Wine Reviews You can Use

  Rich dark almost black hue with aromas of rich, ripe berry fruit and obscured aromas in the background due to a smoky charcoal grill going outside... Palate--Textured, silky, robust balanced, integrated licorice, black berries, savory spices that are gentle, sweet tannins, a delightful, young Cab that is delicious beyond it's $9 price tag.  Reviewed previously for comparison and this is a super value "raise a glass" wine!

Pale gold hue with aromas of apricots, peaches, mango, with a scented "oily" nuance reminiscent of Riesling.  Palate--Lovely fruit compote flavors of tropical fruit melange, with a nicely acidic back bone to carry the fruitiness which makes it taste "sweet."   But this is not a "sweet" wine by definition. A lot of people make the mistake of of calling really fruity wines "sweet" wines and therefore write them off. But this is a lovely, balanced wine and Fetzer has been making Gewürztraminer from the day I started my journey into the world wine circa 1975. And Gewürztraminer--which means "spicy traminer," "traminer" being the grape varietal and the leading grape of Alsace, France. Germany, which shares it border with Alsace, also makes this wine but both the German and the Alsatian varieties tend to be much "drier" than the domestic varieties.  Either way, you should give the grape a try.  It is a great summer quaffin...

  Darker cherry hue with aromas of Spicy bright cherry-berry fruit, cherry pie, sweet tobacco Palate--Really explosive mouth feel with a glorious acidic foundation with loads of cherry berry fruit yet not a run-of-the-mill fruit bomb.  My wife grabbed this as surprise for me and it is a lovely treat!  It is vastly different in its construction from the Zins I have been drinking.  A special care has been taken here not to lose what you love about Zin yet not to be thrown into the big pile of all the zinfandels produced.  It just has that special "something" that makes you want to keep drinking it because it is Zinfandel and yet it goes so well with foo at the same time.  At $21 it is a bona fide treat and worth every penny so raise a glass! 

Ruby hue with aromas of strawberries, a hint of cocoa, and a bit of savory spice. Palate--Bright, fruity, strawberries and spice--just what you smell. Finishes quickly. This is a well made Beaujolais (always made from the Gamay grape) classified Beaujolais-Villages meaning it is a higher quality than the label that simply says, "Beaujolais." The highest quality wine for the region is classed as "Beaujolais Cru" (of which there are 10 "crus) and will have the "cru" on the label. For example Morgon, Fleurie, Chiroubles and so on. These tend to run in the $20-30 price range. I paid $22 for this at a restaurant, [reference price retails is  $12-$18.] In terms of restaurant pricing which is always controversial, THIS was a super bargain and a well made Gamay so raise a glass.

Hue--pale straw with aromas of sweet, minerally, talc, tropical fruit galore, and a slight savory edge that carries it all Palate--A bit *flabby for my liking, but rich and brimming with a cornucopia of tropical fruit flavors.   *"flabby" means lacking in acidity I am pairing this with a bacon and Swiss quiche my wife is making. The sweetness of the Spätlesen will be a perfect foil to the salty bacon and Swiss foundation of the quiche.  At around $12, this is a "good" example but one with more acidity will knock your socks off. 

  Gentle straw hue with aromas of a melange of citrusy fruit mixed with tropical fruit compote and the characteristic "oily" sweet aroma underlying it all. Palate--Lovely first impression with razor sharp acidity, carrying a delightful compote of tropical fruit salad, with green melon, lemons and limes, mango and stone fruit.  This is a LOVELY Washington State example of the most under appreciated wine grape in the world. It is fantastic chilled down on a hot summer day or a lovely pairing wine with butter rich sauces and seafood.  Grab some Maine lobsters and steamers, with a bath of butter and you'll think you died and gone to heaven.  At $12 this is a super value so raise a glass and then a bottle!