Juan Gil Jumilla red wine - monasrell 2008

Monastrell, I learned, is the Spanish name for Mourvedre. So I would expect the Juan Gil to resemble Cotes du Rhone or other dry south French reds. Well, it doesn't really. It's actually a bit better than most of those.

The nose offers a dusty red fruit with some spices. The color is inky dark purple resembling Zinfandel. The taste is very pleasing with some juicy red fruit, but not too much. It stops short of "fruit bomb" status, leaving you with a long dry acid finish.

I would expect a fairly hefty price tag for this wine, but surprisingly, it's not. I've seen it locally priced between $13 - $16, so it can be served up often.

Add this to your affordable wines. You can get that expensive French-style taste for the affordable Spanish price. There's lots of this out there, so load up. It's not too heavy, so you can enjoy it outdoors. This pairs well with grilled meats and tomato-based sauces.

T-Scale 90+. I will be buying more of this. Very good price point.

Forrest Estate botrytised Chenin Blanc 2003

"Botrytised" appears on the label of two Forrest dessert wines. This bottle and the Riesling. I've tried both but found the Chenin Blanc a bit more appealing.

Very much like an ice wine, this bottle shows peach and baked apples on the nose while showing apricots and some citrus on the tongue. Quite sweet, but pleasantly so. The finish is lingering and creamy. It reminds me of butterscotch hard candy with just a touch of lemon peel.

Normally dessert wines of this caliber are quite costly, but the Forrest is very reasonably priced at $17.99 at my local shop. This is a bit less than normal retail which should be around $20. Looking for the ice wine experience without the premium price tag? This is a great place to start. Similar wines from Canada and Germany will run up in the $60-$70 range.

T-Scale 90+. This is probably the best example of dessert wine in this price range.

From Forrest:

"This botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc has aromas of golden delicious apples, sugared figs and butterscotch followed by a sweet, rich crème brulee palate concluding in a lingering yet crisp finish. A highly memorable wine."

Bonus Posting: Deals to be had out there

I'm not reviewing anything in particular here but I do want to encourage all of you to hit the close-out sections of your local wine outlet. Some of my friends and I have really found some deals out there lately. Some of those include:

• Le Signal (that super cinsault-mouvedre) - $9.88 but regularly $22
• Landmark Overlook chardonnay - $5 per half bottle (bought 2), regularly $40+ per
• Stonestreet chardonnay - $9.99, regularly $28 per
• Mercer sauvignon blanc 2007 - $8.99, regularly $17
• E.Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003 - $19, regularly $40+

This is just a small sample, believe me. You can try your regular grocer (Kroger is good), party store, or wine merchant. It seems that they need the shelf space, so those bottle that have been sitting around for a while need to go.

I was a bit concerned about the age and how they were stored while in the shop. But, none so far have been corked or super-heated so I think you're safe. Most of your local merchants will have no problem whatsoever returning the bottle if you bring it in cork and all.

People like me who shop for bargains are out there, so if you see one in the clearance cart, jump on it. Those with I-phones and Blackberries will have the added advantage of getting reviews while in the shop.

Bottom line, shop the close outs. If nothing else, it's a good way to stock your cellar and wine racks with better-than-average bottles for average or less prices.

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Have you seen Bottle Shock, the movie? If you're a wine lover, I'd recommend it. Chateau Montelena put Napa whites on the world stage back in '76. But, how's the red? Inquiring minds wanted to know.

First of all, it's not cheap - $43. At that price, I expect a mighty good cab, even from Napa. I know what I'm getting in a wine like Hess Alomi ($22), Joseph Carr ($22), and Simi ($20 or so), so for twice the price, I'm thinking it better be pretty darned good.

The nose is nice, much of what I expect from Napa cabs, licorice, leathery, a bit of black pepper and some dark fruit. It's quite dark and full on the tongue with plenty of fruit forward. The finish is nice and long but lacks the large roll off the tongue that others like Peju and Alpha Omega provide.

It's good, but it's no value. It has very good structure and cellar potential. I believe if you have the patience, let it sit for another 2 or 3 years. The structure will make this a long-lasting bottle that will probably only get better over the years. Chateau Montelena tends to gain value with age, so if you are planning to speculate, this would be a good selection.

T-Scale 88. I'd like to try one from 2001 or so to compare.

Bernardus Ingrid's Vineyard Chardonnay - 2005

I enjoyed two monumental chardonnays this weekend, the first being this the 2005 Bernardus Ingrid's Vineyard Chardonnay. I obtained this from the source in Carmel Valley in August at a bonus half-off rate. I checked their website today and saw this vintage is now sold out... too bad for me.

This instantly gets promoted to my top five chards of all time. This has the nose of white Burgundy with the full roundness of the Talbot and Landmarks. Very full bodied with no oak on the tongue. Some malolactic fermentation sensed, but not overly so. Figs, butterscotch and pears with some citrus throughout. Lasting nice nice finish makes this a complete wine.

This is not available outside of the winery unfortunately. The regular offering from Bernardus is however. The current vintage of Ingrid's Vineyard is priced at $50 per bottle. Not cheap, but far better than most. Consider this your "I deserve this" white for that special occasion. I've had maybe two I like better and they fetch about the same price.

T-Scale 92. I would rate it higher, but you can't get it. Even if you could, you would pay a premium for it. This is a top-five chardonnay!