Georges DuBoeuf Saint-Amour 2009

• Area: France, Saint-Amour
• Grape: Gamay
• Alcohol: 13%
• Rating: Black B Dilettante B

Description: Cherry blossoms, violets and herbs make up this lively Beaujolais. Better slightly chilled. No decant.

Price: $10

Andezon 2008

• Area: France, Cotes du Rhone
• Grape: 90% Syrah, 10% Grenache
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black C Dilettante C-

Description: Coffee, spice with herbal notes and maybe a little black cherry. So weak on the palate, we weren't sure what was in there. The road tar finish dominates. Unimpressive and rather boring. Decanting for 20 minutes softens the harsh acidity but does little else. Wine Advocate gives this a much better review. We obviously disagree.

Quite different from the 2007.

Price: $11

Sorry, no photo.

E.Guigal Cotes Du Rhone 2007

• Area: France, Cotes du Rhone
• Grape: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black B- Dilettante C

Description: Leather, spice and some dark fruit, highlighted by a lingering finish. This has a nice mouth feel, unfortunately it lacks in personality. We consider this as an unobtrusive, drinkable table wine. It doesn't compete with food.

Price: $12

Puydeval 2008

Area: France, Languedoc
Grape: 60% Cab Franc, 28% Syrah, 12% Merlot
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: Black 88 Dilettante 88

Description: This wine has a depth of character that's better than its price and youth, would suggest. New World in styling, this has thick flavors of plums, vanilla, mulberry, incense and spice . The incredibly long finish is dry with a touch of minerality.


Price: $12

Chateau De France Pessac Leognan 2003

• Area: France, Pessac-Leognan
• Grape: Cab Sauv 60%, Merlot 40%
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Rating: Black 91 Dilettante 91

Description: So very French aromas of purple flowers, elderberry and espresso beans. Great balance and elegance with a bone dry black currant lift on the finish. Decanting for 20 minutes softens the sharp edges nicely.


Price: $20

Lawrence Feraud Seguret 2007

• Area: France, Cotes du Rhone Villages
• Grape: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Rating: Black 86 Dilettante 85

Description: This wine is difficult to specifically pin down because it continuously morphs as it airs. The first sip is different from the 3rd, the 10th and the last. Generally speaking, it has a tantalizing perfume nose. Round in the mouth with notes of licorice, lavender, spice and dark fruits. Sweet tannins on a lingering finish are reminiscent of cherry Robitussin. Decanting not recommended.


Price: $15

Chateau De Bousquet 2005

• Area: France, Bordeaux, Cotes De Bourg
• Grape: Merlot, Cab Sauv
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Rating: Black 90 Dilettante 89

Description: Herbs and leather come together to give the nose an earthy quality. Smooth in the mouth with subtle flavors of black cherry, chocolate and berries. Old World in styling with a restrained tastefulness. Nice balance and depth. The finish is so very dry with dark fruits and soft tannins.

Price: $14

Food: This was nice with a lemon pepper roast chicken.

Catherine le Goeuil "Cuvee Lea Felsch" Carianne 2006

• Area: France, Cotes du Rhone Villages
• Grape: Unknown blend
• Alcohol: 14.5%
• Rating: Black 88 Dilettante 89

Description: Sweet dark fruits such as blackberry and mulberry with a touch of spice and cigar box. The driven finish is dry, with a wet stone nuance. Decanting not required. Organic.

Price: $12

Andezon 2007

• Area: france, Cotes du Rhone
• Grape: 90% Syrah (40 yr vines), 10% Grenache (60 yr vines)
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black B Dilettante B

Description: The nose and attack have bland notes of flowers, dark fruit and licorice. When first opened, a crisp acidity dominates. After 20 minutes in the decanter, notes of cherry, candy apple and black current appear. The lingering finish is dry with hints of black pepper and jam.


Price: $11

Alain Jaume & Fils Grand Veneur Reserve 2007

• Area: France, Cotes Du Rhone
• Grape: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black 88 Dilettante 88

Description: Lovely tones of vanilla, toast, dark ripe fruit, forest floor and saddle leather make up the nose. Peppery black licorice on the attack with a plush mouth feel. Lots of dark fruit with a sweet 'n sour character gives way to a lingering, spicy finish. Decanting not required.

Chateau d'Or et de Gueules

• Area: France, Costieres DeNimes
• Grape: 45% Syrah, 35% Old Carignan, 20% Grenache
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black 86 Dilettante 87

Description: A bright, red fruit salad sprinkled with spice. Silky and supple in the mouth with a touch of rusticity. The finish is dry and lingering with flavors of dew kissed strawberries. Decant 15 - 20 minutes to soften up the cranberry high notes.

Price: $15

Domaine des Aubisieres Vouvray 2008

• Area: France, Vouvray, Loir
• Grape: Chenin Blanc
• Alcohol: 13%
• Rating: Black 89 Dilettante 90

Description: Lychee, honeysuckle, pineapple and starfruit make up the enticing nose. Honeysuckle on the attack accents the glycerin mouth feel. Flavors of gooseberry seeds, husk cherry, pineapple, yellow fruits and a touch of honey, lead to a bright, zesty, lingering finish. Nice concentration and elegance.

Price: $15

Note: Screw Top

Les Quatre Tours Prestige 2005

• Area: France, Provence
• Grape: 40% Grenache, 40% Cab Sauv, 20% Syrah
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black 89 Dilettante 89

Description: Aromas of spice, cloves, leather, oak, eucalyptus and cherry waft out of the glass. Oh so cherry on the attack and bold in sassy in the mouth. Integrated flavors of currents, spice, vanilla, black pepper and red fruits. Old world style with a new world lift. The 05 is brighter and sassier than the 04. Darker elements of prunes and dried fruits appear with some air. Decanting not required.

Price: $17

Olivier Leflaive Les Setilles 2006

• Area: France, Burgundy
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Rating: Black 88 Dilettante 88 Nwjr 89

Description: Elements of pineapple, oak and apricot are the core flavors of this wine. The attack is subtle with hints of sweet fruit. The finish is nicely dry with a lingering presence of pineapple.

Price: $20

Food: Skate with coral mushrooms

Domaine La Garrigue Cuvee Romaine 2007

• Area: France, Cotes du Rhone
• Grape: 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black 90 Dilettante 91

Description: The nose has wonderful aromas of flowers, blackberries, ripe black fruit and a touch of road tar for a nice low note. The attack is fruity with a brandy undertone. Old-vine jammyness supports well balanced flavors of red fruit, spice, leather, licorice and oak. The finish is lingering with a pleasant acidity for good lift. Full bodied yet lighter in style, this wine has excellent depth. For this reason, I gave it one point more than the 2006 vintage. This wine is unfiltered, so it may throw some shmutz. Decanting not required.


Price: $12

Sainte Fleur Triennes Viognier 2006

• Area: France, Var Provence
• Grape: Viognier
• Alcohol: 13%
• Rating: Black 90 Dilettante 92

Description: Luscious nose of apricot, peach, honey, flowers and straw. The attack is lightly citrus. Rich and complex, the nose follows through on the palate. It's all wrapped around a lightly creamy core. Very suave and never cloying. The finish is vibrant, light and dry with a nice touch of slate and caramel.


Price: $14

Chateau Bois de Naud 2005

• Area: France, Bordeaux
• Grape: 70% Merlot, 20% Cab Sauv, 10% Cab Franc
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Rating: Black 83 Dilettante 83 Nwjr 82

Description: This unoffensive, thin French table wine has notes of spice and red fruits. It is smooth and quite soft in the mouth. It tastes fine, there just isn't a whole lot going on. Nwjr said, "This is the kind of wine I would take to a party just for the label." Decanting required.

Price: $11

Chapelle-St-Arnoux 2004

• Area: France, Gigondas
• Grape: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
• Alcohol: 14%
• Rating: Black 86 Dilettante 87

Description: Red fruit jam dominates the nose with accents of flowers and oak. The main intensity of flavors, orange spice and red fruit, come after the attack. The finish is softly tannic with a nice lift. This is a pleasant, every-day style wine.

Price: $13

Barton & Guestier 2004

• Area: France, St Emilion
• Grape: Merlot, Cab Franc
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Rating: Black 87 Dilettante 87

Description: A pleasant Bordeaux table wine that's full and round in the mouth. Elements of oak and spice are wrapped around a red fruit core. It has a sour cherry lift, slightly bitter undertone and a lingering finish. Decant this for 5-10 minutes to take the edge off.

Domaine La Garrigue Cuvee Romaine 2006

Area: France, Cotes Du Rhone
Grape: 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: Black 90 Dilettante 90

Description: The nose has notes of lilac, black raspberry, cherry and a hint of spice. The attack is jammy and rich. Flavors of dark fruit, wood and a hint of spice is round and smooth in the mouth. This wine is pleasant and friendly with soft tannins on the finish. Decanting not required.

Price: $11 This is a great deal.