• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Petit Verdot
• Sonoma

Review Date:	12/25/2007
Price Range**:	$$$$
Winery:	Ledson
Vintage:	2002
Varieties:	Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Sonoma
Rating:	9/10
Notes: The fruit is very dark, and you will indeed get the occasional hint of chocolate or even oak and tobacco maybe.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Shiraz
• South Africa

Review Date:	12/10/2007
Price Range**:	$$
Winery:	Guardian Peak
Vintage:	2004
Varieties:	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz
Country:	South Africa
Region:	Stellenbosch
Appellation:
Rating:	8/10
Notes: Dark red color with a nice blend of berry and floral aromas. Taste is deep red fruit, a bit jammy with a hint of spice.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Merlot
• Sonoma

Review Date:	10/11/2007
Price Range**:	$$$
Winery:	Ledson
Vintage:	2005
Varieties:	Merlot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Sonoma
Rating:	9/10
Notes: Deep red ruby color with well balanced fruit and some spiciness. Lingers on palate, but still very drinkable.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Merlot
• Napa Valley

Review Date:	09/12/2007
Price Range**:	$$$
Winery:	Swanson
Vintage:	2003
Varieties:	Merlot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Napa Valley
Rating:	8/10
Notes: Luscious berry flavors and black cherry aromas. Well-balanced with spiciness that is mature, but very enjoyable
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Merlot
• Napa Valley

Review Date:	08/21/2007
Price Range**:	$$
Winery:	Merryvale
Vintage:	2004
Varieties:	Merlot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Napa
Rating:	8/10
Notes: Dominated by deep red and black fruit with accents of vanilla.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• California
• Merlot
• Petite Verdot

Review Date:	08/13/2007
Price Range**:	$$$$
Winery:	Cain
Vintage:	2002
Varieties:	Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Napa Valley
Rating:	9/10
Notes: A fine wine with dark fruit and plums mixed with smoke and pepper. Hints of minerals, asparagus, and coffee are detectable. Plenty of tannins and mouthfeel with this wine.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Petite Verdot
• Sangiovese
• Tuscany

Review Date:	06/30/2007
Price Range**:	$$$
Winery:	Marchesi dé Frescobaldi
Vintage:	2005
Varieties:	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese
Country:	Italy
Region:	Tuscany
Appellation:
Rating:	8/10
Notes: Aroma and taste of cherry and darker fruit, blackberry and current, some raisin. Jam-like flavors in a nice package.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Merlot

Review Date:	06/01/2007
Price Range**:	$$
Winery:	Lava Cap
Vintage:	2003
Varieties:	Merlot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Sierra Foothills
Rating:	10/10
Notes: Spectacular sweet red fruit with notes of vanilla and chocolate. Slightly peppery on the finish with hints of smoke and tobacco.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Chardonnay
• Merlot
• Pinot Grigio
• Sauvignon Blanc

Everyone is getting into the trend of pairing food and drink, whether the drink is something as unexpected as Scotch or whether the food be something as quintessentially American as boxed mac 'n cheese.  The company famous for creating the best instant meal in a box, Kraft, thinks that the efforts of top chefs to turn the traditional fare of the pot luck dinner into the delicacy du jour of the urban hipster by adding ingredients like $2500/lb. truffles to the recipe is enough to convince the packaged food maker that the golden age of mac 'n cheese is now, not 20 years ago.  The company has created a new "bistro" line of mac 'n cheese with trendy, unique ingredients that should make your mouth water. 

...a new premium line of mac and cheese featuring fine ingredients such as sundried tomatoes, Portobello mushrooms and Asiago cheese, that helps adults bring the bistro experience home with the twist of unique flavors. And to help bring a real bistro feel to the kitchen table, Kraft is putting a new spin on the classic combo of wine and cheese ... wine and mac and cheese that is! By pairing wines with the more grown-up flavors found in Kraft Bistro Deluxe pastas, adults can create a memorable meal in minutes right in their own kitchens.

If you've grown up on the stuff, like we have, then you'll be interested in what you're supposed to drink in order to bring out the cheesiest flavor.

According to Sbrocco, the richness of the creamy sauce in the new Sundried Tomato Parmesan variety is perfect with a similarly-styled wine such as a buttery, oaky Chardonnay.

• It's not the outdated mantra of red wine with meat and white wine with fish.  It's about the weight of the food and wine in your mouth.
• Try pairing creamy macaroni and cheese like Kraft Bistro Deluxe Classic Cheddar with a smooth, creamy white wine or a supple, fruity California Merlot such as Fetzer Valley Oaks.
• Go for contrast and serve a tangy wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to slice through the richness of dishes like scallops, pizza or macaroni and cheese.

We haven't tried the latest editions of the staple, but if Kraft is helping to sell a lot more wine that will be paired to my childhood food of choice then we're all for it.  We guess that it may go without saying that you could pair a plate of planting soil with a great wine in order to better enjoy the dirt, but just about anything tastes better with a large glass of aged grape juice.

• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Petite Verdot

Review Date:	05/16/2007
Price Range**:	$$$$
Winery:	Ledson
Vintage:	2004
Varieties:	Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Country:	US
Region:	California
Appellation:	Sonoma
Rating:	9/10
Notes: The fruit is very dark, and you will indeed get the occasional hint of chocolate or even oak and tobacco maybe.
** $ - approx $10 or less $$ - approx $25 or less $$$ - approx $50 or less $$$$ - approx $100 or less $$$$$ - more than $100

• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Petite Verdot

Ledson strikes again with a huge wine blended from a number of different grapes.  We poured the Ti Amo into the giant Riedel Cabernet glasses since we knew the wine was going to be big.  If you put this wine to your nose immediately, you are overwhelmed with alcohol.  The wine does well if it's allowed to breathe for a bit before you start to drink so make sure if you're going to pop the cork on a bottle of this stuff that you aren't planning on drinking it with fish and be sure that you have at least 15 minutes to let the wine open up by exposing it to some air.

Historically, decanting was used to remove sediment from wine processes that are simply ancient in comparison to modern methods.  Typically, decanting now is used to remove particles of a disintegrated cork or let the relatively small amounts of sediment that can accumulate in wine to fall to the bottom.  Most often though modern wines are pretty much ready to drink, and with more modern methods of enclosing bottles the possibility of cork disintegration goes down with each passing year.  For big, bold wines like Cabernets, you may try decanting to your particular tastes.  Try various decanters and time limits, and you may find a formula that works best for you.

We let a bit of this stuff decant for a number of hours and it continued to get better with more exposure to the air.  The characteristics change dramatically from a taste with almost too much dryness and alcohol to one of smooth, complex dark fruit with almost no hint of dryness.  It's quite incredible that such a change can occur in a wine with exposure to air.

Don't forget to swirl in your glass.  You'll look cool like a wine snob and be exercising your eye-hand coordination.

2004 Alexander Valley Ti Amo
Approx. Quantity Produced: 589 cases

Winemaker's Comments:
Tiamo means I love you in Italian, and you will agree this is the proper name for this lovely wine once it touches your lips. It is a careful blending of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot. Each component is aged separately for 22 months in French Oak barrels before blending. This wine offers a mix of ripe, rich concentrated fruit revealing uncommon depth and tiers of flavors of wild berries, black currant, and a slight touch of chocolate. This wine is very drinkable now, but will also age beautifully. You can cellar our Tiamo for 10 – 15 years. This wine would pair beautifully with the gamey flavor of venison.

Once you get past that little wait you can appreciate the complexity of the Ti Amo blend.  The fruit is very dark, and you will indeed get the occasional hint of chocolate or even oak and tobacco maybe.  The tannins will make this wine quite cellarable too.  We've put a couple of bottles away for a rainy day some ten years in the future.  We're looking forward to comparing this blend to the Cabernet Sauvignon varietals from Ledson.  Should be quite an arm-twisting chore.

• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Petite Verdot

Don't know if it's just bad luck, but it seems as though Valentine's day is a pretty big downer for how "hallmarky" the quasi-holiday is supposed to be.  We've sat in close proximity to more than one couple on the rocks during the Valentine's day dinner deluge.  It brings some sick sort of enjoyment watching people swapping accusations and trying to refrain from throwing the lobster fork while sitting in front of a $300 meal.  It's all fun and games until you realize that the two people sitting an elbow's reach away are lobbing insults while guzzling a $1200 bottle of wine, no less than a 1986 Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

It's amazing how many adults act like teenagers from Orange County when they get into arguments.  Maybe it's that adults always act like angsty pubescents when they're ticked off, but who really knows.  We started to count the number of times that the woman next to us complained to the $1200 wine guy, "you don't know me."  We were waiting for the two snaps in a "z" but were disappointed.  Yeah, it's either Orange County or a ridiculous rap video that you enter whenever you have the pleasure of watching some self-centered adults argue about the most trivial banalities.

Here's some advice.  It's great to love wine.  We certainly do.  It's just that it's more than a little curious that anyone, especially a wine snob like this guy would, blow $1200 on a bottle of legendary wine risking the possibility that the person you're trying to impress is not easily impressed by wine.  If you really must go to dinner with some wine neophyte or just some girl with whom you may not end up with anyway, get a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, or at least tell her to stop whining while you're trying to enjoy the only decent part of your meal.  After all, if you're a guy, chances are your only gift on this kind of night is going to be the check.

On previous Valentine's Days, we've actually seen a few more fireworks, but this one certainly didn't disappoint.  It's hard to say whether or not the relationship was actually headed for the toilet or not, but we certainly hope so.  It's hard to tell who was the bigger wine offender here, the guy who bought the wine thinking he was going to impress this girl or the girl who had the rhetorical savvy of a silver-spoon-fed, Point Break Keanu Reeves.  Ok, ok, any Keanu Reeves.