"Second Place Isn't Always Bad" Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc

Here's the [wines](http://www.cellartracker.com//event.asp?iEvent=8723) I tasted today:

* **2005 Château La Fleur de Lescours - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru** The nose is a major fruit bomb! There was a lot of black cherry and black currant, but also some spicy cedar, and earth. The palate was also very fruity, with a nice herbaceous characteristic. It finished with a good forest floor flavor. (91 pts.)
* **2007 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose started with quite a bit of fig, followed by melon, honey, and just a touch of grapefruit at the end. The initial attack on the palate was all honey. That gave way to ripe fig, and citrus. It finished with an interesting floral and petrol flavor. (91 pts.)
* **2005 Veraison Merlot Krupp Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak** The nose started off with blueberry and olives, and transitioned to herbs, raspberry, and mushrooms. The palate was very smooth, and had raspberry and blueberry, earth, herbs, and a pretty good cedar finish. (90 pts.)
* **2006 Chappellet Vineyard Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley** The nose had a lot of pepper, mixed with raspberry and cherry. The palate had a lot of sweet, dark fruit. This was followed by smoke, and a good licorice finish. (89 pts.)
* **2007 Château de la Roche Touraine - France, Loire Valley, Touraine** The nose had more honey than I was expecting. It also had a lot of ripe citrus and tropical fruit. At the end was just the slightest bit of grass. The palate did not have the honey that the nose did, but it had great sour citrus, grass, and a nice stone finish. (89 pts.)
* **2003 Vérité La Muse - USA, California, Sonoma County** The nose on this smells like my morning cup of coffee. It also had dark chocolate, red berries, and a little bit of smoked meat on the end. The palate was very rich. It had mocha, smoke, chocolate, red berries, and a finish that was full of incense. (92 pts.)
* **2006 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Sauvage - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre** The nose had a whole bunch of lime, a little honey, some stone, and a slightly grassy finish. The palate was very crisp, and had a lot of minerals. The mid-palate exploded with lime, and it finished with a little grassiness. (89 pts.)