Warwick Valley Winery Cabernet Franc 2010 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Cabernet Franc is a relative of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Sauvignon transaltes as "savage" and Franc translates as "noble."  Cab Franc is more refined than its cousin, though the former is also more difficult and expensive to grow.  For that reason Cab Franc is most often used as a blending grape rather than as the primary ingredient.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is ruby red with a pink rim.  Sour cherry and fig define a nose that I found frankly unpleasant.  The fig delivers on a rich palate that ends.  There's no finish to speak of.  The palate just ends.

Drinking This Wine:  The lack of a finish makes food pairing difficult.  Red meat, I suppose.

Overall Impression:  This would be okay as a ten dollar bottle mostly because I don't expect much of a finish or any complexity at that price.  At fifteen it is badly overpriced.

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (about $12)

About the Wine:  Rothschild is one of the most prestigious wine makers in the world, with labels from France, Spain, and North and South America.  As is often the case with good makers, Rothschild makes many different brands and has underbrands that can be purchased on a hipster budget.  Los Vascos is the Rothschild version of an inexpensive South American Cabernet Sauvignon.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark purple with a blood red rim.  Oak and cassis are prominent on the nose and those flavors deliver on a fairly tannic palate that ends in a dry finish with light spice.

Drinking This Wine:  Not bad for a dark sipping wine.  This would also work with pork steak or burgers.  It is important to let it breath for at least half an hour and preferably an hour after opening.

Overall Impression:  The wine is cheap, versatile, and tasty.  At twelve dollars a bottle it is a good value.

Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (about $16)

About the Wine:  Charles Krug is a member of the Mondavi family who started his own line of products.  Whether his products do any credit to that name depends on who you ask and what Robert Mondavi products you've had.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is very light yellow with a clear rim.  Light lemon is present on a weak palate that leads into a fairly pleasant tropical fruit finish.

Drinking This Wine:  It would be good with seasoned whitefish.  There is not really enough flavor on the palate for a sipper.

Overall Impression:  I can find better wines for ten bucks.  This wine is not bad, but is badly overpriced.

Terra d'Oro Zinfandel 2009 (about $14)

About the Wine:  I reviewed the previous vintage of Terra d'Oro Zinfandel several months ago and enjoyed it thoroughly.  Changes in vintage can mean anything from glorious improvement to disastrous decline, depending on any number of factors.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark red and fades to a pink center, significantly lighter than the previous vintage.  Plum, oak, smoke, and spice are present in the nose.  Sadly, this wine smells better than it tastes.  Red berry is prominent on the palate but contends with fairly sharp tannins.  The palate ends with a nice cherry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a bit too tannic for a sipping wine.  It would go well with barbecue.

Overall Impression:  The wine is not bad but neither is it great.  At fourteen dollars a bottle it is reasonable for the price.

Grayson Cellars Zinfandel 2010 (about $11)

About the Wine:  I first came across the Grayson label at wine seminar where their Cabernet Sauvignon was featured as an example of a dry, red steak wine.  That wine is remarkable for its price and one can hope that the whole line is equally good but I've been in the business too long to get my hopes up.

About THIS Wine:  The center is blood red with a pink rim.  The color promises a bold and fairly tannic wine.  Blueberry, black cherry, and something lose to but not quite oregano are prominent on the nose.  The palate has a thick, mouth coating feel.  Dark fruit and oak are prominent.  The wine is very dry, but the dryness does not overpower the other elements as it does in some other wines.  The finish is spicy, tannic, and dry.

Drinking This Wine:  I don't usually recommend anything this heavy or dry as a sipping wine, but the elements are well enough balanced to make an exception here.  This is also a good steak or burger wine.  Basically, it gives me a primal urge to eat juicy meat.

Overall Impression:  This wine is good and it is also cheap.  It is good for the price.

Rodney Strong Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (about $16)

About the Wine:  Smarter and more knowledgeable people than me say that Rodney Strong is a benchmark in the wine world and thee are especially known for Cabs.  The Sonoma appellation is one that I have good luck with in the past.  The only thing I find worrisome about this one is the vintage.  2009 was not the best year for California Cabs, so this may be the black sheep of the family.

About THIS Wine:  A violet rim surrounds a deep purple center.  Cassis and other dark fruit make up a strong nose.  The palate delivers with a lot of dark fruit and some oak opening into a red berry finish.  The wine is not particularly dry nor did I find it especially tannic.

Drinking This Wine:  I had it with shepherd's pie and the pairing was a good one.  This lack of dryness and tannin would also make this a decent sipping wine.  When I first opened the bottle I feared that it had spoiled, but it opened beautifully over the course of about an hour.

Overall Impression:  I've had worse wines that cost twenty dollars.  At seventeen this one is good for the price.

Maggio Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (about $11)

About the Wine:  Lodi is a growing region in central California best known for its production of Zinfandel (the red wine, not the pink crap.)  The appellation has gained prestige in recent years and the mention of it on a label is a good sign.  I'm used to seeing bottles from there go for between fifteen and twenty-five dollars.  What an eleven dollar price tag means, I have no idea.

About THIS Wine:  The color is very light for a cab, a red center with a pink rim.  Plum and clove make up a rich and pleasant nose.  The palate is thick, almost syrupy with pomegranate and fairly sharp tannins fading into a cherry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  A bit too tannic for a sipping wine, this would go well with meaty pasta dishes or lasagna.

Overall Impression:  The wine buyer at the story where I was says this drinks like a twenty dollar bottle.  I would say closer to fifteen.  Either way, at eleven this a great value.