Wines scored out of 10 points.
BYO: Best Wines of Summer
September 2017 – Michele & Ted
8.0 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $30
Grapefruit on the nose; tart, crisp and delicious
7.5 Creekside Cabernet France 2012 $25
Green pepper and blackcurrant bouquet, rich and moderately tannic
7.5 Yaso Toro 2012 $20
Vanilla and dill notes on the nose, cherries, moderate tannins
7.0 Chateau St. Jean Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $25
Citrusy nose, slightly dilute taste
7.0 Kovacevic Chardonnay 2015 $14
Flat, slightly effervescent, undistinguished
6.5 Robert Oatley Chardonnay 2015 $18
Slightly oaky nose, buttery, smooth, a chardonnay..
Full Bodied and Firm
October 2017 – Louise & Neil
8.0 Concha Y Toro Winemaker’s Lot Carmenere 2015 $16
Menthol, vanilla and green pepper on the nose, tannic, cherry flavors
8.0 Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $17
Green pepper and spice bouquet, cherries
7.5 Chateau Pipeau Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2012 $40
Burnt sugar and chocolate nose, leather and mushrooms, tannic
7.5 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $38
Green peppers again, very tannic, a little sweet
7.0 Tenuta Frescobaldi 2015 $22
Perfumey nose, cherry flavors, rich
7.0 Mission Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 $31
Vanilla and plums flavor the bouquet, black currants and form tannins
Zinfandel – Primitivo
November 2017 – Rob & Don
7.5 Luccarelli Primitivo 2016 $11
Rich fruity nose, prune and raisin flavors, smooth
7.5 Ravenswood Zinfandel 2015 $22
Minty and rubber notes, soft, smooth
7.5 Frog’s Leap Zinfandel 2014 $50
Herbal and anise bouquet, blackberry and cherry flavors, tannic
7.0 Mauro Primitivo del Salento 2015 $12
Raisinoir aroma, tannic
7.0 12e Mezzo Primitivo del Salento 2015 $14
Fruity citrus notes, mild tannins, well balanced
7.0 Leese-Fitch Zinfandel 2014 $22
Smokey, hickory bouquet, cherries and blackberries, soft
Bubbly and Appetizers
December 2017 – David
8.0 Veuve Cliquot Brut $73
Vanilla and biscuit flavors on the nose, dry
8.0 Roederer Estate Brut $38
Vanilla and biscuit flavors on the nose
8.0 Oyster Bay Brut Sparkling Cuvée $22
Shredded wheat and vanilla bouquet, slightly sweet, apples
7.0 Louis Bouillot Perle d’Aurore Brut Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne $22
Moral biscuit bouquet, floral notes with raspberry
6.5 Tenuta S. Anna Prosecco Superiore di Valdobbiadene $20
Fruity nose with apples and apricots, sweetish
6.5 Graham Beck Brut Rosé 2011 $22
Strawberry and burnt sugar aromas
+ Stratus Red Icewine 2016 $40
Shiraz and Syrah
January 2018 – Michele & Ted
8.0 Two Hands Bella’s Garden Shiraz 2015 $65
Raspberry bouquet with green pepper notes, smooth, long finish
8.0 Santa Ema Gran Reserva Syrah 2015 $19
Strong raspberry nose, grapefruit flavors, oaky
7.5 Secret De Schistes Syrah 2014 $43
Black currant and mineral notes on the nose, slightly sweet with caramel flavors
7.0 Wonderwall Shiraz 2015 $17
Red berry bouquet, grapefruit notes
7.0 Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2015 $23
Rich and fruity, alcohol finish
7.0 Cathedral Cellar Shiraz 2014 $17
Hints of rubber and caramel, a bit disjointed
Barolo and other Nebbiolos BYO
February 2018 – Louise & Neil
7.5 Giovanni Rosso Barolo 2008 $75
Some oxidized aromas with salty liquorice; tannic, slightly sweet, raisins and prune flavors
7.5 Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2012 $52
Closed nose, citrus and liquorice flavors, very tannic
7.5 Borgogno Barolo 2012 $45
Cherry and fennel notes on the nose, mushroom flavors, tannic
7.0 Travaglini Gattinara 2012 $25
Floral bouquet, tannic and cherry koolaid
6.5 Bersano Mantico Barbaresco 2012 $40
Cherry bouquet, quite thin and dilute
6.5 Marchesi di Barolo 2012 $40
Very closed, tannic
Spanish Reds
March 2018 – Ellen
8.0 El Pedrosal Crianza 2014 $17
Sweet candied notes on the nose; tannic, rich and dark fruit flavors
7.5 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2103 $20
Green peppers on the nose and taste; marijuana notes detected in the bouquet…
7.5 I Gran Reserva Tempranillo Blend 1994 $69
Floral (violets); tannic
6.5 Sein Monastrell 2011 $17
Menthol and mint bouquet, sweet with flavors of molasses
6.0 La Tremenda Monastrell 2014 $18
Roses on the nose, smooth
5.5 Cune Crianza Rioja 2014 $17
Floral notes, powdery tannins and red fruit flavors
Merlot
April 2018 – Nicole and Chris
8.0 Seven Falls Cellars Merlot 2013 $21
Plums on the nose, rich, smooth and well balanced
7.5 Napa Cellars Merlot 2014 $30
Blackcurrant flavors, mineral notes, tannic
7.5 Domaine De L’A 2005 $40
Grapey, lemons, mint and cherries
7.5 Creekside Merlot 2013 $25
Hint of grapefruit, smooth
7.0 Rutherford Hill Merlot 2014 $40
Green peppery bouquet, plums and blackcurrants
7.0 Mission Hill Reserve Merlot 2014 $30
Mineral notes and grapefruit nose, cherries, tannic
Whites – France vs The Rest of the World
May 2018 – David
8.0 Kim Crawford Small Parcels Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $25
Grapefruit, grapefruit, grapefruit with a touch of pineapple; lovely summer wine
7.5 Pierre Sparr Altenbourg Riesling 2015 $19
Bouquet of apples and limes with a touch of petrol; off dry and well rounded
7.5 Cave Spring Dry Riesling 2016 $16
Not that dry, tropical fruits, easy sipper
7.0 Henri Bourgeois Les Baronnes Sancerre 2017 $28
Grassy and citrus notes on the nose; well balanced and reliable as always
7.0 Carol Shelton Coquille Blanc 2015 $30
Vanilla notes with spice on the nose; buttery and oaky
7.0 Louis Jadot Chablis 2017 $28
Smooth, a little dilute, some oak flavors