2011 Canyon Road Chardonnay Tasting

Name: Canyon Road Chardonnay 

Varietal: Chardonnay 
Region: California

Country: US of A
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Vintage Cellar's 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 nose left me yearning for more; there was a fruity hint, which smelled citrusy. The body was very crisp, yet smooth and infused with very crisp pear flavors. I did sense a little oakyness but not enough to be the Oak Monster (shoutout to Gary Vaynerchuk!). Overall, a decent wine, not balanced that well, mild acidity and a nice, sweet, sip on a summer day.

Tasted without food.

2011 Sainte Victoire Côtes de Provence Tasting

Name: Sainte Victoire Côtes de Provence

Varietal: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
Region: Provence

Country: France 
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“Bright salmon pink; typical of the fresh but warm Provence style. Refined and complex on the nose, with summer fruit and floral notes. Dry and crisp, with a delicate flavor and full texture.”

My Review:
A beautiful color upfront, somewhere between champagne pink and pale pink. A nose dominated by floral tones with some minor citrusy flavors. The body was a let down after a powerful nose. It was very light and had some mild peach flavor. I would prefer this wine to be more complex and have a backbone since it barely has any tannins. Overall a very light wine and unbalanced. I feel that it needs a more defined body to go well with light foods such as salmon on a warm and sunny day.

Tasted without food.

2011 Tres Ojos Garnacha Tasting

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha 

Varietal: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud 

Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“This 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:
Mmmm! After a recommendation by a bartender a few weeks ago, I have been increasing my uptake of and appreciation for this type of wine; Spanish with a spicy kick! Bursts of berries, raspberries and pepper on the nose. The body didn’t disappoint and was engulfed in almost too strong berry flavors and spices. Overall, a very strong wine with bursts of flavor, but very unbalanced and a bit tarty. Definitely a type of wine for which you grow an appreciation as your palate grows. GO OUT AND TRY WINES LIKE THIS! Too many people are afraid of these wines and are reluctant to acclimate their palates to them. However, you may want to start with a more balanced wine since this is teetering on the more pronounced edge of the spectrum. This would go well with strong foods such as flavored and dried meats but might be a little too much to drink more than a glass of by itself

Tasted without food.

2010 Montebuena Tempranillo Tasting

Name: Montebuena

Varietal: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Rioja

Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“Ripe cherry and blackcurrant 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 tannins 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:
At first glance, the wine has a beautiful color that is somewhere between deep ruby and violet. The nose was amazing and coated your nose with jam. So much jam. A dark jam with dark fruit flavors. It was sweet and the nose and the body as well. I had a “berry party” going on in my mouth. Solid amount of tannins and a semi-dry finish. Overall, a good wine which could use an hour or two of decanting to really open up since it is a bit tight. This is a wine just about any wine drinker would appreciate. It isn’t amazing, but it’s a good wine that is bursting with flavor and good to entertain guests with over the summer.

Tasted without food.

Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz Tasting

Name: Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz

Varietal: Shiraz
Region: South Eastern

Country: Australia
Year: NV
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“A relatively light, fresh style of sparking Shiraz, with berries and hints of chocolate picking up just a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish.”

My Review:
First time trying a sparkling red. Not much on the nose, very light berry aromas. The body had raspberry flavors and was slightly bubbly. It was very sweet, light, and a bit acidic. This wine would go well with desserts since it is very light. I will definitely be exploring more sparkling reds to see if I can find a nice change up.

Tasted without food.

2012 Cortenova Pinot Grigio Tasting

Name: Cortenova Pinot Grigio 

Varietal: Pinot Grigio 
Region: Veneto

Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar's 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.”

My Review:
The first element that sticks about this wine is its almost clear color. I smelled light hints of citrus, sweet grape and melon on the nose. The palate was disappointing after the fruity nose and barely had any flavor besides being tart. Overall, this wine was slightly dry, had medium acidity and was a bit bitter. I would recommend drinking such a light wine on its own or with seafood since the acidity would pair nicely.

Tasted without food.

2011 Maipe Malbec Rosé Tasting

Name: Maipe Malbec Rosé

Varietal: Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar's 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:
The wine has a great, rosy color. A very fruit nose with hints of strawberries, currants, plums and any red fruit really. The taste is very sweet and it does recede throughout the mid palate where the tannins are a bit too pronounced. The wine finishes smooth and dry. Overall, a good wine and recommended for lighter foods.

Tasted without food.

2009 Tinto Figaro Tasting

Name: Tinto Figaro  

Varietal: Garnacha

Region: Calatayud

Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Vintage Cellar's 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 had a great violet color and I got hints of berries and oak on the nose. The body was filled with a darker cherry flavor and slight spices. It was a refreshing and luscious wine with a solid amount of tannins. I thought this wine was very well balanced and had a great aftertaste blend of darker cherry/berry meets spice.

Tasted without food.

2011 Domaine de Grange de Payan Tasting

Name: Domaine de Grange de Payan

Varietal: Grenache
Region: Côtes du Rhône

Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“Intensely spicy and precise, with lively red berry flavors and a hint of black pepper. The Grenache, which makes up the majority of the wine, is deeper and more powerful, offering cherry and black raspberry qualities lifted by zesty minerality.”

My Review:
Wow. A delightful nose with wafts of berry aroma. The taste was slightly peppery but disappointing after the lovely nose. Very little flavor and not much on the mid palate; the wine disappointed. Overall, dry and simple. A pass.

Tasted without food.

2010 Potluck Sweet Malbec Tasting

Name: Potluck Sweet Malbec

Varietal: Malbec
Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar's 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:
The first thing I noticed was this wine’s gorgeous ruby color. The nose had pronounced vegetable and spicy hints. The peppery and vegetable hints overwhelmed the palate. The pepperiness helped balance the sweetness and make for a balanced, yet pronounced wine. It would go well with steaks.

Tasted without food.

Dibon Cava Brut Reserve Tasting

Name: Dibon Cava Brut Reserve

Varietal: 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada
Region: Penedes

Country: Spain
Year: NV
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“Light gold with plenty of bubbles, this wine has aromas of apples and pears with pleasant floral notes. Crisp and light-bodied on the palate, stone fruit flavors are accompanied by a mild minerality and balanced acidity. A delicious sparkler for a great price!”

My Review:
The look and taste of this wine were light gold and very carbonated. I got hints of pear and citrus on the nose. It was light-bodied with slight fruit accents. Very sweet and acidic. Overall, a very sweet and carbonated sparkler.

Tasted without food.

2011 Villa d' Orvieto Tasting

Name: Villa d' Orvieto

Varietal: Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), and Malvasia

Region: Orvieto

Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“It’s a blend of Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), and Malvasia. Fresh and crisp, it has a beautiful, floral bouquet. It is wonderful with appetizers, fish, chicken, and salads.”

My Review:
I got slight mango and floral hints on the nose, not much though. Very smooth wine, with a light flower taste. Overall, it was a very light-bodied wine, slightly sweet, and a bit citrusy. This wine would go great with light foods.

Tasted without food.

2012 Maipe Chardonnay Tasting

Name: Maipe Chardonnay

Varietal: 85% Chardonnay, 15% Viognier

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina
Year: 2012

Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar's Review:
“Made from 85% Chardonnay, 15% Viognier. 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 apples flavors, toasty vanilla. Elegant and luscious wine, well balanced. Crisp and long finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, pork, veal, vegetables.”

My Review:
A beautiful golden color to this wine. The nose left me engulfed in pear, apple and honey aromas. My palate also had pear and apple hints and was buttery. This was a medium-bodied wine with a little acidity. Overall, a dry finish and enjoyable. Will buy again.

Tasted without food.