Altos Las Hormigas

Name: Altos Las Hormigas
Color: Red
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was more like it!! After a little bit of a disappointment with the Centine, this Malbec from Argentina was exactly we needed. I bought this bottle several weeks ago after seeing it highly recommended in the Wall Street Journal (Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher) article about Malbecs. In fact, this was the authors' top choice…The color was a very dark purple and the aroma was also "dark" --- dark cherries, plums, blackberries…very jammy. The taste was similar to the nose, with a little bit of spice. The flavor had a lot of different layers and all were very delicious. The wine was medium to full bodied and paired very well with the steaks that I grilled.

This was the second Malbec we've had recently (we had the Trapiche Oak Cask in February), and both were excellent. I will definitely be buying more Malbecs from Argentina in general and the Altos Las Hormigas in particular.

Castello Banfi Centine

Name: Castello Banfi Centine
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Price: $12
Stars: 2.5 (out of 5)

I was really excited to try this wine based on several recommendations on blogs and newspaper Wine of the Week selections. On paper, this wine was one I really should have enjoyed. It's a red blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. I expected it to be a nice, smooth blend with good weight and structure. We opened the bottle last night and Krista and I each had a glass with our pizza. Unfortunately, it really didn't work for either of us. It almost seemed like something was off, but I can't exactly say what --- maybe it was too bitter? I don't know. I tried another glass later that night, hoping that some air would help, but it wasn't much better.

I got out the Vacu-Vin, sucked out the air, stuck the bottle in the fridge overnight, and tried another glass tonight after letting it sit in the glass for awhile to warm up. It's definitely a little better tonight. I can pick up the dark red fruits with some plum. The tannins are nice and gripping, but there's still a hint of some bitterness on the finish. Maybe it's just me. But for my taste, in this price range, I can think of several red blends that I have enjoyed much more.

Luzon Jumilla 2007

Name: Luzon
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Monastrell, Syrah)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Jumilla
Price: $9
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


I bought this wine a couple of months ago after having seen it on the Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Values of 2008. It wasn't just on the list, it was their #1 best value. It cost about $9 at Total Wines, and it truly was a great value. This was a fairly "big" wine for the price. The color was very dark, like an inky purple with a violet rim (at least that's how I've seen it described in other places, and it seems to sum it up well). On the nose, it was all dark fruits with some peppery spiciness. Very interesting. The taste is also spicy with dark cherries and cranberries and black pepper. It was full bodied with a nice, long finish. The tannins were definitely present but not at all obnoxious.

We drank this wine with steaks that we marinated and grilled. The flavors of the wine went perfectly with the steaks. This is really a food wine. Because of its size, it's not one that I would sip on its own. But with a big, hearty meal, I highly recommend the Luzon. We continue to have good luck with Spanish wines.

Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red

Name: Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: Australia
Region: Barossa
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


Another red blend that was right in our comfort zone. This is really a type of wine that Krista and I both enjoy very much. It's really hard not to like wines like this. Sort of medium to full bodied, but very smooth and easy to drink. I definitely picked up on the red fruits -- cherries, strawberries, with some bold blackberry and a little bit of peppery spice. There was something else on the back end that I really couldn't place, but it was very enjoyable. I guess I'm still learning to identify all the possible smells and tastes. The color was a deep plum and it had a nice structure and weight. I bought this bottle for $11 at Total Wines. We drank it with a gourmet meal of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese (one of our kids' favorites)!!

Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red

Name: Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: Washington
Region: Columbia Valley
Price: $8
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


This was another delicious red blend that I picked up based on several online recommendations and reviews. It was spicy, but smooth with a nice finish. We had a couple of glasses tonight after dinner. The nose and taste were both similar -- raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, plum, with some spice. I've always read good things about Columbia Crest, especially their Grand Estates wines, as being excellent sources for quality and value. This effort from the Two Vines brand definitely fit those descriptions.

Banfi Rosa Regale

Name: Banfi Rosa Regale
Color: Red
Varietal: Sparkling (Brachetto d'Acqui)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Price: $18
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

I've been reading a lot about sparkling wines lately and have wanted to try this one for awhile. Finally, we had this wine last night for dessert with some dark chocolate, based on several recommendations I read on the internet. It was a beautiful ruby red color with tiny sparkling bubbles. The nose was all red fruit -- strawberries, raspberries, with a little bit of a flowery component. The taste was very much like the nose, primarily raspberry, strawberry, and cherry. Very fun!!

We polished off the bottle tonight with some brownies. This wine would do well on its own as an apertif, or with dessert like we had it. It's not something I could drink every night, but for what it is (nice, sweet, refreshing), it's a great change of pace. I can't imagine anyone not liking this one.

Chateau Guibon White Bordeaux

Name: Chateau Guibon
Color: White
Varietal: Blend (Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Bordeaux (Entre-Deux-Mers)
Price: $12
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was a really nice wine that I bought at Total Wines on a whim after reading the most recent WSJ Tastings article (Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher) about white Bordeaux. I couldn't find the specific labels that they recommended, so I took their advice and just grabbed a couple of bottles in the $10-12 price range. Note that we had the 2007 (the picture on the left is from much older vintage).

We had this wine with grouper and rice, along with a big bowl of crab meat in butter and garlic sauce. Very delicious!! The color was a pale, yellow gold. It had kind of a tight, limited nose of lemon, pear, and grapefruit, with a very slight grassy small (although not nearly as much as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc). I'm also getting over a cold, so that may have contributed to the muted nose. The wine was dry with really good acidity. It had a medium body with very good taste -- crisp, refreshing, paired very nicely with the seafood. I would be interested in trying this wine after another year or two. I think it would really hold up well and may even open up more with some more time in the bottle. I can't wait to try other white Bordeaux wines.