Kindzmarauli, Ancestry, 2006 (Kakheti, Georgia) - This was a pleasant surprise.  Many East European wines are candy sweet and taste like cheap factory productions.  This sample of the Saperavi grape is instead only slightly sweet and it has a deep red color and body with a taste not unlike a bold cabernet sauvignon from California.  Really quite good.  In fact I'm scoring this a 7 out of 10 for above average and I'm planning on going to pick up another bottle from the Russian Village store in Brookline MA so I can take it to our wine tasting group after work.

Chateau Belles Eaux, Sainte Helene, 2002 (Coteaux du Languedoc, France) - This was pushed strongly by a sign in a wine store.  Supposedly I was getting a $40 wine for $15 and it would be a flavor explosion.  I'll admit it was pretty good but I think they overhyped it.  You get a bold French red made from Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre, the flavors of each come through, and it does have spice.  Yet as it opens up the intensity subsides.  It does have a substantially long finish.  I quite enjoyed this, don't get me wrong, I just didn't think I got a steal and I'd certainly never pay full price for this.  Regardless it's a 6 out of 10 for upper average.

Groth, Sauvignon Blanc, 2007 (Napa Valley, California) - This was tried at our wine tasting group after work and it was really quite a hit.  You get a standard quality Sauvignon Blanc with grassiness and hints of citrus.  I'll note it was an extra pale color for this grape but that didn't affect the taste.  Although many in our team liked it immensely I'd personally have to say it's just an upper average Sauvignon Blanc so I'll give it 6 out of 10.

Chiusa Grande, Matte', Trebbiano D'Abruzzo, 2006 (Italy) - Another tried at our wine tasting group and although it was only a $10 sample I'd hoped it would be interesting because it's organic (no sulfites) and the label talks about hints of honey and wildflowers.  Well, when we tried it there really wasn't much of anything there at all.  Sure it was fine, meaning not disagreeable, but it didn't have much flavor, any honey or wildflowers took imagination, and it was weak enough that someone likened it to a wine spritzer made from a cheap wine sample.  Anyway, despite what it lacks the truth is it still falls into average - just a very low average - so I'll give it a 5 out of 10 (leaning towards 4).