Claude Branger Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie Terroir Les Gras Moutons 2007 - 102.63

Brooks at Veritas is the best salesman I've ever met - you would think that his passion and glowing reviews of a wine would set expectations too high, but the wine always delivers well beyond his vivid descriptions. Last week, when posed with a challenge for the perfect summer sauvignon blanc, he pulled this Muscadet from a random box.

What emerged from this bottle blew me away. I've never before tried a Muscadet, but I've loved the Loire valley sauv blancs and Sancerres, which always seem to strike that perfect balance of acidity and minerality, while producing succulent, bright flavors. The way I described this Muscadet experience to fellow Wine Index blogger, Patrick, was "Loire Sauvignon Blanc on steroids".

Sweetness and acidity on the nose indicates that bright, citrusy flavors will surface. Sure enough, the immediate flavors are lemon zest with extensive citrus tones that support playful acidity on the tongue and a long mineral finish. I even found hints of popcorn after the wine aired for some time. Though the wine is not extraordinarily complex, the flavors and mouthfeel are so welcoming and refreshing, that the overall experience is wonderful. Needless to say, I subsequently purchased a case of this wine to sustain my fiance and I through the hot Texas summer.

$16, 91 points, 102.63 PDI

Luigi Bosca DOC Single Vineyard Malbec 2007 - 100.42

The wine manager at Goody Goody recommended I try out this single vineyard Malbec from Luigi Bosca, caveating that it requires some food. He sure was right!

The Luigi Bosca is what I would call a "brawny" wine that kicks you in the butt on the first sip. Upon opening the bottle, the nose displayed heavy green and spice elements. The palette matched, showing heavy spice and powerful plum undertones. By Malbec standards, the wine was rather complex on the palette and persisted for around 15 seconds. In addition to the plum, dark berries captured the remainder of the long finish. The mouthfeel was full and the tannins soft, resulting in a perfect wine to pair with lamb, beef, or other red meat.

$21, 90 point, 100.42 PDI.

St. Supery Dollarhide Sauvignon Blanc 2009 - 99.56

The Dollarhide Sauvignon Blanc is the single vineyard bottling and Supery's top-of-the-line sauvignon blanc. I'm a huge fan of the standard Supery Sauv Blanc and seek it out when the price is right. I picked up a 3 pack of the Dollarhide at around $25 per bottle, which compares to the release price of $37.

I always seek out bright and floral sauvignon blancs, ideal for the hot Texas summer, and this one hits the mark. An elegant sweetness wafted from the glass, and the wine proved very well balanced. The palette experienced rich melon, with a variety of oak-induced flavors, including butter and pear. There was light minerality on the backend and a slight oaky biterness completing the finish. Overall, I enjoyed this bottle as a light summer refreshment and would seek our more if I found it at $20 or less.

$35, 91 pt, 99.56 PDI

Copain Baker Ranch Syrah 2007 - 97.97

This wine was introduced to me on a recent visit to the Dry Creek Valley area, as part of the Speakeasy Wine Club through the Grape Leaf Inn B&B. For any $35+ bottle, the expectations are high, and this wine did a nice job of introducing new elements over the course of 3 hours. It took a good hour before anything developed, suggesting that it could use some aging and/or extended decanting to truly blossom. The nose was closed throughout the evening, which challenged me to decode the contents, but once the wine began to open, bursts of pepper and subtle red fruit shined through. There was a nice wave of minerality on the finish, but every few sips released a metallic element that seemed out of place. Overall the wine was intriguing and displayed the potential to develop further over the next few years.

90 pts, $40, PDI of 97.97