I had no idea this winery was hiding up in the mountains behind my house.  The tasting room is adjacent the stables and the whole spread is reminiscent of New England.  You don’t see as much cab coming out of this region, due to the cooler and more varied climat.  The result is a hard to describe:  how can a cab be “light” ?  The fruit is softer, too.  You have to try it to believe it.

paid: $35

scored: 90

I don’t tend to like zinfandel.  At all.  And then there is the Ridge winery… Interestingly, I tried their 2003 York Creek effort and liked it less than the 2006.  Impossible to say if it is the age or the extra Petite Sirah in the ‘03.  I had no idea a zin could be so smooth and deep.  That spice is still there in the finish, but subtle enough that it didn’t distract from the balance.  Aside:  again, I missed the trip to the tasting room.  But finacee’s parents had so much fun they brought back two bottles.  Poor me.

paid: $30 (about)

scored: 91

I wish I could fly off to Chile for a a few weeks.  With great fruit, good balance, and a bit of a bite from the tannin, I can only wonder what else the southern hemisphere has to offer.  As an aside, before I started vignettes I tried the flagship (available for export, that it) cab from Casa Lapostolle.  It was more than twice the price but only marginally better.  As an after-thought, the flavor this wine offers is unique and I don’t seem to have the vocabulary to describe it.  Chalk it up to terroir.

paid: $11

scored: 89

One of my personal grrrrrails (insert Eric Idle accent) is a gorgeous cab for $10.  I doubt that will ever happen, but I keep getting closer.  I first tasted the Chevalier in March 2008 when I flew to CA for an interview.  Its just as fine the second time around.   I’m not going to say a thing about it, other than to give it about 30 minutes to open up - if you are lucky enough to find it.

paid: $15

scored: 90

In a region where the going price for a bottle of cab is $50, its a treat to find the Merryvale.  Same great Napa fruit, only a bit rougher around the edges.  The finish has more tannin than (sharpness) than you’ll find in a Cakebread or Stag’s Leap but make no mistake:  this is a very solid effort.

paid: $18

scored: 90

The Mak showcases the style of straight-up syrah.  It avoids the pitfall of tasting over-ripe, and instead brings a clear and balanced taste to your palate.  There is a very nice burst of fruit, but don’t expect it to last more than 3 seconds. Like the d’Arry’s Original, this wine has a curious earthiness that I am not accustomed to.  In the case of the Mak, it is only in the finish.  Its not a detriment.  I don’t know what it is.  But this wine is very smooth, and well worth the price.

paid: $12

scored: 89

If I tasted this “d’Arry’s Original” blind I’d probably peg it as a Rhone wine.  It has a dry and earthy feel, and is light on the fruit.  The nose made me think I had stumbled upon 90+ nirvana, but I just don’t get that level of satisfaction in drinking.  Praise for this wine is that it is smooth and balanced.  But in contrast to an exceptional wine, it ends there.  The finish wallows.  There is no mellow or sublime experience with the fruit (you know, the sort of thing that makes people conjure every taste sensation they’ve had since they turned two).  d’Arry’s Original is highly rated by all the wine critics you could care for, including Parker (91) and Tanzer (90).   Catchpeter is pleased but not enough to justify a repeat performance at this price tag.

paid: $16

scored: 89

OK, so this wine managed to confuse me at first.  Cline is a big name in Sonoma, but their mourvedre comes from Contra Costa — which turns out to be only 20 miles north of Livermore Valley (south east of Sonoma).  A few years ago I first heard the perfect phrase to describe this wine, from the owner of Campus Wines in Providence RI.  I have since heard the phrase from him every time I bought wine at his establishement:  “fruit-forward.”  That guy was pretty much annoying, and I only wasted $20 before I learned that I do not like “fruit-forward”, and that instead I would simply say a wine is “too sweet”.  Having said all that, there is something interesting going on in this bottle, a taste and aroma that I can’t quite place, and I like it.  Maybe because pure mourvedre is not so common?  Dunno.  Its worth trying though.  As a final note, I tried the 2004 vintage of this wine back before I started this journal, and I didn’t recall it being nearly so fruit-flipping-forward.

paid: $14
scored: 87

A light, bright wine from Spain’s big central D.O. (variously referred to as La Mancha, Tierra de Castilla, or simply Castilla).  A little zap of fruit on the palate, a bit of floral aroma, light on the tannin and aged 5 months in oak.  In other words nothing special, until you consider the price!  This sounds rather cliche but I would buy this wine again if I wanted something simple and tasty to pair with tapas.

paid: $9

scored: 88

The Tre Rose is a worthy effort from Tenimenti Angelini.  Vino Nobile tends to be rather pricey and the Tre Rose is certainly at the entry level for the appellation.  However, it is smooth as can be with good fruit and a nice finish.  It also has that classic Tuscan aroma that you’ll find in a good Chianti Classico.  It was delicious upon opening and even better 30 minutes later.

paid: $17

scored: 92