DAILY WINE DISPATCH | Wine Alphabet Challenge

It seems everyone likes to start the new year with goals and serious wine drinkers are no different. My main goal for 2010 was to start drinking wines from around the world again and get out of my Central Coast niche. With that in mind, the Wine Alphabet Challenge proposed by @educatedpalates, a person I follow on Twitter, seemed like an interesting one, designed to force me out of my comfort zone. The basics are to complete the alphabet both by varietal and by winery name. Some letters are no brainers (P, C, G, M), others like I, X, U, O and Y are going to cause some problems. I will try to review every wine I taste for this challenge, but that might not be possible, if I happen to be out and about and forced to drink a Kerner. Several other Twitter peeps have joined the challenge and their results can be found HERE. In the interest of spreading the wealth, I will only count each wine in one spot, either/or.

BY GRAPE:

A – 2007 Paco & Lola Albarino – $14 – 2 Stars
B –
C – 2006 Abeja Winery Cabernet Sauvignon – $45 – 3 Stars
D – 2008 Vietti Dolcetto D'Alba Tre Vigne – $22 – 2 Stars
E –
F –
G – 2006 Anglim Winery Grenache – $24 – 3 Stars
H –
I –
J –
K –
L –
M – 2006 Vinos Sin-Ley M4 Monastrell – $10 – 2 Stars
N –
O –
P –
Q –
R – 2009 Cass Winery Roussanne – $26 – 3 Stars
S – 2008 Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc – $10 – 2 Stars
T – 2006 Telmo Rodriguez Dehasa Gago G Tempranillo – $12 – 1 Star
U – 2006 Torre Quarto "Bottaccia" Uva di Troia – $18 – 2 Stars
V – 2007 Cline Cellars Viognier – $9 – 1 Star
W –
X – 2003 Boutari Grand Reserve Xinomavro – $23 – 2 Stars
Y – NO GRAPE
Z –

BY WINERY NAME:

A – 2006 Artazuri Navarra Garnacha – $13 – 1 Star
B – 2005 Beckmen Vineyards Estate Grenache – $24 – 2 Stars
C – 2008 Cass Winery Grenache – $32 – 3 Stars
D –
E – 2002 Eberle Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – $65 – 3 Stars
F –
G – 2008 Grey Stack Cellars Sauvignon Blanc – $28 – 4 Stars
H – 2008 Halter Ranch Vineyards Cotes de Paso Blanc – $24 – 2 Stars
I – 2008 Image du Sud Vin de Pays Méditerranée Viognier – $12 – 2 Stars
J –
K –
L – 2006 Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc – $20 – 2 Stars
M – 2007 Montes Alpha Merlot – $24 – 2 Stars
N – 2007 NOBOS Chardonnay – $20 – 2 Stars
O –
P – 2006 Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon – $45 – 3 Stars
Q –
R –
S – 2008 Starr Ranch Vineyard Grenache Rosé – $18 – 2 Stars
T – 2006 Tercero Wines Cuvee Christie – $28 – 3 Stars
U –
V – 2005 Vines on the Marycrest My Generation – $22 – 2 Stars
W –
X –
Y –
Z – 2005 Zenaida Cellars Estate Syrah – $30 – 3 Stars