2004 Jacques Girardin Bourgogne Blanc

2004 Jacques Girardin Bourgogne Blanc

I'm normally not a Chardonnay fan, but mmmm... A rich smell of warm honey and wet cookie dough -- but despite all the vanilla that implies, this is a savory and spicy wine that doesn't suffer from over-oaking. The acids are tart, but sweet rather than drying.

Tasting Tags: honey spice vanilla

2004 Lindemans Reserve Padthaway Shiraz

2004 Lindemans Reserve Padthaway Shiraz

Soft and round, but lacking in pepper or aggressive fruit... A slight metallic aftertaste goes away after it breathes for a while, and so it turns into what it is -- a wine that was designed to be perfectly drinkable and not offend. Provided breathing time, a safe buy for casual parties.

2004 François Pinon Vouvray Cuvée Tradition

2004 François Pinon Vouvray Cuvée Tradition

Oh, now this is delicious. Though it offers little for the nose -- a subtle suggestion of orchard -- the taste is of gorgeous honeydew and fig, followed by a beautifully rendered spice. It's also versatile, being sugary and affectionate when paired with a tart young white goat cheese and refined and gorgeous when sidling up to an English Stilton. 100% organic, and as pure as that sounds. Mama mia.

Tasting Tags: fig honeydew

2004 Leasingham Magnus Riesling (Screw Cap)

2004 Leasingham Magnus Riesling (Screw Cap)

Green apples, green apples, green apples. Fresh and vibrant, and nice with a mildly spicy pad thai.

Tasting Tags: apple

2004 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Gris (Screw Cap)

2004 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Gris (Screw Cap)

I'm not into Pinot Grigio, but I love Oregon Pinot Gris. And oh my GOD this is a beautiful wine, with delicious ripe pear and spice dancing on the palate for eons. I've read in reviews that it also tastes of almonds, so what's a boy to do but buy another bottle and test out that proposition? What Pinot Gris should be all about.

Tasting Tags: almond pear spice

2004 Bodegas Maurodos Prima Toro

2004 Bodegas Maurodos Prima Toro

A really nice wine that will probably gain from another year in the bottle, as it's round but still on the woody and astringent side of things. It's delicious nonetheless, with aromas of blueberry and tastes of juicy blueberry, black cherry, flint and wood; and a layer of spice emerges when paired with rice and a restrained tomato sauce. I'm gonna buy another bottle and keep it around for a year or so...

Tasting Tags: blueberry cherry flint wood

2004 Panarroz Jumilla

2004 Panarroz Jumilla

42% Mourvedre, 38% Grenache, and 20% Syrah -- quite likeable.

2001 Bodegas Fontina Fontal Tempranillo Crianza

2001 Bodegas Fontina Fontal Tempranillo Crianza

Six months in oak gives this fresh, fruity, young-tasting wine a nice layer of spice, while the Cabernet Sauvignon they added (to the tune of 15%) adds structure and depth. Nice with pasta and salty cheese, though it didn't gain as much from the food as I thought it might.

2003 Bodegas Ercavio Tempranillo

2003 Bodegas Ercavio Tempranillo

A classically medium-bodied Tempranillo from Toledo. Terrific with Peccorino Tartufello, very nice with spicy vegetable soup.

2004 Shotfire Ridge Barossa Shiraz

2004 Shotfire Ridge Barossa Shiraz

Delicious classic shiraz that tastes of black fruits, plum and an undertone of cocoa. Sweet, velvety tannins, and well-balanced. Terrific with Peccorino Tartufello.

Tasting Tags: blackberry cocoa plum