Fiat Vino

I nabbed this from Whole Foods for $17. It is an interesting and non-traditional blend of Bordeaux (23% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot), Rhone (23% Syrah), and Northern Italian (6% Refosco). It has rich tannins, a strong peppery finish, and something about it seems distinctly Italian despite only a 6% influence.

Great jammy grenache, balanced with the spice of serrano and black pepper against currant and plum. This is one of the best bottles of grenache that I've had (not many people bottle it on its own) but it has many deep notes that seem to be lost when they try to keep it without blending it. We bought 2. Everything Curtis makes is golden. We picked up 3 bottles of their Viognier, 2 bottles of the Rousanne, and 2 bottles of their Rock Creek Merlot.

This is a great one, I like how much grassiness they get in there, more than most California Sav Blancs. They do also called Nicole's that is a little sweeter that has a beautiful bottle that make a great gift.

We went to the winery in downtown Santa Barbara and EVERYTHING was AMAZING! They poured a Viognier, this Mourvedre, a Syrah from Thompson vinyards, a Syrah from Bien Nacido, a Sangiovese, and a Petit Syrah. I was thrilled with everything and we are contemplating joining the wine club. 4 - 3 bottle shippments per year at about $100 each. I think I'm going to give them a call on Monday (805-962-7003).

This "Captain's Reserve" is got a deep yellow hue and a mellow character. It seems to have a little more oak than most Sav Blancs, but then again that could be the age. You can check them out at www.rubiconestate.com

From Whole Foods, this $8 Sav Blanc from Australia makes me want to throw another shrimp on the barbie! Just kidding, but we actually ate a shrimp pasta with it and it paired well. A great deal for $8.