2003 Quinta do Portal Douro Grande Reserva

**2003 Quinta do Portal Douro Grande Reserva (Portugal, Douro)** The nose had cherry and raspberry, with a slight hint of earthy dirt, and some coffee and vanilla. The palate was very tannic, and had dirt, mocha, cherry, and an oaky finish. (86 pts.)

2007 Foxglove Chardonnay

**2007 Foxglove Chardonnay (USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley)** The nose had apple, tropical fruit, and vanilla spice. The palate was crisp, with good acidity, and had apple, stone, tropical fruit, and a pleasant spice finish. (87 pts.)

90-Pointers, Red and White

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=7973) I tasted today:

* **2005 Zind-Humbrecht Muscat Goldert - France, Alsace, Gueberschwihr, Alsace Grand Cru AOC**
The nose had gasoline and tire rubber, mixed with honey, citrus, and apple. The palate was crisp and clean, and had turpentine, apple, honeydew, and a great stone finish. (93 pts.)
* **2007 David Arthur Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford**
The nose had lemon, orange, grass, and some dried herbs. The palate had lots of acidity and richness, with lemon-lime, stone, and a grass and herb finish. (92 pts.)
* **2007 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Kamptaler Terrassen - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal**
The nose had apricot, peach, citrus, and a little stone at the end. The palate was crisp and clean, and had apple, citrus, minerals, and a peach and orange zest finish. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Bodega Mustiguillo Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo Mestizaje - Spain, Valencia, Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo**
The nose had cherry and black currant, vanilla, wet dirt. The palate was soft, and had earth, vanilla, black currant, and a cherry finish. (90 pts.)
* **2005 Nota Bene Cellars Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain**
The nose had spice, chocolate, raspberry, cherry, and a little vanilla. The palate was soft, and had espresso, spice, black currant, and a cherry finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Syrah Seven Hills Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley**
The nose had spice, black currant, plum, and some licorice at the end. The palate was soft, and had pepper, licorice, black currant, and a plum finish. (90 pts.)
* **2007 Red Car Pinot Noir The Trolley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast**
The nose had blackberry, spice, and black cherry. The palate was rich and thick, and had blackberry, spice, and cherry. (91 pts.)
* **2006 Paloma Syrah Palomita Hamilton Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District**
THe nose had blackberry, spice, plum, and a little earth. The palate was soft, and had blackberry, spice, plum, and an earthy finish. (90 pts.)

2006 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette

**2006 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette (France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie)** The nose had stone and cherry, a little dirt and strawberry, and a floral finish. The palate had a nice dose of acidity, with lots of strawberry, some minerality, and a dirt and flower finish. (89 pts.)

Tuscan Reds and Pinot Gris of the World

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=7921) I tasted today:

* **2004 Cabreo Il Borgo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose had tar, ink, pancetta, and a bit of chocolate towards the end. The palate was rich and thick, and had ink, tar, chocolate and a bacon finish. (92 pts.)
* **2004 Castello di Volpaia Balifico Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose had blackberry, pepper, black currant, spice, and a little oak. The palate had blackberry, spice, pepper, and a good black currant finish. (91 pts.)
* **2006 Casanova di Neri Rosso di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino**
The nose had tar and smoke, with small amounts of cherry. THe palate was soft, and had cherry, smoke, cedar, and a bunch of tar on the finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Lucien Albrecht Pinot Gris Cuvée Romanus - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC**
The nose had peach, honey, stone, and a gasoline mixed with rubber smell. The palate was crisp, and slightly sweet, and had stone, rubber, gasoline, and a little peach on the finish. (89 pts.)
* **2005 Masi Serègo Alighieri in Toscana Poderi del Bello Ovile Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT**
The nose had cherry and spice, with small amounts of strawberry and oak. THe palate had cedar, strawberry, cherry, and an oaky finish. (88 pts.)
* **2004 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino**
The nose had sandalwood, raspberry, and some floral notes. The palate was soft and rich, and had berries, vanilla, and spicy finish. (94 pts.)
* **2006 Querciabella Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico**
The nose had barnyard, tobacco, raspberry, and floral notes. The palate was rich and slightly sweet, and had berries, earth, tobacco, and a great floral finish. (92 pts.)
* **1999 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva Coltassala - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico**
The nose had earth, cherry, violets, and some raspberry towards the end. The palate was soft, and had floral notes, cherry, cedar, and a raspberry finish. (91 pts.)

2006 Tuck's Ridge Pinot Noir

**2006 Tuck's Ridge Pinot Noir (Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula)** The nose had rhubarb and cherry, a touch of brown spice and earth, and ended with a little vanilla. The palate was juicy and a sweet, with a health bit of acidity, and had cherry, rhubarb, spice, earth, and a little oak on the finish. (90 pts.)

2007 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block Atoosa Vineyard Russian River Valley

**2007 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block Atoosa Vineyard Russian River Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley)** The nose had licorice and tar, some raspberry, and a faint hint of flowers and oak. The palate was soft and rich, and had dark berries, pepper, licorice, and a finish of tar and oak. (92 pts.)

2006 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Bucher

**2006 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Bucher (USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley)** The nose had cranberry and earth, with small amounts of vanilla, mocha, and cake spice. The palate was soft and slightly sweet, and had cranberry, vanilla, cake spice, cherry, and a little espresso on the finish. (91 pts.)

Customer is the Critic!

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=7876) I tasted today:

* **2005 Whitman Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley**
The nose had espresso, tar, black currant, raspberry, and a little earth. The palate had olives, tar, raspberry, earth, and some black currant on the finish. (91 pts.)
* **2004 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva Coltassala - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico**
The nose had tobacco, tar, raspberry, and cherry. The palate had smoke and tobacco, with a little cedar, and some cherry and raspberry on the finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Moorilla Pinot Noir - Australia, Tasmania**
The nose had rhubarb, cherry, spice, and a little vanilla. The palate was smooth, and had cherry, rhubarb, earth, and a nice oaky finish. (90 pts.)
* **2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Col Solare "Shining Hill" - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley**
The nose had sweet raspberry and black currant, with hints of oak and spice. The palate had black currant, spice, oak, and some raspberry on the finish. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Ferraton Père & Fils St. Joseph La Source - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph**
The nose had peaches, floral notes, stone, and beeswax. The palate was crisp and clean, and had stone, peach, and floral notes. (89 pts.)
* **2006 Snowden Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford**
The nose had grass, pineapple, grapefruit, and a little stone at the end. The palate was crisp and clean, and had stone, grapefruit, and a slightly grassy finish. (88 pts.)
* **2002 Ilona - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain**
The nose had rhubarb, cherry and spice. The palate had cherry, oak, spice, and a rhubarb finish. (88 pts.)
* **2006 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley**
The nose had smoke, graphite, cassis, spice, and vanilla. The palate had cassis, spice, pencil lead, cassis, and a vanilla finish. (93 pts.)
* **2007 Red Car Pinot Noir Heaven & Earth La Bohème - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley**
The nose had blackberry, cherry, earth, and spice. The palate had blackberry, vanilla, spice, earth, and a good cherry finish. (93 pts.)

2005 Nevada City Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Contour--Director's Reserve

**2005 Nevada City Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Contour--Director's Reserve (USA, California, Sierra Foothills)** The nose had black currant, mocha, cherry, spice, and a little earth and vanilla. The palate was a little tannic, but had black currant, spice, espresso, cherry, and some oak on the finish. (86 pts.)

2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

**2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley)** The nose had black cherry and spice, a little cranberry and forest floor, and some vanilla towards the end. The palate was extremely soft, and had cranberry, cherry, forest floor, spice, and a somewhat chocolaty finish. (92 pts.)

1999 Castello di Volpaia Coltassala Toscana IGT

**1999 Castello di Volpaia Coltassala Toscana IGT (Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT)** The nose had a nice backbone of cedar, along with sweet cherry, raspberry, vanilla, and some spicy earth at the end. The palate was smooth and slightly sweet, and had cherry, cedar, pepper, and a faint oaky finish. (90 pts.)

Red and White Burgundy

Here are the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=7832) I tasted today:

* **2005 Domaine du Prieure Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru**
The nose had black currant, cherry, and raspberry, with just a little spice. The palate was smooth, and had cherry, spice, raspberry, black currant, and an earthy finish. (92 pts.)
* **2006 Philippe Girard Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune**
The nose had black raspberry, and black cherry, with just a touch of earthiness. The palate was velvety smooth, and had good acidity, and earth and dark berry flavors. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Mâcon-Uchizy Les Maranches - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Uchizy**
The nose had lychees, citrus, apple, and a little earth on the back end. The palate was crisp, and had stone, earth, lemon, and a good lychee finish. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Louis Jadot Pommard - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard**
The nose had raspberry, spice, cherry, oak, and a bit of earth. The palate was super smooth, and had earth, sour cherry, and a nice earthy finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Domaine A'Dair Chablis - France, Burgundy, Chablis**
The nose had apple, tropical fruit , peach, and stone. The palate was crisp with loads of minerality, some lemon, and a touch of earth on the finish. (89 pts.)
* **2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru**
The nose had grilled peaches, vanilla, pear, citrus, and spicy apricot. The palate was crisp and sweet, and had vanilla, pear, peach, and a spicy/smoky finish. (93 pts.)
* **2005 Domaine Francois Mikulski Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru**
The nose had tree sap, spice, cherry liqueur, and raspberry. The palate was soft, and had raspberry, earth, sour cherry, and a vanilla finish. (91 pts.)

2007 Olson Ogden Syrah Napa / Sonoma

**2007 Olson Ogden Syrah Napa / Sonoma (USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma)** The nose had lots of dusty raspberry, with hints of blueberry and smoke, and some tar and vanilla. The palate was rich and slightly sweet, and had blueberry, raspberry, tar, pepper, vanilla, and good smoky finish. (91 pts.)

2006 Monte del Frá Bianco di Custoza

**2006 Monte del Frá Bianco di Custoza (Italy, Veneto, Bianco di Custoza)** The nose had peach and pear, some floral notes, and a touch of spice and vanilla at the end. The palate was very crisp and floral, and had pea,r spice, stone, and a nice mineral finish. (87 pts.)