With my usual letter grading under quick and dirty circumstances:
NV Villa Grande Pinot Prosecco
Pink stuff in a curvaceous bottle which made me suspect I'd hate this, but in fact the wine's quite nice. Dry, that is, with a distinct pinot character. B. $15.99.
2007 Roads End Pinot Noir, Willamette
This is Ken Wright's son's label. Medium body with a salt-water flavor among the pinosity. Not impressed. C. $50.
2003 La Velona Brunello di Montalcino, Italy
Very resolved, light aged color, bitter finish. The owner of the store says this wine "will age for YEARS!" and claims it's "only 14%" but I taste a wine that's dying and alcohol-dominated. C-/D, and atrociously priced at $50. In fact, on the way home I think to myself, "I'll bet he paid around $20 for that loser." So I googled it and up it came at K&L for $21.99. This is something that really bugs me about this wine store and anyone from Bellingham who reads this note won't have any trouble guessing which retailer I'm talking about. He NEVER passes the savings on to his customers, not that I'd want this wine, but the point is not to treat your customers like idiot who can't/won't figure out that you're making 300% profit on a bottle. Let me add that his prices on non-closeout wines are the highest in town, typically 10% more than others who carry the same wine.
2006 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla, Washington
This wine is supposedly made from the oldes cab vines in Walla Walla--planted 1978. I'm shocked to learn that there weren't any commercial vines in that area before that. (There were on the Columbia slopes, just not here.) Anyway, rustic in style or what you might call pleasantly rough and no real sign of oak on the entry, but there's too much vanilla on the finish. C+. $50
2007 JC Cellars GSM, California
Thick, extracted, strong and sweet with black berry and licorice flavors. HATED THIS. D. $46
2007 Gamba Zin, Estate Vineyard, Sonoma
Jammy raspberry, nice acid. I've had this in other years at friends' homes where it was overly thick and plush. This one doesn't seem to be quite so monstrous, though maybe I've been overly prepped to think so by that hideous JC Cellars. Of all the wines poured it's the one I'd be interested in a glass of if offered a choice. Still, too rich for my blood at $46. That's Biale territory and this isn't Biale quality. B.