• 05 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Wild berry party spoiled by too much green, too little body, & too high a price tag $100 B #
• 05 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Spatlese (Rheingau): Stately, clean & just a *tiny* bit cloying. $40 A- #
• 05 Wolffer Estate Claletto (Long Island): Fab Amarone-style Cab from stellar year. Focused black fruits = Awesome. VA = not-awesome $85 B+ #
• 06 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir (Walker Bay): Would be lovely, if not for the prominent & nasty burnt tire & band-aid aromas. $37 D #
• NV Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Brut (Champagne): Red apples & baked bread launched at tasty velocity towards your taste buds. $42 A #
• 02 Domaine Des Baumard Savennieres (Loire): Touch of honey & a lot of awesome. W/ that acid, this CB ain’t goin anywhere anytime soon. $30 A #
• 08 Deerfield Ranch Los Chamizal Chardonnay (Sonoma Valley): Give it time & peach & apple will appear. So will the midpalate heat, tho $28 B- #
• 06 Deerfield Ranch Red Rex (Sonoma County): Capable kitchen-sink red blend, but you’d better like black raspberry before attempting! $28 B- #
• 09 Grey’s Peak Sauvignon Blanc (Waipara): Like a barrel full of monkeys. Monkeys made of lemongrass, limes, gooseberries & firm acids. $18 A #

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• 08 Lamoreaux Landing Red Oak vineyard Riesling (Finger Lakes): As refreshing as a grapefruit & crisp green apple cocktail. $20 B #
• 05 Swanson Vineyards Merlot (Oakville): Aiming for Right Bank Bord'x. Not a direct hit, but a killer black licorice effort anyway. $36 A- #
• NV Alice White Lexia (SE Australia): Imagine a mango sorbet, but served at a cheap restaurant with tacky decor & annoying servers. $7 C+ #
• 06 Sherwin Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Like barnyard? This sucker is a downright state fair pony ride. $90 B #
• 05 Cain "Five" (Napa Valley): A little fun-kay! Deep & black, with a ton of tar and a commandingly strong finish. Brace yourself! $109 B+ #
• 07 Olson Ogden Syrah (Sonoma + Napa Counties): VERY tasty tune (& a song for NOW) but they're not quite singing in perfect harmony $28 B #
• 08 Elderton Unoaked Chardonnay (Barossa): "G'day, mate," said the Minerals, "We'd sure fancy bein' noticed. Good on' ya!" $13 B- #
• 06 Elderton Shiraz (Barossa): Gotta love that spicy aroma, but a mouthful is way too unctious (in just about every sense of the word) $23 C+ #
• 08 Grey's Peak Pinot Noir (Waipara): Unpronounceable region. Pronounced spices & wild berry flavors. These kiwis got it goin' on. $22 B #
• NV Trapiche Extra Brut (Mendoza): A fizzy w/ a splash of Malbec? Damn right! So much tasty toast, it could pass for a dinner roll. $13 B- #

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• 95 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Rarely, words are inadequate to convey a wine's sublime & heavenly balancing act. $350 A+ #
• 81 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Spice & barnyard suggest its previous potential, now thoroughly dead. (Price N/A) C #
• 07 William Hill Chardonnay (Napa Valley): A deftly balanced take on the Napa Chard. And, therefore, a stone fruity bargain at $25. B #
• 07 William Hill Bench Blend Chardonnay (Napa Valley): A spoonful of minerals helps the butterscotch (and Mediterranean food) go down $35 B+ #
• 06 William Hill Estate Meritage (Napa Valley): PV is holding court under layers & layers of black fruit, but comes off a little 2 soft $85 B #
• 06 William Hill Estate Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley): Francy goes to Napa, gets fat, but keeps his spice to show he's still a badass $40 B- #

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• 04 Wellington 100 Yr Old Vines Estate Zinfandel (Sonoma Valley): The concentrated blackberry crack cocaine of Zins. Rich & balanced. $50 A- #
• 07 Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): A nice whiff of dark red fruit & toffee, but only sweet-tooth palates need apply. $28 B- #
• 06 Waters Crest Cabernet Sauvignon (Long Island): That smoky, spicy cherry on the nose is magic. The slightly thin palate, less so. $40 B- #
• 06 Ravines Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes): The apple & wet rock smell enticing, but you’d better have some food handy for this acid shot $17 B- #
• 06 Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley): A Jim Kelly kung-fu black fruit, chocolate & licorice smackdown. Needs 7 yrs $75 A- #
• NV Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port: The Port world’s Fig Newtons, only more complex, luscious, tastier & more of a total bargain. $13.50 B+ #
• NV Casalnova Prosecco (Conegliano, Veneto): Suprisingly rich & downright refined. A honeysuckle lass with sass and some class. $18 B #
• 02 Blackjack Ranch ‘harmonie’ Red (Santa Barbara): Proof that dried prunes, cassis, & dark root veggies can live together peacefully. $60 A- #
• 07 Weingut Paulinshof Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese trocken (Mosel): A monster. Honey & lemon curd rock the hizzy. A- #

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