Friday Night Double Blind $30+

A price point that often gets missed as most Fridays are $40+ and Tuesdays <$30.

• 1997 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Mountain 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

  Dark extracted core with dull garnet rim; mint, cedar, red currant, dense and layered nose with good density, floral; dense and rich on the palate, chocolate, stewed currant, cherry, sweet finish, a bit of heat; after revealing the bottle this made perfect sense, Bordeaux would have less fruit and more acid; very good now but this may gain a bit more complexity over the next couple years.

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• 2010 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Deep dense core with bright purple ruby rim; lavender, olive, dark fruit, berry, smoke, vanilla, cassis, red currant, graphite; deep rich and sexy on the palate, soft tannin, pencil lead, sweet dark berry, plush almost like Syrah, vanilla integrated, tons of layers that need a lot of time to show its best but it's absolutely delicious now; 94+.

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• 2007 Clos del Rey Côtes du Roussillon Villages 88 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages

  Very dark core with thin reddish garnet rim; heady dark berry, strong sulfur, hot stone, graham cracker, fig, hot, menthol, dark, brooding; dark raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, lots of bitterness like Grenache, a bit harsh, a certain sweetness, almost screechy schist-like minerality; interesting, not drinking well now, needs to shed the sulfur and hopefully time with bring this together a bit, I'm not giving up on it but just didn't enjoy drinking it now.

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• 2005 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Mourre des Perdrix 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Darker cloudy core with lighter crimson rim; some aged soy notes, caraway, dried roses, cherry, perfumed, cranberry; raspberry, dry bitterness, good midpalate density, cherry cough syrup, fresh, very old-school Grenache dominant, almost austere style; for as poorly as I rated this I would still go buy this wine as it has stuffing to age gracefully and definitely improve; tried to fool us by putting in a Bordeaux bottle but I knew it was Grenache (then CdP when told it wasn't the correct bottle).

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• 2007 Sante Marie di Vignoni Quiricus Toscana IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Semi-translucent darker core with large bricking rim; Chloraseptic, cherry, strawberry, dried quality to it, orange, almost raspberry, very strong and rich in an unassuming way; a tick of vanilla, rich meaty red fruit, very good acid, a little disjointed now but it should come together in a year or two, a certain feminine roundness; obviously very well made, tasted like a passionate well-skilled farmer made this, reminded me of Ciacci Piccolomini Rosso di Montalcino.

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• 2010 Château Fleur Cardinale 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Inky black core with thin reddish plum rim; graphite, pencil eraser, vanilla, strong oak, brooding, aggressive, nose off of pop and pour reminds me of Ribera del Duero; glycerin, soft acid, softened tannin from the oak, nutty oak, didn't see enough air, a big wine that finishes very dry; after 2 hours this wine really blossomed and was much more expressive, eager to see how it will drink in 10 years.

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• 1994 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Tre Colline 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Dark core, slightly cloudy, thin bricking; hard red currant, some plastic, cabbage, dill, cedar, sweet fruit, anise on the finish, structured; called '94 Napa Cab.

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• 2008 Montepeloso Eneo Toscana IGT 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Dark core with garnet rim; chestnut, acorn, red fruit and vegetal, lots of mushroom, asparagus; darker fruit on the palate, slightly brooding with its copious tannin that dries out your mouth, lower acid, lots of leather; good and interesting even though the note sounds so negative.

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• 2009 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Sangiovese Montecucco CCC 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montecucco

  Dark red core with light crimson rim, medium extraction; currant, plum, dried cherry, cabbage, perfumed, light vanilla, floral, meaty; soft rounded tannin, some dryness in the back, very drinkable, red currant, good acid and focus.

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• 2012 Soho Wine Co. Pinot Noir McQueen 88 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago

  See through dull ruby; sweet and confected, spice, dark sour cherry, perfumed, slight Cola, straightforward Pinot; light body, sour and tart dark fruit, vanilla and spice, spritzy finish; decent though too modern for me; called Central Otago Pinot.

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• 2009 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Maestro Raro Toscana IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Very dark core with thin reddish rim; modern off the nose, red fruit, currant, fruit cake, oak, spice, dried fruit, tannic, rich, alcohol, a little green pepper; tasty; called Tuscan Cabernet.

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• 2008 Tua Rita Perlato del Bosco Toscana IGT 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Dark core with reddish rim; nose of currant, dried fruit, almost chocolate, a little pent up, plum, smooth; dark fruit on the palate though good acid, dried fruit, lots of cigar; very good but has the power and acidity to age well; called Rapace from Uccelliera.

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A good evening of well performing "values" most being just over $30 per bottle. Lots of Italian which may show that you don't have to break the bank to drink well if you're buying Italian.

Not sure why so many were 91's. I thought the quality was outstanding, but they were not special enough to achieve higher...today at least.

The Spottswoode was not an official entry but the boss sharing. Thanks, Chris!

I will give myself a pat on the back for almost calling 5 of the last 6 wines. I assure you I gloat much less in person. My palate has been on lately. Lengua en fuego!