Pepperwoodgrove NV Pinot Grigio, $8.99-$11.99, 86 points, poured a light brass color with just a hint of gray toward the glass wall.
Smells of apple, pear, lemon, and green tea found their way onto the palate, and along with other flavors of watermelon and mint made for a rather complex near dry Pinot Grigio. However, the light body (a bit creamy on the lips) with mild acidity seemed just a tad thin for me, but delicious nevertheless.
Finished on a rather noticeable and somewhat strong 13.5% alcohol with a touch of lemon and ginger.
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Château Lafitte Marcellin 2010 Grand Vin De Bordeaux, $11.04-$12.99, 84 points, appeared a bright ruby color trending rosewood red before the broad clear rim.
An earthy strawberry aroma was sweet with a hint of red licorice.
The medium body had good acidity and mild tannin.
Flavors were dominated by leather and a sour strawberry which trailed into a floundering finish with just hints of the 12.5% alcohol, plum, and spice.
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Truchard Carneros Napa Valley 2010 Zinfandel, $14.99-$27.99, 87 points, poured a deep ruby trending a sunburst orange/red toward the clear rim.
Ripe grape and strawberry aromas were just okay for me.
Medium bodied with good acidity, mild tannin, and flavors that matched the aromas, but with a hint of strawberry/rhubarb pie were mouth-watering and distinct.
Finished fair on the trailing palate, a touch of the 14.2% alcohol, cayenne, and white pepper notes.
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Château Haut-Batailley Pauillac 2010 Red Bordeaux, $65.74-$71.99, 91 points, appeared nearly black at the core, trending opaque purple/red toward the clear rim and heavily draped glass wall.
Toasty black currant and perfume were the dominant smells.
Full lusciously bodied with good acidity and manageable, but persistent tannin carried rich flavors of black currant, hints of coffee with violets and other flowery perfume notes (a tad too much for me) that masked other fruit flavors.
Finished on a trailing palate with hints of the 13.5% alcohol and spice notes.
I'm not going to make this a recommend Bordeaux, because the QPR just isn't there for me, but if you like floral red wines, you might have a different opinion.
Varietals are 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.
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Château Magdelaine Premier Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Émilion 2010 Bordeaux Red Wine, $93.49-$109.99, 95 points, poured a deep opaque crushed blackberry/black currant purple/red up to the circumferential transparent rim.
The beautiful aroma of coffee, roses, cedar, toasty black fruit, and sea-breeze excelled!
Medium-plus bodied with luscious and ripe crisp acidity, layered and persistent tannin (very dry), and flavors that faithfully mirrored the aroma were balanced, velvety smooth, and delicious.
Finished long on spice, cola, pomegranate, a touch of heat (14% alcohol), and eucalyptus.
This Red Bordeaux was reminiscent of the Chateau Monbousquet 2009 Saint Émilion, and just as good.
(Saint Émilion) How do you say that word?
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Whitehall Lane (Bommarito) St. Helena Napa Valley 2011 Merlot, $11.04-$26.99, 83 points, appeared very much like Welch's Concord Grape Juice: purple with just a shade of red with a clear rim, but oddly enough had the same smell as well.
This was another wine I had high hopes for; sadly the lovely smooth texture was not enough to elevate the flavors of petrol, black licorice, and yes, Concord grape-likeness to a level of the other Whitehall lane Merlots I've tasted.
The near medium body with a lackluster acidity, mild tannin, and just a too grape-like flavor brought back memories of Sideways.
Finished a bit flat and flabby for me, and even the 14.2% alcohol seemed lackluster.
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Anterra 2011 Chardonnay, $6.79-$13.99, 89 points, poured a bright polished gold color, and smelled like the misty calm afterglow of a thunderstorm with hints of lilac and lemon.
The medium-plus body was crisp, slightly off dry (the label says dry), clean, had mineral notes with moderately acidic lemon flavors, and finished as it began, but with a touch of the 12% alcohol and ginger.
I loved this sleeper of a white wine, and I'm not the biggest fan of Chardonnay; this is not anything like a Cali Chardonnay (no butter here), but was produced in the Italian "traditional style" closer to a Chablis.
For the exorbitant sum of $6.79, I was very surprised and satisfied. Others will be disappointed with its lack of complexity, but food friendly and delicious with a lovely aroma and a long finish must stand for something.
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