Kalyra Reserve 2012 Chardonnay

Reserve wine from Kalyra winery in Santa Ynez, California. This was on our wine club shipment and doesn't seem to be available anymore. Could have probably used another year or two in the cellar. Tasted young, slightly acidic. No oak or earth, very clinical tasting chardonnay. Not much of fruit in the nose or palette either. Nothing great overall to be called a reserve wine. As much as we love Kalyra this isn't one of their better wines.

RR's specific comments: Every sip required an extra effort after the first glass.

RK: B
RR: C+

Castle Rock Pinot Noir 2008 Central Coast

RK - B

RA - B+



A good easy drinking wine that is enjoyable with food. Its light on the palette and has a smooth finish without being dry and the mild fruit helps with keeping things interesting. It would be nice to have a bit more fruit or personality but as it stands, for the money, its an excellent Pinot. Good Pinot is usually hard to find on a budget and this is a refreshing change for the price.

Lamadrid Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

PR - B

RA - A

We liked this one. Its not very distinct on the nose and it isn't much of a Cabernet either, but there is a certain effervescent quality to it and it just pops at you. The finish is smooth, the flavor profile is a bit lean for a cab, but hints of dark berries keep it interesting. It might get a bit more personality with another year or two, but as it stands, the thing we kept going back for was the slight buzz on the taste buds, its a great effect, very unusual and unique. So while it doesn't score very high as a  Cabernet, its interesting enough to get high marks as a great budget wine.

Price - 14.99$

Blackstone Pinot Noir 2010

PR - B
RA - B+

Decent young Pinot on a budget. Hints of blackberry and cherries with a good balance of lightness and peeks of darkness. The big issue with this one was the finish, it starts out bitter and it gets worse leaving you with a questionable look on your face. This might even out a bit with a year or two but its tough to say. Overall if you must have Pinot, you can do worse at this price point, but there are better options out there.

Price : <10$

Blackstone Chardonnay 2008

 PR - B+
 RA - B


Light Chardonnay that is good on its own as well as with cheese. We have seen this on sale a few times for well below retail and at that price it is a no brainer. Easy to run through a bottle without feeling heavy, but it will give you a buzz if you do so, so drink carefully. This is wine to enjoy with a group that you can serve to wine enthusiasts and newbies without disappointing either party.

Price : 18.00

Francis Ford Coppola Chardonnay 2010

PR - A-
RA - A-

Very good budget Chardonnay. Has a smooth silky refreshing taste. Make sure it is served well chilled as this affects the overall impression significantly. Slight fruitiness without a dominant finish. Easy drinking wine that will go with almost anything really. Worth picking up for sure

Price : 14.99$

2010 Renato Ratti Nebbiolo d'Alba Ochetti

 PR - B+

 RA - B+

We happened to stop by at Macaroni Grill for lunch and they had a half off wine bottle sale going on. This was exciting as we get to try something new without the overly marked up pricing. So we picked this Renato Ratti from the menu. The original price was a whopping 40$+tax. At half off, it comes in at 20$ which is just under our Value Winer budget (although with tax it goes a bit over, but we'll make an exception on this one since its available online for less than 20$)

The wine was quite nice. The nose provided a gentle fruit base, with earthy wood notes. Medium bodied, it provided a slight oak with lovely strawberry. The finish ends slightly bitter, but it does not linger. For under 20$, this is a good pick for sure. At their original 40$ pricing, its pushing it a bit, especially with such a young wine. Maybe if its aged for a year or two, it will show a bit more personality and can justify a 40$ price point.

Price - 15-20$ online