Elio Perrone Bigaro 2011 (about $20)

About the Wine:  Moscato is too sweet for many wine drinkers so the practice of blending it is growing in popularity.  Cutting it with another grape can make the sweetness less sharp and the flavors more prominent.

About THIS Wine:  It is pink and bubbly in the glass, not the most encouraging sign but appearances are not everything  The nose is sweet, floral, and fruity.  Sweet strawberry defines the palate and lingers in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Patio pounder all the way.  This would be delicious outdoors on a hot day.

Overall Impression:  Really good sweet wine is hard to come by and this fits the bill.  Twenty dollars is a bit steep so I would have to say that this wine is very good but a bit overpriced.

Boira Pinot Grigio 2011 (About $18)

About the Wine:  Pinot Grigio is the go to summer drink for many dry drinkers.  Not as heavy as most Chardonnays and not as sweet as most Rieslings, Pinot Grigio is one of the classic wines to enjoy poolside on a hot day, commonly known as "Patio Pounders."

About THIS Wine:  The wine is hay colored with no distinct rim and is slightly luminous in the glass, more or less the description of what Pinot Grigio should look like.  Citrus and peach are prominent on the nose with hints of mango.  Mild citrus makes a nice palate with an acidic finish.  Pinot Grigios are typically acidic and I found that the acidity in the finish rather than the palate made for a more flavorful and pleasant drinking experience.

Drinking This Wine:  Enjoy with grilled chicken or white fish.  This is definitely a food wine.

Overall Impression:  Eighteen dollars is a little high, but the wine is very good.  Boira is reasonable for the price.

Kendall-Jackson Summation 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Kendall-Jackson (KJ) is one of the staples of the wine business.  They are an iconic maker with multiple lines of products that can be found in almost any wine shop.  This is a lot less obscure than many of the wines I write about but even mainstream producers occasionally make something worthwhile.

About THIS Wine:  The dark red center fades to a pink rim.  Smoke, oak, and red fruit make up a pleasant nose that delivers in a jammy, oaky palate with hints of red licorice and just a touch of sweetness.  Spicy red fruit lingers in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This would work as a sipping wine but it is ideal for pasta with red sauce.

Overall Impression:  This is a good wine and the price is not excessive.  Summation is a good for the price.

Kamiak Windust White 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  Washington State is an up and coming region in the wine world.  Due to severe weather problems in California wine country wines from there are expected to get more expensive and harder to come by in the next few years.  Washington's growing regions have been largely unaffected and the makers there hope to fill the void.

About THIS Wine:  This white blend is gold in the glass with a very thin, clear rim.  Nectar and honey are prominent on the nose.  Gewurztraminer is only one of the ingredients in the blend but it dominates the nose.  The palate is hard to describe due to its complexity.  It is a touch sweet with a lot of light fruits like pear, apple, and melon.  Sweet apple lingers in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is your classic summertime patio pounder.  It would also go well with something like jambalaya or any other spicy white meat dish.

Overall Impression:  The price is nice and so is the wine.  This is a good value.

Ochoa Graciano and Garnacha 2009 (about $13)

About the Wine:  I have written previously about Garnacha, the smooth and fruity red from Spain.  I have never, as far as I can recall, tasted Graciano so this will be a learning experience.

About THIS Wine:  The color is a dark purple with a garnet rim.  The nose is pungent with berries, leather, and cooking spices.  The palate is meaty and tannic with a lingering finish of meat and raspberries.

Drinking This Wine:  Definitely a food wine.  Enjoy with steak in heavy sauce.  This wine benefits greatly from breathing.  Open it several hours before drinking.

Overall Impression:  It's been a while since I've been this impressed with a wine in this price range.  I have drunk from twenty-five dollar bottles that had nothing on this.  At thirteen dollars this wine is a steal.

Thomas Goss Shiraz 2010 (about $15)

About the Wine: In my continuing effort to spite Yellow Tail, I am reviewing another Australian wine that is not theirs (that I know of.) 

About THIS Wine:  The garnet rim frames an opaque center.  Jam and red licorice form a succulent nose that delivers in a fruity, almost syrupy palate with hints of spices that linger in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a classic steak wine.  It is hard to picture having it with anything else.

Overall Impression: It's a good a good wine and the price is reasonable.  This one is good for the price.

Domaine Lafond Cotes Du Rhone 2010 (about $18)

About the Wine:  The classic Rhone blend uses Grenache and Syrah to make a wine that is smooth, yet spicy and full bodied.

About THIS Wine:  The center is purple with a violet rim.  Jammy dark fruit is heavy on the nose with hints of green pepper.  The fruit delivers in a heavy, syrupy palate with a spicy finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Rhone blends are a standard wine to pair with barbecue and ground meats.  This one is no exception.

Overall Impression:  Eighteen dollars is fairly high for Rhone blend, but this wine is very good.  It is reasonable for the price.

Secco Italian Bubbles Moscato 2011 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Moscato grapes can produce one of the sweetest white wines available without sweetening additives.  Depending on vintage and maker these wines can be sickeningly sweet or pleasantly sweet and nuanced.

About THIS Wine:  It looks like Sprite in the glass, clear and bubbly.  Sweet peach makes up the entirety of the nose and palate with no finish to speak of.

Drinking This Wine:  Moscatos are almost never food wines.  This is a sipper for a hot day.

Overall Impression:  This is a run of the mill Moscato at an average price for the varietal (they tend to be cheap.)  This wine is reasonable for the price.

Lurra Garnacha 2011 (about $13)

About the Wine: Garnacha is either a clone or a close relative of the French Grenache.  Where the French tend to use theirs as a blending grape the Spanish make wines that are all or mostly Garnacha.

About THIS Wine:  The wine has a violet center with a garnet rim.  Root vegetables and red fruit blend in an odd but fairly pleasant nose and deliver in a layered and spicy palate with a light finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is okay for a sipping wine and would go well with mild rice dishes or stew.

Overall Impression:  This is a pleasant and versatile wine for under fifteen dollars.  It is a good value.

Arroba Merlot 2007 (about $15)

About the Wine:  There was a time, not so very long ago, when good wine under twenty dollars was almost unheard of.  In the last decade or so wineries have responded to demand for cheaper wine by cutting certain corners.  This is evident on the label of Arroba Merlot as the alcohol content is printed twice and there is a spelling error in the description of the wine on the back.

About THIS Wine:  The color is fairly standard for a Merlot, a purple center with a violet rim.  Oak, red fruit, and spice combine for a pleasant nose.  Red fruit and tannins make a palate that is sharp but not offensive.  Spice and lingering syrupy red fruit combine in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  A bit much for a sipping wine, Arroba would go well with sausage, seasoned ham, or lighter red meat dishes.

Overall Impression:  No one seems to like this one much on the first try, but it grows on people quickly.  I believe that this is because of the complexity of the wine. This not a personal favorite but the interesting drinking experience makes this wine good for the price.

Freak Show Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (About $18)

About the Wine:  I do not find the name or the label very encouraging, but the sheer number of Cabernets on the market make it necessary for lesser known brands to find a way to stand out.  An over the top name and label are not great sign, but they do not automatically mean the wine is bad.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark purple with a violet rim.  Cassis, black cherry, oak, and spice make up a heavy and complex nose.  The palate is heavy with syrupy red fruit that blends into a very tannic finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is too tannic for a sipping wine.  It would go well with filet mignon and other juicy meat dishes.

Overall Impression:  Wines with this much body and character usually go for well over twenty dollars.  This wine is a good value.

New Age Rose, no vintage on the bottle (about $12)

About the Wine:  The New Age brand debuted with a Torrontes/Sauvignon Blanc blend that is bubbly and just a bit sweet.  That wine has an appeal to White Zinfandel drinkers, so it makes sense that New Age would make a blush wine to advance further into that market.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is pink with a clear rim and bubbles a bit.  Crisp acidity is present on the nose along with strong notes of blueberry.  The palate is sweet and tart with a sweet berry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a classic patio pounder that can be drunk by itself or with snack foods.  It is a little sweeter than I would normally recommend with a meal, but it could go well with spicy food.

Overall Impression:  Decent sweet wines and especially decent blush sweet wines are hard to come by, so I would say this one is good for the price.

Les Perles Piquepoul Blanc 2009 (about $13)

About the Wine:  I have never tried this varietal before.  The Wikipedia entry on it says that it is a very acidic grape with a long history in France that includes near extinction due to a particularly nasty blight.  It is not widely cultivated, hence my ignorance of it.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass the wine is hay colored with a clear rim.  Citrus and cut grass blend in a pleasant nose.  The palate is very full with lemon and tangerine flavors that end in a citrus finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Les Perles is a little bit acidic for a sipping wine.  It would go well with grilled chicken.

Overall Impression:  I like the wine and the price.  This is a good value.

RU? Rosso 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Technically any red blend from Italy could qualify as a Rosso but the Italian government reviews wine blends and determines what can legally be sold under that designation.  The grapes blended to make this wine are not listed on the bottle and the supplier tells us that there is a reason for that.

About THIS Wine:  The purple center fades to a garnet rim.  The nose is very thick and rich with lots of jammy raspberry.  The palate in lighter than the nose and has cherry and licorice notes that fade in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Could work as a sipping wine and would go well with sweet meats.

Overall Impression:  This is nothing special, but it is alright and fifteen dollars for a red is not excessive.  This wine is reasonable for the price.

JP Azeitao 2010 (about $10)

About the Wine:  Portuguese reds are almost always blends, as is traditional in European wine making.  Because they are obscure in the American market it is always hit and miss to find good ones.  On the bright side, they're usually fairly cheap.

About THIS Wine:  The purple center fades to a pink rim.  Roast duck is prominent on the nose, reminiscent of some Pinot Noirs.  Dark fruit and red fruit are prominent on a slightly tart palate that finishes dry.

Drinking This Wine:  Not really a sipper, but I think it would go well with roast duck or other white meats in heavy sauces.

Overall Impression:  This is nothing special but the price is.  At ten dollars it is a good value.

Tinto da Anforma 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Portuguese still wines have never really caught on in the American market, which is a shame because the terroir and choices of grape varietals and techniques can make for an interesting drinking experience.

About THIS Wine:  The center is purple and fades to a garnet rim.  Raspberry and dark fruit are prominent on the nose with hints of bitter herbs.  The palate is very sharp with a lot of red fruit which fades into a cherry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  The palate is too sharp for a sipping wine.  This would go well with sweet meats.

Overall Impression:  I cannot say exactly what I expect for fifteen dollars but this wine does not have it.  It is overpriced.

Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Estancia is a well known and respected brand.  They make several varietals but they are best known for their Cabs.

About This Wine:  The center is dark purple with a red rim.  Spicy raspberry, cherry, and wood smoke make up a reasonably complex nose.  Red fruit starts the palate, followed by heavy tannins on the mid palate, followed by an oak spice finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Red meat.  Just eat lots and lots of red meat with this.

Overall Impression:  The tannins are too sharp.  I think another year of bottle aging will benefit this wine greatly.  Until then it is bit overpriced.

Grand Ardeche Chardonnay 2010 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Louis Latour is a well known French winemaker.  French Chardonnay does not usually spend as much time in oak and therefore tends to have a lighter body and crisper taste than many of its American counterparts, though there are exceptions on both sides of the pond. 

About THIS Wine:  The color is amber yellow with no distinct rim.  In Chardonnay this means either that it has spent some time in oak or that it is starting to go bad.  A determination of which is the case can usually be made by simply smelling the wine.  This wine smells of citrus and spice.  The spice is another clear indication of oak.  The palate is very nutty and oaky and fades into a smooth finish.

Drinking This Wine:  It would go well with chicken or shellfish.  It does not really strike me as a sipping wine.

Overall Impression:  This is good Chardonnay and good Chardonnay under fifteen dollars is hard to come by.  This is a good value.