Name: Ca'Bea Sangue di Guida
Variety: 45% Uva Rara, 10% Barbera, 25% Croatina
Region: Oltrepo Pavese
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2014
Price: $9.95
Shop Review: "Off-dry with a slight fizz, offering bright berry and mineral notes. Medium-bodied, with a clean, fresh palate and fruity finish. This is a rare, sweet red wine that is wonderful with desserts such as dry pastries, cookies, and cakes."
My Review: The color of this wine is remarkable! A beautiful deep purple that is slightly carbonated. It was pretty refreshing, but kind of tasted like artificial grape flavor.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Alvarez de Toledo
Variety: Mencia Roble
Region: Bierzo
Country: Spain
Vintage: 2009
Price: $14, on sale for $8.95
Shop Review: "The 2009 Alvarez de Toledo was bottled just a week before the wine was presented but seems to be showing no symptoms of distress. Balsamic, leather, and black fruits are the principal notes struck by this suave effort that over-delivers in a big way. Like its older sibling, it can be enjoyed now but will have more to say in 2-3 years."
My Review: This wine was just ok. I did not like the aromas I got. On the palate, all I could taste was black pepper. Not a winner.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Codirosso
Variety: 90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino
Region: Tuscany (Chianti)
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2015
Price: $3, on sale for $7.95
Shop Review: "A heck of a value in Chianti, this delicious blend of 90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, and 3% Colorino offers up notes of licorice, new saddle leather, black cherry and berry fruit, loamy soil undertones and a touch of pepper and herbs. It is medium-bodied, savory and best drunk over the next several years."
My Review: I liked this wine!! It had a nice ruby red color. I got a lot of oaky/smokey aromas. Definitely astringent (that dry feeling in your mouth) but in a good way.
Pairing: Not yet, but I did buy this wine so I'll have to update you on what I pair it with :)
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: The Royal Old Vines Steen
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Vintage: 2015
Price: $8.95
Shop Review: "The 2015 Chenin Blanc offers loads of melony fruit interspersed with hints of honeysuckle and peach. It is delicious, crisp, fresh, lively, and a dead ringer for a good Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. Drink it over the next year."
My Review: I thought this wine was good! It was crisp and acidic. I got hints of pineapple and lime. Definitely would recommend this wine. I also learned that South Africa has been growing Chenin Blanc grapes for over 400 years! Pretty cool!
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Barão de Figueira Vinho Branco
Variety: Siria
Region: Beira
Country: Portugal
Vintage: 2014
Price: $12, on sale for $6.95
Shop Review: "This wine is soft and rounded. It has lemon and light spiciness along with cool acidity. It is an easy wine that is ripe with apple and fresh lemon juice and ready to drink."
My Review: This wine is good! I got fruity aromas like apricot. It was acidic and almost sour. We had a wine last week that was the same brand but it was a red. I did not like that one but this one was good!
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Riesling
Region: California
Country: USA
Vintage: N/A
Price: $5.95
Shop Review: "Pale golden color. Ripe and dried peaches on the nose. Minerals and dried peach flavors. Nicely balanced, leaning towards lime acidity."
My Review: I'm not usually into sweet wines anymore but this one was good. It almost smelt like shampoo with hints of floral and fruity aromas. Pretty sweet but good!
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Vinedos Real Rubio
Variety: Tempranillo, Graciano
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Vintage: Rioja Crianza 2010
Price: $16, on sale for $9.95
Shop Review: "Lightly baked berry aromas vie for attention with leather, spice and mild earth notes, and teh result is disjointed. On the palate, this is tight as a drum initially, but more expansive as it unfolds. Cherry, plum, raspberry, vanilla and woodspice flavors finish pure, clean and easy. This is a fine yet manageable Rioja that's not trying too hard. Drink through 2016."
My Review: This wine was good! It did have an orangey brick dark red color which I noticed and then realized it said "drink through 2016" and it is now 2017. But I still liked it! I got aromas of damp basement, tobacco, and pepper.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Barao de Figueira
Variety: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca
Region: Beria
Country: Portugal
Vintage: Tinto Reserva 2013
Price: $12, on sale for $7.95
Shop Review: "From vineyards at 2000 feet elevation, this is a rich and spicy wine that has a pure streak of fruit freshness and a firmly tannic core. It is perfumed from Touriga Nacional in the blend, with red berry and black plum flavors coming through strongly along, balanced by acidity. It will be better from 2017."
My Review: This wine had a dark purple color. I got aromas of lentils, tea, pepper, and metal. It was dry and astringent. I did not enjoy this wine at all. However, the description says "will be better from 2017" so maybe it will get better with age?!
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Garnacha de Fuego Rose
Variety: Old Vines Grenache
Region: Aragon
Country: Spain
Vintage: 2014
Price: $10, on sale for $2.95
Shop Review: "The Garnacha de Fuego Rose is a solid effort that has a light salmon color to go with notions of cherry blossom, orange peel and herbs de Provence. Medium-bodied, supple, fresh easy-drinking, and an outstanding value at $3."
My Review: This wine was the hit of the night. I did not like it at ALL. However, college students were buying it left and right because it was only $2.95 lol. I almost got a light oaky aroma. It was kind of bitter. Like I said, I did not like this wine.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Villa Vitas
Variety: Ribolla Gialla
Region: Venezie
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2014
Price: $18, on sale for $6.95
Shop Review: "The 2014 Ribolla Gialla shows more minerality, nice quince, white currant and citrus oil notes, a dry, refreshing mouthfeel and a fragrant bouquet."
My Review: This wine was interesting to me because I had never heard of the grape Ribolla Gialla. In fact, I had to Google it! It's also pretty cool that it comes from Venice, Italy. I didn't know they grew wine grapes there. I thought this wine was ok. I got peach/pear aromas and very floral notes on the palate. This wine was also acidic.
Pairing: Nope!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Prime's Ruby Port
Variety: N/A
Region: Oporto
Country: Portugal
Vintage: N/A
Price: $18, on sale for $9.95
Shop Review: "Ruby color; red fruit aromas; pleasantly sweet and balanced taste. As the wines used to produce Prime's Ruby Port age, they gain smoothness and elegance while retaining their fruitiness, intensity and youthful ruby color. They are then blended together for balance and consistency."
My Review: Wow! I've got a story for you! I tried this wine originally and did not like it. It was way too powerful. I got aromas of molasses and soy sauce and there were sediments in the deep brick color. BUT THEN that bottle finished and we started pouring the next bottle, which had a different color and taste. I really liked this one a lot better. It was sweeter, whereas the previous was more umami flavors. We called over the master, Randall, and asked him what he thought. Turns out, the one I really liked was just a hair bad (or as Randall put it, it's not bad, it's just different than the rest). He said it was still totally fine to drink so I got that bottle (don't judge). Just goes to show how different tastes can be!
Pairing: Not yet! :)
Until next week, cheers!
Natalie
Name: Lindeman's Bin 80
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (79%) and Merlot (21%)
Region: Southeastern
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2015
Price: $18 magnum (1.5 L), on sale for $7.95 -- great deal!!
Shop Review: "Medium red in color with ruby hues. On the nose aromas of dark red berries, black currants and ripe plums. While the palate is medium bodied, with dark red berries and a soft tannic finish."
My Review: This was definitely my favorite of the evening! It was spicey, oaky, and just a classic Cabernet Sauvignon taste. It was very yummy but left a warm/hot aftertaste feeling.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Domaine du Poujol, Coteaux du Languedoc
Variety: Grenache Cinsault
Region: Languedoc
Country: France
Vintage: 2011
Price: $13, on sale for $5.95
Shop Review: "Minerally and berry notes make for a savory blend of flavors in this fine-grained red. Dried berry fruit dominates, with accents of white pepper and dill seed. Delivers lively acidity on the finish. Drink now through 2018."
My Review: This wine was floral and earthy. I didn't enjoy this one too much, but maybe it is better with food (or age since it says 'drink now through 2018').
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Pazo de Monterrey
Variety: Godello
Region: Monterrei
Country: Spain
Vintage: 2014
Price: $15, on sale for $5.95
Shop Review: "Clean, minerally, slightly green in aromatics and oh so approachable and nice. For an under $15 white, this Godello, from Monterrel excels with layered flavors of apple, minerals and natural spice. The finish is long and hints of fresh herbs like thyme and tarragon. Potentially superb with garlic shrimp or calamari over fresh greens."
My Review: This white had more of a light yellow/honey color to it. I got aromas similar to sherry, surprisingly. It was acidic and just bad, in my opinion. Many liked it though!
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Domaine de la Foret, Rosé de Mediterraneé
Variety: Grenache Cinsault
Region: Provence
Country: France
Vintage: 2015
Price: $9, on sale for $5.95
Shop Review: "In color, this is almost white. There is some attractive acidity and the soft wine will slip down easily with just a touch of red currant. The result is a lightly mineral wine that is refreshing and good for an apéritif."
My Review: I did not like this wine. It was very acidic. I picked up some citrus and lemon aromas. I did not feel like this wine was balanced.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Coastal Vines
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: USA
Vintage: N/A
Price: $15, on sale for $5.95
Shop Review: "Coastal Vines White Zinfandel is a light and fruity salmon-pink wine. Sweet, floral aromas of jasmine and roses burst into bright flavors of apricots, cantaloupe, and orange blossoms."
My Review: Definitely not as sweet as the sweet sweet Jam Jar from last week. It was the HIT OF THE DAY at class tasting. So many people bought a bottle of this (maybe because it was only $5.95 for a magnum size and we're college students... haha jk it was pretty good!) I'm not a fan of sweet wines but this was a good balance. A lot of people were comparing it to candy. I got aromas of grapefruit and strawberry.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Until next week, cheers!
Natalie
Name: Cortenova Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Variety: Montepulciano
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2013
Price: $7.95
Shop Review: "Wild berry, chopped mint, sun baked earth and violet aromas meld together on this solid savory red. The juicy straightforward palate doles out ripe black cherry, crushed raspberry, anise and cinnamon alongside chewy tannins."
My Review: Well this wine is just fun to say - MONTEPULCIANO *said in Italian accent with Italian hand movement.* It was ok, not my fave. It's a lighter red. I got aromas of leather and wood. It was acidic and astringent.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Rosemount Diamond Label
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Southeastern
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2014
Price: $15, on sale for $7.95
Shop Review: "On the nose fragrant red berry fruits; red cherries raspberries; supported by sweet earthy spice notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The palate is bright and lively with flavors of cherry and raspberry are supported by a soft creamy texture, prividing a long and elegant finish."
My Review: HOLY AROMAS! I'm not usually a pinot noir kinda gal, but this wine brought me back to summer nights. I got huge aromas of bonfire, toasted marshmallows, and bbq sauce. Smokey and spicey. I feel like this would be good with a steak. I really enjoyed this by itself though - so much so that I bought a bottle!! What else is new?
Pairing: Not yet but since I bought it, I will be pairing it. What do you suggest? What do you pair with your favorite pinot noir? Let me know in the comments below!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Valminor
Variety: Albariño
Region: Rias Baixas
Country: Spain
Vintage: 2015
Price: $19, on sale for $9.95
Shop Review: "Gloriously aromatic with jasmine and flint notes; very scented. Full and sleshy palate, a mineral follow-through and intense, harmonious finish. A very lovely Albariño that is so pure."
My Review: This wine was very light in aromas, in my opinion. I did get a lot of floral notes. It was clear in color and smooth in texture but the aftertaste was acidic. Not my fave.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
Name: Yellowtail
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: N/A
Country: New Zealand & Australia
Vintage: N/A
Price: $7, on sale for $4.95
Shop Review: "Wow, who would ever call Yellow Tail understated? But here it is. Nice but light aromas of orange, grapefruit, apple, earth and flowers, Lemon, grapefruit, apples, and a little lime on the light palate. Good acidity, pleasant finish, and decent minerality."
My Review: Don't judge a book by its cover! Even though this is a popular cheaper wine, it was definitely a favorite of the tastings for many today. Was it my favorite? Hmm definitely not, unfortunately. I got aromas of grapefruit and citrus. I just did not like the taste though.
Pairing: Not with this wine!
Cheers!
Natalie
