2003 Il Poggione (Roberto Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino - 90 points (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino) Did a side by side with this wine and the younger little sister; Rosso Di Montalcino. Hands down the Brunello was the winner and I did not even like the Rosso for the money. The nose has lots of dark berries with flowers. Has a hint of eucalyptus. Nice balance of chocolate rounds of a nice dark deep purple color. The tannins are beautiful in structure, just right and matches this real old world wine. I think this wine was a touch young and needs a couple of years but it still opened up nicely after about 30 minutes but I recommend decanting for about 2 hours. Nice dark fruit on the palette and the transition to the finish had some hang time on it. The finish was nicely balanced. This is a should try wine. Love the old world on

this. Tenuta Il Pogginie website

Tags: Brunello di Montalcino, dry wine, Il Poggione, Red wine

2004 The Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon Allomi - Hess web site

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

Holy tannins explosion. But in a good way because this is a nice balanced wine overall. The tannins really attack the sides of your tung and stay for a bit. Love the ceder and cherry on the nose. It had a hint of Welches grape juice feel to the nose in a nice way. This wine distinctive bing cherry and anise flavors and hints of plum and black licorice and a health dose of cedar. Nice deep Cabernet in color and taste. I thought this was beyond an everyday wine and I enjoyed the experience, and that is what this was, an experience. It really rounded out after about 30 minutes. 25 bucks is more than fair for this wine and I will be getting more.

Vineyard Notes:
Grapes were harvested from Hess Collection Veeder Hills vineyard at an altitude of 600 - 1,120 feet.

Production Notes:
21 months in 55% new French oak.

Winemaker Notes:
Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot
The 2004 vintage started with an early spring giving the vines a boost to start off their growing season. This strong start was followed by a warm, consistent weather pattern in summer that ended with several hot fast ripening periods. This short and sweet harvest produced a memorable 2004 vintage with low yield, high quality grapes characterized by ripeness and intensity.

Tags: Allomi 2004, dry wine, Hess Collection, napa, Red wine, Wine Reviews

2004 Luigi Bosca Gala 2 was a nice surprise. Don’t get to try this wine every day. This wine is not a typical cab. It was a nice blend. the color was a very dark ruby color. The nose hits you strong of blueberry and darker fruits and a good balance of French oak. The palate has a strong start with blackberries, chocolate and with some black current. The oak is definitely prominent. The tannins are a little dark and velvety in the finish and this with get dry at the end. The finish is about medium to medium long. For 30 dollars a bottle it is worth having some around.

Tags: cabernet, Dry Wines, Luigi Bosca Gala, Red wine

2005 Steele Wines Zinfandel Old Vine Zin Pacini Vineyard

(USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County)

The nose has lots of vegetable and caramel. The palate Opens with blackberry, strong dark chocolate, and raspberry. Not outstanding but just ok for the money. I find the finish medium-long and a very bark bitter finish. This wine has very strong tannins that really hit the tung hard. Not a fruity wine, a little light on flavors and a pinkish color. Not bold. It does border on a port wine. Seems like this wine does not know where it wants to go. I would give it a pass.

Tags: dry wine, Red wine, Steele Wines, zinfandel

Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir Carneros 1999 -89 points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
The 1999 Pinot Noir is filled with black raspberry, wild cherry, and chocolate. Very earthy nose with some real strong green peppers. I love the old world feel to it. The palatte is elegantly structured and soft with a velvety feel. It’s not hot at all and very little tannins which lets the strong cherry flavors come out. This 99 is a mature wine. Lots of sour cherry and a touch of blackberry on this medium palette. The finish has some good hang-time and is nice all the way through. Definitely worth a try for 30 bucks.

Tags: Carneros, Domaine Carneros, Napa Valley, Red wine, Wine Reviews

Domaine Boisson Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Elisabeth 2005 -87 points

France, Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Nice nose. creamy with butterscotch, blackberry, black tea, and green peppers. balanced nose and solid. Little earthy. The color is not extremely bold. Little thin but inline with a Du Pape. Light purple and kind of violet. Lots of black liquorish on the palate. Hits the back of the tung and not real hot. Kind of short and the finish is a little bitter. not mush fruit on the start and a little hot with the alcohol. Overall not bad for 22 bucks. feels and taste like a 40 Dollar wine. Enjoy

Tags: Chateau du pape, Domaine Boisson Châteauneuf-du-Pape, dry wine, French wine, Red wine, rhone

2003 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

Ok now everyone is going to give ma a hard time on this one but I was not impressed. Pretty bad week so far on the tastings. In Phoenix at Ruth Chris trying this wine. This Cab is not worth the money. I would much rather have a bottle of Staglin. Medium purple and not very dark. The nose has blueberry and sour cherry with some peppers. I did like the French oak and vanilla. The taste had some raspberry, and loads of oak. I did not get much more from this, maybe a hint of some vanilla. The pallet was short in my opinion and was a little off on the finish really kind of a bad oak bitterness to the finish. It transitioned very quickly through the mid pallet.

Tags: cabernet, Red wine, Silver Oak, Wine Reviews

Uma telteca Shiraz 2006, 84 points

Had this wine in first class on Continental airlines. I guess its ok for and airline wine. However here is my real take. The color was weak at best, very light purple with not much body or deepness. The nose had a pretty strong cherry and vanilla on it with a touch of caramel. The pallet was very disjointed and a little hot. The tannins were all over the place and not focused. Tasted like aluminum or some kind of metal. This wine was not focused. Bitter on the finish. This is more of an every day table wine. Don’t rush out to try this because its just ok for the money. OK for 8 bucks a bottle. Can’t believe I even tried it. Sorry.

TELTECA WINERY
Telteca means “ripe fruit of algarrobo” a noble tree of Mendoza. Cartellone family started building the winery in 1976 in Costa de Araujo, located in northern part of Mendoza province. In 1987, the winery started focusing in the international market by exporting for the first time. In the year 2000 the group merges with Marubeni Corporation from Japan starting with a very new awy to produce this telteca+s Telteca Vineyars are located in Lavalle in the northern part of Mendoza. José Pedro gómez is the winemaker. A man das really knows what he do.

winery website

Tags: argentina, Red wine, Shiraz, Uma telteca Shiraz, Wine Reviews

Rosenblum Syrah Abba Vineyard 2003 - 88 points

Nice nose on this wine. Not your average aromas. Extravagant and rich aromatics and mouthfeel highlight the blackberry, lots of oak and smoked bacon aspects of this enticing wine. Lots of strawberries and a little chemical smell, kind of a new world airy chemical. Very thick purple in color. Very flowery on the taste with lost of lilacs. Awesome start however the transition is quick through the mid pallet and the finish is not long but medium. This wine can handle the bold flavors of Cajun blackened prime rib, or good old-fashioned barbecue favorites. Just a touch bitter on the very finish. However very nice for a 15 dollar wine. Worth a try.

Tags: Red wine, Rosenblum Syrah Abba Vineyard, Syrah, Wine Reviews