2008 Caves Pares Balta Calcari "Pendes" (sorry...no diacritical marks for the Catalan
) Clear gold color. Multifaceted nose of peach, citrus, and white pepper. Almost saline minerality with an extremely long finish that emphasizes said minerality. I don't get the sweetness or alcohol that some winebloggers note from previous vintages. Outstanding at 12 Euros in Europe. 90 points plus! Delicious and unique. 2005 Odisea "The Veritable Quandry" California Table Wine. This is an odd one that exhibited a real change in character over the hour we tasted this. 33% Grenache; 26% Tempranillo; 24% Mouvedre; 17% Syrah. From vineyards scattered around the state. At first, somewhat sweet and thick grenache fruit dominated the palate. Strawberry with a very earthy and savory underpinning. Some heat on the palate and the nose, but not too much. Over time, the funky earthyness of the Mouvedre seemed to be more prominent, especially on the nose but eventually even in the flavors. I liked the wine after about an hour, as the earthy funk of the Mouvedre and Syrah??? seemed to come forward. Quite interesting wine. 87 points.
