Tasting -- Clean Slate

Name: clean Slate

Variety: Riesling

Vintage: 2015

Origin: Mosel, Germany

Price: 9.95

Winery Review: The balanced taste profile of Clean Slate is created by carefully selecting grapes from vineyards throughout the Mosel. Grapes from the Lower Mosel provide mineral notes, while grapes from the Middle Mosel create a hint of spiciness and grapes from the Upper Mosel supply fresh, peach flavors. The result is clean, fresh flavor that is delicious with food and perfect to share with friends

Personal Review: the wine had a classic Riesling smell to it, though i cant put my finger on what exactly it smelled like. The wine had a nice soft and sweet taste, like a light honey or fruity sweetness. It then had a crisp and refreshing after taste. 

Tasting--Tabali

Name: Tabalie

Variety: Reserva Carmenere

Vintage: 2012

Origin: Chachapoal valley, Chile

Price: 7.95

Winery Review: Dark, statuesque wine with concentrated, potent aromas of black olive, herbs and mulled blackberry. Tastes like textbook Carmenère, but without any jammy overripeness. Flavor of racy spiced berry, olive and  black pepper are all good, and there's that patented herbal, roasted quality on the finish, but not too much.

Personal Review: This wine had a nice tangy and spicy smell to it. It then had a nice front taste to it but the an odd side or background taste accompanying it. here was a sour after to the wine. 

Tasting--Yellow Tail

Name: Yellow Tail

Variety: Shiraz Grenache 

Vintage: 2015

Origin: Casella, Australia

Price: $5.95 for a 1.5 liter magnum

Winery Review: A classic blend of Shiraz and Grenache, with the raspberries, blackcurrant, lliquorice and spice characteristics of the Shiraz complementing the upfront cherry and cola flavors of the Grenache. The balanced wine offers earthy tones, strawberry aromas and vibrant acidity.

Personal Review: This wine had a nice licorish sweet smell. It was accompanied by a nice soft but odd cherry. It had a smooth mouth feel to it but an odd and kinda sour after taste. 

Tasting-- Closerie Saint Antoine

Name: Closerie Saint Antonie

Variety: Champ De Carra

Vintage: Viognier 2015

Origin: Languedoc, France

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Reserva is un-oaked and without malolactic, from a selection from the Talinay vineyard and 20% from the Tabali vineyard. It has an herbaceous note of asparagus and peas, a chalky sensation, and a fresh palate with bitter and citric flavors. It’s a superb value.

Personal Review: This wine had a present soft Fruity pear smell. When sipping it had a spiky body that would hit you tongue and sides, then mellow to a soft pear taste, with a nice refreshing after taste. 

Tasting-- Tabali

Name: Tabali

Variety: Reserva Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage: 2013

Origin: limari valley chile

price: $7.95 

Winery Review: The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Reserva is un-oaked and without malolactic, from a selection from the Talinay vineyard and 20% from the Tabali vineyard. It has an herbaceous note of asparagus and peas, a chalky sensation, and a fresh palate with bitter and citric flavors. It’s a superb value.

Personal Review: The wine had a sharp acidic smell of a hayish old grass and earth smell. The wine had an odd taste different then the smell that i couldn't quite make out. It had a soft body but the acidity hit your tongue. 

Tasting-- Barao de figueira

Name: Barao de Figueira

Variety: Siria

Vintage: Vinho Branco 2014

Origin: Beira, Portugal

Price: $6.95

Winery 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.

Personal Review: This glass opened with a nice strong smell of pears and green apples. The wine had a nice soft feel to it though it had a bit of a dryness to it. The taste was not as strong as the smell and there was little aftertaste. Nice to sip on during a sunny afternoon. 

Tasting-- Ca'Bea

Name: Ca' Bea

Variety: 45% Uva Rara, 10% barbera, 25% croatina

Vintage: sangue di guida 2014

Origin: Oltrepo Pavese, Italy

Price: 9.95

Winery 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

Personal Review: The glass had a nice sweet smell to it. It is a slightly fizzy wine with a bit or a caramel/ butterscotch flavor to it as well as a tarty apple taste. It has a pronounced mouth feel with the bubbles that that reach your whole mouth. It had a nice sweet aftertaste. 

Tasting--Alvarez de Toledo

Name: Alvarez de Toledo

Variety: Mencia roble

Year: 2009

Origin: Bierzo, spain

Price: $8.95

Winery 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

Personal Review: The glass opened up with a peppery sharpness in its smell. It had a Dryish medium body to it with hints of an earthiness inside. A smooth finish. Not a huge amount of taste to the glass, not bad but not great. 

Tasting--Codirosso

Name: Codirosso

Variety: 90% sangiovese,7% canaiolo, 3% colorino

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Vintage: 2015

Price: $7.95

Winery 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

Personal review: The glasses opened with a nice sweet raspberry smell to it with a small earthiness in it. When tasting it had a slightly dry feel that reached the edges of your cheeks. The glass had an oaky woody flavor that covered the slight red or black fruit in it. It had an oaky long aftertaste. 

Tasting--The Royal

Name: The Royal

Variety: Chenin Blanc

Country: Western Cape, South Africa

Price: $8.95

Year:  2015

Winery 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

Personal Review: The wine opened with a nice wet and soft green apple scent. In tasting it had a nice soft body, and about midway between sweet and dry. It had a the green apple flavor mixed with a peachy twinge. Little aftertaste and acidity. It was quite refreshing and great for a light afternoon glass.

Tasting -- alpha omega

Name: Alpha Omega

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: Nappa valley California

Year: 2014

Winery Review: 
Color: deep shiny dark cherry with touches of magenta on the rim
On the nose: explosion of boysenberry, cassis and ash with touches of potpourri, macerated cherries, herbs de Provence and nutmeg.

On the palate: soft velvety entrance evolving on dense but soft tannins with touches of plums and blackberries lingering on clay and blueberry

Personal Review: The wine had a smooth rich full bodies smell of dark fruit and a slight wood smell. It had a delicious full taste of black berries and blue berries with a nice lingering taste with a smooth aftertaste. It has a smooth full bodies feel to it. enjoyed with steak and asparagus.

Tasting -- Hall

Name: Hall

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Year: 2014

Price: $157.5 current market price

Country: Diamond mountain district california

Winery Review: Opaque purple, it offers up beautiful notes of chocolate, espresso, blackberry and cassis. The wine hits the palate with a gush of deliciously pure, unctuously textured fruit and offers up full body, a multi-layered mouthfeel, and a long, long finish, nearly disguising some serious structure and tannin. This is a gorgeous, classic Diamond Mountain wine to drink over the next 25-30+ years.


Personal Review: This wine had a rich full bodied smell. It had a smell of dark fruit and a little sweetness to it. It had a full bodied rich taste that hit all sides of the mouth. Its fruity flavors were pronouced of a sweet blackberry. It had a smooth after taste that can easily be sipped or drunk like water. Eaten with steak and asparagus.

Tasting -- Carnivor

Name: Carnivor


Variety: Zinfandel

Year: 2015

Price: $9.99

Country: California 

Winery Review: Carnivor Zinfandel is a captivating combination of full-bodied flavors and elegant spice. Bold notes of dark cherry and blackberry jam complement hints of mocha and toasted oak. Carnivor Zinfandel’s rich flavors end with a plush, smooth finish.

Personal Review: The wine has a nice full bodied smell to it at the start, with a dark current and maybe tannin smell. When tasting it has a full mouth feel that hits the sides of your mouth. It had a bold dark berry
flavor with a spicy after taste that surprisingly has a smooth finish.

Tasting-- Farmhouse Sangria

Name: Chateau Morrisette

Variety: Sangria

Country: Dan Virginia

Year: Not specified

Price: $8.19

Winery Review: Sweet Blend of red wine and fruit. Serve chilled or over ice. excellent choice for any festive occasion

Personal Review: The wine had a very soft smell to it of mostly red fruit and a tad bit of citrus fruit. It had a nice soft sweet taste of a red berry. with a longer sip it had a sort of citrus flavor coming out. It didn't have a large mouth feel. Felt very summery.

Taste by itself.

Tasting--Invino

Name: Invino Si

Variety: Pinot Girgio

Country: Lombardy, Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Pavia, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy where viticulture dates back thousands of years is home to the Si Pinot Grigio vineyards. The wine is creamy on the palate with a crisp, dry character, fresh citrus and pear flavors and an elegant finish.

Personal Review: This wine opened up with a fruity and pear like smell that was very sharp, almost attacking your nose. When i tasted it, it had a flowery note along with the pear and general fruity flavor. It was soft and refreshing though you could feel the acidity as it attacked your cheeks.

Tasting Fossi

Name: Fossi

Variety: Sangiovese, Merlot, Primitivo and negromaro

Country: Fiesole, Italy

Year: not stated

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: A blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with a touch of Primitivo and Negroamaro. It will remind those who have traveled to Italy of one of the local house wines they consumed while there.  Simple, juicy, and perfect for drinking with or without food, it’s packed with bright cherry, strawberry and cranberry fruit aromas and flavors.

Personal Review: This class had an earthy, raisiny smell to it. Like a dried sunny earthy smell. It tasted a bit spicy with a black cherry and cranberry flavor to it. It had a bit of spice or a sharp kick at the end. 

Tasting-- Layer Cake

Name: Layer Cake

Variety: Grnacha

Country: Calatayud, Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: The Layer Cake Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain is rich and powerful, yet clean and balanced. Layered with aromas of ultra ripe black fruit. On the palate, the wine shows intense dark fruit with a background of rich dark chocolate and fresh ground coffee with a long creamy finish.

Personal Review: It had a sweet smell to it with a hint of a black fruit and a small spiciness to it. When tasted you can find the hints of the black fruit while also feeling a soft spiciness that kicks at the end. It was a dry wine though good. 

Tasting-- Alvaro Domecq

Name: Alvaro Domecq

Variety: Aranda Cream Sherry

Year: not provided

Country: Jerez, spain

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: Golden-brown in color, this has heady aromas of cola, nut, nutmeg, root beer and caramel. A pure, creamy palate of cinnamon apple, mocha, coffee and chocolate. It's quite smooth and balanced, and very long on the finish.

Personal Review: The wine had a strong piercing aroma to it, with a brandy smell in it. It also gave off a kind of buttery smell and texture to it while smelling, almost as if the wafting air was thick with a butter feel. Tasting it released a soft butterscotch like taste, with an odd after taste. It was good though i think i should have let it air out longer for it to mellow a little. 

Tasting-- Montrio

Name: Montrio

Variety: Pinot Noir

Country: California

Price: $8.99

Year: 2015

Winery Review: Inspired by wine country escapes with friends under groves of majestic redwoods, Montrio wines are crafted from lush California grapes. This alluring Montrio pinot noir boasted ripe cherry and cola notes, with gentle fruit flavors that linger on the palate. pairs perfectly with BBQ chips, impromptu gatherings among friends and even a turkey and cranberry sandwich on sourdough 

Personal review: It has a dark berry smell to it with a bit of acidity to it. It smells powerful but it doenst have a strong smell of any particular flavor. It taste of the dark berry in it with a slightly spicy flake to it at the end. It has a soft feel to it with a bit of a pinch on the tip of your tongue. Eating with a bit of spicy food really brings out the nice flavors of the spice with out as much of the sharpness to it. 

Tasting-- Prime's

Name: Prime's

Variety: Ruby Port

Country: Oporto, portugal

Price: $9.95

Winery 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.

Personal review: It had a whiskey smell to it mixed with a spiciness to it. However, it had a smooth body with a bit of sweetness to it resembling honey. It had an oaky and earthy taste after the sweet flavors. The alcohol really hits the tongue at the end and it feels a little viscous. very pleasant wine though i don't think i could drink a lot in one sitting. 

Tasting-- Lindeman's 

Name: Lindeman's bin:80 

Variety: Cabernet Merlot

Country: Southeastern Australia

Year: 2015

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Medium red in color with ruby hues. On the nose aromas of dark red berries, blackcurrants and ripe plums. While the palate is  medium bodied, with dark red berries and a soft tannic finish.

Personal Review: It had a nice smell of black fruit with a very wet smell to it. It had a similar taste of a smooth black fruit and berry.  It finished with a soft body to it with a lasting flavor on the tongue. 

Tasting--Domaine du Poujol 

Name: Domaine Du Poujol

Variety: Coteaux du Languedoc

Country: Southeastern Australia

Year: 2011

Price: $5.95

Winery 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.

Personal Review: This wine had a pleasant smell of a red berry mixed with a slight hint of a muskiness. It had a hint of the red berry mixed with a black berry to it in the taste but its smell had a much stronger flavor to it then the taste. It was also a bit dry. It was good but not amazing. 

Tasting-- Pazo De Monterry

Name: Pazo De Monterrey

Variety: Godello

County: Monterrey Spain

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Clean, minerally, slightly green in aromatics and oh so approachable and nice. For an under-$15 white, this Godello from Monterrei excels with layered flavors of apple, minerals and natural spice. The finish is long and hints at fresh herbs like thyme and tarragon. Potentially superb with garlic shrimp or calamari over fresh greens.

Personal Review: This wine smelled sweet and had a strong aroma to it. It smelled slightly citrusy or tropical. When tasting it bough out that citrusy tropical flavor in it. It had a nice soft flavor though and felt refreshing. It had a slightly sweet after taste to it. 

Tasting-- Jam Jar

Name: Jam Jar

Variety: Sweet white

Country: Western Cape, South Africa

Year: 2015

Price: $7.95

Winery 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.

Personal Review: This glass smelled like sweet with a peachyness to it. It smelled easy and very nice. While drinking it had a sweet fruity taste with a large flavor of peach to it. It was soft and easy to drink, feeling light in my mouth. It left me refreshed.

Tasting-- Fox Creek

Name: Fox Creek

Variety: Shiraz

Country: McLaren Vale, Australia

Year: 2012

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: Bright purple. Exotic, expansive aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, vanilla and cola, along with a peppery overtone and a hint of violet pastille. Broad, fleshy, appealingly sweet boysenberry and cherry liqueur flavors show excellent depth and a seamless texture. Finishes juicy and long, with building spiciness, an echo of blue fruit and round tannins.

Personal review: At first is smelled slightly fruity sweet smell with some hints of pepper inside it. When i tasted it, it had a sharp peppery spice to it with hints of the fruity sweetness in it. It left the peppery taste as well as a little dryness on the side of my mough. 

Tasting--Candoni Buongiorno

Name: Candoni Buongiorno

Variety: Primitivo syrah and red blend

Country: Puglia, Italy

Year: Not specified

Price: $7.95

Winery Review:Black ruby color. Mild, spicy, earthy aromas of spiced berries and plum with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a tingling, brisk earth and cinnamon finish with dusty, coating tannins and moderate oak. A sturdy, earthy red for the table. 

My personal review: It smelled spicy with a little bit of an earthiness to it. It tasted earthy but not mineral, with some spicy kick to it. It hit the side of the tongue and the back of the throat. It was a strong feeling in my mouth and after it left it a bit dry. 

Tasting- Garnacha de fuego

Name: Garnacha de fuego

Variety: a red wine blend

Region: aragon

Country: Spain

Year: 2014

Price: $8.99

Winery Review: The worldwide origin of the garnacha grape, the jagged mountains of aragon are home to out vineyards. high on the mountainsides, at 300ft. above sea level, out 45 year old dry farmed garnacha vines cling to the slate and iron soils they call home, fighting for survival in this desolite region. we select only the ripest clusters to produce a wine of considerable depth and finesse, that excludes intense aromas of sweet cherries and dark plums with an exotic white pepper finish

My Review: Smelled soft with a bit of a sweet smell to it, though not a strong or a super noticible smell. It has a soft taste to it and had a thin feel to it. It was smooth but didnt have a  pronounced flavor after it was just poured. After it opened up after a while it was still very smooth and the slight dark fruit flavor came out. Though still nothing super intense. A nice wine to have on its own.

Tasting-- Crane Lake 

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: Gewurstraminer

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: Not listed

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: This floral wine has notes of rose, peach, and apricot, with a smooth, lingering finish. This wine pairs well with both smoked Gouda and Munster cheeses. Also try it along with roast pork, turkey, red snapper or sautéed abalone.

My Review: It had a sweet kind of sharp smell to it. It tasted soft and sweet with a little peachiness flavor to it. It had a little sharpness to it in the end but not much. It was very refreshing and would go well to end a meal on its own.  

Tasting-- Grand Cru 

Name: Grand Cru

Variety: pinot noir

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2014

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Garnet color. Aromas of black cherry, plum jam, rich dark soil, and violet honey with a lightly tannic, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, complex, medium-long black cherry, rich garden soil, crushed plum, and cinnamon toast finish with medium tannins and moderate oak. Dense, dark and chewy with earthy complexity, balancing the luscious jammy fruit qualities of new world with earthy qualities of old world wines

My Review: smells like an old wooden basement, hints of wood and a mossy or a dewy smell to it. It had a woody, an oak or some hardwood, strong taste to it. It had a full taste to it and hit the sides of my tongue. The after taste had a sharp alcoholic feel to it. It was a good wine and a full bodied that i feel would go well with food. Though i would recommend having it alone

Tasting- Carnivor 

Name: Carnivor

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2014

 

Price: $15.99

Winery Review: Carnivor Cabernet is a unique combination-full-bodied flavors with finesse. Our rich blend shows hints of blackberry, caramel, roast coffee and tasted oak. carnivor Cabernet finishes each bold sip with a refined smoothness

My review: Smells slightly acidic but there it berry in it. It has a soft thin taste to start but hits the back of your tongue with a small nice spice. Smooth finish to the first taste. when it opened up it became much smoother and sweeter. with more of the dark berry or licorice to it. there became soft after taste of acidity to it. it was soft to drink and pleasant. when it opened up it became much smoother and sweeter. with more of the dark berry or licorice to it. there became soft after taste of acidity to it. it was soft to drink a nd pleasant

Tasting- Dona Sol Sweet Red Wine

Name: Donal Sol Sweet Red Wine

Variety: Shiraz, Petite Syrah, And Symphony

Region: California 

Country: USA

Year: No Year listed

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: None Listed on the bottle

My Review: The wine was a sweet red wine. It had a nice small dark berry smell to it. It was quite sweet but not overpowering. The rest was smooth and it didnt leave a powerful after taste. Quite easy to drink at the end. Wanted more

Tasting- Pieter Cruythoff

Name: Pieter Cruythoff Chenin Blanc

Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc

Country: Wine of origin: Swartland, Wine of South Africa

Year: 2015

Price: $9

Winery Review: Pieter Cruythoff discovered the Riebeek Valley in 1661 and today we celebrate his discovery of this beautiful area with a tange of quality wines as part of a every day quality lifestyle. this wine from the Swartland region offers well defined fruit with a complimentary freshness to ensure a crisp and refreshing white wine. Drink within 2 years with your favorite light meal or on its own.

Personal Review: This wine was moist and a little bitter,. It was lighter and refreshing. It didn't have a strong after taste to it. It was pretty good. 

Wine blog intro part one i guess. About me and wine. I like wine, it is yummy and taste much better then beer did when i first tried both so i stuck with it. It also helps that my parents are huge wine people, my dad is trying to get his sommelier license and open a store. So I've tired a good number of wines before but now i want to actually try them. I want to know what makes certain ones good to me and be able to describe what I'm tasting instead of just saying its good.The ones i currently enjoy are Cabernet Sauvignon and i think Pinot noir. I'm not a huge fan of whites but some are alright.

I want to know a bit more about them and the types to keep up with my dad. He likes to bring out nice bottles every now and then and sometimes i cant tell why its much better then others, though he'll say they are. I want to try and explore the flavors that can be present in the wines and how different flavors can be brought out through different foods.

Currently I'm not a huge drinker. I might have a bottle over the weekend with my girlfriend, though now we are both taking the course so we can both explore the wine together. When we have drank together we didn't branch out that much and only stayed with the very little i know so i'm encouraged to try different wines with this course.