| 49591 | 49590 | US | This is a light wine—light in fruit, acid and tannins, and light in body. That doesn't mean it doesn't offer a lot of pleasure. It does. It has complex herbal, berry and spice flavors, and it's nicely dry, with a certain richness. It's a great wine for early drinking. | | 89 | 25 | California | Santa Maria Valley | Central Coast | | | Byron 1998 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley) | Pinot Noir | Byron |
| 49592 | 49591 | US | Bright and fruity, with pretty cherry and raspberry notes. There's also a certain leafy complexity, with hints of smoke and coffee on the finish. Good wine. Good price. | | 89 | 19 | California | Alexander Valley | Sonoma | | | Murphy-Goode 1999 Merlot (Alexander Valley) | Merlot | Murphy-Goode |
| 49593 | 49592 | Chile | Hand-picked fruit from La Finca Estate in this case equals a real black beauty—one taster imagined that this would be difficult to drink without a hefty grilled steak. Smoldering smoke, ash and black fruit aromas make way for similar char, tar, licorice and blackberry flavors on the palate and on the finish. Drink from 2004. | Alpha M | 88 | 72 | Colchagua Valley | | | | | Montes 1999 Alpha M Red (Colchagua Valley) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Montes |
| 49594 | 49593 | Australia | A smooth, easy-drinking Chardonnay, with mild, understated aromas of green apple and toast, but also sweet tropical fruit flavors and a ripe pineapple-citrus finish that picks up hints of oranges. Best Buy. | Bin 7000 | 88 | 10 | New South Wales | Hunter Valley | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | McGuigan 2001 Bin 7000 Chardonnay (Hunter Valley) | Chardonnay | McGuigan |
| 49595 | 49594 | US | From a warm Eastside vineyard, this wine has pretty aromas of plums, pepper, white chocolate and smoke; well-knit and pure. Big in terms of fruit, but well balanced and elegant. The acids and tannins are soft and user-friendly. | The Corcairghorm - Fralich Vineyard | 88 | 30 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | | | Garretson 1999 The Corcairghorm - Fralich Vineyard Syrah (Paso Robles) | Syrah | Garretson |
| 49596 | 49595 | Portugal | This is more of a chunky, rich tawny; the mouthfeel comes across more syrupy than svelte. But with a ton of hazelnut/walnut character and plenty of bitter coffee nuances on the finish, it comes home nicely. | Baron de Forrester | 88 | 77 | Port | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Offley NV Baron de Forrester (Port) | Port | Offley |
| 49597 | 49596 | Australia | A big step up from the “regular” Chardonnay, this is riper, richer and longer. Buttered toast and tropical-fruit flavors, a rich, textured mouthfeel and a smooth, easy finish make this a very enjoyable drink. | Reserve | 88 | 13 | New South Wales | New South Wales | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Penmara 2000 Reserve Chardonnay (New South Wales) | Chardonnay | Penmara |
| 49598 | 49597 | Australia | Buttered toast and vanilla scents lead the way, buttressed by peach and citrus. It's medium-weight and smooth in the mouth, with a long finish that boasts echoes of orange and lemon. | Moon Mountain | 88 | 21 | New South Wales | Hunter Valley | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Tyrrell's 1999 Moon Mountain Chardonnay (Hunter Valley) | Chardonnay | Tyrrell's |
| 49599 | 49598 | US | This well-made wine features tangy flavors of citrus, nicely mingled with orange rind and a hint of grapefruit. Good texture, bracing acids, a food-friendly balance and some spicy complexity in the finish. | Estate Grown | 88 | 20 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Gordon Brothers 1999 Estate Grown Chardonnay (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Chardonnay | Gordon Brothers |
| 49600 | 49599 | US | Very fresh and light, with just a bit of a resiny mouthfeel, this Sauvignon Blanc sees only stainless steel. White stone fruit, pear and citrus flavors dominate; flint and steel notes give the fruit substantial backbone. Drink with risotto, or other rich foods—this wine will cut right through it. | | 88 | 15 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | St. Supéry 2001 Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley) | Sauvignon Blanc | St. Supéry |
| 49601 | 49600 | US | An impressive Syrah, not just for its ripeness, but for the structure. Fine, firm tannins and acids, along with well-integrated oak, provide a classic framework to the ripe blackberries, leather and chocolate. Good now, with decanting, but really wants 2–4 years of aging. | Fenaughty Vineyard | 91 | 35 | California | El Dorado | Sierra Foothills | | | A Donkey and Goat 2007 Fenaughty Vineyard Syrah (El Dorado) | Syrah | A Donkey and Goat |
| 49602 | 49601 | US | This is a big, strong, gutsy Syrah, a powerhouse of jammy blackberries, currants, bacon, pepper and sandalwood. It's completely dry, with rich, thick tannins and a long, spicy finish. Good now, with proper fare, and should glidepath through the next six years. | Guyzer Block | 91 | 38 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Davis Family 2007 Guyzer Block Syrah (Russian River Valley) | Syrah | Davis Family |
| 49603 | 49602 | Italy | The Vigna Gattera cru produces elegant wines with immediate floral notes of blue flower and violet. Those aromas are followed by red fruit and spice with distant smoke and mineral. This wine is very much enhanced by the beauty of its mouthfeel, which is silky. Delicious. | Vigna Gattera | 91 | | Piedmont | Barolo | | | | Gianfranco Bovio 2005 Vigna Gattera (Barolo) | Nebbiolo | Gianfranco Bovio |
| 49604 | 49603 | Australia | This is one tightly wound Shiraz. There's cedar and spice on the nose, but the plum fruit is balled up inside, needing time to emerge. Still, the spice notes are impressive, ranging from sage to peppercorn, and the structure is impeccable. Probably worth trying again in 2016. | Mount Edelstone Vineyard | 91 | 110 | South Australia | Eden Valley | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Henschke 2006 Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz (Eden Valley) | Shiraz | Henschke |
| 49605 | 49604 | Italy | Terlo Ravera shows a pretty garnet color with ruby highlights and offers penetrating aromas of red fruit, spice, cola and chopped mint. There's a smooth and silky sensation in the mouth and the wine's solid tannins create a sturdy backbone. | Terlo Ravera | 91 | 50 | Piedmont | Barolo | | | | Marziano Abbona 2005 Terlo Ravera (Barolo) | Nebbiolo | Marziano Abbona |
| 49606 | 49605 | Australia | With its expressive notes of espressso and black olive, this Shiraz is on the savory side, but it still carries enough plummy fruit to provide balance. It's mouthfilling and generous, while a bit of tartness on the finish serves to highlight the coffee and earth flavors. Drink now-2017. | | 91 | 29 | Western Australia | Great Southern | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Plantagenet 2007 Shiraz (Great Southern) | Shiraz | Plantagenet |
| 49607 | 49606 | France | Sweet fruits dominate this wine. It still has all the right black tannins and berry fruits, but it also has great ripeness, the wine spiced with vanilla and all-spice. It finishes with mouthfilling juiciness. | Prestige | 91 | | Southwest France | Cahors | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Haut-Monplaisir 2005 Prestige Malbec (Cahors) | Malbec | Château Haut-Monplaisir |
| 49608 | 49607 | France | Plenty of dark Malbec tannins here, giving a tight, mineral wine with a core of dryness. Around the core are black plum and fig fruits, and an edge of the crispest black currants. Firmly extracted, with fine wood toast flavors. | Cuvée Particulière | 91 | 22 | Southwest France | Cahors | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Lamartine 2007 Cuvée Particulière Malbec (Cahors) | Malbec | Château Lamartine |
| 49609 | 49608 | US | Patianna has a very good track record with this unoaked variety, which is grown in the warmer Hopland area of inland Mendocino. The '08 is very dry, very crisp in citrusy acids, and complex, with New Zealand-style flavors of gooseberries, white currants, minerals and geraniums, in addition to riper flavors of pineapples, limes and sweet Meyer lemons. | | 91 | 18 | California | Mendocino County | | | | Patianna 2008 Sauvignon Blanc (Mendocino County) | Sauvignon Blanc | Patianna |
| 49610 | 49609 | Italy | Compared to the estate's Vigna Cannubi cru, this expression of Nebbiolo offers slightly more structure, density and staying power. The aromas here recall black cherry, plum, spice and Spanish cedar. The mouthfeel is rich, supple and very clean. Drink after 2014. | Vigna Castellero | 91 | | Piedmont | Barolo | | | | Barale Fratelli 2005 Vigna Castellero (Barolo) | Nebbiolo | Barale Fratelli |
| 49611 | 49610 | US | A beautiful white wine notable for its extreme dryness and fresh crispness of acidity. Really cleanses the mouth, letting it appreciate the unoaked flavors of tangerine, melon, peach and minerals. A brilliant wine to drink with almost anything, but especially shellfish. | Paragon Vineyard | 91 | 17 | California | Edna Valley | Central Coast | | | Tangent 2008 Paragon Vineyard Albariño (Edna Valley) | Albariño | Tangent |
| 49612 | 49611 | US | Delivers lots of bang for the buck. Shows real Chardonnay character, with rich vanilla cream-infused flavors of ripe pineapples, pears, sautéed bananas, buttered toast and honey. At this price, it's a fantastic buy that can stand next to Chards costing far more. | | 90 | 13 | California | California | California Other | | | MooBuzz 2007 Chardonnay (California) | Chardonnay | MooBuzz |
| 49613 | 49612 | US | A wildly flavored, tannic and exuberant Zinfandel that showcases the variety's exotic personality. Dry and full-bodied, it has brambly flavors of blackberries, black currants, licorice, mocha and smoky cedar, liberally sprinkled with dusty Asian spices. Drink now–2013. | Rancho Bello Vineyard | 90 | 26 | California | Russian River Valley | Sonoma | | | Ottimino Vineyards 2006 Rancho Bello Vineyard Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) | Zinfandel | Ottimino Vineyards |
| 49614 | 49613 | US | Delicious flavors of cola, cherries, raspberries, rose tea, orange peel, vanilla and smoky sandalwood merge in this single-vineyard Pinot Noir, and it's nicely dry, with a silky-smooth texture. Give it a good decant before serving, as it gets better as it breathes. | Sonoma Stage Vineyard | 90 | 47 | California | Sonoma Coast | Sonoma | | | Peters Family 2006 Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) | Pinot Noir | Peters Family |
| 49615 | 49614 | US | Sharp acidity makes this young wine a bit tart now. It has solid flavors of cherries, raspberries, bacon and smoky sandalwood, and is dry and silky. Decant for a few hours, or better yet, give it a year or two in the cellar. | Filigreen Vineyard | 90 | 47 | California | Anderson Valley | | | | Segue 2007 Filigreen Vineyard Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley) | Pinot Noir | Segue |
| 49616 | 49615 | France | If you are looking for wild flavors, then this wine is for you. It is dry, but smells sweet, with lychee, green candy and aromatic spices. It's a wine with a terrific character, needing cheeses and rich fish dishes to bring out its full potential. | Terre Originelle | 90 | 20 | Southwest France | Gaillac | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine des Terrisses 2006 Terre Originelle White (Gaillac) | White Blend | Domaine des Terrisses |
| 49617 | 49616 | Spain | There's no denying the wine's power and intensity. It's concentrated like a cement block, with richness, plummy aromas, sweetness and char. But it's also candied and ultrarich in the mouth, with syrupy flavors of berry extract, cola and chocolate. A heavy wine that shows every ounce of its 15.5% alcohol. Ultimately it's more sweet and powerful than it is precise. Drink now through 2013. | | 90 | 142 | Levante | Jumilla | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | El Nido 2006 Red (Jumilla) | Cabernet Blend | El Nido |
| 49618 | 49617 | US | Made in a drier, earthier style than most Oakville Cabs, this one emphasizes structure over fruity power. It's a sleek, elegant wine, brimming with tannins and acids that frame blackberry, currant, mineral and dried herb flavors, with a touch of raisins in the finish. | Reserve | 90 | 45 | California | Oakville | Napa | | | Emilio's Terrace 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Emilio's Terrace |
| 49619 | 49618 | US | A little heavy and syrupy, but for twelve bucks, you get a creamy wine with pineapple jam and vanilla flavors. | Parcel 4 | 82 | 12 | California | Lodi | Central Valley | | | Hanging Vine 2007 Parcel 4 Chardonnay (Lodi) | Chardonnay | Hanging Vine |
| 49620 | 49619 | Greece | This wine starts with a spicy nose of tobacco and mocha tinged with a green character. The wine's dry style offers flavors of wooded spice, red berry, tobacco and a slightly lean spin. Spicy and food friendly, but a touch rustic. | | 82 | 17 | Greece | | | Susan Kostrzewa | @suskostrzewa | Protopapas 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (Greece) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Protopapas |