2006 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Alexander Valley

Taste: 5/5
Value: 3/5
Price $25

I can't believe I've had this in my wine collection for over 3 years!  Being a white, I figured it was time to open it up and enjoy.  One of the best Chardonnay's I've had in quite awhile - pineapple, pear, apple and a nice touch of butterscotch.  Wonderful acidity and crispness on the finish.  I would buy a few more if I could find it in the $18 or under range, but there are enough that I like in the under $15 range that it would be hard to justify.  A great value for a gift, however!

2007 Ballast Stone Cabernet

Taste: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Price: $17

From McClaren Vale, South Australia this Cab reminds me of a Rodney Strong Cab I've had at double the price.  A bouquet that transports you to a leather filled library with cedar, olive and coffee on the full, dense, inky palate.  Lively acidity with a generous, persistent finish.  I Vinturi'd it, but would love to try again decanted for an hour or two.   14.0% alcohol gives nice legs!

2007 Domaine La Grave vin de pays des hauts de badens

Taste: 5
Value: 5
Price: ?$15

I'm pretty sure I bought this at a wine tasting, but can't for the life of me remember how much it cost.  My usual price is <$15, so that's a safe bet.  Now, I'm not typically fond of French wines as they sit flat on my palate.  I do know they pair magically with food, so I try to keep that in mind.  This wine never made it to the food, but it was shared with my friend Sonnet for her birthday.
This is a FANTASTIC cab for the "I don't like cabs" wine drinker, a statement backed up my my friend Sonnet.  This was rich, without being overly big or tannic, and had a nice long finish.  Would definitely buy again.

2010 La Puerta Torrontes

Taste: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Price: $9

Day 1, I would have given 5/5 - sauvignon blanc esque with a touch of sweetness, but day 3 it had lost that hint of sweet and was very crisp and citrusy.  I still give it a 4/5, because there are times that nothing but a crisp, citrusy wine will do and this is a great price point, plus the finish is long and vibrant.

Torrontes, a white grape, is Argentina's flagship white varietal and a grape that Argentine now calls its own.  Characteristic aromas of flowers and citrus, with crisp acidity and a refreshingly persistent finish.

2010 Chateau Millet Domaine de L'Enclos

Taste: 4/5                                                                                                                             Value: 5/5                                                                                                                              Price: $10                                                                                                                               Cotes de Gascogne produced by Chateau Millet.   A blend of Colombard and Ugni Blanc, it is very very saugvignon blanc esque.  The two varieties are vinified separately before being blended.  A dry white wine, intense on the nose with lots of freshness.  Dominated by floral notes and fruits like acacia and white peach with a crisp citrus finish.                                 Serve as an aperitif or with lighter fare.  Perfect with starters, goat cheese, fish and shellfish.  I cooked with and served with chicken picatta and was delighted.

2009 Apothic Red

Taste: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Price: $22 (although I purchased on sale at Kroger for $12, which actually makes it a 5/5 at that price)

A lucious California blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Syrah.  I purchased this simply because it was $10 off, then went back and bought four more bottles!  Jammy with a hint of tobacco and a lingering finish makes this a definite yum!
From the winemaker: Apothic Red reveals intense fruit aromas and flavors of rhubarb and black cherry that are complemented by hints of mocha, chocolate, brown spice and vanilla. The plush, velvety mouthfeel and smooth finish round out this intriguing, full-bodied red blend.

2010 Quintay Clava Cabernet Sauvignon

Taste: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Price: $15

The newest addition to the Quintay label, they Cabernet is as pleasing as I found their Chardonnay to be.  From Chile's cool climate region - earthy, balck cherry, spice and nicely balanced.  I found it better on day 2.

2008 Palazzone Orvieto Terre Vineate

Taste: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Price: $13

I'm just not sure how to describe this wine and find myself going back and forth between a 3 and 4 rating.  It's zippy, citrusy and overall pleasant, but also very forgetable.  Perhaps that's the Old World wine quality coming through - probably better with the right food.  Would consider buying again.

2008 Girasole Vineyards Pinot Noir

Taste: 5/5

Value: 5/5

Price: $15

A rare find - a Pinot Noir that is reasonably priced and doesn't fall flat on the palate! From Mendocino, a juicy mouthful of fresh raspberries and cherries and a silky finish. There just might be something to this organic grape production - Snoqualme, Girasole...yummy!

2009 Sean Minor 4 Bears Sauvignon Blanc

Taste: 5/5

Value: 5/5

Price: $12

Normally, the Sauvignon Blancs are a bit too herbaceous or too biting on the citrus end, but this is like lightly sugared pink grapefruit with a long, wonderful finish! Rich and complex - described by the winemaker as combined flavors of pear, fig and melon balanced perfectly to form a crisp, mouthwatering texture and a lingering finish.

2008 Hangtime Pinot Noir

Taste: 3/5

Value: 4/5

Price: $16

This Pinot actually got better on days 2 and 3 after opening. The cherry came through better with time. The name Hangtime was selected to reflect the amount of time grapes spend on the vine, the more concentrated the fruit character, resulting in wines of distinctive, delicious varietal expression. This Pinot is sourced from select CA vineyards that allow grapes to ripen slowly, producing lovely delicate, intriguing fruit character.

2007 Wild Z Zerba Cellars Red Wine

Taste: 4/5

Value: 3/5

Price: $20

Wild Z is a blend of 37% Melot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Syrah and 4% Cab Franc. Reminiscent of cedar, dark plum and white pepper that lead up to blackberry and dark cherry with hints of earth and olive. This wine was a little bold for me the first day - would definitely benefited from decanting. Not sure I would pay this price point for it again as there are enough wines priced less that I enjoy at least as much.

2008 Firestone Discoveries Chardonnnay

Taste: 4/5

Value: 5/5
Price: $13

The both the bouquet palate struck me instantly of tropical fruits - pineapple and banana, then unfolded to crisp apple with a hint of pear. True to the grape without being masked by oak. Both the taste and price point make this a great everyday wine, and one I would buy again. Day 2 and 3, my impression was more lemon and bright - still very good!

Discoveries goal is to produce bright, fresh and fruit forward wines. Based on this selection, I would be interested in trying other varietals from their portfolio.

UPDATE: tasted the Firestone Cabernet at a wine tasting, I'll stick with the Chardonnay on this one - not impressed by the Cab - there was a whole lot going on on the palate, but not all that pleasing.

2009 Cline Cashmere

Taste: 5/5

Value: 5/5

Price: $15

So, I went to a wine/liquor store to buy Sake for a marinade I planned to make and overheard another customer talking about this wine. She bought 2 of the 3 bottles they had. I was intrigued enough to buy the last one and opened it that night with company and hamburgers. True to its name, it is soft as cashmere but also smooth as silk. A blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache, this wine envelopes you with flavors of cherries, raspberries, chocolate and hints of plums and ends with a long, smooth finish. Our company was equally impressed!

2008 d'Ardenberg Stump Jump Verdelho

Taste: 5/5

Value: 3/5

Price: $19

I really liked this wine, but it reminded me a lot of Le Lapin Ingenuity, which at $8/bottle is a much better value. Regardless, this wine is nicely floral and tropical on the nose and richly acidic on the palate. "An enticing floral tropical character is noticeable on the nose with white stone fruits, figs, and flower stems in the background. There is good palate weight with pear and lemon characters making way for stone fruits on the mid palate. The acidity and minerality make for a clean and crisp finish."

WS, 85 points - "Soft and refreshing, with pretty apply and leaf flavors. Drink now."