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.

Famega Vinho Verde

Name: Famega Vinho Verde
Variety: White blend of Avesso, Azal, and Pedernã
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:
Refreshing, crisp with a tingly sparkle taste of apple tartness from the cool lucious Vinho Verde DOC region of North Western Portugal. Fâmega Vinho Verde has a delicate citrus flavor like the fragrance of a summer garden. Pleasant and mellow, this young white wine will be the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of seafood, salads, mild cheeses, as an aperitif, or just by itself.
- Review from John Boyer at boyerwine.com

My review:
Smell - This wine smelled citrusy. It was really light on the nose.

Taste - At first the Famega was really tart on my palate. It was really light and crisp in my mouth, but it wasn't really complex. The flavor was flat, meaning it didn't change much from start to finish. Like Boyer, I definitely tasted the Granny Smith apple flavor. Overall, the wine was quite tangy, but it wasn't overpowering. I would say that so far, Vinho Verde is one of my favorite wines.

I tasted this wine with some cheeses.

There were 3 cheeses in all. A hard Asiago cheese, a hard Parmesan, and a softer Parmesan cheese. With the Asiago Cheese, the wine seemed to blend in with the cheese. After chewing the cheese with the wine in my mouth, the cheese opened up the wine a little bit, but the cheese taste was a little too powerful for the wine. With the hard Parmesan cheese, the wine and cheese did not blend at all. It tasted like I was eating a piece of cheese and taking a sip of wine and the two flavors were in my mouth at the same time. However with the softer Parmesan cheese, the flavor of the wine and the cheese blended together so well in my mouth. It became almost creamy. It was delicious! It's ironic because of the cheeses by themselves, the softer Parmesan is my least favorite; however, with the wine, it was by far the best.