191- Beer Smash- Superbowl Special

We review the big name beers before the big game!

Natural Ice
Bud Light
Budwieser
Miller High Life
Miller Lite
Bud Ice
Icehouse
Coors Light
Miller High Life Light

190- Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz

St. Henri Shiraz
St. Henri Shiraz
2004
PENFOLDS St. Henri is a highly successful and alternative
expression of Shiraz and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It
is unusual among high quality Australian red wines as it does not
rely on any new oak. It was created in the early 1950s (first
commercial vintage 1957) and gained a new lease of life in the
1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better
understood.
St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy,
mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in old, 1460-litre
vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak
character. Although a small proportion of Cabernet is sometimes
used to improve structure, the focal point for St Henri remains
Shiraz.
VINEYARD REGION Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek, Adelaide Hills
VINTAGE CONDITIONS Above-average winter rainfall led into a
promising vintage, characterised by mild
conditions up until February, followed by hot
weather conditions throughout March and April.
PENFOLDS' South Australian vineyards fared
well, producing wines of elegance and intensity.
GRAPE VARIETY 96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon
MATURATION This wine was matured for 16 months in large, old
oak vats.
WINE ANALYSIS Alc/Vol: 14.50%
Acidity: 6.70g/L
pH: 3.52

189- The Crusher Petite Sirah 2007

The Crusher 2007 Petite Sirah

The nose of this inky purple colored wine is rich and complex with aromas of blueberry and cassis with a hint of spearmint. The palate is supple and tannic with lip-smacking caramel and French vanilla sappiness followed by a ripe cassis finish. The wine has balanced acidity and firm tannins and worth aging for a few years.

This Petite Sirah is perfect as an evening sipper. Try it with thin crust pizzettas topped with shaved Asiago cheese and wild mushrooms or Margarita with sun-dried and fresh tomatoes with Opal basil. Enjoying it with good sirloin burger served with white cheddar, smoked bacon and grilled onions is always a sure bet.

188- Mia's Playground Pinot Noir

Mia's Playground
2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

A luscious, light garnet color, this wine is abundant in aromas of rose petals, cherry cola, raspberry, and cedar. In the mouth, enjoy flavors of dried cranberries, earl grey tea, and red currants, with integrated French oak notes, followed by a bouquet of dried herbs on the finish.

This Pinot Noir is a great wine for mushroom lovers. Pair it with a medley of wild mushrooms in a thyme-cream sauce served over penne pasta, Peking duck, stir-fried mushrooms and mixed vegetables with jasmine rice, or grilled Arctic Char with baby bok choy and broccolini.

For Mia’s Playground, we sought small-lot artisanal wines produced from vineyards overlooking the Sonoma Coast. Well-draining soils of alluvial gravel, sand and clay {good dirt}, and an extended, cooler, growing season {alotta fog}, make the Russian River Valley an internationally renowned region, and a logical choice for selecting grapes for our Pinot Noir.

187- Andre Lurton Château Bonnet Red

Château Bonnet Red. Bordeaux Appellation.

Brand : Château Bonnet Colour : Red Varietals : Cabernet Sauvignon 50% Merlot 50% Appellation : Bordeaux >> Photo library Download Send to a friend Area : 270 hectares, 150 in red Soil : Clay-limestone & clay-siliceous Rootstock : Riparia Gloire - 3309 C - Fercal - 101.14 Fertilisation : Traditional, limited application Density : 3,000 to 5,000 vines per hectare Age of vines : 19 years Red Varietals : Cabernet Sauvignon 50% Merlot 50% Pruning : Double guyot Harvest : By hand or manual sorting before machine harvest Fermentation : In stainless steel tanks with patented cap- breaking system Duration : 2 to 3 weeks (subject to the extraction of tannins) Temperature : 28° to 30°C Malolactic fermentation : Yes Maturation : In tanks and in barrels Fining : Eggwhites Aging : 3 to 7 years Consultants : Denis GALABERT (Œnologique Center of Grézillac)

186- Friday Monkey Cabernet Shiraz 2007

Friday Monkey wine

Cabernet Shiraz

Tasting Notes (from official website)
The fruit for our Cabernet Shiraz blend has been chosen to reflect the best aspects of these two very noble varieties. Ripe berry and soft plum flavours from the Shiraz combine with the rich, earthy characters of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is fresh and vibrant now, and age gracefully for many years with careful cellaring.

Cellaring Potential
Drink now, this wine will live to be full and rich for at least the next 5 years.

185- Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso 2004

"Ripasso" VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE DOC 2004
"Ripasso" TOMMASI is the unique result of refermenting TOMMASI Valpolicella, Classico Superiore, on the warm dried grape skins from which TOMMASI Amarone has been pressed. This process, used only in rare vintage years, imparts the richness of character and personality of a great wine to an already superior wine.

184- B-Side Cabernet

2005 B-Side Cabernet Sauvignon

• VARIETAL 95.5% Cabernet Sauvignon 4.5% Petite Sirah
• APPELLATION Napa Valley
• ALCOHOL 13.8%
• PH 3.57
• TA 0.62 mg/L
• PRODUCTION 9,860 cases
• UPC 8 33302 00170 9

• DOWNLOADS
• Tasting Notes
• Bottle Shot
• Wine Label

The inaugural release of B Side Cabernet Sauvignon features grapes from vineyards on the flip-side of Napa Valley. These vineyards are nestled in rural areas or rolling hills, just a few miles from of the high-priced glamour wineries featured along Highway 29.

The eastern side of Napa Valley includes areas such as Pope Valley, Chiles Valley, Wooden Valley, Stags Leap District and lower Calistoga. Vines in these areas, are grown in thin, volcanic soils, which yield smaller, more concentrated fruit, producing Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignons with classic berry and cassis flavors.

Wooden Valley is a lesser-known area of Napa Valley, but has recently caught the attention of critics. Located east of the town of Napa, this small, round little valley is only about 2 miles wide, but has a history of grape growing since the early 20th century. While Calistoga is know for its pampering spas, before reaching this luxurious little town, there is a stretch of rural, rustic land. A large portion of our grapes, come from this lower area of Calistoga. These vineyards have been farmed by the same family for 60 years.

For the 2005 vintage, these growing areas benefited from outstanding harvest conditions. According to the Napa Valley Vintner's, "Warm, nearly perfect conditions arrived with an Indian Summer making for a later than average harvest, providing winemakers with fruit with extended hang and ultimately realizing excellent sugar development and balanced acids..."

This dark brick red colored wine has classic Bordeaux aromas of currant and ripe plum with pencil lead and earthy, clay notes followed by scents of new leather and black olives. The palate is very supple with a core of cassis and black cherry fruit, layered with hints of wild strawberry and yellow plum. The finish is silky with refined French oak flavors intermingled with vanilla and subtle oak char.

This wine is the quintessential pairing with braised short ribs with horseradish and parsnip mashed potatoes. Try it with Miso glazed black cod over steamed rice with spring onion dim sum, or arugula salad with fresh strawberries, goat cheese and black pepper.

183- Hedges Three Vineyards

Three Vineyards The Flagship of our estate wines, The Three Vineyards is a classic Red Mountain wine showing deep, dense color, firm yet supple tannins, and well defined acidity. The Three Vineyards is a blend of fruit from our three estate vineyards: Hedges Estate Vineyard, Bel'Villa Vineyard, and Red Mountain Vineyard. Always a majority blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is suitable for drinking upon release but will also reward those with the patience to age it.

182- Leese - Fitch Cabernet

2006 Leese - Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon

The color of dark rubies, this Cabernet presents itself with a nose of bourbon-soaked cherries, chocolate, and cedar, complemented by flavors of red currants, blackberry cobbler, and subtle notes of walnuts, wild game, and rich French oak.

This would be an excellent Cabernet for grilled lemon-peppercorn New York steaks alongside white-cheddar potato gratin, roasted squab drizzled in a port reduction sauce with roasted winter vegetables, or Italian sausages on potato rolls with grilled onions and peppers topped with provolone cheese, and sliced green tomatoes.

Across the Plaza from Leese-Fitch Adobe is the Mission San Francisco Solano. Built in 1823, it is one of the oldest and most historic buildings in Sonoma. It is considered the final stop of El Camino Real, “The King’s Highway” that connects all of California’s 21 Franciscan missions.

181- Argyle Extended Tirage 1997

2007 WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 WINES OF THE YEAR
1997 Extended Tirage Brut #25 of 100

The highest-scoring sparkling wine ever produced by a U.S. winery!
Click here for the Wine Spectator list

Tasting Notes:
The aroma is immediately of plum fruit with a hint of roasted hazelnut and honey. A nice yeast character rounds out the complexity with aromas of mom's baked pie crust and a bit of that French "sur bois" character with a twist of Oregon boletas mushroom. The palate of the E.T. is special and plum fruit packed! The hazelnut shines through with viscous, gripping acidity. The plum fruit character lasts into a classic fresh baked baguette length. Pay attention to the balance of fresh fruit sweetness and minerality in this ten year old wine.

180- How do you make a Mimosa?

How to make a Mimosa !

179- December Wines under $10- Blind Tasting #20 - FINAL

14 Hands Cabernet
Joe-6
Rhonda