Rum: Zaya!

Had some Zaya rum at a party a couple of weeks back ... wow! Incredibly smooth, with lots of sugar on the clean finish. Must pick some up at BevMo ($26.99 on sale!) as soon as they get some more. From BoozeReviews.net: "I don't normally like sweeter rums... but this one is like a perfectly-balanced wine. If you ever see this stuff anywhere, buy two bottles. You'll drink the first one in a couple of nights because you'll be so amazed, but then you'll have a 2nd one you can save so you can be amazed again at a later time. We're working on a full review of this extra-extra special rum, but until then... let's just call it good."

iTunes Plus: DRM-free music on iTunes today!

Very exciting! Welcome iTunes Plus, making music available now in higher quality and without DRM! Run, don't walk ... :-)

Check out Street View in Google Maps!

How cool is this? Right now, they only seem to be covering San Jose / San Francisco, Las Vegas, Denver, Miami, and New York. Can't wait until this gets integrated with GPS navigation software!

Riesling: Prinz Von Hessen 2004

It's hot outside - what do you reach for? Something tart and refreshing, not too heavy, but leger, with citrus tones. Look no further than today's wine! This $8 bargain may be shy on complexity, but the citrus and mineral on the palate make this easy quaffing wine a winner! 88/100.

Sparkling wine: M. Chevallier Carte Noir Cava Brut NV

Woah, house bubbly? This guy is a bit on the light side, but the finish is clean and fairly dry. Not mouth-puckering bone dry, however. Delightfun with thai - the bubbles stood up to the spice, and the lightness got the beverage out of the way and highlighted the food. At $5 a bottle from Trader Joe's, I'll excuse the lack of character, and take a case :-) 86/100.

Viña Requingua Puerto Viejo 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Como se dise "decant" en Espagnol? This guy was light and fruity straight outta the bottle, but after some extended decanting, wow! Much more dense and structured, with jammy fruit dancing around your palate, with a hint of Chilean flair on the finish - mint? 86/100 after opening, 91/100 after 2 days.

Carpineto 2003 "Dogajolo" Toscano Rosso

Julie grabbed this at BevMo, and we hand it tonight with Indian food (butter chicken, saffron rice, garlic naan). Put away your miner's axe - this wine did NOT have overpowering mineral notes! Yay! A bit of fruit too, and a touch on the light side make this an easy quaffing wine for the stout at heart. 85/100.