2007 Nederburg Chardonnay, South Africa
The usual creamy-oak cheap chardonnay flavors are dealt a double blow with a residual-sugar impression of sweetness on the entry and an aspartame-like bitter aftertaste. Below average even at $10.
2006 Alamos Pinot Noir, Mendoza, Argentina
Although it had exactly the right color and lighter body for the grape, this wine was so sweet and lacking in acid and varietal flavor that Bob couldn't guess what it was made out of. When I revealed it was pinot and challenged him to guess where it was from, he said "one of those little Russian countries". That's how bad it is: it doesn't taste like wine from a place where both the people who make the wine and the people who drink wine it have any wine sophistication. Easily the worst pinot noir I've ever tasted. $13.
1996 Arthurs Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Victoria, Australia
This boutique winery is (or was) in the area hardest hit by the devastating recent fires, and this wine is another example of the kind of graceful, restrained winemaking not usually associated with Australia. Garnet red color with a clearing rim. Age-softened black cherry fruit, leather and a red-earth kind of minerality predominate, and the tannins have softened nicely. Is clearly on the decline at this point, but the wine's had a good run and this was a particularly excellent bottle.