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Best Under $20

Stark Sips
Weekend wine pick: 2006 Santa Ema 60/40 Reserve (87 pts, $10)
by Clinton Stark | 08.27.09 | Comment
Weekend wine pick: 2006 Santa Ema 60/40 Reserve (87 pts, $10)

Here’s a good value wine you can most likely buy right now at your local Costco for about $10. But it delivers at least twice that in laid back flavor. This Chilean wine from Santa Ema, as the ...

Stark Sips
2007 Artesa Chardonnay Carneros (91 pts, $20)
by Clinton Stark | 08.15.09 | Comments (1)
2007 Artesa Chardonnay Carneros (91 pts, $20)

This Chardonnay is one of my two favorites Artesa wines. The other is their Pinot, just the regular non-reserve one (classic tier). At a recent tasting Loni and I both agreed that these were the standouts, especially at ...

Stark Sips
2005 Tin Roof Cellars Merlot, California North Coast (89 pts, $7.49)
by Clinton Stark | 06.22.09 | Comments (4)
2005 Tin Roof Cellars Merlot, California North Coast (89 pts, $7.49)

Cherry. Bargain.

That’s the two word summary for this Merlot. I’d score higher if it weren’t for just a tad too much cherry. It eases off after about an hour or two of breathing. And you know, maybe it’s ...

Stark Sips
Weekend wine pick: 2006 Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley Chile (89 pts, $8.99)
by Clinton Stark | 06.06.09 | Comment
Weekend wine pick: 2006 Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley Chile (89 pts, $8.99)

Chile is all about hidden value. While Argentina, Portugal and others are getting recent glory and headlines, look to Chile for some wine deals.

Case in point: this ...

Stark Sips
2006 St. Francis Chardonnay, Sonoma County ($12, 89 pts.)
by Clinton Stark | 05.29.09 | Comment
2006 St. Francis Chardonnay, Sonoma County ($12, 89 pts.)

I was pleasantly surprised to: (a) find this wine sitting on a Safeway store shelf in San Jose, and (b) get it on sale for about $12. St. Francis Winery & Vineyards is a top tier Sonoma producer ...

Stark Sips
2006 Benziger Chardonnay, Sonoma County wine review (88 pts, $16)
by Clinton Stark | 05.11.09 | Comment
2006 Benziger Chardonnay, Sonoma County wine review (88 pts, $16)

Slightly off the beaten path in Sonoma County, Benziger is a scenic, wooded winery worth the visit. We visited a few years back and came back with plenty of good memories, not the least of which was the ...

StarkSilverCreek
2006 Wirra Wirra Church Block – wine pick of the week
by Clinton Stark | 04.14.09 | Comment
2006 Wirra Wirra Church Block – wine pick of the week

The label on this Australian wine states, “The 2006 selection of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Shiraz (30%) and Merlot (20%) is another masterful blend”. And I would agree. This is a nice twist on the typically excellent Shiraz we ...

StarkSilverCreek
Tenuta Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay, Livermore Valley: A great wine from a unique winery
by Clinton Stark | 03.14.09 | Comments (2)
Tenuta Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay, Livermore Valley: A great wine from a unique winery

We weren’t completely surprised by this Chardonnay from Tenuta. Just weeks earlier we had enjoyed some of it, along with several other wines and some barrel tasting, up at the vineyard in Livermore Valley. The winery is run ...

StarkSilverCreek
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, buy it while you can
by Clinton Stark | 01.24.09 | Comments (3)
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, buy it while you can

[Update: thanks to Linda Kuehl, formerly of Chateau Ste. Michelle, who corrected me on this. The Wine Spectator review of 88 pts. is actually for the Riesling form Cold Creek Vineyard, which I have yet to try. The ...

StarkSilverCreek
Clos du Bois Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay 2006: A creamy, toasty wine
by Clinton Stark | 01.16.09 | Comment
Clos du Bois Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay 2006: A creamy, toasty wine

Perhaps I’m inspired by the unseasonably warm weather here in California.

Despite a long list of reds awaiting tasting, I found myself gravitating towards this Chardonnay.

The creamy and rich flavors of a nice Chardonnay at just the right temperature ...

StarkSilverCreek
2005 Bogle Petite Sirah – A Good Friend You Can Count On
by Clinton Stark | 11.15.08 | Comment
2005 Bogle Petite Sirah – A Good Friend You Can Count On

This one’s a keeper. When perusing the shelves at the local wine shops, I’m looking ...

StarkSilverCreek
2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
by Clinton Stark | 11.01.08 | Comment
2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand

With cooler months ahead, red wines will continue to be the focus of my reviews. So I figured it was time to write about a white since I don’t normally drink ...

StarkSilverCreek
2005 Merryvale Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon from Costco Wine Review
by Clinton Stark | 10.25.08 | Comments (1)
2005 Merryvale Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon from Costco Wine Review

If you’re heading to Costco this weekend, here’s another good Cab to add to your wine list. From a new producer, Merryvale, established just 2 years ago in 2006, the winery seems to be on track to producing ...