Name: Coastal Vines
Variety: White Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95
The Winery Review: This White Zinfandel has a beautiful pink salmon color and crisp acidity. The wine shows juicy fruit flavors of strawberry and cherry, with tangy sweet finish. Pairs well with mild cheeses, crab cakes, and spicy Asian cuisine.
My Review: The Costal Vines had a nice fruity smell with a sweet taste. See I am learning how to properly describe my wines. I am sorry that I do not have as much description as I normally do but I would not mind one day going back and retrying this all over with the correct amount to taste and reblog about them. I would give this wine a 6 out of 10.
Name: Ilurce
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: Normally 14 dollars
The Winery Review: Dark purple. Zesty, youthfully medicinal aromas of dark berries, licorice and cracked pepper, Juicy and fresh, with smooth texture and sweet cherry and spice flavors framed by dusty tannins. Finishes with a suggestion of slightly roasted fruits and good clinging persistence. Delivers a lot of power and richness for money
My Review: The Ilurce had a floral smell along with an alcohol smell. It had a ok dry bitter taste. I would not say this was one of my favorites but it was ok. I would probably give this one a 4 out of 10.
Name: San Elias
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2014
Price: Normally 9 dollars
The Winery Review:This medium-bodied red offers roasted plum, kirsch, sage and game notes, with light tannins supporting the spicy finish.
My Review: The San Elias had a nice cherry smell mixed in with the normal wine smell. It also had some legs which can mean it has a decent amount of tannins. It's taste was kinda similar to the Santa Luz as in the aspect of it being dry and smooth. I would give this one a 6 out of 10 for me.
Name: Riebeek
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: Normally 10 dollars
The Winery Review: Fresh kiwifruit, green apple and almond notes bounce along, showing a flash of plantain on the friendly finish. Drink now.
My Review: The Riebeek had a bitter earthy taste with maybe a hint of flint. The smell to me was the typically wine smell nothing special. I would give this wine a 5 out of 10.
Name: Santa Luz
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: Normally 11 dollars
The Winery Review: Like any good Sauvignon Blanc, this opens with oceanic aromas of citrus fruits, sea foam and minerality, it is juicy and stony, with washing acidity. Flavors of honeydew, lime and a nice grassiness finish firm, with good backbone. Drink this with salads, shellfish and ceviche.
My Review: This week wine tasting will not be as descriptive or as well done because when I was at the wine tasting the person who was pouring my wine was not pouring that much. Normally at the wine tasting I get enough for three ok sips to be able to better judge the wine. The person who was pouring my wine didn't even give enough for 1 ok sip and I tried my best to make it work, because I did not know if it would be considered rude to ask the person to pour more especially if the tasting is free. I also learned this week that sweet is a smell not a taste so I will be trying my best for the rest of the blogs to not use sweet as a description of smell. The Santa Luz smelled of fruity and especially grape. It tasted dry but smooth. I would give this one a 6 out of 10. Again sorry for the shorter blog.
Name: Canyon Road Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: Normally 12 dollars
The Winery Review: Floral, with tea rose and cherry blossom notes, this balanced Moscato shows flavor of ripe white cherry, ca
ndied plum and almond on the smooth finish.
My Review: Out of all the wine I tasted this week this one was my favorite. After I was done with the tasting I bought me a bottle of the Moscato. It was a good white wine. It had a nice sweet smell to it. the Moscato had a nice sweet taste along with a lemon citrus. I would rank this one a 8 out of 10 and might buy another bottle of it again soon.
Name: Resonata
Variety: Nero D'Avola
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Normally 14 dollars
The Winery Review: The grapes are soft pressed and the juice is placed in stainless steel along with the skins for a maceration of 8 to 10 days with daily pumping over of the juice to extract more color and sweet tannins. Dense ruby red with violet reflections. Lush and ripe bouquet full of mulberries, blackberries and spice. Harmonious and well balanced with good berry fruit it a spicy background. Excellent with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheese
My Review: I was more interested in tasting this wine because my great grandparents are from Sicily. It was a really dark red wine with some little legs on the glass. I could smell the spices coming from the wine. For a red it had a smooth dry taste with some fruit. Now when I say stuff like "fruit" is because I can not distinguish the fruits that I taste because if I could I would name it. I would give this wine a 6 out of 10.
Name: Canyon Road
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: Normally 12 dollars
The Winery Review: Rich, fruit forward cherry flavors, soft tannins, a medium body and a smooth velvety finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, salmon, and savory pork dishes.
My Review: The Pinot Noir was a nice dark red that smelled of cherry. This is one of the first Pinot Noir that I had that didn't just smell of grapes, but like I said I actually got a cherry smell. Kinda Like the other red wines that I have had so far it had that more dry and earthy taste. I guess it is because I am new but as of right now I am not the biggest fan of the dark red wines but I do want to try it with food to see if that makes a difference. I would give this wine a 6 out of 10 for me.
Name: Maipe
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2013
Price: $ 7.95
The Winery Review: Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavor and plenty of body. Well balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and long finish.
My Review: The Maipe was a nice looking white wine. The main thing that throw me off was that when I was smelling the Maipe I was not really getting anything. I do not know if there was something wrong with my nose but I smelled nothing. A colleague of mine that I do these tasting with said he got a rubbing alcohol smell but like I said I got nothing. The Maipe was not my favorite that I had have and it had a weird thick after taste that I can't name. I definitely want to try this one again to see if I will be able to smell something this time but as of right now I would give this one a 4 out of 10.
Name: Hugl
Variety: Gruner Veltliner
Region: Niederosterreich
Country: Austria
Year: 2013
Price: Normally 14 dollars
The Winery Review: "A fresh scent of green pears greets the
nose. What follows comes in a light, crisp citrus vein, supported by a rounded
mouthfeel. A refreshing wine for immediate drinking. - Anne Krebiehl, MW"
My Review: The Hugl wine had a nice sweet grape smell, but it tasted kinda tart. That was not a taste I was expecting after the first few initial smells. It also tasted a little more on the acidic side. I do not know were Anne Krebiehl got the crisp citrus because I did not get that. I would give this wine a 5 out of 10 when the wine enthusiast gave it 89 points.
Name: Opera Prima
Variety: Sparkling Moscato
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year:?
Price: Normally 15 dollars
The Winery Review: Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The bubbles and flavor package of tropical fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn't offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor.
My Review: I think this was one a my more favorite ones that I have had this weak even though it seemed kinda girly. It was a nice pink looking moscato. It was definitely bubbly hint the sparkling part. The only thing with this Opera Prima it had a very unique smell that I could not pin point. The smell reminded me of a Basil or fresh herbs from the forest. It was just a smell that I never had before but seemed so familiar. It was definitely sweet tasting and this was one of the first time were I tasted a different grape. Normally all the wines have the same grape taste in my opinion but this one was different in a good way. I would give this one a 8 out of 10. The Wine Enthusiast gave it 85 points.
Name: Foxhollow Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Country: USA
Year:2012
Price: $5.95
The Winery Review: Rich and supple with juicy plum, blackberry and
chocolate flavors and a pleasant sense of sweetness backed up by good acidity
and moderate tannins. Offers early complexity and charm with real richness and
depth.
My Review: I feel with this wine I was able to get a little more even though I personally that it was kinda nasty. It look like a nice dark red with some legs around the glass. It was very dry in my opinion. After I had it I just got thirsty and wanted water. I also felt it had a strong alcohol taste over the flavors of the wine which I felt took away from it. I would give this one a 4 out of 10.
Name: B abd G Chicken and Turkey
Variety: Cotes du Rhone
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year:?
Price: Normally 10 dollars
The Winery Review: A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20%
Carignan. Deep red garnet color with purple highlights. Intense nose of morello
cherry, tobacco and liquorice. Good structure on the palate with lots of fruits
and a long fruity and spicy finish. A true delight.
My Review: I did not taste any chicken or turkey in the wine, just throwing that out there. I know I am not suppose to taste that, but what I did like about the naming is that it allows me to know which food to pair it with. The B and G was a nice red looking wine. When I smelled the wine I got that oak smell and for once I did not just smell the typical wine smells. When I tried it it was dry and thick in taste and that all I really got out of it. I would give this wine a 5 out of 10 and I definitely need to try some wine with food to see what other flavors I can get. The Wine Enthusiast gave the B and G 85 points.
