2006 M. Cosentino Tannat Lodi

Inky black. This wine is tight and slow to open. Very tarry initially. Later rosemary and peppermint. Cherry liqueur and strawberry licorice fruit. Weirdly enough, eggnog? Think cream and nutmeg. Again, tight on palate, but seamless. Broad, muscular, mouth coating, teeth staining, chewy tannin upfront and in the middle, but tapers off to a soft finish. A brute with a sensitive edge.

$18

C+

2005 Luna Sangiovese Napa Valley

Day 2. Deep ruby. Complex and elegant. I love the secondary stuff going on. Straw bale, charcoal ash and cedar mulch. Savory low toned porcini mushroom and oyster. Cardamom spice accented by a subtle floral and perfumed note. Mountain blueberry fruit comes late as well as boysenberry. Velvety and plush tannin with quite glycerous and round, but structured and concentrated. Juicy acidity. Finishes with dark chocolate mocha. This really blossomed after a day of decanting in bottle. 75% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 5% Petite Sirah

$25

A-

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+

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+

2005 Peay La Bruma Syrah Sonoma Coast

This wine took three nights to unwind. The first two nights, it was dominated by sweet, caramel oak characters, definitely oaked, but a high quality oak. It's drinking well tonight. Enchanting nose with a Southwest dried mesquite campfire. There's peppermint and cassis as well as a spicy Christmas potpourri. Also homemade cranberry sauce with cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel. We should have popped this open around the holidays! An acid driven wine, medium and puckery, with fine, fuzzy tannin, but somewhat disjointed and overdone.

$45

B-

2006 Qupe Syrah Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard

Red. Big fruit on nose. Raspberry coulis, pomegranate, loganberry, and cassis, with subtle balsa wood, leather and fennel. Palate is round and juicy, with cherry pie fruit. Firm disjointed tannin, medium, anise on finish. Solid. Maybe it needs some time.

$25

B

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

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

2005 Dierberg Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Dark red with purple-ish tinge, still transparent. Explosive aromatics with unmistakable, classic ripe, but not overripe Pinot character. Sweet and gamy with pretty perfume, mocha and cold fizzy cola. Aromas jump out of the glass effortlessly. Full bodied, big and nice tannins with a refreshing streak of acidity. Oak is almost completely infused in the wine, only revealing itself at the end of the finish. Ridiculously long finish with mocha and smoke.

$42

A-

2006 Toulouse Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Light, dull, red, slightly cloudy. Rose, spice, cinnamon with subtle cedar block and tree stump bark. Ripe strawberry fruit on heady nose. Palate is soft and round, but firm. There is a slight medicinal quality on finish that is not unpleasant with menthol cigarette smoke and truffle. This wine is missing major acid and lacks finesse. An enjoyable table wine.

$40

B-

2006 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir

Light ruby red. Everything about this wine is "nice." Red cherry fruit, hint of toastiness, some earthy undertones. Soft palate with spice. Nice, well made, but uninspiring Pinot at this pricepoint.

$33

C+

2006 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Fume Blanc

Light Yellow. Crunchy nose of gooseberries, bright lemon, lime, cut grass - very Marlborough like, (although more restrained). Mineral water notes. Palate is crisp and refreshing. Almost-ripe, fuzzy peach sweet and sour character on entry. It's very suprising that this Sauvignon is from Napa. No sign of new oak nonsense. Acidity has sweettart quality (added tartaric?), but overall nice balance, although it lacks a sense of place. This is a very well made wine, but very obviously "made."

$39

B-

2004 Havens Black & Blue Red Wine Napa Valley Estate Vineyard

Dark, deep ruby and vibrant. Opens with sweaty wool and metal toolbox and a little sour funk (pickles). Dark fruit, blueberry, cassis and tar bubbles. Nose becomes sweeter with air with Kit Kat and Starbucks cafe mocha emerging. Drastic changes to the nose with air time. The palate is thick and fat, like thick chocolate - melty and gooey on your tongue. Good acidity and finishes with bittersweet chocolate. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

$40

A-

Delicious as a stand-alone wine or with a New York Strip Steak.