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

• NV Mionetto MO Valdobbiadene Prosecco (Prosecco Superiore): Elegant & (dare we say it) *serious* green apple side to Prosecco bubbly. $23 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 08 Catena Malbec (Mendoza): Smokey/oaky finish mars an otherwise smokin’ red-fruited, floral, dried-herbal South American beauty. $24 B >>find this wine>>
• NV Pascal Redon Cuvee Diaphane (Champagne): Elegant; as in “going on a hike in the woods & then running into Audrey Hepburn” elegant. $59 A- >>find this wine>>
• 07 Twisted Oak Petite Sirah (Calaveras County): Your morning coffee ritual should smell so good as the mocha action on this tasty guy. $24 B >>find this wine>>
• 08 Manzanita Creek Three Vines Zinfandel (Sonoma County): A BIG boy, who would very much like to meet your ribs with the spice rub. $28 B >>find this wine>>
• 07 Three Rivers Champoux vineyard Merlot (Horse Heaven Hills): The tales of Merlot’s death have, apparently, been greatly exaggerated $39 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 08 Three Rivers River’s Red (Columbia Valley): Red fruits are tart, bright & screaming. What are they screaming? “Crazy good deal!” $14 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Three Rivers Merlot (Columbia Valley): Chewbacca big, but he’s in a pin-stripe suit. Pepper, spice, herbs & olives add the elegance $19 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Three Rivers Chardonnay (Columbia Valley): Pear, pineapple & cream, all sliced right down the middle with razor-sharp crispness. $18 B >>find this wine>>
• 06 Cornerstone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Coffee, black plums, pencil lead & quite a lot of focus for the The Valley. $75 A- >>find this wine>>
• 06 Michael David Earthquake Petite Sirah (Lodi): Not w/out floral/licorice complexity, but balance is shaken by a sweet boozy finish. $25 B- >>find this wine>>
• 07 Rustenberg John X Merriman (Stellenbosch): The herbal & red plum side of Bord’x blending. One for the huntsman’s lodge, govn’r. $30 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 07 Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay (Stellenbosch): Lemon curd, toasted almond & a little minerality standing at attention, sir! $39 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Firestone Gewurztraminer (Santa Ynez Valley): A bit short on flowers & lychee, but plenty long on ginger, grapefruit & crispness. $13 B- >>find this wine>>
• 08 Firestone Clone 174 Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley): Here’s 1 to please the crowd. Bring me a plate of BBQ ribs, with all speed, man! $30 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 08 Firestone Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley): Brambly, red, black & jammy. Ah, but the smoked meat guy is stopping by, and you’re hungry… $20 B >>find this wine>>
• 07 Puma Road Black Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands): This cat’s got a lot of berry, earthy/herbal complexity for $36 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 07 Bagrationi 1882 Reserve Brut (Kakheti): Georgia strikes again. Elegant if subdued presentation of apple, melon & chalky minerality. $25 B >>find this wine>>