate in a soft-textured blast.  Fills the mouth quickly with fruit, then displays loads of sweet, spiced gravel notes, and ends texturally with a fair amount of soft tannin.  My only quibble is that there's some (barely) perceptible residual sugar in the finish.  Very nice.  B+/A- (depending whether you can deal with the bit of residual sugar).  Was $14 at Spec's on Smith.

2007 Bodegas Mustigiullo MESTIZAJE (Tierra el Terrarazo, Spain)

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Bobal, Garnacha, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Merlot.  Tastes like a middle of the road new style, fruity, oaky Bordeaux.  Well made but not my style.

Dark blackish ruby.  Very Bordeaux-like nose of dark chocolate, smoky oak, with dark berry fruit underneath.  Lots of chocolaty berry fruit accosts the palate and then fades quickly, as I would expect from a wine that discloses that it's made from young vines.  A bland example of the "international style" of technologically unflawed wine but completely lacking in any soul.  B-.  An Eric Solomon selection, this was about $14 at Spec's.

2009 L'Ameillaud COTES DU RHONE (Southern France)

A well-made if unexciting red.  


Very dark violet-tinged ruby.  Direct, very clean nose of tangy blackberry fruit, stony minerals, and sweet cream.  Richly fruity, with gobs of dark berry fruit with a slight dark chocolatey component.  Lots of fine-grained tannin.  Good clean finish.  If this description sounds good, then I guess my lack of enthusiasm is that this wine simply lacked a sense of place; there certainly was nothing wrong with it.  B.  Imported by Douglas Skopp Selections.  Was about $14 at Spec's.

2007 Falernia SYRAH Reserva (Elqui Valley, Chile)

Another good Syrah from the Elqui Valley. This wine was intense in a very lean, zero body fat way.

Nearly saturated deep mulberry ruby color. Strong nose of intense crushed black peppercorn, deeply-roasted bitter herbs, and sandstone, overlayed with dark blackberry fruit. The first night is was intense, lean, and austere, with very clingy herbal flavors predominating. On night 2, more fruit and roundness emerged. It displayed ripe blackberry fruit and a high-toned, chalky minerality. The herbal stuff decidedly took a back seat for the ride home on night 2. Good acidity to bring liveliness to the clingy flavors. Still some tannin left. This will hold and maybe improve over the next 2 years. Be sure to let it air out well in advance (pour through a Vinturi into a wide decanter if you can). B+. Imported by Meadowbrook Estates (an arm of Neil Empson's company). Can't remember where I got this, but I think it was around $12.

2006 Trinitas ZINFANDEL "Old Vine" (Contra Costa County, Cal.)

I really like the various "old vine" Zins and other varietals and blends I've had from this unique grape-growing area. The soil is absolutely unique in California in that its deep, almost pure sand with very little organic material. The wines tend to have a slow-building depth of flavor, and there's more similarities across varietals here than there are similarities with the same varietals grown in other areas of California.

This one -- made from 100+ year old vines -- was very nice and an excellent value.

Dark mulberryish ruby color. Looked more youthful than a 5-year old Zin. The first night there was a medium intensity, dark and brooding nose of baker's chocolate, dusty blackberries, and warm gravel scents. There were similarly dark, low-toned flavors that exuded a quiet power, with inky blackberry extract, charred sandstone, and lots of minerals (and a bit of black peppercorn). On night two, it was much more fruit-forward, with intense, clingy blackberry fruit throughout the palate and into the very long finish. Mouth-coating extract but no jamminess whatsoever. The second night it displayed a lot more tannic structure too. Unlike most Zinfandels, I think this one could age well another 2-3 years. The first night I gave it a B+, but on night 2 I upped it to an A-. Was $14 and change at Spec's on Smith.

2008 Yalumba SHIRAZ "Patchwork" (Barossa Valley, Australia)

A very nice, not over-blown or overly jammy Shiraz.

Almost completely saturated soft, blackish plasma color. Rich and inviting nose of sappy blackberry, salty, warm sandstone, and creamy baking spices. Dark, low-toned, ripe flavors of rich plum/blackberry juice, saline sandstone-infused earthiness, and smoky balsa wood. Clingy finish with a tad bit of peppery bite, low-ish acidity (but not too low), and a bit of soft tannin. Fun to drink and actually pretty elegant for an Aussie Shiraz. B+. Was $14 and change at Spec's on Richmond.

2008 Leonce Bocquet MACON (Rouge) (Southern Burgundy, France)

It's funny. Macon and Beaujolais are right next to each other. Both make Chardonnay based whites and Gamay based reds. But Beaujolais' reds are better than their whites, and Macon's whites better than their reds. But when I ever see a Macon rouge, I always give it a try and root for the exception. This was not it, but it was a decent quaffing wine.

Very light bright ruby. High-toned nose of almost Kool Aid-like blackberry and cherry, along with rock dust. Light, gulpable flavors of cherry and light minerality. Slug this back with a plate of good salami, coppa, or other good quality cured meats and bread. B-. Imported by Patriarche Pere . Was $12 and change at Spec's on Richmond.

(Sorry, can't find a photo.)

2009 Pagos del Moncayo GARNACHA y SYRAH (Campo de Borja, Spain)

Pretty good, but at $14, and competing with a bunch of good, solid, clean, fruity Spanish reds that come in under $10, this wine is not an especially good value.

Dark ruby color. Smoky, gravelly nose -- showed blackberry syrup fruit, rock dust, and a sharp, scorched earth note. Rich, clingy flavors of peppercorns, bitterish minerals, and dark blackberry extract. Otherwise nice, long flavors were slightly marred by a bit of bitterness that may have been the result of the winemaker trying to overextract the grapes. B-. Got it at Spec's on Richmond near the West Loop.