Tasting - Morada Sangria

Name: Morada Sangria

Variety: Sangria - Red Blend

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Year: No Vintage

Price: $4.95

Shop Review: Morada Sangria is a traditional Spanish drink made with red wine and citrus extracts. Garnet color and fresh on the palate. Pasteurization preserves the color, aromas and flavors. 7% Alc. It is a very refreshing Sangria with around 85 grams of sugar. Sangria is now one of the hottest items in the beverage industry and it's growing exponentially year to year. Serve well chilled, on its own or with lemonade and slices of fruit like peach, banana or apple.

My Review:  Holy Guacamole is this a sweet wine!  I've never had a true sangria before, but I have had a frozen sangria at Pizzaria Uno and a boxed sangria from Franzia, and neither of them were this sweet.  On the nose, I honestly thought this wine tasted like seaweed and ginger.  After giving it a taste, though, this was a full on fruit salad.  You could barely taste the alcohol in this, though it is at 7%, so you'd definitely have to be careful throwing the back glass after glass!

With Food: No, and I don't know if I'd want to.  This might be a better summertime, sitting on the porch wine.

Tasting - Lost Vineyards Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Lost Vineyards Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: 60% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: n/a

Country: Argentina

Year: No Vintage

Price: $3.95

Shop Review: It is dry and contains subtle tobacco undertones with a black licorice, cherry, scent. The oak is in the background. Would pair well hamburger or a steak rather than stand alone.

My Review: This wine smelt very sweet on the nose, with a hint of a berry undertone.  After tasting it, it definitely had a "jammy" feel to it, perhaps being from the licorice or berry undertones.

With Food?: No

Tasting - Villa Pozzi Nero D'Avola

Name: Villa Pozzi Nero D'Avola

Variety: Nero D'Avola

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $8.95

Shop Review: Very dark purple, with a reddish-violet edge, typical of this grape. Black plums, a hint of licorice and subtle spice, not overly complex but appealing. A big mouth full of juicy black fruit is well structured by tart acidity and soft but distinct tannins.

My Review: On the nose, I was able to pick up hints of raspberries, though it isn't named in the review provided.  Perhaps that just falls under the "jammy" description?  This wine was sweet at first sip, but seemed dryer afterwards.

With Food?: No

Tasting - Tres Ojos Rose

Name: Tres Ojos Rose

Variety: 50% Tempranillo, 50% Garnacha

Region: Calatayud

Country: Spain

Year: 2009

Price: $3.95

Shop Review: This medium rose-colored rosado boasts a spicy red cherry/plum nose with a soft lush attack of red berry fruit flavors and a crisp dry finish. Simple and refreshing and a natural for tapas.

My Review: Nothing necessarily jumped out at me with this wine.  On the nose, I picked up on the berry smells, and could tell there was a berry in the wine.  Otherwise, I thought it basically tasted like all other rose wines, and wasn't anything too special.

With Food?: No.

Tasting - Les Perles Piquepoul

Name: Les Perles Piquepoul

Variety: Piquepoul

Region: Southern France, Cotes de Thau

Country: France

Year: 2011

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Light and young, this is a straightforward but enjoyable selection that would be an ideal match for light fare such as grilled chicken salads or fluke. Apple flesh, nectarine, and sweet citrus oil aromas and flavors appear on the nose and palate, while the short finish is infused with a flavor of green melon rind.

My Review: On the nose, I was able to pick up scents of apples or other semi-citrus fruits.  Given the fruit smell and that the wine was white, I expected a sweet wine, but instead, found it to be a bit bland.  There was an oak undertone in the wine as well.

With Food?: No.

Tasting - Gabriella Chianti

Last but not least, we head to the Gabriella Chianti.  This red wine comes from the Tuscany region of Italy.  With 100% Sangiovese grapes, this 2008 wine sold for $7.95.  The tasting notes provided first noted the wine's deep color, an almost purple, that you would expect with most Chiantis.  Next, it points to the fruit, balanced by a bit of spice.  While a bold, smooth wine, you can expect this Chianti to be be velvety smooth.  This might be one of the first times I agree with the tasting notes.  Maybe that means I'm getting better?  I definitely picked up on the spices immediately on the nose.  There was a citrus-y smell and taste, picking up on the fruitiness described.  With this being a red wine, I expected it to be dry.  Instead, I felt this wine was sweeter than usual, keeping with the velvety smoothness described.  I definitely liked this wine, and while I may not have tried it with food, I very well may go back to get it later.

Tasting - Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

Now moving onto the red wines of the night, we had this mix of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes to make this classico wine.  The 2010 wine from the Valpolicella region of Italy sold for $6.95.  The notes provided a dry taste, with a fresh and fruity aroma full of strawberry and cherry, along with a spice and silky texture.  Personally, I thought it tasted like Cabernet.  And maybe that's due to my lack of experience with red wines.  I did pick up on a very strong grape smell, and the wine tasted as if it was missing a sort of acidity.  This led to a dry, bitter aftertaste.  While I didn't have it with food, it may be good with a meat-driven meal.

Tasting - Dom de Mirail Cabernet / Merlot Rose

 

This wine was very different to me.  It's pink, so I expect it to taste like a White Zinfandel wine, but it really doesn't.  This 2011 rose wine from Cotes de Gascogne, France sold for $5.95, and I even bought it (keep this in mind for later.)  The tasting notes provided offered that it was a crisp wine, smoothing out the edges with a  touch of caramel, and a balancing acidity.  When I went in, I felt the wine didn't really have a smell.  Not like other wines, where all I could get was the grapes, but really couldn't pick a distinct smell for this wine.  After trying again, I might have picked up a floral scent, but nothing really popped out.  The wine was a little bit sweet, but also fairly dry.  Now, I bought the bottle to have with dinner the next day.  The first time I tried this wine in The Vintage Cellar, I really liked it, how it seemed to balance the sweet and dry components.  The next day, when i had the wine with dinner, I didn't like it as much.  I felt that the wine was too acidic, and all sense of sweetness was gone.

Tasting - Norton Torrontes

Coming in, I 100% expected to fall in love with this wine due to the tasting notes.  This Torrontes wine from Mendoz, Argentina is a 2011 wine sold for $5.95.  With the tasting notes pointing to a white wine, full of white peach, rose petal, and jasmine, I fully expected a new love.  Unfortunately, I think I found the opposite.  At first sniff, I blurted out "this smells like feet."  Maybe I couldn't get over that thought, but I tried to get past it.  I thought the wine was oakey, with a very, very bitter taste, almost like it was missing some sweetness from the sugar.  Perhaps trying it with a sweet or hearty food would make it better, but I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Dibon Cava Brut

Yay! A sparkling, white wine! I was quite excited to see this wine being poured, and, as I expected, I loved it!  This Cava from the Penedes region of Spain is sold for $9.95.  Personally, when I first smelled this wine, I thought of champagne.  Perhaps that's due to champagne being the only sparkling alcoholic beverage I have experience with.  The notes point to yeast in the nose, and apple, citrus, and grapefruit flavors.  I picked up on the citrus smell (though I thought of peaches.  Maybe I always just have peaches on the brain).  While the wine was very carbonated, I thought it was dryer than I expected.  I'm not sure this wine would necessarily be paired with food, as I had it, but would be more of a dessert wine.

Tasting - Opera Prima Sweet White

Straight out of the La Mancah region (?) of Spain, this 2010 Sweet White wine was absolutely delicious. Its like candy.  For $3.95, this wine has hints of candied apricots, nuts, melon, citrus, and apple.  When smelling it, I can definitely pick up the grape and even a pear note.  The wine contains 50% Moscato, 50% Airen grapes.  As an American, female wine drinker, I find it near impossible to not think this wine is absolutely delicious.  While I didn't try it with food, I think it would be really good with salads or an alfredo sauce pasta.

Tasting - Fontana Candida Frascati Terre dei Grifi

I've never heard of a Fascati wine, but it was wine, and it was $7.95, so I figured why not give it a try.  This Frascati wine (honestly, I can't figure out what of the name is the wine maker), is from Italy, of the Frascati region of Italy.  Frascatis are made from a medley of Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Greco grapes.  Notes given on the 2010 wine have hints of honeysuckle, pear, apples, and light herbal notes.  I found it smelled a bit like peanuts and an oil type of flavor, but I definitely picked up on the honeysuckle and flower notes.  This was a different type of white, as it wasn't super sweet.  Though I didn't try this wine with food, I'm sure it would be good with pastas or other Italian foods.

Tasting - Black Opal Shiraz

When I went into The Vintage Cellar to pick out wines for our tasting, I basically blindly picked some reds and whites that were fairly cheap.  I have never really found myself to like red wines, but I actually liked this Shiraz a whole lot.  The Black Opal Shiraz, from the south eastern region of Austrailia, 2011, pointed to tastes of plum.  I felt I could pick that out a bit, along with a citrus sort of taste.  Typically made with Syrah grapes, this Shiraz sold for around $5.95.  At first, thinking it smelled absolutely disgusting, I really liked the taste.  I now have a new favorite red wine!  Though I didn't try this with food, I feel like it would be really good with fish.

Tasting - Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon

Ah, my good friend the Barefoot wine.  This wine from California is one of the mass produced wines that you can get at the grocery store, and considering the price point, I'm sure its not up there on the fancy wine competitors.  As most Cabernet Sauvignons, this wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  The American wine didn't name a year, though I'm sure its from 2011 or 2012.  The notes on the Barefoot wine points to a jammy wine, full of robust flavors of wild berries and currants, toasted oak, and clove, making for a velvety smooth finish.  Personally, I felt like all I could fine in the wine was the grapes.    I also felt a hint of plum.  The wine was fairly dry, and I felt i could feel the taste all the way down my throat.  I've had Cabernet Sauvignons in the past, but I felt this one was sweeter than others that I've had in the past.  Perhaps this is due to the fact that it is a cheap, American wine, catering to the American pallet.  I did not try this wine with food, though I feel it would be good with red meats.  This wine was sold in Kroger for $7.99.

Tasting - Chateau Morrisette Highlander Blush

The final wine provided to us on our tasting was Chateau Morrisette's Highlander Blush, a take on their Blushing Dog wine created specifically for Radford University.   I was not able to catch the year this Virginia wine was harvested, it was our only wine from the United States we tried that night.  The wine is a combination of Vidal Blanc, Reisling, and a touch of Chambourcin.  With tasting notes offering flowers and fruit, this is definitely a sweet, summer wine.  After experiencing a line of bitter and dry wines, this wine seemed almost too sweet; candy sweet.  Both the smell and the taste seemed overly sugary, with that almost being the main taste.  I did not try this wine with food, though I'm sure I'd like this blush pink wine with cheeses or other light foods.  An average price for this wine ran around $10.99.

Tasting - Finca del Castillo Tempranillo

This was my first experience with a Tempranillo wine, made almost exclusively with Tempranillo grapes.  From the La Mancha region of Spain, this Finca del Castillo 2011 wine was selling for $4.95.  The notes provided offered spicy notes, including cola, raisins, spic flavors and even tomato.  When I first smelled the wine, I felt a very strong and bitter smell, perhaps rising from the peppery notes in the wine, along with a fruity undertone.  The wine was dry, again, like many red wines.  Though I did not pick up on any of the tastes provided in notes, I did feel that there was a nut or oak flavor in the wine.  I did not try this wine with food, though I feel it would go well with a spicy Spanish meal.

Tasting - Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Out of the Burgundy region of France, this 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau by Georges Duboeuf was presented as a bright and tangy red wine, offering hints of bananas, raspberries, and strawberries.  At first smell, I personally felt it smelled like Christmas.  There was no grape smell, nor did I find it to taste much like grapes.  I was able to find many berry tastes, especially the raspberries and strawberries.  As I feel most red wines are, this wine did not come off as sweet at all.  I did not try this wine with food, though its unique taste might be good with the right meal.

Tasting - Mars and Venus Chardonnay

While this Mars and Venus Chardonnay was presented to us as from Spain, the more I look around online, I'm finding it is in fact from the Central Valley of Chile.  From 2011 and for $5.95, the notes offer hints of apple, pineapple, and stone fruit.  Although as a chardonnay, grapes did not seem to be the main ingredient I found in the wine.  There was a smell that seemed off about it, which affected my tasting as I felt it was sour. Afterwards, I felt that the wine got drier.  Though I did not try it with food, I'm not sure I would enjoy it with food as I was not a big fan of this wine.

Tasting - La Cappuccina Soave

Our first wine was La Cappuccina Soave from the Verona region of Italy, 2011.  As with most Soave wines, garganega grape varieties were the most commonly found ingredients. The description given points to almonds and flowers, though I couldn't pick up the almond smell, or taste to be honest.  I did smell the grapes, of course, and could tell it was a very light wine.  When I first tasted it, it seemed bitter, but then once it settled in, there was a sweet aftertaste that I really enjoyed.  While I did not try this wine with food, I think it would be paired well with cheese or Italian food.  Next time I have a pasta meal, I will definitely consider this wine, as it is only $7.95.