Tasting - R Wines Eco. Love Riesling

Name: R Wines Eco. Love Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: South Island
Country: New Zealand
Year: N/A
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Our South Island Riesling has a range and combination of flavors unlike any other. These flavors span citrus, root ginger, white peaches, spices and florals. Eco.Love Riesling is made in balance to an off-dry style. Food Pairing: Asian Fusion, Seafood, Curry and anything spicy.

My Review: The smell was awesome, replicating a burning tire like after a NASCAR race or hot asphalt on a summer day. The bouquet was too overpowering to enjoy the wine. The taste was dryer than most Riesling with the rubber component on the palate as well.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Toschi Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Toschi Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Well-balanced flavors of dark berries and plums. Spicy fruit finish.

My Review: The bouquet was overpowering of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, but not dark cherries. Also the bouquet was hot and sharp. The taste was extremely spicy and I did not enjoy the long finish of burning on my palate. It felt as if it could cut you like a razor.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Canyon Road Pinot Noir

Name: Canyon Road Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Rich, fruit forward cherry flavors, soft tannins, a medium body and a smooth velvety finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, salmon, and savory pork dishes.

My Review: The bouquet hinted towards dark fruits such as blackberries and cherries. Also, the nose was full bodied and warm. There was a sweet initial taste with a peppery midpalate and long finish. The color was lighter and didn't have the rich color I was expecting or such a large body.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon

Name: Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon
Variety: 80% Chardonnay & 20% Semillon
Region: N/A
Country: Australia
Year: N/A
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: It gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot and butterscotch aromas. The medium bodied provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish.

My Review: There was a rich color and you could tell it had been aged in oak. It had the buttery nose that I was expecting and very smooth on the initial taste. There was a crisp midpalate that faded towards the finish. Oak Monster!

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Indwe Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Indwe Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: N/A
Country: South Africa
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Grapes are meticulously sourced from our grape producers along the Coastal region of the Western Cape ensuring complexity and freshness in the wine. Indwe Sauvignon Blanc is full of layers, balance and persistence. The wine is imbued with tropical and citrus notes, with hints of melon and gooseberry flavors.

My Review: There was a cucumber-dill pickle aspect that I picked up on the nose of this wine. There was no color quality to it, I actually didn't know that she had poured my wine until I picked up the glass. The initial impact was acidic and had a tart and grassy finish.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Loredona Riesling

Name: Loredona Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Monterey, California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:If you like your Rieslings on the sweet side, this pretty wine is for you. It's brisk in Central Coast acidity, with citrus, peach, honeysuckle and spice flavors that finish clean and long.

My Review: Trying this wine after the Maipe may have taken away the sweet impact that this wine possesses. I could tell that this was a smooth wine but did not resemble the German style. With the initial taste, it resembled the elegance of a Moscato dessert wine. Very nice wine overall.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Deep purple color with violet tints, complex plum, fig, strawberry, spices and floral aromas; rounded and velvety tannins, excellent length with a distinguished character. Excellent when paired with game, roasted red meats, pasta or pizza.

My Review: This wine was a bit too hot for my enjoyment on the nose. It contributed a full body but the bitter taste of pepper pushed through far too much. Velvet is the perfect word to describe the feel of this wine. Smooth, long finish.

 

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Villa d' Rosso Toscano

Name: Villa d' Rosso Toscano
Variety: 100% Sangiovese
Region: Montepulciano
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Wonderful rendition of a velvety Tuscan red.

My Review: This nose had an overpowering fruity bouquet. I would call this wine a "in your face fruit" wine from the bouquet. I could immediately begin to smell the lush strawberries, blackberries, and cherries that were just picked off the vine and layered with sugar in Mama's kitchen. With the initial taste, this wine had a smooth body, but then throughout the mid-palate and through the finish the pepper pushed through.

I tried this wine without any food. (For some of these wines, I can not find pictures of the exact year that I tasted. Also, the tasting sheets/pictures have not been uploaded onto scholar quite yet. My apologies!)

Tasting - Arnold Palmer Chardonnay

Name: Arnold Palmer Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: A vibrant Chardonnay from vineyards in cooler climates of California. Chardonnay is well known for its characteristic fresh apple fruit aromas and rounded, rich flavors. Weather during the 2011 harvest provided ideal growing conditions for lush, yet perfectly balanced fruit.

My Review: There was a nice golden color to this Chardonnay, most likely oak aged. The aromas were musky, almost like an old shoe. This bouquet was not appealing to my nose but the taste was full bodied, smooth and fruity which I certainly enjoyed. It had a long buttery finish that lasted over 30 seconds.

I tried this wine without any food. (For some of these wines, I can not find pictures of the exact year that I tasted. Also, the tasting sheets/pictures have not been uploaded onto scholar quite yet. My apologies!)

Tasting - El Sierro Macabeo/Chardonnay

Name: El Sierro Macabeo/Chardonnay
Variety: Blended
Region: Valencia
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: In the glass, there is a bright and shiny white wine with an incredibly welcoming, fresh, appetizing aroma reminiscent of ripe tropical fruits. The flavor is rich, balanced and extremely comfortable. The near-perfect all-purpose white wine. As an additional benefit, and good evidence that El Sierro reflect the new Spain, the bottle is sealed with the technical viewed perfect screw cap that at once eliminates any risk of cork flavor and keeps the fruit and the wine fresher for a longer time.

My Review: You could tell that this wine had been aged in either a steel or cement tank. There was not much color to this wine, almost clear. It's nose reflected a classic Chardonnay blend. The taste was sharp and crisp but with a sweeter/smoother finish that lingered.

I tried this wine without any food.