2007 Martinelli Pinot Noir, Blue Slide Ridge Vineyard

This wine would be in the final running for picking my desert island wine. I think all of Martinelli's pinots are delicious, but in my book this one tops them all. The grapes come from one of this producer's "true" Sonoma Coast vineyards, located two or three ridge lines in from the Pacific Ocean near the old coastal town of Fort Ross. This vineyard, just above the marine/fog layer, thrives on a diet of warm, sunny days and very cold nights. This last fall, Julianna Martinelli took my wife and I out into these mountains (SUV country indeed) to let me have a look at this magical area.
This unique terroir results in a wine that takes California pinot to new levels of excellence. It is lush but not ponderous, ripe but not thick, deep but not dumb. The intense aromas combine sweet, ripe cherries with an engaging wet earth note. The complex flavors are all about low yields of ripe fruit with careful use of oak in the cellar.
It will be interesting to see how this relatively new viticultural area develops and it certainly deserves its own separate AVA. To throw these special vineyards into the ludicrously immense "Sonoma Coast" AVA is a prime example of why the AVA system needs serious overhaul.
This particular wine is closely allocated by the winery and the cost is $95. There are very few wines for which I would pay $95 but this is one of them. Both Parker and Tanzer gave this wine 94 points.

2007 Jean-Louis Tribouley, Cotes Catalanes, "Les Bacs"

This wine is another example of the superb wines that have been surfacing in the wine regions of southern France which, until recently, have produced mostly forgettable wines. To top it off, 2007 is probably the best vintage in this region in the last 10 years. This wine is a vin de pay from the Cotes Catalanes. 20 years ago, this lack of any pedigree would have relegated it to "plonk" status, but not so today. It is carefully crafted from 75% grenache and 25% carignan, all from old vines.
The color is inky purple-black. Ripe raspberry and fig aromas jump from the glass. The wines' structure and extract level tells you this is serious stuff. Full but ripe tannins and a long finish makes this wine easy to drink now with hearty foods, but it also will amply reward five or more years in your cellar.
I bought this wine from the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA (1-800-76-WINEX). The $25 price tag seems very fair to me, given the superb quality. Parker gave it 93 points and I can't argue with that number. There is also a similar wine from this producer called "Orchis" with identical price, grape percentages and Parker rating. You can't go wrong with either one.

2007 Chateau Paradis "Terre des Anges"

This superb wine is a good example of the revolution in wine quality that has been happening in the south of France. This particular wine is from the Coteaux d'Aix appellation, which 15 years ago was known mostly for cheap reds of little merit (aka plonk). This monumental wine is a blend of Syrah (55%), Grenache (30%)and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%). When you pour this wine into a glass, the inky black color tells you this is not old-school wine from Provence. The itense, focused aromas (the fruit is not overwhelmed by oak) and the lush flavors are supported by ripe tannins and good acidity. This wine is delicious now with something like braised T-Rex, but a few years in your cellar will result in something special.

I bought this wine at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA. The cost was $30 and I think it is worth every penny. If the wine is sold out, the chances are good that can't go wrong with any of the southern Rhone/Languedoc wines your favorite wine dealer may have from the superb 2007 vintage. The vintage is that good.

2007 John Duval Wines Shiraz, "Entity"

I confess I tend to shy away from any Aussie shiraz that costs more than $20. I love the bang-for -the-buck you get from their wines at this price point, but often spending more money doesn't get you much increase in complexity (you can say that about a lot of wines, right?). But this wine, made from Barossa fruit, delivers that elusive complexity at a retail price that makes sense when you consider all it delivers. Make no mistake, this is a dense, purple-colored, mouth-coating wine with the opulence you expect from an Aussie shiraz, but its underlying texture, aroma and flavof make you pause and reflect on what is lurking under the fruit. Like most young Aussie shiraz, it is drinking nicely now but up to five years in your cellar should enhance that complexity.

I purchased this wine at the Total Wine store in Tucson for $38. Parker gave it a 93 and I can't argue against that score.

2007 Rasteau, Domaine Grand Nicolet ,Vieilles Vignes

Another example of the fabulous values that can be found in the Cotes-du-Rhone appellation of the Rhone Valley. This one comes from the Rasteau sub-appellation and it is loaded with intense, layered aromatics and flavor. This wine is 80% grenache and 20% syrah, sourced from vines with an average age of 45 years. This dense, rich wine has supple tannins and an almost chewy mouth feel. The 15% alcohol is a reflection of the near-perfect vintage for this area but this wine has not a trace of heat. The price? $19 at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA. What a fine bargain. Parker gave it a 91-93 preliminary rating.

2008 Anakena Winery "ONA" white blend

This Chilean white wine is made from a blend of roughly equal parts of viognier, riesling and chardonnay. Now that may seem like a blend that is unlikely to produce anything interesting, but the folks at Anakena knew what they were doing. The back label says it received French oak ageing, but it probably did not see much if any new oak as the wood notes are very subtle. This is a relatively full-bodied white with very interesting aroma and flavor nuances, followed by a satisfyingly long finish.

I purchased this wine at Total Wine & More in Tucson, AZ. The cost was $15 and I think that is a reasonable price for the quality it delivers. This does not seem to be a wine that would improve with time in your cellar, but it certainly would make prime drinking the rest of 2010.

2006 Clos del Rey Cotes du Roussillon Villages

Cotes du Roussillon is a French appellation sandwiched between the Languedoc and the Spanish border. For most of the 20th century this area of southern France was notorious for the huge quantities of low-quality red "plonk" that flooded the markets. But this area is currently enjoying a renaissance in wine making and the producer of this wine, Jacques Montagne, is one of its quality leaders. This red wine is produced from old vine grenache and small quantities of carignan and syrah, all cropped to produce very low yields per acre.

The wine, almost black in color, is intensely aromatic with complex aromas and flavors that develop beautifully as the wine airs in the glass. The ripe tannins and high extract are perfectly balanced by the superb fruit. This wine is delicious to drink now, but it has the stuffing and balance needed to develop further complexity in a cool cellar for at least 10 years.

I bought this wine at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA at a cost of $40. Now that may seem out of line for a wine from this region, but this wine can hold its own with any top wine from the more prestigious (and more expensive) Rhone Valley appellations. The Wine Advocate gives it a 95.

2005 Callaghan Vineyards "Padres" red blend

As I mentioned in my review of Callaghan's white blend below, this small winery located in a remote area of southwest Arizona improves with every vintage. There are several other wineries in the area, but in my opinion this one is by far the best. Kent Callaghan and his wife run the tasting room also, open 11 to 3 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

This 2005 "Padres" is a blend of 39% Tempranillo, 31% Petit Verdot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc. This is a muscular, full-bodied wine that manages to maintain a nice balance of ripe fruit, ripe tannins, good extract and refreshing acidity. This wine is drinkable now but it should benefit from several years in your cellar.

The price per bottle is a reasonable $28, or $25 per bottle by the case. If you can't find it in your market, you can buy it on line (callaghanvineyards.com) or by phone @ (502)-455-5322.

2008 Callaghan Vineyards "Lisa's" white blend

Callaghan Vineyards is located in the southwest corner of Arizona, near the small town of Sonoita. This would seem like a very unlikely place to produce good wine, but the 4,500 foot elevation and the volcanic soil make it all possible. Kent Callaghan has been experimenting with different red and white varietals for over a decade and he now knows what works and what doesn't in this macroclimate (surprisingly, Zinfandel just doesn't do well here).

This white wine is made from a field blend of Viognier, Riesling, Malvasia Bianca, Marsanne and Roussanne. Intense and complex aromas lead to a full-bodied, almost chewy mouth feel. Oak is just a background note. A long finish completes the picture. This medium-acid wine would pair beautifully with salmon or any other full-flavored dish.

This wine may be difficult to find in your market. You can order it on line at callaghanvineyards.com or call the winery at (520) 455-5322. The price is a reasonable $22 a bottle, or $19 a bottle if you order a case.

2006 Mayo Family Winery Cabernet Franc, Alexander Valley, Ridgeline Ranch

I tend to have a love-hate relationship with Cabernet Franc. I love the stuff when it is made from fully-ripe grapes; I hate it when it has that unripe, leafy, green bean aroma and flavor. This wine is one to love. It was sourced from a vineyard located in the mountains that separate Alexander Valley from Napa Valley. Ripe raspberry and black cherry aromas evolve in the glass, showing just a touch of oak. The lush flavors are supported by silky tannins and nicely balanced acidity. It is drinking well now but a few years in your cellar will do it no harm. The wine is available only from the winery and can be ordered on line (mayofamilywinery.com) or by phone (707 833 5504). The cost was $50 but a discount is available if you are a member of their Cellar Club.

2007 Spinifex "Papillon"

This Aussie (Barossa Valley) blend of 66% Grenache, 18% Cinsault and 16% Mataro is not the muscular red we tend to expect from this country. For starters, the light ruby color catches you off guard. Almost flamboyant aromas jump from the glass, showing gingerbread and black olive notes. Other complex aromatics develop as it airs. The supple tannins and the sweet, layered flavors are very satisfying. This wine has its fair share of finesse - even the alcohol is a moderate (for Australia) 14%. I bought this bottle at the Kansas City Lukas store at Metcalf and 119th Street. The cost was $24.

2007 Colosi Nero d'Avola

I gained a appreciation for Sicily's most widely planted red grape when I spent a week on that lovely island five years ago. At $15 retail, this Nero d'Avola delivers a lot of bang for the buck. The deep red-black color and focused ripe black fruit aromas are nicely complemented by ripe tannins and a lengthy finish. This wine should hold well for several years, but I do not think it would benefit from extended ageing. This is the perfect match with BBQ or burgers from your grill. I would love to see this wine appear on restaurant wine lists - it would be the ideal go-to wine when you don't want to spend a lot of money on a pricey cab. I bought this bottle at the Kansas City Lukas store (Missouri side).