Winegirl's Wine Index:  The "Nose Knows" Index To illustrate the odorific potential of some of her favorite wines, Winegirl went back through her tasting notes in search of some of the stinkiest treasures. They are ranked in order of her favorites.

About This Topic More WineGirl

	Type		Rating	Tasting Notes		Instructions
1	Red		Delish!	Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero, 1997  $16  This Condado is a textbook, old-world-style Spanish red. Made from the Tempranillo grape (as Cabernet Sauvignon is to Bordeaux, Tempranillo is to Iberia), it sports a black fruit core and an powerful bouquet of wet leather and, yes, sweat.		Ay, caballero! This baby will get even horsier after 2004.
2	Red		Very Good	Regni Chianti Riserva, 1995   $28  At a recent tasting, five of us took a whiff of this Tuscan monster at once. "Strong smell!" said one. "Animal, earth!" said another. Pause. "Manure!" I shouted. Everybody breathed a sigh of relief because they were thinking it, but couldn’t say it. After we sampled this full-bodied, mushroom-tinged Chianti, our host sold three cases on the spot.		Drink now or hold.
3	White		Very Good	Qupe Viognier Los Olivos Vineyard, 1994   $22.  The persnickety Viognier grape is native to the Rhone Valley in France, but some brave "Rhone Rangers" on the Left Coast are doing wonders with it. Qupe’s version showcases Viognier’s ability to be both crisp and rich with flavor. But the best part, though, is the aroma: roses, wildflowers, and honeysuckle abound.		Drink now.
4	White		Good	Clos St. Magdeleine, Cassis   $10.  Most people think Cassis is a liqueur, but it’s also a refreshing dry white wine from a small appellation on France’s southeast coast. And it’s precisely the Mediterranean’s salty, cool perfume that hovers over the golden liquid in a glass of Clos St. Magdeleine. You will love this wine’s bouquet, flavor, long honeyed finish, and the price--especially with white fish cooked in olive oil.		Drink now.
5.	Red		Good	Leveroni, Merlot, 1996   $15 The debut release from Leveroni, a small Sonoma winemaker, is an olfactory shocker of a Merlot. Rather than the varietal’s usual cherry and spice, Leveroni’s exudes grilled game and smoke. If you can get your hands on one of these well-built, limited-production wines, buy it. Buy a case if they’ll let you.		Get on Leveroni’s mailing list. Then hold until 2005.

WineGirl's Ratings Explained:
Delish!: A very special, memorable, collectible, irrefutably yummy wine.
Very Good: A memorable, collectible, but only yummy wine.
Good: A yummy wine that Winegirl might adopt as her "house" label.
Okay: An inoffensive, even charming, but forgettable wine.