CALIFORNIA
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Central
California
Paso
Robles
Eberle
2003 Syrah Rosé; $14
No Rating
— Bright strawberry and wild cherry flavors.
Eberle
2004 Chardonnay; $16
No Rating
— This crowd-pleasing Chardonnay displays ripe
citrus flavors of lime and an essence of lemon peel with
generous notes of green apple.
Eberle
2003 Zinfandel; Remo Belli Vineyard; $22
14.5/20 — Monstrous
and jammy Zinfandel from the 35-year old Remo Belli Vineyard.
Eberle
2003 Barbera; Steinbeck Vineyard; Sauret Vineyard; $18
13.5/20 — Eight
hundred cases of a good California example of a Barbera.
Eberle
2003 Sangiovese; Filipponi & Thompson Vineyward; Tom
Martin Vineyard; Wine Bush Vineyard; $16
No Rating — Perfect
for pairing with bruschetta or thin-crust pizza.
Wild
Horse
2002 Syrah; $18
No Rating
— A richly extracted wine with chewy tannin and
bright acid.
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Northern
California
Marr
2002 Cuvée Selena Grenache; $26
13/20
— Subtle but round flavors of strawberries and
raspberries pair perfectly with fresh vegetable pizza.
Ravenswood
2003 Vintners Blend Zinfandel; $10
No Rating
— Ravenswood's answer to excellently crafted varietal
table wine.
Alexander
Valley
Louis
M. Martini
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; $35
14.5/20 — Firm
tannins and complex aromas make a wine perfect for aging.
Mendocino
Lolonis
NV Ladybug Red Old Vines - Cuvée IV; $14
No Rating — Organic
table wine from the Redwood Valley.
Lolonis
NV Ladybug White Old Vines - Cuvée I; $13
No Rating
— A blend of French Colombard, Sémillon,
Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay from the Redwood Valley.
Yorkville
Cellars
2002 Semillon Yorkville Highlands; $19
13.5/20
— The aroma of apple blossoms leads to
flavors of pear and hazelnut. A refreshing jolt of citrus
in the finish.
Carneros
Waterstone
2002 Chardonnay; $18
15/20 — Waterstone
adds Chardonnay by winemaker Philip Zorn.
Chalone
Chalone
Vineyard
2003
Chardonnay; $25
No
Rating — "I like to call Chalone Vineyard
Chardonnay the white whine for red wine drinkers."
-Dan Karlsen, Winemaker
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Napa
Valley
Cliff
Lede
2002 Cabarnet Sauvignon; Stags Leaf District; $50
15.5/20 — A seductive
and stylish Napa Valley Cabernet with luscious fruit.
Cosentino
2004 Cigarzine-Zinfandel; $27
13.5/20 — Aged
for eight months in American oak and unfined.
Cosentino
2004 The Chard-Chardonnay; $16
No Rating — Crisp
and partially fermented in French oak from California fruit.
Flora
Springs
2003 Merlot; $24
13/20
— The perfect Merlot for immediate appeal.
Grgich
Hills
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon; $55
15/20 — A deeply
extracted Cabernet balanced by moderate tannins and acidity.
Grgich
Hills
2002 Zinfandel; $28
15.5/20 — Napa's
Zinfandel king releases another good one.
The
Hess Collection
2003 Artezin Zinfandel; $15
12.5/20 — Assembled
from carefully selected grapes from diverse growing regions
(89% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah).
The
Hess Collection
2002 Hess Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; $20
14/20 — Classic
Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with other varietals added (87%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah, 4% Petite Syrah, 3% Petit
Verdot, 1% Merlot).
Stratton
Lummis
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon; $33
14/20 — This
limited lot series packs currants and rich chocolate flavors.
William
Hill
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon; $20
No Rating — Try
this full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with roasted prime rib.
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Sonoma
Marr
2003 Zinfandel; $26
14/20
— Dense, jammy fruit featuring plums and blackberries,
and hints of pepper.
Marr
2001 Syrah; $16
12.5/20
— A touch of smoke and tar balance a full palate
of ripe plums and dark cherries.
Dutton
Goldfield
2002 Pinot Noir - McDougall Vineyard - Sonoma Coast; $48
15/20
— A robust Pinot full of intensity and black cherry
scents.
Simi
2002
Merlot - Sonoma County; $20
No Rating — Upfront
red berry fruit, medium bodied with elegance and balance.
Dry
Creek Valley
Fritz
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon- Dry Creek Valley; $35
13.5/20
— This wine has a complex style that is a true
expression of the variety of the region.
Russian
River
Cosentino
2002 Pinot Noir - Russian River Valley; $35
No Rating — All
the best components and techniques used to produce only
two hundred cases.
Fritz
2003 Chardonnay - Russian River Valley; $25
13/20
— This wine features a beautiful balance of tropical
fruits, mineral notes, oak and bright lively acidity.
Simi
2003
Chardonnay - Russian River Valley; $25
No Rating — Deep
flavors of mango, peach and apricot give roundness, depth
and structure to the palate.
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OREGON
Rogue
Valley
Belle Vallée
2002 Merlot; $24
No
Rating — A rush of blackberries and dark chocolate.
Willamette
Valley
Belle
Vallée
2003 Grand Cuvée Pinot Noir; $49
13.5
— Ripe and velvety smooth, the Grand Cuvée
drinks well now, but will also benefit from cellaring.
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WASHINGTON
Yakima
Valley
Columbia
Winery
1999 Otis Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon; $25
12.5/20
— Ruby red with a palate of sweet fruit.
Columbia
Winery
2003 Wyckoff Vineyard Chardonnay; $19
No
Rating — Crisp Chardonnay from 25-year old
vines.
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Coonawarra
Katnook
Estate
2001 Shiraz; $22
No
Rating — Flavors of raspberry, light plum
and sweet spice with underlying black pepper.
Margaret
River
Eagle
Vale
2002
Shiraz; $28
No
Rating — Hand-crafted Shiraz with intense
ripe cassis, herb truffles and wild cherry flavors.
Eagle
Vale
2001
Azure Coast Reserve; $tk
No Rating — Great with full-flavored dishes
such as red meat and cheese plates.
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Mendoza
Amancaya
2003
Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Malbec 50%; $15
No
Rating — A wine based on a blend of elegant
texture enhanced by Argentinian fruit.
Gascón
2004
Malbec; $13
13/20
— Produced in a high altitude viticultural area.
High
Altitude
2004
Malbec 65%, Cabernet Sauvignon 35%; $10
13/20
— A sibling of the Gascón 2004 Malbec with
flavors of red cherries.
Casablanca
Valley
Veramonte
2002
Primus; $16
13/20
— A well structured blend of Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Carmènere.
Rioja
Montecillo
2003
Blanco; $8
No Rating
— Intense fruit with hints of wild apple.
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(Updated:
09/21/07 NJ) |