Smoking Loon 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, $8.99-$12.99, 86+ points, poured a bright brass color with a subtle green hue.
Cantaloupe, honeysuckle, and grapefruit aromas were okay.
Light-bodied with fair-plus acidity and flavors reflective of the aromas were a straight-forward yeoman's effort, and for nine bucks succeeded in delivering a white wine cable of complimenting steamed clams dipped in melted butter or most seafood cuisine.
Finished on a well integrated 13.5% alcohol and mild ginger notes.
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Château Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Médoc 2009 Bordeaux Red Wine, $23.99, 89+ points, appeared a dark ruby with flashes of maroon and trending orange at the glass shallows with a normally clear wine ring.
The smells of leather, brine, plum, and a floral component were just okay for me.
Medium-bodied with good acidity and comfortably supportive tannin gave life to a rather innocuous boysenberry and plum fruit base, but the intense white and black pepper spiciness was the distinguishing characteristic of this 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot Bordeaux blend.
Finished on the trailing palate, an escalating spiciness, and a well integrated 13.7% alcohol.
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Chateau Du Courlat Cuvee Jean-Baptiste Lussac-Saint-Emilion 2010 Bordeaux Red Wine (Merlot), $24.99, 91 points, was a deep crushed black currant purple/red with a thin wine ring at the leggy glass wall.
Aromas of black currant, sweet plum, and a floral note were good.
Medium-plus bodied extra-dry Merlot carried good acidity, fine and firm tannin, flavors of blackberry, black currant, plum, and sweet milling spices.
Texturally a tad tough from beginning to the long finish possessed by a hot 15.5% alcohol and strident white pepper.
Paired perfectly with my spiced rubbed rare rib-eye steak.
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Quintas de Melgaco (QM) 2013 Alvarinho Vinho Verde, $19.99-$23.99, 92 points, poured a rainbow of gold colors with shimmering green hues (quite spectacular).
Similarly spectacular was the rainbow of floral and melon aromas, some pome-sweet and others woody, but all intoxicatingly beautiful.
Full-bodied with good acidity enhancing all the rich flavors of the aromas as well as the undercurrent of citrus notes.
Finished long on an opulent olive oil texture, the trailing palate, easy, yet enduring spice notes, and a well integrated 13% alcohol.
The texture says sweet, but this is a dry white wine, and was perfectly pair-able with sardines and crackers.
I must admit that the bottle design presented me with a major photographic challenge, thus the two pictures to help my viewers sort-out the label.
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Arca Nova 2011 Vinho Verde, $6.30-$8.75, 87 points
Arca Nova 2017 Vinho Verde, $9.99-$11.99, 87 pointsArca Nova 2017 Vinho Verde Revisited Five Years Later, $9.99-$11.99, 87+ points
Aveleda 2017 Vinho Verde (Portugal), $6.99-$7.99, 86 points
Casal Garcia NV Vinho Verde, $4.99-$7.99, 86 points
Costa do Sol 2017 Vinho Verde (Portugal), $6.79-$10.99, 88 points
Gateway 2016 Vinho Verde, $2.96-$10.99, 87 points
Lima Loureiro D.O.C. 2013 Vinho Verde, $8.09-$10.99, 87 points
Quinta De Azevedo 2009 Vinho Verde, $6.74-$10.99, 87 points
Quintas de Melgaco (QM) 2013 Alvarinho Vinho Verde, $19.99-$23.99, 92 points
Santola NV Vinho Verde (Portugal), $8.99-$9.99, 87 points
Vercoope Pavão NV Vinho Verde (Portugal), $7.99-$8.99, 87 points
Vercoope Pavão NV Vinho Verde (Portugal), $7.99-$8.99, 87 points
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Terralsole 2007 Brunello Di Montalcino, $49.99-$74.99, 93 points, poured a bright orange/red trending a coppery red with a clear wine ring at the leggy glass wall.
Aromatic sea-breezes, roses, and black cherry were pleasant.
Medium-bodied carried very good acidity with still potent and escalating tannin which hinted at the age-ability of this bone-dry red wine.
Crisp flavors of strawberry, black cherry, tart pomegranate, cardamom, and bourbon notes were very good.
Finished long on the trailing palate with warmth from the 14% alcohol and red pepper spice.
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Copain Anderson Valley "Tous Ensemble" 2012 Chardonnay, $15.99-$28.99, 91+ points, was a bright gold color with a lime green hue.
Aromas of apple, melon, citrus, and a floral component were very good.
Barely medium bodied with good acidity and flavors reflective of the aromas supported by a flinty mineral character, intense ginger, and black pepper notes were refreshingly delicious, and carried along with the well integrated 13.4% alcohol deep into the long finish.
If you're looking for a Big Buttery Cali Chardonnay, you'll have to go elsewhere, but if you want to try a full-flavored yet brazen Chardonnay, and at an incredible power-buy price, well. . .
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