2004 Stephan L'Aventure Optimus Paso Robles

2004 Stephan L'Aventure Optimus Paso Robles

2004 Williams Selyem Russian River ValleyPinot Noir

2004 Williams Selyem Russian River ValleyPinot Noir

2004 Cambria Julia's Pinot Noir

2004 Cambria Julia's Pinot Noir

This is a nice Central Coast pinot for the $17 I spent per bottle at Cost Plus. The nose on this pinot is pretty big but not overwhelming. Definitely very fruity with lots of berry flavors and some earthy tones at the end, but also with some silkiness in the finish. A nice meal complement that will also stand on its own.

I've opened a couple of bottles and they are pretty consistently in the 3.5 - 4 star range, especially given the price point.

2003 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Red

2003 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Red

Nice wine that represents the Central Coast's capacity for producing Rhone grape varietals in abundance. These vines were apparently cloned from French vines aging back forever, according to the winery.

I found the wine to be medium in body and color, with smoke and licorice. It wasn't as "big" as I expected given the rave reviews this wine has received. For $40, I was a little underwhelmed.

Similar blended offerings from Justin and other wineries in the Central Coast area might be a better bet, given the high price of this bottle.

2003 Pina Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2003 Pina Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

What a find from this little winery in Napa! This wine shows a tremendous spectrum of flavors on the palette, and could easily be cellared, if you can hold out. Blackberry, cherry, chocolate...and more.

I failed miserably in holding on to the bottle I purchased at the winery, but thoroughly enjoyed drinking it several weeks ago anyway. Glad to see they're now accepting orders online - though the price is now $66/bottle.

2004 7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel

2004 7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel

Great Zin for the price - it represents the Lodi region's emergence as a producer of good quality Zins. Made from grapes from 7 different growers, this wine has cedar and smokey flavors on the palette - making it a great BBQ wine!

For a smoother, fuller Zin from the area, try this winery's "Earthquake Zin"!

2002 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel Napa Valley Hayne Vineyard

2002 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel Napa Valley Hayne Vineyard

A Zin specialist, Turley's Zins are frequently awesome. This is no exception. I tried this at their Paso Robles tasting room and was really impressed. Bought several bottles and they have not let me down yet.

This Zin is rich, with a long finish and huge flavor. This is a special Zin - definitely one of the best I've had in a while.

2003 WesMar Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

2003 WesMar Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Intense nose and palate make this is a great and really versatile Pinot with pleasant, rich berry flavors and really appealing aromas.

Unfortunately, these are hard to come by as the Winery produced only 90 or so cases, and only sells its wines via mailing list. If you can find it, definitely buy several bottles.

Tasting Tags: california cherry intense noir pinot raspberry sonoma