Glop Priorat

Name: Glop Priorat
Variety: Red Blend
Region: Priorat
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $20.95


Winery Review:
Glop is a customer favorite in our retail store and it has a memorable name which means 'sip' and 'gulp' in Catalan. Glop is an inky red wine from Priorat with deep plum and blackberry flavors perfect for pairing with grilled chorizo or liberico pork.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell - This wine was full on the nose. Its smell was full of lots of fruits like plum and blackberry. The smell was quite sweet for a red wine.


Taste - The front end of this wine was really sour. After the sourness faded away, I tasted tannins and lots of spices. I got a hint of plum in the flavor, but couldn't taste blackberry from the smell. I wasn't a fan of this wine either. There were too many tannins and spices for me and not enough fruit.


I tasted this on its own without food.

Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Country: United States
Year: 2008
Price: $28.95


Winery Review:
Bright and expressive offering a velvety mouthful of raspberry, cherry, blackberry, and sage flavors finishing with a hint of smoke. Shows depth and persistence.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell -This wine was really aromatic. It smelled of raspberries. It was also quite smokey.

Taste - This wine was really smooth. I could tell it was a more expensive wine because of how it felt in my mouth. The flavors were also well blended together. I could taste tannins and spices. It also tasted a little smokey like the smell. However, I could not taste any fruit flavors in this wine either. This wine had such a long finish. I think I waited nearly 5 minutes before I decided that eating a piece of bread was the only way to clear my palate. I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor of this wine, but I could tell it was well crafted.


I tasted this on its own without food.

Zenta Malbec

Name: Zenta Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95


Winery Review:
This Malbec presents a nice, deep red color. The nose offers intense and ripe aromas of red fruits, such as dark cherries, plums, and raspberries. On the palate it is fresh and fruity with soft tannins and a nice finish. Pleasant to drink.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell - The smell of this wine is a bit harder to describe because it was really light on the nose, but had a very full smell. It smelled of fruits such as cherries and plums.

Taste - This was really hard to taste. I could not get any fruit flavors to come through on the palate. I got some tannins and oak. I wasn't a huge fan of this wine, as I'm finding with most red wines. It was too tannic and try for my taste. When tasting this wine, if I didn't slurp in air it was really hot going down. But when you allow some air in it opens the wine up and is not as hot.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Chateau Mas Neuf Rhone Paradox

Name: Chateau Mas Neuf Rhone Paradox
Variety: Red Blend
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $11.95


Winery Review:
Intense garnet colour. The nose reveals red fruits (raspberry, redcurrants) combined with subtle hints of eucalyptus and bouquet garni. Aromas of very ripe fruit, leather and bouquet garni. The palate is sensual and is distinguished by a good balance of freshness. The aromas of very ripeness of the grapes resulting. With its subtle tannins the wine can be tasted now or could be laid down in the cellar for 2 to 5 years.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell - This wine smelled like a standard red wine with lots of raspberries on the nose. It also had a hint of leather to its smell. 

Taste - Upon first taste, this wine was immediately spicy. It was legitimately hot in my mouth, which wasn't a pleasant feeling. The wine had a large pepper taste that added to the heat in my mouth. After letting the initial huge flavor settle and slurping the wine, I could taste some tannins. Overall, this wine was not good in my opinion. It was too hot and spicy. This was the first time I ever used the spit cup. Definitely not a favorite.


I tasted this on its own without food.

Chateau Mas Neuf Rhone Blanc

Name: Chateau Mas Neuf Rhone Blanc
Variety: White Rhone Blend
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2010
Price: $11.95


Winery Review:
Brillant yellow colour. The up-front nose uninhibitedly reveals fresh fruit aromas (yellow peaches) that combine with hints of white flowers. The palate develops fully with a fresh, tonic finish.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell -The Rhone Blanc smelled incredibly floral. I also could smell a lot of peach and other fruity flavors.

Taste - I didn't know a wine could taste like flowers, but this wine tasted like a flower I had just picked from the garden. It was so floral! There was a lot of acidity to this wine. The finish of the wine was a little weird for me. I couldn't describe it until I read the description: tonic. The finish was really tonic. Overall, this wine would have been great, except the finish was too weird and rough for me. 


I tasted this on its own without food.

Old Coach Road Chardonnay

Name:Old Coach Road Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: South Island
Country:New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $14.95


Winery Review:
This is a delightfully satisfying wine full of ripe chardonnay fruit characters intertwined with smooth, supple, spicy oak. The palate is full and textured, with a clear definition and long lasting flavours.
-Vintage Cellar


My review:
Smell -This wine was very aromatic. It smelled of apples and fresh cut wood.


Taste -I could really taste the oak in this wine. Other powerful flavors were pepper and other spices. I didn't get any fruit flavors. However, this wine was really smooth in your mouth and as it is swallowed. It had a long finish with a really oaky aftertaste. This was the first wine that I actually enjoyed drinking at a wine tasting.


I tasted this on its own without food.

Old Coach Road Sauvignon Blanc

Name:Old Coach Road Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: South Island
Country:New Zealand
Year: 2011
Price: $14.95


Winery Review:
Fresh, lively and intense varietal fruit with delicious passionfruit flavors in the mouth. It is nicely integrated and has along lingering finish.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell -The wine smelled very light and citrusy.

Taste -At first this wine was really sour. Then some tannins came through on the mid palate. It finished with a lot of acidity and was really tangy. I couldn't pinpoint specific fruits with this wine. Overall it was just very crisp and light.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier

Name: Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier
Variety: 95% Shiraz, 5% Viognier
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $18.95


Winery Review:
Inky purple. Vibrant, intensely spicy aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, cracked pepper and fresh flowers. Elegant, full-bodied black and blue fruit flavors expanded nicely with refreshing mineral bite adding vibrancy. Very clean, focused shiraz, with excellent energetic finishing lift and cut.
-International Wine Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled sweet with an aroma of blackberry.

Taste - The taste of this wine was very peppery with a lot of burn on the back end. It was also fairly acidic and bitter.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Woop Woop Cabernet

Name: Woop Woop Cabernet
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: South Eastern Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $12.95


Winery Review:
Smells like a $50 Napa cabernet. Lush, pliant and sweet, with a layered, chewy texture to the flavors of red and black fruits, bitter chocolate and spices. This is really packed with fruit but there's a litheness to it as well.

My review:
Smell - This wine was very aromatic with smells of black cherry dominating the glass.

Taste - This wine was very tannic and acidic. There were tastes of lots of spices and cherry. No burn.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Monte Antico Tuscan Blend

Name: Monte Antico Tuscan Blend
Variety: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2007
Price: $13.95


Winery Review:
Plenty of blackberry and chocolate character, with hints of plums. Full and very velvety with a bright and fruity finish. Always one of the best values in Tuscany.
-James Suckling

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled dark with hints of blackberry and vanilla.

Taste - \It was quite tannic with a lot of bitterness. I didn't taste any fruit, but did get a hint of coco. There was a light burn on the back end.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Grayson Chardonnay

Name: Grayson Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Paso Robles, California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $9.95


Winery Review:
Brilliantly ripe and shows aromas of bright, brisk acidity with notes of peach and Asian pear. The palate offers green apple with a crisp finish showing gentle hints of apple pie and tropical fruit.
-Best Buy Wine Enthusiast

My review:
Smell - This had a light fruit smell with some acidity.

Taste - This wine was bitter on the palate at first. Then the wine turned a bit sour and finished with a hint of pear. Absolutely no burn.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Don Rodolfo Torrontes

Name: Don Rodolfo Torrontes
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Cafayate Valley, Salta
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $9.95


Winery Review:
Light-yellow-gold color with hues of green. Very fruity, floral nose with white peach and hints of citrus. Good volume in the mouth with complexity and balance, and an excellent fresh finish.
-Vintage Cellar

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled a lot like pears. It was really light on the nose with a bit of an acidic bite.

Taste - At first this wine was quite sour, but then it had a very fruity flavor. But there was a light burn on the back end.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Vina Santurnia

Name: Vina Santurnia
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2006
Price: $11.95

Winery review from klwines.com: Very classic, traditional styling, with a terrific balance between mouthwatering berry fruit and damp forest floor nuances. Traditional Rioja, with its Burgundian characteristics and slightly plumper fruit profile, works wonders with food.

My review:

Smell - This wine smelled like leather. It was very aromatic with hints of cherry, tobacco, and vanilla.

Taste - In the month, this wine was really hot. Lots of tannins and acidity. Very woody and leathery.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Sol Arantalys Cotes Du Rhone

Name: Sol Arantalys Cotes Du Rhone
Variety: Blend
Region: Southern Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

Winery review from The Calais Wine Superstore online: Bright and juicy Côtes du Rhône with hints of spice and pepper. This young and fresh Côtes du Rhône from Les Vignerons de Tavel shows superb notes of red berry fruits and spice, particularly pepper.

My review:

Smell - This wine smelled dark, but really sweet with a lot of spices. It wasn't very aromatic for me.

Taste - It was incredibly bitter. It was a little hot on the back end leaving a sour feeling. It was a little spicy to taste.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Doural Tinto

Name: Doural Tinto
Variety: Touriga Franca
Region: Douro
Country: Portuguese
Year: 2009
Price: $8.95

Winery review: By fermenting the red and white grapes together, it create a pale pink color and a flavor that is more powerful than the white variety. Spicy rosato spumante with a fine, persistent mousse, juicy fresh red fruit in the aroma and a rich, smooth and lasting flavor.

My review:

Smell - I smelled honey, oak, and berry. The smell was light, but aromatic.

Taste - With this wine, I didn't get much flavor. It was really tannic with a hint of pepper. Overall there was a lot of bitterness. The body was fairly heavy.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Nykteri Santorini Yannis

Name: Nykteri Santorini Yannis
Variety: Santorini
Region: Santorini
Country: Greece
Year: 2010
Price: $13.95

Winery review: Characteristics cystal-clear, semi-yellow wine. Dominated by the aromas of jasmine, citrus fruits, flowers and pear, all these enhanced with a gentle vanilla sense. A strong body with warm personality and a long lasting taste.

My review:

Smell - It was very acidic with a side of fruits. I smelled some grape and vanilla with a hit of citrus.

Taste - This wine was very bitter with lots of spices. A little hot on the back end. Tasted oak-y and citrus-y with a decently strong body, but not quite a full body.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Casabianca Spumante Rosato

Name: Casa Bianca Spumante Rosato
Variety: White grape pinot nero prosecco and red
Region: Montello and the hills of Asoli in northern Italy
Country: Italy
Year: 2008
Price: $11.95

Winery review: By fermenting the red and white grapes together, it create a pale pink color and a flavor that is more powerful than the white variety. Spicy rosato spumante with a fine, persistent mousse, juicy fresh red fruit in the aroma and a rich, smooth and lasting flavor.

My review:

Smell - It had a citrus smell with a lot of fruit like grapefruit and lime. It smelled really clean and light.

Taste - At first this wine tasted delicious, very light and fruity. Then as I swirled it around my mouth the grapefruit flavor turned bitter and sour. It was very strong and powerful flavor, but really light.

I tasted this on its own without food.

Wine Blog Introduction

Hello wine drinkers [and my TA Lauren]!

I'm taking a class this semester at Virginia Tech called "The Geography of Wine" with professor John Boyer. It's been a really interesting class so far and I'm excited to build my wine palette this semester!

So this blog is an assignment, yes, but I also think it will be a lot of fun to look back in a few years to see how my tastes have changed. And how much more I understand about wine.

So enjoy the posts about wine!