I am a huge fan of Mckinley Springs wine promoting the crap out of the syrah which I feel is right up there with one of my long time favorites... Ex Umbris from Owen Roe.

Bombing Range Red is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Syrah, 8% Mouvedre, 3% Petite Verdot and a 1% splash of Malbec. This is a true "Kitchen Sink" blend that delivers way more then the kitchen sink. At first the nose is closed somewhat with some dusty tannins and dark cherries. As the wine airs out the aromas intensify too dark fruits and hits of black licorice. If you are a big Amarone fan as I am, you are going to love this little gem. Sweet tannins, black licorice, and ripe black currant notes fill the palate in a very Amaronish way. (Not sure if that is a word, but hopefully you get the idea). This is an intense wine that only gets richer as it breathes. This wine is drier on the finish then it is on the front and mid-palate which is a nice side to the wine and it lingers very for some time on the palate.

Amarone typically sells for over fifty bucks, so if you are in the mood for an intense wine like that but do not want to fork out those major bones, this wine could fit the bill for you. During the month of July they are letting this baby go for a meagerly ten bucks a bottle. That is a sick price for such a good bottle of wine, and you would be crazy to pass it up... I'm just saying. Cheers!   Stan The Wine Man

2004 Mount Baker Vineyards Reserve Syrah Yakima Valley...

   I have to let you in on a little secret that I am front paging so that it will not be a secret anymore. Randy Finley, owner and mostly winemaker at Mount Baker Vineyards has temporarily slashed the price of his reserve syrah from twenty-four bucks to thirteen bucks and I kid you not, it is a deal that you should not pass up. This puppy is huge, and has at least five years of life left in it. Even now it is a smok'in good wine. The nose explodes with smoke and bright blueberries. There is a beef jerky aspect that is there with tiny hints of vanilla. Once this wine hits your lips, you know you are in for a treat. This baby has some backbone with excellent balance of acidity and fruit. Hints of smoke, bacon fat, cassis, blueberries and blackberries fill your senses on a large scale. This wine is P2 (Palate squared). Massive is a good word for it with some tannic grip on the sides of your mouth and an incredibly long finish. This wine is a teenager that acts like a business tycoon. I would be disappointed in anyone who likes syrah that does not take advantage of the price being offered. I am going to jump all over this one and will make sure the store has plenty in stock.   94 points

Not to be confused with Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano made from a clone of sangiovese called prugnolo and is grown near the city of Montepulciano in Southern Tuscany. Montepulciano D' Abruzzo is produced in the region of Abruzzi located in South central Italy from the montepulciano grape. This red is quite a bit less expensive then it's cousin from Tuscany. For only seven bucks, the Terre Antiche could easily become your everyday table red. It is not a fruit bomb by any stretch. This is a nice dry little red that shows good bright cherry fruit with hints of raspberries and cranberries. There is good acid on this but it is nicely balanced and integrated with the fruit. The finish is pleasing and shows no bitterness. Only 12% alcohol, which is very refreshing these days since a lot of wines come out at over 14% this wine could be matched up well with a number of foods including spaghetti (of course) stew, pizza, roasted chicken, hamburgers a number of cheeses and many more. This is very versatile and delicious. A nice old country style red that is very friendly to the wallet. I believe there is an ample supply of this so if you do not see it at your store, I would ask for it if I were you.   88 points

If you are not in the Coyote Canyon Wine Club, I would encourage you to become a member a.s.a.p. so that you can get your hands on some of this cab before it is all gone. Mike Andrews has hit a home run with this baby using  fruit from his stellar vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. A very classic cab that is silky and seductive. On the nose you get soft cedar, black raspberry and anise notes with maybe slight whiffs of blueberry. When it hits your palate you know right away that you are in for a treat! Round yet structured in the mouth with black fruit, dark cherries, raspberry, blueberries and hints of anise that expand in the mid-palate and melt seamlessly into a silky smooth long, long finish with hints of old world leather on the back end. This wine is like a favorite song that you love to hear over and over again and you play the lyrics in your mind as the day goes on. You will remember this one and you will get excited when you are getting ready to uncork yet another bottle. The price on this wine is ridunculous considering the quality of the juice, so snap up as much as you can in October before it is all gone.  94 points

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