Santa Alicia Reserva Carmenere

Name: Santa Alicia Reserva
Color: Red
Varietal: Carmenere
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Chile
Region: Maipo Valley
Price: $8
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

We enjoyed the Santa Alicia Reserva Carmenere last night with pizza and were really pleased with it. This wine was very good, and we quickly finished the bottle before the kids even went to bed, which is rare for us. Usually, we manage to make a bottle last most of the night, but this one went very quickly. We've had a couple of other Carmeneres that we really liked (Tierra del Fuego and Casillero del Diablo), so it's safe to say we are now 3 for 3 with this lovely wine from Chile.

The Santa Alicia featured dark fruits and dark chocolate. It wasn't very complex, but the aromas and flavors were right on target. This is one smooth, delicious wine. The dark chocolate really came through on the mid-palate, and the finish was fairly long. The price makes it a real steal!

Crios Rosé of Malbec

Name: Crios
Color: Rosé
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2009
Country/State: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

Well, this was definitely my favorite Rosé I've ever had. It was much fuller bodied than most Rosés, and was made from the Malbec grape that thrives in Argentina. This one was another wine made by Susana Balbo under her Crios label. We've had the Crios Torrontes and really enjoyed it, too.

The Crios Rosé is a brilliant, dark pink color and has a great nose of strawberries, flowers, and a bit of pepper. It was rich and spicy, dry and delicious.

This wine really restored my faith in Rosé wines. I was close to cutting them out of my life completely, but thanks to the Crios Rosé, they'll stick around for a little while longer.

Vina Borgia

Name: Vina Borgia
Color: Red
Varietal: Grenache
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Spain
Region: Campo de Borja
Price: $6
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We enjoyed this insanely low priced 100% Grenache from the Bodegas Borsao last night with dinner (pasta) and finished the bottle after the kids were bed, while we watched the Amazing Race! Bodegas Borsao is the same producer in Spain that makes the Borsao red blend we enjoyed last May.

Just like the wine we had last year, this wine was a deliciously great value, with big, dark fruits dominating the nose and taste. It was smoky, too, but the blackberry and black cherry flavors really shined through. The finish was fairly long and I picked up on a little bit of spice on the back end. Spanish reds continue to be among our favorites.

Mirassou Pinot Noir

Name: Mirassou
Color: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $8
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)



We've had this bargain Pinot Noir from California before and liked it for what it is -- a nice mid-week easy drinking wine that bursts with cherry and strawberry flavors. It's not going to blow you away with its complexity, but it is very enjoyable, almost like drinking cherry pie.

We had this wine last night with some pasta, but it was best on its own. It's very smooth, juicy, and tasty.

Apothic Red

Name: Apothic Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot)
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $9 (on sale)
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

The Apothic Red is a big, juicy full-bodied red blend that I drank last night on my own, and then finished tonight with Krista. This one was mostly dark berries, raspberries, chocolate and a touch of vanilla. It had a bit more sweetness than most of the wines we drink, but it wasn't enough to turn us off. It was velvety and smooth with nice firm tannins...I was really pleased with this one and would definitely buy it again.

Pine Ridge Blend

Name: Pine Ridge
Color: White
Varietal: Blend (Chenin Blanc/Viognier)
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $16
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was a very good wine that we enjoyed tonight with dinner (chicken and vegetables). It was our first wine made primarily from Chenin Blanc and we really liked it. It had a touch of sweetness and featured citrus, pear, and grapefruit flavors. It was a medium bodied wine and it had a fairly decent finish.

Chateau St. Michelle Pinot Gris

Name: Chateau St. Michelle
Color: White
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Washington
Region: Columbia Valley
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

We had this Pinot Gris from Chateau Ste Michelle with crab and scallops. Both were outstanding...The wine was fruity with crisp acidity and bright, juicy flavors. I picked up on primarily pear, apple, and melon flavors and aromas. It had a nice, medium body with a long, smooth finish.