2000 Domaine La Garrigue Cotes du Rhone "Cuvee Romaine"

Deep opaque blood-like red with a slight brick rim, suggesting this wine might be at a mature stage. The nose was significantly dominated by raw lamb meat with hints of ripe cherries and damp leather. The palate was more fruit dominant than the nose. An initial burst of marraschino cherry was followed by subtle flavors of black currants and plum, vanilla and musty white pepper. A spicy peppery finish with lingering plum fruit and slightly bitter tannins. This $10 medium modied wine with moderately high acid stood up nicely against pepperoni pizza.

NapaNews.com | Mondavi break-up is talk of the valley

NapaNews.com | Mondavi break-up is talk of the valley

Chateau de Lascaux Rouge 2001

Praise the lord Kermit Lynch for another great value! This $12 wine is bright crimson red and relatively opaque in color, turning hot pink on the rim. On the nose, it has aromas of kirsch liqueor, ripe cherry, tar and vanilla ice cream. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied and tastes like sweet ripe plums and cherries with hints of aged vanilla pods, cloves, thyme and white pepper. Soft, pleasantly ripe tannins and lively acidity complement the fruit. The finish starts out spicy but quickly softens to lingering touch of stewed nectarines with hints of green olives.

2001 Shingleback Shiraz

A RELATIVE newcomer to the McLaren Vale scene, Shingleback has attracted praise locally and abroad. Brothers John and Kym Davey planted their family property to vineyard in 1995 and released the first wines from the much-lauded 1998 vintage. The fourth-release 2001 is rich, juicy McLaren Vale shiraz incarnate, a testament to both the effort invested in this undertaking and what has turned out to be a pretty spectacular vintage for Mclaren Vale shiraz across the board. The nose opens with big plum fruit, sweet milk chocolate and spice. Caramel-scented American oak is present in force but fairly met by the fruit, from fragrant raspberry to ripe prune. It’s a similar tale in the mouth with lots of very sweet, dark fruits, black olive and chocolatey, creamy, assertive wood. Massive concentration, high in extract and full of ripe, velvety tannin, it almost takes on the texture of dark chocolate, as well as the flavour. The finish brings a wave of mocha, roasted coffee bean and savoury, smoky flavour as the wood momentarily takes the upper hand before being washed over by a long, juicy, blood plum aftertaste. It has masses of everything, including value.

-Nick Stock, Adelaide Review

1999 Giuseppe Mascarello Barbera d'Alba

An old world style Barbera from Piemonte (where else?) . What makes it old world? Lots of volatile acidity on the nose and a more than slight hint of brettanomyces on the palate. Murky in appearance with a medium mohogany core and a medium tawny rim. VA makes for an unclean nose of a moderate aged bouquet with animale (from the brett) and not much fruit. Pretty much bone dry on the palate with not so much tired but resigned fruit. Balanced and rounded acidity, soft tannins, with a medium body and medium finish. The savory characteristics of grilled onions (not sauteed, that would be sweeter) dominates any fruit.

It's not too much VA or brett for my liking but purists may object.

Good quality and a good value at $16 retail. Drink now, may not last more than a year.

Good with any meat and tomato dish, like a Bolognese sauce.

2003 Standing Stone Vidal Ice

Made from Vidal Blanc grapes from New York's Finger Lakes. Flash frozen so not truly an Eiswein. Bright golden yellow core with a medium yellow rim. Clean nose with a pronounced grape aroma. Spicy pineapple/tomato (salsa, perhaps?) on the nose. A sweet wine balanced out with crisp acidity and firm grip. Full bodied with great syrupy legs. Medium alcohol (10.5%) with a long finish. Fruit is pronounced pineapple and tomato ketchup with a mild peppery spice finish.

Very good quality. Drink now or hold 2-3 years.

Retail Price: $20/375ml

2002 Peter Howland Pine Lodge Vineyard Mt. Barker Shiraz

Old vine Shiraz from Western Australia. An atypical Australian Shiraz, reminiscent of a well made Côte-Rôtie. Clear color with intense purple core and garnet rim. Clean and pronounced nose with a mature bouquet. Peppery on the nose with hints of black raspberry. Medium dry on the palate with balanced acidity, black fruit and black pepper finish. More earthy than fruity, though. Fruit is not intense and oak is mature vanilla French oak.

If I had tasted this blind, I would swear it was from the Northern Rhone.

Outstanding Quality. Drink now (decanted) but will keep up to 10 years.
Retail Price: $30
peterhowlandwines.com