SENSORY OVERDRIVE (WINES THAT PANDER TO OUR TWO BASIC URGES – THAT WOULD BE FOOD AND SEX, Y’ALL)

Last week, our good friend Jen from RNDC/Cumberland came by with some new wines and new acquisitions:

Greystone Cellars Chardonnay California 2009. Grade=Outstanding. This partially-oak, partially-tank-fermented Chard shows off creamy tropical fruit flavors, a hint of spices, and some nice mineral qualities.

Quickfire Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A bit richer and full-bodied, this Chard shows off some nice buttered brioche, caramel, apricot and nectarine. Finishes with some ripe pear and golden apples.

Greystone Cellars Merot California 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Pretty smooth, medium-bodied red with splashy plum, black cherry and blackberry notes, hints of spicy oak and some creamy berries.

Greystone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A taut and firm Cab with nice tannic presence, jammy black fruits, and hints of oak and spice.

Quickfire Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007. Grade=Outstanding. A bit more structured than the Greystone, this wine exudes some rich dark fruit aromas and flavors, hints of chocolate and mint, wet stones, and baking spice underpinnings.

Fetish The Playmates GSM 2008. Grade=Outstanding. This amazing Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre blend is juicy, spicy and loaded with ripe sweet red berries, fresh-baked rhubarb pie, mint, light chocolate, and tea leaf undertones.

Fetish The Watcher Shiraz 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Velvety smooth, smoldering red currants, raspberry, blueberry compote, mineral, earth, cinnamon, rhubarb, olive and white truffles. Dense, multilayered and seductive.

Fetish The Field of Dreams Moscato 2009. Grade=Outstanding. I seem to be tasting a slew of Moscato these days, but this spritzy version has nice, pronounced notes of orange blossom, honeysuckle, candied apricots, ginger and fresh peaches.