Tasting- "Jam Jar Sweet White Muscat"

Jam Jar
Sweet White Muscat
2011
$8.95

Winery Review: "100 % Muscat. Soft floral hints add depth to the otherwise straightforward ripe peach and nectarine aromas. There’s a good balance in the mouth, with a nice acidic lift and slightly lime edge to cut the sweetness on the finish and close with the faintest hint of honeydew melons."

My Review: I smelled honey with hints of citrus, melon, and a floral aroma. There was an obvious peach flavor on the mid-palate. Overall this was a crisp and enjoyable dessert wine with a soft melon finish.


This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Entrada Malbec"

Entrada
Malbec
Chile
2013
$5.95

Winery Review: "Firm and structured, this is a solid wine, laced with mineral acidity and tight tannins. It has a juicy, blackberry fruit component cutting through the texture."


My Review: This wine overwhelmed me with a smokey tobacco smell. The only other aroma I was able to pick up was a bit of blackberry. Blackberry was the main flavor I got on the mid-palate. I did not love this wine but I think it was an excellent wine for the price point.


This wine was tasted without food

Tasting- "Vina Borgia Borsao"

Vina Borgia
Borsao
Campo de Borja
Spain
2012
$6.95

Winery Review: (86 Points – Robert Parker) "Also made from 100% Grenache, the 2012 Vina Borgia was fermented and aged in stainless steel. Its medium dark ruby color is followed by abundant notes of strawberries and black cherries offered in a straightforward, medium-bodied, soft, hedonistic, round style. It is hard to believe a wine this good can sell for $7 a bottle. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years."

My Review: This was a ruby medium bodied wine with strawberry, red currant, and other red fruits on the nose. It had a little well balanced spice. I really enjoyed this wine and felt it was a great price for the quality. I plan on pairing this wine with a hearty beef dish in the near future.

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Peter Lehmann Chardonay"

Peter Lehmann
Chardonnay
Australia
2010
Regular Price $20 Sale Price $9.95

Winery Review: The 2010 Chardonnay presents subtle notes of spiced apple slices and ripe peaches with hints of freshly baked bread and melon. Light bodied, clean and refreshingly crisp in the mouth, it offers just enough apple and pear flavor concentration, finishing with medium-long persistence. Drink it now to 2014.

My Review: This light bodied wine had notes of apple, pear, peach, and melon on the nose. There was an interesting bread smell I had not yet encountered in wine. It had a slightly tart and crisp finish.


This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting-"Protocolo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla"

Protocolo
Vino de la Tierra de Castilla
Spain
2012
$6.95

Winery Review: Mostly Airen with a little bit of Macabeo .Greenish gold. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry, understated and focused, offering clean citrus and melon flavors and slow-building sweetness. Finishes dry and brisk, with an echo of lemon. As usual, this is an outstanding value.


My Review: On the nose this wine had notes of subtle melon, honey and citrus. The obvious flavors on the midpalate were citrus and melon, the melon much more apparent here.


This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Kepe Tempranillo"

Kepe
Tempranillo

16.95

La Rioja, Spain

2012 

Barclay’s Wine Co. Review: "Carefully made in an absolutely incredible winery, the result is packed full of ripe fruit. The nose illustrates this as fresh red and black fruit wafts up from the glass with raspberry, strawberry, plum and blackcurrant most notable. Flavors of deep fruit lead on a fresh and soft palate that lingers all the way through the finish. A versatile food wine, it will pair with a lot of food. Prime examples are pizza, pasta, meats off the grill and even hearty fish entrees. Say hola to our next #1 best seller."

My review: This was a great wine at a great price. I can absolutely see why it is a best seller. I love big wines wines with complex spicy dark fruit, particularly black currant, and this wine fits the bill. Raspberry, strawberry, and plum were also very prominent aromas. I had this wine on its own but I would definitely like to pair it with a great cut of beef on the grill.

This wine was tasted without food. 

Tasting- "Kiyapura Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere"

Kiyapura

Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere

$15.95

Valle Central, Chile

2012 

1000 Corks Review- "A bright ruby red, this wine has charming aromas of ripe red fruit and spices like black pepper with maybe even a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied with elegant tannins, there is no mistaking that this is a juicy red. Chocolate and red berries define the palate with a subtle of coffee in the finish." 

My review: Like the last wine I reviewed, this wine had the Carmenere grape. It also had an overwhelming bitterness and burnt bitter coffee flavor when I first opened it, although this blend was slightly more mild than the straight Carmenere wine and did become much more mild after decanting a bit and even very pleasant to drink. It was full bodied and had very complex spicy red fruit while still maintaining some of the coffee flavors, thankfully much more mild now.

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Carma Carmenere"

Carma

Carmenere
$16.95
Curico Valley, Chile
2012

Heartwood and Oak Review: "Made from fruit that comes from the center of the industry in Palmilla, this Carménère is some of the finest in the country. Ten-year old vines lend a maturity to the wine. Raspberries and cherries lead the aroma of the wine, along with an herbaceous note. The red fruit notes continue on the palate, with complexity added by spicy flavors and a note of bittersweet chocolate and toasted coffee beans. The wine is juicy and delicious and a great, easy-drinking Carménère."

My review: I disagree wholeheartedly with Hearwood and Oak claiming this wine to be "easy-drinking." This wine had a hint of red fruits with an extremely overwhelming tobacco and bitter burnt coffee flavor that made it very difficult to drink. I had some cheese with it which seemed to help to cleanse the palate between sips so the flavors were not as overbearing but I still could not get over the bitterness and burnt flavors. I only let it decant an hour before drinking so perhaps if I had decanted it for about fifteen more hours the wine may have palatable. After trying a Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon blend with a similar flavor profile, I think it may be that this grape just has those properties.

This wine was tasted with cheese.

Tasting- "Gattavecchi Vernaccia"

Gattavecchi 

Vernaccia

Tuscany, Italy

$14.99

2012 

Winery Direct Review- "Plenty of floral, citrus and subtle tropical fruit character in this crisp, dry and refreshing white. Just a touch of spice on the zesty finish. Enjoy with seafood, salads and as an aperitif."

My Review: Like some of the other wines I reviewed before, this wine was tasted in a tiny paper cup but I was still able to pick up the strong citrus fruit and floral component. It was crisp and dry. I really would have enjoyed this with some shrimp scampi or some scallops. 

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Casalino Chianti"

Casalino

Chianti

Tuscany, Italy

$7.99

2012

Winery Direct Review: "A delicious Chianti with ripe plum and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, fruity aftertaste. Montalbano, one of the seven Chianti subzones, is an ancient hill near Florence that was the hunting park of the Medici."

My Review: Of the Italian wines tasted in the paper cups, this wine was my favorite. I was able to actually pick up the plum and raspberry a bit. It was definitely full-bodied with a long finish. I enjoyed this wine and would consider picking up a bottle.

This wine was tasted without food. 

Tasting- "Vasco Sassetti Sangiovese"

Vasco Sassetti

Sangiovese

Montalcino, Italy

$8.99 

2011

Winery Direct Review: "All the flavor and style you can ask for, with plenty of plummy, smoky, anise flavors, impressively put together with a good but not overwhelming dose of tannin. This is a really fun little wine to drink."

My Review: Like the last wine I reviewed, this wine was given to me in a tiny paper cup which prevented me from being able to distinguish many of the aromatic flavors; however, I did get smoke and red fruit with a well balanced, at least from what I could tell, tannic structure. I would like to try this wine again in an actual wine glass to give it a fair shot given the low price.

This wine was tasted without food. 

Tasting- "Rosso di Montepulciano Vecchia Cantina"

Rosso di Montepulciano

Vecchia Cantina (Chianti blend)

$11.99 

Tuscany, Italy 

2012 

Winery Direct Review: "This easy drinking red is delicious, with loads of soft red flavors and ripe tannins. Medium-bodied, with a pleasing texture and marvelous finish. A fruitier, less intense version of this style, try this wine with your favorite pasta
dishes."

My Review: This wine was rather boring to me. It was difficult to get the aroma of the wine as we were given tiny paper cups that would hold only about 2 tablespoons. I smelled red fruit but was unable to distinguish anything specific. I would pass on this wine given the tasting experience I had. 

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Enebral Tinta de Toro"

Enebral
Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo)

2009 

Castilla Leon, Spain
$14.99

Wine Advocate Review: "The 2009 Enebral spent nearly a year in new French oak before bottling without filtration. Aromas of toasty oak, mineral, spice box, licorice, and blackberry compose the bouquet of this round, supple, nicely proportioned wine."

My Review: I had originally decanted this wine to pair with barbecued chicken while back at my parents' house for dinner. My mom had assured me they had barbecue sauce; however, that turned out to not be the case so we ended up just grilling the chicken with some salt and pepper. The oakiness of this wine did compliment the smokiness and pepper on the grilled chicken. I don't think this was the best wine to pair with the chicken as the red fruit and licorice were a little overpowering but the other spices and the oak components salvaged the pairing a bit. We ended up drinking it without food after dinner where it was much more enjoyable. 

Tasting- "Tertre du Moulin Bordeaux"

Tertre du Moulin
Bordeaux Blend
Libournais, Bordeaux, France
2011
$15.00

Vivino Review: "The nose was wood, fruit, cherry, stems, saw dust, river rock, and a very subtle vanilla.The taste was black cherry, and maybe blackberry and/or plum. The vanilla was there too, and still very subtle. The body was medium and it was dry. The finish was black cherry, and very tannic."

My Review: I really liked this wine. I definitely got the earthy flavors and dark fruits, notably plum, blackberry, and black currant, but I did not get any vanilla. I tasted this wine on it's own and it was very easy to drink but I do enjoy medium dry wines and do not mind strong tannins in most wines.

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Regina di Renieri Syrah"

Regina di Renieri

Syrah

Toscana, Tuscany, Italy

2009

$34.99

Total Wine Review: 94 points Wine Spectator "A powerful, brooding red, with effusive blackberry, plum, leather, spice and saline flavors. A lush texture and ample fruit covers the structure, but there are abundant tannins lurking underneath. The finish picks up earth and mineral elements."

My review: I really enjoyed this complex and full-bodied Italian wine. It was earthy and had mineral notes. This wine was full of blackberry, plum, and red fruits. I would not purchase it for myself at the current price and I do believe the wine spectator was a little overly generous with it's rating.

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "First Light Moscato"

First Light
Moscato 

Non-Vintage
Regular Price: $15, Sale Price: $7.95
Australia

Wine Shop Review: "Ripe lychee, tropical fruits and musk on the nose as you near the glass. Lovely grape and stone fruits and on the palate is highlighted with the subtle sweetness and spritz that makes this such a fun drink. Low in alcohol and nicely balanced acidity ensure you will want more than one glass of this easy drinking wine."

My Review: This wine smelled like extremely sweet tropical fruit and lychee. I was pleasanly surprised that, despite the nose, it was very well balanced. I was afraid to try this wine after smelling it but once I tried it, I felt this was a wine I could sip on after a nice meal. This is likely one of the best and well balanced Moscatos I have tried. 

This wine was tasted without food. 

Tasting- "CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvingnon"

CalNaturale
Cabernet Sauvignon
Paso Robles 2009
Regular Price $16 

Sale Price $10.95 1 Liter, $5.95 500 ml
Paso Robles, California

Wine Shop Review: "95% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Viognier this certified organic winery produces outstanding quality at reasonable prices offering classic Cabernet flavors of fresh herb, olive, cedar and cassis. Focused and intense, with a charming rustic side and broad tannins that firm up on the finish."

My Review: This wine was extremely jammy and smelled almost exactly like black currant. I thought it tasted a little green and herby, in a good way, and did pick up on the cedar a bit. I liked the broad tannins but this wine was just okay for me. On paper this wine sounds exactly like wines I enjoy but when I tasted it, it fell a little flat. I would not ever buy this wine at $16 and I passed in favor of other, similarly priced, wines at $10. 

This wine was tasted without food. 

Tasting- "Georges Duboeuf Beajolais Nouveau"

Georges Duboeuf
Beajolais Nouveau
2013
Regular Price $15 Sale
$7.95
Beaujolais, France

Wine Spectator Review: "An aromatic red, with floral and white peach notes accenting the black raspberry and plum flavors. This is open-knit and fresh, offering light tannins on the finish."

My Review: This wine spelled like raspberries were mixed in with a strawberry banana smoothie with a hint of peach; it also tasted like that crazy smoothie mixture and I did not like it. I thought it did not offer enough tannic structure to balance out all the strong fruit flavors so overall this wine fell flat for me. This was one of my least favorite Beajolais Nouveaus I have tried. 

This wine was tasted without food.

Tasting- "Beltrame Friulano"

Beltrame
100% Tocai Friulano
2009
Regular price: $15, Sale Price: $9.95
Friuli, Italy

Wine shop review: "100% Tocai Friulano Straw-coloured yellow with a pale green tint express an intense, delicately aromatic and floral bouquet.The flavour is dry, soft, slightly fruity, with slightly bitter nuance in its almond aftertaste, and suggestion of peach." 

My Review: I noticed it was a staw-colored yellow with a green tint like the review said. I thought it smelled lemony and floral but could not pick out any distinguishable fruits. I agreed it was dry and soft like the review above and had an almond and peachy aftertaste.

This wine was tasted without food. 

Tasting- "Mas Llunes Maragda"

Mas Llunes
Maragda (Grenache Blanc)
2010
Regular price: $16, Sale: $9.95
Emporada, Spain

Wine Shop Review: "This Grenache Blanc is exquisitely sculpted with sharp acids and pinpointed minerals, and offers orange, melon and vanilla-honey flavors. A delight to drink, at a great price."

My Review: This wine hit heavy on the citrus and honey on the nose. I tasted melon on the mid palate and thought it had a dry and acidic finish, which I like in a white wine. I agree it was a pleasant wine. Overall this was probably my favorite wine from the tasting  but I was not blown away by any of this week's offering.

This wine was tasted without food.