Banfi Col DI Sasso Toscana 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon & Sangiovese

Banfi Col DI Sasso Toscana 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, was approximately $10.00, 88 points, had a crystal clear ruby-red color, aromas were a bit muted, but showed earth and mushrooms.
Nice flavors of cranberry and red cherry, espresso hints and just a touch of tart apple (A first for a red-wine for me) were carried on a medium body.
I thought I'd find an Italian wine to please the Holiday palate, and though I've been disappointed in the super Tuscan's before, this was a winner for me.

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The Three Tenors sing Winter Wonderland!

Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino County 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Bonterra Vineyards Mendocino County 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, $12,99-$15.99, 87 points, is a lovely fruit-forward everyday red table wine; the price is in the range most people can afford, and the flavor (Plum, cough-drop cherry, with hints of black currant) is rich and smooth enough, and the structure is sure enough, with a bright red appearance and a pleasant cherry aroma, that this Cabernet will complement your Christmas table, especially if your have a larger gathering.
For those who pay-a-mind to these things, Bonterra boasts its organic vineyards.
After tasting this wine the next day, the spirited spice finish has prompted me to up my analysis of the Bonterra 2007 Cabernet (Sometimes a wine just needs a little air to bring-out its hidden jewels. This brings me in line with the other wine tasters who gave this wine 87 and 88 points (I was behind the eight-ball on this yesterday). Some may want to keep in mind that WS gave this wine a score of 75 points.

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Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Lullaby

 

Mollydooker "The Maitre D" 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mollydooker "The Maitre D" 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mollydooker "The Maitre D" 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, $28.79-$31.99, 88 points, is deep ruby-red with purple hues, the aroma is quite grape-like with a bit of glycerol which carries over to the palate on a smooth medium body, and finishes long on spice.
Two other wine tasters absolutely loved this wine and scored it in the mid nineties; they had aromas of fresh pollen and spring-streams, cinnamon and Mexican spice, with noticeable heat (15% alcohol) which they liked in this wine. I found it over-priced.

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Michael W. Smith sings Christmastime:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgxWZZTkjIk&feature=related

Vérité La Muse 2002 Red Wine Is California Red

Vérité La Muse 2002 Red Wine, $78.84-$169.00, 93 points, is another Bordeaux-styled wine with an emphasis on Merlot (not technically a Meritage designated, having Merlot 92.5%, Cabernet franc 7.2%, and just a touch of Malbec).
From the price you can tell a number of things: usually quality (Caveat emptor), scarcity, and collect-ability, but since I paid the low end of the spectrum, and if you can still find this wine in New Hampshire, I'd like to suggest the Vérité La Muse 2002 Red Wine as a gift this Christmas to the wine-lover you have; the reason being the quality, scarcity, and collect-ability (Some say you can properly store this for 20 years).


Vérité La Muse 2002 Red Wine has one of the most interesting bouquets I've experienced, as it began with earthy coriander, leather, and mushrooms, even as hours past I caught hints of round cedar notes on whiffs of alcohol.
The color was a bit cloudy garnet.
This wine has firm tannin supporting layers of damson-plum, mulberries, and black berries.
Finishing long, the Vérité La Muse 2002 Red Wine displays tart cherry and white pepper on a medium to full body.


Enjoy the music of the season: Jesús alegria de los hombres (BACH) Sissel Kyrkjebø.avi

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Mount Veeder Napa 2007 And Beringer Napa 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mount Veeder Winery Napa Valley 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, $28.04-$39.99, 91 points, is another Bordeaux style wine minus 2% Petite Syrah.
The color is bright ruby-red with orange flecks and a broad transparent rim.
With aromas of black-cherry and hints of cooking spice, dried flowers, and herbs this wine excels on the nose.
The body is medium and carries a juicy red-raspberry in a rich cherry-plum and licorice matrix.
The finish is memorable black currant and spice. 


Beringer Napa Valley Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $11.99-$39.99, 89 points, is heavier, is more pungent with cedar, clove, and cinnamon. The color is bright ruby-red with orange hues, and ultimately this is pure Cabernet Sauvignon.
The flavor profile is more plum and licorice, very much a smaller sibling to Beringer's other more expensive Cabernets.


What can be said about these wines is that you can, if you wait and watch for the sales, buy very good Cabernet Sauvignon wines for reasonable prices.


At $11.99 Beringer is quite a DEAL, but for a more interesting, but more expensive wine experience, Mt. Veeder is my pick.


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You tube Christmas selection:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCfqVzP-pEY

Sebastiani Secolo 2006 Sonoma Red Wine

Sebastiani Secolo 2006 Sonoma Red Wine, $19.99-$39.99, 89 points, needed to be decanted, as you can see the debris inside my decanter.
This wine had a true Bordeaux color and Bordeaux style except for the 1% Petite Syrah.
This Red wine has a medium body, is a quaffer, is smooth, and is a food friendly Red Wine.
The aroma is a sweet earth and spice.
The flavor is a delicious plum-cherry with licorice notes, but with an unremarkable finish.
In the final analysis the 2006 Secolo is an excellent table-wine that few will notice, but will be heartily drunk with the Red-Wine-Food-Fare you serve.
Christmas music can be heavenly! Sissel - In The Bleak Mid-Winter

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Hahn Central Coast 2009 Meritage Continues 2011 Christmas Bordeaux-Style Wine Ideas

Hahn Central Coast 2009 Meritage, $11.99-$18.99 (Last Chance Wine NHLS), 91 points, continues my Bordeaux and Bordeaux-styled wines for Christmas food-fare recommendations, great wine exploration, and just for fun with family and friends.

Hahn Central Coast 2009 Meritage has a beautiful aroma of Cedar and Cigar-box, the color is more Shiraz-like than Bordeaux, the medium body carries an odd ensemble of mint, eucalyptus, muted blackberries, lively cola, and pepper, all go with a long finish. I usually don't care for floral flavors, but this wine is so well balanced that the flowers in the flavor is forest-floor and just another image in this Monet painting. Don't let the $11.99 fool you, this is a serious wine (45% Cabernet, 29% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 11% Melbec, and 3% Petite Verdot) where this Bordeaux-styled wine is greatly influenced by its 11% Melbec.
I paired this Meritage with a tenderloin, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, corn and milk chocolate; wow was that good!

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Oh, want a Christmas song recommendation?

It'sTheThoughtThatCounts-youtube.com

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Check-out a price near you: http://90pluswines.com/Wine/9JGGKFONA09/Hahn---Meritage-Central-Coast/2009.aspx