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Wine Scores
Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.
- Allen Meadows - Burghound
- Connoisseurs Guide
- Gambero Rosso
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
- International Wine Cellar
- Wine & Spirits
- Wine Enthusiast
- Wine Spectator
- The Wine News
- Malt Advocate
Reviewers
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Staff Favorites - Doug Davidson
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Reviews
2008 Cazar Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 11-17-2009
A great Russian River pinot at a remarkable price. Lots of lush cherry cola fruit and silky texture, with a long finish pie spice. Great winemaking at a great price.
Price: $19.99
2007 Efeste Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Review Date: 11-17-2009
A really complex and wonderful sauvignon blanc from a great new Washington producer. Flavors of candied lemon peel and ginger, with a long finish. Delicious!
Price: $15.99
Tarlant Brut Reserve Champagne
Review Date: 11-17-2009
A delicious and classic brut Champagne, with nice toasty notes and a rich creamy texture, finishing with refreshing acidity. A great all-around Champagne for the holiday season!
Price: $34.99
2007 Tenuta di Sesta Rosso di Montalcino
Review Date: 11-17-2009
Another great value in '07 Rosso di Montalcino. Bright cherry and spice flavors with great balance make this a great food wine to have on hand for any occasion
Price: $16.99
2004 Monteviejo "Festivo" Malbec Mendoza
Review Date: 11-11-2009
With great flavors of black fruit and winter spice, this is an awesome wine to pair with cool-weather stews and braises, and at a price that makes it easy to keep on hand.
Price: $11.99
2007 Belle Pente Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-14-2009
They describe this as their “economic stimulus package” pinot noir, and it certainly delivers a lot for the dollar. The wine has a very old-world style, with scents of crushed rose petals, dried cranberries, and pine forest notes. Bright red cherry flavors fill the mouth, with cinnamon spice, minerality, and refreshing acidity.
Price: $19.99
2007 Antech "Cuvee Eugenie" Cremant de Limoux
Review Date: 10-13-2009
This is my top choice in value sparkling wine. A delicious wine with toasty aromas and bright citrus flavors, this is a great choice for the holidays, whether on its own or as the base of a perfect sparkling cocktail.
Price: $13.99
2007 Baricci Rosso di Montalcino
Review Date: 10-13-2009
My favorite of the '07 Rosso's, this wine has delicious black cherry fruit and an elegance that goes way beyond it's price tag. Rich, balanced, and awesome now, this wine will just improve on the next few years.
Price: $19.99
2007 Brandborg Umpqua Valley Gewürztraminer
Review Date: 10-13-2009
This wine shows perfect varietal aromas, with peach, white pepper and floral notes filling the glass. On the palate, the peach flavors are joined with a touch of pink grapefruit and spice, balanced with a great acidity which offsets the slightly off-dry nature of the wine. The mouth-coasting texture leaves a delicious lingering white tea flavor.
Price: $14.99
2006 Campo Viejo Tempranillo Crianza Rioja Spain
Review Date: 10-13-2009
The new vintage of this great everyday rioja is every bit as delicious as last year's. Still the same great red fruit with a bit of tannic grip on the finish. An outstanding red for cool evenings!
Price: $9.99
2005 Cellers Capafons Oso "Sirsell" Priorat
Review Date: 10-13-2009
This is a great value in traditional Priorat. Loaded with lots of black currant and spice aromas, this wiine delivers a big juicy mouthfull of blackberry and a nice grip on the finish. Just the thing to enjoy with a thick porterhouse!
Price: $18.99
2007 Owen Roe "Ex-Umbris" Columbia Valley Syrah
Review Date: 10-13-2009
One of my favorite syrahs in the store, this blend of fruit from four different Columbia Valley vineyards shows perfect variet character, with aromas of smokey bacon and dark blueberry fruit. Lush and delicious but balanced with great acidity, this wine is irresistible.
Price: $19.99
Tarlant Brut Zero Champagne
Review Date: 10-13-2009
I love this Champagne! Crisp and dry, but with a great texture and bright citrus flavors, this is a perfect aperitif. A great holiday sparkler for those who like their wines dry.
Price: $34.99
2007 Westrey "Abbey Ridge" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 10-13-2009
This is another outstanding entry from Westrey, with an expressive nose of raspberries, winter spice, and black tea. This wine has a beautiful silky texture that fills your mouth with sweet red fruits and vanilla spice, all balanced by tangy acidity and smooth tannins, with a long lingering finish of red berries and a touch of cola.
Price: $34.99
2006 Castle Rock Columbia Valley Syrah
Review Date: 9-15-2009
Amazingly good for the price. The nose shows deep, rich scents of blueberry, white pepper, and a whiff of meaty smoke, all of which follows through on the palate. This wine shows great Washington State acidity and just a touch grip on the finish. A truly remarkable wine for the price, and one you’ll want on hand through the winter.
Price: $6.99
2007 St. Innocent "Villages Cuvée" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 9-15-2009
This beautiful pinot is a blend of grapes from the Vitae Springs, Freedom Hill, and Zenith Vineyards located in the northern Willamette Valley. The nose shows beautiful bright fruit aromas of red cherry, a touch of earth, and warm spice notes. On the palate, this wine shows tangy red berry fruit, great acidity, and enough structure to improve in the cellar for a few years, but it certainly tastes delicious now.
Price: $21.99
2007 Substance Washington Cabernet Sauvignon
Review Date: 9-15-2009
The 2007 Substance Washington Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.99) is just the thing to have with a nice juicy rib roast. This 100% Cabernet shows great varietal aromas of red currant and cassis, with a nice touch of mocha and a whiff of smoke. The great rich cabernet flavors fill your mouth with tangy blackberry fruit and winter spice, with great balance and a long finish of cocoa spice and silky tannins. Great now, this wine will definitely improve for another five or more years
Price: $19.99
2006 Corvidae by Owen Roe "Lenore" Columbia Valley Syrah
Review Date: 8-9-2009
Being a big fan of Washington Syrah, and an even bigger fan of a good value, I was especially pleased with the 2006 Corvidae "Lenore" Columbia Valley Syrah. This wine shows great Syrah character, with robust aromas of tangy blueberry and a touch of smoky bacon. The wine delivers a mouth full of delicious blackberry fruit and peppery spice offset with tangy acid and great texture, finishing with a nice touch of tannic grip. This is a wine that definitely over-delivers on its price.
Price: $12.99
2008 Corvidae by Owen Roe "Mirth" Columbia Valley Chardonnay
Review Date: 8-9-2009
This wine is all about crisp pure fruit, undergoing no malolactic fermentation and never touching oak. Bright and tangy aromas of green apple and lemon peel make this refreshing wine smell like a summer day. On the palate, this wine is full of crisp citrus fruit and balanced acidity, making it a great food wine to pair with any lighter fare or just sipping on the patio.
Price: $10.99
2007 Corvidae by Owen Roe "Rook" Columbia Valley Red Blend
Review Date: 8-9-2009
With a robust nose of rich black cherry, mocha, and a whiff of Syrah smoke, this is definitely not a shy wine. Lots of ripe fruit flavors are here, with cassis and plums dominating, but it’s all kept in balance by ample acidity and chewy tannins. This big wine is still very young, and it really showed its stuff after an hour in the decanter, so I’d highly recommend getting this bottle open while you’re mixing your pre-dinner cocktails!
Price: $12.99
Launois "Cuvée Reserve" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 8-9-2009
This great Champagne is always a top pick of mine for anything from toasting a special occasion to starting a meal off right. It has beautiful aromatics of citrus and toasted brioche, with great texture and refreshing acidity. All that and a bottle that makes for a great presentation - what's not to like?
Price: $34.99
Antech "Emotion" Cremant de Limoux Rosé
Review Date: 7-20-2009
This is one of my favorite sparkling rosés in the under-$20 category. Bright strawberry aromas, great tangy red fruit and a creamy texture make this wine a winner to serve as an aperitif or with lighter foods.
Top Value!
Price: $14.99
2004 Eric Lecours "Sweeney Canyon Vineyard" Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay
Review Date: 7-5-2009
A tiny production Chardonnay from winemaker Eric Lecours, this wine uses fruit from the famed Sweeney Canyon Vineyard – the same fruit used in the $75 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay of the same name! This beautiful wine has aromas of lemon curd and hazelnuts, and a rich texture with flavors of honey and dried apple. An amazingly complex Chardonnay at a very reasonable price.
Price: $14.99
2005 Katnook Estate "Founder's Block" Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra South Australia
Review Date: 7-5-2009
This is a great deal on a delicious Coonawarra Cabernet! Lots of great red currant fruit with a touch of oak spice make this wine drink like a much pricier Cabernet, with a nice touch of tannic grip on the finish. I'm really happy to see this back in stock after a long absence.
Price: $13.99
2007 Margarett's Vineyard California Chardonnay
Review Date: 7-5-2009
A great pick for an affordable summer sipper! Tasty apple and citrus flavors with a hint of oak make this a crowd pleaser, and the price makes it a great party pick.
Price: $7.99
Marguet Pere et Fils Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 7-5-2009
This is always one of my favorites - a beautiful nose of strawberry and tart cherry, a mouthful of delicate red fruit, and a dry crisp finish. Complex and delicious while still light on its feet.
Price: $34.99
2007 Solena Oregon Pinot Gris
Review Date: 3-11-2009
Winemaker Laurent Montalieu started Solena Cellars with his wife Danielle Andrus Montalieu after eight years as partner and winemaker at WillaKenzie Estate, and their talent and experience shines through in their wines. This lovely Pinot Gris has lively aromas of melon and pear that are showcased through all stainless steel fermentation. On the palate, the bright fruit flavors of pear and apple are balanced with perfect acidity and a great creamy texture, finishing with a touch of minerality and light citrus flavors. This wine is just the thing for warm
spring days and lighter dishes.
Price: $17.99
2006 Hedges "Three Vineyards" Red Mountain, Washington
Review Date: 2-2-2009
I reviewed the 2005 version of this wine in the November 2008 newsletter, only to have that wine disappear from the shelves and be replaced by the 2006 version. The good news? The 2006 is just as wonderful, if not better; it’s a similar blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and this time a touch of Syrah, loaded with delicious black fruit and a smooth tannic finish. The other good news? It’s still the same price: $17.99. The bad news? None, unless you don’t have a bottle on hand for your porterhouse tonight!
Drink from
2009
to
2018
Price: $17.99
2006 Moshin Vineyard Larrick Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Was $17)
Review Date: 7-15-2008
This is wonderful for backyard summer sipping.With a bright nose of melon and citrus, this refreshing wine has flavors of grapefruit and green apple with a touch of minerality on the finish.Wonderfully balanced fruit and acidity makes this a great example of California sauvignon blanc at its best. Only 275 cases produced, so get some now!
Price: $12.99
