Fiat Vino

This is a clean, crisp example of that grassy Marlborough Sav Blanc that I love. Nabbed at Trader Joe's for $8 or so and it is so worth it. What strikes me is the nearly complete lack of color. This is clear like water but it tastes like heaven, well close anyways. Good grab. I would get this again.

What a treat. We grabbed this at the Lincourt tasting room in Los Olivos and it is a great example of a Central Coast rosé. There's enough body to hold your fork upright but there's enough fruit to make you feel like you're walking through a mango orchard. This is done in the style typical of the south of France, now where's my boarding pass? 

We had a taste test between the 2007 and 2008 Brewer-Clifton Santa Rita Hills Pinots. These are the entry level appellation designated pinots (although at $35 they are not entry level priced) from BC, which is more known for their vineyard specific pinots. SURPRISE, they tasted very similar. Both were tasty, medium-bodied wines with good, but not overpowering fruit. It was probably a few years early to drink them both; the 2008 seemed especially young. We went back and forth on which one we preferred - the ratings would suggest the 2007 is the better bottle, but one would be happy with either. We served them with coq au vin; the pairing seemed appropriate.

We had this Napa Valley merlot with a British-style, Sunday prime rib roast. It was awesome, but I think I prefer a cab or a big syrah with roasted red meat. At $90, it is a special occasion wine. The wine smells meaty, chocolaty, espresso-y, dark, someone in our group thought cassis (whatever that is). In the mouth it is concentrated and layered, yet refined with a long finish. Inky legs took almost a minute to dribble down the glass. SMOOTH. A good choice if you are a merlot fan, if not, it probably won't convert you, but you'll enjoy it anyway. 96 pts, made by Helen Turley.

Bought at on a recommendation from the Wine House in Costa Mesa. Cost $10-$15. Gobs of fruit, like blackberry and cherry, and earth, lots of dusty earth, and more fruit. I wasn't a fan at first I actually dumped out my glass and opened another bottle. But I came back to it on day two and liked it. Appreciate it for what it is: a very fruity, earthy French red.

Half price at Albertson's and no wonder, it's not very good. My first poor impression was the funk under the cork.  My second was the funk in my mouth when I took a SIP.  There is too much yeast, too much oak, and none of that citrus or tropical fruit that I like in a Sav. Too bad, because it was cheap. 

Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2008 Cost: $15 I read Fess Parker has been making some good wines lately so I picked this up at the local grocery store. Cost about $15. Not my favorite - not bad but can do better at this price point. I find some wines better on day two, this one was undrinkable.