90 Point Red Wine

The 2009 Grandes Beso de Vino Proprietary Blend is a blend of 85% Syrah and 15% Garnacha aged for 3 months in French oak. Black cherry and blueberry aromas lead to a dense, plush, savory wine which finishes with no hard edges. It is shockingly good for the money.

The Lamadrid Malbec Single Vineyard is made from estate fruit; terrific aromatics, great depth and length, loads of fruit and spice.

The 2007 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Crianza Rioja is a terrific bargain. Smoke, leather, cinnamon, incense, and blackberry are some of the elements jumping from the glass of this smooth-textured, generously stuffed, savory offering. Excellent volume and length suggest that this exceptional value will provide enjoyment through 2019.

This 2009 De Angelis Larima Christi Delvesuvio (Piedirosso, Aglianico) screams with character. A blast of tar, earthiness, game and smoke leads to ripe wild cherries and herbs. The wine gains richness and juiciness in the glass, but always remains a touch rustic. It is a fabulous value. 

The 2008 Finca Sandoval is composed of 50% syrah, 38% garnacha tintorerra and 12% garnacha. A complex bouquet offers red berries, cherry, rose and baking spices. There's a lively character here that reminds me a bit of ripe pinot noir. Juicy and open-knit, with gently sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and good spine. Finishes with gentle tannins and very good clarity, repeating the spicy note.

The 2008 Charles Cimicky Trumps Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia offers very deep garnet-purple coloring. This has intense aromas of crushed blackberries, mulberries, game, leather, olives, spice box and tobacco leaves. Full-bodied with a medium level of finely grained tannins and a high level of balanced acid, this wine is beginning to reveal some evolved, mature fruit characters and drinking nicely now. It should continue to cellar to 2016+.