Jack O'Lantern, Jack O'Lantern....

Looking for something fun for the adults to drink for Halloween?
While pumpkin flavored wines are more often than not found at small fruit vineyards outside of MA -- have no fear, there's pumpkin flavored beer!


Pumpkin ales are perfect for Halloween and the autumn season in general.
Pumpkinhead by Shipyard is a great brand to try.


If you want to try something creative - make your own cauldron of Witch's Brew!

Place your "cauldron" into something deep, such as a planters barrel that you can paint black -- add some dry ice underneath and serve up a potion that's sure to make everyone feel as if you've cast a spell upon them!

Ingredients:
3 packages Lime Kool-Aid
1 bottle Vodka
1 bottle Fruit juice (any)
20-25 pieces Fruit, mixed
1 gal Sherbet (any flavor)

Mix all ingredients(in any order) in a large tub, which can hold several gallons. Stir so that the Sherbert is completely dissolved. With the exception of the kool-aid and sherbert, as much or little of the other ingredients may be used.

With all the flavored vodkas on the market today -- the possibilities for this Witches Brew are endless!!

Lots of love for Louis Jadot....

Although I can honestly say that I'm not personally a huge fan of Pinot Noir, this is a really decent one. I love just about anything from Louis Jadot anyway - just about everything is so easy to drink.

I had this with dinner last week, and I paired it with a filet that I had pan seared with a hoisin based sauce that wasn't too sweet so as to take away from the fruit of the wine. We enjoyed it.

Louis Jadot 2005 Bourgogne Pinot Noir has a red cherry fruit and a touch of earth on the nose and palate. It is nicely balanced with a hint of acidity and smooth tannins; It's not the most exciting or complex Burgundy, but it's really well balanced and good example of an solid red Burgundy at a very affordable price!

Have fun while watching the football game....

Listen, football doesn't have to be all about beer and pretzels.
Having a group over to watch the Patriots game?

Try offering your guests something different, even for only just the first quarter...

All-American Cocktail
(We like to call it "The Patriots Mixer".)
Serves 1

1 1/2 ounces Stoli Razberi
1 1/2 ounces Stoli Vanilla
2 ounces simple syrup
1/4 ounce grenadine
1/2 ounce Blue Curacao

In one shaker, blend Stoli Razberi, simple syrup, grenadine and ice.
In a second shaker, blend Stoli Vanilla, one third of the simple syrup and ice.
In third shaker, blend Blue Curacao, one third of the simple syrup and ice.

In a glass, place the red mixture, the white mixture and finally the blue mixture.
Garnish with a miniature Patirots swizzle stick. (Not required!)

(The vodkas listed are brand suggestions; feel free to use any brand of flavored vodka you enjoy - though we don't recommend downgrading the vodka brand, as it will impact the flavor of your drink.)

Spooky...trendy....and fun!

So we went to the Gift Show to order Halloween decorations for our small window display:
(This isn't a great shot of it, but hey - it was only his cell phone that took the video!)



We always have a nice display for the holiday season, both winter and summer; but Gene has really been wanting to do a Halloween display. Everyone loves the displays we do - most especially the kids - and who doesn't love Halloween? So we went to the Gift Complex to order from the distributor who supplies our window display items. We had fun picking out the haunted pieces and creative lighting that will illuminate the front of the shop...

And, I popped into the distributor who sells alot of the glasses, and other items that we will be offering in both locations soon. Now that was a lot of fun. Fun and funky handpainted glasses, beautiful classic styles....fantastic books about wine and cheese, great linens -- and so much more.

All of the products that will be sold in our second location - will be available in the Beacon Hill location as well. It will just take some creativity to display them due to the lack of space in Boston - but we'll figure it out.

Imagine, you'll be able to pop in - order a case of wine and some delicious artisan cheese to go with it if you choose. Maybe a couple of fun wine glasses to surprise your significant other...some great music -- the possibilities are endless...

House Favorite - Perfect for Fall!

One of the things we really try to specialize in is providing decent wines in a variety of inexpensive price ranges. Sure, you can spend a fortune on wine - but if you don't have to break the bank when looking for something to have with dinner - why would you?

Dom Brunet Pinot Noir is an easy drinking, and not overly complex Pinot Noir. At $11.99 we can't keep it in stock! Is it the best Pinot on the market? No - but it's not meant to be. Is it probably one of the best Pinots you'd find at this price break -- absolutely.

From the French region of Languedoc, this is has potential to be a Pinot lovers inexpensive favorite. With cherry and raspberry spiced notes, this is a surprisingly good value that is food friendly. Pairs nicely with chicken dishes -- or try with a pan seared tuna.

Coming Soon...Beacon Hill Wine & Spirits - Part Two!

So, it's been a long time coming. We'd been trying diligently over the last two years to either buy an existing business or open a new one from the ground up, and each time - we've run into obstacles at the last minute that might prevent it from happening.

This last effort was in the town in which we live, where we were going to open a shop named "The Wine Shop of...(enter town name here.). But with the litigation that was tying up the only available liquor license, it seemed that was going to be a fruitless effort.

But then....in a nearby community - and one with ample licenses available - a suitable location became available on the market for lease. And the community is such that we would not have to change the name - but open a second location of "Beacon Hill Wine & Spirits". It will be larger than our present location, offering the same outstanding customer service and eclectic selection - but in addition we will be offering artisan cheeses, barware/giftware, fine linens and aprons, appetizers, menu preparation -- and all things entertaining! Gift baskets will be made on premises - and delivery service will be available daily. We are at the final step of preparation before we can formally announce the location and specific details -- but we feel that it is close enough to be able to share in generic terms. If all goes to plan, we should be open for business in January.

So those of you who are clients of ours but don't live in the city -- well, have no fear. Beacon Hill Wine & Spirits may be coming to a suburb near you!

Gewurtztraminer & Shiraz....

A few weeks back we hosted another in home wine party, and we used what has become the most popular theme of "Wine from Around the World". Depending on the audience, and the type of party the host is looking for, determines the variety that we will present. The party from last night generally speaking, was not a wine savvy crowd at all - so we stayed away from bigger and bolder wines, and presented very easy drinking variations of the themes.



Of the 6 wines that we brought, these two were particularly interesting to me. We brought a New Zealand Gewurtztraminer -- usually a German wine, it was interesting to taste this variation. We also brought a very delicious South Australian Shiraz that is a steal for the price given the flavor.



Personally, I thought it tasted exactly like a Sauvignon Blanc from that region, but with a hint of spice at the end. It was actually more acidic than I had expected.

Of course the names are escaping me at the moment....I'll have to go back in my notes and add them in for this posting.

Long overdue...

So, I must admit it has been quite some time since I've posted any wine tasting notes. Alot has happened since my last posting. While we did not win the "A-list" competition, we did win "Best Neighborhood Wine Shop" from Boston Magazine; while we are such a small business we aren't able to afford large advertisements, and to have accomplished such an award by our customers support exclusively -- is something we're exceptionally proud of.

We've been actively pursuing a second location; if you've been to our store than you know we're only 400 sq. ft and packed with amazing inventory. We truly are hoping to spread our wings and open a second location, expanding to include open air artisan cheeses, gourmet chocolates, barware, etc...and most importantly, room on site to offer wine education classes! We were this close to purchasing a location close to home, and it fell through this past fall. So, we're on the move again, this time hoping to open a business from the ground up -- and though we're running into obstacles with obtaining a license in the town we want to open in, we've received tremendous amounts of support from the community and feel confident we will make it happen.

And I'm happy to say that I've progressed to the 21st century with regards to blogging and got myself a laptop; my availability to post wine notes will no longer be restricted to my desk. So if I'm drinking a fantastic wine that we think you should know about - it's as simple as turning on the laptop. And maybe - just maybe - more posting will bring more people to interacting with us in this virtual tasting room.

So, long overdue - but hopefully well worth the wait.
Cheers!

We've been nominated!

Please click on the logo and place your vote - we truly appreciate your support. Without you we could not be the shop that we are, as it's you that we aim to please!
As we know there are a variety of shops to choose from, we're so very thankful for your patronage!
Cheers!
Gene & Rebecca Beraldi

A few worldy wine tips...

1. Altos Las Hormiagas Malbec
Here is an Argentinan wine, whose charms are irresistible. Nice, vivid boisenberry and plum fruit, with dark chocolate and toasty notes enveloping the finish. Ripe and solid - a great value for an Argentinian Malbec! Deep ruby colored, this wine approaches the "fruit bomb" category without going over the edge. A rich, full-bodied red wine from the Mendoza region of Argentina, this Malbec has flavors of plum and black currant with a hint of dark chocolate. A steak wine for sure, but also great for sharp cheese.

2. Michael Sullberg Cabernet
Great "entry level" red wine! This is a medium bodied and balanced wine that has a berry, chocolate and vanilla-wood flavor. Its relatively fruit forward with a lingering finish. Certainly worthy of cellaring but very enjoyable now. This would be excellent with red sauce pasta dishes, and clearly would go nicely with steak and beef dishes


3. Feudi-Saraceni Montelpulciano:
Ready to drink now –but able to be aged for another 4-5 years, this is a quintessential Italian red, capturing the intense aromas and rich, robust characteristics typical of the region. It is distinguised by its violet color with raspberry/currant fruit and spicy, licorice notes with a hint of tobacco and a slight acidity. A classic "all-rounder" suitable for hearty Italian cooking like your sainted grandmother made on Sunday afternoons or enjoying on its own. Great with pizza, veal, steak -- or roasted chicken.

4. Giesen Sauvignon Blanc
Light straw color with a glint of gold, this wine is exceptionally aromatic. Ripe peaches come up first, followed by juicy lemon-lime and a whiff of the "green chile pepper" scent that's often found in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe and full, juicy fruit flavors are so intense that the wine almost seems sweet; but a snappy citric tang brings it into balance, clean and lingering. The wine's "in-your-face" flavors make it a challenging food match, but asparagus - here in a farfalle pasta dish with ham and a saffron-tinted cheese sauce - stands up to the herbaceous chile-pepper flavors in the wine.


5. Henri Bouregois Petite Bourgeois
This is an elegant, vibrant and crisp wine from one of France’s Loire Valley’s top producers (Henri Bourgeois). This wine is made 100% of Sauvignon Blanc, and is smooth, with a slightly creamy taste with generous ripe fruit and a spinal cord of acidity. If one is a fan of New Zealand type Sauvignon Blancs, then this will be a nice French alternative; not quite as crisp – as it’s been aged in oak - yet full and fruity. This wine would be the perfect counterbalance with foods ranging from Chinese chicken salad, to roast duck to grilled salmon w/mango salsa – fantastic with goat cheese!

6. Helderberg Steen (Chenin Blanc)

Steen is the South African name for the Chenin Blanc grape, the most widely planted white wine grape in South Africa. Give this one time to open, and serve just moderately chilled. Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium straw. Aromas of pear and honey, with the taste of honey (not its sweetness) shaping the ripe fruit flavors. Touch of banana, and other tropical fruits. Mineral accents. Seamless integration of flavors. Excellent value.

Food Pairings: Mild curried chicken salad; South African "pan" dishes, a combination of shellfish, calamari, prawns and yellow rice (Famous Fish Co., Peachtree City); chicken pot pie, seafood or chicken-filled crкpes; sundry vegetable dishes (squash casserole, stuffed baked Vidalia onion, macaroni and cheese, cannellini beans), grilled or baked salmon; crab, crawfish or salmon cakes; spinach ravioli with chicken and Thai seasonings; satay

Don't believe the hype...

I get so irritated everytime I see a "Vote YES on Question 1" ad.
It's such propaganda.

And what's so interesting is that I'm seeing so many "Vote Yes" ads, and have seen no "Vote No" ads on television. I received one mailer about voting "no".

Why are they working so hard, if it's such an obvious answer to the question? I'll tell you why. Because they're lying. They're not being honest with the public and the people behind this bill think the public are fools.

Question 1 does not "simply allow supermarkets to sell wine". That's a very misleading statement.Question 1 would grant ANY retailer who sells any type of perishable product - which by Massachusetts law requires them to carry a grocer's license - the ability to sell all alcohol that is covered under a retail wine license. This would include White Hens, 7-11s, Christys, you get the picture. This would even include some gas stations that are "Mini-Marts". Do you know that there are some malted liquors that are considered "wine" by retail licenses? This is what they are not saying on their commercial ads.

Don't be fooled. Supermarkets in MA have been able to sell wine and beer for a while now - it was regulated on a "x" amount of licenses per chain. BJs, Costco, Sam's Club - they've all been selling these products for years with little or no impact to most retailers. Will supermarkets have an impact on some stores....sure. Or if a store is located directly next door to a major supermarket - yes, it will be detrimental to them. Most major competitors of liquor retailers are other retailers and this is a competition we've had to deal with for years. For some reason, liquor stores seem to be bundled in areas. It's rare to be the owner of a liquor store and be the "only gig" in town. We are our own worst competition. And as the advent of Amazon and other online "malls" didn't destroy the retail walk in business - this allowing of supermarkets to carry alcohol is no way connected to preventing a monopoly amongst retail stores. That is just one of the most foolish things I've heard.

Here's why you should vote "no" on Question 1. It doesn't matter whether we "catch up" with the rest of the country with regards to our laws on selling alcohol. Truly, does "keeping up with the Jones'" mean anything with regards to our children's lives? We can't prevent our children from underage drinking, or doing drugs. But we don't have to make it so readily accessible to them either. As it is, Massachusetts has been pushing for the driving age to be raised as a result of the high rate of teenage driving deaths we've seen over the past few years. Do we truly need to add alcohol to the mix? Do we want our kids to pull into the gas station that has wine available and have them "fill up" on all levels? Are the teenage kids that work at the supermarkets responsible enough to card their peers? We have enough peer pressure in schools today regarding the use of controlled substances, let alone adding the pressure for distribution of them. And the ABCC is understaffed as it is. They're having a hard enough time monitoring package stores, how are they going to be able to monitor the sales from all of these additional stores.There is a liquor store on virtually every corner in Massachusetts. And most stores are open 7 days a week. Tell me, what is the true advantage to having the White Hen or 7-11 selling wine?

Call me crazy. Call me old fashioned. Call me responsible. Leave the sales of alcohol -- which is still a controlled substance, might I add - to the retailers who have been proven responsible enough to control the sales and distribution of such product.

Summer Sizzle....and Cigars!

While Boston is a tourist town, summer on the Hill slows things down quite a bit.
Fewer wine parties, fewer tastings...fewer postings on our blog.

However, we have added something new to the store: Cigars!We've started off slowly, offering 4 different varieties in very reasonable price ranges.
The next time you're looking for a stogie to go with that scotch, come on in! We're hoping to add to our collection and offer finer cigars in addition to what we've presently got in store.

Random question:Have you tried any new wines this summer, in light of the heat? Did you find any new favorites?If so....what is it? Please share!

'Til next time.....

Kali Hart Pinot Noir & Olivier Nyakas

Kali Hart Pinot Noir:
Kali Hart Pinot Noir is an inky-deep ruby in color with great clarity. The nose shows concentrated cherry, ripe strawberry, oak notes, cedar, and terroir. Fruit-forward and concentrated in style, the wine displays blueberry and strawberry jam flavors on the palate. The finish shows a good acid backbone with a balanced sweetness of French oak.

Olivier Nyakas:
Nyakas Cellars Olivier is a delightful Hungarian white wine made entirely from the native grape varietal Irsai Oliver of the Muscat family. This wine comes from the Budai wine region of Hungary, home of the Hungarian capital. Handcrafted for Monarchia by Nyakas Cellars.Nyakas Cellars Olivier is a brilliant crystal in color with a nose of muscat, citrus, floral and mineral notes. It is crisp and dry with light/medium body, offering flavors of lime, muscat and almond. Aged in stainless steel tanks, the wine is rich and aromatic, nicely balanced to enjoy over the next 4-6 years. On the finish, it is fresh, clean and crisp.Enjoy Nyakas Cellars Olivier with baked halibut, grilled chicken, fruit salads and mild cheeses.

Attention Realtors!
Looking for the perfect gift to give to your clients who just bought their dream home? Surprise them with a wine gift basket...select a wonderfully mixed half case....or a gift certificate to let them choose their own wines for their rack!

The options are endless, and we're more than happy to recommend something perfect for your gift.

Around the World with Wine....

Last night, I hosted a wine party up in Merrimack, NH for a group of wonderful women. This was a Wines from Around the World tasting, and so we sampled a variety of wines from different countries. There were lots of laughs, and hopefully the women walked away learning a little bit more about wine and a better understanding of what styles they may or may not prefer - than what they had walked in with. The following are the tasting notes.

1. Chateau Couronneau Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a style of wine - named for the region in France where it is developed. Bordeauxs are usually big wines – and the astingency, dryness, fruitiness and finishcan be dependent upon the region within Bordeaux they come from; St. Emillion wines for example are big and soft; this wine is from the Supriere region, on the northeast section of Bordeaux. As a result of being in a different area within the region, the wine results are different. This is not big and soft; it’s a bit thinner, and tighter than most Bordeauxs. This is an absolutely fantastic organic bordeaux from this region, created by Christophe Piat, (Food & Wines of France magazines 'Bordeaux wine-maker of the year in 2002'). (Organic meaning "no added sulfites".) It’s predominantly a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; this wine is more of a Merlot blend so you’ll see it’ s softer on the finish. Wonderful with roast beef, steak, rib roast, roast pork loin, rack of lamb, or duck; braised veal with mashed potatoes.

2. Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz

This medium-bodied Shiraz offers bright fruit-forward flavors of coffee, plums and strawberry, followed by a dash of pepper and a touch of black licorice. It’s fruity, but still has a hint of oak – so it’s got some structure to it. Shiraz is one of your all purpose wines – great for barbecue – great with pizza – great w. pasta.

3. Sabato Malbec

Here is an Argentinan wine, whose charms are irresistible. Deep ruby colored, this wine approaches the "fruit bomb" category without going over the edge. A rich, full-bodied red wine from the Mendoza region of Argentina, this Malbec has flavors of plum and black currant with a hint of dark chocolate. A steak wine for sure, but also great for sharp cheese.

4. Graham Beck "Pinno" Unoaked Chardonnay

A very fine example of one of the increasingly more available "unoaked" Chardonnays which are revitalizing the market. It's something new… that's actually something old. Both New Zealand and Australia have been practicing this method, and now South Africa is catching on as well. Unwooded Chardonnays, as they're inelegantly described, never really went away, we just forgot about them. Now they've been re-discovered and are gaining in popularity. This wine shows brightness, pure apple blossom aromas, straightforward but low key fruit flavors and a clean, engaging texture. It's quite dry throughout and its medium long finish is quite satisfying. Unoaked Chardonnays growing in fanbase as many people prefer the crispness of the wine over the vanilla creaminess that traditional oak aging provides. Food pairing follows the same as a Sauvignon Blanc, but can stand up to heavier cream sauces and pasta dishes quite well.

5. Macon Uchizy

The village of Uchizy in the heart of Burgundy (Loire Valley) produces very complex and sophisticated Chardonnay. This wine is made of 100% Chardonnay and is complex, dry and well structured with slightly spicy, ripe lemon flavours with a very zesty lingering finish. Pairs nicely with many styles of cheese – but do not pair with pears; the sweetness and softness of the pears takes away from the sweetness of the wine and leaves it tasting tart in comparison.

6. Giesen Sauvignon Blanc

Light straw color with a glint of gold, this wine is exceptionally aromatic. Ripe peaches come up first, followed by juicy lemon-lime and a whiff of the "green chile pepper" scent that's often found in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe and full, juicy fruit flavors are so intense that the wine almost seems sweet; but a snappy citric tang brings it into balance, clean and lingering. The wine's "in-your-face" flavors make it a challenging food match, but asparagus - here in a farfalle pasta dish with ham and a saffron-tinted cheese sauce - stands up to the herbaceous chile-pepper flavors in the wine.

7. Muscat Vin De Glaciere Eiswein

The way Eiswein is made is simply extraordinary, something completely unique in the world of wine. Grapes--most often Riesling grapes--are left on the vine until the first frost hits. In the press house, they are pressed ever so gently as winemakers try to squeeze whatever honeyed drops out of them they can, without crushing the ice crystals that have formed. The secret of Eiswein is that nature has frozen most of the water in the grapes, and the winemaker crushes the grapes gently so as to leave the water behind! As one of the world’s truly great dessert wines, the best examples are very rich and sweet, but shot through with the most searing acidity you've ever experienced; the balance will take your breath away… Randall Graham, the brilliant clown prince of California wine at the Bonny Doon winery. Ice Wine has to freeze on the vine, of course--but some years ago Randall started chucking grapes in the freezer, then crushing them in the classic German fashion

Wine Classes & Pepperwood Grove

So, I've been toying with an idea about expanding a portion of our business: Wine classes.

An informal way of educating groups of approximately 30 at a time - on the basics of understanding wine.
Not so much the complexities of the subject -but the basics.

To be able to order something other than White Zinfandel, or the "house red" or "house white" when at a restaurant.
To gain an understanding of one's palate.

Would you attend if you had the opportunity to?
__________________________________________________

Okay. So, I haven't given many tasting notes on reds to date.
And tonight is not any different!

2004 Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay.
In a word - delicious.

Fruit forward, but with a lingering finish that has what I would call a hint of oak. Not a dry, wine. Full bodied with a softness about it. Great stand alone, but try it with grilled salmon, mushroom risotto or barbequed pork chops. We had it tonight with chicken marinated with a bourbon sauce, cajun garlic rice - and sauteed kale & stringbeans w. onions. It was very nice.

So many wines - so little time

Today we spent 2.5 hours at the Wine Expo. We don't stay much longer than that, because the trade hours are only for a short time. After the general public is allowed in, it gets hectic and crowded - and very difficult to "talk shop" (no offense!).

We focused on finding some good Malbecs, and Bordeauxs. We didn't get to try as many different styles as we had hoped, but we did manage to find some really interesting prospects to add to our eclectic selection. Besides, your palate can only handle tasting so many wines in a short period of time, so I think we did well.

Once I get my notes together, I'll post tasting information on a few wines that I found to be rather interesting.

If you attended - and found something in particular - please do share. We'd love to hear what you enjoyed.

Boston Wine Expo 2006

This weekend is the largest wine expo in the country: The Boston Wine Expo.
And we will be there, sampling wines that we can add to our already eclectic, and ever changing inventory.

This is a wonderful opportunity for you - our customers - to sample wines from around the world, and in bulk. Bring a notebook, and a pen - and be sure to not swallow too much of what you sip. This one weekend is an amazing crash course in wine so that you can find what you do - and don't like about different wines. Taste the difference between Syrah and Shiraz...sample unoaked chardonnays...drink an unfiltered wine for fun.

Please - let us know what you like!
Our goal is to help you find the perfect bottle to enjoy.

And I will be posting tasting notes on some of my personal favorites!

Cheers!

2004 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc

Mmmm, Mmmm, Good.
If you are the type of wine drinker that looks down upon the screw cap concept - think again.
From the first opening of this bottle, the aroma of grapefruit fills the air. This is a full bodied, sweet - not overly crisp - and almost perfumey wine. It's got one of the longest finishes I've ever tasted on a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It envelopes your mouth....Definitely give this a try.

We're having this with crab stuffed haddock, potatoes au lait w/ mushrooms, and a garden salad.

Looking for food pairings?
Coming this week: What to drink with your holiday dinner!

2003 Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Ranch Chardonnay

The 2003 Sonoma Cutrer Russian River Ranches is a great wine to try if you like chardonnay, but don't want too much oak. It's soft with good weight - it's got a great finish with just a hint of oak, and a lingering citrus taste - I'd say lemony, but not overbearingly so. While this is traditionally good with dishes such as pasta, chicken and risotto - we think it held up quite nicely with the grilled steak we had this evening, sided with parmesean rice and garden salad.

Gene prefers Napa Chards; I prefer Sonoma - but we both enjoyed this wine this evening.

South African Sampler...

We hosted a South African themed wine party last night, and so I thought I'd share my own personal tasting notes on the wines we tasted out. Enjoy....

Graham Beck Railroad Red Reserve Shiraz 2003:
This Shiraz is not as big as most Shiraz' tend to be. It's rich in color, but falls short on the big round taste that it's Australian cousin has. This Shiraz leans more towards it's other cousin, Syrah - and this particular Shiraz actually pairs better with lambs, stews and game foods which is more typical of Syrah; whereas an Australian Shiraz pairs great with barbecue and hearty beef. If you like Syrah, this SA Shiraz is your choice.

Wildekrans Pinotage: Pinotage is the signature wine of South Africa. Either one likes Pinotage, or one doesn't - very few fall in the middle. This particular Pinotage is softer than most - it's been blended very well so that it suits American palates moreso than other Pinotages. This style of wine usually has a "twist" - it dances on your tongue (I love Pinotage). However, this particular Pinotage is something you would enjoy if you enjoy Merlot.

David Frost "Gene Sarazen" Cabernet Sauvignon 2000: This is a good tasting Cabernet, however, it is not a big one; so if you are a fan of traditional Cabernet, you may find this falls short. Pleasant tasting, great color - but just not big. It's sweet and jammy, and after being decanted - it opens up some; but truly should be held a little while longer to drink.

Ken Forrester Sauvignon Blanc: Not quite as crisp and acidic as a New Zealand SV, but quite nice. A good fruit flavor when served room temperature; chilled- it's a little thin. Pineapple and Melon on the finish. Decent enough, but if you're a classic NZ SV fan - this you will not love.

Graham Beck"Pinno" Unoaked Chardonnay: (I love unoaked Chard!) South Africa is catching on to the trend of steel casking their Chardonnay as Australia and NZ have done. This tastes more typical of a SV than a Chardonnay because it's so full, and has a nice acidity to it. Chardonnay is up and coming in the South Africa wine making circles - it's always been secondary to the Sauvignon Blanc. Unoaking it - will bring it forward in the drinking trends. Crisp, fruity and round. If you'd like to try a very interesting unoaked Chardonnay -not South African - try Kali Hart. Let me know what you think.

Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc: This style wine is one that is not being produced much by South African wine farms because it's quite difficult to produce one that is not too thin. This is a very full bodied Chenin Blanc - and for those who don't normally like white wine - this particular Chenin Blanc is a good one to try. It's tight and dry - but sweet.