So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 10 Howell Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain): The old brawler had a soft spot for complex poetry; who knew? $75 A- >>find this wine<<
• 10 Howell Mountain Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (Howell Mountain): All cards are on the table; some are tarot cards w/ dark portents. $45 B+ >>find this wine<<
• NV Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs (Carneros): Yellow apple verve makes up for brashly youthful exuberance of overly aggressive bubbles $24 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 06 Mont-Ferrant CR20 Grand Reserva Extra Brut (Cava): As if that mousy girl in Accounting is actually a superhero in her spare time. $30 A- >>find this wine<<
• NV Mont-Ferrant Brut Rose (Cava): Trying to pack up the entire orchard – sour red apples, dirt & all – into the basket for take-out. $18 B >>find this wine<<
• 11 Fulcrum Gap's Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Sage brushes, painting in pretty pastels with sweet red berry pigments. $57 A- >>find this wine<<
• 11 Fulcrum Brosseau Vineyard Pinot Noir (Chalone): Saluting Pommard w/ 1 hand, flicking it a playful, competitive bird w/ the other. $54 A- >>find this wine<<
• 11 Fulcrum Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley): Brandishing herb sprigs & berry twigs like miniature kung fu weaponry. $54 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Fulcrum On Point Christinna's Cuvee Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley): Earth, funk, spice & grit; think twice before messing with it. $36 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 08 Tenuta Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino (Brunello di Montalcino): A Bruno that favors coy whispering over powerful shouting. $40 B+ >>find this wine<<

So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 10 Fields Family Wines Sherman Family Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi): Please queue MJ's "PYT" for this pretty one's theme song. $24 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 10 Kidder Family Winery Duet (Lodi): Those sour cherries have all the rustic charm they'll need, they could lose the spiffy oak suit. $24 B >>find this wine<<
• 11 Harney Lane Albarino (Lodi): Kicking back, laughing & parting in the tropics; leave the cares & worries with the corkscrew, please. $19 B >>find this wine<<
• 12 Chateau de Campuget Le Campuget Grenache Viognier (Vin de Pays du Gard): Sometimes, simplicity just happens to be its own reward. $10 B- >>find this wine<<
• 04 Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Brut (Champagne): Melons & marzipan, and the ability to bestow +75 charisma to almost any player. $64 A- >>find this wine<<
• 09 Terlato Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Fancies itself a bit of a cocoa-&-blueberry dandy; and, well, it is. $84 A- >>find this wine<<
• 10 Terlato Episode Red (Napa Valley): The episode that's not to be missed is the episodic finish on this spicy, succulent beauty. $180 A >>find this wine<<
• 12 LeSaffre Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast): The Tekken Ling Xiaoyu of Chardonnay, petite but powerful; & in this case dining on oysters. $55 A- >>find this wine<<
• 05 Laurent de Bescombes Singla Heritage du Temps (Rivesaltes Ambre): Romancing the rancio, with amber colored gems & sweet talk. $49 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 08 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (Valpolicella Classico): And visions of dried sugarplums danced through your tonsils. $70 A- >>find this wine<<
• 08 Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz (Barossa): Inked in sweet, spiced plums, herbs & an accomplished, confident air. $54 A- >>find this wine<<
• 13 Jim Barry Wines The Lodge Hill Riesling (Clare Valley): You're about to get intimately familiar with the secret lives of limes. $19 B+ >>find this wine<<

So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 08 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino (Brunello di Montalcino): Now *that's* a spicy meatball; & a lively, pretty, refined one, too. $65 A- >>find this wine<<
• NV Vallformosa Origen Brut Rosado (Cava): Not really a graceful host, but certainly a really gracious – and really generous – host. $20 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Dierberg Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley): A spa where the specialty is rubbing ripe mango & flowers all over you to soothing tunes $32 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 10 Dierberg Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley): Spicy, bold, earthy &amp; sporting juuuust a touch too much of that white boy style funk $34 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 10 Dierberg Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley): Running rough shod at the end, but you'll start smooth, & land in brambly sage when it's done. $34 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Dierberg Drum Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills): Close to the vest, nuanced intrigue starring pepper, tea & spices. $44 A- >>find this wine<<
• 09 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Ynez Valley): Generous with the mint & figs, & that structured finish sure ain't messin around $44 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 12 Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc (Happy Canyon): Tropical fruits, leaping about in an energetic jig on a short-cut lemon grass carpet. $22 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Donnafugata Ben Rye Passito di Pantelleria (Sicilia): 100 yr old vines, 203g residual sugar, and about 1000 pounds of awesome $40 A- >>find this wine<<
• 11 Franciscan Cuvee Sauvage Chardonnay (Carneros): More nuanced vitality – & penchant for lemon verbena – than you were expecting. $40 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 09 Franciscan Mangificat Meritage Red (Napa Valley): Prefers cedar utensils, a good cigar, & kicking dust off its boots at day's end. $50 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 09 Artadi El Seque Monastrell (Alicante): Getting a little soft in the middle, otherwise it's all chalky anise-filled plummy goodness $40 B+ >>find this wine<<
• NV Luc Belaire Rare Rose (France): Everything's coming up roses; whether you like roses or not, that's what you're getting, dammit. $34 B >>find this wine<<

So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 08 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino (Brunello di Montalcino): Enough characters at the feast to push the funk into the background. $65 A- >>find this wine<<
• 12 Tasca d'Almerita Regaleali Bianco (Sicilia): Lively pears with bitter skins that will make for fine company once the snow melts. $15 B >>find this wine<<
• 11 Sandeman Vintage Porto (Porto): Really ought to come with Xmas gift tag attached reading "Do not open until about 2031; go away!" $75 A- >>find this wine<<
• 10 Amici Cellars Olema Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County): Lighting up one very, very looooooooong and very, very gooooood stogie. $23 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 12 Amici Cellars Olema Chardonnay (Sonoma County): Peachy keen, squeaky clean, but not really all that lean, if you know what I mean. $15 B >>find this wine<<
• 10 Amici Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Sexy, plush, and not shy about flaunting it but it most definitely has got "it." $45 A- >>find this wine<<
• 12 Amici Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley): For those who like 'em regressing but with just a little more meat on the bones. $25 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 05 WineSmith Second Fiddle FiddleStix Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills): In its best Robert Plant voice, "but the Eaaaaaaarth…" $50 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 06 WineSmith Mokelumne River Cabernet Sauvignon (Lodi): Smokin' cigars, eatin' dark cocoa, & occasionally laughing amid the brooding. $40 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 03 WineSmith Chardonnay (Napa Valley): Somebody cue up "You Wear It Well"… the Rod Stewart one, definitely not DeBarge, okay? $30 B+ >>find this wine<<
• NV WineSmith Penny Farthing Dry Rose (California): Sweet raspberries, strawberries & flowers out for a sunny park tandem bike ride. $10 B- >>find this wine<<
• 11 Jordan Chardonnay (Russian River Valley): Fresh apples from the orchard, & the energy of grade schoolers sledding on a snow day. $40 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 09 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley): Sinewy & powerful, like watching a medal-winning sprinter running in slow motion. $53 B+ >>find this wine<<