Blend/Other

Aged in a combination of steel tanks and oak barrels, Rouge starts off with a very fruit forward (the winemaker dares to call it jammy) nose of ripe black cherries, light bramble and just detectable mocha. On the tongue it fairly bursts with rich blackberry and cherry, a spritz of cola and a nice warm spice grace note. It is lush and mouth-filling through mid palate but the finish is a bit abrupt, clean rather than lingering.

Col Solare, Meritage (Columbia Valley), “Dark and dense, with crunchy tannins around a solid core of black cherry and currant flavors, shaded with notes of sage and a hint of wet stone. Finishes strong. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

The color is a dark and deep crimson red, while the bouquet displays notes of dark plums and chocolate with hints of coffee and toasty American oak. On th the palate are flavors of dark plums and spice, generously framed by toasty American oak with a soft and well structured mouthfilling texture. Enjoy Casillero del Diablo Carmenere with meats, ripe cheese and pasta.

A robust Malbec with intense dark fruits black pepper and vanilla. Full bodied fresh and fruity it has a long mouth finish.

Intense red in color with violet hues. Aromas of pepper, black plums, toast and vanilla. Soft body, harmonious with great balance and persistence. A harmonious wine with a good finish. Frontera Carménère is excellent with fresh vegetable dishes, chicken, duck, lamb, pork and fresh herb dishes. Also enjoy with pastas and aged cheeses.

The Brunello di Montalcino is a dazzling wine. The aromatics alone are haunting. Sweet red cherries, rosemary, sage, tobacco and cedar are woven into a fabric of nearly indescribable elegance. Costanti?s straight Brunello can sometimes lack a little depth in its fruit, but not in 2006. This totally complete, harmonious Brunello is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. It is a stunner. As delicious as the wine is now, it really needs at least a handful of years for the firm tannins to start melting away. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.

Cosentino deep crimson in color with sweet and spicy notes of fresh herbs and clove, layered over youthful fruit aromatics. Intense flavors of tart, dark fruit pair with hints of black pepper on the palate. This medium-to-full bodied wine has great structure and a long finish. Pair simply with bruscetta topped with Gorgonzola and walnuts, or with just about any protein off the BBQ. For elegant entertaining, try with roast duck finished with juniper berries.

Cote Mas color: Medium garnet with ruby tints. Bouquet: Intense and fruity nose with aromas of ripe black fruits, blackcurrant and a touch of liquorice. Taste: Smooth and soft with notes of concentrated and ripe berries with a touch of liquorice.

This glass-staining wine — purple-black in hue, with violet streaks — offers a wide range of aromas and flavors. We noted dark flowers, menthol, tobacco, vanilla, cola, minty chocolate and dark berry fruit, picking up some black licorice and black pepper as it opens up. Quite young now, its thick, medium-grain tannins bode well for the wine to evolve and come together over several years. If you’re not the patient type, decant it and enjoy it with roasted meats hot off the grill.

We fell head over heels for this intense, concentrated and well-structured blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its unique melding of red berry, mocha and hazelnut flavors make this wine an adventurous choice for grilled meats and spicy veggie stir fry.

Dashe Cellars dark red color. On the nose, black raspberry, wild strawberry, white pepper, spice, minerals. Luscious and velvety mouthfeel, sweet red fruit of strawberry and raspberry with hints of black currents, floral, slightly grainy tannins, long, mineral and earthy finish.

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Syrah, among others. Deep ruby with a glint of purple. Bold red fruit. Hint of oak. Black cherry, brown spice, mocha. All you'd want in a glass of red. Smooth, full, and satisfying.

Diseno Malbec is a deeply opaque purplish-red with a dense red core going out into a dark violet-red rim definition and medium-high viscosity. There are concentrated black cherries and licorice root, graphite, melted black licorice, spicy notes of bramble, blueberry crumble and hints of vanilla, musk, oak and earthy minerals. In the mouth, Diseno Malbec has dark berry fruit medley, melted English licorice, bittersweet dark chocolate and almost minty bursts of blackberry jam. The midpalate features a ripe tannin backbone and nice balance, finishing with a juicy kick of cherries and minerals. Diseno Malbec is a superb wine to consider for a summer dinner with tenderloin on the grill and a baked potato. It should drink well for another two to three years, and can be opened about a half-hour before consumption.

The nose here is the epitome of schistic Maury in its smoky (no doubt to some extent reductive) evocations of crushed stone, smoked meat, resinous herbs and black tea allied to sweetly-ripe, succulent profusion of cassis, black raspberry, and blueberry. There is a wonderful sense of polish here allied to underlying firmness as well as almost electric energy. Mouthwatering salinity adds to the irresistible appeal of a torrential finish rushing across a bed of stone, from which you pick yourself up eager to savor and explore the next sip

Domaine de Fontsainte the Laboucarié family has provided us with consistently outstanding Corbières for three decades. This boldly flavored red is bottled unfiltered, with an outrageous blaze of dark berries, black currants, and réglisse.

"Vivid ruby. Smoky cherry, red berry and potpourri scents show excellent clarity and pick up spiciness with aeration. Stains the palate with intense black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors, with a sexy floral pastille quality adding complexity. Finishes with impressive energy and thrust, firmed by fine-grained tannins and piquant minerality. Avril thinks that this will be an ager based on its balance. "