This moderately priced Rhône blend spent 14 months in a blend of French and European oak, and it shows. There is plenty of cherry and a little rhubarb, but the wood is slathered all over the fruit, overwhelming it. Sweet-read more-
Hoist Nederburg's Winemaster's Reserve Pinotage in salute to the South African's efforts at the World Cup. There is a lot to like in a full-flavored, yet simple, and enjoyable glass of red wine. It's well balanced and spends some time-read more-
This wine is tight and seems very young. Hidden beneath the tannins are the flavors of licorice, brambles, menthol, and wild blackberries, with elusive hints of unsweetened chocolate espresso. Whether this moderately priced wine will last long enough for the-read more-
After a few hours to blow off some funk, this showed as earthy, with raspberry, some dried strawberries, allspice and cloves. Use of new oak is a little heavy, loading jarring vanilla onto the finish. A couple of years in-read more-
This under $30 Syrah was probably not intended to sleep in the cellar until 2010, but it awakened with surprising maturity and complexity. A wine described as "lavishly oaked" two or three years ago is now balanced, aromatic, and flat-out-read more-
Intensely floral, this makes a wine lasagna with lavender and rose petals noodles between layers of elderberries, raspberries, lightly smoked pork, and leather. This practically begs to pair with meat, from sage-rubbed pork roast to lamb with rosemary. At its-read more-
Palate Press Wine of the Week A big, jammy wine, but balanced with a good streak of acid and very fine, firm tannins. Most of all, it is still very young, with many years of cellar improvement ahead of it.-read more-
Color is very clear and bright, a light pink with a slight orange tint. Soft strawberries and tropical fruit, balanced by a streak of acid and light tannins, make a very pleasant wine with a good mouth-feel. This is a-read more-