Chasing Lions 2006 Napa Valley

Presentation: ***
Nose: *
Complexity: *
Value: **

Overall: *

The year 2006 was a great one for many Napa Valley wines and wineries, but this "Chasing Lions" blend is, for the most part, a disappointment. With little complexity and no real nose to say much about, it's real strengths were the appearance of it's bottle and a subtle aftertaste of leather or tobacco. Not reccomended--many better bottles can be found in the $10 to $15 price range.

Tapena 2008 Garnacha (La Mancha, Spain)

There's something about Grenache. It's not unlike Cabernet in a lot of ways, but without all the tannins. It's also got a velvety texture that does wonders, and that's the real beauty of this wine. That, and the nose, which is superb. My experience with this bottle was that it didn't pair well with food at all. Because it's not so tannic, it won't stand up to a steak like the archetypal Cabernets and Malbecs of California and South America. But it's got a certain allure--that's for sure. This 2008 is a great value from the D.O. (place of origin) La Mancha. Be sure to swish, because there's a lot of flavor in there if you look for it.

Presentation: **
Nose: ****
Complexity: **
Value: ****

Overall: ***