Wine Tastings from the Vintage Cellar 2/23

Tasting- Santola


Name: Santola

Variety: Vinho Verde

Region: 

Country: Portugal

Year: Non-Vintage

Price:$7.95

Critic Review: Soft and creamy, although with just the right Vinho Verde bite, this is a crisp and clean wine, boasting light pear and pink grapefruit flavors.  Off dry and very fresh.

My Review: This wine smelled like lemons to me.  It was very smooth and refreshing.  It tasted a little like lemons also with a bit of an acidic bite to it.  It had a very light body.  It had a bit of an oaky flavor as well.  I liked this wine.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Protocolo

Name: Protocolo

Variety: Blanc

Region: 

Country: Spain

Year: 2009

Price:$6.95

Critic Review: 87 Points, Stephan Tanzer. Greenish gold. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle.  Dry, understanding and focused, offering clean citrus and melon flavors and slow-building sweetness.  Finishes dry and brisk, with an echo of lemon.  As usual, this is an outstanding value.

My Review: I did not really like this wine.  It smelled of oranges and honeysuckle.  It was very dry.  It tasted citrusy.  It had a heavier body than the first wine.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Resonata

Name:Resonata

Variety: Nero D'Avola

Region: 

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95

Critic Review: Dense ruby red with violet reflections.  Lush and ripe bouquet full of mulberries, blackberries and spice.  Harmonious and well balanced with good berry fruit in a spicy background.

My Review: It smelled like blackberries with a hint of spices.  This wine had a medium body.  The taste was like blackberries as well.  It was very smooth.  I thought this wine was ok.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Don Ramon

Name: Don Ramon

Variety: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo

Region: 

Country: Spain

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $7.95

Critic Review: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo.  Aged 3 months in American Oak casks.  Ruby red in color, with creamy aromas of earth and cherry. Flavor turns toward deeper and darker black cherry and raspberry on a medium framework.  A subtle earthiness underneath the bright fruit adds some depth and complexity.

My Review: This smelled like cherries.  I could pick up the oak flavors when i tasted it.  I was not the biggest fan of this wine either.  
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Heinz Eifel Shine

Name:Heinz Eifel Shine

Variety: Riesling

Region: 

Country: Germany

Year: 2010

Price:$8.95

Critic Review: Flint and mineral notes accent pineapple and lime aromas, while on the palate, the wine shows plenty of ripe, citrusy fruit flavors. Tangy acids on the long finish provide balance.

My Review: This wine smelled like limes with a hint of floral aromas.  It was very smooth and light and was a bit sweet.  It tasted very sweet and fruity.  Overall this was my favorite wine of the tastings.

I did not have food with this wine.

Wine Tasting from the Vintage Cellar 2/16

Tasting- Cantina Villafranca

Name: Cantina Villafranca

Variety: Frascati

Region: Frascati

Country: Italy

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $7.95

Critic Review: Produced from a selection of the best grapes located in the Frascati Doc production area.  Made from 45% Malvasia di Candia, 15% Trebbiano Toscano, 25% Mavasia del Lazio, 15% Grechetto (Greco).  Intense yellow color with greenish reflections.  Characteristic persistent fresh and fruity aromas.  Excellent as an aperitif and paired with fish, seafood, or white meat.

My Review: This wine was very lemony smelling and tasted a little like lemons also.  It had an acidic taste and was very light in body.  I thought this wine was ok.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Morro Bay

Name: Morro Bay White Oak Estates

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Lodi

Country: United States, California

Year: 2009

Price: $5.95

Critic Review: Vanilla cream soda nose with a slice of fresh cut pineapple.  Full body, tropical fruit, spice and pleasing vanilla oak note linger in the finish.  Sweet flavor on the palate is from sur-lie aging the wine on the primary yeast lees for 7 months.  A versatile style of wine that can be served chilled with fine cuisine or a glass with friends.  Certified Green by Lodi Rules Sustainable Winegrowers.

My Review: It smelled like pineapple and vanilla.  It was medium light body with a very smooth taste.  It also had hints of vanilla upon tasting it.  I enjoyed this wine.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Coreto

Name: Coreto

Variety: Tinto

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

Year: 2008

Price: $6.95

Critic Review: This red from the Coreto range has loads of dark berry fruit with a hint of new oak creating a soft, velvet structure that makes it very easy to drink. Red currant and juicy acidity.

My Review: I really enjoyed this wine.  It smelled like berries and also tasted like them.  It had a medium body and was very easy to drink.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Charles Thomas

Name: Charles Thomas

Variety: Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre

Region: Rhone

Country: France

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $8.95

Critic Review:Wine Advocate, 87 points.  From a 140+ acre estate near the well-known Cotes du Rhone village of Point Saint Esprit emerges this juicy Cotes du Rhone, a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre.  Well-made, with loads of berry fruit and a heady, meaty, peppery nose with a hint of Provencal herbs, the wine is fresh, lively, and best drunk over the next 2 years.

My Review: This wine smelled a little peppery with a hint of berries.  It was very smooth tasting.  It tasted like blackberries and I really like this wine as well.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Lost Vineyards

Name: Lost Vineyards

Variety: Spumante Dolce

Region:

Country: Italy

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $4.95

Critic Review: Palate silvery straw color.  Floral aromas of apples, peaches, and potpourri follow through on a round, frothy entry to a fruity medium bodied, sweet wine with good depth and tangy peach fruit and a breezy, harmonious green apple kissed finish.

My Review: This wine was very sweet smelling.  It smelled of flowers.  It was very sweet tasting like peaches as stated above.  This was my favorite wine of the five I tried.
I did not have food with this wine.

Wine Tasting from the Vintage Cellar 2/9

Tasting- Coastal Vines

Name: Coastal Vines

Variety: Brut

Region: Sonoma

Country: California

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $6.95

Critic Review: Coastal Vines Sparkling Wine is a light colored wine with aromas of apple and citrus.  On the palate there are flavors of melon and pear.  The finish is crisp and clean.  Pair with cheeses, like brie, for appetizers; grilled garlic shrimp over a bed of pasta; or with a light white cake for dessert.

My Review: I could definitely detect the flavors of melon and apples when I smelled this wine.  It tasted fruity like the melons and was very smooth finnish.  Overall I liked this wine.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Lazzaro


Name: Lazzaro
Variety: Chardonay
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year:2010
Price: $6.95
Critic Review: Opens with mellow peach and melon aromas and some oak.  The palate is round, creamy, and full.  Tastes of spiced, dried apple with a stalky, pithy accent.
My Review: This wine smelled like peaches.  When tasting it it was very tart. I could taste the spiced apples in it which I think contributed to the slightly tart finish.  I thought this wine was ok.
I did not have food with this wine.






Tasting- Tres Ojos

Name: Tres Ojos

Variety: Garnacha Tempranillo Rose

Region: Calatayud

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $5.95

Critic Review: A 50-50 blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, this medium rose-colored roasdo 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: It definitely smelled like roses and other flowers.  I did not really enjoy this wine.  I thought tasted bad and it burned a little in my mouth.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Into Zin

Name: Into Zin

Variety: Zinfandel

Region: Lodi

Country: United States, California

Year: 2008

Price: $7.95

Critic Review: Spicy, jammy, ripe round plum with juicy soft finish.  Goes well with marsala chicken, peppered steak, or broiled lamb shank.

My Review: Smelled like spices and plums.  The tastes were fruit, oaky, and a little peppery. I liked this wine.  It was my favorite out of the five I tasted.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting-Legaris

Name:Legaris

Variety: Crianza

Region: Ribera del Duero

Country: Spain

Year: 2003

Price: $8.95

Critic Review: 90 Points, Wine Spectator. A silky texture carries plum, tobacco, coffee and mineral flavors over ripe tannins in this balanced red.  Berry and vanilla notes linger on the finish.  Drink now through 2013. -T.M.

My Review: It smelled very strongly of coffee and tobacco.  I tasted berries with a hint of vanilla.  I enjoyed this wine.

I did not have food with this wine.

Dinner- Zeppolis (South America)

On Monday February 6, my friends Abby, Matt, and I went to the wine dinner pairing at Zeppolis restaurant.  Upon entering the restaurant there was a buffet style of food including pasta with feta cheese greek olives and tomatoes, pasta with sausage and marinara sauce, garlic bread, bread with pizza sauce and cheese, cheese and crackers, wontons, and salad.  All of the food was very delicious and really added to the wine experience.

This is a picture of the front of the restaurant

The atmosphere was very casual.  We sat in a side room which consisted of a bar and a wall full of all the wines that the restaurant served.  I feel like this gave it a more rustic feel.  We sat at a table with some of our fellow classmates.  

Matt and I enjoying our food before the tasting started.

This is some of the food that we ate at Zeppoli's.

Before every tasting, the wine was described to us and told what it would be paired well with.  At the end of the meal, the owner of the restaurant brought us out cupcakes that she made to go along with the dessert wine.

This was the cupcake that was made for us.

These are all of the wines we tasted throughout the night.

Wines:

2010 Crucero, Sauvignon Blanc- This wine had a strong citrus smell as well as it tasting like citrus fruits.  It had a strong acidic taste upon finishing.  When pairing this wine with pasta, some of the acidity disappeared.  I thought this wine was ok.

2010 Picpoul de Pinet- Coteux Du Languedoc- This wine had a 12.5% alcohol content.  It was light, dry and I could taste some of the acidity in the wine.  It smelled like lemons.  With this wine I paired it with some of the cheese that we had which lowed the level of the acidic taste.  Overall I really enjoyed this wine.

2009 Manos Negras- Torrontes- The wine was from San Juan, Argentina.  It had a 13% alcohol content.  It was very flowery smelling.  Upon tasting it, I found the flavors to be very bitter and burned a little in my mouth.  I tried it with the cheese and I still did not like this wine and found it to be bitter still.

Sombras Del Sol Chardonnay Valle Centrat: This wine is from Chile with an alcohol content of 13.5%.  It was very buttery smelling with a hint of flowers.  It also tasted buttery and left a weird aftertaste in my mouth.  I paired this with some of the pasta which made it not as bitter tasting but it was still not my favorite of the night.

2010 Allamand Malbec-This is from the Valle de Ueo of Argentina.  It is made from 100% Malbec grapes but the grapes come from three different vineyards of the region.  It has a 14.1% alcohol content.  I could pick up on the spices when smelling and tasting the wine.  It also smelled of berries.  I could definitely pick up on the higher alcohol content since it burned my mouth a little going down.  I paired this with some of the pasta with marinara sauce and sausage.  After tasting it with the sausage the berry flavors became more prominent.

2010 Crucero Carmenere Chile: This is from Chile with an alcohol content of 13.5%.  It was very berry smelling and I could definitely pick up on the raspberry and black plum flavors.  It was very smooth and also tasted like berries.  I really enjoyed this wine and it paired nicely with the cheese that I had with it.  The cheese really amplified the flavors of the wine.

2010 Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon: From Argentina with an alcohol content of 13.5%.  It smelled like blackberries to me and was very fruity when I tasted it.  This wine was excellent when I paired it with the pizza bites.  I felt like the red sauce really complimented the flavors of the wine.

Gen 5 Cabernet Sauvignong: This wine was from California.  It smelled like cherries.  Upon tasting it, it was very smooth.  The wine was full bodied.  I tasted this wine with some of the salad.  This was by far my favorite wine of the night.

Rinaldi Red Dream Filtrato Dolce: This was the last wine we tasted of the night which matched with the chocolate cupcake.  It has an alcohol content of 7%.  It had a light red color. The wine smelled very flowery with hints of fruit.  It tasted like strawberries.  The wine was slightly bubbly.  It had a very smooth finish and was sweet.

Wine Tastings from the Vintage Cellar 2/2

Tasting- Royal Chenin Blanc

Name: The Royal Chenin Blanc

Variety: Chenin Blanc

Region: Coastal Region

Country: South Africa

Year: 2009

Price: $4.95

Critic Review: "This wine packs a deceptive punch.  And that punch tastes of apples, pears and quince, with an appealing herbal note that helps it pair well with salads and other light fare.  Don't drink it too cold, or you might miss all the fruit" -- Washington Post

My Review: This wine tasted very acidic to me with the finish leaving a bitter feeling in my mouth.  It also had a tart aftertaste.  It smelled very fruity and tasted little fruity at first.  Overall I did not enjoy this wine too much.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting- Coldstream Hills

Name: Coldstream Hills

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Yarra Valley

Country: Australia

Year: 2009

Price: $7.95

Critic Review: "The nose shows fragrant gooseberry characters with underlying passionfruit and lychee aromas.  Minerally, stalky notes are evident and provide additional complexity.  The palate is a fine and elegant style with zesty lemon acidity and length." -- Vintage Cellar

My Review: This smelled like a wet dog to me.  It also tasted like one and it left a very bad aftertaste in my mouth.  Needless to say I did not enjoy this wine and I couldn't taste anything else besides musty flavors.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Marques de Moral 

Name: Marques de Moral

Variety: Crianza Tempranillo

Region: Valdepenas

Country: Spain

Year: 2007

Price: $7.95

Critic Review: "87 points"-- Stephen Tanzer; "Medium red. Aromas of redcurrant and cherry, plus a hint of dried rose.  Fleshy and smooth, with moderate depth to its slightly bitter red fruit flavors.  Finishes with decent breadth and grip, with the redcurrant element joined by a hint of white pepper." -- Vintage Cellar

My Review: As stated above this wine had a slight bitter taste. It was very fruity smelling and I could definitely detect the cherry from smelling the wine.  It had a nice smooth finish though.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Le Lapin

Name: Le Lapin

Variety: Multiplicity

Region: Paso Robles

Country: California, United States

Year: Non-vintage year

Price: $6.95

Critic Review: "Multiplicity is a blend of grapes that rabbit ridge is keeping under wraps for now.  The nose is black cherry, blackberry, a little plum and some spice, with a touch of forest floor.  The palate is full of fruit and spice, with flavors of black cherry and slight cranberry note.  Nice firm tannins and a medium finish." --Vintage Cellar

My Review: This wine definitely smelled like blackberries.  It had a very smooth finish.  It tasted very fruity with a little spices as stated above.  Out of all the wines tasted, this was my favorite.

I did not have food with this wine

Tasting- Opera Prima 

Name: Opera Prima

Variety: Moscato

Region: Castilla La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: Non-vintage year

Price: $5.95

Critic Review: " This is an amazing value for an inexpensive Moscato sparkler that is great for many occasions.  Its bright fruit aromas of lychee and lime are appealing and the flavors of honeydew, lime and lychee are delightful.  Great for cake or fruit-based desserts." -- Vintage Cellar

My Review: I did not like this wine at all.  I thought it smelled like flowers and soap.  To me it did not really taste like much except it bubbled in my mouth and then didn't taste like anything.

I did not have food with this wine.