Oak Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ABV 12.5%

This is not a bad wine, and although the bottle says otherwise (proclaiming that this beverage would go best with hearty meat dishes, which we do not disagree with), we felt that it would be best with eggplant parmesan, lasagna, or a variety of mild flavored cheeses, such as Gouda.

Color:

Brian--murky garnet

Sara--dark, purple, burgundy, slightly cloudy

Nose:

Brian--little to no nose,
Sara--tangy, fruity, grapes, prunes

Taste:

Brian--tart aftertaste, blackberry, dewberry, medium body, jammy, slightly
acid

"Serve, be merry. Good wine, but nothing extraordinary"

Sara--dry, bitter, very little sweetness [residual sugar], strong fruit--citrus

"Not something I would drink just for the sake of a relaxing glass of wine by itself (has too much "bite" to be a before-bed-while-watching-a-movie kind of drink)--I would definitely want to be eating something along with it."

Lawson Ranch 2005 Monterey Merlot*, 13.5 ABV

Notes...

On this one, we should have let it sit for around twelve hours before drinking, due to the sulfites (from stopping the fermentation).

Sara:

Color--Burgundy, blood-orange, very clear

Nose--subdued alcohol masked mainly by the smell of fruit--grap-ey, plums

Taste--Nice lingering aftertaste of fruit [the bottle mentions that these are cherry and alderberry] but some dryness. Well rounded taste--all flavors are in perfect proportion. Strong, crisp flavor like the color promises. Would go well with fish (blackened or baked and flaky).

Brian:

Yes. Yes. Excellent wine. The sort of merlot that will make all those who've watched Sideways--and been swayed into thinking merlot is NO GOOD--eat their words! It is, however, a light-bodied wine, and anyone searching for heavy-hitters might feel somewhat let down. But screw them! This wine is nice. Light, breezy, and good tasting. Very feminine. Gorgeous, actually--maybe not as refined as some may like but great and interesting nonetheless. This wine should be re-branded "Daisy Miller" Oh my! I think I have the vapors!

Pas de Rauzan Bordeaux Superieur 2005 ABV (Gironde-France) 12.5

I concluded that this wine should be accompanied by cheeses, olives, and/or bruschetta--it seems like a wine that should be paired with an appetizer or a meal. Brian concluded it was "dull," and Matthew astutely noted that it has an identity crisis ("muddled" was the term he used), exemplified by the fact that the wine is a mix of 35% merlot, 35% cabernet sauvignon, and 30% cab franc. Therefore, it is difficult to derive one overall impression of the taste. None of the flavors was "off"--it is a clean wine, but not exactly tasty.

Nose: Olives, Spicy, Oak, Alcohol, Licorice

Taste: olive aftertaste, dry, dull