The Wine Gift Shop

Red Wine by Bodegas Fernando Remirez de Ganuza from Rioja, Spain. From a serious, artisinal Rioja producer, this unfined/unfiltered 2002 (a blend of old vine Tempranillo, Graciano, and Grenache) boasts a dark ruby/plum color along with notes of creosote, vanilla, black cherry, and cassis. Medium-bodied with silky tannin in an up-front style, it should drink well for 4-6 years. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 89 Points

Red Wine by Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil from Spain. 100% Monastrell from 45 year old vines.  Deep violet. Aromas of blackcurrant, black tea, black berry, smoke. Very chewy and rich with good framing tannins and minerality.   A serious effort, the 2004 Juan Gil is fashioned from 45-year-old Mourvedre vines and is aged for 12 months in American and French oak. This rich, full-bodied, inky/purple-tinged cuvee exhibits aromas of scorched earth, blueberries, licorice, and pepper, a savory, layered texture, and remarkable opulence for a Mourvedre. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.  The Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Bodegas Martin Codax from Rioja, Spain. Tempranillo from la Rioja is considered to be of the highest quality. This is a modern-style Rioja, exhibiting dark, robust, plush fruit and agreeable tannins. The 2006 Ergo Tempranillo has lots of body and structure, as well as multiple layers of fruit.

Red Wine by Bogle from Sierra Foothills, California. Head-trained, dry farmed old vines are the source for Bogle's Old Vine Zinfandel. These gnarly old vines produce concentrated fruit of unsurpassed quality and intensity. This supple and mouth-filling vintage leads with juicy blueberry and ripe blackberry fruit. Black pepper and hints of chocolate notes integrate well with this soft, plush body. Subtle hints of spicy oak and pipe tobacco create structure, allowing this wine to stand up to a variety of fare. This is the perfect wine to pair with everything from rich sauces and unique dishes, to your favorite weeknight take-out.

Red Wine by Bogle from California. First produced in 1978 by the Bogle family, Petite Sirah is considered Bogle's heritage varietal. On the nose, luscious boysenberry teases you along with touches of black pepper and herbs. Trademark inky and jammy tones fill the mouth with ripe fruit and berries. The voluptuous finish lingers with toasty oak and lush fruit. The firm tannins make this a wine that can develop for years to come, but you won't want to wait that long to enjoy it! Try this unique wine with rich meat dishes of lamb, pork or game and their hearty sauces.

Red Wine by Bonny Doon from Central Coast, California. A little bit of a stylistic departure for Bonny Doon. Since I have been hanging out with Patrick Ducournau, I have learned the mantra: I will fear no tannin. Cigare has always been fruit-driven (in the Australian parlance) and usually has had the soft, plush texture of the upholstery one finds in a vintage Citro?n. We have upped the ante and given the wine a little more grip, more conjones, if you will. I think that in doing so, we have enchanced this Cigares ability to age. Varietal composition: 34% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre, 2% Viognier, 2% Cinsault and 2% Carignane.

Red Wine by Bonny Doon from Central Coast, California. Blend: 90% Sangiovese, 5% Nero d'Avola, 3% Cinsault, 2% Colorino Nowhere is the evolution of Bonny Doon's grape growing and winemaking efforts more apparent than with Sangiovese. They had been working for many years with a vineyard in Monterey County which produced zaftig and extravagantly fruity wines. The new incarnation of this wine is derived principally from the Gimelli Vineyard in San Benito County. It is quite dark and mysterious, perhaps even brooding at this point. Bonny Doon seems to have channeled a more complex and elemental spectrum of flavors. Peel away one layer to find cherried pipe tobacco smoke, beneath another chocolate tones. From the periphery, liquored cassis and black cherry fruit are beginning to expand to the center. The tannins are quite prominent at the moment, and they are moving in the right direction toward resolution. And beneath it all, is a mineral crunch. This wine should evolve gracefully for at least 4 or 5 years.

Red Wine by Bonny Doon from Central Coast, California. The label of the Syrah Le Pousseur suggests a mysterious figure, cloaked in a great coat, in which rare vials and flasks of vaguely illicit elixirs, potions and philtres are cached. The image evokes a Tarot card, and as such, represents an archetypical figure, an icon resonant to the unconscious. Great Syrah is all about perfume and the tension between the wild and the refined. 2005 was a coolish year, one of elegance and restraint, and the '05 is extremely refined; the wine (upon decanting) has an especially seductive perfume. The signifiers of vrai syrah: bacon fat is well in evidence, as is the scent of licorice, anise, wintergreen, violet and spicy elements - white pepper, most notably, juniper, cardamom and sandalwood. There is also a brilliant mineral element herein - mostly in virtue of shy-yielding grapes. The texture is particularly noteworthy, with melted, creamy tannins and a very silky finish.

Red Wine by Bonterra from North Coast, California. Syrah continues in this vintage as Bonterra's unconventional blending grape for Cabernet Sauvignon, giving intriguing elements of spice and deep rich flavors sometimes not so attainable from the more traditional Merlot or Petite Sirah. Over the past seven years Bonterra has been privileged to work with Christian LeSommer, formerly of Chateau LaTour, to refine away the rough edges of their Cabernet to allow an elegant, near Old World styled wine to emerge. This Cabernet offers New World aromas of Bing cherry, currants and raspberry, with spicy notes of cedar and dried cranberry, with slight vanilla notes (French Vanilla, of course). In the glass you'll find juicy red berry flavors, and a very approachable, rich and full mouthfeel with a lingering, thoughtful finish. Good structure, polished yet soft tannins promise an ever more pleasing wine to come, with lively acidity and subtle spice. This rich and flavorful wine will be a surprisingly good match with a broad array of dishes that reach far beyond Cabernet's traditional pairing with roast meats.

Red Wine by Bonterra from North Coast, California. The blend for the 2005 vintage layers Merlot with Syrah, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon, along with a touch of Grenache, bringing complexity and a slight herbaceous note to the wine. The heritage of Bordeaux is evident here. Aromas of cranberry, chocolate and cola spice add to the somewhat old world style. Evident tannins will soften with age. The Merlot is dry, with good fruit featuring blackberry, cherry and touches of herbs, with notes of cedar.

Red Wine by Bootleg from Tuscany, Italy. An appealing marriage of old vine Sangiovese, Merlot and Ancellota. Sangiovese adds broad-faced, generous, marasca cherry while the Merlot is supple and round. The extremely rare, dark, intense Ancellota brings intense earthiness and terroir. Floral and opulent with cashmere tannins, hints of vanilla extract and red fruit reduction on the finish. Blend: 60% Sangiovese, 35% Merlot , 5% Ancellotta Stands alone or is perfect with steak Florentine, caprese, wild boar, duck or spicy fusion cuisines such as Thai/French.

Red Wine by Borgo Scopeto from Tuscany, Italy. Color: Deep ruby red, with light burgundy reflections Bouquet: Full and intense, with notes of small wild berries and pleasing scents of noble wood, vanilla and cocoa Palate: Dry, well structured, austere and elegant; good harmony between the tannic and acid components and those responsible for softness (alcohol and glycerine); excellent persistence on the palate A wine for the whole meal, particularly suitable for serving with pasta and rice, all meat dishes and cheese that is not too ripe.

Red Wine by Borsao from Spain. Refined nose of red fruit with a hint of blueberry. Spicy with vibrant acidity.  Has a sense of both elegance and verve. Great food wine. Slightly more intense than the Vina Borgia (and priced $2 higher) is the 2005 Borsao, a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Tempranillo. This stainless steel-fermented, deep ruby-hued effort displays plenty of sweet black cherry, strawberry, and raspberry fruit, a hint of black currants, medium body, silky tannin, and wonderful ripeness. The word is “BUY!” Drink it over the next year. Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Borsao from Spain. Blend: 80% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo from Campo de Borja Refined nose of red fruit with a hint of blueberry. Spicy with vibrant acidity. Has a sense of both elegance and verve. Great food wine.

Red Wine by Borsao from Spain. Robert Parker, Jr. has referred to this 100% old-vine Garnacha in past vintages as cherry pie in a glass with deep ruby color, aromas and flavors of kirsch liquer, licorice, garrigue, and plums. The grapes for this wine were harvested from vineyards that cling to rugged terrain on the slopes of the famous Moncayo Mountain with low yields of less than 2 tons per acre.

Red Wine by Bouchaine from Carneros, California. Bouchaine 2005 Carneros Pinot Noir is a blend of Dijon, Pommard, and Swan clones from their own vineyards and very select lots from neighboring Carneros vineyards. These highly regarded neighbors include the Gee Vinyard (dry-farmed), Las Brisas Vineyards, and Casa Carneros. The 2005 season was classic Carneros: cool, fog-covered evenings and comfortably warm days that allowed Pinot grapes to develop fully, while maintaining bright acidity. The long harvest provided a veritable smorgasbord of grape ripeness and maturity, all of which enhanced the character of this Pinot, adding richness and layers of flavor. The resulting wine is redolent of cherries and berries with a touch of earthiness and orange peel. Pinot is considered by many to be the most versatile red wine and it pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods. Start with anything grilled or smoked. Try it with blackened salmon, pork tenderloin braised with herbs, pan seared chicken, or mushroom risotto accented with truffle oil.

Red Wine by Bouchard Aine & Fils from Burgundy, France - regions. Visual Aspect: Cherry red, limpid Nose: Complex, strong and fruity (citrus, cherries), spicy, woody and undergrowth notes. Palate: Strong and fleshy. Spicy with cherry, wood and spice flavors, and well-balanced tannins. Food Pairing: Beef Bourguignon, game, duck and cheeses

Red Wine by Brancott from Marlborough, New Zealand. Color: Deep garnet red. Aromas: Lifted dark berry fruits, black cherry with hints of savory spice and chocolate. Palate: The palate shows wonderful density with warm, dark plum and berry fruit. There is a perceived sweetness from the ripe fruit, while the tannins are fine and seamless. Serving suggestions: The wine's concentration and underlying elegance makes it an ideal match to a wide range of foods. It is perfectly matched to porcini or field mushroom risotto or pasta. The savory richness also lends itself to rare venison, grilled ostrich, slow-cooked rabbit, hare or wild fowl stews with winter vegetables. Cellaring: A complex, finely structured wine which will age gracefully for at least six years.

Red Wine by Brassfield from North Coast, California. This signature vineyard of five and a half acres was planted in 2001 and represents the first Syrah produced from the Monte Sereno vineyard located at 2100 feet in elevation on the western slopes of High Valley. The soils on this ridge top are primarily broken shale characteristic of Franciscan formation. Much of this vineyard has a northern exposure which delays ripening by a couple of weeks giving the fruit some additional hang-time, and subsequently softer, velvety tannins. Complex aromas of dark fruits, lavender, cola nut and toasty oak are present and intertwined amongst the elegant flavors, along with a touch of leather, soy and smoky cedar. The broad based palate is framed by the silky tannins providing a wine of great structure for long-term aging, but its soft suppleness makes this stunning wine enjoyable now.

Red Wine by Brassfield from North Coast, California. A lively aromatic medley of cedar and brambly dark fruits give a slight character of cooked jam in the initial offering from the glass. The soft entry is highlighted by ripe raspberry and blackberry notes within a soft, round mid-palate, and followed by a balanced structure of tannins and acidity to the lengthy finish. Enjoy with barbequed fare, spicy tapas or Mediterranean cuisine.

Red Wine by Brassfield from North Coast, California. Brassfield High Serenity Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is filled with aromas of dark fruits, lavendar and hints of cocoa and bay laurel. The inviting aromas of the wine open to a medium bodied mouth-feel and a framework of delicate tannins with a hint of barrel toast. This wine has a reasonable aging potential of 5 to 10 years, but its inherent softness invites it to be enjoyed today. This Cabernet is a proprietary blend sourced from two vineyards on High Serenity Ranch. The Monte Sereno Vineyard makes up the majority of the blend, and is located at 2100 ft. in elevation on the western slopes of High Valley. The soils on this ridge top are primarily broken shale characteristic of Franciscan formation with a light dusting of red volcanic soils intermixed. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot are three of this wine's varietal components. These four vineyard blocks have a southern exposure ensuring softer tannin development, and full fruit maturity for these late ripening varietals. The other Bordelaise varietal in this blend is Merlot which is located on the northern slopes of a southern exposed bench.