Last Thursday, our good friend and Tramonte rep Devon came by with a mélange of wines:

Familia Oliveda Brut Cava Jove NV.  Grade=Outstanding.  A nice value sparkler from Spain, this light-bodied Cava shows off some lovely stone fruit, good effervescence, and undertones of toast, white flowers and wet stones.

Zellerbach Chardonnay California 2009.  Grade=Average.  A soft, fruit-driven Chard with decent tropical notes and a slight finish of apple tart. 

Dunham Chardonnay Shirley Mays Columbia Valley 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Gorgeous Chardonnay!  With its Burgundian leanings, this medium-bodied white is multilayered with apple pie, pear tart, fresh-baked brioche, vanilla cream, tangerine and toasty oak.  Finishes long and sumptuous.

Zellerbach Merlot California 2007.  Grade=Outstanding.  A juicy, jammier style of Merlot, with splashy plum and red fruit aromas and flavors.  A real crowd-pleaser!

Zellerbach Cabernet Sauvignon California 2008.  Grade=Outstanding.  This is the second vintage I have had of the Cab and I am again sold on how much you get for the money:  medium-bodied, fruit-driven with good grip on the palate, well-integrated tannins and notes of spices, mocha and red and black berry fruits.

Castillo de Monseran Garnacha Carinena 2009.  Grade=Outstanding.  Medium-bodied, dry red with earthy tannins, hints of white pepper, black cherry, blueberry and pomegranate notes.  Lean yet well-balanced.

Castillo de Monseran Old Vines Garnacha Carinena 2007.  Grade=Outstanding.  A bit richer than its more youthful sibling, this shows of dense dark red berry fruit, brown spices, rhubarb and olive tapenade.

Dunham Three Legged Red Columbia Valley 2008.  Grade=Outstanding.  Syrah, Cab and Merlot come together for this medium-bodied blend, full of black and red fruit swagger, loads of juicy currants, touches of mocha, chicory and peppercorns.

Dunham Syrah Columbia Valley 2006.  Grade=Outstanding+.  An impressive and relatively inexpensive Syrah, this Columbia Valley beauty possesses notes of fresh-baked cherry cobbler, roasted game, wild spices and herbs, and dusty earth.

Black & White Topanga Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006.  Grade=Outstanding.  A fairly nice bottle of Cab from this virtual winery just outside of Los Angeles, you get a medium-to-full-bodied Cab that doesn’t shy away from its Napa fruit characters.  Big, bold and rich, it’s a nice find.