Weekly Twitter Wine Mini Reviews Round-Up For January 7, 2012

Uhm, like what is this stuff?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine sample tasting notes via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be fun, quickly-and-easily-digestible reviews. Below is a wrap-up of the twitter reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find them so you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 09 Amavi Cellars Syrah (Walla Walla): So bright you might just mistake it for Grenache; a damn good, meaty, overachieving Grenache. $29 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Amavi Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Walla Walla): The Walla tangy intensity is there, but you’d better *really* be into mushrooms. $29 B >>find this wine>>
• 10 Amavi Cellars Sémillon (Walla Walla): The basic plot is that Mango meets Citrus; much food-friendly, tasty then merriment ensues. $20 B >>find this wine>>
• 08 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration (Napa Valley): Thoroghly darker than – and “singing” just as lovely as – its namesake. $90 A- >>find this wine>>
• 08 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour (Napa Valley): A supermodel eating blackcurrants in Daisy Dukes after planting herbs in the garden. $90 A- >>find this wine>>
• 08 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian (Napa Valley): Blackberries, olives & astringent coffee? You’re right, it doesn’t completely work. $90 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Blackbird Vineyards Arise (Napa Valley): Like plucking a perfectly ripe fig right off the tree, then dipping it in (tasty) booze. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 09 Project Paso Red Wine Blend (Paso Robles): Get past the sweet fruit edge, & your next slice of BBQ chicken pizza will thank you. $14 B- >>find this wine>>
• 09 Project Paso Old Vine Zinfandel (Paso Robles): Sporting as many layers as the meat lasagna with which you really should pair it. $14 B >>find this wine>>
• 09 Project Paso Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles): A juicy, simple, steak-&-potato wine at a very juicy, simple, steak-&-potato price. $14 B- >>find this wine>>
• 09 Project Paso Chardonnay (Paso Robles): Yeah you’re in apricot/vanilla territory but there’s a good view of crisp apples from here. $14 B- >>find this wine>>
• 08 Penley Estate Chertsey (Coonawarra): Can’t say I dig everything going on in this black raspberry cola, but there’s a lot going on. $50 B+ >>find this wine>>
• 10 Pewsey Vale Riesling (Eden Valley): Surprising; Like a late round draft pick who ends up with a long career starting at free safety $18 B >>find this wine>>
• 10 Backsberg Chardonnay (Paarl): No oak? Usually no problem. But in this case it also means not much balance (or personality either). $14 C+ >>find this wine>>
• NV Segura Viudas Brut Reserva (Cava): Probably delivering more tasty apple flavor than the fizz yer local bar pours for its NYE toast $10 B- >>find this wine>>