Les Badges de la Semaine (Lively & Rockin’ Edition)

A short-and-sweet little ditty for a couple of badge-worthy wine recommendations this week.  I also want to thank everyone who has contacted me through various channels with their positive vibes for the badges; so far I’m enjoying using them so they’ll be sticking around:

2008 Three Rivers Winery Insania Red (Columbia Valley): A bit hot but pleasingly complex (hello Olives & cedar!) Bord’x-style blend. $35 B+ #

Produced in cooperation with bad-ass hard rock vocalist Geoff Tate, this is one of those reds that has the virtue of being pleasantly drinkable now, complex enough on the nose to get wine geeks talking about its olive and cedar overtones, and carries with it the cache factor of limited production from an emerging hot-spot wine region (and being associated with Queensryche, who kick all kinds of ass).

2006 Hugel & Fils Pinot Gris Classic “HUGEL” (Alsace): I consider it very awesome that someone is making a lively & very non-flabby PG. $15 B #

This wine will definitely come off as too racy and acidic for some, but the geekier among us will love the fact that there’s a food-friendly PG out there that delivers oodles of tropical fruit aromas without turning into a flabby-ass alcoholic mess on the palate (PG lovers will know what I am talking about here).

If anyone out there gets the chance to try these puppies, let me know your thoughts!

There’s a special mention this week as well, one that doesn’t really fit into any of the badge categories, but does deliver some serious goods:

07 Shinn Estate Vineyards Nine Barrels Reserve Merlot (Long Island): Walk-on part by dried fig steals the show in off-Broadway hit. $42 B+ #

Part of a Taste NY twitter live-tasting event earlier this week, this Merlot-based blend from Shinn should bring the smack-down on any naysayers who continue to believe that East Coast reds can’t compete in terms of ripeness and complexity.

Cheers!