Chateau Thebot 2005

Here is a very good Bordeaux for less than $15. I think this bottle was found at the main grocery store on Piedmont ave in Oakland. I had 2 bottles in the last week and both were good. It's a 2005, an excellent year for Bordeaux and I'm wondering if it could be the kind of bottle to keep 10 years in good conditions.

Chateau de Fontenelles 2005

Back to the Languedoc with this red Corbieres 2005 found at Vino store on Piedmont av (Oakland) for $15. The 2006 is a few bucks cheaper. This was a real delight with a nice plate of cheeses, especially italian Taleggio and Gorgonzola. I bet the 2006 will be as good in a year or more if you have patience to keep it. I'm glad to notice that wine from Languedoc is more and more present on the shelves of California wine stores.

Lake Chalice 2006

Before I forget here is another good Sauvignon Blanc from NZ found at Vino store on Piedmont for about $11. The typical citrus accent on SB from Marlborough is here very subtle to give the overall taste a very pleasant white for seafood. Wine prices have been going up and it is now a bargain to find a decent NZ Sauvignon Blanc at this price.

Cabardes - St Pierre de Trapel 2003

Back to the wines tasted while in France and to continue with the Cabardes appellation here is one from a cousin who is investing a lot of money, expertise and passion to make beautiful wines. Unfortunately I didn't find the time to visit his winery and try other varietals from his production but I'm glad he gave me this one so I could compare with the other Cabardes I tried in Paris. This one a 2003 blend of Merlot and Syrah was not at the right temperature when I drank it but still was very pleasant and easy to drink. If you are visiting this wonderful region of France and its inevitable city of Carcassonne be sure to stop by his property, say 'hello' from me and have some samples from his wine list.

Moyau 2005

Here is an excellent wine I just discovered not in France but at Berkeley Bowl 2 weeks ago. It is from the same area I was staying in vacation this summer, south west Mediterranean coast, and seems to be grown by German. More info on the winery web site . The one I tried is the La Clape 2005 for $15. Once again I think that Berkeley Bowl has a very good selection of wines or at least more at my taste than specialty wine shops from where I got suggestions for wines I didn't really appreciated. I got also a white Macon which I drank faster than I could take a pic of it which was delicious for about $12.

Cabardes - Chateau Salitis 2004

This will start a suite of wines I drank during my 3 weeks trip in France this summer. This is probably the first one I had there in a nice restaurant in Paris called La Boulangerie. Cabardes is an appellation from Languedoc located next to Minervois. This one was delicious with our dinner and would pair well with red meats and cheeses. Not sure if this one or the following are exported in the US since it's a small production.

Forefathers 06

Just tried this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc available a TJ's for $9.99 and really enjoyed it. You can tell it's a Marlborough but the characteristics are delicate without strong citrus flavor. Very smooth and refreshing.

CMS 2006

Well here at least I learnt something: CMS for Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. This one was suggested by vendor at Blackwell wine store on Geary for a BBQ. This 2006 red from Washington state is definitely a strong and dense mix which combine well with traditional BBQ sauce. A little too heavy at my taste who prefers a light rose for this kind of event when it's warm but it wasn't on this day. I liked the little print in French on the label "Tradition de Famille" which tricked me as this wine has no equivalent in France! OK that's how I learn, by trying new stuff and I'll continue to take risks buying wines I have no idea if they fit my taste!

Saint-Chinian Chateau Bousquette 2003

Where was I?! Not even out drinking wine but taking a break which I hope won't take away my taste for wine. So here is a red wine from south of France, Languedoc region, which was correct but not exceptional for a 2003. Made from organic grapes, it has a specific flavor which doesn't make it easy to match with all kind of food usually pairing well with red wine. May be I haven't eaten the appropriate meal with it so I cannot advice everyone to go for it but just to be careful. In fact I haven't tasted any wine recently good enough so I could encourage others to try :-( So I'll have to talk a little bit also of these wines I do not like.

Pascal's Shed 2002

I couldn't resist to buy this red Corbieres Domaine de Lignieres 2002 " Le Cabanon de Pascal" (translated in subject) even if its price was a little higher than I use to spend for wine (around $20 at Blackwell on Geary, SF) but it's not every day that you can find a wine with your name in it; yes I'm Pascal and I'm glad that my name appears on a bottle with such good wine inside! Very sofisticated in mouth with berries aromas not very common in Languedoc wines this was a real pleasure to drink this wine and I'm won't miss an opportunity to open another bottle soon. Enjoy!

Avignon...esi

Another interesting Sauvignon Blanc found for $13 at Andronicos. The name reminded me from Avignon of course, close to my home town. The wine was dry as I expected with fruity flavors at the same time. I had it with seafood and even if not as good as the NZ one it was definitely acceptable. For those appreciating dry white, this is a good one to try in this price range.

Good and Cheap Chilian

Amazing value, especially the Sauvignon Blanc at $2.99 a bottle at Trader Joe's. They also have Chardonay and Merlot. I have tasted bad wine for more than this; these are correct for everyday.