| 50581 | 50580 | Argentina | Jammy berry fruits, violet notes and graham cracker define the bouquet on this high-quality, good-value Malbec. The palate isn't huge but it's well structured, and the flavors are exotic and out of the ordinary, with an emphasis on Middle Eastern spice and blue-fruit flavors. On the finish, it's chocolaty and spicy but loses steam quickly. | | 90 | 18 | Mendoza Province | Uco Valley | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Benvenuto de la Serna 2009 Malbec (Uco Valley) | Malbec | Benvenuto de la Serna |
| 50582 | 50581 | US | Resplendent in white pepper, aromatically defined by it in fact, with a touch of cedar, this is a smooth, full-bodied Syrah that's mighty good, a duet of cool and warm-climate character. Pair with braised meats thick in earthy mushrooms. | | 90 | 22 | California | Lake County | | Virginie Boone | @vboone | Briceland 2010 Syrah (Lake County) | Syrah | Briceland |
| 50583 | 50582 | US | More than half Merlot with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon (39%) and Syrah (10%), it's immediately appealing and freshly flavored with notes of bittersweet chocolate, cherry and dried herbs supported by a backbone of grainy tannins. | | 90 | 25 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Sean P. Sullivan | @wawinereport | Browne Family Vineyards 2010 Red (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Red Blend | Browne Family Vineyards |
| 50584 | 50583 | US | This 100% Cabernet was aged in new French oak. That potent combo gives it an intensity of black currants and sweet buttered toast. The tannins are hard and the alcohol level is high. It's a bit predictable in the modern style, but delicious. | Le Petit Vice | 90 | 55 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Vice Versa 2010 Le Petit Vice Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Vice Versa |
| 50585 | 50584 | US | A decent effort, with notes of spice, brambly wild berries, smoke and licorice mingling together. It doesn't quite snap into focus, but there's never a dull moment. The finish gets chalky as the tannins take over. | | 83 | 10 | Washington | Columbia Valley (WA) | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Snoqualmie 2006 Syrah (Columbia Valley (WA)) | Syrah | Snoqualmie |
| 50586 | 50585 | US | Tough and gritty, with edgy tannins framing rustic flavors of blackberries and sweetened berry tea. | Lot #10 | 83 | 32 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Tangley Oaks 2006 Lot #10 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Tangley Oaks |
| 50587 | 50586 | US | Overtly sweet, like sugared blackberry tea with a squeeze of cassis and a bite of milk chocolate. Good flavors, but should be drier and firmer in structure as a table wine. | Fess Parker's Vineyard | 83 | 30 | California | Santa Barbara County | Central Coast | | | JC Cellars 2006 Fess Parker's Vineyard Syrah (Santa Barbara County) | Syrah | JC Cellars |
| 50588 | 50587 | US | Heavy and dull, like cherry pie filling, dusted with cinnamon and cocoa, without the pie shell. That baked crust provides the crunchy structure, which this fruit bomb lacks. | Aubaine Vineyard | 83 | 50 | California | San Luis Obispo County | Central Coast | | | Loring Wine Company 2007 Aubaine Vineyard Pinot Noir (San Luis Obispo County) | Pinot Noir | Loring Wine Company |
| 50589 | 50588 | US | Tart, dry and simple, this Cab will happily wash down tri-tip at your next tailgate party. The flavors are of grilled blackberries and dark, unsweetened chocolate. | | 83 | 9 | California | California | California Other | | | Montevina 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (California) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Montevina |
| 50590 | 50589 | Switzerland | A soft blackberry, vanilla and plum nose is followed by a rustic mélange of dried tea, berry and spice flavors in this Merlot. Tannins are firm and the overall flavors good, but the wine needs a little more cohesion. | Carato | 83 | 38 | Ticino | | | Susan Kostrzewa | @suskostrzewa | Delea 2004 Carato Merlot (Ticino) | Merlot | Delea |
| 50591 | 50590 | Lebanon | Simple, solid aromas of cherry, cinnamon and spice are followed by like flavors in this good everyday red from Lebanon. The wine has a soft touch but plenty of character, and its lingering berry and spice finish add to the appeal. A solid overall performance. | Hochar Père et Fils | 83 | 25 | Bekaa Valley | | | Susan Kostrzewa | @suskostrzewa | Château Musar 2002 Hochar Père et Fils Red (Bekaa Valley) | Red Blend | Château Musar |
| 50592 | 50591 | Argentina | After a few nice vintages of Sol Huarpe from this San Juan producer, the 2007 is sharp and weighed down by rhubarb and burnt field aromas. The palate is thin, while the flavors are mildly vegetal and soupy. Finishes crisp and citrusy. Blame it on the vintage. | Sol Huarpe | 83 | 17 | Other | Zonda Valley | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Xumek 2007 Sol Huarpe Malbec (Zonda Valley) | Malbec | Xumek |
| 50593 | 50592 | US | There's a lot of new oak in the nose, and it's tannic and has a fair amount of the volatile aromas that are found in several of the Hogue reds. The midpalate is soft to a fault, but shows hints of the spice and pepper of the grape. It finishes with volatility and unusually soft tannins. Tasting room exclusive. | Terroir Andrews Vineyard | 83 | 25 | Washington | Horse Heaven Hills | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Hogue 2005 Terroir Andrews Vineyard Malbec (Horse Heaven Hills) | Malbec | Hogue |
| 50594 | 50593 | US | For the price, you get a fair deal with this dry, clean wine. It has flavors of cherries and oak and spice, and goes down nice and easy. | | 83 | 10 | California | Lodi | Central Valley | | | Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Franc (Lodi) | Cabernet Franc | Ironstone |
| 50595 | 50594 | US | A bit rustic, with firm tannins and sweet currant and chocolate flavors side by side with greener, minty ones. Acidity is low, making the mouthfeel soft. Not going anywhere. | | 83 | 32 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | | | Koehler 2006 Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley) | Syrah | Koehler |
| 50596 | 50595 | US | A bit green, with thin flavors of citrus and herbs. Although it's dry and crisp, this Roussanne lacks richness. | McGinley Vineyard | 83 | 30 | California | Santa Barbara | Central Coast | | | Lionheart 2007 McGinley Vineyard Roussanne (Santa Barbara) | Roussanne | Lionheart |
| 50597 | 50596 | Argentina | Reserved on the nose, with a hint of rhubarb and bramble. But where this wine really fails to impress is on the palate. It's sharp and underdeveloped, with tart cherry aromas and piercing acidity. Some mocha and vanilla come on late to help things along, but by then the wine has defined itself as borderline sour and miserly. Unusually short on fruit for Luigi Bosca, a winery we've come to like. Imported by Multiple U.S. Importers. | Reserva | 83 | 21 | Mendoza Province | Luján de Cuyo | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Luigi Bosca 2006 Reserva Malbec (Luján de Cuyo) | Malbec | Luigi Bosca |
| 50598 | 50597 | US | Previously called Cuvée Le Blanc, this Rhone-style white blend is 62% Viognier, 26% Roussanne and 12% Marsanne. The wine is a bit dull, as if the fruit has already begun oxidizing. The finish falls off a cliff. | Masterpiece Reserve White Wine | 83 | | Washington | Yakima Valley | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Kana 2007 Masterpiece Reserve White Wine White (Yakima Valley) | White Blend | Kana |
| 50599 | 50598 | US | Pretty basic red wine, with a tough, tannic mouthfeel and not much fruit, but dry and balanced, with lots of pepper. Sipped from a plastic cup at a big party with pizza and Buffalo wings, it's fine. | | 83 | 6 | California | California | California Other | | | Leaping Horse 2007 Shiraz (California) | Shiraz | Leaping Horse |
| 50600 | 50599 | US | Dry and toughly tannic, with currant and oak flavors that have an edge of overripe raisins and prunes. Drink now. | Reserve | 83 | 36 | California | Livermore Valley | Central Coast | | | McGrail 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Livermore Valley) | Cabernet Sauvignon | McGrail |
| 50601 | 50600 | US | Tastes a bit medicinal, with a sweet-sour quality of lemons and pineapples, and is quite acidic. Lacks richness, but it's a decent everyday Chardonnay. | | 83 | 14 | California | Central Coast | Central Coast | | | Castoro Cellars 2007 Chardonnay (Central Coast) | Chardonnay | Castoro Cellars |
| 50602 | 50601 | Chile | Slightly sharp and brambly on the nose, with muddled fruit aromas. The palate is both lactic and snappy, with spiky acidity mixed with buttery, creamy notes. Finishes kind of pasty, with bite and grab. Even at $10 this Maule Valley Pinot struggles with the pleasure factor. | Reserva | 83 | 10 | Maule Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Santa Carolina 2007 Reserva Pinot Noir (Maule Valley) | Pinot Noir | Santa Carolina |
| 50603 | 50602 | Italy | A neon pink color segues to an equally loud palate of cotton candy, cherry soda and bubblegum. The intensity is there and you might pair this wine with hearty fish soup to lose that synthetic edge. | Rosato | 83 | 16 | Central Italy | Colli Perugini | | | | Chiorri 2008 Rosato Rosé (Colli Perugini) | Rosé | Chiorri |
| 50604 | 50603 | US | Tart and jammy, with acidic, one-dimensional flavors of pineapples, vanilla and butterscotch. | Discovery Series | 83 | 20 | California | Sonoma County | Sonoma | | | Dan Aykroyd Wines 2007 Discovery Series Chardonnay (Sonoma County) | Chardonnay | Dan Aykroyd Wines |
| 50605 | 50604 | US | Acidic and tart, with cherryskin, orange pekoe tea, thyme and spice flavors that finish dry. | Steinbeck Vineyard Syrah | 83 | 16 | California | Paso Robles | Central Coast | | | Eberle 2007 Steinbeck Vineyard Syrah Rosé (Paso Robles) | Rosé | Eberle |
| 50606 | 50605 | Chile | A reedy and odd-smelling wine. No matter how many times you come back to it, there's the scent of latex and a strange perfume to the nose. In the mouth, it's tannic and blocky, with saturated black cherry and a funky, unfamiliar twist. And it finishes with rubber, plastic, cotton candy and coconut notes. Can't say this does much to push Carmenère's status. | | 83 | 12 | Central Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | oops 2007 Carmenère (Central Valley) | Carmenère | oops |
| 50607 | 50606 | US | Hot and harsh, with semi-sweet flavors of black currants, chocolate and pepper. Drink this rustic wine with barbecue. | | 83 | 15 | California | El Dorado | Sierra Foothills | | | Perry Creek 2006 Syrah (El Dorado) | Syrah | Perry Creek |
| 50608 | 50607 | US | This Merlot has less than ripe green mint flavors along with the cherries and oak. It's fully dry, with a nice acid-tannin balance. | Lot #8 | 83 | 15 | California | Napa Valley | Napa | | | Tangley Oaks 2006 Lot #8 Merlot (Napa Valley) | Merlot | Tangley Oaks |
| 50609 | 50608 | Italy | This is one of those delicious amber-colored desserts wines that will put a smile on your face. The nose is richly redolent of dried apricot, honey, bee's wax, yellow rose and toasted almond. The mouthfeel is satin-like with cheerful sweetness and bright acidity. | Domus Aurea Passito | 91 | 35 | Central Italy | Albana di Romagna | | | | Stefano Ferrucci 2006 Domus Aurea Passito (Albana di Romagna) | Albana | Stefano Ferrucci |
| 50610 | 50609 | Chile | Looking for a juggernaut red that cries out for steak? Give this lush, stylish, nearly flawless Carmenère a shot and you won't be disappointed. The nose opens with toast, mineral, herbs, olive and berry fruit, and the palate is more of the same. In terms of feel, it's smooth and elegant, yet ripe and forceful. Finishes crusty and long. A winner from a winery that up until now hasn't shown much. | Cuvée | 91 | 20 | Rapel Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Misiones de Rengo 2007 Cuvée Carmenère (Rapel Valley) | Carmenère | Misiones de Rengo |