Wine Tasting: Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano

Name; Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano
Variety: Moscato
Region: Piedmon
Country: Italy
Year: NA
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Pale color. Confected, fruity aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle, pear tartlet, and honeydew melon with a satiny, shy, spritzy, moderately sweet light-to-medium body and a sleek, fast yellow apple, candied pear, honeycomb, and sweet papaya finish with no tannins and no oak. Simple and approachable with sweet apple, melon and candied pear on a framework of gentle, delightful bubbles.
 My Review: Fruity nose with peaches, pineapples, and melons coming through well. Mild acidity on the palate; tasted much like it smelled. A very subdued but tasty wine.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz/ Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Jip Jip Rocks
Variety: Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Padthaway
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Price: Regular $19 on sale $8.95

Winery Review: This red wine is a well above average effort with lots of flavor as well as Australia's so easily obtainable, lush fruit. The 2013 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (55% and 45% respectively) exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with a layered, peppery, berry fruit-scented nose revealing licorice and meaty notes. From a much lighter vintage, it is a supple, easygoing red to enjoy now and over the next several years.

My Review: Woods like smell on the nose with hints of pepper. Licorice on the palate with some dark berries and maybe event a hint of a nice thick chunky steak. Smooth and delicious.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Cavit Alta Luna Pinot Noir

Name; Cavit Alta Luna
Cariety: Pinot Noir
Region: Vigneti delle Dolomiti
Country: Italy
Year; 2011
Price: Regular $20 on sale $9.95

Winery Review: On the nose cherry, plum and berry aromas mingle with notes of spice and tobacco. On the palate soft, supple tannins and refreshing acidity are beautifully balanced by ripe cherry fruit flavors on the finish which is dry, harmonious and elegant.

My Review: Spicy on the nose with cherry aromas. Also hints of pepper or the smell of a freshly opened bag of beef jerky. Smooth on the palate, tasted peppery and like dark fruits. 

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: El Cortijillo Verdejo

Name: El Cortijillo
Variety: Verdejo
Region: La Monacha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $5.94

Winery Review: Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper.
 

My Review: Fragrant on the nose with fruity scents like apples. Smooth and subtle body, but very tasty.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Pinot Grigio

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: A Venetian favorite!  It is crisp and dry, rich and spicy with hints of peach and honey…perfect with salads, pasta, chicken and fish!  Musaragno is an organic wine estate near Venice, Italy.

My Review: Strong on the nose with juicy fruits like peaches and pineapple. Spicy and crisp on the palate, tasted kind of syrupy or honey-like.

I did not have this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Name: Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2014

Price: Regular $12 on sale $8.95

Winery Review: A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle, and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach, and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly. 

My Review: Wet rocks on the nose, kind of flinty with an aroma of sweet fruits and flowers. On the palate the fruits come through much stronger; apples, peaches, and pineapple are all present. Very crisp on the palate due to its medium acidity.

I did not have this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe Malbec

Variety: Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2015

Price: Regular $12 on sale $6.95

Winery Review: "The 2015 Maipe Malbac is another 100% Malbec, with a deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty, blackcurrant, and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It is delicious, soft, and round." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (March 2016), 87 points-- Excellent Wine Values for Under $25

My Review: On the nose it smelled like cherries and plum, maybe a hint of blackberry. On the palate it was a little spicy but earthy at the same time. Smooth on the finish but not my favorite style of wine.

I did not have this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Manoir du Carra

Name: Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay

Variety: Gamay

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Year: 2014

Price: Regular $12 on sale $4.95

Winery Review: A pretty, floral wine, with a rose petal notes underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish.

My Review: A hint of oak on the nose but none on the taste. Also smelled peppery and spicy and maybe a little like licorice. Smooth on the palate, tasted like darker berries like plum or blackberries. 

I did not have this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Mapreco Vinho Verde Rose

Name: Mapreco
Variety: Vinho Verde
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2015
Price: Regular $10 on sale $7.95

Winery Review: The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rosé made from the traditional vinho verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of strawberry, cherry and berries. A delightful twist on the original.

My Review: Had some fizz to it with fruits on the nose as well as berries and cherries. Nice and lively on the palate and smooth on the finish.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Mars & Venus Chardonnay

Name: Mars & Venus
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple.  Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping.

My Review: Very fruity on the nose with hints of pineapple, pear, and citrus. Also smelled like fresh, crisp, deciduous vegetation. The taste was very similar to the smell. Smooth on the palate with a nice finish.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Beringer Chenin Blanc 2014

Name: Beringer
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: A fresh green-apple aroma and vivid citrus and crisp apple flavors are supported by vibrant acidity in this medium-bodied wine. The texture is smooth but crisp, making lots of good food pairings come to mind, from pre-meal cheese, to salads, seafood and veggie pastas.

My Review: Apple, citrus fruits, peach, and maybe a hint of pineapple on the nose. Nice, sweet, and smooth on the palate with low acidity. Definitely a wine I would drink if my sugar tooth was bothering me or if I wanted something to cool off with on a hot summer day.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Carraia Aglianico

Name: Carraia
Variety: Aglianico
Region: Campagna
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Regular $15 on sale $9.95

Winery Review: Produced in the Campania region of Italy, this Aglianico has delicious black fruit flavors with hints of licorice, volcanic soil and tar notes. Classic in nature, yet in a lighter, more crowd-pleasing style, the Carraia is made of the ancient Aglianico grape. This black grape originated in Greece and today is widely grown in Basilicata and Campania.

My Review: Strong nose with odors reminding me of a linen closet. Also some darker cherries and fruits on the nose. On the palate it was spicy and tasted like cherries and blackberries and it had a hot finish.

I did not try this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Siema Vino Rosso

Name; Siemma Vino Rosso
Variety: Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: NA
Price: Regular $10 on sale $6.95

Winery Review: Intense ruby red with soft garnet nuances in the glass, the Rosso is intriguingly fresh, fruity and spicy on the nose. Perfectly round and balanced, the wine is particularly soft and dry. Pair with simple dishes like fresh cheese, ham, salami, or pizza for a divine culinary experience.

My Review: Bold aromas of cherry and darker berries with some lingering scents of licorice. Nice solid body, a little warm on the palate, but not overbearing. Slightly spicy as well. Overall a pretty good wine.

I did not have this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Dom de la Foret Grenache Cinsault Rose de Mediterranee

Name: Dom de la Foret Grenache Cinsault Rose de Mediterranee
Variety: Grenache
Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: NA
Price: Regular $13 on sale $8.95

Winery Review: A stony, pure style, with a warm paving stone note framing the dried cherry and rose water notes. The long, watermelon rind—inflected finish is finely tuned. Shows length and cut, staying lacy in feel. 50% Cinsault and 50% Grenache.

My Review: Fruity scents on the nose as well as some underlying odor that I couldn't really put my finger on. It made me think of a parking lot right after a summer rain. On the palate it was smooth but it didn't have any flavors that stood. out. Wine was okay, but nothing to get too excited over.

I did not have this wine with food.

Wine Tasting: Bricco dei Tati Cortese 2013

Name: Bricco dei Tati Cortese 2013
Variety: Cortese
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Refular $10 on sale $6.95

Winery Review: Great Value! Treat this terrific little white like a red: Don’t chill it too much, then let it open for a half-hour to develop its enticing tropical fruit flavors. It’s dry, but the fruit gives an appealing illusion of sweetness. Great as an aperitif or with light seafood dishes.

My Review: Strong smell of more acid fruits such as pears and apples. Tasted like it smells with a medium acidity on the palate and a warm finish. Interesting white wine but not really up my alley.

I did not have this wine with food.