This wine helped us two on our goal to the Wine Century Club since it has 40% Kékfrankos, 30% cabernet franc, 15% syrah, 5% Kekoporto, 5% pinot noir, 5% cabernet sauvignon. Someone else brought in the Produttori di Barbaresco, Barbaresco 2004 ($30; find this wine ) after trying it at the wine shop Vino. It is an assignment! MORE >>

had never heard of this town or of this producer, and I don't usually love Grenache wines, so imagine my surprise when the 2004 Domaine Henri Milan Clos Milan simply stopped me in my tracks. This wine is 80% old vines Grenache and 20% Syrah from gravel and yellow sandstone soils that Milan is fond of comparing to that of Château Rayas. MORE >>

Here are some of the wines that stood out for me: 1992 Edmunds St John Syrah Grand Heritage. 2004 Produttori del Barbaresco. 2005 Puzelat Touraine La Tesni è re , a lovely smoky and funky white made of Menu Pineau, and the 2004 Puzelat Touraine La Tesni è re , a red made of Pineau D'Aunis. Same is true with wine, I would say. MORE >>

So much so, at half time of game, I got on-line and ordered more Atwater Cab-Merlot and Syrah. Sometimes when you least expect it, you open what may becomes your new favorite bottle of wine. Tonight I opened one of my remaining bottles of Finger Lakes wine purchased at my last tour in December. blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Merlot. MORE >>

The lanky, California maker of pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah told me at his Sonoma winery that he had his conversion in 2005, after returning from a trip to Burgundy and the Rhone. He tasted the pinot noirs and syrahs he had been making since starting his own label, Copain Wines , in 1999. Thus he decided to change his style. MORE >>