2008 Château Thénac Bergerac Sec

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He says: When people say a wine needs food, they usually mean that a wine is unbalanced and needs some disguising…

She says: The first time I had this wine I really enjoyed it but in this blind tasting it did stand out as overly-oaked.

2009 Château de Sancerre

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He says: A solid bottle of Sauvignon Blanc with more of a New World style – sure to be a crowd pleaser

She says: The price tag was not so balanced although not crazy for Sancerre.

2008 Terra Incognita Chardonnay Mâcon-Villages

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He says: Hard to explain, and even harder to drink.

She says: It is rare for me to dislike a wine so completely.

2009 Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill

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He says: Ahhhhhh, thank you, Rodney Strong!

She says: A gem of a wine for the price. Need I say more.

2009 Montes Chardonnay Alpha

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He says: Not my favorite, and there are better values out there.

She says: The Montes was a more typical warm climate chardonnay with its strong tropical fruit notes and a wack of oak to chew on.

Had a Glass: 2010 Charles Melton Rose of Virginia

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He says: I really enjoyed this wine and wish it was something I could stock a case of at home.

She says: It was a great welcome home.

2009 Buty Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc

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He says: I didn’t mind it, and it would be good in the right situation, however, it’s not without its flaws.

She says: Overall, this wine had a lovely aroma and flavour profile.

Wine truths

“A typical wine writer was once described as someone with a typewriter who was looking for his name in print, a free lunch, and a way to write off his wine cellar. It’s a dated view. Wine writers now use computers.”
by Frank Prial

Wine Ratings

★☆☆☆☆ - Poor quality. Avoid. Save your money. Between 80-84 points.

★★☆☆☆ - Average quality or poor value. Between 84-88 points. Some expensive wines are downgraded for bad value.

★★★☆☆ - Good. Between 88-92 points. Or a good value on the lower end of the point scale.

★★★☆☆ - Excellent quality. Between 92-96 points. Or a cheap yet good quality wine which is excellent value.

★★★☆☆ - Outstanding, best examples in the world. Between 96 and 100 points. A perfect wine.