Wine Reviews You can Use

Highly pigmented, with somewhat opaque garnet hue with aromas of sweet vanilla cream frosting after a bit of breathing. A gentle bouquet of baked dark berry pie, with gentle sweet baking spices at the rim. Palate--Supple texture with relaxed tannins, a nice "shirazy" mid palate beam of black raspberries, a touch of savory spices down the middle and a finish of oak and sweet fruit. Can't remember what I paid for this Aussie bold red but I know it wasn't the routine $14 listed.  I was a bit put off at the very first smell out of the bottle having not breathed at all. "Smells like a cheap cabernet" I said to myself.  I was delightfully surprised when after aerating it into my glass, it was much better. I am paring this with my Chicago deep dish pizza I have flown in from "Lou Malnati's." Always a great Sunday evening treat for my wife and I so raise a glass!

Purple hue with aromas of light cinnamon, gentle red berry and cherry, savory spices Palate--Nicely structured with balanced flavors of lovely berry  and savory spice, with a hint of dark cocoa powder. I paid $27 for this a couple years ago at a shop you would expect to pay a premium price and we did. I bought it for my wife as she has a thing for the Wizard of Oz  so the label sold us.  But Francis Ford Coppola makes solid wines and this is a solid merlot.  You could argue it is over priced or not.  I like it, my wife liked it, and I paired it with scallops, shrimp in a tomato, coconut milk sauce over egg noodles and it was perfect so raise a glass!

Vibrant plum purple hue with aromas of a spicy floral bouquet, sweet red hard cherry candies, sweet cream on the edges. Palate--Great first impression of joyful candied red fruit, and pink/orange colored circus peanut marshmallow(?) candy. This blend of primarily Tempranillo, with Malbec, Garnacha, and Cab Sauv. is a bit atypical for Tempranillo with delightful flavors of sweet cherry cream, a nice spicy beam of light red fruit and a finish of more candied flavors. Do NOT mistake my description with all the "sweet" adjectives as if this wine is actually sweet, it isn't.  It is extremely fruity, lighter bodied, well made and really quite spectacular.  It will do well with my grilled pork chops! At the $18 price point it is a real treat so raise a glass!