Jeff Clavier's Buzzlog

Got this nice Shiraz at Costco today ($13). I should have decanted it, but it opended rather nicely in the glass. Very typical berry flavors, spicy, gentle tanins. At that price, it is a no brainer. The 2002 got WS 89.
They also have a reserve wine, called Roasted Slope (litteral translation of "Cote Rotie"), which is supposed to be even better.
Oh, and this is one of the wines drunk during the movie Sideways (I believe that it is the first one Miles and Maya are drinking when Jack and Stephanie are "getting busy").

I bought that Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley at Safeway, not having heard about it before. It turned out to be a rather nice Pinot, quite light, but very enjoyable.
K&L Wine summarizes it well: A very appealing combination of feminine Pinot notes (flowers and pink raspberry) and more manly characters like earth, leather and dark cherry make this wonderful Pinot Noir, sourced from the famed Russian River appellation, a no-brainer.

It rarely happens, but I definitely did *not* like this wine at all. I have had Pinot Grigrio's in the past, especially when visiting Italy, that Luna product was way too heavy on fruit and sugar, and the spicy note was just not appropriate in the mix. The rest of the bottle ended up in the sync.
Bought it at Costco for $12, WS 88.

I found this bottle at BevMo, the wine is made in Monterey County, and displays very fruity flavors. It is sharp, a bit acid and light on oak. I liked it better after the bottle was open for a day or so.