2004 Pouilly-Fuissé, SVC Chaintré, Clos Reissier, France

A hint of the white burgundy character, dry, dark golden color, and probably a bit over the hill. What seemed like mild corkiness is probably just a touch of oxidation. Moderate intensity and length, with good acidity.
Close-out price $12.50; regular price $25.
Rating: Good

2007 Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River, Western Australia

The pedigree of a sibling winery to New Zealand's Cloudy Bay shows. There is balance and elegance, along with a long taste. Any grassiness is well-integrated. Good acidity.
Close-out price $8; regular price $12.
Rating: Very Good

2006 Foris Pinot Noir, Rogue Valley, Oregon

Fairly full-flavored, but not much varietal character. It would be hard to identify as pinot noir. There is mild tannin and wood, and moderate length of taste.
Close-out price $14; regular price $19.
Rating: Good +

2005 Tohu Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand

Delicious in a California style: good PN aroma, medium-bodied with very good berry/cherry flavors, little tannin and inobtrusive oak, good acidity. Fairly long taste. Accompanied chicken paprikas, but also a pleasure just to sip.
Regular price $26, less 20% discount.
Rating: Very Good

2004 Pouilly-Vinzelles, La Soufrandière, Bret Brothers, France

Not at the same level as the 2005 version. This one has good body and flavors, but is more diffuse and has less acidity. Moderate length. Maybe it has passed its peak.
Close-out price $24; regular price $32.
Rating: Good ++

2005 Kreuznacher Osterhöll Riesling Spätlese semi-dry, Anton Finkenauer, Nahe

This is the first time I've seen "semi-dry" on a German wine label (instead of "halb-trocken"), but that well describes this wine, which is indeed off-dry. There is the nice riesling aroma and character in the taste, with very good acidity, and some intensity and length of taste. Here Spätlese refers not to the sweetness, but correlates with the 11.5% alcohol level.
Close-out price $10; regular price $15.
Rating: Very Good -

2004 Pernand-Vergelesses, Domaine Rollin Père et Fils, France

Everything one might want in a white burgundy at a reasonable price: superb balance of chardonnay fruit, oak and acidity in a dry framework. The taste is long with some complexity that makes every sip enjoyable, from the first to the last.
Restaurant price at Craigie on Main $69.
Rating: Very, Very Good

2006 Chateau Indage Sauvignon Blanc, The Mist of Sahyadri, Narayangoan Estate Reserve, Sahyadri Valley, India

There's a touch of grassiness in this dry wine, but the flavors are light. Good acidity. The taste is none to long.
Close-out price $8; regular price $12.
Rating: Good

2006 Chateau Indage Shiraz, The Mist of Sahyadri, Narayangoan Estate Reserve, Sahyadri Valley, India

Dark berry flavors, strong but diffuse, without firmness or structure. Moderate acidity, and a bit of residual sugar, contribute to the general softness. Moderate length.
Close-out price $9; regular price $13.
Rating: Good

2005 Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Schönborn, Rheingau

Good, but lacking a bit in intensity. The floral aroma, good acidity and some peach flavors are there, but not quite the depth that one might like. Moderately long taste.
Close-out price $12; regular price $18.
Rating: Good ++

2005 Coopers Creek Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand

Only some PN character: reluctant aroma, some firmness with moderate acidity, good intensity without much depth, moderate length.
Close-out price $12; regular price $24.
Rating: Good +

2004 Gigondas, La Gille, Perrin & Fils, France

A well-structured wine with some firmness, a bit of tannin and good balancing acidity. There's flavorful dark-cherry fruit with good intensity and length. Medium-bodied.
Close-out price $18; regular price $25.
Rating: Good ++

2004 Saint-Peray, Les Balières, Les Vins de Vienne, Cuilleron-Gaillard-Villard, France

A totally appellation to me, in the south of France. A white tending toward full-bodied with great smoothness and some depth; the balance is only marred by a lower acidity than I would like. It's somewhat chardonnay-like but a gentler, but very flavorful sort. Golden color with a fairly long taste with some nuttiness and honey.
Close-out price $16; regular price $32.
Rating: Very Good -

2006 Côtes-du-Rhône, "La Dame Rousse", Domaine de la Mordorée, France

A wine of some depth and intensity, with dark berry aroma and taste. Fairly dark color with purplish tinge, and noticeable tannin. Fairly long taste. Lots of sediment. Much more character than most Côtes-du-Rhônes, and very likely to improve with a few years of age.
Close-out price $14; regular price $18.
Rating: Good ++ to Very Good

2004 Saint Romain, sous le château, Domaine Coste-Caumartin, France

All the components of a very good white burgundy are present, in well-balanced proportion. Good acidity, a bit of leanness, to go with the chardonnay fruit and oak.
Regular price $25, less 20%.
Rating: Very Good

2005 Côtes du Rhône, E. Guigal, France

Reliable, without great depth or character. A touch of tannin and wood, with moderate intensity and length. Good house wine.
Sale price $12; regular price $15.
Rating: Good +

2006 Château Hermitage des Bruges, Bordeaux, France

Good wine for the price - bordeaux character with fair amount of wood and moderate tannin. Fairly dark color. Moderate intensity and length.
Regular price $12.
Rating: Good +

2007 Beaujolais-Villages, Louis Jadot, France

Typical Jadot Beaujolais: firmness with some strawberry fruit in aroma and taste, good acidity. Moderate intensity and length.
Sale price $9; regular price $12.
Rating: Good +

2004 Vouvray, Domaine Pichot, France

Off-dry with moderate acidity. similar to riesling. Medium-bodied with moderate length.
Regular price $15.
Rating: Good +

Red-tag close-out sales this month:

Whites:

2004	Saint-Peray, Les Bialères, Les Vins de Vienne, Cuilleron-Gaillard-Villard, France	($16, orig. $32)
2005	Pouilly-Loché, Climat "La Colonge", Bret Brothers, France [Very good, grab it before it disappears]	($29, orig. $43)
2002	Viré-Clessé, Climat "La Verchère", Bret Brothers, France [May be a bit old, but worth a try at the price]	($12, orig. $??)
2006	Malomatta, Marco Felluga, Collio Bianco, Italy [Totally new wine to me]	($11, orig. $17)
2006	Chateau Indage Sauvignon Blanc, The Mist of Sahyadri, Narayangoan Estate Reserve, Sahyadri Valley, India [Second Indian winery that I've seen on the shelves]	($8, orig. $12)
2005	Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand [Very good, and the price is great]	($10, orig. $??)
2005	Kreuznacher Osterhöll Riesling Spätlese semi-dry, Anton Finkenauer, Nahe [Interesting marketing: "semi-dry" instead of "halb-trocken"]	($10, orig. $15)

Reds:

2006	Côtes-du-Rhône, "La Dame Rousse", Domaine de la Mordorée, France [Their rosé is extremely good, so let's try this]	($14, orig. $18)
2006	Galil Mountain Pinot Noir, Galilee, Israel	($11, orig. $17)
2005	Coopers Creek Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand	($12, orig. $24)
2006	Allan Scott Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand [I already know this PN to be very good]	($16, orig. $22)
2005	Gravitas Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand [Another new name - let's try it]	($20, orig. $27)
2007	Enkidu Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast [Another new name - let's try it]	($18, orig. $??)
2006	DeLoach Pinot Noir, OFS, Russian River Valley [OFS ("Our Finest Selection") - usually a cut above]	($20, orig. $29)
2002	Opolo Pinot Noir, Paso Robles	($16, orig. $23)
2006	Foris Pinot Noir, Rogue Valley, Oregon	($14, orig. $19)
2006	Chateau Indage Shiraz, The Mist of Sahyadri, Narayangoan Estate Reserve, Sahyadri Valley, India [Second Indian winery that I've seen on the shelves]	($9, orig. $13)
2002	Chateau Ksara, Ksara, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon [A previous year was as good as many Bordeaux]	($15, orig. $24)