| 24691 | 24690 | US | One of the best inexpensive Pinot Noirs on the market, which is quite an achievement considering that most at this price are awful. The wine is dry and silky, with pleasant flavors of cola, cherries and spice. | | 85 | 11 | California | California | California Other | | | Cycles Gladiator 2008 Pinot Noir (California) | Pinot Noir | Cycles Gladiator |
| 24692 | 24691 | Portugal | A superripe, soft wine, all pear and yellow fruit flavors, touched with apricot juice and light honey and lemon. The wine rolls smoothly with a light texture of pear skins. | Sexy Branco | 85 | 13 | Alentejano | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Fitapreta Vinhos 2008 Sexy Branco White (Alentejano) | Portuguese White | Fitapreta Vinhos |
| 24693 | 24692 | US | Tastes sweet and honeyed in pineapple and lemon Lifesaver candy, with a sharp cut of acidity that tastes almost unnatural. Feels overly manipulated, but will appeal to lots of people. | Gannon Vineyard | 85 | 27 | California | Dry Creek Valley | Sonoma | | | Frick 2007 Gannon Vineyard Viognier (Dry Creek Valley) | Viognier | Frick |
| 24694 | 24693 | US | A bit quick on the finish, but otherwise a nice everyday Chardonnay. Shows a soft, buttercream texture, with dry, subtle flavors of pineapples, pears and buttered toast. | | 85 | 13 | California | Alexander Valley | Sonoma | | | Geyser Peak 2008 Chardonnay (Alexander Valley) | Chardonnay | Geyser Peak |
| 24695 | 24694 | US | Sharp and a bit volatile, this young Viognier tilts strongly to the orange side of citrus. Despite the fresh fruit flavors it feels a bit flat in the mouth, lacking vitality. | | 85 | 18 | Oregon | Umpqua Valley | Southern Oregon | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Melrose 2008 Viognier (Umpqua Valley) | Viognier | Melrose |
| 24696 | 24695 | Italy | Here's a pretty Pinot Grigio with broad aromas of peach, melon, cut grass and Golden Delicious apple. The wine boasts a luminous, light color and offers drying chalky tones and bright acidity in the mouth. | | 85 | 16 | Veneto | Piave | | | | Moletto 2008 Pinot Grigio (Piave) | Pinot Grigio | Moletto |
| 24697 | 24696 | Spain | Medicinal black fruit aromas are a little burnt and brambly, while the palate is snappy, acidic and tannic, with tomato, raspberry and oak-driven creaminess. Finishes dry, with a lasting flavor of vanilla that tempers overriding acidity. | Bajoz Crianza | 85 | 13 | Northern Spain | Toro | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Pagos del Rey 2005 Bajoz Crianza (Toro) | Tempranillo | Pagos del Rey |
| 24698 | 24697 | Portugal | A lively, fresh, lightly sweet wine, with raspberry and caramel flavors. It is crisp, but soft with an easy balancing acidity. | Espirito Rosé | 85 | 10 | Tejo | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima 2008 Espirito Rosé Red (Tejo) | Portuguese Red | Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima |
| 24699 | 24698 | US | There are some fine flavors of cassis and cedar in this dry Merlot-based Bordeaux blend, but it has textural challenges in the tough tannins and cutting acidity that seems to come from green fruit or stems. Drink now. | Eros Estate | 85 | 56 | California | Santa Ynez Valley | Central Coast | | | Sunstone 2006 Eros Estate Red (Santa Ynez Valley) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Sunstone |
| 24700 | 24699 | Portugal | This popular wine is about fresh fruit, vividly displayed with red cherries and red plum flavors, light tannins and easy acidity. To drink now. | Marquês de Borba | 85 | 15 | Alentejo | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | J. Portugal Ramos 2008 Marquês de Borba Red (Alentejo) | Portuguese Red | J. Portugal Ramos |
| 24701 | 24700 | Portugal | The Estremadura region, north of Lisbon, is at the western extremity of mainland Europe. It produces a good line in this style of fresh, crisp wines, light and bright. There is just a hint of sweetness, with currant flavors and a final softness. | Point West | 85 | 9 | Estremadura | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | DFJ Vinhos 2008 Point West White (Estremadura) | Portuguese White | DFJ Vinhos |
| 24702 | 24701 | Spain | Neutral for the most part, with a slight citric pungency. Tastes like apple, spice and dried papaya, and the feel is round as opposed to zesty or angular. Lasting on the back end, with a final note of grapefruit. | | 85 | 13 | Northern Spain | Rueda | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Emina 2008 Verdejo-Viura (Rueda) | Verdejo-Viura | Emina |
| 24703 | 24702 | France | A big, spicy wine, packed with new wood as well as ripe, soft fruit. It's smooth, polished and balanced. Fine tannins add to the structure. | | 91 | | Bordeaux | Saint-Julien | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Beychevelle 2008 Saint-Julien | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Beychevelle |
| 24704 | 24703 | France | The Pauillac vineyard under the same ownership as Château Peyrabon has produced an impressive 2008. It has power and intensity with the ripe, smooth fruits given muscle by the dark, chewy tannins. It's designed for aging, wait five years at least. | | 91 | | Bordeaux | Pauillac | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château La Fleur Peyrabon 2008 Pauillac | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château La Fleur Peyrabon |
| 24705 | 24704 | France | Attractive perfumed wine, rich, soft, generous and opulent. It has powerful, ripe fruit flavors of black berry and sweet plum that gives great richness. | | 91 | | Bordeaux | Pomerol | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Nenin 2008 Pomerol | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Nenin |
| 24706 | 24705 | France | Olivier gets better each year, with the 2008 showing concentrated ripe tannins in a rounded structure of delicious black plum fruit. The tannins suggests that the wine could age well. | | 91 | | Bordeaux | Pessac-Léognan | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Olivier 2008 Pessac-Léognan | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Olivier |
| 24707 | 24706 | New Zealand | Always dark in color and flavor profile, Craggy Range stays true to those traits with an excellent 2008 from its own Te Muna Road Vineyard. Hints of cocoa, dried herb and leather accent vibrant black cherry and plum flavors, while the tannins are silky and refined. Drink now–2015. | Te Muna Road Vineyard | 90 | 39 | Martinborough | | | Joe Czerwinski | @JoeCz | Craggy Range 2008 Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir (Martinborough) | Pinot Noir | Craggy Range |
| 24708 | 24707 | Chile | A deep, dark Syrah with cola, spice, pepper, cedar and olive notes to go with more familiar blackberry and mocha. The palate is deep and pure, with juicy acidity pushing herbal berry and layered spice flavors. Has good flow and feel, and overall it strikes the right chords. | Single Vineyard | 90 | 21 | Aconcagua Valley | | | Michael Schachner | @wineschach | Errazuriz 2008 Single Vineyard Syrah (Aconcagua Valley) | Syrah | Errazuriz |
| 24709 | 24708 | US | A six-grape Rhône blend, this does not lose focus or intensity. It strikes the palate head-on with flavors of dried leaf, prune, cooked cherry, cinnamon and mocha. But despite the raisin/prune flavors, it does not seem overripe or in any way over the hill. Rather, these superripe flavors have somehow been tamed, the alcohol is just over 14%, and the wine leaves a sinuous, sensuous trail of flavor as it moves through the palate. | Rouge des Coteaux | 90 | 18 | Washington | Yakima Valley | Columbia Valley | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Olsen Estates 2008 Rouge des Coteaux Red (Yakima Valley) | Rhône-style Red Blend | Olsen Estates |
| 24710 | 24709 | Italy | This elegant Brunello shows loads of Montalcino typicity thanks to its aromas of cherry, forest floor, moist earth, dried violets and white almond. It delivers a tight, streamlined feel that is driven forward by the wine's polished tannins and bright acidity. | | 90 | 50 | Tuscany | Brunello di Montalcino | | | | Palazzo 2006 Brunello di Montalcino | Sangiovese Grosso | Palazzo |
| 24711 | 24710 | US | Smooth and seductive, scented with sandalwood, tasting of butterfat, toast and chocolate, layered around generous fruit. Cherry, currant and plum lead into polished tannins and lots of chocolaty oak. | Serendipity | 90 | 40 | Washington | Washington | Washington Other | Paul Gregutt | @paulgwine | Red Sky 2007 Serendipity Red (Washington) | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Red Sky |
| 24712 | 24711 | France | Lots of new wood here, very spicy, toasty on the nose and palate. There is a dense, firm tannic character as well and the finish offers fresh flavors, typical of 2008. For medium-term aging over 5–7 years. | | 90 | | Bordeaux | Margaux | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Kirwan 2008 Margaux | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Kirwan |
| 24713 | 24712 | France | A rounded wine, surprisingly soft for a Pauillac. The tannins are ripe, with chocolate and sweet black currant fruit flavors along with spice and some toast. | | 90 | | Bordeaux | Pauillac | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Château Pibran 2008 Pauillac | Bordeaux-style Red Blend | Château Pibran |
| 24714 | 24713 | Portugal | Soft, spicy wine, almost tangy in character, with black currant and red cherry fruit flavors and an attractive edge of spice. The acidity gives a lift to the sweetness. | Senhora da Ribeira Vintage | 90 | | Port | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Dow's 2008 Senhora da Ribeira Vintage (Port) | Port | Dow's |
| 24715 | 24714 | US | Drew used to release this bottling some 16 or 17 months after the vintage. This wine has been rushed to market at barely more than a year of age. As a result, this young wine shows the ripe flavors and structural integrity of earlier vintages, such as the wonderful 2007, but it's rude in jam and acids. If you buy it, do what the winery should have: store it for at least an additional year, and better yet, three. | Fog-Eater | 90 | 40 | California | Alexander Valley | Sonoma | | | Drew 2009 Fog-Eater Pinot Noir (Alexander Valley) | Pinot Noir | Drew |
| 24716 | 24715 | US | A deliciously savory wine, brisk in lip-smacking acidity, with the strong, pure flavors of limes, Meyer lemons and kiwi fruits that mark this cool climate region of San Luis Obispo County. Pretty much as good as Edna Valley Chardonnay gets. Drink now. | Oliver's Vineyard | 90 | 32 | California | Edna Valley | Central Coast | | | Talley 2008 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay (Edna Valley) | Chardonnay | Talley |
| 24717 | 24716 | Portugal | With attractive wood aging and lemon flavors, this is a delicious, rich wine. It needs a couple of years, while already developing well. Acidity enlivens green plum and red apple flavors. | Chocapalha Reserva Branco | 90 | | Lisboa | | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Quinta de Chocapalha 2009 Chocapalha Reserva Branco White (Lisboa) | Portuguese White | Quinta de Chocapalha |
| 24718 | 24717 | Italy | This Riserva expression of Chianti Classico reveals ripe richness and plush layers of blackberry, cherry, spice, leather and tobacco. Smooth tannins and a compact texture would match white meat or pork. | Riserva | 90 | 26 | Tuscany | Chianti Classico | | | | Rocca delle Macìe 2006 Riserva (Chianti Classico) | Sangiovese | Rocca delle Macìe |
| 24719 | 24718 | France | This simplest, freshest and lightest of Chablis styles has a refreshing lemon character, a light touch of melon and crisp acidity. Drink now. | | 86 | | Burgundy | Petit Chablis | | Roger Voss | @vossroger | Domaine Laroche 2011 Petit Chablis | Chardonnay | Domaine Laroche |
| 24720 | 24719 | US | The dryness and low alcohol are praiseworthy, but more challenging are hard tannins and biting acidity. With blackberry and sweet green-herb flavors, it's the opposite of today's ripe cult style, but by no means unattractive. | | 86 | 25 | California | Paicines | Central Coast | | | Donati 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paicines) | Cabernet Sauvignon | Donati |