US

This wine leans toward the brown-orange side of the Pinot Noir scale, with burnt orange, cranberry and whiffs of anise. Cooked fruits dominate the palate, with fruitcake and gingerbread flavors.

US

From a former Gravenstein apple orchard, this Pinot is intense in white pepper and cherry pit, and not unlike the skin of an apple. The zesty acidity sizzles on the palate.

pt

There is a delicious amount of wood aging to this wine, partnering its natural fruitiness with a smoky, toasty character that goes so well with the spirit. It is rich with sweetness as well as acidity, leaving a bitter marmalade aftertaste.

es

Dry, dusty berry aromas and a whiff of animal fur make up the nose on this flush, tannic Tempranillo. Grapy, gamy berry flavors are forceful, while this finishes dark in flavor, tannic and tough.

fr

The wine is soft, round and full in the mouth, with balance between fresh citrus and ripe melon and pear fruits. The acidity gives a great lift, adding to the steely texture and final burst of fruit.

de

While exuberantly floral and fruity on the nose, this dry, full-bodied Riesling is surprisingly lean on the palate. It's briskly structured, showing delicate flavors of tart apple and lemon, and a crisp, biting finish.

pt

This is an attractive, soft and fruity wine. Described as Extra Brutoextra dryit does in fact have a soft and gentle aftertaste that comes from creamed apple and ripe pear flavors. It is ready to drink.

it

Big and bitter, this has aromas of overripe plum, prune, espresso and resin with an acrid whiff of sweat that eventually burns off in the glass. The extracted palate offers blueberry, mocha, bitter prune and roasted coffee bean alongside astringent tannins that dry out the finish. Superior Wines, Wine Warehouse.

pt

Acidity cuts through strongly, leaving a wave of freshness. The fruit is less obvious, none the less still delicious and well flavored. It's a balanced wine, the acidity keeping it dry.

US

From a longtime value producer, an immensely rich wine with significantly ripe, big fruit. Has layers of flavors ranging from blackberries and plums to chocolate, and is very dry. But the tannins are great, plush and thick and easy. Might benefit from a year or so in the bottle.

au

Tastes and smells fresh and sweet, like freshly mown hay and nectarines. The overall impression here is one of freshness, really, from its crisp, summery flavors to its zippy mouthfeel. A very nice wine, and a fair price for a taste of a perennial Oz favorite.

US

Kicks off with hints of vanilla, honey, melon, peach, spice and citrus flavors. The wine is full bodied and viscous. It finishes with moderate length and a touch of spice at the end. -J.M.

es

One might think that a seven-year-old crianza would be fading, but this one isn't. Sure, it's ready to drink now, and cellaring is unnecessary, but the fruit is pure and exciting. The cherry and raspberry character is exact and lively, while the feel is lean and easy. On the finish, which isn't huge, you get a nice reflection of the wine amid some healthy tannins and acids. Almost certainly good with food.

US

An amazing wine, so rich and unctuous it's like a late harvest dessert wine. May even have a little botrytis in the intense pear, banana and tropical fruit flavors, but it's really very dry. A whole lot of sweet oak pushes the volume even higher.

es

From a region on the rise, this is nice Tempranillo, made in a lighter, food-friendly style. Which doesn't mean it's weak. On the contrary, the wine has good concentration and purity to go with fresh acids and an approachable texture. The flavors are of plum, cherry and licorice, while the finish is tight and comes in a couple of layers. Well made and easy to drink.

US

Young and tight and not showing its best now, a cellarworthy wine that's the opposite of today's flamboyant, drink-me-now style. Possesses elegance and finesse with its curranty flavors and dry, subtle tannins. Drink after 2006.

au

The pairing possibilities with this wine seem endless: seafood of all kinds, chicken, pasta salad, maybe pork, but it'd also make perfect sense to drink it as an aperitif. Clean and dry in the mouth, mineral and chalk are at the fore, with lime pith, soy and grass underneath. Finishes medium-long, with more of the same.

nz

Mt. Difficulty winemaker Matt Dicey has made another fine Otago Riesling, this from a single vineyard whose name is Gaelic for "Hill of Gold." It smells of honey and marmalade, with strong citrus overtones and a sweet attack. Zesty acids on the long, crisp finish provide balance.

US

This year the wine displays a tight structure of high acidity framing flavors of minerals, stones, and lime. On the finish a rich vein of tropical fruit and spice shows up. This young, steely wine possesses great authority and style, and may be an ager.

US

The melon, apple and pear aromas aren't as distinctively Viognier as one might expect, but the wine itself is solid and satisfying. The flavor profile is spicy and melony, and feel-wise there's lots of size. (This whopper weighs in at 14.9%, so it should seem big.) A large, chewy yet mildly buttery finish seals the package as full bodied and rich.