Novelty Hill 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; Woodinville, WA

This is an excellent cab. Surprisingly, the nose is kinda soft. It may open up more, it has only been open 5 minutes. But from the first sip, this is very tasty bottle. The first flavors you get is good amount of vanilla and caramel, moving on to almost pomegranatey/bright fruit flavors...not quite cherry, but not citrusy either. Raspberry Mocha. That's it. The cocoa notes carry over to moderately long, very tasty finish. Winemaker Mike Januick has put together a very well crafted Cabernet in this offering.

Chateau Mayne-Vieil Cuvee Alienor 2005; Fronsac, Bordeaux, France

This is great wine from the now legendary 2005 of Bordeaux. The wine has a very nice nose of black fruit and violets. Merlot based, this (predictably) tannic wine is surprisingly fruity and drinkable for a young Bordeaux. But it is delicious. And that's not to say it's only fruity. Cherry, slight plum, cedar, smoke, and almond all make an appearance. Even tobacco and a slight bit of coffee. The finish is pleasantly sweet and vanilla-y. This is not a huge wine. Not super concentrated; probably not as long lived as some other Bordeaux, but an excellent value and highly recommended at it's $22 price point. Pick some up!