Tasting - Dona Silvina

3/29/2015

Name: Dona Silvina 
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Price: $19.95
Year: 2012

Winery review: 
 "Medium-bodied, dry. Bright purple in the glass with a nose and palate of violets, fresh plums, blueberries, and fresh earth. The finish is smooth with soft tannin and a long perfumed finish. Pair with burgers, pizza, panini, Asian cuisine and Latin cuisine." - sipfinewine.com

My Review:  

The smell of this wine reminded me of stones and clay while also providing a strong smell of flowers. The taste consisted of earthy tones, similar to the smell, along with bold flavors of cherries and strawberries on the finish. There was a light tannic taste and a very dry finish that left your mouth with a tart taste. The finish of the wine hung around in your mouth after the tasting providing a floral tart taste that I really did not enjoy. 

I did not taste this wine with food. 

Tasting - Dom. Courege-Longue Buzet "Family Reserve"

3/29/2015

Name: Dom. Courege-Longue Buzet "Family Reserve"
Variety: Red Bordeaux blend 
Region: Buzet
Country: France
Price: $16.95
Year: 2011

Winery review: 
Review. Courege-Longue's Family Reserve is the perfect introduction to vigneron David Sazi's dedication and artistry. A phenomenal wine to pair with the region's own Cassoulet as well. - Vintage Wine Cellar 

My Review:  

The smell of this wine consisted only of strawberries, but I could not identify anything else due to the strong fruit smell of the wine. The taste was light and the flavors were not bold by any means. From what I could taste, I got hints of strawberries and cherries, but overall the taste was weak and not very distinct or detectable.

I did not taste this wine with food. 

Tasting - Lioco Indica Rose

3/29/2015

Name: Lioco
Variety: Indica Rose
Region: Mendocino
Country: California 
Price: $19.95
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
Vinous / Antonio Galloni - "100% carignan, from head-pruned vines that were planted during the 1950s): Light orange. Aromas of dried red berries, cherry pit, rose oil and peppery spices, with a hint of orange pith emerging with aeration. Dry and nervy on the palate, offering mineral-tinged bitter cherry and redcurrant flavors that put on weight with air. The floral quality comes back strong on the finish, which shows very good clarity and stony persistence. " - 90 - Wine.com

My Review:  
The initial nose of this wine had hints of both pineapple and cherries along with a floral aspects that went well with the pineapple smells. The actual taste was bold and consisted of a mix of flowers and red berries on the first taste. I needed a second taste to understand all of the flavors in this wine. On the second taste, I got a lot more red berry flavors, more cherries and strawberries, along with tingly mouth feel.

I did not taste this wine with food. 

Tasting - Folk Machine Tocai Friulano

3/29/2015

Name: Folk Machine 
Variety: Tocai Friulano
Region: Mendocino
Country: California 
Price: $15.00
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
"Green-tinged straw.  White flowers, lime and lemongrass on the lively nose.  Dry and nervy, offering refreshingly bitter citrus fruit flavors and a touch of quinine.  The citrus quality dominates the clean, incisive finish.  No fat here.  (JR)" - 88 points - wineaccess.com

My Review:  
I felt as though the nose of this wine was off putting, in that it smelled like dirt, earth worms, and grass. However, the taste was consisted of heavy minerals and iron. This wine was like anything I have tasted before, the initial taste was was earthy and full of minerals, but as it evolved I tasted hints of lemon and berries. The finish of the wine was not earthy, but crisply fruity and enjoyable. The complexity of this wine was very interesting and unlike anything I have had before

I did not taste this wine with food. 

Tasting - Dom. Delsol Picpoul de Pinet 2014

3/29/2015

Name: Dom.Delsol 
Variety: Picpoul de Pinet
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Country: France
Price: $11.95
Year: 2014

Winery review: 

"A fresh and approachable selection, with notes of crisp citrus, green melon and apple,. There's a hint of sweet lemon on the palate, followed by a brisk, mouthwatering finish. Drink Now. " - The Vintage Cellar

My Review:  
This wine had a very fruity, citrus and melon smell that came off as crisp and pungent. The taste was very similar to the smell, with heavy citrus, lemon, melon and pineapple tastes on the initial taste. The finish was not bold, and ended with more of a flowery, dandelion taste rather than a fruity taste. Although the end was not bold, it was still very tasty and let me wanting to keep drinking it.  

Tasting - Villa Riesling

3/15/2015

Name: Villa Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Mosel 
Country: Germany
Price: $16.00
Year: 2013

Winery review: 

"Smoke and earth tones accent aromas of pressed apple on this brisk, intensely citrusy Riesling. Lemon-lime flavors are zippy and bright on the palate, but the finish falls a bit short." -  

Wine Enthusiast, 86 - Anna Lee Iijima

My Review:  
The aroma of this wine was very sugary and reminded me of the smell of sugar cane. The taste was also very sweet with lemon-lime flavors, as mentioned above, but I still felt like I just ate a spoon full of sugar, This wine made my taste buds almost jump because I don't think that were ready for something so sweet. Along with the zesty limes and lemons, I also got hints of honey.  Similar to the review above, this wine did not have a bold finish, but sort of dies of as it transferred to the finish. The acidity and alcohol levels balanced and I think were almost drowned out by how sweet the wine was. 

I did not pair this wine with any food. 

Tasting - Rubus Rosade Prieto Picudo

3/15/2015

Name: Rubus
Variety: Rosade Prieto Picudo
Region: D.O. Tierra De Leon 
Country: Spain
Price: $13.00
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
"Bright clean strawberry rose color. In the nose it is intense and fresh, with strawberry aromas and slight citric hints. In the mouth it is fresh, strong and tasty, emphasizing a delightful tingle due to its carbonic residuals." - Timelesswines.com

My Review:  
I did not find this wine to be very complex, but did enjoy its freshness. The nose was pungent strawberry, as mentioned in the review above.  The taste consisted mainly of strawberries with hints of a citrus fruit that I couldn't quiet pick out. Due to the carbonation of the wine, I felt it tasted more like a sparkling juice and not so much a wine. Overall I felt it was refreshing and very tasty and would serve this on a warm day. 

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Tasting - Bouza Albarino

3/15/2015

Name: Bouza
Variety: Albarino
Region: Montevideo
Country: Uruguay
Price: $26.95
Year: 2012

Winery review: 
"(Bodega Bouza Albariño) Light yellow color; appealing, aromatic, tart pear, tart peach nose; tasty, rich but balanced, tart peach, tart pear, mineral palate with crisp acidity; medium-plus finish (13.5% alcohol)" - 92 points - Richard Jennings 

My Review:  
Great Wine! This was one of the more complex wine's I have ever tasted. The aromas were a balance between floral and citrus fruit that consisted of limes and peaches. The aromas matched the taste. The first part of the taste citrus fruits and very crisp where I not only got hints of limes, but also strawberry. What I thought the most interesting thing about this wine was that as it transferred to the finish of the wine it became almost creamy. The finish was bold and refreshing and left a sweet, but balanced flavor in your mouth. This may be one of my new favorite wines and the most unique wine's I've ever tasted.  

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Tasting - La Yunta Torrontes

3/15/2015

Name: La Yunta
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Famatina Valley, La Rioja
Country: Argentina
Price: $8.95
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
"[$10 list] The 2012 Torrontes is produced from grapes grown 
in La Rioja and is the tenth vintage of this wine created in conjunction with the Cooperative from La Rioja. They blend grapes from three different harvests, to obtain freshness, acidity and ripeness. It is a restrained kind of Torrontes, closer to a Riesling than a Muscat, with citric aromas and flavors. It has an herbaceous side, and is quite focused and fresh, with a subtle floral side and an off-dry finish. An impressive Torrontes at a great price. Drink now. (Apr 2014)" - " 88 points Luis Gutierrez (Wine Advocate):

My Review:  
This was my first Argentinian white wine and I really enjoyed it! The aroma was a very floral, dandelion, smell with slight hints of fruit, but the floral smell dominated. However, on the taste, the floral parts were overtaken by strong fruit flavors that made my taste buds 'wake up.'  The initial flavors consisted of crisp peach, but the finish was a refreshing green apple, which I really enjoyed. I felt the acidity and alcohol levels were very balanced and feel as though this would go well with a white fish and pasta dish.

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Tasting - Terra Antiga Vinho Verde

3/15/2015

Name: Terra Antiga
Variety: Portugese White
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Price: $8.95
Year: 2012

Winery review: 
'Bright, lively and fruity, this is a delicious, crisp, dry Vinho Verde from the north of the region, close to Spain. It has citrus notes, a bright texture, lively acidity and a touch of spritz.' - 86 - Wine Enthusiast 

My Review:  
This white wine has a medium floral and tropical fruity aroma that reminded me of pineapples and mango. The actual taste was a crisp citrus taste with tastes consisting of lemons, pineapples, and lemons. The finish was clean and had little to no acidic after taste. Overall this wine was very refreshing and I could see this being served on a very warm day, but I don't think I would pair this one with food because of how fruity it was. 

Tasting - Escher Haus Riesling 2013

3/1/2015

Name: Escher Haus Rielding 2013
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany
Price: $8.99
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
Bight yellow with hints of gold. Aromas of peach, nectarine, pineapple, Meyer Lemon and wet stones. Off dry with peach, nectarine and sweet lemon flavors thru the well balanced stoney finish. - www.tasting.com

My Review:  
I really enjoyed this Riesling! A friend I were going to be eating food from the Himalayan Curry Cafe near the USB Kroger and wanted to pair a wine with the food. After some internet research we decided to purchase this wine and really enjoyed it. Before the food, the wine had hints of pineapple, green apple, and lime. The aromas were floral and refreshing and I could tell right away that it would be a sweet wine. After pairing it with the curry pork and rice, the wine flavors seemed to evolve. The wine became less sour/sweet, and the fruit flavors became bolder with an new flavor of mango. The wine was crisp and clean, and pleasantly fruity and pair great with the curry food. Minimal alcohol and acid tastes both before and after eating the curry pork. 

Tasting - Crane Lake Riesling 2013

3/1/2015

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: California 
Country: USA
Price: $5.95
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
'Punchy lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle. Exceptionally priced, it's satisfying and elegant.' - Vintage Cellar 

My Review:  
Very Sweet! I felt it was hard to drink alone, but would pair well with a food that could break up the sweetness of the wine. Overall the taste was somewhat sour with flavors of lemon and lime as described in the review above. Along with lemon and limes were tastes of green apples, but I couldn't pick out the described peaches, but agree with the honeysuckle. There was hardly any alcohol taste or acidity on the finish of the wine and had a crisp,sour finish. 

I did not pair this wine with any food. 

Tasting - Crane Lake Petite Sirah 2013

3/1/2015

Name: Crane Lake Petite Sirah 
Variety: Sirah
Region: California 
Country: USA
Price: $5.95
Year: 2013

Winery review: 
'Shows a certain rustic simplicity now, with youthfully jammy flavors of blackberries, cherries and currants, sprinkled with cocoa an pepper and wrapped into dusty tannines.' - Vintage Cellar 

My Review:  
Very dry taste that I felt was overwhelming and made it hard to keep drinking. The flavors consisted of  strong blackberries and cherry flavors, but also contained a musky woody flavor on the finish. Although dry, the flavors were still bold and spicy, but that dry finish still made it hard to drink. Acidity was weak and enjoyable and I could barely taste the alcohol in the wine, overall I did not enjoy this red wine. 

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Tasting - Yellow Tail Reserve

3/1/2015

Name: Yellow Tail Reserve
Variety: 100% Merlot
Region: South Eastern 
Country: Australia
Price: $6.95
Year: 2010

Winery review: 
 Vibrant colour; presumably bottled for the Australian market with its screwcap closure, and is a very pleasant merlot given its price; here it is cassis and cherry fruit, not sweetness, that drives the wine; tannins and oak are only just there, but that doesn't matter in the context of the drink now style. (28-Aug-2012) - www.wine-searcher.com

My Review:  
The guy at the Vintage Cellar explained that Yellow Tail makes a reserve that they consider their high end of yellow tail. Surprisingly enough, this red wine was pretty good, but I probably wouldn't drink it again. The wine had a very dry finish and had a pretty acidic finish. The flavor was a very bold cherry and berry flavor, but I felt as though the acidic finish took away from the fruity flavor.

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Tasting - Takutai Pinot Gris

3/1/2015

Name: Takutai
Variety: 100% Pinot Gris
Region: Nelson
Country: New Zealand
Price: $6.95
Year: 2009

Winery review: 
'Fresh, bright Gala apple flavours dominate in this lively wine. Moderately sweet in style but balanced by fine tannins that add a little spice, and a touch of coarseness, to the finish. Great value at this price. (26-Aug-2011)' - www.wine-searcher.com

My Review:  
Great white wine! I really enjoyed the crisp, clean taste of this pinot gris. Right away I was able to detect grassy, earthy tastes that seemed to get stronger at the finish. It was not overly floral, but smelled like dandelions and sort of refreshing.  There were also tastes of spices that were both spicy and sweet and not very fruity to where I could identify an exact fruit. I did not pair this wine with food, but feel as though it would go well with shell fish.