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November 1, 2000
13/20 points. 1997 Beringer Alluvium Blanc, Knights Valley, White Table Wine. Price $10.99 at Costco. This is a mixture of semillon, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay. Very yellow gold color (semillon?). Distinct nose of pears and oak! Thick bodied and awkward in the mouth, along with low acid levels make this wine feel somewhat flabby. Pears and oak follow on a somewhat simple framework of flavors. Has a slight herbal finish. I'm sorry to say it, but this wine is why some people are rebelling against over oaked wine! It could have been interesting, but the oak and vanilla bombardment took care of that.

November 2, 2000
14/20 points. 1998 Columbia Crest, Merlot Cabernet, Columbia Valley, Washington. Price $6.75 at Winco Foods. Dark ruby red color. Nice nose of berries and briar. Mouth feel is full with tannins that are slightly chalky. Loads of berry fruit flavors, plum, wood, and tart cherry. A very good wine for the money. I've had this before and wasn't disappointed then, or now.

***Update!***
Just wanted to let you know that we've found bottle variances in the 1997 Ironstone Cabernet, so be aware!

November 3, 2000
12/20 points. Beringer 1999, California Chenin Blanc. Price $4.99 at Winco. Pale, pale, gold color. Interesting nose of citrus and nectarine. Nice and crisp in the mouth with a noticeable amount of sugar. The palate follows the nose with the same flavors. A very nice, simple well made wine with no oak! (yeah). This would be very good with Asian cuisine.

*** Note***
If anyone out there has tried the 1998 Columbia Crest Semillon/Chardonnay Blend, I'd like to compare notes. The bottle we tried did not taste anything like the blend it was supposed to be! We think it maybe was a Sauvignon Blanc, but we're not quite sure.

November 4, 2000
It is the Wine Slob's birthday, so there will be no review today!!!!!

November 7, 2000
14/20 points. 1996 Chateau Larose-Trintaudon, Cru Bourgeois. Price $10.99 at Costco. Very dark burgundy/black color. Slightly clear at the rim. Slight nose of Cabernet fruit and wood. Hard tannins follow on the palate with decent fruit and a nice balance of acid. This wine is very closed, that is to say that it needs time to open up. With a lot of mouth swishing the fruit comes through, though the tannins are still a bit rough around the edges. It will never be a great wine, but I think given enough time it may smooth out and become quite nice. Anyway, not bad for the money.

November 8, 2000
15/20 points. 1996 E. Guigal, Chateauneuf Du Pape. Price $22.95 at Costco. Medium ruby color, blood red at the rim. Good nose of berries and earth notes. Still a bit too young and very closed. Cherry flavors follow with strong cassis in the mid palate. Chalky tannins with more cherry appear on the finish. A very nice wine, but it definitely needs more aging time. A bit on the pricey side. If you can afford this, buy a few bottles and put them away. It should soften up in a few years.

November 9, 2000
14/20 points. 1998 Covey Run, Columbia Valley Chardonnay. Price $7.00 through K&L Wine Club. Light straw color. Very nice nose of nectarine and peach. The same follows through on the palate with the addition of minerals and oak nuances. The acids provide good structure and food friendliness. A little short on body and finish, but it's still one of the best whites I've gotten from my "club" and I plan to buy more. This winery is fairly well known and should be available in most areas. If not, try a local wine shop, they can probably order it for you.

November 14, 2000
16/20 points. 1998 Cline California Syrah. Price $5.99 at Costco. Very dark red verging on black. The first impression that this is a Big wine. Excellent nose of berries and black fruits. In the mouth, this wine says "BAM!" Black fruits continue with ample tannins and mouth watering acids. This is one heck of a wine for the money. If you want a big, rich, hearty wine, for 6 bucks you can't go wrong with this one.

November 15, 2000
12/20 points. N.V. Barefoot Cellars Sauvignon Blanc. Price $3.99 at Trader Joe's. My wife was kind enough to pick this up at Trader Joe's while on a day trip. The wine is a very pale straw color, without much of a nose. Nice body and acid levels make this a good food friendly wine. Fairly simple flavors of citrus and lemon zest are followed by slight mineral nuances. All and all, not a bad wine for 4 dollars. This should be very good with light fare such as baked chicken or alfredo noodles in a white sauce. Enjoy!

November 20, 2000
16/20 points. 1997 Columbia Crest, Estate Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon. Price $10.99 at Costco. Very Dark almost black color fading to a rich purple/red color at the rim. Medium light bodied, somewhat chalky tannins and good acid balance on entry. The first hour after opening this wine was very jammy! Excellent berry and cherry flavors, followed by tons of classic cabernet fruit. Finishes with the above mentioned tannins. After an hour it toned down a bit (it lost some of its intensity) but not too much. Just an indicator of its aging potential. I would drink this near term, 1-5 years. One heck of a deal for $11.00!

November 20, 2000
Just wanted to let everyone know I am a little behind in my reviews this month. Our daughter has been quite sick and we just haven't had much time for anything. Hopefully, we will be back up to speed soon. In the meantime, I wish to thank all of you that have written me. I enjoy answering your questions.

November 29, 2000
16/20 points. 1996 Chateau Miaudoux Bergerac. Price $7.99 at Tinamou (800-388-6390). Medium brick red color becoming somewhat clear at the rim. Distinct nose of sour cherries and cedar is followed by the same on the palate with the addition of lead pencil, berries, and faint blueberry nuances. The tannins are still a bit hard but are showing signs of softening up a bit (I have had this wine in storage for 1 1/2 years.) Probably needs another 1-2 years to fully come around. This is a very distinct, strongly flavored wine. If you can find it, give it some time to come around. It goes very well with beef dishes.