**** $$ Cameron Hughes Lot 87 Sonoma County Chardonnay, 2007, CA - Review and Rating

Review: We've tried a number of Cameron Hughes wines lately, including a 2007 chardonnay from the Russian River Valley that earned three stars. This 2007 chardonnay, called Lot 87, combines a mixture of 75% Alexander Valley chardonnay with 25% from Russian River valley. Both of these districts are within Sonoma County, and that becomes the name for the blend. Let's give it a road test!

Cameron Hughes Lot 87 is very pale in the glass - transparent with just a hint of yellow. Aromas are beguiling - clean and bold, grassy and fruity and sweet. Hint of filtered motor oil in the mix.

On the palate, the oil slick takes over, providing a full, rich mid-palate coating on your tongue and throughout your mouth, bringing a sweet pear combined with fresh apple fruit. The finish, though dry, clings in a most pleasing way, suggesting wet slate stones on the tail end. I would likely stay with this as my choice of whites for an evening, so that brings four stars on the Spirit of Wine scale. Outstanding value at the modest Cameron Hughes price.

Wine sample provided by Cameron Hughes Wine. Find Cameron Hughes Lot 87 Chardonnay online.

**+ Cameron Hughes Lot 100 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, CA - Review and Rating

Review: This is the 100th lot from wine negociant Cameron Hughes, who has put together some interesting varietals and blends in recent years. We began profiling the Cameron Hughes line in early 2008, and have reviewed a number of lots. Most have proven to be excellent value for the money.

Lot 100 is an ambitious selection of a cabernet sauvignon from the highly-reputed - but usually quite costly - Stags Leap area of Napa. This 2006 vintage wine will be reviewed here well before its natural drinking window, which would typically look for at least another couple years of aging. But at this point, we should be able to tell the "stuff" that the wine is built of.

The color is deep red, opaque in the center of the glass, suggesting an intense experience ahead. Aromas hurtle from the glass upon the initial swirl. There is a strong mix of alcoholic purple fruit and oak on the nose. The solid 14.4% alcohol level helps this diffusion into the air.

On the palate, the impression is one of a much lighter wine than suggested by the color and aromas. It is distinctly dry but bright in the mid-palate. Cheek-stitching acids climb the sides of your mouth, almost to your eye-sockets. The acids are backed by some definite tannins and keep the wine on your palate for a long, slowly descending finish. Can sit for a long time knitting together in the cellar.

For now, because of the unbalance towards acid and alcohol, two stars on the Spirit of Wine scale, but we're adding a plus for potential. Lot 100 may be quite intriguing after a long decant or a few more years in the cellar.

Wine sample provided by Cameron Hughes Wine. Cameron Hughes wine lots may be found here.

Tasting a Dozen Value-Priced Wines at Fun With Wine

Fun With Wine is an events-oriented wine group, with an interesting, eclectic set of wine-related events happening mostly around New York City.

Recently, the group held a tasting of value-priced wines, complete with fondue appetizers to accompany the wines. Some popular and familiar wines in the bunch. Here are some brief tasting notes from the event, along with links to current inventory of the wines at the WineZap site:

Sparkling Wine

Marques de Gelida Cava 2005 - transparent in the glass; light sweet hay aromas; light dry mousse-style finish - 2 stars out of five

White Wines

Astica Torrontes 2007 (Argentina) - yellow, green tint in the glass; bold sweet grass aromas; perfumed, dry, acidy, 2+ stars out of five for incredible nose

St. Laurent Muscadet Cotes de Grand Lieu (France) - light yellow in the glass; shy aroma; mild smooth balanced mouthfeel - 2 stars out of five

Setzer Gruner Veltliner NV 2007 (Austria) - clear, yellow tint in the glass; shy, oaky aroma; bright acids in the mouth - 2 stars out of five

Red Wines

Villadoro Montepulciano d Abruzzo 2007 (Italy) medium red in the glass; round old world aroma; tannic fruit is the predominant note in the mouth - 2 stars out of five

Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rouge (Grenache/Syrah from France) 2007 - mid dark red in the glass; shy fruit aromas; smooth minerally middle on the palate, clean even finish - 3 stars out of five

Rapitala Nero d’Avola 2007 (Italy) - mid deep red in the glass; red grape aromas; round easy fruit in the mouth - 3 stars out of five

Altesino Rosso di Altesino 2007 (Italy) mid red in the glass; old-world barny raspberry aroma; bright berry on the tongue - 2+ stars out of five, with the plus for BRIGHTNESS

J Lohr Paso Robles Cabernet 2006 (California) mid dark red in the glass; rich, layered aromatics; even mid rich fruit, blended tannins on the palate - 3+ stars out of five, with the plus for class and richness.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2005 (Australia) - mid deep red in the glass; shy fruit aromas; smooth, even, mineral style on the palate; brief finish - 2+ stars out of five, with the plus for class

Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel (California) mid deep red in the glass;, round, purple aromas; bright, even raspberry on the palate - 2+ stars out of five

Three Rings Shiraz 2007 (Australia) - deep red opaque in the glass; smooth furry Aussie purple aromas; mid even fruit on the palate, finishing with lengthy tannins - 3+ stars out of five

***+ Cameron Hughes Lot 93 Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain - Review and Rating

Review: This is Lot 93 from the Cameron Hughes series of premium negociant wines - a tempranillo sourced from a co-operative in the well-known and well-regarded Rioja area of Spain.

With a few years of age on the grapes already, and with the generally promising showing of all wines in the Cameron Hughes line so far, it promises to be an interesting experience. Let's see...

Lot 93 is deep blood red in color, tending towards opaque in the center of the glass. No bricking at the edges - firm deep red throughout. Massive, luscious nose brings aromas spewing forth from the glass: vanilla, warm melded oak, touches of sweet dirt. Wow. Definitely an old-world style. Reminds me of the cabernet sauvignon from Inglenook in the 1970's that first convinced me wine could be something other-worldly. I'm almost afraid to sip for fear of disappointment after the exhuberant promise of this nose.

But sip I must... And, indeed, there is no disappointment in the palate. Furry tannins are a strong point, coating the deep blackberry in the mid mouth, while acids slowly build along with the oaky fruit. The thick tannins do suggest this could lie back and chill out for another few years without harm.

Still, I would definitely come back to this wine - so three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale. A plus is added for the aromatic grandeur along with the promise for the future.

Wine sample provided by Cameron Hughes Wine. Cameron Hughes wine lots may be found here.

**+ Cameron Hughes Lot 52 Malbec, 2006, Valle du Uco, Mendoza, Argentina - Review and Rating

Review: We've tried a few wine lots from premium wine negociant Cameron Hughes in past reviews. This one is Lot 52, a 2006 malbec from the Valle du Uco area of Mendoza, Argentina - a location where malbec does indeed reign supreme.

In the glass, Cameron Hughes Lot 52 is deep red, not opaque, and not purple; but a straight deep red. Aromas are deep, almost funky, fruit - reminiscent of some cabernet. A bit of smoke in there too.

On the palate, a fresh fruity sensation in the middle of your mouth is the first impression, followed by sweet blueberry acids that creep up the sides of your mouth. Finish brings on some silkiness along with the acids, gently ebbing in a long finish.

Two stars on the Spirit of Wine scale - as the brightness level is a bit too high for me - but we're adding a plus because of the excellent balance. Those of you who tend towards a brighter body in your dry reds will like this.

Wine sample provided by Cameron Hughes Wine. Cameron Hughes wine lots may be found here.