Vasco Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino 2000
Dusky medium ruby. Lots of initial attic dust on the nose over sweet and sour cherry. Extended air time brings out floral perfume, wild berries, fresh-turned earth, and hints of leather and pipe tobacco. Medium-bodied, with tart red fruit and more tobacco. Spritzy acidity and lightly gripping, somewhat grainy tannins. Bit short. A modest but decent Brunello for the $20 I paid on discount, iffier at the usual $30. 14% alcohol.
La Font du Vents Cotes du Rhone Villages "Notre Passion" 2004
Pretty, bright ruby. Clean, pure scents of raspberry and strawberry. Flavors follow closely--pure, intense, and focused, but with a spicy/savory undercurrent adding a touch of complexity. Medium-bodied and juicy, with refreshing acidity and modest tannins. Delicious wine that's fruit-driven in a ban-the-bomb kind of way. Best CdRV I've ever tasted. $16 (but my brother may have gotten it at that price with a case discount). I neglected to note the alcohol.
Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvingon "Grand Estates" 2003 (Columbia Valley)
Semi-clear, medium-dark garnet with a wide violet rim. The nose has issues at first: scorched leather, cardboard, trail dust. Potentially corked, I think, but consistently over several bottles, this pretty much blows off, leaving smoky black- and blueberry with some charred notes and a whiff of VA. Medium-bodied, with roast plum, bramble stem, and a bit of melted licorise. A bit flabby and yet coarse at the same time. Drinkable but disappointing and lacking the freshness of previous vintages. (I know I'm being harsh on an $8 bottle, but this has been my go-to under-$10 Cab for several years.) 13.5% alcohol.