2006 Rutherglen Estates "The Reunion" Mourvedre Shiraz Grenache Rutherglen

Ruby red. Fresh nose. First peppered, raw meat. Dried herbs, slight menthol and vanilla. Medium on palate with silky, round tannin. Cherry fruit and fresh acidity. This wine has some nice finesse, and isn't your typical Aussie MSG, more in tune with Cotes du Rhone. I'm betting it will open up even more with air (Stelvin). A good bottle for the money.

$18

B-

2005 Jose Maria da Fonseca Domingos Touriga Nacional & Syrah

Deep red. Thick fruit nose. Grape Big League Chew and small wild mountain blueberries, boysenberries - almost syrup like. Dried balsa wood and damp earth. Low in acidity and brambly on the palate with muscular furry tannin, but lacks concentration. Finishes with a sweet cassis liqueur note. 50% Touriga Nacional, 50% Syrah

$23

B-

2007 Olivares Altos de la Hoya Finca de Santa Ana Monastrell Jumilla

Bright deep ruby red. Red and black cherries, strawberry shortcake, and ladyfinger cookie. Dark chocolate shavings and some tree moss. Bright. There is a nice balance to this wine. Snappy acidity, round soft tannin, but still has substance. Juicy red fruit with smoky and earthy tobacco on finish. Lovin' the green moss character here. It's not built for aging and should be best drunk within the next couple of years. Great value.

B

$13

2007 Rosenblum Petite Sirah Heritage Clones

Opaque inky black. Opens with leather, sweaty saddle, and peppery spice. Reminiscent of Southern France in it's animal-y and tarry character. Fresh rosemary sprig and juniper berry. Vanilla cream and supple tannins are a mouthful. Delicious and hedonistic, with a smoky finish. Definitely over the top.

$18

B+

2004 Herdade Do Peso Aragones Alentejo

Deep ruby red. Beautiful nose centered around smoked plum fruit and earthy forest brush. Dill among other herbs and beef jerky. Perfumed with floral note and hints of vanilla spice. Juicy and full with firm, muscular tannins. Opened this at the right time, The '04 is ready to be had. A delicious bottle of Aragones, aka Tempranillo.

$30

A-

2007 Antonio Sanguineti Vincero Toscana Bianco

Medium yellow. Fragrant nose with floral notes and star fruit and orange cream-sicle. Subtle sweet complexities of almond paste, vanilla bean and pumpkin pie spice, and banana split, but it's not coming from oak. Medium and soft on the palate with juicy and tangy acidity and mandarin orange. Minerally finish with a waxy-like marzipan aftertaste. A nice quaffer. 50% Vermentino, 30% Malvasia, 20% Chardonnay.

$12

B

2007 Ridge Three Valleys Sonoma County

Ruby red. Subtle, but complex. Strawberry liquorice and sour cherry fruit. Pine, woodsmoke, nutmeg spice and vanilla complexities. Also and appealing herby quality adds freshness. Fennel seed candy and sweet leather creeps in. Medium with taut structure - great balance. This will seem light compared to other CA Zin, but it stays real and it wouldn't be right to drink this without food. Really worked with Broccoli & Tofu Sesame Noodles. 76% Zinfandel, 8% Petite Sirah, 7% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 3% Carignane.

$22

B+

2007 Altovinum Evodia Old Vines Garnacha Calatayud

Ruby red. Straight away - roast beef, pumpkin, rubbed sage and fresh cracked black pepper. Savory. Also some Blue Spruce pine needle. Slow to offer any fruit character. Cranberry eventually breaks through. Medium minus on the palate, gritty tannin rolls around aimlessly. There's really no focus here and overall lacks body. It's a decent table wine, good value, and the cool label has to count for something, right? Seriously, I'd buy this again and again (and have) against anything else in its price range. It's got character.

C+/B-

$10

2006 Numanthia Termes Toro

Vibrant deep red. Opens with salty prosciutto and balsa wood. Simmered-down blackberries and black cherries. Fresh spearmint and tree stump and later - rose and cinnamon stick. Voluptuous mouth feel that you could chew on forever. Packed, fine, chewy tannin. Delicious stuff, firm with no hard edges and quite glycerous. Powerful. This should become even more complex with bottle time. Shows no sign of 15% alcohol - it's buried in the rich fruit extract. An interesting spicy chili pepper note comes late. Smoky/charcoal finish lasts for minutes.

$30

A