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<<