Last night, we manned the door during Halloween with some friends on hand while simultaneously shepherding Andrew around the neighborhood for his annual sugar-and-chocolate orgy. To help pass the time, we opened a few bottles, consumed with various snacks, that we'd had before:
2004 Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone ($9) nose: dark cherries, a hint of pepper palate: medium body, smooth tannins, cherry fruit, pepper
Simple and clean. Not much character there, but you could do a lot worse at this price.
2005 Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages ($9) n: bright grapefruit and cranberry fruit p: medium-light body, crisp entry, bright cranberry-grapefruit, good acidity
Good example of an '05 Beaujolais with the forward fruit typical of the year. Unlike many '05s, not very tight or tannic, so ready to drink now.
2006 Babich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($12) n: powerful, grapefruit, tropical fruit, flowers p: juicy, crisp, fruity, minerals, medium body
Wow. We hadn't had this wine for awhile and it still is one of the best NZ SBs -- at this or any price -- that we've had in a long time. This is the sort of wine that can renew your faith in a region or variety.
Mark Lipton