Man
y great wines coming out of the Santa Ynez Valley and this is one of them.
This Syrah exhibits rich dried berry, sage, espresso flavors. Very nice finish with moderate tannins and smoke. It is a full bodied wine could be enjoyed today or cellered for several more years. Fairly small production so, if you come across it, give it a try.
I had the pleasure last night of an exceptional meal and even better wine at “Vino” in Honolulu. The experience was made special by Chuck Furuya’s extensive wine knowledge and matching wine list. Chuck has a passion for wine and enthusiastically shares his knowledge and his wine picks. When you go to Vino be sure to not limit yourself to the wine menu. Chuck has vastly more wines than he lists. In fact, he views a large wine list and ”showing off.” You will be best served if you get Chuck to find you a wine that fits your budget and taste.
If you like wine, Vino is a must when you visit Honolulu.
2007 Limestone Hill Chardonnay
Another good South African Wine came my way in the form of the Limestone Hill Chardonnay. The wine is unoaked, crisp and refreshing with hints of tart apple and grapefruit. It also carries a hint of minerality coming from the grapes being planted in Limestone soil (thus the name “Limestone Hill”.) We rate Limestone Hill 2007 Chardonnay an 88. Get some today and enjoy!
With a trip comming up to Santa Ynez wine country, I tried another varietal from the region. 
The Andrew Murray 2006 central coast reserve syrah is extremely dark, with multiple dark rich berry flavors with hints of vanilla and a little bit of oak. The finish is smooth and long and just gets you ready for the next teriffic sip. Strongly recommond this wine and it gets a 91 points! Track it down and enjoy.
Conundrum continues to be a solid choice for a nice white wine year after year and the 2007 vintage is no different.
2007 Conundrum
The 2007 blend is floral and spicy and should pair well with a variety of foods. While Conundrum may not blow you away in any given year it is always a rock solid choice that you never feel bad about making.
The 2006 Artesa Chardonnay reserve is a good chardonnay with citrus fruits and hints of apple.
2006 Artesa Chardonnay Reserve
I like it because it is not the typical California Chardonnay – over oaked and over buttery. It has good balance with the right amout oak, smoke and cream.
In preparation for a trip to the Santa Ynez/ Santa Barbara wine making region of California I have begun trying wines from the region. The first of which is the excellent 2006 Andrew Murray Esperance. 
The Esperance is a blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, & 15% Mourvedre and according to the wine maker designed to “recreate the great reds of Southern France.” The Esperance is a light ruby colored wine with great balance, light tannins and significant ripe fruits and hints of cinnamon and vanilla. I found the wine to be delicious and would be perfect for drinking on a summer afternoon (or any time you are looking delightful, crisp refreshing wine.)
This wine is balanced and delicious with enticing aromas and a long, smooth finish. It has layers of fruit and aromas of oak, blackberry and currant. 
With ample fruit and mild tannins, this balanced wine is a real treat today and should only improve over the next 5+ years. At a moderate price in the low $30′s this is a great wine and a solid value. Wine Afficionado rating – 92
The 31st Annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting event continues this weekend. If you have done barrel tasting before you should give it a try. You get a chance to “preview” the wines before they are bottled and if you find some to your liking you can buy the wine futures at a discount. For a $30 fee you can visit and taste at a 100 different wineries and it is a great way to try some new wines. I will head up there myself this weekend and will post my impressions of what was tasting good next week.
With all of the attention that Malbecs have gathered over the past few years I figured it was time to start getting some reviews online. The Catena 2006 Malbec is a classic Malbec – full bodied, soft round tannins with dark berry flavors.
Wine Aficionado 91 Rating
Being from Argentina it is a high altitude Malbec with estate grapes coming from up to 5,000′ of elevation. At around $20 a bottle for a approachable, drinkable and pleasant wine it is a nice value and gets a Wine Afficionado rating of 91.
