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.