Les Dauphins Reserve, Rouge Cotes-du-Rhone 2013
Deep, crimson red with hints of ruby. The nose classically represents the region offering waves of ripe and dried tart berries with accents of earth, wild flowers, brown baking spices, and dried herbs. The palate echoes the nose delivering a juicy core of ripe black fruits with flanking notes of herbs, earth, and spice. Medium-bodied with ideal balance along with a vibrant dose of acidity and soft tannins. $12.99 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Donati Family Vineyard The Immigrant Central Coast 2012
Deepest, darkest ruby red color. The aromatics are quite complex with scents of wet, fallen leaves, earth, mineral, dense black fruits, tart cherry, and brown baking spices accented by a generous dose of toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose with a dense berry-driven core flanked by generous notes of dried herbs, earth, spice, and oak. This is a big wine with impeccible balance and great length with moderate tannins. $40 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Donati Family Vineyard Claret Paicines 2012
Darkest, inky ruby red color. The nose is filled with the scents of ripe red cherry, nutmeg, cocoa bean, and mineral, with hints of dried herbs and toasted oak. The palate confirms the nose delivering a rich and bold fruit centered core with hints of tart cherry supporting the ripe red cherry. Medium to full-bodied with great balance thanks to a fresh dose of acidity with soft, chewy tannins and great length. $22 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Kennedy Shah La Vie en Rouge Columbia Valley 2012
Brilliant ruby color. Deep black plum notes take the lead with scents of raspberry and blueberry with hints of earth, spice, and black coffee. The palate confirms the nose with a ripe berry fruit focus supported by notes of tart cherry, brown spices, oak, and dried herbs. Round and full with great balance, complexity, low-tannins, and a very welcomed moderate dose alcohol. $14 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Chateau Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2005
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeepest, darkest ruby red from center to the edges. Dense, ripe cherry, cassis, and plum with supporting notes of chocolate married with bright herbs featuring a bright, sweet rosemary note free of pine-like resin with hints of mineral and toasted oak infused with brown baking spices. The palate reflects and extends the complexity and richness of that which the aromatics promise. The fruit is layered with mineral, earth, oak, and spice. Intense with tight aromas and flavors that will not reveal themselves unless given time to breathe. The tannins are quite formidable at this stage but a few hours of aeration begins to soften the edges. $150 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Tooth & Nail "The Fiend" Paso Robles 2012
Deep, vivid purple color with viscosity evident in the glass. The nose is immediately filled with the scents of freshly crushed red and black berries with plum and loads of Herbes de Provence, dark chocolate, cassis, and subtle hints of anise. The palate delivers on the promise of the nose and then some. The rich fruit core is as smooth as silk with layers of berry coming in waves with accents of cocoa, lavender, sandalwood, and allspice. This big red is a mouthful with ripe fruit at its core and virtually no tannins making it ready to drink today. $26.99 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Tooth & Nail "The Possessor" Paso Robles 2012
Deep, vivid ruby red color with viscosity evident in the glass. The aromatics reveal a great deal of dusty, dry earth accompanying the rich black fruits with supporting notes of red cherry, plum, cardamon, allspice, black pepper, dried pine needle, and oak. The palate concurs with the nose as the concentrated fruit core expands and flurishes with flanking notes of earth, spice, and oak with dried herbs making an appearance on the finish. This is a big and bold wine with a rich core and enough acidity and subtle dry tannins to keep it vibrant. $26.99 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Force of Nature Red Wine - Mossfire Ranch Paso Robles 2013
Deep, bold ruby red to purple, the kind of ruby that would make Barbie blush. The nose reveals a lush fruit bomb with character and style. The ripe, lush cherry, raspberry and plum are foiled by scents of forest floor, oak, dark chocolate and subtle hints of clove. The palate is just as rich as the nose if not more. It's a carnival of freshly crushed ripe red berries with some black berries mixed in for interest. The secondary earth, spice and oak notes are rather secondary as lush, ripe fruit is the focus here. This is a big wine but not at all brooding or flabby. The alcohol is well in check and there is enough acid to keep inviting sip after sip and the cold, black tea tannins on the finish offer structure and depth. $18 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Pietra Santa Sassolino Cienega Valley 2010
Deep, darkest burgundy color. The aromatics are so concentrated with the scents of black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, and plum with bold accents of cocoa nibs, brown baking spices, and oak. The palate opens with a ripe fruit explosion with loads of baking spices to add depth and intrigue. It's simply delicious with layers of lush fruit mingling with oak, spice, and subtle hints of vanilla bean. This is a wine that you can chew but it's so vibrant and fresh thanks to a smart dose of acidity and silky tannins. $24 – 5 Stars – 97 points
