3 | Wine | Red Blend, $10 to $20, 2011

"It is a gorgeous wine, and clearly in the alluring Sarah’s Blend style, the style that has made Sarah’s Blend the most coveted of the MP wines."

"The 2011 Eruption is rich and intense. The wine has aromas of dark berry; sandalwood and cocoa, giving way to ?avors that are jammy, ripe and expressive. The palate is layered with supple and round tannins, making the wine both hedonistic while simultaneously elegant. The texture of this wine is perhaps its most distinguishing trait - mouth-coating with an endless ?nish. Be certain to have a second bottle on hand, the ?rst won’t last very long."

"Deceptively sweet aromas of strawberries, raspberries and rose petals. The flavors are dark, rich, lusciously mouthwatering, with cherries, boysenberries, tart plum skins, hints of leather, sweet pipe tobacco, and coffee beans. The tannins are firm, but not a bit edgy and the finish lingers with just a touch of anise. A truly lovely vintage."

"The 2011 Cotes du Rhone Belleruche exhibits classic framboise notes, a light, vibrant, florescent pink color, excellent texture and a dry finish." -Robert Parker

"Bright red. Perfumed aromas of red berries and violet, complicated by cinnamon and almond flower. Juicy and bright on the palate, with precise strawberry and redcurrant flavors lifted by lively acidity. Finishes long and fresh, with ripe tannins and lingering floral perfume. Not the last word in complexity or concentration, but an absolutely delicious wine, one of the best Rossos by Avignonesi in some time."