Ciao,

1. 2015 Vietti Arneis. Sample from the distributor. Retail? Depends on your state/store. laugh Anyway, a beautiful Arneis, crisp and fresh and loaded with flavor. Grade: B+/A-.

2. Black Box Pinot Grigio, Cabernet. 3L boxes. Samples. Usually they go for about $20 in my store. The PG was pretty pedestrian (Grade: Drinkable), but the Cabernet was impressive for box wine selling for the equivalent of about $5 per bottle. Dark color, lots of blackberry and black cherry fruit, some "oak" but not as much as expected, and dry. Overall a good value. Grade: Very drinkable/B.

3. 2015 Cline Zinfandel, Lodi. $9.99. In store tasting. this vintage was much better than the previous one, they really toned down the oak, residual sugar and creamy mouthfeel. Grade: B.

4. 2014 Achaval Ferrer, Cabernet. Argentina. $14.99. Pretty tasty but just a B, and I was hoping for a B+/A-. Normal retail I am told is about $25. Not worth that. Just never really took off, even after breathing overnight. Grade: B.

5. 2015 Gnarley Head Chardonnay. $7.99, but with coupon $5.99. Too much phony "oak" for me. Grade: Drinkable.

6. 2010 Murphy Goode, Claret, "All In". Got this on closeout at my store for about $12, a steal for this wine. Big nose, good balance in black fruits and a touch of oak, good acidity, not fat or creamy, long tangy finish, a few years in the cellar did not hurt this at all. Wish I had grabbed one or two more. frown Grade: solid B/B+.
_________________________
"When laws become the enemy of men, then men become the enemies of laws".