Black Box

Bottle 49

Black Box -

It will happen - someday - and when it does I will complete this assignment!

Thank you all for a great run!

Bohemian Highway Pinot Grigio

Bottle 48

2007 Bohemian Highway Pinot Grigio

For the past multiple summers I have always relied on Pinot Grigio as my summer wine. Given the exceptional nature of this summers drinking when out I would veer towards Viognier (thanks to one of my early wines) or a Riesling from the southern hemisphere. This is one of those nice sort of everyday light wines that I'm sure is a fav with the mass public - if you're looking for a wine with distiguishable features this won't hit the spot - for broad appeal this one is a sure bet!

Geyser Peak Shiraz

Bottle 47

Geyser Peak 1998 Reserve

Another delicious wine full of flavor - fruit and earth and heaven knows what! This was a big wine - quite delicious - and had I not been so anxious to try one that would most definitely age well. A real treat!

Prosecco Veneto

Bottle 46

Prosecco Veneto

This was an interesting wine - sparkly and light and not sweet which was nice. A very mild sparking wine - I liked it - the effervescent nature of it was fun and it had a very nice subtle taste!

Smoking Loon Sauvignon Blanc

Bottle 45

Smoking Loon Sauvignon Blanc 2007

I took this wine to a party so I was only able to have one glass before it vanished which might speak to its broad appeal. It was refreshing and very light and delicate. I don't tend to buy Savignon Blanc's - probably due to my early wine days of gallon jugs of the variety - but its light nature might be the lure of this wine...looks like I need to do some homework. In any event this was much better than the jug wine and a sure bet to satisfy a large group of people.

Rosemont Shiraz

Bottle 44

Rosemont Shiraz 2006

This was a nice wine - Shiraz are so versatile - and this one followed suit. It's always nice to know that when you just want a good, decent glass of vino this wine is accessible and reliable. I like as a nice sipping wine or a good accompaniment to food - so when the ole brain is tired pop the cork and escape - you'll always land some place other than where you began.

Susan Balbo Signature Malbec

Bottle 43

Susana Balbo Malbec 2006

This is a wine I wanted to try prior to receiving in the collection so what a treat! If you are familiar with the reasonably priced and always good Crios wines form Mendoza, Argentina this is the same vintner only this is her special label! Known as the 'Evita of Wine' she is one of the few female vintners in the country. All of which would matter none if her wine wasn't excellent. Richly colored and delightfully complex this is another wine that just confirms what someone who knows what they are doing can achieve! Fabulisimo

Ledson Merlot 2000

Bottle 42

Ledson Merlot 2000

WOW - Fabulous! Just a fantastic wine, from the nose to the finish. Dark berries and other complex aromas and flavors my palette is just too un-evolved to pick up - suffice it to say this is one heck of a delightful wine. The color was just gorgeous as well - truly a wine deserving of a salute!

Amancaya

Bottle 41

Amancaya Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This was rich! Delicious coloring, nose, legs, body and right out of the bottle. Dark fruit and heaven knows what else - I just got lost in this one - such a unique flavor which really stood out and just sort of eased into one luxurious experience. Sharing the taste of a delicious wine is truly one of life's simple joys!

Rex Goliath! 47 Pound Rooster Shiraz

Bottle 40

Rex Goliath!

47 Pound Rooster Shiraz

With some wines all you can do is try! This one had kind of a stinky nose newly poured but that improved as did the flavor once it was able to breath but as soon as it evolved into something kind of interesting it was gone - the taste totally dissipated as the wine made its way down your throat. What the heck? Maybe there is a bigger market than imagined for taste free wines, reminded me of 3 Blind Moose - for someone not into wine it's probably a real bargain!

Gnarly Head

Bottle 39

Gnarley Head California Cab 2006

Now here's a cab worthy of its name. You wouldn't expect Gnarley Head to be a delicate, pinky in the air kind of wine and it's not...this is a wine worthy of a good swig. It's fruity with hints of other subtleties (specificities in such areas is so 90's) which all come together to create a smooth taste - while it's not like a fast and furious ride on a roller coaster it is a nice little trek to the edge of the platform. Enjoyed!

Buffalo Red

Bottle 38

Sumerset Ridge Buffalo Red Semi-Sweet Red Wine

As if the gift of all this wine wasn't enough you all have helped me reach a profound conclusion - sweet and cab should never go together! This one isn't on the level of the St James concord grape jelly wine but for those who love a sweet-little-wine this is your treasure waiting to be discovered. Why if you were here I would pass the bottle and a little paper cup right to you.

Discovery #2, a wine named Buffalo Red should be a gigantic Cab, something that knocks a power punch to the senses not a wine one sips from a small cup or paper bag. The name of of wine sets expectations - truth in advertising please!

Flyboy Red

Bottle 37

Flyboy Red Somerset Ridge Red Table Wine

With all due respects a wine from Paola, Kansas did illicit a bit of apprehension. I haven't yet completely blocked out the collision with St James Winery so strategic positioning in the kitchen was required. Alas my fears were unfounded, as a friend said it wasn't like drinking something which might require a tetanus shot. I'm not going to say it was good but you know it wasn't terrible. I commend these folks, Paola Kansas can't offer a particularly hospitable environment for thriving vines. Every wine has its place and time - this I imagine being a big seller as 2:45 a.m. rolls around and two of the most hated words in the english language are uttered...'Last Call'.

Norton Reserva Malbec 2006

Bottle 36

Norton Reserva Malbec 2006

What a delightful bottle this was - Norton is viewed as one of the big guns in Mendoza so there's a bit of a backlash against them with the smaller vineyards. Perhaps adding fuel to the fire is the fact that they consistently produce a very enjoyable wine. This was a tasty treat, boldly present producing a complex mix of fruit and earthy flavors with a nice follow through. No doubt here that you are drinking a rich and stimulating wine. In fact a couple bottles of this could possibly unearth the twisted psyche of one Glenn Beck...but then, on second thought, why spoil the fun!

The Ball Buster

Bottle 35

The Ball Buster 2007

This is one of those wines I've seen but never bought, what a surprise! Mr Brunno Tait isn't a winemaker who is going to put out a light, delicate wine, obvious right! This one was a bit tart at first sip but really opened up after exposure to the elements. Fruity, this is a monster wine that almost looked black in the glass and has the potential for wickedness. A blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot no way to tame this beast, Brunno does as Brunno says...I'm sure...

Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon

Bottle 34

Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon

A nice blended wine from California which offered a lot of berry flavors, tasty and smooth. Not a powerful cab but then I am learning that subtleties in flavor are good too! You don't need to be knocked over with every sip, a gentle jolt can hit the spot too!

Big Ass Cab

Bottle 33

Big Ass Cab 2006

How could I not love this wine? The label was only the beginning - this fare was full bodied (HA) with lots of texture and life (right on!) that just got better with time, which is only relative in wine terms. Fruity (I can say it) with hints of other earthy delights this Napa Valley wine is a sure bet to get things started.

Two Vines Merlot

Bottle 32

Two Vines Merlot 2004

This was a delicious Columbia-Crest wine - yes indeed! Vineyards from this region in Washington state are blessed with a great climate which produces wonderful wines. Full of fruit with a great body the nice thing about these wines is they are usually very drinkable right away and only get better with time, five years down the road this was yummy. Three of us polished this bottle off in no time and delighted in every gulp, I mean sip,

Tin Roof Merlot

Bottle 31

Tin Roof Merlot 2005

This was a lovely, sophisticated California wine, very smooth and sumptuous! Lots of dark fruit could be detected as this versatile wine could stand on its own or enhance a great meal...and it only got better as it opened up - kind of cruel really that there was only one bottle of this luscious wine because it disappeared like magic!

Catena Malbec

Bottle 30

Catena Malbec 2007 (High Altitude)

Ah, a wine close to my heart! These Mendoza wines from Argentina are fabulous and this vinter does a great job. This wine had great legs, lots of body with dark fruit, a light floral touch and a smidge of vanilla. Started great and ended with a splash, lots of bursting flavors! If you enjoy a great tasting wine for any occassion this is a sure bet!