Domaine des Escaravailles Les Sablieres 2007 Cotes Du Rhone

This beauty of a Southern French wine pours deep garnet red; It has a very dark, musky nose. It shows it's old world roots right of: Notes of herb and black pepper are immediately noticeable, and the pepper note really intensifies mid palate. There is a very woodsy quality to this wine- almost hearty. It has a very rich mouthfeel, heavy bodied, but with a surprising twist in the finish; tart and acidic, it lingers on and really kind of brings this wine together. It's not until that finish that any fruitiness starts to show itself. Restrained oak, tame tannin, nice concentration. A great little bottle of wine.

Jade Mountain La Provencale 2008 California Red Wine

First- This wine is very, very, good. It is as though a gutsy Aussie Shiraz married an earthy, rustic, Cotes du Languedoc, and this was their offspring. Pours purple out the bottle, this wine has a pleasant, almost cologne-like nose. Big bold fruit- plum, blackberry, and raisin are followed by licorice, black pepper, and herbs. Medium bodied, nice acidity, and easy tannins. This wine's complexity, concentration, and balance really fly in the face of it's dirt cheap price point. It was on sale at Cost Plus World Market for 7.99. Exceptional value for the money.

Seven Hills 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine comes out a bright ruby color. It features a hot perfumey nose. Definitely smells like alcohol, which is wierd, because it's only 13.7%. The first flavors I get are of almond extract, blackberries, and just a touch of vanilla and caramel. It seems rather light for a cabernet. The finish is also quick. I've had the 2005, and my memory is of that vintage being much better- fuller, a lot more concentration, more complexity, and longer finish. That's not to say this is a bad wine. Not at all. Just from a premium producer like Seven Hills, I was expecting more, and you can find much better values. But it is still a tasty little bottle. If it were 8 bucks less, I'd enjoy it much more.

Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2007; Mendoza, Argentina

The color of this wine is a deep dark purple hue. I think this wine is pleasant, but could benefit from some aging. The tannins are very noticable at first sip. There is an immediate grainy drying sensation that takes place. This wine is very flavorful, however. Big black cherry notes dominate, and some very noticable herby/anise notes, with a background of tar and tobacco. The finish is nice and long, with some bright berry notes resonating. I really like this wine, but thinks it needs some time to tone down....just a bit. A really great value, though at around 12 bucks.

Januik 2006 Columbia Valley Merlot

I have to admit this up front: I am a big Mike Januik fan. His winemaking sensibilities seem firmly rooted in the new world, but with more than a polite nod to old. This Merlot is no different. This wine exhibits a clear, crimson red color. I don't know if my nose is off, but like the Novelty Hill I tasted a few days ago, the boquet seems restrained. The flavor, however, is gorgeous. It hits the palate with a nice tart and sweet combo like sour cherry pie. With whipped cream. I also get a definite sage like character mid palate, with a nice, lingering, creamy finish. A very good wine from a talented winemaker.

Shingleback 2005 McLaren Vale Grenache

First things first- This is a very tasty wine. Big, bold fruit flavor. This screams "Australia". Mouthfilling with currant, cherry, boysenberry jaminess. Nicely restrained oak lends a tasty vanilla component...but is still rich. This wine is like cheesecake drowned in a berry sauce. And the finish is very nice. From what I can tell, this offering from Shingleback is not widely available in the States. But it is worth seeking out.