2005 Buehler Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Greetings from Beverly Hills, California!

During our weekend visiting Mark and Jackie in California, Diane and I had dinner on Saturday night at Mastro's Steak House in Beverly Hills. Mastro's is one of Mark and Jackie's favorites, right down the street from Spago on Canon.

The meal was fantastic, the fillet mignon's were cooked to perfection and the Gorgonzola macaroni and cheese, the thinly cut french fries, and the garlic mashed potatoes were the perfect compliment to the meal.

And for wine we went with the 2005 Buehler Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon. After a stellar 2003 vintage the 2004 was a bit disappointing, but the 2005 puts Buehler's back on track for great wines at a value price. The wine was nicely fruit forward, with blackberry, plum and Asian spice, and a finish that was as long as it was smooth with a slight touch of anise. At $36 bucks, this cab ranks with the big boys at twice the price. 92 pointer in my book and right up there with the 2003.

We had a great night, wonderful meal with two of our favorite people, and a great bottle of wine from our friends at Buehler Vineyards.

2000 Pelee Island Winery Meritage "The Vinedressers"

Greetings from the Lake Erie Islands!

On Friday, we invited our friend and neighbor Carol over for a glass of wine on the patio and she surprised us with a bottle of the 2000 Pelee Island Meritage. Carol had just returned from four days on Pelee and brought back several finds.

The Canadian island, for the uninitiated, is on Lake Erie around 15 miles from Canada's southern boarder. The Meritage is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. It is aged 16 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels. The "Vinedressers" is a homage to the vineyard workers who pruned and shaped the vines at the turn of the 20th century.

The wine has a wonderful nose of fresh plums, blackberry and spice. The blend has a nice mouth feel and a long smooth finish. This one is a nice wine to share with friends. It promoted Carol to recall several stories about her time on Pelee and made for wonderful conversation over a really fine wine. 89 points and a good value at 28 bucks American.