TODAY THE FRUIT FLIES ARE HAMMERED

Our Bryant rep and good friend Jimmy Carpenter came by Thursday with some really cool wines:

Three Winds Sauvignon Blanc VDP 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Crisp, tart, with loads of acidity, this white shows off nice lemon/lime, guava and gooseberry notes with a lively, racy finish.

Three Winds Chardonnay VDP 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Light-bodied Chard with lots of mineral, apple, pear, and nectarine notes. Nice balance of acidity.

The Ruins Chardonnay/Viognier Robertson 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Really creamy, yet with well-integrated acidity, this unique blend to South Africa shows off some nice stone fruit and tropical fruit aromas and flavors.

Three Winds Pinot Noir VDP 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A solid, fruit-driven Pinot Noir with bright cherry and strawberry notes, some earthiness, and hints of spice rack and cola.

Three Winds Syrah VDP 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A surprisingly good example of French Syrah that won’t break the bank. Red fruit aromas and flavors take hold with some hints of white pepper, black olives, and light mocha.

Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza 2005. Grade=Outstanding. Gorgeous Tempranillo-driven red with medium-to-full-bodied tannins, and hints of cherries, blackberries, chocolate, coffee and toasty oak.

Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva 2004. Grade=Outstanding+. A beautifully-made Rioja with lots of body and supple tannins, bold flavors of blackberries, cherries, cocoa, smoky oak, vanilla bean and coffee.

Hedges Red Wine Red Mountain 2007. Grade=Amazing. Another sexy beast from WA, this Merlot-driven red reveals luxurious notes of dark chocolate, blackberry jam, black cherries, baking spices, mineral, cedar, tar, and vanillin oak. Really impressive.

Barista Pinotage South Africa 2008. Grade=Outstanding. The birth of something called “coffee Pinotage” this really tastes like the Dark Cherry Mocha drinks I was getting at Starbucks this past winter. Roasted espresso beans, black cherries, and dark chocolate, with creamy oak, blackberries and some baked earth – this will be your introduction to what Pinotage can be.