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September 1, 2000
17/20 points. 1996 Chateau Chasse-Spleen. Price $18.50 at Costco. First of all, this is a young Bordeaux. Still very closed (it hints at greatness, will time unleash it?). Dark blood red color, all the way to the rim and great legs. Very distinct nose of sweet red fruits and all kinds of berries. The Cabernet (50%) fruit really comes through on the palate. Plums, briar (Merlot 45%), and chalky tannins follow. This wine finishes on a slightly herbaceous note. If you can afford a few bottles, buy some and put it away for 5-10 years. I think you will be well rewarded.

September 3, 2000
12/20 points. 1999 Fresno State University California, Barbera, Duarte Linden Hills Vineyard. Price $9.99 at Albertsons. Nice bing cherry red color, slightly pink at the rim. Somewhat simple nose of cassis and plums. A light to medium mouth feel with an odd oily texture (sugar?). Pretty flavors of plums, cherries, and rose petals round out the palate, but finishes rather short. This is a nice wine for 10 bucks and would go well with pork or BBQ chicken. It did not have the backbone to go well with our bacon wrapped filet mignon and lobster.

September 4, 2000
17/20 points. 1994 Gallo of Sonoma, Sonoma County Cabernet. Price $9.99 at Rite-Aid. There is a short story involved with this wine. I found it  by accident at our local Rite-Aid. I just happened to look behind the upper shelf jug wines and noticed unmatching bottles behind the "jugs". To my surprise, there were several of the afore mentioned bottles! I grabbed two, so here we go! Very dark red color, turning slightly brown on the edges. Delightful nose of a mature Cabernet, cassis, sweet red fruit, and earth. Very elegant and airy mouth feel. Gobs of fruit on the palate with interesting wood, mushroom, and cherry finish. Sometimes looking carefully in unusual places can pay off.

September 5, 2000
7/20 points. 1998 Chateau Roustaing, Reserve Vielles Nignes, Bordeaux. Price $7.00 through K&L Wine Club. A wine club monthly wine and my first disappointing selection. The color was a very dark red, but the nose was almost nonexistent. Very faint aromas of berry-cherry with a green note. The green note continued on the palate. Mostly herbaceous. Some fruit that was wiped out by harsh tannins and more herbal (stemmy) flavors. Not very good. I tasted it again the next day with no improvement. Not recommended.

September 9, 2000
14/20 points. 1999 Pepperwood Grove, California Chardonnay. Price $5.99 at Albertsons. Light gold color, nice nose of peaches and citrus. Medium body. Surprisingly good flavors of peach, nectarine, lemon zest, and oak linger on the palate. Crisp acids help make this wine very food friendly. Went very well with fried chicken and good old mashed potatoes. A lot of wine for the money.

September 10, 2000
17/20 points. 1999 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley. Price $19.99 at Safeway. Ok, Ok, I know. I am supposed to be looking for value wines, but this was on sale for $19.99 and I wanted it! This wine is all about balance. Excellent nose of citrus, apple, and pear followed by just right flavors of lemon zest, tart apple, and lychee. Finishes slightly grassy. Very good body and slightly oily mouth feel keeps everything in balance. This is one of the best Sauvignon Blancs I've had at the $20.00 and under level. This wine screams for a turkey dinner.

September 13, 2000
14/20 points. 1999 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. Price $9.99 at Costco. This is my first New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and it probably won't be my last. Very different from the California Sauvignon Blancs that I am used to. Pale gold color and some very nice legs. Very distinct nose of ruby grapefruit and citrus. Medium body is balanced by very spunky acids. Upon entry the wine is somewhat grassy, but is followed by a continuation of grapefruit, citrus, and a slight wet stone finish. It does finish a little short and simple. It's still a very nice departure from the overly oaked California Sauvignon Blancs. It does need food, as it went very nicely with teriyaki BBQ chicken.

September 15, 2000
5/20 points. 1995 Cedar Brook Winery, Zinfandel, California. Price $3.99 at Chico Food Outlet. Well, the following wine is what I get for being cheap! Odd brownish color with a raisiny sour nose. Raisin flavors follow with watery body. All around terrible. AVOID!

September 16, 2000
17/20 points. 1988 E. Guigal Cote Rotie, Brune Et Blonde. Price $50.00 at the Chicago Wine Company. A little history goes with this wine. I bought this at auction from the Chicago Wine Company, so finding it will be a challenge. This wine has thrown off quite a bit of sediment in 12 years and it still has a brooding black ruby color to it. The nose is pure Rhone, earth, olives, cassis, and plum. Excellent mouth feel with low acids and tannins. Moves seamlessly to black/green olive flavors that continue onto berries, cherry, and a long finish of pure Syrah. All done wonderfully!

September 17, 2000
16/20 points. Paraiso Springs, 1998 Chardonnay, Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands. Price $10.99 at Mangrove Bottle Shop. We bought this at a local "Bottle Shop" but it should be widely available. Light gold color. Medium body with acids in a nice balance. Tropical fruit and vanilla bean nose. The fruit flavors follow on palate with a candied character. Finishes with a slightly mineral aspect. A very nice food friendly and not over oaked Chardonnay. One of the better ones I've had in this price range.

September 21, 2000
8/20 points. 1999 Lindemans Bin 65, Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia. Price $5.99 at Albertsons. Gold yellow color. Not much body, almost flabby. No acids to speak of. Slight nose of vanilla, oak, and peach. Not much there on the palate, mostly oak with some herbal notes. There's enough oak to tell me that it's being used to hide flaws. It's not really a bad wine, just lacking in body and flavors. Probably would be good for a get-together with people who don't know wine and just want to gulp!

September 24, 2000
17/20 points. 1996 Chateau Les Grands Chenes, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc. Price $20.00 at Beverages & More. Inky black color. Dark red at rim. Starts with soft acids and tannins that are slightly chalky. Very good nose of berries and aromatic herbs. Excellent flavors of sweet fruit (blackberry and cassis), and finishes with a bevy of herbal notes. This is an excellent introduction to Bordeaux. If you've got a Beverages & More close by, it's well worth looking for.

September 25, 2000
16/20 points. 1997 Perry Creek, Sierra Foothills, Zin Man, Zinfandel. Sorry folks, no price. This was a gift from a friend. Dark red, almost purple, color. Gorgeous nose of plums, cherry, and terroir. It just tastes like the Foothills. That's the only way to describe it. Seamless balance with slightly drying tannins. You can't tell it's 14.3% alcohol. Nice lo------ng finish. Very good wine, could have used a little more body. Otherwise, great!

September 30, 2000
16/20 points. 1996 Chateau De Pez, Saint-Estephe. Price $20.50 at Costco. Dark cherry red. Very nice nose of raspberry, blackberry, and briar. Medium body and low on the acid scale make this a good quaffer. Pretty flavors of cabernet fruit, bramble, and leather. Finishes with somewhat chalky tannins, slightly bitter at the end of a short finish. Nice wine, but I don't think it will do much more than soften with some cellar time.