Happy Independence Day,

I'd like to start by amending my last post.  The Charbono I reviewed was fun and exotic with the first glass and the initial review.  The 2nd glass the next day was less enjoyable, and by the 3rd day the bottle had gone completely foxy.  So I recommend you drink the Charbono with friends in one sitting.  It doesn't keep well.

Now, new for this entry:

1) Loma Gorda,  Old Vines 65% Garnacha 35% Syrah, 2005 (Almansa, Spain) - I had hoped this would be a lot like Las Rocas.  I will say it is a very nice wine and I'd expect it to have nearly universal appeal.  My negative is I thought the Garnacha flavors were overpowered by the Syrah even though that was the smaller percentage.  In fact if I hadn't seen the lable I'd have guessed this was any other Australian Shiraz.  So, a good wine, just not what I was hoping for.  But I still recommend it.

2) Las Rocas de San Alejandro, Rosado, 2006 (Calatayud, Spain) - This is the rose' version of one of my favorite reds so I was really excited to buy it and Nancy was happy to try it too.  So.  Ho hum.  This is just any rose' to me, and in fact not one of the better rose's I've tried.  I thought the flavor was minimal.  We'll stick to their red Garnacha thank you.

3) Egervin, Bull's Blood of Eger, 2002 (Hungary) - I suspected this would be a bust.  True it's a historic wine.  Reportedly invaders were driven back when they saw the red stained beards of the Hungarians, thinking they had been drinking blood, but in reality it was this red wine.  Also, this was the first wine I've tried from Hungary so I was excited.  And normally Hungary is famous for sweet wines so this is instead their most famous dry table wine.  So how was it?  Sorry, but it's mediocre if not poor.  The flavor is a lot like the Comte de Broully I described in an early review.  It's both yeasty and coopy.  Very very coopy.  The tunnels under Eger where they age it must have some dank microbes growing there, and yeah that probably makes it unique but it doesn't do it for me.  The first two glasses were OK but by the time I got to the 3rd I literally poured the rest of the bottle out.  Glad I tried it.  I don't expect to buy it again anytime soon.