Veramonte 2006 Chardonnay Reserva

For those of you that know me I am not a huge chardonnay drinker, but bottles like this one will make me revisit that preference.  Veramonte's 2006 chardonnay reserva is from the Casablanca Valley and it is one of Chile's newest and coolest climates.  This chardonnay has a great nose with a touch of pineapple.  Good fruit and acidity help me enjoy this smooth one.  It was a top 100 value by Wine Spectator.

Reg. $9.99 – 85 pts. SALE $8.99 (thru 12/11)

Justin Vineyards 2005 Syrah - Paso Robles

The Justin Vineyards 2005 syrah out of Paso Robles is what I like to call a mouth coater that hits me all over the palate.  I love it when that happens and this bottle does it well.  The dark fruit and depth of this wine are what make it so good.  It is smooth, but the tannins and complexity are there.  I drank it with some beef skewers and that definitely did not suck.

$29.99 – 89 pts. (mention this review and we will take $3 off the price) 

Cedar Knoll Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon by Palmaz Vineyards

The Cedar Knoll vineyard is located in Napa and was planted in 1874 but the land went fallow until 1912 during times of prohibition.  The vineyard was used as a whiskey ranch for awhile and in 1997 the Palmaz family from Argentina purchased the vineyard.  They also employed winemaking consultant Mia Klein and for those of you that know her there is nothing more that needs to be said.  This wine could be cellared for a few years, but the solid fruit that the bottle is showing drinks nice today.  The wine's finish is soft and not elongated, but the smooth tannins complement the fruit and make this a smooth cabernet.

Mr. Palmaz invented the coronary stent so for all you doctors out there this one is for you.

$41.99 - 88 pts. (mention this review and we take $5 off that price)  

Catena 2004 Cabernet.

Gets better each time I go back for a sip. This is one of those awesome site where you can feel the fruit flowing back and forth in your mouth. California may be known for its cabernets, but this one from Mendoza what I consider a VALUE wine. Soft toasted oak flavors arise from your glass along with fruity aromas. Throw something red and hearty on the grill and enjoy this one before and with your food.

$19.99 – 88 pts.

Clayhouse Vineyards 2005 Adobe Red.

Drink it now or shelve it for a few as this wine has it all going on. Good acidity and tremendous fruit will please your palate. The finish on this one is like a never ending Nascar race. The left turns of fruit in your mouth just continue on and on… This small wine (~4,000 cases) produced out of Paso Robles is a blend of zinfandel, syrah, petit syrah, and cabernet. Simply delicious.

$16.99 – 89 pts