Mogul Mike from DTK rolled in for an order, line up an appointment for later this month, and finally dropped off some samples for me and the staff to try.  A veritable hodgepodge of wines from South Africa, Germany and California were included:

Arabella Sauvignon Blanc South Africa 2012.  Grade=Very Good.  Clean, crisp, tart SB with nice hints of citrus and tropical fruit notes.

Journey’s End Chardonnay Stellenbosch 2011.  Grade=Outstanding.  Rich and creamy Chardonnay, with vanillin oak, butterscotch and peach cobbler notes running through its full-bodied presence across the palate.

Peirano Estates The Other White Lodi 2009.  Grade=Very Good.  Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier done semi-sweetly to give you a racy, fruit-driven white blend, perfect for spicier fare.

St. Christopher Riesling Kabinett Piesporter Goldtropfchen 2011.  Grade=Very Good.  A solid Riesling, semi-dry, with notes of Rainier cherries, limeade and white peaches.  Undertones of spice and mineral give it depth.

Peirano Estates The Other Red Lodi 2009.  Grade=Very Good.  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah join forces in this “Orin Swift-styled” wine, jammy and juicy with medium-to-full-bodied dark fruits and spices, without the huge price tag.

Peirano Estates The Immortal Zinfandel Old Vines Lodi 2011.  Grade=Outstanding.  For the sexy red lovers, this decadent Zinfandel possesses superripe notes of blueberry and boysenberry fruit, graham cracker crust, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.  A real bad boy red.