For quite a number of years I’ve been fond of the Michael David Wines. When I see their labels or think of their offerings I’m reminded of wines that tend to be big, bold and widely available. The price points for the wines also tend to be reasonable. Today I’m going to look at their current release of Syrah.
The Michael David 2007 6th Sense Syrah was produced using Lodi fruit. In addition to Syrah, some Petite Sirah is also blended in. Barrel aging was accomplished over 20 months in French oak. The suggested retail price for this selection is $16.
The 2007 vintage of 6th Sense Syrah opens with Black Mission Fig aromas, along with hints of leather, and wisps of vanilla. The palate is loaded with plum, blueberry, and a host of other dark, fleshy fruit notes. Chocolate, espresso, and burnt sugar characteristics mark the smooth, lingering finish of this Syrah. This wine has soft tannins and sufficient acidity.
This wine has been consistent from vintage to vintage. If anything I found the 2007 to be ever so slightly more restrained than recent vintages. It has better balance and a bit more structure to boot. Overall though, if you have liked this in the past you’re more than likely going to enjoy it now. If you’ve never had 6th Sense Syrah, it’s modest price point and wide availability make it a safe bet to reach for the next time you’re hosting or attending an event with wine lovers of all stripes. This wine is both a good value and an excellent example of Lodi fruit.
Single varietal wines are probably the ones most American consumers have historically identified with and looked for. There now seems to be a growing segment in the US that realizes the power of blended wines. As we mature as a wine consuming culture in the US there are more and more folks that are comfortable straying outside of their safe zone and experimenting. Blended wines, whether classic Bordeaux style blends or otherwise can offer many positives. Of course at their best the goal is to achieve the best possible wine using the highest quality fruit a producer has available. In addition to that sometimes its as simple as some Merlot being blended in to a Cabernet for additional complexity. In any case while the single varietal expressions have their place too, blended wines are their own unique discipline. Today I’ll look at one from Bodega Septima.
When it comes to South American wine Cabernet Sauvignon was the first varietal I started drinking. It was my realization back then that there was great value in the Cab category that started me on tasting wines from both Chile and Argentina. Perhaps because it was the first thing from there I started that I still get excited when I find a solid Cabernet Sauvignon value from South America. Over the last few months I’ve had the chance to taste a number of wines from Bodega Septima. During the next couple of days I’m going to report on a few recent examples I’ve really liked. Today I’m going to look at their current release of Cabernet Sauvignon.
There are winemakers out there who work on numerous projects throughout the year on a consulting basis. Some like Napa Valley’s 
Tawny Port is amongst the categories of dessert wines that I reach for most often. When they’re done right, the combination of flavor and quality in an often very reasonable price point is hard to resist. Throw in the general availability of a great number of standard bearer Tawny Ports and it’s easy to see why a lot of folks look towards them for their after dinner wine needs. All Tawny Ports aren’t created equally of course so I find sampling them a fascinating exercise. Today I’m going to look at an example from long time Port House 
Every wine region has its signature grape varietal, some like South Africa have a couple. For white wine its Chenin Blanc and when it comes to reds it’s Pinotage. The varietal was created about 85 years ago when Cinsault and Pinot Noir were crossed. And while there are other reds that do well in South Africa, Pinotage is the varietal that sets them apart from the pack. Today I’ll look at one from 
The 3rd annual NY Wine Expo is coming next month. I’ve attended the first two and found it to be a large scale wine event worth attending for wine lovers. Read my review of the 2009 edition 
It was just about a year ago that I first tasted the offerings from Argentine producer 
Merlot is easily one of the most maligned varietals of the last decade. The film Sideways did little to help its cause. But in my opinion what hurt Merlot’s reputation more was the sea of insipid examples out there. For every excellent Merlot there’s one that’s sweet, flabby and worst of all innocuous. There’s nothing more discouraging than drinking a wine and being unable to distinguish what varietal it is. Thankfully though, along with the solid examples that have always been out there, the tide seems to have shifted a bit. More and more of the Merlot’s I’ve tasted, in a wide array of price categories, from all over the world, actually taste like what they are. Today I’ll look at an example from 
Once upon a time I was ready to give up on New World Chardonnay. More than anything though it was really California Chardonnay I’d grown weary of. So many of the wines I tasted were overburdened with oak to the point of blunting the fruit. The litany of jokes made in tasting rooms and elsewhere about these wines could easily fill a book. I’m not sure anyone is printing joke books these days. If they were though there’s lots of material. It got to the point where I found it tiresome to even try new Chardonnays. Many of them, were high scored, and well regarded, yet there was a seeming avalanche of sawdust in my mouth. So I drank mostly Chablis, when I had the chance, and when I felt adventurous I’d try one from California.