Hobbs Snob

Wine: Paul Hobbs 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Alcohol: 14.6%

Price: $65

Superior, bold, huge and rich...

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Purrrr.....

Wine: Roar 2006 Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14.9%

Price: $38

This evening was spent sharing several bottles of wine with several lushes, all with proud LEO personalities. With just a few bottles, Risqué had his entire pride on their backs meowing for more.

Deep reflections of raspberry red yield a nose of huge, juicy cherry and more tangy summer raspberry, followed with earthy mushroom and warm forest floor. The huge raspberry and mushroom scents carry into the beautifully balanced mouth-filling taste. Risqué received a pleasing surprise upon opening of the smoky aroma of bacon on the cork. Contributing to the rich-mouth feel of this 100 percent pinot noir was the aging in 100 percent French oak barrels for 11 months and unfiltered and...

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SEX AND THE CITY

Wine: Jayson 2005 Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14.9%

Price: $65

While Carrie Bradshaw was certainly voluptuously sexy in Sex in the City, Erin Green (Pahlmeyer’s winemaker) crafted Jayson 2005 Pinot Noir into a voluptuously sexy wine that surely makes one feel like they have their own Mr. Big.

Studded with a fabulous Rubilite Tourmaline color, the sensual scents exude pure cherry, subtle, soft woody notes, green herbs and soothing sweet tobacco, ending with a pleasant fleeting terroir. Through the lips are tastes of deep cherry, ripe blackberry and blushing strawberries.

The unfiltered Pinot Noir was aged for nine months in 67% new French oak. Risqué recommends adding another notch to your wine cellar’s belt and add it to your collection...

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IT'S A KEEPER

Wine: ZD 2005 Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: $30

Risqué has been a long-time partaker in ZD Wines' Napa productions. Their typical bright, fruity styles have always delivered deliciously complex palate pleasers. This releases grapes were sourced from other locales besides Napa, including Monterey and Santa Barbara counties, and then uniquely cold fermented in toasted American oak barrels.

This light, golden succulence is bright with the nose of chardonnay fruit and baked apple.  Its medium body is punctuated with crisp green apple and pineapple acidity and balanced with bold tannic-toasted vanilla oak right through the clean and lingering finish.

It is NOT where this wine is now, although quite pleasant, but where it will be in five to seven...

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Big Fig with a Tight End

Wine: Quivira Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 13.7%
Price: $18

Risqué is always in pursuit of a nice tight end and when the cute flirtatious flight attendants (who just so happen to have tight ends) from  Happy Landing poured a second vino into his wine glass, Risqué’s heart stopped.

A light pale yellow glistens in the wine glass while crisp clean scents of Black Mission fig, sweet honeysuckle and juicy melon fill the nose. Bright tastes of orange, honey tangerine and quince invigorate the taste buds providing a crisp tight ending to this 90 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 10 percent Semillon varietal blend. In addition, Quivira winery has been certified for organic and biodynamic farming.

The beautiful scent of fig, bright citrus tastes and a tight ...

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SERIOUS SUMMER SUCCULENCE

Wine: Chandon 2006 Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14.3 percent
Cost: $35

Pinot’s are one of the few “non-white” vins that make it into Risqué’s summer drinking repertoire as they still provide refreshment against the parching heat of the hot, hot summer.  Pinot’s also pair beautifully with wonderful grilled summer fare while keeping it light.  This rather “commercial” but reliable brand does a fine job of delivering all of the anticipated deliciousness!

This wondrous pinot noir sparkles with bright ruby, and Risqué found his bottle was a light nosegay of violets, plump red cherries, toffee and subtle hints of evergreen. The complex layered tastes and lovely light tannic structure filled Risqué’s mouth with rich cola, ...

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