Cabernet Sauvignon 
2006
$19.00Flavor: This wine had hints of asparagus, plumy-ness, damp hay bale, and was packed with fruit. Has a superb balance of new and old world wine. It is very Cote du Rhone esc. It is super fruity, without crossing over into too sweet.
Finish: Spectacular finish. Most well balanced finish I have experienced. Thick petroleum like feel on the back end. Warm and smooth finish that lasted for a good minute plus.
Overall: This wine was a major surprise. It was offered as a free sample along with a wine flight. It blew the other three wines away and was the highlight of the evening. Super well-balanced, and complex, warm and enjoyable, and full bodied. Superb bottle of wine for its price and, I feel it will capture the attention of traditional Cote du Rhone drinkers as well as those unfamiliar.
Other Notes- I would not have even had this wine, had it not been offered to me at “Travinia’s Restaurant” the other night. So, a special thanks goes out to our wine server for the evening Ms. Jessica. Pleasant, patient, and engaging, she was well-versed in wine. She offered knowledge of her preferred wines and showed interest in our perception of the wines we tasted. Thanks you Jessica for suggesting this wine and for your conversation.
Shiraz
$19Appearance: Brick Red
Nose: This wine smells of cedar box, black current, buck wheat, plum, and peppered jerky.
Flavor: Spice, pepper, protein like beef or peppered jerky, and even a hint of cinnamon.
Finish: 30 second, warm finish reminds me of a raison, without the sweetness.
Overall: This is still a favorite among my friends and I. It is a sound wine for the price. It has decent complexity and a fine example of what a Shiraz should be. Remember to decant for about 30-45 min before drinking.
Sauvignon Blanc
$9.99
Flavor: Has an earthy greenness resembling green peppers, chives, and green olives. Evenly balanced but, at best two dimensional.
Finish: Short and refreshing. A bit gritty, and earthy.
Overall: Overall I don’t feel this is an outstanding example of a Sauvignon Blanc but it is drinkable and very refreshing. I think there are far better out there in this price range.
Pinot Grigio
Nose: Mild nose of green apple and cotton. Think clean linen.
Flavor: It was smooth and well balanced. It was crisp and refreshing, had understated flavor, and the presence of citrus. It was a bit sweet for a pinot grigio though. Had almost complete absence of oak.
Finish: Mild finish, pleasant. Nothing overly-remarkable about it.
Overall: Classic Pinot grigio. A little residual sugars on the front end, but delightful. This wine would be fine with food or without. Good wine for the price.
Pinot Noir2005
$16.50Flavor: Predominantly cherry and plum. It was almost as if the two flavors flip-flopped back and forth as if in a shoving contest of who could be stronger. There were hints of black pepper, and bacon fattiness. Back end had notes of vanilla and white chocolate.
Finish: This wine now has one of my favorite finishes to date. It was an easy minute long and fruity. Was a bit sweet but balanced by just a little oak.
Overall: A fine pinot. It was super-complex and inviting, and enjoyable from start to finish. The fruits in this wine remind me of going to a farmers market as a kid, snatching a cherry or a blueberry when mom wasn’t looking. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Shiraz, Cab, Merlot
Finish: Warm, long, and dry finish. It is very well balanced and pleasant on the palate.
Overall: There was nothing really superb about this wine. It was soundly made and drinkable, however, I felt it lacked a little character. It needed something that could set it apart from any other Aussi-blend.
2006
Cabernet 
South East Aussi
Preface: Roughly 5 months ago I was urged to Stop Drinking Rosemount, being it was at the time my favorite, and did. Not because someone told me to but because I wanted to see for myself whether time would change my thoughts about it.
3 more days and I out of here!!! Off to Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival . I have waited 362 for this. Well since last year that is. Three full days of food from around the world and their wines to go with it. I’ll be sure to keep track of the wines and there prices to share with every one upon my return. Also, I have included the before picture of what is to become my wine cellar/think tank. I have found my current office doesn’t make for good writing. So I decided to create a room for writing and storing wine. What better motivation to write about wine then to be surrounded by it. Wish me luck.
