Paul Dolan Mendocino County Zinfandel 2013 (about $14 a bottle)

About the Wine:  I have never had much love for Mendocino wines.  They always struck me as sort of lifeless and unpleasant.  But recently I have found some that have proven me wrong and 2013 is a great vintage.  Let's see if Mr. Dolan can "Wow!" me.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is blood red.  Jammy blackberry comes through full throttle on the nose.  The palate is mighty juicy with good tannin in the finish  This wine has a very viscous, mouth-coating quality.  It doesn't linger as long as I would like, which is odd for how massive it is.

Drinking This Wine:  This is an after dinner wine.  It's too big to really compliment any food that I can think of.

Overall Impression:  Between the overbearing fruit and the lacking finish, this is a slightly ham-fisted effort.  As such it is a little over priced.

Parducci Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (about $12)

About the Wine:  This is a sustainably grown California Cabernet.  The world of organic/bio dynamic/sustainable is a weird one.  If a wine is made from organic grapes then the wine itself is not necessarily organic, nor would something sustainably or bio dynamically grown carry such a distinction.  Clouding the matter further is the fact that many producers, particularly in France, Spain, and Israel follow best practices without bothering with the cost of certification.  I have tried to explain this to many a glassy-eyed, sandal wearing customer as they searched for "organic" on the label. The results are seldom good.

About THIS Wine:  For the price, this is surprisingly Old World in style.  It really takes some time to open up.  As it does, it gives off notes of wood, sagebrush, and forest floor.  The palate is dry and tannic with red fruit coming through in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a classic dry Cab and as such it needs red meat.

Overall Impression:  This was a really nice surprise.  Most Cabs at this price range are either juicy fruit bombs or unbearably rustic.  This is nice, food-friendly wine.  It could easily go for $20, so at twelve it is an absolute steal.

Gilgal Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Like California, Israel had an unusually cold year in 2011.  Also like California, Israel is hot enough to be marginal for wine grape growing, so a cold year is actually a boon for those who know how to take advantage of it.  Grapes grown in cold weather tend to produce more elegant, austere wine.  Hence the prestige of Burgundy.  No region in Israel compares to Burgundy, but this colder year did provide an opportunity for wine makers to show their talents.

About THIS Wine:  It is very dark red with a violet rim, fairly light for a hot climate Cab.  Tobacco and jammy raspberry are prominent on the nose.  The palate presents big fruit balance with firm, chalky tannins.  For all my rambling in the introduction "elegant" is not a term that would describe this wine, but it is fairly balanced.

Drinking This Wine:  It's drinkable by itself, but better with food.  Juicy hamburger is the pairing that comes to mind.

Overall Impression:  I think this would hold it's own with any California Cab at the same price range and so I must say it is good for the price.

Bagordi Rioja Graciano 2009 (about $20)

About the Wine:  Graciano is one of the least used of the Rioja varietals.  It is especially rare as a single varietal.  The region is mostly know for Tempranillo and to a lesser extent, Garnacha.  Let's see how it does on its own.

About THIS Wine:  It is opaque in the glass with a dark, velvety purple rim.  The nose is musky with strong plum notes.  The palate has good fruit but the tannins are rock solid.  This needs age or food.

Drinking This Wine:  Drink with pork sausage or roast duck.  The wine needs food, for sure.

Overall Impression:  It's a fun find.  As a novelty, this wine is reasonable for the price.