Sebastiani 2006 Russian River Valley Unoaked Chardonnay; Sonoma, CA

This bottle has a nice nose of green apple and citrus...it introduces itself to the palate with sharp lemon and grapefruit notes, displaying some noticable acid. There is some green apple, steel and mineral components to this delicious wine. The finish, however is quick. This is a good wine that would pair nicely with any number of dishes.

Pacific Oasis 2005 Pinot Noir; Santa Barbara, CA

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much. This is a a budget Pinot, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good nose. Cherry and flowers really do burst out of the wineglass. Very pale crimson/brick colored, with big up front pinot-toned fruit flavors. Smooth body; tannins and acidity in nice balance support the fruit forward nature of this pinot. Cherry, strawberry and vanilla dominate...missing some of the earthiness I like in a good Pinot Noir, but still a very admirable effort. Moderately long finish.

Chateau Ste Michelle 2005 Merlot; Columbia Valley, WA

I've been wanting to try more Washington Merlots, so I picked this one up today. This wine exhibits a nice vanilla/cherry nose and immediately shows itself with up front tannin. The tasting notes from CSM mention cola, and I can buy that...it exhibits cola, vanilla, some cedary-resiny notes and a slightly tart finish that is surprisingly long. It is a very pleasant, respectable wine...one I wouldn't mind having a few bottle of in the cellar.

Clos de Brague 2005 Bordeaux; Bordeaux, France

Disappointing. I've had a few economy bottles of the great 2005 Bordeaux vintage, and all until now were outstanding values. This bottle is WAY more fruit forward than I want in a Bordeaux. Heck, this is softer and more fruit forward than a cheap California Merlot. And thin. The nose is barely there, and the flavors are very muted, but what is there is watery cherry and almond. I will taste again in a few hours, and tomorrow, to make sure it's not just extremely tight, but I don't think so. Usually I can still taste tannin, and there really isn't any to speak of. The good Bordeaux I have had, however have been produced by a specific Chateau, and this is done by a negociant. I know in Burgundy negociants can make some outstanding wine, but I have not heard of any great Bordeaux negociants, so maybe that should have been my first clue. Anyway, I'll post on the future tastings!

10/21
The wine did not improve. It got worse.

Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir 2006; Willamette Valley, OR

Ok...this wine is wicked good. I know they tout their "silky" texture, but, they are not lying! The nose is beautiful bouquet of red fruits and flowers, the color a nice, light ruby. It hits your palate with caramel, raspberry, mushrooms, strawberry, and vanilla. The finish is fantastic; sweet, long, and begs you to take another drink...and another glass...well, good thing it's $45 bucks a bottle. Otherwise I could be an alcoholic. =) Nice, fine grained tannins, supported by depth of flavor point to this may be able to withstand some aging, but then again, why? It's so good now. Mr. Soles, job very much well done. As I said in my Willamette Valley entry, this wine (the '05) was my wine epiphany, and I go back and I understand why.

Snoqualmie Winery 2007 Whistle Stop Red; Columbia Valley, WA

This wine absolutely shocked me. It was fantastic. A blend of 70% Cabernet, 30% Merlot, this wine had depth, concentration, and a nice finish. It showed great tannins on the front palate, followed by beautiful cocoa notes, cherry, cassis, and a nice sweet finish. This wine had structure that I think would allow it to develop with some bottle aging, as surprising as that is for a wine this inexpensive. I purchased it for 7.99! I would not be at all reluctant to serve this wine to anyone.

Spring Valley Vineyard 2003 Cabernet Franc; Walla Walla, Washington

Stunning. This wine is exceptional. A brilliant ruby color out of the bottle, the aroma is very floral and perfumey, with a whiff of almond extract. The wine hits the palate with a creamy, cocoa-y almost creme brulee flavor, and is exceptionally smooth. Sweet tannin give this wine enjoyable structure, and this is a candidate for some additional bottle aging. Some nice raisin/prune/currant flavors follow the sweet creme brulee nuance, only to return to the vanilla and caramel notes on an incredibly long finish. I found this gem at a local wine shop...and will go back to see if they have more. This is a very fine wine from Spring Valley. This particular bottling includes 12% Petit Verdot, and is made from Estate grown fruit in the Walla Walla Valley.