This proprietary Bordeaux style blend from Robert Sinskey was a bit hard to find information about and I even searched for the varietal breakdown and came up short. However, as I sit here the wine is filling the room with amazing aromas. I do know that the wine is from Napa and that some, if not all the fruit, was harvested from vineyards in the cooler more southern Carneros AVA. 

On the nose there is distinct plum and currant notes that combine very elegantly with black licorice and coco notes. The bouquet is very aromatic indeed and even displays a touch of spice, pepper, and herb. I would guess that Cab Franc is somehow involved....

On the palate this wine touches down with a good firm attack and boasts flavors of plum, black cherry, red currant, spice, pepper, and herbs. 

This wine is a cold weather red and has very beautiful complexity but lacks a touch of weight. It actually tastes, feels, and smells like really classic Bordeaux. For this reason, I would definitely recommend this wine to fans of serious Bordeaux, and would tell the "new world" wine crowd to pick out something else. 

This wine is totally my style and for me it's somewhat of a revelation in terms of what Napa, and in particular Carneros, can accomplish. 92 points

Click here to find out more about this wine

My good friend Lizbeth Congiusti aka the "Sassy Sommelier is a great wine journal and information guide for people just starting to learn about wine. The easy to use tasting notes page will help tasters keep track of the wines they taste for future reference. Lizbeth is a sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild, and teaches wine tasting and wine etiquette at Scottsdale Community College. A former manager of alcohol beverage programs for United Airlines, she is currently the director of education for Awesome Wines in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she lives. 

This is not an attempt to make a quick buck but really my honest intention of giving a shout out to a friend and recommending a really useful tool she created for wine novices. If you desire to buy the book, I will return any commissions I receive to the buyer upon request. Cheers!

Château Marquis d'Alesme Becker is a third growth Bordeaux from the Margaux appellation. The 40 acre estate is planted to 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. Approximately 8000 cases of the Grand vin is produced per year, and 2000 cases of the second wine, Marquis d'Alesme.

I've never tasted this wine and have had it in my cellar for about a year and even though it is quite young, I decided to give it a go because I was craving a Bordeaux. Bordeaux is really my favorite wine region and it was her beauty shown through a 1996 Chateau Angélus that captured my imagination and turned me on to wine.

This dark ruby colored wine has beautiful aromas of black raspberry, tar, soil, black licorice, vanilla, and slight hints of wild lavender. On the palate this wine is rich and with very ripe tannins, and shows flavors reminiscent of blackberry, black currant, espresso, graphite, and hints of vanilla and cedar on the finish. This wine is very young and is actually showing beautiful length and deep, intense flavor. I see this wine improving dramatically with proper cellaring for another 10+ years. This is a great example of the power and near perfection of the 2005 vintage. 92 points

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Since 1977, Matanzas Creek has been churning out elegantly balanced wines that have been highly regarded as some of Sonoma County's best. Their Sauvignon Blanc is for me perhaps one of their best offerings. It's non-grassy style with a round mid-palate provides a full flavored and long finishing, crisp white wine. At Matanzas they blend in 13% Sauvignon Musque into the Sauvignon Blanc and also ferment a portion of the wine in neutral French oak barrels. These techniques provide extra complexities and help fill out the mid-palate.

On the nose I get a very nice lemon grass aromas combined with hints of yellow grapefruit, lilac, and slight hints of pineapple. There is a soft creaminess that is also present and in my tasting notes I wrote - "Neutral oak?" . I soon found out later when I downloaded the tech sheet that I was indeed accurate with my assessment.

On the plate this wine has a fantastic acidity and shows flavors of lemon zest, kiwi, lime, grapefruit, and a touch of mandarin on the finish. The texture is nice and round and the flavor profile is quite full and exuberant. This is a great summer wine that speaks "refreshing". 88 points

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This wine is composed of %60 Malbec and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and was hand picked and barrel aged in 90% new French oak and 10% American. I have tried other Preludio wines in the past and have never been as impressed as I am with this wine. They've taken their game to the next level with this silky smooth, rape, and ultra refined Malbec-Cab.

On the bouquet I get brimming black cherry and coco powder notes that remind me of chocolate covered cherries. There is also a sweet tobacco and tea leaf character along with a touch of leather that makes me think of the great wines of Montalcino.

On the palate the wine continues to impress and with a luscious and silky texture it delivers flavors of coco, black cherry, soft hints of soil and earth, and a touch of ripe raspberry on the finish. This wine is very balanced and actually seems like it is showing a bit of maturity in terms of age. It has a soft elegance and real finesse. 91+ points

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Malbec for me is a strange varietal. I've probably tasted around 50-100 different Malbecs in my time in the wine business (which for some is nothing, but for most normal people it's a lot). I've come across a few that were pretty great, but I have to say the majority of them have been somewhat disappointing. I find that too many Malbecs in the twenty dollar and below price point are dull, overly rustic, chucky tannined, and somewhat disjointed wines. Maybe I have a less than discerning palate and I'm just missing the boat, but I have to say that I really can't grasp what this varietal is all about yet. The voluptuousness of a ripe Cabernet Sauvignon is far too appealing to turn down for the rusticity and grit of a Malbec.

I would love any recommendations of good single varietal Malbec for under $20!!

Just had to give myself props for what I've accomplished here on this little wine blog of mine. These past few days I reached 50,000 visits which to some might seem like nothing but to me it's a big deal! I'm treating myself to a nice bottle of wine???and a kobe filet mignon. See you all at 100,000!!

Well, as you can see in the picture, I own one of these things and in case you can't tell from that cheeky smile, I'm not really convinced by these types of gadgets. I believe that it works in terms of micro-oxygenating your wine, but if you own a decanter and can wait a few minutes longer, your wine will become sufficiently aerated anyways.

However, if you're like me and just have to own every wine gizmo just so you can say you have it, then this thing rocks!! It's very stylish and even comes with it's own display stand and on-the-go leather pouch!  

If you're really that concerned about presenting wine to your guests and having it ready and aerated in a timely manner than this little tool can help in those time constraining moments. Plus for $39 it's not a huge investment and you can own it forever. Cheers!

P.S. if you want to purchase the thing you'll get the best price on Amazon! Check out the right side bar to see if I have it advertised somewhere...

Wine Spectator started with the top 100 wine list back in 1988 and have every year since then, selected the best 100 wines released in that year. Here is a list of the last 20 winner's of the now prestigous award of "wine of the year".

1988: 1985 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac
1989: 1984 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Selection
1990: 1986 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Private Reserve
1991: 1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
1992: 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron Pauillac
1993: 1990 Château Latour Pauillac
1994: 1990 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Selection
1995: 1990 Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange
1996: 1994 Beringer Chardonnay Napa Valley Private Reserve
1997: 1994 Fonseca Vintage Port
1998: 1995 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St.-Julien
1999: 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages
2000: 1997 Antinori Toscana Solaia
2001: 1998 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia
2002: 1999 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape
2003: 2001 Paloma Merlot Spring Mountain District
2004: 2001 Château Rieussec Sauternes
2005: 2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley
2006: 2001 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova
2007: 2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
2008: 2005 Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley
2009: 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Interesting to note that the only winery to repeat is Caymus and that there is only one first growth Bordeaux that has ever won the award. The wine that sticks out like a sore thumb to me would have to be the 2003 winner Paloma Merlot. One thing is certain, that there is not much of a trend in this list and it seems as though Spectator is quite open minded about who takes this prize every year.

For the price point ($23) I'm not sure there's a better value in this wine category. This is the second time I've tasted this wine in the last couple months and I have to say it's just really great wine. It's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Alexander Valley fruit, and 100% estate grown!!

On the nose I get big beautiful black currant notes and hints of crushed rocks, black pepper, molasses, and savory milk chocolate truffle. There's really amazing purity to this wine and the aromas are very delineated. On the palate this wine has a rich and seductive texture, and expresses flavors reminiscent of black raspberry, chocolate truffle, mineral, and creme de cassis. 

There is a savory quality to this wine that I'm having trouble communicating and I really believe this wine has impeccable purity and balance. It has the ripeness and voluptuousness of a Silver Oak Alexander Valley, but is far more transparent and seamless. Cheers to the winemaker and owner Chris Bilbro and those who put the effort into making this amazing bottle. 92+ points   QPR wise 100 pts!!

This Syrah is an extremely small 120 case production from Bien Nacido California. It was made by Proprietor Matthias Pippig who much like his friend and mentor Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non, worked at La Brea Bakery before his foray into wine making. He's taken a few pages from Krankl's playbook as he sources great vineyards and produces extremely small amounts of highly stylized wines with outstanding packaging.

This darkly opaque Syrah is packed with deep aromas of espresso roast, vanilla bean, blackberry, sandalwood, and cassis. There is also a distinct flower oil component and gamey-type boysenberry that accompanies the richly intense bouquet. 

On the palate this wine is intense and concentrated and shows it's muscularity through brooding flavors of cassis, vanilla-spice, cedar, and creamy blackberry. There is also a touch of pencil lead and heat from the high alcohol on the finish.  I would suggest old world fans avoid purchasing this ultra-progressive style fruit and coffee bomber! It is obviously meticulously made and there no doubt that many will believe this to be amazing wine, but it's just isn't my style. I think it replaces finesse, grace, elegance with power, extraction, and exalting arrogance. It's like many of the "over the top" Aussie wines that have impressed me but have never seen my cellar again! 90 points

This Vin D' Alsace is one of the most aromatic wines I've come across in some time. It has a beautiful aroma expressions of honey suckle, orange blossom, blueberry essence, and wild flowers. 

Most Alsatian wines are quite dry and can even be bone dry, but this Gewurzt is actually off dry and has an elegant sleek texture with plentiful acidity which helps balance out the sugar. Flavors of honey suckle, pear, apricot nectar, and edible flowers all combine to impress on the palate. The finish is nice and clean and leaves you desiring more. 90 points

I really enjoy the Pinot Noir from this producer and I've actually had the opportunity to meet the winemaker David Coventry, who is loads of fun and laughs. 

This Pinot Noir was sourced from two Monterey vineyards called Silacci (95%) and Chula Vina (5%). The wine from this blend was aged in 40% new French oak barrels and  60% one, two, and three year old Hungarian and French oak barrels. 

On the nose very pure wild strawberry notes and hints of red raspberry combine with subtle hints of cherry and spice. If the aromas weren't evidence enough of this wines' fruit purity then the palate would definitely confirm those suspicions, because this wine shows brilliant strawberry and cherry notes and a sharp and concise acidity. The oak is very subtle and doesn't intrude and if anything only ads a slight layer of spice. 89+ points 

This Willamette Valley Pinot Gris was sourced from grapes grown in several vineyard blocks throughout the region and was fermented in 100% stainless steel tanks. On the nose the wine shows aromas of lime peel and hints of watermelon rind. I was surprised to find out this wine had not passed through malolactic fermentation nor was it aged in any neutral oak, because it does have a creamy like texture and nuttiness. On the palate the wine shows light citrus notes and a touch of pineapple. On the finish it's a touch bitter and the alcohol heats up a bit. Not a great example of quality Oregon Pinot Gris. 82 points 

This is a very impressive, small production (410 cs), Columbia Valley red wine that is composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Merlot. Being that it contains more than seventy-five percent of one varietal (Cab Sauv) it can be named as such. Donedei translated from French origins, means “Gift of God.” and the wine is truly worthy of that distinction.

This dark red colored wine starts off with amazing black fruit aromas of black currant, cassis, bramble berry, and blackberry fruit preserves. There is a powerful spiciness to this wine that comes from it's bold tannins and sharp acidity. The wine is very well balanced and shows great fruit purity along with just hints of underlining oak, tar, and molasses. This wine needs a good decanting but will show beautifully when properly aerated. 93+ points

Click here to find out more about this wine

If your looking for serious Kosher wines that are not the sticky Manischevitz and Mogen David's of the world search no further. Here is a small list of reputable Kosher for Passover wines:

Herzog Wine Cellars - Napa Valley

Dalton - Galilee

Kinneret - Ella Valley

Goose Bay - New Zealand

Giordano - Tuscany

Hagafen - Napa Valley

Recanati - Shomron

There is also a great number of Kosher wine resource pages and blogs out there that can teach you which Kosher wines are the best on the market and provide tasting notes and commentary. Check out www.Kosherwineguy.com for Kosher wine reviews and www.kosherwinereview.com and in-depth kosher wine blog.

Just got back from my two week vay-k in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I have to say that the wine selection was actually quite impressive. The quantity of Chilean, Argentine, and even Spanish wines was really extensive and I even saw a fair bit of other European wines too. The selection from California was horrible though, and I think I might have only seen a bottle or two of plunk. The prices were fair on most bottles but I found it a bit funny that they charge around $40 for a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey!!

I only found time to try one or two of the wines because I was quite busy with family and touring around, and I will make sure to post those reviews shortly! So, back to life and wine here in the good ol' US.