2005 Brutocao Zinfandel Estate Bottled Hopland Ranches

I decanted this wine about 4 hours.

The nose had a nice blackberry and bramble aroma on the front end, cedar in the middle, and a good vanilla finish. The palate was very smooth and had blackberry and earth, and a little chocolate and spice on the finish.

2005 Arcadian Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

I decanted this wine about 5 hours.

A very earthy nose of mushroom and wet leaves surround a fruit center of cherry and raspberry. It ends with subtle hints of oak. The palate was smooth and had forest floor and sour cherry. It finished with some spice, strong tannins, and good acidity.

2004 Bodegas Sonsierra Rioja Crianza Vendimia Seleccionada

I decanted this wine about 6 hours.

The nose had strong aromas of bittersweet chocolate and cherry. There was also a bit of pepper and fresh cream at the end. The palate was smooth and had a bunch of black cherry and pepper. It finished with a good amount of oak.

2005 Louis Latour Marsannay

This was a good wine for the price. The nose had ripe cherries, earth, spice, and a trace of oak. The palate had cherry and raspberry, with spice and earth in the middle, and a slight oak finish.

2005 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin La Princée

The nose was full of toast aromas, but also had peach and citrus. The palate was crisp and had citrus, a hint of pastry, and a spicy vanilla finish.

2005 Château Lascombes

A fabulous nose of chocolate and toasted vanilla, with blackberry and floral notes on the finish. The palate was very soft and had black currant, graphite, and coffee. It finished with some cherry.

2005 Château de Chambrun

The nose started off with a lovely fudge aroma with coffee and blackberry underneath. It ended with a hint of spice. The palate had blackberry and raspberry, with expresso and chocolate on the mid-palate, and some spice on the finish.

2004 Château Dassault

The nose was all fruit - black currant, plum, and cherry. The palate had plum and black currant, and finished with a little spice and oak.

2005 Château Clarke

The nose had blackberry and cassis, with a bit of toast on the finish. The palate was soft and had blackberry and earth, and finished with spice and a hint of oak.

2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Pommard

A wonderful nose of blackberry and cherry, with a little toasted oak at the end. The palate was smooth and had cherry and earth. It finished with some spicy oak.