Tasting - Lindemans Moscato

Name: Lindemans
Variety: Moscato Bin 90
Region: Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 90? or unlisted
Price: $6.95
Winery review: Modest in alcohol, offering up notes of oranges, melons and honey that are balanced on the finish. The price makes it a bargain.
My review: Well, I guess I know I like moscato's. Every one I've had is good from what I can remember...Onto this wine. This smelled light, sweet, and of strawberry. The taste was sweet, chocolaty, and of strawberry as well. Honestly just a very pleasant and light wine. It was very worth the price and I would definitely pick up again if I was looking for a nice easy experience with a wine.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Breca

Name: Breca
Variety: Garnacha de Fuego
Region: Spain
Country: Spain
Year: 2017
Price: $15
Winery review: Brought up in a mix of concrete and stainless steel, the 100% Garnacha 2017 Garnacha de Fuego offers a deep black/purple color to go with terrific notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, scorched earth, and melted licorice. Ripe, sexy and forward on the palate, with notable purity, it’s a classic Garnacha.
My review: Oh I just want to jump right into the review here. The smell, oh baby the smell. It was amazing, take some strawberry and nut and mix it together to get a great rich scent and this is what you get. The taste sadly wasn't as great as the smell. It was nutty, dry, bitter, and oaky. Not quite what I was thinking when I smelled it but you know, still a good wine. I am a little bit confused why they mentioned concrete and steel in the description though.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Rubus

Name: Rubus
Variety: Red Blend: Petit Sirah, Rubired, Tinto Cao, Alicante Gazin
Region: Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95
Winery review: Deep, dark ruby color, aromas of blue fruits, confectionery and subtle licorice characters, thick luscious palate with good structure and soft finish. A blend of Durif, also known as Petite Sirah, a grape known for its very aromatic, plummy character. Rubired is a cross between Tinto Cao and Alicante Ganzin, known for being particularly adapted to the hot climate and producing dark wines. And Shiraz, which we all know for being the most recognized grape varietal of Australia, brings some minty, spicy and fruity characteristics to the wines.
My review: Oh I remember this one. This wine was pretty alright, and for the price, a good pickup. It was no CK Mondavi, but eh could be good. My friend yev said it was his "CK Mondavi" so it is a pretty good wine considering Yevhen doesn't normally like reds. So onto my review of the wine. The smell was deep, dark, and like coco. The taste was light, and not very much. This would also make a good chugging wine especially for the price and percentage. Would recommend to my fellow poor college students.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Santa Julia

Name: Santa Julia
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2017
Price: $9.95
Winery review: This Pinot Grigio has delightful, ripe fruit aromas of pears, apple, melon, and some tropical notes of pineapple and banana. It has good balance, nice acidity, and a long, fresh finish.

My review: So this wine was very light and really not much of a experience. I could not smell anything when shoving my nose in it (props cause my nose has been stocked up cause alergies...). The taste was light, a twinge oaky, and really not much of really anything. This would make a fantastic chugging wine if you just want to get drunk on nothing if it were just a bit cheaper.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Lindemans Pinot

Name: Lindemas
Variety: Santa Julia
Region: Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2017
Price: $10
Winery review: Notes of tropical fruits intertwined with lemon & green apple. A medium bodied palate with grapefruit acidity supported by subtle fruit sweetness make for a crisp, fresh palate with a lingering finish.
My review: So I'm doing this a week later so I will give you the best of my knowledge for this wine. We started with a grassy smell that I couldn't pull much more out of. The taste was grassy, strong, and had big notes of green apple. The aftertaste to this wine was very pleaseant which was mostly like a satisfying end to a herbal food. Would drink again.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Cobetckoe Πpemиуm

Name: Cobetckoe Πpemиуm
Variety: Sparkling Semi-Sweet Red
Region: Moldova
Country: Moldova
Year: unlisted
Price: $9.95
Winery review: Sweet red sparkling wine from Moldova (former Soviet Union) Splendid dark ruby color with rich aromas of blackberry, nicely balanced and full of flavors. Goes well with soft cheeses, ice cream and pudding, as well as fresh fruits and berries.
My review: I was looking forward to trying a wine from the soviets, however it did not hold up to what I was expecting from them. I couldn't desern anything from the smell. The taste was written in my notes as "ew". It was sweet then had a sharp, really aweful bite to it. Would not pick up again.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Terra dei Trulli

Name: Terra dei Trulli
Variety: Pinnacoli Primitivo
Region: Manduria
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $21
Winery review: A ruby-red wine with full flavors of ripe red fruits and a hint of spice. Pinnacoli has flavors of wild strawberry through the palate, finishes with a rich fullness and hints of cinnamon.
Roasted and spiced meats, pasta with meat sauce, game, and spicy cheeses.
My review: OK this was garbage, the last time I had a wine from a bottle that looked like this I also didn't like it. I distinctly remember not even wanting to try this wine at all cause the smell was horrid. It was a sharp pungent smell that was I guess kinda fruity. When I forced myself to drink some I wanted to spit it out cause it was just slightly better than the smell. It was deep, berry, and mouth puckering. Would not drink or even smell again.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Quercia al Poggio

Name: Quercia al Poggio
Variety: Chianti Classico (Sangiovese,Ciliegiolo,Canaiolo Colorino)
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2009
Price: $30
Winery review: "Showing notes of sandalwood, espresso and red berries on the nose, this wine has a lovely silky attack and an attractive ferrous quality complementing red plum and earth notes. It has excellent length and is ready to drink now. A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 20% Ciliegiolo, Canaiolo and Colorino aged 24 months in 500L oak tonneau. Produced in the Monsanto - Barberino Val d’Elsa zone with limestone and clay soil at about 400m altitude. The 15 ha vineyard is organically farmed."
My review: Week later blah blah blah. This wine smelled bitter and flat. It tasted bitter, flat, slightly chocolaty, and like leather. There was no deepness to it at all and I did not enjoy it. Would not pick up a bottle.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Lo-Fi

Name: Lo-Fi
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Santa Barbara, California
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: $28
Winery review: The philosophy behind Lo-Fi (just like music production) isn’t to create wine that is too polished or perfect, but rather that which embraces a more natural, raw expression. For winemakers Michael Roth and Craig Winchester, less is more: neutral barrels, native yeasts, little to no sulfur additions, and no acid adjustments. The Chardonnay is aged in 6-year old barrels, then racked and matured in concrete eggs for 6 months. The wine has a leesy texture and crisp snappiness, accompanied by flavors of ripe peach, banana, and white flowers.
My review: Again, doing these one week late but just counting them as this week's review. This one sounds fun however it was not. Smelled like grass that had just been doused with pee. The taste was grassy and bitter, it was like they had fruit in the wine then just removed it. Wouldn't drink again.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Cantina di Gambellara

Name: Cantina di Gambellara
Variety: Garganega
Region: Soave
Country: Italy
Year: 2017
Price: $10
Winery review: The color is a brilliant straw yellow with fresh fruit perfumes, especially apple and pear, and floral notes such as elder and bloom. The taste is very fresh and fruity, (yellow plum, star fruit and ground ginger), with a very interesting acidity. There is an important presence of mineral salts due to the volcanic origin of the soil.
My review: Alright, we are doing this review a week late so my memory of the wine isn't perfect but I still have the notes. The smell was dry and grassy. The taste was bland, sour, light, and had a bad aftertaste. Not great, would not pick up.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Muscato

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Muscato
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2017
Price: $9
Winery review: This sweet wine is light in color with floral aromas including notes of orange blossom, jasmine and honeysuckle. Flavors include peach, melon and spice. This wine can be sipped by itself, but is complementary to a number of foods. With appetizers try prosciutto, melon, brie cheese, or smoked salmon. For a main course I suggest baked ham, grilled red snapper or chicken
My review: This was the last wine of the tasting and I was told that they just closed so I sniffed it then threw it back like a real college kid. It smelled light (can't gleam much out of it cause I went real fast). I tasted sweet, light, and good. I would have grabbed a bottle if they didn't just close :/

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Mt. Monster

Name: Mt. Monster
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Limestone Coast
Country: Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $14
Winery review: Deep purple in color. Classic aromas of lifted blackcurrant, blackberry and mint on the nose. Flavors follow through of sweet berry-fruit accented by fresh muddled mint. Elegant, structured palate with big velvety tannins.
My review: Again I was kinda rushed on this so lets just get it done. It smelled like spaghett. No not spaghetti, it was the same thing, but more...idk not full/rich. The taste was fruity, tart, and medium. This was pretty good, I wouldn't mind a bottle one day.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Figaro

Name: Figaro
Variety: Tinto Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2016
Price: $8.95
Winery review: "The 100% Garnacha 2016 Figaro Tinto Calatayud is a smoking value and is another red brought in by Kysela that knocks it out of the park on the value scale. Bright berry fruits, dried herbs, earth, and a touch of spice all flow to a medium-bodied, rounded, fleshy red that has loads of upfront charm and accessibility. It’s not going to make old bones, but as a house red to enjoy over the coming couple of years, it’s hard to beat."
My review: Lets just jump in. It smelled deep but I couldn't get anything else out of it. The taste was sour, earthy, and mouth puckering. Not much else, wouldn't grab again for myself.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Chakana Nuna Field White

Name: Chakana
Variety: 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% chardonnay, 20% Viognier
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2016
Price: $20
Winery review: This unoaked Agrelo blend combines mostly Sauvignon Blanc with lesser amounts of Chardonnay and Viognier. White peach, lemon and grapefruit flavours combine to good effect here with a refreshing, limestone-like tang. 2017-19
My review: I wish I didn't see the label of this wine. It really wasnt that bad, but the last time I had something with the "NUNA" label on it, I hated myself and was reminded why I don't like wine. IMO, if they dropped the NUNA label on it this would taste at least 30% better (cause mind stuff ya know). But lets actually talk about this wine. I tried to be as fair as I could, but when I smeled it, it smelled deep and like a butt. The taste was fullish, sour, and kinda like a red. The thing I didn't like about it was that it tasted a bit like piss cause of the Sauvignon Blanc. Again probably was better than what I think, but NUNA is garbage and I would not recommend to anyone.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - OnePio

Name: OnePia
Variety: Lugana
Region: Lombardy
Country: Italy
Year: 2017
Price: $20
Winery review: 100% Trebbiano di Lugana. Soft, harmonious, full and well-balanced wine with straw yellow color. It impresses the nose thanks to its multifaceted and fragrant perfume, that gives off almond and citrus emotions, where it’s possible to recognize even a fresh pineapple touch.
My review: So I did this review a bit later than usual so I had to be quick cause they closed in the middle of the tasting. This smelled like some kind of nut. The taste was sour, bitter and light. Not much to it, wouldn't go out of my way for this.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Riesling

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Riesling
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2017
Price: $9
Winery review: This light-colored wine displays aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom; flavors include green apple and peach. The finish is mildly sweet, crisp, and lingering. This wine is an excellent aperitif, yet it pairs well with a number of different foods. Try it with New England clam chowder, smoked salmon, Chinese chicken salad, roasted duck, or scallops in a cream sauce.
My review: So lets get it. I usually like Crane Lakes so I was excited for this one. This smelled like a sweet white wine. The taste was of a sweet riesling. I like rieslings, I like sweet wines. I like this wine. If you are looking for something deep, look elsewhere. If you want a nice sweet and light wine, pick up a bottle of this.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Terre dei Savoia

Name: Terre dei Savoia
Variety: Nebbiolo (Barbaresco)
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Year: both 2010 and 2012 (explination below)
Price: $40!!! (but on sale for 9 sweet heh)
Winery review: Red berry, rose, leather and baking spice aromas come together in the glass. The structured, juicy palate doles out ripe black cherry, licorice, roasted herb and tobacco alongside firm, velvety tannins. Still young and bracing, give this a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2016–2026.
My review: Oh boy, this has a story. Sit on down and lets spin you a tale. I came into the tasting and after having a few mediocre wines that  was meh about, we got to this one. They :ran out" of the 2010 bottles so we tried that instead. What I wrote down was "power, tastes like its a really good wine, but just a bit more tannic than it should be". I then hung around for a bit and they just happened to find a bit more of the 2010. Oh Savoia, you were holding out on me. This wine got so much better with the 2 years. I am currently drinking the bottle that I bought from this tasting cause it was good. It smells far deeper, and more fruity. The taste is of slightly bitter fruits that really just pop. It also has a bit of citris in there. Honestly I kinda got this cause of the huge sale, its no CK Mondavi (I think my fav wine cause price/taste), but this is still a REALLY good wine.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Vigna Lenuzza

Name: Vigna Lenuzza
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Region: Friuli
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $15
Winery review: With a ruby red color and with intense purplish reflections it has a nose of red fruits like cherry, raspberry, and blackberry, to spices like marjoram, rhubarb and white pepper. On the palate it is pleasantly fresh, not too heavy, with sweet tannins and with soft herbaceous notes, which are the traditional characteristics of the Cabernet-Franc.
My review: To start off, this smelled deep, and purple. Image the color purple in smell form, it is this. I know that sounds stupid, but it makes sense when you smell it. There was some spice to it and what I think was pepper there too. The taste was deep and woody with a pepper aftertaste. There was no fruit in the flavor whatsoever and had a bitter end. If that is what you are looking for then go for it, otherwise eh.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Peter Cruythoff

Name: Peter Cruythoff
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Swarthland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2015
Price: $10
Winery review: Made in a definite herbaceous style, this Sauvignon Blanc also offers tropical undertones of gooseberries that add fruit to the palate. Well-balanced with zesty acidity, every glassful is fresh and crisp, and perfect for warm summer days.
My review: Well usually I don't like Suvignon Blanc cause I don't like the taste of cat piss. Lets give it a go though. It started out smelling like not much, and not like cat pee, so not bad considering the grape. The taste was sweet but kind of sour after. Overall it tasted like a sweet water with a very tiny amount of cat pee mixed in. Just enough to taste, but not enought to detract from the wine. In the end, not bad, but considering the grape, this is one of the good ones if you don't have a non Sauvignon Blanc.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Masseria Pertuso Avelium

Name: Masseria Pertuso
Variety: Bombino Bianco/Chardonnay
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2016
Price: $15
Winery review: From the Apulia region of Comune di Andria nella zona, the color is Straw yellow with greenish reflections. A fresh bouquet with floral and cirtus fruits characteristics. A wonderful wine to pair with fish.
My review: So the smell was of sugary grass. It didn't have very much smell to it. The taste was smooth and sweet. It had a few hints of herb to it and stayed light throughout. At the end of drinking this I found myself wanting some french toast. This is probably cause someone was making french toast in the corner but I still wanted it. If I had to choose between this wine and french toast....I'd go France.

I did not have this with food.

Wine Dinner 2

Well here we go again with another Wine Dinner. I will say the last one seemed a little better than this one.
To start we had a Terra de Trulli which when I tried by itself at first smelled of an assortment of spices that I couldn't put my nose on. The taste was an acidic, tart grape that started out kinda crappy but had a nice finish to it. I paired it with salad with a balsamic vinaigrette which I will say I tried without the wine first and I just don't like it (the dressing cause it is garbage). The wine with the salad was really good tho
ugh, it brought out some of the underlying richness of the wine. I then tried the same wine with the same salad with ranch and it brought out alot of the creamy goodness that is ranch (I know, I must have amazing taste to like ranch more).

The pairing was of Finca Rio Negro and a Slavic dish made by my friend that was called plov. It was my first time having either so I was excited to try both alone and together. The wine alone was fruity with what I think was apple, but had a bitter note to it. Alone it was pretty pleasant, but onto the food pairing. With the meal, it added sweet undertones and brought out the spice that was hiding on the meat. The wine tasted more dry which was a plus in this instance.

The last pairing was of Camelot Mead (honey wine) that I wish I first tried before having some of the peanut butter fudge. The next day I had the rest of the mead without a pairing so I'll talk about what it was then so you can have a good example as to what it tastes like untainted. It was a very sweet meed that was a bit much for me tbh, it also was bitter at the same time and reminded me of a sour apple juice. Wouldn't buy again especially if alone. But with the fudge, it brought out the deep chocolate parts of the flavor, but it seemed way dryer and less sweet so it just paired pretty badly in my opinion. Everyone else at the table disagreed with me, but I just didn't like them together.

Tasting - Douglas Hill

Name: Douglas Hill
Variety: Blend: Shiraz, Barbera, and Grenache
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: Not listed
Price: $7.95
Winery review: A blend of Shiraz, Barbera, and Grenache with flavors of fresh berries and stone fruits, this sweet-style, easy-drinking wine is delicious when served with appetizers, seafood, shellfish, pork, poultry, and desserts.”.
My review: This was kinda a generic sweet California. It smelled sweet and of blackberries. It tasted like a juice that was a mix of grapes and pineapple. It was sweet and tasted non-alcoholic so it was kinda fun. The best way to describe it was liquid jello. Usually that means juice, but it was kinda just plain and not deep. It seemed fine and I could have picked it up, but I feel like I would want a different sweet wine that had more to it.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Bricco dei Tati

Name: Bricco dei Tati
Variety: Barbera
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95
Winery review: This is a young, fresh, lively Barbera with a persistent and attractive bouquet of black cherries and a bit of spice on the palate. It has few tannins which is typical of the Barbera varietal, and a medium finish. Delightfully approachable, pairs great with cheese, barbecue and game.
My review: Ooooo boy, sometimes I get a wine that I know I could pick up. This wine didn't have much in the smell department. I got some spice, earth, and what I think was cherry. The taste was dry, light bodied, earthy, and had some light berry. This wine left my mouth wanting more of something. Was it wine? I'm not sure, but my mouth wanted something...probs cheese. I can say that this was definetly a chugging wine for me if it were a bit cheaper.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Vina Temprana

Name: Vina Temprana
Variety: "Old vines" Garnacha
Region: Campo de Borja
Country: Spain
Year: 2017
Price: $9.95
Winery review: This wine's bright raspberry and plum aromas are typical of Garnacha. Its fresh, racy palate isn't heavily structured, offering a lovely mix of plum, oak and chocolate flavors.
My review: The smell was pretty deep with the scents of velvet, earth, and leather. The taste was of oak, coco, and cassias. It was smooth throughout with a earthy aftertaste. It was mildly dry. It was OK, but I didn't get too much out of it. I could drink this if I wanted to have something kinda slow to drink, but rn I'm not looking for that. I can just drink some whiskey and have a better time.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Casa Bella

Name: Casa Bella
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Pavia
Country: Italy
Year: 2017
Price: $20
Winery review: Produced by macerating Pinot Grigio grape must with its skins. The skins’ pink hue give the wines its copper color. Flavors of green pear, pomegranate, and honeysuckle. It is somewhat of a big burst of opulent tropical flowers, orchid-like scented, with hints of flower, pungent oily floral notes.
My review: This was alright, I might have grabbed it but it could have had a bit more to grab me and I would have bought one. Onto the tasting part though. The smell was of butter, like if I took a biscuit, wiped off the butter with a paper towel, and then squeezed out the butter into the glass I was drinking. The taste was also butter, but was smooth and had prunes and grapefruit mixed in. Was pretty good for my first orange wine.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Michael Chapoutier Tournon

Name: Michael Chapoutier Tournon
Variety: Viognier Marsanne
Region: Victoria
Country: Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $20
Winery review: Orange blossom and mango aromas leap out of the glass, with a fleshy core and a juicy finish, accented by hints of citrus zest. Viognier and Marsanne.
My review: This was an OK wine. It smelled of fresh bell pepper in a generic white wine. The taste was a rosy sweet taste that was gone the second after I drank it. There was next to no finish and it was just gone after a light taste. I wouldn't grab this cause I want to have something more in my wine.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Declan's

Name: Declan's
Variety: Irish Cream
Region: Lewiston
Country: Maine
Year: Not listed
Price: $20
Winery review: For a true taste of Ireland without the travel, look no further than Declan's Irish Cream Wine Cocktail. Inspired by the bold yet tranquil beauty of the Emerald Isle, its rich flavors evoke images of the lush Irish countryside. Delightfully smooth and indulgently sweet, Declan's is easy to enjoy anywhere and anytime. Whether you take it in coffee or by itself, keep a bottle on your shelf.
My review: This was not wine. This was an irish cream that somehow got mixed in. That is not me dissing it, I'm just saying I don't get why it was in this "Wine tasting". But back to the tasting part. It smelled like Irish cream....cause it is irish cream. It tasted like...irish cream...cause it is irish cream. How supprising. I did enjoy it but that is cause Irish cream is so tasty, I was gonna grab a bottle cause it was cheaper than most Irish cream I ever find but my friends were doing a tasting and one of them said he wasn't going to buy a wine for it so I had to grab an additional bottle of something and I wasn't about to spend over $30 in total today. So would have bought, just circumstance made me not.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Hecht & Bannier

Name: Hetch & Bannier
Variety: Minervois
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $26
Winery review: Pureed raspberry, plum and spice flavors are lined with dusty tannins in this fresh, focused red. Hints of milk chocolate add a touch of richness, with floral and spice notes lingering on the crisp finish. Drink now through 2019. 645 cases imported.
My review: Again, I will be honest with you TA's looking through this wine blog, this wine smelled like not a thing. You could have said there is nothing in the cup and I would have believed you (my nose was stocked up so that could made a difference). I could have yelled "THIS BITCH (cup) IS EMPTY, YEEET" and yote the wine across the room and I would have been surprised if wine even came out of my glass. The taste however was smooth until it hit the after taste. It was earthy, spicy, and creamy which was pleasant. But the aftertaste was just straight garbage and made me unhappy. Would not buy this wine.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Crane Lake (Sangiovase)

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Sangiovase
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: $10
Winery review: Medium-garnet color; blackberry, plum and vanilla aromas; raspberry and cherry flavors; with supple tannins for a soft finish.  This wine pairs well with fresh mozzarella and Brie cheeses. Also try it along with veal piccata, chicken parmesan or meat lasagna.
My review: Another Crane Lake? I'm excited (I was just informed afterwards apparently Crane Lake isn't good??? I liked the last one, so imma ignore this random dude who showed up). So to start this seemed kinda weird to me, it smelled deep and earthy. I have a distinct note that it smelled like what the color brown should smell like. I don't know how to explain that other than maybe earthy but it was more than that. It was like it was trying to be deep like black, but couldn't quite handle it so it ended up falling out. Onto the taste. It was like a juicy fruit (type of candy if you've never had it) and had the fruit that I guess is current? Idk, people keep saying that fruit and to this day I have no idea what it is. Lastly it had a flat aftertaste. Wouldn't pick this up for myself, maybe somebody else might want it.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Ch des Muraires

Name: Ch des Muraires
Variety: White blend: 35 % Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Vermentino, and 20% Carignana
Region: Cotes de Provence
Country: France
Year: 2016
Price: $29
Winery review: A blend of 35 % Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Vermentino, and 20% Carignana this is a lightly perfumed wine with a strong herbal element. It is a ripe finely structured wine, with great acidity and orange flavors. A style of wine that will be better for a few more months, it should be drunk from late 2017.
My review: My first whiff of this wine was of peach and seemed like a full wine. When tasting it, it was so light that it almost seemed like water to me. It had a bit of a sour taste and had elements of butter like a biscuit. It was pretty OK, I could have gotten a bottle of this considering the huge sale, but eh, I'd rather just not bother.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Antonello Cassara

Name: Antonello Cassara
Variety: Trefilari Catarrato
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2016
Price: $15
Winery review: Aromas of mature orchard fruit, spring blossom and Herbs de Provence lead the nose. On the tangy palate, a hint of bay leaf accents honeydew melon and citrus. A saline note signals the close.
My review: At first I found a sent of apple and fruit. Seemed like I would enjoy it, as i drank the wine I felt the apple, but it got more and more sour as I drank. Oddly it was smooth with the transition to more a more sour taste. It was pretty light and not too much body. Not much else to say about this wine, I wouldn't pick it up but if you like apple, then go for it.

I did not have this with food.

Wine Dinner 1

Well I never thought I would enjoy one of these a few months ago. I actually really enjoyed this. We had myself and my friends Kaleb, Andrew, Chris, and Grace for this dinner.




















The first wine was a Sauvignon Blanc called Panul. Before pairing it with anything it was kinda a generic white dry wine. We paired it with some salad and it brought out a little more. On my salad I had ranch (yea getting real fancy here) and it was just general lettuce. The wine worked with it because it felt like the salad was refreshing me from drinking the wine (cause I didn't like the wine too much). The salad smelled of leaves and ranch.

The next pairing was of a red tuscany wine with spaghetti with meat sauce. The wine by itself was bad. It was so dark, sour, and bitter that I really would never want to drink it on its own. It did however pair fantastically with the meat sauce. The best way to describe it is that it enhanced the meat and tomato parts of the sauce. I tasted some deep hidden flavors in the wine that were some kind of berry (I think its black current) and just the real fullness of the wine. One thing to note is that I did have to eat the food right after drinking the wine (and not do the reverse order) to get the full grasp of what was accomplished here. The best way to describe how I felt about the pairing can only be captured in the picture to the left.



























The last pairing was of brownies and a delicious honey wine. Alone both the brownies and the mead were awesome. Long it has been sense I have eaten deserts so I was pretty ecstatic about this pairing. Before I even started puting these two together I was happy. I kinda just wanted to eat them separate to make it last longer but nooooooooooooooooooo. When I did pair them together it brought out more of the apple and inner sweetness of the honey wine and gave me a deeper understanding of what brownies really are. Imagine you have a choice between going to jail for 5 years and you get to have this once a month, or never having brownies or this wine ever again. It would be a very easy choice, I'd go jail and be happy once a month.
I hope you enjoyed this blog TA, have a great day and get some of the honey wine for sure, its pretty cheap compared to the other ones at the vintage cellar. Overall this was a great time and I hope to do it again.










Tasting - Vina Galana

Name: Vina Galana
Variety: Sangria
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: Not listed
Price: $9
Winery review: Natural fruit flavors and succulent red wine all fused together in one bottle. This doesn’t require a punch bowl and big ladle, you can chill your bottle in a cooler and head out to the beach or a hike and enjoy a cup of the best sangria anywhere you choose to be.
My review: This started with a chalky smell mixed with chilled fruit. It was as if they made this out of smarties somehow. It tasted pretty different from the smell other than the chalk was still there. It was almost just grape juice so for the rest of these just imagine grape juice with other stuff added to it. It kinda tasted like they added a bit of fireball to it (fireball as in the cinnamon whiskey) and then it went bad overnight with how it was sour. Not a great wine, which is kinda expected from it being in a plastic bottle.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Tres Ojos

Name: Tres Ojos
Variety: Garnacha "old vines"
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2016
Price: $12
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.
My review: To begin, this smelled of some kind of berry with hints of earthy tones. Not really much else to pull out from the smell. The taste was of again some kind of berry, earthy elements, some vegitation, and cherry. The wine was kinda dry which was a nice touch. Not the best wine I've had but not the worst either. Wouldn't pick this up for myself.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Tenuta Rapitala

Name: Tenuta Rapitala
Variety: Campo Reale
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2016
Price: $14
Winery review: This early-drinking Nero d'Avola opens with ripe black-skinned fruit, tilled soil and cooking spice aromas. Straightforward and savory, it delivers black cherry, blackberry and ground pepper flavors alongside round tannins.
My review: This started with smelling deep with coco, and earthy elements. The taste was deep dark cherry, earth, and a hint of dark chocolate. The finish was puckering. This isn't a wine that I would want for myself again, but I could see how someone else might want to grab a bottle of this

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Four Sisters

Name: Four Sisters
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Victoria
Country: Australia
Year: 2016
Price: $17
Winery review: Vibrant passionfruit, gooseberry and lemon citrus flavours shine through on the nose and palate with a fresh, crisp finish. A fantastic match with fresh shellfish, sushi or smoked salmon.
My review: Well this wine at first just smells like urine. I tried so hard to pull some fruit or something else, but someone could have told me that this was urine and I would have believed them. The taste was kind of appley, floral, and of grass. It was sour while drinking and after it just tasted bad. Overall, not a great wine so I wouldn't recommend it.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Annalisa

Name: Annalisa
Variety: Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco Malvasia
Region: Asti
Country: Italy
Year: 2016
Price: $17
Winery review: The perlage is fine and persistent. The color is pale pink, almost cherry. The aromatic scent is intense and reminiscent of wild berries, blueberries and wild strawberries. The flavor is sweet, slightly sparkling and full of berries. Since this is a sweet and aromatic wine is a classic to combine with fruit tarts and pastry. An ideal companion in moments of celebration, Malvasia is also a nice refreshing drink at any time of the day.
My review: Wow this is a fun wine. It smelled smelled like a sweet day spent with your favorite person. For those who haven't done that before, it is sweet but not so sweet that it is overpowering. The taste was the same, not so sweet that I would hate it, but sweet enough to make me f&#*ing love it. It was like a cherry pie but this time I actually loved it. I would have bought this bottle for myself but all of my friends already bought bottles of it so I just got a different bottle that was good too. Overall dang this was tasty, something that would really make me want to go "mmmmmmmmmm fermented grape"

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - CK Mondavi

Name: CK Mondavi
Variety: Red Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec MAGNUM
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: $20
Winery review: Red Blend is their winemaker’s signature cuvee, an expression of five red varieties capturing the best of each vintage. It has the backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon, the finesse of Merlot, the structure of Petit Verdot, the floral essence of Cabernet Franc and the boldness of Malbec. This full-bodied wine offers flavors of black cherries and plums and ends in a soft, balanced finish
My review: Finally, a red wine that I really enjoy. Another great thing about the wine is that it was cheap when on sale and gave you 1.5 liters for your money with being a good alcohol percentage (college students rejoice). When smelling it I didn't get much other than it seemed earthy and smelled as if there was no sugar left in it. The taste was sweet and had berry flavors mixed in there. The aftertaste was a little sour but it disappeared instantly after leaving this to not have too much of an aftertaste. I loved this wine and ended up using some of the little money my college wallet had on grabbing a bottle.

I did not have this with food.

Tasting - Vigna Lenuzza

Name: Vigna Lenuzza
Variety: Refosco
Region: Friuli Colli Orientali
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $15
Winery review: Classic varietal notes of wild herbs, roasted coffee beans, leather and spices deep ruby hues while on the palate sweet spiced notes of cinnamon and cardamom, held together with lively acidity and graceful tannins.
My review: This fine wine starts off with a scent that made it seem deep, dark, earthy, and hints of chocolate. Apon tasting the wine I got a dry chocolate taste with hints of some kind of earthy things mixed in. This was a pretty enjoyable wine so I thought about getting this especially because it was pretty cheap with the sale.

I did not have this with food.