Brooks Riesling, 2006

(Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Producer: Brooks Winery (http://www.brookswine.com)

This wine is not your typical Riesling… it is an initiative to restore the reputation of old world German Rieslings and to showcase how well old vines can grow in the Willamette Valley. It reveals terrior more than any other white varietal and carries through with finesse and elegance.

Immediate aromas of green apple, minerals, white currents, raspberries, cherries and citrus. After some time in the glass chestnuts, honey, slate, lime and mint all make an appearance.  The focus pushes the wine into the mid-palate with concentrated flavors of stone and honey. There is great power, succulence and depth in this gorgeous wine.
 My Notes:  Interesting Riesling, but found it was  a bit mixed up in its aromas and tasting with lemons and fruits with hints of earthiness (which now I know could be the taste of wet-stone).  I might buy this, if there is no other options.

Cost: $15.99/bottle ($18/bottle from the winery directly).

Inman Pinot Gris, 2006
(Russian River Valley)
Bermans Notes: The wine is well balanced, clean and refreshing. Typical of Pinot Gris, it is showing stone fruit and a zesty citrus tang on the palate and finishes with a flinty mineral character. The mouthfeel is generous for a Pinot Gris and the finish is long. Less than 500 cases produced.

My Notes: This must have just gotten old and pathetic. I dipped my nose in the tasting glass and balked! I am not going to hold it against this winery or this particular wine. But it was just horrid.  I could not bring myself to taste it. I was not alone in this judgment. A fellow taster sipped it and wrinkled her nose.

Cost: $19.99/bottle

Two Chardonnays to compare, this is awesome! One from Monterey, California and the other from Maconnais, France. One grape, two completely different styles, processing, growths and everything in between. 

Mount Eden Chardonnay, 2007  

(Arroyo Seco, Monterey)
(http://www.mounteden.com/)

Mount Eden Vineyards is a treasure of a California winery. Everything they produce is of quality and offers value. And what they do offer is the exact opposite of mass produced. Jeffrey Patterson  has been wine maker at the estate since 1981. Jeff, like many Burgundians, believes in non-interventionist wine making, handling the wines as little as possible. He is uncompromising in attaining the highest quality grapes for his various cuvees.  Rated 92 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

My Notes: If you are looking for a really 'loud' Chardonnay, then this is your choice. It lemony-yellow colored, full-bodied, mouthful of delight. Pairing with this would be hard, but I can see herbed roasted-lamb bits on biscuits holding up with this. Personally, I prefer the subtle flavors, but on its own this chardonnay is a drinkable good bottle.

Cost: $17.99/bottle

Mâcon-Chardonnay, 2008

Cave de Lugny, Maconnais , France 

An excellent value from the Maconnais appellation, this a chardonnay that expresses the beautiful, subtle flavors of the fruit followed by a bright, crisp finish that leaves your palate asking for more!

My notes: Now this is my kind of Chardonnays, straw colored, lime-lemony with hints of flowers and fruits and just delicious! Clean, clear and classy, should pair well with grilled white fish with lemon-pepper.

Cost: $12.99/bottle
 

Apaltagua Reserva Chardonnay, 2008  

An un-oaked Chardonnay from Chile, this wine delivers the fullness you would expect from Chardonnay, but also has spring in it. The lively acid level is a refreshing touch. Honey and pineapple notes make it an easy drinker, as well as a great match with

with food.
Cost: $12.99/bottle

Langhorne Crossing White Blend, 2006 

This blend of Verdelho (76%), Riesling (17%), and Chardonnay (7%), is a crisp, fresh, dry white wine displaying attractive fruit salad aromas and tropical fruit flavors.  It is best drunk while young, when the lively citrus and tropical fruit characters prevail; it will develop more complex flavor with bottle maturation. A lovely accompaniment to Chicken Salad, Waldorf Salad, and fish, chicken and pasta dishes.

Cost: $12.99/bottle

Langhorne Crossing Bleasdale Red Blend, 2006  

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 15% Shiraz and 6% Petit Verdot,

This wine has an expressive bouquet of red and dark berries, along with subtle floral and mineral nuances. Sappy, smooth, and fruit-driven, with palate-coating raspberry and blackberry flavors, this blend has no obvious tannins, and finishes with good clarity and length

Cost: $12.99/bottle

Donna Laura "Ali" Sangiovese di Toscana, 2007   
Donna Laura, based in the Castelnuovo Berardenga area of Chianti Classico, crafts this versatile Sangiovese.  It's aged in stainless steel tanks for a year before bottling, giving the wine a dark-toned fruit flavor. Pure, true terroir-based Sangiovese delivered at an affordable price is the calling card of this terrific new Tuscan producer.  Donna Laura produces three cuvées of exceptional flavor and intensity. Owner Lia Tolaini-Banville utilizes two distinct Sangiovese clones to achieve both earthy, peppery depth and a lively fruit aspect. This cuvées, Ali (named for Lia's daughter), boasts dark-toned fruit, evenly moderated in the mouth by a slight spice and nice acidity.

Cost: $11.99/bottle

De Bortolli Brut Chardonnay

(Australia)

Terrific sparkler from Australia that is not a wallet breaker. The sparkler is clean, refreshing and bright. It is a great summer bubbly.

Cost: $9.99/bottle

Ranga Ranga Sauvignon Blanc, 2008
(Marlborough, Australia)
Ranga Ranga is a Maori term for "Gentle Breeze". But this one is anything but gentle. Light yellow and very clear colored white. A full aroma of limes-lemons and freshly cut grass. Very clean, clear and citrusy and simply great summer wine. I am sure will pair very well with coconut curries, thai seafood.

Cost: $12.99/bottle

Fenestra Riesling, 2007

(Arroyo Seco, California)
A lovely strong Riesling. At first wiff, it shows as a riesling with soft flowers, with no indication of following sweetness. Unlike the german ones, this one is a mouthful. It is sweet, almost a late harvest grape, with added residual sugars. It does show off touches of citrus, tropical fruits with vast minerality. Should be good with curries or sushi, but I think it would be just stunning with mixed tropical fruits put together served with a splash of this wine added and a glass of this alongside. Another idea of pairing this with kiesh also sounds great.

Cost: $16.99/bottle

Three others.... which as I write this have misplaced the sheet for the same! and it is late and I don't want to go looking for the same.

Allegrini Valpolicella, 2009
(Italy)
The Valpolicella is located in the Veneto region (northeast Italy) and wines made here are mostly based on three varietals. This one uses all three; Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinera. This is a pleasant red, with just right mix of fruits and cherries, and perfectly palatable for a lazy but cooler summer evening. They are not heavy and overbearing, but simply yummy. I would pair this with chicken-pizza, or light pastas.
Cost: $17.99/bottle

Pavilion Merlot, 2006
(Napa, California)
A 100% Merlot from Napa valley. This wine was 'berrier' that the previous tasted Allegrini, with notes of cola, unsweetned chocolate (hmm!) and hints of spicy oak. Soft tannins with dense blueberry flavors, well balanced. This is another good wine to pull on a summer cool evening paired with a little heavier chesses like gorgonzola. I would pair this with Apple-Gorgonzola added to spinach salad or toasted on a english muffin. Another idea being meatloaf

Cost: $14.99/bottle

Ed's Red Blend

(California)
After the two mellower reds, this one just shouts out loud! it is called a wild wine from Napa and Russian River Vallues. It is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Petit Shirah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot! Whoa! No wonder it is loud! Incredibly rustic, richly red, plently of plums and cherries and spice to go with it. The wine maker suggest to pair this with something robust like a Mammoth (hmmm... roasted?) or for the vegetarians amongst us.... portabelo mushroom stuffed with mammoth! (lol). Really though this would be perfect with spicy lamb kabobs with mint-chile sauce!
Cost: $16.99/bottle.

What did I finally pick? Coming soon, as I taste in detail, pair it with something nice, pictures and more in the next coming months.