Inky purple. Nose of dark fruit and a bit of funk and herb. Very Rhone. Taste starts out a bit like a CdP with more Syrah than most. Herby blackberry with a bit of sea salt and meat on the back end. With air, the fruit grows to where it straddles the ocean a bit. Very enjoyable alone, and nice with grilled meat. 1/10

Deep purple. Blackberry, cola, pepper and earth. Nice nose. Taste is meaty, spicy and earthy in addition to a healthy sour blackberry fruit. Earlier bottles got fruitier with air and more like the usual syrah. Now, this wine is mature and at its peak, and more Rhone like and balanced. Outstanding.

Most overrated wine I've tasted this year.

Dark purple. Fruity nose that portends of a nice Rhone wine. Taste: Syrupy blackberry fruit, and not much else. Very disappointing and boring. Not worth losing the brain cells from the high alcohol.

Light rusty purple color. Nose leathery raspberry. Taste: Light on the palate, flavor is filet with a raspberry sauce. Meat and berry in a perfect blend. Next year, this will be gone, so this was the time to pop it. 12/09

Purple color. Nose screams mature Bordeaux with earthy, leathery notes. Taste is also mature Bordeaux, but when popped you think it is perhaps a little past its prime. Needs lots of air for the fruit to come back, but it is quite enjoyable after 2 hours of air. 12/09

Note, a second bottle of this was a pour out--over the hill. Drink these up.

Golden straw color. Clear and bright. Taste is apple, with just a hint of butter and oak. However, the backbone and effect on food really set this wine apart. Not only is the wine delicious, but so are the mussels eaten with it. Minerals and citrus come to play on the long finish. First rate Premier Cru white Burg. 12/09

This is my third bottle since purchasing a few of these years ago. This is sill top notch, with depth and backbone.

Beautiful thick honeyed nose over apricots with lots going on underneath. Taste honeyed bread with butter, apricot preserves without the sweetness. A bit of aged mineral and earth coming in. Stronger flavors than I am accustomed to, long finish. Damn fine champagne! 12/09

Ruby color. Nose cherry and leather with spice underneath. Taste: Smooth cherry, leather and earth in a nimble package. Tannins are smooth, but the wine makes food just come alive. The wine is delicious on its own, but with Spanish ham it explodes. A wonderful Rioja.

Dark ruby purple. Nose rich cabernet cassis, a bit of alcohol, creamy chocolate. Somewhat muted when popped. Taste when popped: cassis and vanilla in a creamy mouthfeel with just a bit of tannin on the back end. Dark berry finish. Asian spice develops with air and food. Very smooth, and goes wonderfully with cabbage and sausage spiced with cumin and turmeric. Interesting herb and underbrush aromas join the fruit after one hour of air. Body feels more balanced. Good job, Vayniacs.