Tasting-Chateau Suau Bordeaux Rose

Name: Chateau Suau Bordeaux Rose
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 
Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: Not listed

Manufacturer Review: Very aromatic wine, strawberry and raspberry nose. Fresh, fruity and well balanced on the palate.

My Review: The rose color, again, drew me in from the start. The aroma was a mixture of flowery and citrus-ey. After tasting it, it seemed somewhat spicy and floral. The wine was also a good balance between dry and more wet. While it wasn't my favorite, I did enjoy it. 

Tasting-Le Petit Pays D'OC Cinsault

Name: Le Petit Balthazar, Cinsault Pays D'oc
Variety: Cinsaut
Region: Languedoc-Roussilon
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95

Manufacturer Review: The Le Petit Balthazar wines are innovative in that they are of great quality, low in alcohol and a great price. With low alcohol comes a lower calorie count, 87 calories per glass, which is approximately 20% less than an average glass of wine. The lower alcohol has been achieved naturally without any technical intervention.

My Review: This rose colored wine smelled flowery, almost like roses. The pleasant smell combined with the nice color made me anxious to taste this wine. The taste wasn't anything super distinct to me but it was smooth and calm. I enjoyed the wine. 

Tasting-Nugan Estate

Name: Nugan Estate Third Generation Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Not listed
Country: Australia
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Manufacturer Review:  To retain the delicate natural aromas and flavours, select parcels of fruit were crushed and lightly pressed prior to clarification and cool fermentation. Regular lees stirring helped to add texture and finesse to the wine that was fermented and matured on medium toast in addition to receiving French oak treatment. 

My Review: The aroma on this wine was very intriguing because it smelled like butter. There were also toasty elements to it which can probably be allotted to the fact that it is an oaked wine. The taste was very airy and smooth. It was interesting that I enjoyed the taste of this wine more than the higher priced, non-oaked wine. 

Tasting-Macon-Peronne "Le Clou"

Name: Dom de la Condemine Macon-Peronne "Le Clou"
Variety: Chardonnay 
Region: Burgundy
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Made from 100% Chardonnay. Sustainable agriculture: very low use of chemicals.  Their philosophy is to produce a wine in the traditional style of Mâcon, with minimal intervention and not use of Oak.  The soils is made of Clay and Limestone (Argilo-Calcaire) and the parcels are located right next to Viré Clessé Appelatio.  A light golden hue, floral aromas. Intense, clean and fresh on the palate. Citrus notes, bold acidity. Excellent match to seafood with butter or cream sauces or rich blue cheeses.

My Review: The aroma was quite fruity but I couldn't determine which fruits specifically. The taste was more dry and gave me a sense of acid-type tastes. There were hints of sour grape fruit on the taste of this wine. I didn't particularly enjoy it, but it wasn't terrible. 

Tasting-Tarima Blanco

Name: Tarima Blanco
Variety: 70% Mereseguera, 20% Viura, 10% Moscatel
Region: Alicante
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Light yellow.  Perfumed aromas of Meyer lemon, melon and white flowers show good clarity and a hint of ginger.  Juicy, open-knit citrus fruit and peach flavors are firmed by a zesty mineral quality and a touch of white pepper.  The melon note repeats on the clinging but slightly warm finish.

My Review: The smell of this soft white wine was fruity. More specifically, it reminded me of tree fruits such as pears and apples. It had a slight tang to the taste, but was overall very good and light. This wine was enjoyable and was easy to drink. I would drink this wine again! 

Tasting-Jam Jar Sweet White

Name: Jam Jar Sweet White
Variety: Moscato
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: This charming, easy-drinking Moscato offers flavors of peach, apricot, lychee and orange blossom. A lively jolt of acidity keeps it fresh and fruity. Fancy enough for a special occasion toast, yet sweet-natured enough to enjoy every day, our bright and cheerful sweet wines are sure to capture your heart.

My Review: The color of this white wine was rather light. I was very intrigued by the smell and wasn't sure quite how to explain it. Essentially it smelled exotic and grassy-almost like what I would imagine a safari to smell like. This was probably the most distinct nose I can recall from the wines I've tasted. The taste was very sweet and light, almost airy. I enjoyed this wine and would drink it again! 

Tasting-Rare Red

Name: Rare Red 
Variety: Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Merlot
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: Not listed
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: A multi-vintage blend of Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Petite Syrah, and Merlot that is full-bodied and fruit forward with a spicy and complex finish. This wine has been partially barrel aged for eight months in American and French oak.

My Review: This wine was perplexing because it was an unknown mixture of several various grape varieties. The guy pouring the wines described it as a "guessing game" wine which made me very interested to see what it was like. This wine was also very dark red and smelled like berries. There was also a slight chemical aspect to the nose. The taste was extremely dry and I had a hard time finishing it. 

Tasting-Breca Tovana

Name: Breca Tovana 
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Munebrega
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Gnarled vines, grown without irrigation, are a mainstay of Spain’s winemaking tradition and produce small clusters of perfectly ripe Garnacha grapes. Aromas of blackberries, plums, and cherries fill the glass and develop into luscious flavors of black stone fruit. Long, supple tannins complete this extraordinary wine.

My Review: The color of this red wine was very dark. It smelled like berries, specifically raspberries. I wasn't overly excited to taste it, because I'm not usually a fan of the red wines. After tasting it, I determined that it was quite dry and had a slight tang to the taste. I didn't enjoy it and don't plan to drink it again.

Tasting-Marques de Caceres Verdejo

Name: Marques de Caceres 
Variety: Verdejo
Region: Rueda
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Vivid straw colour. Fresh, clean and intense bouquet enlivened by notes of citrus fruit with a depth of pears and apples. Deliciously fresh and full in the mouth where racy, focused flavours deliver notes of minerals, lemon rind and green apples. Good length and a refreshing finish. Has all the character of the best from its appellation.

My Review: This white wine had an appealing hue to it, which drew me in initially. The aroma reminded me of apples which made me even more anxious to taste the wine. Upon tasting it however, there didn't seem to be any super distinct tastes to me. It was generally fruity. Compared to the first wine in the tasting, it was much calmer and went down smooth. While I did enjoy it, it wasn't my favorite. 

Tasting-Dibon Cava

Name: Dibon Cava 
Variety: 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada
Region: Catalonia
Country: Spain
Year: Not listed
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review (From Wine Enthusiast-88 points): Made from 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, the nose offers regal yeast and richness, while the palate has complexity to prop up apple, citrus and grapefruit flavors. Solid from front to back, with health and freshness. Cava, Catalan sparkling wine, is made mostly in the regions of Penedes, and the capital of cava is Sant Sadurni d´Anoia. Dibon is located in Vilafranca del Penedes, aproximately 20 Km from Sant Sadurni. The Dibon vineyard is in the process of becoming fully organic. It consists of 75 hectares of trellised vines 1000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea.

My Review: The aroma came across as quite fruity, specifically reminding me of kiwis and pears. There was also a somewhat buttery smell to the nose. The taste was much more bubbly than I was anticipating and it resembled a sparkling wine. I really enjoyed this white wine and would definitely drink it again! 

Tasting-Hahn Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling

Name: Hahn Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Piesport
Country: Germany
Year: Not listed
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: This wine’s light, airy mouthfeel belies its sweetness and intensity of flavor. Honeyed pineapple aromas; similar flavors on the palate, adding gentle citrus notes toward the long, sweet finish. 

My Review: The smell was very sweet and pleasant, which drew me in. Plus, I tend to like Riesling style wines, so I was anxious to sample this one. The color was nice and light and the the aroma quite floral. Upon tasting this wine, it was nice and light. The taste was also sweet and I quite enjoyed it. I would drink it again! 

Tasting-Tres Ojos Garnacha Calatayud

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha Calatayud 
Variety: 15% Tempranillo, 85% Grenache
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Vintage Cellar Review (From Robert Parker, 88 points): "The 2012 Tres Ojos Garnacha contains 15% Tempranillo (I wonder why), and unoaked cuvée of 200,000 bottles that matures in vat for at least seven months before bottling. What I tasted was a very honest, fresh and fruit-driven red with aromas of cherries, garrigue and thyme with a medium-bodied palate, some weight and tannins that would do better with food. This is a red that sells for a song.”

My Review: This dark red wine smelled a lot like berries. While it is from 40-year-old vines, the taste was quite like some mixture of cherries and berries. This one was not quite as dry as the wine before, but still quite strong.

Tasting-Torre Castillo Cosecha Monstrell

Name: Torre Castillo Cosecha Monstrell
Variety: Monstrell
Region: Jumilla
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review (From Stephen Tanzer-89 points): 100% Monastrell, aged in American oak for four months. Bright ruby. Powerful, spicy aromas of dark berry preserves and lavender. Fleshy and round on the palate, offering spicy blackberry and blueberry flavors and gaining sweetness with air. Finishes smooth, long and slightly warm. "

My Review: This wine had an oak element about the smell. This is probably due to the fact that it spent four months in oak. I also sensed some grapes and berries on the nose. The taste was quite dry and strong. I noted some berry flavors on the after taste. It was not one of my favorites and too much on the dry side for my liking.

Tasting-Chateau Suau Bordeaux Rose

Name: Chateau Suau Bordeaux Rose 
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review (From Stephen Tanzer-88 points): 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Light, lurid pink.  Tangerine, raspberry and white pepper on the fragrant nose.  Juicy and focused in the mouth, offering zesty red berry flavors with a refreshingly bitter edge.  Closes clean and tight, with lingering spiciness and a touch of orange zest.

My Review: The color was very intriguing, as it was a nice rose hue. The smell somewhat reminded me of roses. The nose combined with the color made me excited to taste the wine. However, upon tasting, there was quite a strong after taste. This could possibly allotted to the fact that it is 11.5% alcohol. That being said, it did go down quite smoothly.