2006 Beckmen Vineyards Cuvee Le Bec Santa Ynez Valley

Medium red. Deep, cooked down red fruits - raspberry and ripe strawberry. Fresh bay leaves and peppery spice. Full and thick on palate with a sweet impression like cherry cough drops. A little heavy and almost cloying. The juicy, medium acidity justs holds it together. Round, but firm tannin. Dark chocolate on finish. 50% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 7% Counoise.

$22

B

2006 Amisfield Pinot Noir Central Otago

Although this bottling has received great press, unfortunately it has strengthened our love-hate relationship with Pinot Noir. Darkish ruby red in color. Very retrained nose that seems most intense immediately after pouring. Air time seems to subdue the wine even more. Every now and then, subtle and delicate hints of fragrance lift from the glass. Pretty rose petal, cardamon spice, red cherry, plum, cocoa powder, and radish on nose. Healthy acidity on medium minus, almost thin palate. There are rustic, dusty tannins that roll around aimlessly. Lukewarm coffee on short finish.

$29

C

2006 Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape

Ataraxia n. emotional tranquility, the freedom from disturbance that characterises a balanced mind and represents its first step towards the achievement of pleasure.

Sourced mainly from South Africa's southern most wine region, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and made by Kevin Grant - former winemaker at Hamilton Russell. Light yellow. Beautiful nose with great minerality suggesting limestone, chalk, and wet stones. Lime zest and lemongrass initially and sweet peas emerge with air. More Sancerre-like than Marlborough. Extremely well balanced with creamy mid palate texture. The taut acidity is mouthcoating and melts in your mouth. There is more calcareous minerality on the finish reminiscent of licking a stalagtite in a cave like a lollypop. There is a touch of heat on the finish, but it's not overwhelming. This wine is aging nicely and with be a go-to wine for the summer. It kicks many-a-Sancerre ass at twice the price.

$16

A-

2005 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Riesling Gueberschwihr

This one has been in the cellar for about a year. We thought it would be a good match for our lemongrass coconut curry. Plus it's time to take care of some inventory management. Warm yellow with a golden tinge. The nose is thick with pineapple, mango and hints of petrol. It also has a balancing bright, steely lime note. The palate is medium plus in body and powerful. There is tangy acidity with mango powder and dried pineapple and toasted pine nuts on the finish. It also has an interesting 'gritty' give to the texture. This is a delicious wine that will gain more complexity with age. This would be fun to try in another 5-7 years.

$40

A-

2005 Alois Lageder Sudtirol Alto Adige Pinot Noir

Light ruby red and bright. Faint celery stick, beet root, and rhubarb stalk on fresh, but subtle herbal nose. There is a hint of cherry fruit. Round mouthfeel with juicy acidity. The body is light with not a heck-of-a-lot of structure. The soft, thin tannins lead to a pleasant, tangy finish. This wine is light, but really well balanced. It's pretty nondescript and could just as easily be a low-end Merlot. It's well made and the winery's philosophy of 'drawing attention to the fundamentals of the cultivation of grapes and their transformation into wine, as expressed through five themes: light, earth, grape-vine, human being and wine' is very cool, but it's simply an overpriced Monday night table wine displaying no distinct Pinot character.

$25

C

2006 Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling

Golden yellow. Exotic, thick tropical nose. Pineapple, papaya, and butter baked Granny Smith apples. Full bodied with grapefruit, passion fruit and guava flavors contributing to tangy acidity. The palate is glycerous and there is a 'candy coated' quality to the zingy acidity, creating a dried tropical fruit-like sweetness, although it's probably dry. Overall, the palate is rich but lacks finesse and comes across a little heavy and chunky. This wine is the entry level Riesling for biodynamic producer Marcel Deiss. It paired beautifully with grilled Rainbow Trout with garlic lemon and chive, red bell pepper, and corn.

B

$22

2005 Le Rocher des Violettes Montlouis-sur-Loire Demi-sec

Light yellow in color. Initial sulfur blows off quickly. Opens with distinctive walnut shell and woodsy characters. Fresh artisanal honey made from the backyard, flowers, on-the-tree figs and star anise. As the wine sits, sweet complexities begin the emerge beginning with croissants aux amandes dusted with powdered sugar through to pear almond tart. Medium/medium plus body with 'Ka-Pow' lusciousness. Incredibly balanced with harmonious sweetness and acidity. Ripe kumquat peel-like soft sweetness leads to tart and juicy orange-y acidity on the finish. A wine so full of life that we think will get more complex, woody and toasty with another 5 years. Time to get a few more bottles for the cellar!

A

$20

2007 Espelt Saulo Red Wine

Dark red-purple. Bundles of fresh herbs on nose - sage and dill. Major caramel-dipped Granny Smith apple with nuts on a stick is VERY interesting for a red wine. Dried figs and plum skin. Dried driftwood. Medium bodied with more tangy plum skin. Slight spritz on the palate gives it pop. Rustic tannins are short, but a smoky earthiness hangs around for a while. This wine is a steal for the price. 60% Grenache 40% Carinena.

$12

B+