Josh Cellars Cabernet Savignon

Josh Cellars Cabernet Savignon

The bouquet is rich with dark fruits, cinnamon, clove and toasty oak flavors. The wine is juicy on the palate with blackcurrant and blackberry flavors prominent, accented by roasted almonds, vanilla and hazelnuts, finishing long with fine, firm tannins. {josh cellars}

{photo credit: wine-by-benito.blogspot.com}

Cantina Zaccagnini Il Vino Dal Tralcetto Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

A new favorite . . .

"Aged in French oak barrels for eight months, followed by several months in the bottle prior to release, this is a wine – rife with succulent ripe fruit and soothing touch of vanilla – that has truly come into its own. So much so, in fact, that James Suckling of the Wine Spectator bestowed a whopping 91 points (out of 100), and Tastings.com rated it 89 and highly recommended."

{photo from liquorama}

337 Cabernet Sauvignon

We recently tried this wine compliments of Chris and Scott.

Then . . . we bought a case.

From the Noble Vines website:

LUSH, SUPPLE and DELICIOUS

The 2009 337 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits appealing aromas of black cherry, ripe currants and lightly roasted coffee. Supple tannins and balanced acidity support core flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and cassis, intertwined with sweet herbs and accents of black pepper spice.

So who writes this stuff?

We thought it was hearty and smooth with a warm finish. 

It is named for a French vine clone. 

($9.99 on sale)

Lab Red {Lisboa, Portugal}

Casa Santos Lima Lab Vinho Regional Lisboa

Decanter.com rating {87pts}:
Uplifting attractive aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis and plums
with nuances of spice. Good complexity and structure.

a go to favorite
The price is right @$6.99
with a screw top {no wine snobs here}

We recently mixed
Chocolate Lab wine with Blackberry Merlot wine
for a surprisingly delicious treat.



We are generally dry red wine drinkers but
this mixture was full of flavor and full bodied.
I wouldn't drink it with a meal but it was perfect
with hors d'oeuvres
on an autumn evening
with our friends
in their new garden house.

left bank [south africa]

One of our new favorite wines is
Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa
bonus: sells for about $10

Do you ever wonder who writes these descriptions?
long brooding palate
an uplifted intensity
mineral gravely texture
powdery tannins
balanced explosion of cherry

winemaker's notes:
A full-bodied red wine with purple-red hues and good depth of color. Concentrated red berry fruits of dark cherries, plums and spicy fruit cake layers provide an uplifted intensity. The nose is clean and pure with layers of rich dense fruits. Oak provides a caramel/mocha complexity. The long brooding palate has an abundance of soft, round, juicy red berry fruits. The vibrant, sweet palate has aniseed spice and black pepper complexity with mineral gravely texture providing some dryness. Fine, soft, powdery tannins add structural focus and length.

critical acclaim:"This full-bodied red from Neil Ellis starts with aromas of cherry, coffee and plum, leading into a fruity but balanced explosion of cherry, anise, black pepper and tobacco. Structured but still juicy, the wine will improve with age."

90 PointsWine Enthusiast

9 red wines for less than $10

America's best sommeliers and wine merchants
reveal their favorite bargain bottles.

After reading this article in Country Living Magazine we headed to the wine store and were able to find 6 of these wines. For the next several weeks we will be tasting these at our Wine-on-Wednesday gatherings.

Spanish Wine
Alto Almanzora Este 2006 ~ Blueberry, plum, fruitcake, and chocolate are just some of the flavors in this six-grape blend from Spain. ($8.99)

California Wines
Nine North Ten Mile 2006 ~ This California four-grape mix is an ideal accompaniment to duck. ($9.99)

Redtree 2008 ~ Wine bloggers are going crazy (in a good way) for this light-bodied California Pinot Noir that tastes of clove and summer berries. ($6.99)

Pairing Wine
Alamos 2008 ~ "Malbec is on fire right now" and this Argentinian variety boasts a hint of sweet spice that makes it wonderfully suited for steak. ($9.99)

Sagelands 2005 ~ Buy and store extra bottles of this Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, since it gets even better with time. ($9.89)

Penfolds Koonunga Hill 2007 ~ This Australian mix of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with lamb. ($7.97)

European Reds
Vinos Piñol Ludovicus 2007 ~ This combo of four Spanish wines is an eye-opener. It tastes expensive! ($8.99)

Borsao Campo de Borja 2008 ~ A hearty chicken dish would complement the dark fruits in this Spanish Grenache and Tempranillo mix. ($7.99)

Domaine André Brunel 2005 ~ This French Grenache is equally great for fine dining or simply drinking by the glass. ($7)