2006 Four Vines Biker Zinfandel Paso Robles

Dark red, slight haze. Heady nose with menthol, cherry, and mulling spices. Similar flavors on the palate. Hot, hot, hot in the mouth. Dried out oak dominates finish. Overall, a pretty unpleasant experience. 92 pts. WS

$25

C

2007 Edgebaston The Pepper Pot Stellenbosch

Dark ruby red. Initially, opens with cracked pepper (living up to its name) and beef jerky. Slow to open, but with air, raspberry chocolate reduction sauce emerges. It has a unique baked earth minerally quality and iron. There is a steel beam note too. A pretty floral note blossoms late. In the mouth, its super focused and lively. Packed with fine grain/chalky tannin, like biting into high grade milk chocolate. Tannins finish medium, but a smoky chipotle pepper note hangs on for a minute plus.

64% Mourvedre, 30% Tannat, 6% Syrah

$15

B+

2005 Engelbrecht Els Proprietor’s Blend Western Cape

Deep red. Nose opens with overtly sweet oak character, but somehow infuses itself with deep cassis fruit. Dried oak stave, tobacco, and wet cement. Classic New World Cab nose - no hints of green here. Palate is dense, but polished and has a sense of elegance with taut acidity. Some heat definitely shows. Fine tannin, but brawny. Oak completely dominates long finish. Oak intensity is subdued with decanting time. Enjoyed this with Austalian rack of lamb, but without a serious a hunk of meat, not sure what to do with this wine - maybe an intense stinky blue cheese? Don't usually go for oak bombs like this, but preferred it to the '05 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, which seemed light in comparison.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec.

$37

B

2004 Feudi di San Marzano Sessantanni Primitivo di Manduria Old Vines

Deep red. Delicious nose from the start. Ripe strawberry jam and spice with dried cranberry. There is a darker quality like hot black volcanic rock, charcoal and a lifted fragrant blackberry-infused black tea. Big and voluptuous with grainy and gritty leathery tannin broadly coating the palate. Sweet jam on medium plus bodied frame with a bright maraschino cherry sweet-tart character that keeps the wine from being heavy. More black tea on finish with almond dark chocolate bar and cherry pie.

$40

A-

2007 Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Barossa Valley

Nearly opaque red, deep, saturated. Dense nose with blackberry liquor. Sweet juniper berry and peppermint. It's also woodsy, with balsa wood and cocoa powder. Violets. After opening, peach and orange peel emerge. Wild nose. It's defininitely young with firm fine-grained tannin coating the midpalate softened by layers of fat and juicy acidity. Broad and hedonistic. Finishes with mocha and barbeque smoke.

$35

B+

2008 Agustinos Pinot Noir Reserva Bio-Bio Valley

Light ruby and bright. Smells like a great meal. Delicious and savory. Parsley, roasted veggies and herbs. Intense sliced ginger root and mandarin orange. Hints of hickory smoked bacon. The palate is light with fine grained tannin and a slight savory woodiness. Everything fits into place and considering the wine was bottled within the past few months, it is extremely drinkable now and is probably enjoyed best at a young age. What a find at this price. A unique Pinot.

$14

B+

2007 Archaval Ferrer Malbec Mendoza

Bright purple with fushia tinge, saturated and deep. There is a nice mix of earth and berry fruit on nose. A thread of minerally, limestone character adds to the fresh and bright character. IHOP Boysenberry syrup and dried cedar block also. The palate is acid driven with tight and round silky tannin. There is a sweet-tart quality with a little new world fruit kicking through. Medium in body and lively.

$26

B+