Tasting- Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz

Name: Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: South Eastern
Country: Australia
Year: NV
Price: $9.95

Winery Review: A relatively light, fresh style of sparkling Shiraz, with berries and hints of chocolate picking up just a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish.

My Review: The color is a cranberry color, with some frizante/bubbles. The nose of this wine shows cranberry, cassis, and currant. The palate has a nice refreshing, bubbly flavor. It is fruity, crisp, and sweet. A great alternative to the typical sparkling wine.

Tasting- 2011 Tres Ojos Granacha

 Name: Tres Ojos Granacha
Variety: Grenache
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: The wine has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. Enjoy with sausages, roasted meats, aged cheeses, etc.

My Review: This wine has a ruby color. The nose of this wine smells like fresh drilled plastic. On the palate the wine starts out fruity, gets a full body with some heat on the mid-palate, and finishes dry. 

Tasting- 2010 Montebuena

Name: Montebuena
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Ripe cherry and black current on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannis providing shape and grip. Still on the young side but this wine drinks very well with an hour or so of decanting; it's an excellent value for Rioja.

My Review: The Montebuena Tempranillo has a nice dark ruby color. The nose has elements of cassis, plum, and blackberry. The palate starts hollow, transitions into some heat and spice, and then finishes dry.

Tasting- 2011 Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence

Name: Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence
Variety: 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cinsault
Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Bright salmon pink; typically of the fresh but warm Provence style. Refined and complex on the nose, with summer fruits and floral notes. Dry and crisp, with a delicate flavor and full texture. 


My Review: This Rose style wine has a light tan/pink color. The nose is very floral with hints of fresh cut celery. On the palate this wine starts out light and fruity, transitions with some spice on the mid-palate, and finishes medium-dry.

Tasting- 2011 Canyon Road Chardonnay

Name: Canyon Road Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United State
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Medium-bodied wine with notes of crisp apple and ripe citrus fruit with a hint of cinnamon spice. Delicious complement to grilled chicken, lighter pasta dishes or mild cheeses.

My Review: The color of this chardonnay is a very light golden color. On the nose there are hints of sweet green grape, lime and peach. The palate of this wine starts out fruity, and finishes with a little heat. The wine is not dry, but any sweetness is masked by the hot finish.

Tasting- 2010 Potluck Sweet Malbec

Name: Potluck Sweet Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Medoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Deep red brilliant with violet hints. Complex, fruity, and predominant red fruits. Easy to drink, round with persistent sweetness, very well balanced with sweet tannins.

My Review: This wine has a dark cranberry, ruby color. The nose of this wine hints at its sweetness with notes of cranberry cocktail, and a jammy aspect. The taste is a semi-sweet, fruity palate that is very easy to drink. This wine is very interesting because it is not overpowering with sugar like a moscato is, but also is not dry. It would be good for those just beginning to drink reds.

Tasting- 2011 Domaine de Grange

Name: Domaine de Grange de Payan
Variety: Grenache
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Intensely spicy and precise, with lively red berry flavors and a hint of black pepper. The Grenache is deeper and more powerful, offering cherry and black raspberry qualities lifted by zesty minerality.

My Review: This wine has a nice ruby color. The nose of this was extremely light, I had a hard time distinguishing anything. On the palate it was very smooth, yet slightly hollow and void of flavor. It was definitely dry, but there was surprisingly no heat for a 15% ABV wine. I think this one may be better in a couple years, it seems a tad too young to drink.

Tasting- 2009 Tinto Figaro

Name: Tinto Figaro
Variety: Grenache
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Figaro is 100% Garnacha, made from a selection of the best grapes grown in the oldest vineyards. While not truly an "oaked wine", a short stay in oak barrels provides a nice spicy flavor boost. Bright violet. Dark berry and cherry aromas show a jammy aspect. Supple and gently sweet, with good lift to its black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. Smooth and broad on the finish, leaving behind a hint of spiciness. Extremely easy to drink and an excellent value.

My Review: This wine has a very nice dark color that hints at its complexity. The nose of this wine is dominant with blueberry, blackberry and plum. On the palate, this wine has a definite spiciness, along with notes of fresh-ground pepper. It is dry, and has no heat. Though complex, all of the flavor profiles and aromas are well balanced. Definitely an easy wine to drink if you are okay with the spice.

Tasting- 2011 Maipe Malbec Rose

Name: Maipe Malbec Rose
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Intense pink color with violet hints. Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors. balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish. Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes.

My Review: This wine is a classic rose color, with a hint of golden-brown added in. The nose of this rose shows a nice bouquet of plum, blackberry, and currant. The palate of this wine starts out with a rich honey-like sweetness, has some fruity notes on the mid-palate, and finishes dry.

Tasting- 2012 Cortenova Pinot Grigio

Name: Cortenova Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Cortenova Pinot Grigio 2012 is made from 100% Pinot Grigio. Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine Perfect also as an aperitif.

My Review: The color of this wine is almost entirely clear. On the nose I smelled sweet grape, strawberry, and fresh squeezed lime. This wine has a very nice bouquet. On the palate this Pinot Grigio is slightly bitter, and medium-dry. It has nice balance, and is refreshing yet not too overpowering. It would be a great aperitif.

Tasting- Bolla Sangiovese di Romangna 2011

Name: Bolla Sangiovese di Romangna
Variety: Sangiovese
Region: Romagna
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $8.99

Winery Review: Made with hand-picked grapes from northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, Bolla Sangiovese offers spicy, ripe-raspberry, plum and black-cherry flavors.

My Review: The color of this wine is a nice ruby red, with hints of brown. On the nose, this wine is very fruity with plum, raspberry, and raisin coming through. On the palate the fruit is bold again, but helps to balance the dry, acidic finish.

Tasting- 2010 Tochuelo Tempranillo Granacha

Name: Tochuelo
Variety: 50% Tempranillo, 50% Grenache
Region: Madrid
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $10.99

Winery Review: The 2010 Tochuelo red is just what you’d hope for from a value Spanish red…but all too seldom get! It’s a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Grenache grown just south of Madrid. The show opens with gentle aromas of black raspberry, plum skin, and a dash of black pepper. Juicy and fresh in the mouth, you’ll find plenty of ripe plum and raspberry fruit lead with hints of cocoa powder and licorice root that grow stronger on the finish. Soft and easy to enjoy on its own but enough fine tannin to shine with lighter grilled foods

My Review: The color of this wine is a very intense ruby red. On the nose this wine has a wonderful bouquet of fruit including a distinctive plum and raspberry. The palate of this wine does not match its aromatics. On the palate I found the wine to be almost entirely void of all flavors, but did finish dry. I was not able to tell if the flavor was very light or simply non-existent. Overall, I would probably not buy this one again. However, my friend (who used to work at a wine shop) drank it and really liked it.

Tasting- 2011 Urban UCO Malbec-Tempranillo

Name: Urban UCO Malbec-Tempranillo
Variety: 50% Malbec, 50% Tempranillo
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: The 2011 Urban Uco is a blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Malbec that spent 3 months in French oak. Deep purple in color, with an inviting bouquet of smoke, blackberry, and blueberry, on the palate it is loaded with flavor, depth, and length.

My Review: The color of this red was a very complex looking dark red. I noticed spice and red fruit on the nose; specifically plum, strawberry, and cherry. On the palate this wine starts out fruity and slightly sweet, has some heat on the mid-palate, and finishes dry.

Tasting- 2010 Coreto Tinto Red Blend

Name: Coreto Red Blend
Variety: Tinta Roriz (25%), Caladoc (20%), Touriga Nacional (15%), Shiraz (10%), Alicante Bouschet (10%)
Region: Lisboa
Country: Portugal
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Cool Atlantic breezes combine with long hours of sunshine to produce perfectly balanced, ripe grapes which Jose Neiva selected to create this tasty and smooth Coreto. Despite its light touch, this is fruity and full, with its blackberry fruit dominating the warm spice note and the acidity. Soft tannins keep the wine together.Excellent by itself or as a compliment of meat.
 
My Review: This wine has a nice dark red color. On the nose, this wine has hints of plum, blackberry, smoke, and spice. I was able to taste the spice and smoke on the palate, and the tannins came through to give it a dry finish. Overall it is a good wine for the price. Definitely let this one breath for at least 30 minutes before drinking it, my second glass was significantly better than my first, and it wasn't because I couldn't taste anymore.

Tasting- 2009 Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Red Diamond
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Washington State
Country: United States
Year: 2009
Price: $9.99

Winery Review: Red Diamond celebrates the personality of Washington's distinctive red wines. Layers of luscious flavor are revealed in each bottle, exuding style and confidence. Our Red Diamond Cabernet is multi-faceted and complex with layers of berry, cherry, and toasty oak flavors, sure to offer an enjoyable experience every time.

My Review: This wine has a very intense dark color, near black. On the nose this wine has a buttery richness with notes of cherry, plum, and chocolate. The bouquet of this wine is very full, and is matched with a full-bodied palate. The palate starts almost sweet, the fruit comes through boldly on the mid-palate, and it finishes dry. I really enjoy the complexity of this wine. I drank this paired with Asian cuisine, and it was a good compliment of flavors.

Tasting- 2010 Snap Dragon

Name: Snap Dragon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Sonoma, California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Snap Dragon Cabernet Sauvignon is fruit foreword and easy to enjoy, showcasing deep flavors of cherry, blackberry, and spice with a hint of currant and smooth tannins. A perfect wine to drink by itself or pair with grilled or roasted meats.

My Review: This wine has a nice dark cranberry, ruby color. On the nose this wine has hints of cherry, plum, and currant. This wine is a little flabby on the palate, it starts very smooth with sweet hints of fruit but finishes absent of flavor or dryness. I would not purchase this one again.

Tasting- 2009 Monte Aman

Name: Monte Aman
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Arlanza
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Fermentation of selected grapes in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature. Aging in American oak casks for 5 months followed by 3 months in the bottle before being released in the market. Inky Ruby. Ripe cherry and plum on the nose. Smooth and fleshy, with deep dark fruit flavors complicated by bitter chocolate and anise. A spicy quality adds lift and focus to the weighty fruit. Offers an appealing mix of power and energy and drinks very well right now.

My Review: This wine has a very dark, complex color that indicates the length of its aging. The nose of this one is not very pleasing to me, I noticed a rubbery smell along with some cherry. On the palate this wine is no better for me, it is hollow, with a little bit of spice and dryness.

Tasting- 2010 Cortenova Montepulciano d' Abruzzo

Name: Cortenova Montepulciano d' Abruzzo
Variety: Montepulciano d' Abruzzo
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity. Excellent with pasta dishes and red meats.

My Review: The wine has a dark cranberry, ruby color that is nice. The nose of this wine is a pleasing bouquet of butter popcorn, plum, and currant. On the palate, this wine is smooth, has sweet fruit hints on the mid-palate, and some spice along with a dry finish.

Tasting- 2012 Maipe Chardonnay

Name: Maipe Chardonnay
Variety: 85% Chardonnay, 15% Viognier
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: 30% malolactic fermentation, 30% was aged in French oak barrels. Brilliant yellow golden color with green hints. The wine is crisp and filled with white peach, pear, green apple flavors, toasty vanilla. Elegant and luscious wine, well balanced. Crisp and long finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, pork, veal, and vegetables.

My Review: The color of this wine is a nice light golden. On the nose this wine is very aromatically pleasing with notes of honey, orange, peach, and pear. The palate of this wine is buttery, but at 14.5%, it has a hot finish. The wine also finishes dry and has very subtle flavors.

Tasting- 2011 Villa d' Orvieto

Name: Villa d' Orvieto
Variety: Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), Malvasia
Region: Umbria
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Fresh and crisp, it has a beautiful floral bouquet. It is wonderful with appetizers, fish, chicken, and salads

My Review: This wine has a very light, almost clear appearance. The bouquet of this wine is very subtle, but I note some fruit and lilly in it. On the palate this wine is very light, slightly sweet, and tangy.