Red Bicyclette

Bottle 16

Red Bicyclette Pinot Noir

The only thing missing from this experience was actually being in France, sipping away as the contents of this delightful little bottle slowly disappear...

Dancing Bull

Bottle 15

Dancing Bull Sauvignon Blanc

Four California wines in a row has been a real treat! I never buy Sauvignon Blanc's and after this wine I need to rethink my bias. The slightly sweet initial taste was welcome in this energy zapping heat. Very tasty, this Dancing Bull's got some crushing to do!

Meeker Gold Leaf Cuvee Merlot

Bottle 14

Meeker Golf Leaf Cuvee 2006 Merlot

Enjoyed after a long week - hot, hot, hot outside this was delicious with cold shrimp and all the possibilities of the weekend! Another beautiful California Merlot, silky smooth with mellow fruity flavors - complex but not heavy at all. Yummy from the first sip to the last, sad, drop!

Kunde Estate

Bottle 13

Kunde Estate 2004 Merlot

Ahh, this was fabulous! Smooth and lovely - tones of berry and all sorts of other flavors that made for a wonderful drinking experience. Another Sonoma wine, this family owned winery is one I'm definitely keeping on my radar. Check out their web site - they've got a great philosophy. Enjoyed on Dad's day - paired with a cool summer pasta which was great, this full flavored Merlot didn't over power a light dish but I can see where it would be super in cooler weather with heavier fare. We enjoyed this delicious bottle though the bottle did seem awfully small!

Bearboat Pinot Gris

Bottle 12

Bearboat

What a refreshing bottle this was especially in the midst of this heat/humidity wave. This 2006 Pinot Gris from Sonoma had a hint of melon and was delightfully light and crisp. Three of us shared this bottle and it was gone in no time, we were cooler and happier as a result!

the Little Penguin

Bottle 11

the Little Penguin

I love a wine that has an initial bite!  You just know from the first taste you're drinking a hearty glass of wonderful!  This is an Aussie Shiraz and they've got this one nailed.  Nothing else to say but a bloody substantial bottle-o-joy mates! 

red truck

Bottle 10

red truck

A fifth of the way there - I am sorry to the one of you who thought my friends and I would consume the entire fifty in fourteen days - 

So red truck was another nice wine.  I like the the Cellar Rat term, "A good Monday thru Thursday wine".   That's a good wine, probably a great value, that you can sip throughout the week... it'll enhance your dining pleasure or bring joy back into your life after one of those days! This was a 2007 California Pinot Noir! I liked it!!!

Blue Fin

Bottle 9

Blue Fin

This 2008 Pinot Noir from California had such a cute label I was anxious to try. Maybe it needed to sit another year or twenty to develop to its full potential....

Provenance 2002 & 2005

Bottles 7 & 8

Provenance Merlot 2002 & 2005

This is a super wine Dan turned me on to several years ago. I was excited to see two bottles -different years - in the collection.  With just a hint of fruit it's bold but not overpowering - in the fruit department that is.  I find it 'fruity smooth'  a very technical term you may not have heard before, in lay-wo/man terms that means basically, 'TASTY!  This one pleases everyone, even those who don't much go for vino - go figure!  Both the 2002 and 2005 were delicious!  Maybe in a side-by-side I could offer some type of competent analysis (doubtful)  but consuming consecutively both were enjoyed as much as is humanly possible.  I had some friends over and these accompanied our meal - all I can say is not a drop was left or wasted.  Treat yourself some time!

Kungfu Girl

Bottle 6

Kungfu Girl

Served this delightful Washington State Riesling with vichyssoise - made for a great combo.  I love Rieslings from New Zealand, this was slightly sweeter but not like some German Rieslings. No kick in the head here, Kungfu Girl just leaves you wanting more...

Penitentiary Red

Bottle 5

Penitentary Red

Hey, doing time with this wine sits fine with me.  A Cabernet Franc  from the great state of Iowa!  I do believe this is my first Iowan wine...I plead guilty for wanting more...if you're going to be lead astray might as well be with Pen Red...

Wild Pig

Bottle 4

Wild Pig - Viognier

So this is why I drink wine - DE-LIC-I-OUS ! Little Greta I envy you running through the Cevennes mountains. You'll have to drink a bottle to understand. After this bottle Viognier's will become a bigger part of my repertoire - i.e. after I get through about 46 bottles of wine demanding immediate attention! This one was a real treat!!!

?

Bottle 3

?

So the mysterious ? is a Trader Joe's wine - I love Trader Joe's so I was anxious to try.  As you will soon learn my rating system is basically #1) really great #2) really nice #3) good and #4) suited for the drain.  Guess I need to develop a more discerning criteria based upon true wino speak: you'll love the cherry with a tint of oak: surely you'll pick up the distinctive truffle overtone...maybe in time but suffice to say for now this was a nice little wine - kinda fruity (though not sure which fruit) and although the finish was a little weak I liked the flavor so who cares!   If we had a Trader Joe's I'd buy...which reminds me,  why does St Louis have 4 Trader Joe's while KC has a big fat O?   Guess that's a different blog...

Cheap Skate

Bottle 2

Cheap Skate

This is a very nice wine. A Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend, Cheap Skate has an initial flavor that's pleasing, once poured the flavor really blossoms. The Miser Montra- from the peeps who put this wine out - is:

I am my own connoisseur

I will trust my taste

I taste, therefore I scrimp

Delicious and cheap - is there a better way?

Passion has Red Lips

Bottle 1

Passion has Red Lips

Off to a great start - bold, bursting with flavor this delicious wine was gone too quickly.  Complex with a lot of body & great legs!  OK, even though the legs - or as the French may say - 'tears' of the wine don't directly relate to the quality of the wine I like swirling so I like good legs.  51% Cab, 49% Shiraz, two of may favorites combined to create a great wine!  My good friend Sue and I sat on the porch enjoying a gorgeous spring evening with glass in hand.  The evening lasted much longer than the wine... 

Some Young Punks from Australia are vintners to follow.