Dinner - Zeppolis (French wines)

This week I was able to go to the final wine and dinner pairing at Zeppoli's Italian Restaurant. I have been to Zeppoli's once before (with my boyfriend's family), and I remembered it being really good! So I was excited to go again. I was also really excited to pair some French wines with food because I've heard it talked about so much!

The photos to the right shows the outside of the restaurant. It was such a beautiful afternoon!

At Zeppoli's for the "Boyer wine dinners" as they call them, we were all seated in the side room which is immediately on your left as you walk in.Each table had cups of water and empty wines glasses on them. We used plastic silverware, which I found comical. The food was served buffet-style. We each went up to the car to put food on our plates. I was able to capture some photos before everyone started eating.



Below is a plate of various cheeses. The three cheeses were Swiss, Mozzarella, and a Mozzarella spreadable cheese. The plate also came with dried cranberries, crackers, and tomatoes.

Below is a salad dished with fried calamari on top.

Below is a dish of roasted potatoes topped with cheese, chives, and ham bits.

Below is pictured cheese Manacotti.

Below is a dish called "Pasta Pinwheels" which was basically just pasta rolled into a pinwheel shape with cheese and a tomato sauce. It was very similar to the Manacotti; it was just spiced differently.

This last photo of food was of a plate of baked bread topped with cheese served with a crushed tomato and basil dipping sauce.

It was so hard not to pile my plate high with all this food. It looked so delicious! Here is a photo of what my plate looked like after I served myself (I went back later for seconds).

Sitting across for me at our table was my wonderful boyfriend, pictured below. We waited for a few minutes after we got our food for the first wine to be served.

The first three wines we tried were all white wines.

Wine #1:
Name: Chateau Gaillard Touraine Sauvignon Blanc

Country: France
Price: $11.99
Alcohol: 12.5%
Zeppoli's review: "Pale yellow with green hints. Very characteristic of its variety, flowery, delicate. Fruity, dry, supple and silky. White from pure Sauvignon grape, this fresh wine exhales perfume of the grape. this wine's crisp acidity with notes of grapefruit would be delicious with bouillabaisse or cheese, canapes, olive cakes, or asparagus."
My review: I thought this wine smelled like a typical white wine. It was fresh and acidic. I didn't get all of the flowery/fruity flavors from the description. This wine tasted acidic but was crisp. I could taste hints of grapefruit on the backend. This really did pair well with the cheese, especially the Mozzarella. With the cheese a huge buttery/creamy flavor exploded in my mouth. It was quite delicious!

Wine #2

Name: Chateau Suau 2010 Bordeaux Blanc Sec
Country: France
Price: $10.99
Alcohol: 12.5%
Zeppoli's review: "Fermented in stainless steel tanks, aged on fine lees for three months. This expressive, refreshing and aromatic wine reveals honeysuckle and white peach aromas. It has an excellend depth of fruit as well as a long finish with a nice acidity. Delicious as an aperitif or when served with shellfish, seafood, and grilled fish."
My review: For me, this wine wasn't super aromatic. It smelled a little acidic and I would get a hint of the honeysuckle, but it was really hard to isolate the flavors because of all the food around me. This wine tasted acidic and was refreshing. It wasn't incredibly different from the first wine. The waiter said this wine felt smoother to him, but I disagreed. I tried this wine with the cheeses as well, and it was also really good.


Wine #3
Name: Prochaine 2009 Chardonnay Vin de Pays d'Oc France
Country: France
Price: $10.99
Alcohol: 13%
Zeppoli's review: "An unsual and electable lightly oasked Chardonnay from the Languedoc region of France. This wine is aged on the lees from a Viognier fermentation with constant stirring (battonage). These Viognier lees give the wine distinct, easy to enjoy, flavors of pineapple, mango, and passion fruit."
My review: This wine smelled like butter. It was so buttery! It was also heavy on the oak and vanilla smells. This wine tasted just like it smelled. Very buttery and oaky. The waiter said this wine reminded him of a California Chardonnay and I completely agree. With the cheese, this wine became ever more creamy and buttery. This wine was already really smooth and the cheese just enhanced that. This wine also blended really well with the roasted potatoes. However, the potatoes had small bits of ham on them and the wine did not pair well with that flavor.

Wine #4
Name:Manoir Du Carra 2010 Beaujolais noveau
Country: France
Price: $10.99
Alcohol: 12.5%
Zeppoli's review: "Just barely three weeks old, this fresh fruity red from the granite hills of Beaujolais comes entirely from Gamay grapes. Beaujolais Nouveau day is November 19th this year and is a celebration of harvest and a festive event. This bistro style wine should be consumed in copious quantities in the first full year of its life."
My review: This wine smelled fruity like blackberries. I could also smell some tannins. This wine tasted weird. It wasn't very full in body or flavor. Something was missing. It was kind of tannic, but then again it just wasn't fully there. I did not like this wine at all, but it did have some of the same spice flavors as the Pinwheel Pasta: together they weren't terrible, but still not something I would want to try again.

Wine #5
Name:Jean-marc burgaud 2010 Beaujolais Villages
Country: France
Price: $14.99
Alcohol: 12.5%
Zeppoli's review: "Wine Adovcate-The Burgaud 2010 Beaujolis Villages les Vignes de Thulon offers a sappy, exuberant, and ultimately gripping profusion of ripe but tart-edged and prominently seedy blackberry. A mouthwatering salinity helps render this simple but pur and intensely-fruited recent bottling irresistible. Plan to enjoy it over the next couple of years. Score 89."
My review:This wine had some nice aromatics. It was really full and had smells of vanilla. It tasted very similar with lots of vanilla coming through on the palate. There were slight tannins, but they were well blended. I tried this with the cheeses. It was good with all three, but especially with the Swiss. It was also really good with the Manacotti. The ricotta cheese exploded with flavor inside the noddles. It was also really good with the calamari and the salad. It had a long, semi-smokey finish. This was delicious and my favorite wine of the night.

Wine #6
Name: Georges DuBoeuf 2010 Morgon Descombes Burgundy
Country: France
Price: $15.99
Alcohol: 13%
Zeppoli's review: "Shows perfect balance and a sumptuous bouquet of black currant, plum, violets and old-fashioned roses. Elegantly smooth on the palate, revealing several layers of fresh red berries, especially cherries. The silky, prolonged finish signals complete ripened fruit."
My review: This wine also smelled of vanilla and oak. The aroma had a hint of sweetness to it. This wine first overwhelmed me with tannins on my palate. Then it transitioned into lots of spices like pepper. It tasted a little of vegetables like green pepper. I tried this with the bread, which helped tone down the tannins a lot. The green pepper flavor went away when I had it with the pasta dishes.

Wine #7
Name: Charles Thomas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Rouge
Country: France
Price: $11.99
Alcohol: 13%
Zeppoli's review: "50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre. Clear ruby wine with overtones of red berry fruits. Round and supple with smooth aftertaste. A good all round red wine for meat courses, pultry and ligh cheeses. Best drunk now while fresh with good keeping up to 4 years."
My review: I could smell a lot of fruit in this wine. It was mostly dark fruits like black cherry. I could also smell a hint of vanilla and oak. This wine was tannic at first but then moved into a smooth vanilla flavor. The aftertaste was a bit smokey/barbaquey. This was great with the Mozzarella cheese. It was even better with the dried cranberries because the cheese made the wine sweeter!


Wine #8
Name: Clos de sixte 2004: Lirac
Country: France
Price: $11.99
Alcohol: 14.5%
Zeppoli's review: "50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre. 88-90 points Robert Parker: The 2004 Lirac has a dense ruby/purple color and exhibits a Syrah-like character in its blacker fruit-dominated aromatics and flavors. With medium to full body, ripe tannin, and good freshness as well as definition, it should drink well for 6-8 yeras."
My review: Again, this red wine smelled like oak and tannins. It tasted the same way. It was really tannic and oaky. This wine also had another weird flavor on the mid-palate. It was kind of like a metallic-metal flavor, even though I could also get hints of dirt in there too. This wine actually didn't blend as well with the cheeses as the others. I was pretty disappointed with this '04. Not a favorite.

Wine #9
Name: Chateau Suau 2009 "Cadillac" Merlot/Cab
Country: France
Price: $15.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Zeppoli's review: "The wine is made from 45% Merlot, 55% Cabernet Sauvignon. Frapes are weighted, destemmed then sorted on a table in the cellar. Fermentation in thermo regulated stainless steel tanks. Aging from beginning of November, after malolactic fermentation, in 100% French oak barrels (30% new oak) during 12 months. Fleshy, fruity adn ample in mouth, this wine is attractive both with its ripe fruit aromas melted with roasted hints as well as its nice structure and elegant, pleasant finish."
My review: This wine had a great nose. It was really floral with lots of dark fruits like blackberries. I could also smell lots of oak with tons of vanilla pouring through. This tasted like vanilla and oak. There were some tannins, but nothing too harsh. This wine was slightly bitter on the mid-palate and had a slight burn going down. With the Manicotti, this wine was delicious! It was also fantastic with the dried cranberries, again exploding flavor in my mouth. This wine wasn't so great with the salad and dressing.

Wine #10
Name: ChateauGrimard 2010 Bordeaux
Country: France
Price: $11.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Zeppoli's review: "This right bank Bordeaux estate is located in Lugon, just outside Fronsac. The vineyards are well situated on a south-east slope and the clay/limestone/sand soils provide an ideal growing environment in which Merlot thrives. This wine is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Sourced from vines that are at least 25 years old, the fruit was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Displaying round and ripe Merlot aromas and flavors, the bouquet of red fruit and well-balanced tannins combine on a fresh and supple finish. A classic Bordeaux, offering a deep red-purple color, a lush bouquet, and a ripe plummy-cassis fruit with good structure, showing the promise of the 2010 vintage."
My review: Again this wine smelled like oak. There wasn't anything special on the nose. This wine didn't taste as balanced as the other wines we tried that night. It was heavily oaky and tannic with vanilla flavors. It was also a bit earthy in flavor. This wine was mediocre with the pasta dishes and the Mozzarella cheese. However with the Swiss cheese and the dried cranberry this wine was good.

This is a photo of my boyfriend and I at the end of our dinner. We both agree that this is a horrible picture of us because we both look tired, but I guess after drinking 10 different wines and eating all that food we should be!

This was a very enjoyable experience! I have learned so much about wine this semester. I look forward to using this knowledge in the future and continue to enjoy lots of different wines. For both my boyfriend and I our favorite wine was the Jean-marc burgaud 2010 Beaujolais Villages. Also our favorite dish was the Manicotti. 

Chateau SteMichelle Riesling

Name: Chateau SteMichelle Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Columbia Valley of Washington State
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $9.00

Wine Review:
Our Columbia Valley Riesling is a blend of Riesling from throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley. We craft it to be a refreshing, off-dry Riesling vintage after vintage. The wine delivers sweet lime and peach character with subtle mineral notes. This is our "every day Riesling" that is a pleasure to drink and easy to match with a variety of foods.  -Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker at Chateau SteMichelle

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled with citrusy. It also had some peaches on the nose. The aroma felt really light in my nose as well. Overall, it smelled pleasant, almost picnic-esque.

Taste - I was surprised at how sweet this wine was, even with 12% alcohol. However, it wasn't too sweet. There was just a little residual sugar. It was quite fruity with lots of peaches on my palate. I also got a hint of lime on the back end. This was really light and crisp and refreshing. I thought it was a delightful little wine. I would purchase this again, especially if it was a gift for someone namend Michelle. Haha.

I tasted this wine without food.

Lazzaro Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Lazzaro Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2006
Price: $6.95

Wine Review:
Aroma - dark fruit, raisins, hot. Taste - dark fruit. An okay Cabernet Sauvignon.  -A review from http://sassywinebelly.blogspot.com/2011/06/jbs-mystery-wine-party-18-red-wines.html (I couldn't find any other review of this wine, so I settled for this one)

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled of dark fruits like black cherry. I was surprised because I expected this wine (a Cab) to be really aromatic, but it wasn't. It just smelled ok. There was not a lot going on in the glass on the nose. 

Taste - This wine was slightly tannic at first. I wonder if the age on the wine (6 years) made it less tannic than normal red wines. Anyway, I got some of the dark fruit flavor on the palate with some dark berries. I also got a hint of vanilla. Overall, this wine didn't have a lot of flavors. I was a little disappointed.


I tasted this wine with some cheeses. This is where this wine really shined. The wine blended so well with the cheeses, like other red wines. It created a creamy, full body in my mouth blending the fruit and cheese together. 

Leese-Fitch Zinfandel

Name: Leese-Fitch Zinfandel
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2008
Price: $12.95

Wine Review:
90 Points. With a brilliant ruby color, this Zinfandel blend has intriguing aromas of wild raspberry, smoky cedar, strawberry jam, clove spice, and white pepper. You can tell this comes from an old vineyard in the Amador Foothills. There is a noticeable brambly spice with dark currants, candied cranberry, wild strawberry, dark caramel, cinnamon roll, and savory rhubarb. The finish lingers with toasted marshmallow, plum sauce, tamarind, and black cherry.  -A review from the Madison Wine Exchange (http://www.madisonwinexchange.com/sku18603.html)

My review:
Smell - The first flavor I could pick out in this wine was heavy cinnamon. I also got a lot of dark berries like black cherry and blackberry. The smell also had a lot of spices backed into it. I could even smell a hint of a dark coco. Overall the smell had a lot going on, which made it really interesting.  

Taste -On the palate, I got heavy cinnamon, just like in the nose. I also could taste the dark berries in the mid-palate. This wine was really spicy. I could taste lots of black pepper. It was also quite tannic. The finish was almost smokey. I decanted this wine too. As it aged and more oxygen was let in, it became more fruity and less tannic. The cinnamon and coco flavors struck through more after it was decanted too.

I tasted this wine with pork barbeque. The meat seemed to meal in your mouth with this wine. However, when tasting this wine with the pork and a slightly spicy sauce, the wine enhanced the spiciness. It was a crazy sensation! Overall, this wine was quite good after decanting for about 5-6 hours. I would definitely recommend eating this with pork barbeque as well. Delicious!

Also, enjoy the fancy photo with the wine bottle, decanter, and glasses!

Chateau D'Orschwihr Pinot Blanc Bollenberg

Name: Chateau D'Orschwihr Pinot Blanc Bollenberg
Variety: Pinot Blanc
Region: Alsace
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $14.95

Wine Review:
Light, fresh and easy wine, with pear and green apple fruit and a deft, soft texture. Totally ready to drink. 87 points. -A review from Wine Enthusiast Magazine (http://buyingguide.winemag.com/catalog/chateau-dorschwihr-2009-bollenberg-pinot-blanc-alsace)

My review:
Smell - This wine was not incredibly aromatic. A little below average. I could smell a lot of citrusy fruits and also got a little bit of pear coming through on the nose. It smelled good, since I've become accustomed to dry whites.

Taste - This wine was really smooth. It was a bit tart, but not too tart. It definitely had a green Granny Smith apple flavors. It was really light in my mouth. It was quite acidic with a crisp fresh finish.

After reading the Zraley's book, I really wanted to try an AOC wine. This wine was relatively inexpensive wine from a major AOC region, Alsace. I wanted to know what all the fuss was with French wines and food so I paired this with a home-cooked meal.

I tasted this wine with a meal of Rosemary breaded chicken with a lettuce, red pepper, cucumber, feta cheese salad topped with a sun dried tomato vinaigrette. This meal paired with this wine was phenomenal. The wine paired with the Rosemary breaded created this beautiful flavor and texture in my mouth. The wine made the cucumbers and red peppers explode with flavor in my mouth. The wine with the feta cheese created a really creamy, buttery, but crisp and fruity flavor. It was so good. I never wanted that meal to end. Haha. Delicious! I finally understand pairing wine with food.

The Royal Chenin Blanc

Name: The Royal Chenin Blanc
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: Coastal Region
Country: South Africa
Year: 2009
Price: $4.95 (on sale, normally $9.99)

Wine Review:
This wine is so vibrant, it’s aromas pretty much fly out of the glass- tropical fruits like pineapple, ruby red grapefruit, lime zest, guava, gooseberries (what is a gooseberry?  kind of like a fuzzy, tart little grape), and a crisp, tangy finish with notes of green apple and honeysuckle.  Fresh, lean, crisp, breezy and charming!  It hints more towards the French Vouvray style of Chenin Blanc than anything else, meaning that it is not over-the-top with it’s fruit characteristic, instead just offering them up gracefully.  You really can’t go wrong with this wine- it’s an amazing value and a perfect end-of-summer sipper that will go nicely with a porch swing and a sunset.  Or a backyard and the smell of cut grass. -A review from the wine snob wordpress (http://thewinesnob.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/royal-chenin-blanc-2009-south-africa/)

My review:
Smell - When I first smelled this wine, it smelled of tropical flavors. Really heavy grapefruit on the nose. It almost smelled tart, but it was very aromatic.

Taste - At first this wine was incredibly tart. I could also feel the dryness in my mouth. I got a little hint of tropical fruit in the taste.The finish was a little hot for me because I could feel the alcohol. The aftertaste was pretty short, not lasting long.

I tasted this wine with chicken cacciatore. I used it in the actual dish too. I think the flavors of the wine really added to the red peppers and onions in the dish. The red peppers seemed to explode with flavor because of the wine. The chicken cacciatore was served over rice, which did not pair so well with the wine (I've found that rice and wine don't always go very well together in my experiences, I'd like to explore that a little more). Overall, this wine was decent. For the price, it was a steal.

Opera Prima Sweet White

Name: Opera Prima Sweet White
Variety: Sweet Wine
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The flavor package of tropical fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn’t offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor. -Vintage Cellar
My review:
Smell - When I first smelled this wine, it caught me by surprise. I have a candle in my room called "English Garden" and that's exactly what this wine smelled like: heavy, heavy florals. I tried to identify specific flavors too. I could smell some melon and a bit of coconut.

Taste - I couldn't pick out a lot of specific flavors in this wine because it was so overpowering. It was really sweet. I could taste a lot of tropical fruit. I could taste a lot of flowers. Overall, it was kind of like drinking a sour candy. I think that this wine could be really good if everything was toned down a little.

I tasted this wine without food.

Senda 66 Tempranillo

Name: Senda 66 Tempranillo
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:
“The 2008 Senda 66 spent 8 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color, it sports a fragrant nose of spice box, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, layered, and remarkably rich on the palate for its humble price, this lengthy effort will drink nicely over the next 5-6 years.” -90 Points, Robert Parker
My review:
Smell - Upon smelling this wine, I got a lot of light red fruits, different from other red wines I've had.  I also got some Blackberry. Overall it seemed really hollow, but there was a cinnamon component too which made it more interesting.

Taste - This wine was quite bitter but really bright in my mouth. It was a little spicy with some pepper flavors coming through. On the back end it was again bitter and a little hot with lots of tannins coming through in the aftertaste. I wasn't a fan of this wine because I felt it didn't bring a lot of good flavors.

I tasted this wine without food.

Sierra Cruz Carmenere

Name: Sierra Cruz Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Maule Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:
As a member of the cabernet sauvignon family, carmenere (pronounced car-men-yare) originated in Bordeaux as one of the grapes permitted for use in the red blends of that storied region. Chilean winemakers have embraced it and several wineries in that country produce it as a single varietal. The ’09 Sierra Cruz is a very pleasant, soft, mediumbodied wine that has fresh cabernet-like aromas and flavors of spice, dark fruit and black pepper. It is a great value and also would be a nice match with marinated and grilled skirt or flank steak. -Vintage Cellar
My review:
Smell -The aroma on this wine was heavy with dark berries. There was some black cherry and some blackberry hidden in there. There was a little bit of a vegetable smell. I was never super sure of what I was smelling but it was almost the flavor of a sweet onion.

Taste - On the front end, this wine was super tannic with heavy oak flavors. In the mid palate, I tasted carbdoard.  Yes, cardboard. My brain focused hard on that flavor because it was so distinct but strange. On the back end I got some black pepper, but the cardboard flavor lingered in my mouth for a while. The cardboard flavor definitely threw me off and made me not terribly care for this wine.


I tasted this wine without food.

Lost Vineyards Chardonnay

Name: Lost Vineyards Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Torrontés
Country: Argentina
Year: n/a
Price: $3.95

Winery Review:
Pale golden color. Perfumed peach, pineapple, and nougat aromas. Round and soft with a fruity-yet-dry medium body. Tangy apple skin and lemon zest notes lift the fruit nicely on the finish. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - I got a heavy oaky flavor in the smell. I also got a lot of peaches. The aroma was so creamy. It seriously felt like the smell was cream. 

Taste - Again on the taste I got large oak flavors. There was a strong vanilla presence in the taste. This wine was a bit tangy on the front end. It felt really creamy in my mouth with a really soft and round feel as well. This was a nice little wine for a great price!

I tasted this wine without food.

Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Maule Valley

Country: Chile
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:
This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc just oozes with bright citrus flavors and a nose of herbs and grass.
Stylistically, it is a cross between the herbal, grassy wines so prevalent in Sonoma County and the riper, more fruit forward products of New Zealand. Match it with pasta sauced with arugula, pine nuts, mushrooms and parmesan. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - With this wine, there wasn't a lot going on in the aroma. It wasn't very potent at all. There was a slight citrus. 

Taste -I got heavy citrusy flavors on the front end of this wine. It was dry and slightly sour. There was a little fruitiness on the back end, but overall just like the smell there wasn't a lot going on. It was just kind of a "bleh" wine in my book.

I tasted this wine without food.

Cantina di Casteggio Moscato di Pavia

Name: Cantina di Casteggio Moscato di Pavia
Variety: Moscato
Region:  Lombardy, Oltrepo Pavese
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
Bright, light golden color. Very aromatic nose of ripe apricots, sage, honey and a slight minerality. Medium bodied, sweet and fruity with flavors of apricots and tangerine. Well balanced acidity and medium finish with layers of sweet and citrus fruit. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled super fruity. It smelled a little grapefruity/apricoty. I also got a hint of tangerine in the aroma.  

Taste - This wine was really sweet. I tasted a lot of the same fruit I got in the aroma. I tasted a lot of apricots and honey. I also tasted the hint of tangerine I got in the aroma. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this wine because it was too sweet and there was just too much sweetness going on in the glass. 

I tasted this wine without food.

Montebuena Rioja Crianza

Name: Montebuena Rioja Crianza
Variety: Tempranillo
Region:  Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2007
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:
Dark red. Spicy red berries and cherry on the nose, with hints of cracked pepper and dried rose. Crisp and dry on the palate, with spicy redcurrant and cherry flavors, light tannins and a fresh, energetic finish. An excellent value, and surprisingly elegant for this price point. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - From the aroma of this wine, I got a lot of cherry fruit flavor. I could also smell some oakiness with a hint of pepper. 

Taste - The first thing I could taste was an abundance of spices; however, it wasn't too spicy. There were light tannins, and the flavor lasted really long in my mouth. This Spanish wine was not as earthy as other wines that I've had before. 

I tasted this wine without food.

Varas Vinho Tinto

Name: Varas Vinho Tinto
Variety: Blend of Castelão (45%), Tinta Roriz (25%), Tinta Barroca (20%) and Pinot Noir (10%) 
Region:  Vinho Regional Lisboa
Country: Portugal
Year: n/a
Price: 3 Liter Box (4 bottles) : $21.95 ($5.49/bottle)

Winery Review:
This smooth Portuguese red is a blend of Castelão (45%), Tinta Roriz (25%), Tinta Barroca (20%) and Pinot Noir (10%). The vineyards are located near Lisbon, planted in sunny gentle slopes of clay and limestone soils. The wine was aged in oak barrels. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled dark. I got a lot of blackberry fruit with some cherry. It wasn't super aromatic, but that is probably because it is a boxed wine. 

Taste - At first this wine was a little tannic. I got a lot of oaky flavors striking through in my mouth at first. The back end was a little smokey and fruity. For a boxed wine, this was actually really good. It was really smooth in my mouth. 

I tasted this wine without food.

Oveja Negra Syrah-Cab Rosé Reserva

Name: Oveja Negra Syrah-Cab Rosé Reserva
Variety: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon 
Region:  Maule Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:
Oveja Negra Reserva Rosé is bright cherry-red in color and has an attractive nose with aromas of
raspberries and strawberries as well as plum and a bit of green apple. Crisp and juicy on the palate with
a slight sweetness that accompanies the red fruit flavors. Pleasing natural acidity with mediumhigh
intensity, nice persistence, and a fresh finish. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - When smelling this wine, the first flavor I recognized was the green apple flavor mentioned in the review. I also could smell a raspberry flavor. The two flavors were interesting together in the same bouquet.  

Taste - I could actually taste heavy raspberries in this wine.I got some light tannins that were well blended into the wine. The wine was a little bitter overall, but it was actually quite delightful.

I tasted this wine without food.

gPG Garganega Pinot Grigio

Name: gPG Garganega Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: delle Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:
gPG is from the delle Venezie regions of northeastern Italy. A clean and crisp palate with plenty of texture and weight follows aromas of apples and zesty lemons. It's perfect with grilled white fish or light risotto. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled heavy of apples and lemon. It was really light and fruity. Overall, it just smelled good. 

Taste - At first, this wine was a little tart. Once I swished it around in my mouth, the tartness died down, but I didn't get a lot of fruit in the flavor. I tasted a lot of lemon in the wine. Overall, it was acidic. I wish it had more flavor to it, but it was a decent wine.

I tasted this wine without food.

Primo Amore Moscato

Name: Primo Amore Moscato
Variety: Muscat
Region: Puglia 
Country: Italy
Year: 2008
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:
Straw-yellow with golden reflections and a delicate mousse. Fruity and very inviting, with intense scents of peaches and exotic fruit. Fresh and pleasantly sweet with a taste that reveals its varietal characteristic. -Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell -The first flavor I could pick out from this wine was that of peaches. The rest of the fruit flavor I could smell actually smelled like exotic fruit and florals.

Taste -This wine was quite sweet. I could taste a lot of peaches in the wine. It also kind of tasted like flowers. I really liked the flavors in this wine. It was just a little too much for me. If this wine was a bit less sweeter, it would be very good and refreshing.

I tasted this wine without food.

Faraway Farms Shiraz

Name: Faraway Farms Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: Bosmans Crossing Western Cape 
Country: South Africa
Year: 2008
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:
Fresh, modern style, with lots of plum pudding, sweet chocolate, mocha, blackberry and boysenberry flavors supported by round, sweet tannins and toast.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell -This wine actually smelled dark. I even got the bitter chocolate flavor mentioned in the description. The wine smelled like toasty wood too. 

Taste -This wine was tannic upon first taste. Then I noticed that it was full-bodied. I didn't get any fruit flavor in the taste. However, it was really smokey and toasty. The aftertaste had a rubber-y flavor. I didn't really like this wine. It was full of too many "weird" flavors for me.

I tasted this wine without food.

Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:
Bright ruby color. Primary dark berry aromas are simple but offer very good purity and focus. Juicy
blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are youthfully tangy, with good back-end acidity adding snap. The
clean, brisk finish leaves behind notes of sweet dark berry preserves and cracked pepper.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell -This wine was really big on the nose. I could smell a lot of cherry. I could also smell oak and vanilla. The aroma was almost creamy on my nose. 

Taste - With this wine, the first thing I tasted was the tannins. Then the wine transitioned to a cherry flavor. The wine finished with a little spiciness of pepper. I wasn't a huge fan of this wine, but I think I am starting to get used to the taste of red wine.

I tasted this wine without food.

Oak Vineyard Chardonnay

Name: Oak Vineyard Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa & Sonoma California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
Quite an interesting Chardonnay, in an era when so many are too sweet and extracted. There’s plenty of
orange and apricot fruit flavor, but also a brilliant streak of minerality, like a lick of cold steel, and the
overall taste is dry. Really easy to like, with lots of complexity to warrant repeated sipping.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell -The smell of this wine was really light. I was overwhelmed with an apple flavor in the aroma. 

Taste - I enjoyed the taste of this wine. It was not like a lot of other Chardonnays. It was not oaky and buttery. It was full of fruits like apple and lemon. It was really good. It was a bit hot on the backend though. Overall, this was a delightful wine. 

I tasted this wine without food.

Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region:Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal summer wine and smacks of crisp tropical fruit with a smattering of gooseberries and fig. If you're planning a night out with mates - don't forget to bring along a bottle of this yummy potion!
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell -This wine was really light on the nose. It smelled citursy. I got a hint of coconut and even a little wet dog smell.

Taste - This wine was hot in my mouth. I got this weird burning sensation in my mouth. I didn't get any fruit flavors in the taste. I did get a little oak flavor, though.

I tasted this wine without food.

Peter Mertes Liebfraumilch Rheinhessen Qualitatswein

Name: Peter Mertes Liebfraumilch Rheinhessen Qualitatswein
Variety: Liebfraumilch
Region: Rheinhessen 
Country: Germany 
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
Liebfraumilch is a soft, delicate wine of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate districts. The orginial wine was named after the Liebfraumilch monastery in Worms, where the monks were the first wine growers and produced an unusally pleasing wine. Wines of Rheinhessen and Palatinate are noted for their aroma, well-balanced harmony, and fragrance. Liebfraumilch, as all excellent white wines is best served chilled. We suggest serving with cold entrees, as well as poultry, such as chicken or turkey, or even with a mild Cheddar, mellow and slightly nutty with a medium consistency.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - Immediately with this wine I could smell the residual sugar. I could also smell the nutty flavor described in the review.

Taste - This was wasn't overly sweet, but it was differently a sweet wine. However, mixed in with the sweetness I got a little tartness. I got a lot of fruity flavors in the wine, almost like tropical fruit flavors. I thought that I would like this wine because it was sweeter, but it wasn't a favorite. I think it was the nutty/tart flavor.

I tasted this wine without food.

Col Des Vents Corbieres

Name: Col Des Vents Corbieres
Variety: Red blend50% Carignan, 35% Grenache, 15% Syrah
Region: Corbieres South of France
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
Brambly berry, cherry, and raspberry, spices, black pepper... all are present in this authentic French country wine.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine had a really fruity smell. Specifically I got flavors of raspberries and cherries.

Taste - At first this wine felt really well blended with the alcohol, tannins, and fruit. That started to fade on my mid palate when I just got a lot of black pepper. The back end was even more peppery and spicy. I did not really enjoy this wine. While it wasn't as tannic as other red wines I've had, I'm not a fan of the spicey/peppery wines yet.

I tasted this wine without food.

San Elias Camenere

Name: San Elias Camenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Central Valley
Country: Chile 
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
The grapes for this Carmenere are selected from vineyards in the Central Valley. Beautiful red fruit aromas. Supple and round in the mouth, the wine pairs well with full flavored cheeses and lamb.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine was very aromatic.The first smell I noticed was a leathery flavor. There was a hint of sweetness in the wine which I think may be vanilla. Overall the aroma was mostly dark fruits like cherries.

Taste - This wine was spicy and very bitter. I couldn't really taste anything in my mouth because the spices and bitterness cancelled the possibility of tasting any other flavor for me. The wine had a long finish where I could taste a hint of oak. I did not enjoy this wine.

I tasted this wine without food.

Estrella Chardonnay

Name: Estrella Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay 
Region: Napa, California
Country:United States 
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
Intensely flavored and balanced with layers of vanilla, butter, and pear followed by an apple, banana, and oak.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine was very aromatic. The smell was heavy on the peaches. I could also smell some vanilla and pear. Overall with the combination of the peaches, pear, and vanilla the aroma was quite sweet.

Taste - This wine felt really creamy in my mouth. I immediately tasted the vanilla flavor in the wine. After swirling it around and slipping I got more of the peaches. On the back end, this wine gave a little sweetness. Overall, I thought this was pretty good.


I tasted this wine without food.

Zonin Pinot Grigio

Name: Zonin Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Delle Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
Pale straw-yellow color with brilliant reflections. Delicately fruity bouquet, with outstanding finesse and marked hints of almond blossom and peaches. Elegant, soft, and well-structured fruit on the palate, with remarkable freshness and a clean, persistent aftertaste.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - The smell at first was just sweet, which was because of the heavy fruit flavor. I smelled peaches a hint of citrus. Overall the aroma was really light. 

Taste -At first, the wine was significantly tart. It gave my mouth this pinching feeling, similar to a tannic feeling but different. Even though the smell was fruity, I didn't get much of a fruit flavor from the taste. I did, however, get a little burn on the back end. There was also a long aftertaste.

I tasted this wine without food.

Name: Estrella Merlot 
Variety: Merlot
Region: Napa, California
Country: United States
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
This ruby colored Merlot has raspberry jam aromas with a subtle hint of spice. Layers of vanilla, plum, and fig are revealed that linger ever so slightly on the palate.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell - This wine smelled of raspberries and plum. There was also a hint of oaky flavor in the aroma. 

Taste - For a red wine, the body was really light. At first, this wine has a really fruity berry flavor. On the mid-palate this wine becomes slightly tannic with some spice flavors poking through. The wine goes down smoothly with no burn. This wine does more that "linger ever so slightly on the palate" for me. This wine had a huge aftertaste that tasted smokey. It was really interesting. This red wine wasn't too bad because the tannins were well blended and the flavor was nice.

I tasted this wine without food.

Doural Red Tinto

I tried this wine at a tasting earlier in the year at the Vintage Cellar. I decided to go ahead and reblog it because it was really interesting to see how my palate has developed now that I've tried more wine. I remember not liking this wine at all before, but this time I thought it was a lot better.

 
Name: Doural Red Tinto 
Variety: Red Blend
Region: Doural
Country: Portugal
Year: 2009
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:
This Portuguese tinto (red) blend exhibits a deep red color with violet hues. The nose is vibrant and fruity. The palate offer notes of spice, cherry, and dark berry supported by good structure. Pairs well with red or game meat, cheeses and fish.

-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - I got a strong vanilla flavor in the smell of this wine. I also got a lot of cherry. Overall the smell was really dark and aromatic. 

Taste - While I did get a strong tannic flavor from this wine, the tannins were really well blended with the fruit flavors of cherry and blackberry. There was no heat at all with this wine. The overall flavor could have been better, but this was much better than other reds I've tasted.

I tasted this wine without food.

See my previous review of this wine here.

Oxford Landing

Name:Oxford Landing
Variety: Viognier
Region: Southern Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
Bright and lively, this white is appealing for its pear, lychee, and sweet spice character, which comes together smoothly against a silky texture.
-Wine Spectator, 88 points

My review:
Smell - This wine was just really light on the nose. I smelled a lot of spices, but that did not overpower the fruitiness of the aroma.


Taste - This wine was super light. I completely understand the silky description. This wine was very silky in my mouth, which was a really cool feeling! The wine was really fruity, but I could not identify the fruit. I think the fruit flavor I was tasting was the lychee flavor from the description, but I have not had lychee fruit, therefore I don't know what that tastes like. 

I tasted this wine without food.

Tierra de Luna

Name: Tierra de Luna 
Variety:White blend: 20% Chardonnay 80% Torrontes
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
Fresh and crisp, with floral aromas and flavors of quince and pear, this wine is a versatile companion to informal meals, and is excellent as an aperitif.
-Vintage Celllar


My review:
Smell - The aroma of this wine was sweet, probably a perception taken from the floral and fruit flavors in the smell. I specifically got a lot of pear in the smell. It was really light on the nose, but smelled a little acidic.

Taste - At first, this wine was really bitter in my mouth, which was really different from the smell. I couldn't really get any specific flavors from this wine. I got a hint of oak from the wine, but that might just be my perception of the Chardonnay. Overall, it was just really crisp and light. 

I tasted this wine without food.

Simonet Blanc de Blancs

Name: Simonet Blanc de Blancs
Variety: Sparkling Blend
Region: Elabore
Country: France
Year: Not specified, probably 2010
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
On the nose, there is some bread-yeast and some toast, same on the palate. Great for an everyday bubbly or for mimosas!!
-Vintage Celllar

My review:
Smell - I couldn't get a lot of flavor out of this wine on the nose. I got a lot of acidity and carbonation on the nose. Overall it smelled really light, but I couldn't get any of the bread-yeast smell like mentioned in the review.

Taste -I was surprised at my first impression of this wine because it was really tannic, but this is a white wine. Then I started getting an oak flavor, which explains the tannins. While it was quite tannic, it was also really acidic leaving a tart feeling in your mouth. Overall it felt really light in my mouth. There was a lot of burn on the back end of this wine.

I tasted this wine without food.