I absolutely fell in love with the ‘o5 vintage of this wine. When the new vintage was released I was doubtful that it could hold up to the quality of it’s predecessor. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, I was blown away!! Of course I should have known this was the case. Owen Roe wines have long been known for their outstanding quality and consistency. Can you remember ever getting a bad bottle of Abbott’s Table Blend or Sharecroppers Cab? This being said, my expectations are always high when opening a bottle of Owen Roe. The ‘06 Ex Umbris is head and shoulders above any syrah I have tasted in recent memory including the ‘05 Relentless by Shafer, although in all fairness this was a close call. The Ex Umbris syrah shows all the qualities I look for in this varietal. Deep rich concentrated fruit with dark plum, smoke and bacon fat tones. The tannins are solid yet you hardly notice them because they are so smooth and integrated with the fruit. From beginning to end this wine is impressive and the finish lingers so long that when  you go to bed you are  tempted not to brush your teeth just to savor the flavors. This may sound a bit over the top and I make no excuses for my passion. This is an outstanding  wine that deserves to be part of your experience in wine tasting and has made it to Stan’s Pick for May and June of ‘08. Do not hesitate to purchase this wine and remember........... It will go quickly so get it while it is available.  

It's funny to me how you can be in the wine business for so long and have wines that do not cross your path. I am embarrassed to say that I have never tried this wine until recently. I say "embarrassed", because this is such an outstanding wine. Very complex with intense dark raspberry, plum, currant, and anise tones. If you have the patience to decant this little baby you  will be pleasantly surprised at the complexities that continue to evolve in this wine developing mocha and chocolate notes with smooth seamless tannins and a finish that never seems to quite. To top it off, you get all of this for a mere fourteen dollars. AMAZING!!!

We have heard it said that you cannot judge a book by it’s cover. If you have seen Robert Parker’s "Wine Advocate" you know what I am saying. The thing looks cumbersome and boring, yet it is filled with valuable information about vintages, regions, and the wines themselves. I personally find this publication a must for those who want to expand their knowledge on wine. Walldeaux Smithie Red has a interesting red neck label that my turn a majority of wine afficionados away. It reminds me of that terrible label that covers the bottles of Sawtooth winery. In both cases you cannot judge the wines by the label.

Walldeaux Smithie Red, produced by Forgeron Winery is an exceptional wine. When first opened, it displays a lot of clear Cab like qualities. The tannins are solid and there is some bright cherry and cassis notes with a tight mouth feel. As it breaths however, you get a very different wine. All of a sudden you have a slightly riper cherry with dark berry tones and a nice spicy edge that allows the flavors to fill your mouth with a pleasant warmness and a flood of flavors that linger for quite awhile on the finish. This wine is a steal at sixteen bucks and will lay down for a couple of years as well.