Fiat Vino

Warm and chocolatey, there are a lot of cedar and unsmoaked tobacco notes here. A strong tannin backbone would make this a great pair with a Rib Eye. I wish I had one right now. http://papawow.com

"A windswept terrior of hills and dry gravelly-clay..." This is one of the cheaper Sav Blancs from Marlborough at Trader Joe's coming at $7 or so. Doesn't have too much of that fresh-cut grass scratch-n-sniff that I like but it is a great value for under $10. Buy again. http://papawow.com

This Spanish wine has a good spice to it. My in-laws served it slightly chilled and I liked it that way. It paired well with a roast beef. http://papawow.com

This has a good acidity and has a fuller mouthfeel than a lot of Sav Blancs but not much is there in the finish. It may have been $10 at Cost Plus and it tastes like a $10 bottle. Not disappointed at all, but not a big winner either. http://papawow.com

Considering how big many of their other Syrahs are, this one is surprisingly light. It could be mistaken maybe even for a Pinot Noir on a dark and stormy night in a blind tasting. This wine is excellent, and the 2006, although could stay down for a little while longer, is ripe to drink right now. http://papawow.com

We got a case of this as a futures purchase and we're so glad we did. It is unreal how much flavor comes out of a little purple liquid. It is big and jammy and has just the right amount of oak to sweep the knee Johnny. It paired amazingly with some Mocha Filet Mignon, the bitter-sweet of the dry rub played nice with the tannins and the fruit. Amazing stuff, party on Wayne, party on Wine Garage. http://papawow.com

This Chardonnay/Viognier blend from Georgia (the state, not the country) was a gift from some old family friends. Chanteloup is French for "Song of the Wolf," and I was pleasantly surprised having never tried wines from Georgia before (the state, not the country). There is a good amount of oak on it and if I didn't know it was 13.2% alcohol, I would have guessed it to be much lighter because it is crisp and refreshing, like a Sauvignon Blanc. http://papawow.com

This is excellent. It is a very spicy zin as opposed to a jammy one. Cedar, cracked black pepper, and a hint of anise blend into the notes of dried fruit. It is 90% Zin, 6% Carignane, and 4% Petite Syrah. http://papawow.com

"Aristocratic wines at democratic prices." 503-554-1918. This is a good pinot that, at this age, should be decanted or let to air a little. Rocking the screwcap, boom. http://papawow.com

This Spanish wine is 40% Souson, 30% Brancellao, 30% Caino tinto. It has great balance of spice and fruit. This was $9 at Grocery Outlet. http://papawow.com

This vineyard was planted in 1903 and the resulting wine has a heap more barnyard than you'd expect in a Zin. This may be due to the fact that this is also 17% Alicante Bouschet and 3% Carignane, but then again, maybe not. There is also a bit of "brat" that lends a hint of anise and mellows out with some decanting. Picked this one up at, yup you guessed it, the Grocery Outlet for about $6 and it's worth at least $20. Grab one if you see it. http://papawow.com