I have a lot to post this time thanks to our endeavor after work to try all the grape varietals as a team...

First from work:

1) Crios de Susana Balbo, Torrontes, 2006 (Argentina) - When we read the description both on the bottle and on the wine grape varietal poster we're using it sounded really exotic and delicious.  The only thing out of the ordinary was the word "soapy" on the poster.  So we popped it.  The bouquet actually did promise exotic fruits and a sweetness.  A sip though gave a mainly dry wine with just a touch of sweet.  I'd compare the taste more to a sauvignon blanc, and torrontes is next to that grape on the chart anyway.  There was quite an acidity.  Several of us said it burned in the mouth and throat.  At first we didn't pick up on the soapy, but by the end of about a quarter of glass most of us had detected it and were bothered by it.  So the group was quite harsh on this wine.  Personally, I'll give it a 4 out of 10 because I think the soapy and acidic attributes make it below average, but I'm not going to rip it lower like others may have thought because at least it came across as something quite different, which is really the point of these experiments anyway.  If it simply had been a tasty sauvignon blanc the group may have liked it a lot but we really wouldn't have learned much or had the thrill of something new.  Finally, I've had about 4 wines by Crios now and in general this brand does a nice job.  I've never had torrontes made by a different vintner and I suspect Crios probably did a better job with it than the average winery.

2) Cantine Sant' Agata, 'Na Vota, Ruche' di Castagnole Monferrato, 2004 (Italy) - This was highly recommended by an attendant at Blanchards and I was really excited to try it.  I've never seen ruche' anywhere else and the back of the label really made a big deal about the rarity and uniqueness of this grape.  We popped it at work hoping to make up for the torrontes which went over badly.  To me the best description of this is a pinot noir with an added high dose of peppery spice.  I like many pinots, and I like many spicy wines, so I did not find this unacceptable.  Several others in the group were quite harsh on it, some saying it was a never buy again, or bad, or at least not worth the price paid around $25.  I agree with the price comment, but I'd still drop $15 for this depending on what I was shopping for.  Some fair comments too were that the wine didn't breathe and that could make a difference, it wasn't decanted, and it wasn't aged yet, so some of the spiciness edge could have been taken off.  Personally, I'm going to give this a 7 out of 10 for above average.  It certainly wasn't boring or usual, and paired with the right food it could be a good match.  And I want to point out that I (and many people I suspect) have had pinot noirs which through price or description were supposed to be outstanding wines and despite their $15 to $25 price range end up boring, weak, or sit badly in the stomach.  This wine, like a spicy pinot noir, is guilty of none of those things.  It's above average -- just weird and wild.

OK, now for some we had at home:

3) Boots, Size 03, Grenache, year? (Australia) - Pleasantly surprised.  Although not as good as Las Rocas from Spain this is an Australian version of grenache made in the same style and really quite enjoyable.  Good ripe fruit flavors, bouquet, and zing.  I enjoyed it all the way to the bottom of the bottle.  7 out of 10 for above average.

4) Asti Winery, Cellar No. 8, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 (California) - I've seen this on special display in several stores, and I overhead an attendant recommend this as a hot value right now, so I tried one.  Give me a break.  It's not bad, it's just not special in anyway.  I'd say it's lighter weight than most cabernet sauvignons.  The flavor is comparable to the Smoking Loon bottle I reviewed before.  So yeah this wine is OK, but there's really no reason to single it out, or even to buy it again, because it's just low average - 5 out of 10.

5) Terlato Vineyards, Pinot Grigio, 2004 (Russian River Valley, California) - I'm a little perplexed by how to score this one.  I was looking in a very large wine store for a good example of pinot grigio.  I looked all through the Italian section and found many bottles but they were all in the $10 to $5 range and I wanted to make sure I didn't get some mass produced average specimen.  In a section with nicer domestic wines I found this one, which had a sign talking about how great the brand was, and had the bottle on sale for $20 (down from what before I don't know).  I bought it, chilled it.  When Nancy next asked for a white we opened it, I tried a little but mainly she has been drinking it gradually over a couple of weeks.  There's nothing wrong with it.  It's extremely dry, has a nice bouquet, and drinks easily.  I don't really detect the melon, pear, and lemon listed on the label.  Nancy likes it and drinks it easily, which says something because she can easily reject something odd.  So yeah it's fine.  I just don't see why it's a $20 or more wine.  But it's quality, so I'll give it a high average - 6 out of 10.  Would I buy this again for $20?  No.