Tasting - "Lost Vineyards Spumante"

Name - Lost Vineyards Spumante
Variety - Spumante Italiano Moscato
Region - Piedmont
Country - Italy
Year - Non Vintage
Price - $7.00

Wine Store Review -
Pale color. Confected, fruity aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle, pear tartlet, and honeydew melon with a satiny, shy, spritzy, moderately sweet light-to-medium body and a sleep, fast yellow apple, candied pear, honeycomb, and sweet papaya finish with no tannins and no oak. Simple and approachable with sweet apple, melon, and candied pear on a framework of gently, delightful bubbles.

My Review - This wine had rich scents of honeydew, strawberries and cantaloupe. It almost smelled like the juice in a fruit cup. It tasted like sweet, cherry gummies and candy. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Cabernet"

Name - Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Cabernet
Variety - Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon
Region - Padthaway
Country - Australia
Year - 2013
Price - $19.00

Wine Critic Review - Robert Parker - 87 points
This red wine is a well above average effort with lots of flavor, as well as Australia's so easily obtainable, lush fruit. The 2013 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (55% and 45%, respectively) exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with a layered, peppery, berry fruit-scented nose revealing licorice and meaty notes. From a much lighter vintage, it's a supple, easygoing red to enjoy now and over the next several years.

My Review - I smelled cherries, dark berries and a pepper/licorice hint at the end. It also had a deep earthiness smell to it too. I thought it tasted like pepper with a strong spicy palate, followed by an enjoyable tang which left a really good finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Cavit Alta Luna Pinot Noir"

Name - Cavit Alta Luna Pinot Noir
Variety - Pinot Noir
Region - Vigneti Delle Dolomiti
Country - Italy
Year - 2011
Price - $20.00

Wine Store Review -
On the nose, cherry, plum, and berry aromas mingle with notes of spice and tobacco. On the palate, soft, supple tannins and refreshing acidity are beautifully balanced by ripe cherry fruit flavors on the finish - which is dry, harmonious, and elegant.

My Review - I thought this wine smelled like rich, dark cherries covered in smooth milk chocolate. It had a plum hint as well, with a trace of spiced tobacco. I thought it tasted very tangy actually with hints of dried cherries and blackberries. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "El Cortijillo Verdejo"

Name - El Cortijillo Verdejo
Variety - Verdejo
Region - La Monacha
Country - Spain
Year - 2014
Price - $6.00

Wine Critic Review - Beverage Tasting Institute - 90 points
Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins, and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper.

My Review - This wine smelled like honey and lime with a sweet apple hint. I thought it tasted very similar - like a sweet apple pie, more fall fruits than tropical fruits on the palate and nose. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Trattoria Busa Alla Torre"

Name - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre
Variety - Pinot Grigio
Region - Veneto
Country - Italy
Year - 2014
Price - $8.00

Wine Critic Review -
A Venetian favorite! It is crisp and dry, rich and spicy, with hints of peach and honey; perfect with salads, pasta, chicken, and fish. Musaragno is an organic wine estate near Venice, Italy.

My Review - This wine's scent reminded me of a sweet granny smith apple with a hint of honeydew and peach. It was very tarte to taste but had a dry quality on the palate. It also tasted like a granny smith apple, similar to it's smell.  I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Fetzer Gewurztraminer 2014"

Name - Fetzer Gewurztraminer 2014
Variety - Gewurztraminer
Region - California
Country - Unites States
Year - 2014
Price - $12.00, Sale - $8.95

Wine Critic Review - Wine Enthusiast - 87 points
A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly.

My Review - I smelled peaches, orange blossom, honeysuckle, strawberry and almost like the scent of a rose garden. I thought this wine had a very sweet start but a nice surprise with a punch on the mid-palate then an easy, sweet finish. I thought it tasted like sweet apples, roses, melon and almost like a fruit gummy. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Maipe Malbec 2015"

Name - Maipe Malbec 2015
Variety - Malbec
Region - Mendoza
Country - Argentina
Year - 2015
Price - $12.00, Sale - $6.95

Wine Critic Review - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 87 points
"The 2015 Maipe Malbec is another 100% Malbec, with a deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty, blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It is delicious, soft and round."

My Review - This wine's scent immediately reminded me of the smell of yogurt for some reason. I thought it also smelled earthy, like dirt and greens on the forest floor. It also smelled like plums and deep, dark fruit. I thought it tasted very bitter and made my mouth dry. I definitely tasted a spicy plum and blackberry as well. It had a strange after taste and a very quick finish for a red this complex. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay 2014"

Name - Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay 2014
Variety - Beaujolais Nouveau
Region - Beaujolais
Country - France
Year - 2014
Price - $12.00, Sale - $4.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
A pretty, floral wine, with a rose petal note underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish.

My Review - This wine smelled like plums, pomegranate, apricots, black currant, and blackberry with a hint of spicy black pepper. I thought it tasted like blackberry jam topped with cracked black pepper. I thought it had a good, lingering finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Mapreco Vinho Verde D.O.C. Rose 2015"

Name - Mapreco Vinho Verde D.O.C. Rose 2015
Variety - Vinho Verde
Region - Vinho Verde - Treizadura, Loureiro, Arinto, Touriga Nacional
Country - Portugal
Year - 2015
Price - $10.00, Sale - $7.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rose made from the traditional vinho verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of strawberry, cherry and berries. A delightful twist on the original.

My Review - I thought the color of this wine was just beautiful, it was a faint orange/pink. It smelled like cherry, orange blossom, melon and cantaloupe. I loved the fizzy texture of this wine on the palate. I thought it tasted like a watered down orange juice, peaches and white grape juice. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Mars & Venus Chardonnay 2014"

Name - Mars & Venus Chardonnay
Variety - Chardonnay
Region - La Mancha
Country - Spain
Year - 2014
Price - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple. Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping.

My Review - This wine smelled like sweet citrus and grapefruit. It almost smelled like nail polish remover. It also had a lemon/orange juice acidic scent too. I thought it tasted very acidic and tangy on the start with an orange peel flavor. So it tasted very much like the smell and finished off with a sweet flower-like finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Wine Dinner - Palisades (Germany & Austria)

This Wednesday at the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, Virginia, the "Wines Around The World" theme was Germany and Austria. The dinner included three white wines paired with an entree and two sides. 

Front View of the Palisades Restaurant

I went with two of my closest friends who are also taking the class. We were the first people there for the 4:30 seating and really enjoyed the setting and how beautiful the interior of the building was designed.

Interior View of the Palisades Restaurant

"Wines Around The World" Menu 

Meal Presentation

 The wines and dishes are as follows: (from left to right) Wines: Dr. Loosen Riesling 2014, Shine Gewurztraminer 2013, and Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner 2013. (counter clockwise) Food: Kasespaetzel (Cheesy handmade spaetzle noodles with grated cheese & butter), Rohe Kartoffelknodel (Classic Potato dumplitngs), and Schnitzel (Thin fried pork cutlet topped with Lemon).

Dr. Loosen Riesling, 2014

The first wine was the Dr. Loosen Riesling. This wine smelled like pear and sweet grapefruit with a hint of lilac. It tasted exactly like a sweet apple juice or cider with the spring flowers mixed in. I love how it basically tasted how it smelled and was refreshingly sweet. After tasting the Kasespaetzel, I noticed the wine became more tangy, but the onion definitely helped to add to the sweetness on the finish. The cheese paired well with the sweetness as well. This was definitely my favorite wine of the night.

Shine Gewurztraminer 2013

The second wine was the Shine Gewurztraminer. This wine smelled like white grape juice, roses and orange peel. I thought it tasted like tangy grape juice with a hint of lemon zest. This wine was definitely thicker textured on the palate and had a more buttery, chardonnay feel. It definitely had citrus flavor hints. After tasting the Rohe Kartoffelknodel, I noticed they brought out the sweet flower flavors in the wine and not so much the citrus, it actually calmed down the citrus tones. I liked the balance the wine now has of citrus and sweet because of the food. The thickness of the potato dumplings also complimented the thickness of the wine. 

Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner 2013

 The third and final wine was the Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner. This wine smelled like sweet apples, peach and roasted almonds. It tasted somewhat like a pinot grigio. It was sort of bitter but didn't linger very long like I thought it would. I thought it was refreshing but also spicy. It had a slight bitterness that reminded me of biting into a lemon peel, but overall this wine did not have much flavor on the palate. After tasting the Schnitzel, I noticed that the saltiness of the pork toned down the spice and bite of the wine but the lemon flavor on the pork really complimented the tart lemon of the wine. Overall, this was my favorite pairing. 

Overall, this was a very cool experience. I loved the location, the atmosphere and definitely loved the wines. I now understand why German Rieslings are the best of the best!

Tasting - "Beringer Chenin Blanc"

Name - Beringer Chenin Blanc
Variety - Chenin Blanc
Region - California
Country - Unites States
Year - 2014
Price - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
A fresh green-apple aroma and vivid citrus and crisp apple flavors are supported by vibrant acidity in this medium-bodied wine. The texture is smooth but crisp, making lots of good food pairings come to mind, from pre-meal cheese, to salads, seafood and veggie pastas.

My Review - This scent of this wine immediately made me think of the smell of cat pee. It also had hints, after the initial cat pee scent, of geranium, peach and almost a yeast/flour smell. It tasted like toasted almonds, apricots, peaches, strawberry jelly and vanilla. I thought it was a good balance and tasted better than the smell for sure. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Carraia Aglianico"

Name - Carraia Aglianico
Variety - Aglianico
Region - Champagna
Country - Italy
Year - 2013
Price - $15.00, Sale - $9.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Produced in the Campania region of Italy, this Aglianico has delicious black fruit flavors with hints of licorice, volcanic soil and tar notes. Classic in nature, yet in a lighter, more crowd-pleasing style, the Carraia is made of the ancient Aglianico grape. This black grape originated in Greece and today is widely grown in Basilicata and Campania.

My Review - This wine smelled like prune and plum, also had an earthy, dirt scent too. It also had a hint of darker fruit like black currant. It was very strong on the palate, reminiscent of the darker fruits and just not ripe enough berries. It was pungent overall but had such a smooth finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Siema Vino Rosso"

Name - Siema Vino Rosso
Variety - Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo
Region - Piemonte
Country - Italy
Year - ----
Price - $10.00, Sale - $6.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Intense ruby red with soft garnet nuances in the glass, the Rosso is intriguingly fresh, fruity and spicy on the nose. Perfectly round and balanced, the wine is particularly soft and dry. Pair with simple dishes like fresh cheese, ham, salami, or pizza for a divine culinary experience.

My Review - The color of this wine was beautiful, it looks just like my birth stone, garnet. I smelled rubbing alcohol very strongly right away with hints of black cherries and raspberries. It was a very strong blackberry jam flavor on the palate, a little smokey but a smooth finish. It definitely had a lingering smokey, licorice aftertaste. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Dom de la Foret Grenache Cinsault Rose de Mediterranee"

Name - Domaine de la Foret Grenache - Cinsault Rose De Mediterranee
Variety - Grenache (50%) & Cinsault (50%)
Region - Provence
Country - France
Year - 2015
Price - $13.00, Sale - $8.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
A stony, pure style, with a warm paving stone note framing the dried cherry and rose water notes. The long, watermelon rind - inflected finish is finely tuned. Shows length and cut, staying lacy in feel, 50% Cinsault and 50% Grenache.

My Review - Strawberry jam, rose petals, honeysuckle and honeydew were strong aromas from this wine. It tasted much more stronger on the palate though, more like a deeper cherry or raspberry mixed with grapefruit juice and a ripe watermelon. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Bricco dei Tati Cortese"

Name - 2013 Piemonte Cortese Bricco Dei Tati
Variety - Cortese
Region - Piemonte
Country - Italy
Year - 2013
Price - $10.00, Sale - $6.95

Wine Critic Review - The Washington Post
"Great Value! Treat this terrific little white like a red: Don't chill it too much, then let it open for a half-hour to develop its enticing tropical fruit flavors. It's dry, but the fruit gives an appealing illusion of sweetness. Great as an aperitif or with light seafood dishes."

My Review - This wine smelled like very strong citrus/grapefruit and honey. It had a hint of almonds and like a strong almond or vanilla extract. It tasted like shaved lemon peel, flowers, sour apple and the finish reminded me of the acidic feeling in your throat after drinking orange juice. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Crane Lake Riesling"

Name - Crane Lake Riesling
Variety - Riesling
Region - California
Country - Unites States
Year - 2013
Price - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
The trademark German red grape varietal Dornfelder has a lovely purity of soft red berry fruit. Integrated soft tannins combined with forward fruit flavors make for a perfectly balanced everyday sipping wine. Great with grilled red meat, sausage and chicken. Best served slightly chilled.

My Review - I smelled sweet bouquet aromas of rose petals and wildflowers. I also smelled sweet peaches, butterscotch and vanilla with a hint of strawberry. I thought this wine tasted very well-balanced of the sweetness and the bite on the tongue. It tasted like the smell of fresh spring flowers, apricot and sweet apple pie. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Crane Lake Shiraz"

Name - Crane Lane Shiraz
Variety - Shiraz
Region - California
Country - United States
Year - 2013
Price - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Beautiful ruby appearance, with blackberry and pepper notes. Tannins and fruit marry well for a soft finish. This wine pairs well with sharp cheddar cheese and hazlenuts. Also try it along with roast lamb at Easter time, veal marsala, or grilled salmon.

My Review -  This wine smelled like sweaty socks, dirt, earthworms, raisins and cherries. It sort of tasted like a tobacco pipe, burning the throat and stomach. It had hints of pepper and rotten fruit as well. My palate was not a fan. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2015"

Name - Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2015
Variety - Nouveau
Region - Beaujolais
Country - France
Year - 2015
Price - $12.00, Sale - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
George Duboeuf is THE king of Beaujolais. His wines are full of pop, charm and great flavor and his Beaujolais Nouveau is no exception. A cornucopia of expressive fruit wrapped in an almost-bubblegum-like frame; it is the flagship Nouveau.

My Review -  This wine smelled like a block of Parmesan cheese immediately to me. It had scents of a smokey cigar boxy and darker fruits like black cherries and raspberries. It tasted like a fig or dark fruit jam, blackberries, on a piece of burnt toast. It definitely wasn't my favorite flavor and didn't have a very good finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Maipe Torrontes 2014"

Name - Maipe Torrontes 2014
Variety - Torrontes
Region - Mendoza
Country - Argentina
Year - 2014
Price - $14.00, Sale - $7.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
This wine has a spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well-balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish.

My Review -  This wine reminded me of the smell of grape soda, it also was reminiscent of sweet apples and crisp, ripe peaches. It tasted so much more bitter and bland than the sweet aromas it gives off. I tasted more of a pineapple zest, rather than sweet fruits. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Tonnino Pinot Grigio 2014"

Name - Tonnino Pinot Grigio 2014
Variety - Pinot Grigio
Region - Sicily
Country - Italy
Year - 2014
Price - $14.00, Sale - $7.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Tonnino's exotic example of Pinot Grigio has a straw to pale gold color. It is fresh and clean on the nose with fruity notes of pear, green apple and white peaches. The palate is true to the nose with a fresh acidity, coriander and lime notes followed by a crisp finish. This wine pairs well with youthful aperitifs, clams or mussels, pastas and risotto dishes.

My Review -  This wine smelled like sweet pears, sour lemon and melon. It was very interesting on the palate, it bit the tongue at first but had such a sweet finish. It didn't linger long and was very thin. It was reminiscent of pear and honeysuckle. Very similar to it's scent. I did not try this wine with food.

Wine Dinner

Tonight we decided to cook our own dinner for the Wine Dinner Tasting instead of go out to see what we could pair with our own cooking. We had a Caesar Salad for the appetizer, Pesto-Chicken Pasta for the main course and Apple Pie for the dessert. It was 8 of us who take the class and we got 3 random wines to try and pair with the 3 entrees.

Wine One

Wine Two

Wine Three

Course One - Caesar Salad

Wine One - Kendall Jackson Chardonnay 2014
                   $11.00
                   13.5% alc.

Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay 2014

This wine smelled like apricot and pear with a hint of citrusy-grapefruit. It tasted very oaky and was buttery on the tongue. It tasted like sweet pears and sour apples. It had a good mid palate and didn't have much of a lingering finish but was sour on the tongue.
After eating the Caesar salad I noticed that it made the wine taste much sweeter, it brought out more of the pear flavors rather than the citrus. It sort of had a zesty lemon hint to it as well but a much more acidic finish.

Course One & Course Two with Wine One & Wine Two

Course Two - Pesto-Chicken Pasta 

Wine Two - The Velvet Devil Merlot 2014 

                   $12.00

                   13.5%

The Velvet Devil Merlot 2014

This wine smelled like black cherry, pomegranate and had a hint of a smokey scent. It tasted pretty bland when first touching the palate but had a good, lingering finish. It did make my mouth a little dry so I think the alcohol wasn't balanced as well with the fruit/sweetness. It had a lingering blackberry and raspberry hint at the end. 

After eating the Pesto-Chicken pasta, I noticed the wine's bite and bitterness was taken away. It made it much more sweeter and smoother. But, after drinking a couple more sips of this wine I noticed it burned my stomach so I know the alcohol was definitely not well balanced. 

Course Three & Wine Three

Course Three - Apple Pie

Wine Three - CM3 Blend 2010 (Cape May Winery)

                      $35.00

                      13.5%

CM3 2010

This wine was a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah (33.3% each). It's actually a wine from my friend's family vineyard in Cape May. It smelled like a nail salon/nail polish immediately. It definitely burned the nose. It had hints of raspberry, blackberry and other dark fruits like black cherries. It tasted like cherry cola, slight tobacco, spicy fig, a hint of raspberry and was very chalky on the palate. It had a better balance than the last overall and had a long finish. 

After eating the apple pie, the wine tasted more bitter but it definitely took away the bite of the high alcohol content. It definitely had more of a red fruit flavor after eating the apple pie - more raspberry, cherry and even strawberry.

Overall, I thought it was very interesting that all of the wines had the same percentage of alcohol, yet they all were balanced so differently. I think my favorite was the Chardonnay but I did enjoy the blend from Cape May as well.

      

Wine and Cheese Pairing

 

Our goal with this pairing was to try to find cheaper white wines, under $10.00 that would be complimented by different ranges of quality of cheese. For the wines, we picked an Italian Pinot Grigio, am American Sauvignon Blanc, and an Australian Chardonnay. For the cheeses, we picked a Scharfe Maxx (Swiss Alpine Cheese), an Italian Pecorino with Truffle, and just the normal Kroger Sharp Cheddar. All of these wines were chilled, as were the cheeses. 

Wine 1: 

Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 2014 

$9.00

12% alc.

This wine smelled like grapefruit, honey, and a little bit acidic with a hint of lemon zest. It tasted like lemon peel and pear, very citrusy. It also had a buttery full-mouth feeling, sweet at the start and finishing long and strong. 

Cheese Paired: Scharfe Maxx 

"Flavor to the maxx! Loosely translated as "very sharp," this update on Swiss Alpine cheese tradition has an oniony, beefy funk and a nutty bite. Finished in our caves to stinky perfection."

This cheese really took away the bite and pungency the wine had when on the palate. It made the sweeter flavors more present - the peachy, melon flavor rather than the citrus punch to the mouth. 

Wine 2: 

Arquero Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2015

$5.00

11.5% alc.

This smelled AMAZING. It smelled like the perfect balance of fruit and flowers. It was more on the tropical fruit side with fig and mango with a hint of orange blossom. It tasted so smooth, a little more smooth than I was expecting. It tasted like sweet apples, peaches and a little bit like the smell of a rose petal. 

Cheese Paired: Sharp Cheddar 

Nothing fancy here, just plain kroger brand cheddar cheese, but it was a nice medium to the two crazy cheeses we picked for the other wines. After this cheese, the wine tasted tangier, it definitely brought out the more lemon and orange zest that you could smell in the aroma of the wine in the beginning. I also tasted more of a sour kiwi flavor too. 

Wine 3: 

Lindeman's Bin: 65 Chardonnay 2015

$5.00

13.5% alc.

This had a strong green smell, asaparagus, cabbage and even a hint of a seafood smell. I also thought it had an apricot, prune, sort of rotting fruit scent as well with the bizarre mix of a smokey cigar box. When first touching the palate, it was very tingly on the tongue and lingered for a while. It tasted like a smokey fire, rotting fruit but also had a nice tanginess to it. It was a very interesting flavor. 

Cheese Paired: Pecorino with Truffle

"A fresh sheep's milk cheese with whole pieces of black truffles. Buttery and intense with the aroma of damp pastures, lanolin and earthen fungi. Smooth, buttery and intensely satisfying, permeated with the essence of truffles." 

Just the description of this cheese makes my stomach hurt... And the taste was even worse. It was awful and it really brought out that rotten fruit/smelly feet taste of the wine. It did make it tangier however though and gave it a sweeter flavor on the finish. 

Tasting - "Dona Sol Sweet Red"

Name - Dona Sol Sweet Red
Variety - Shiraz, Petite Syrah & Symphony
Region - California
Country - United States
Year - --
Price - $6.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Shiraz has a unique jammy fruit character that is well represented in the Sweet Red. Both on the nose and on the palate, jammy fruit, like strawberries, cherry pie and red licorice, entices the senses and pair well with cheeses and desserts.

My Review - I smelled blackberry jam, strawberry and it really smelled like a port overall. I thought it tasted sweet but had a little punch with strawberry. It had a smooth finish and was definitely a fuller, thicker wine. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Velvet Crush"

Name - Velvet Crush
Variety - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Petit Sirah
Region - California
Country - United States
Year - --
Price - $18.00, Sale - $6.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Velvety smooth texture just like its name. Soft tannins and lush dark fruit character. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Sirah bring backbone and character, while the Merlot balances out the blend for a soft, smooth texture.

My Review - I smelled raspberry, flowers, and a sweet scent lingering. I thought this wine was very well balanced, had a nice lingering finish with dark cherries and cocoa on the palate. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Grand Cru Pinot Noir"

Name - Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Variety - Pino Noir
Region - California
Country - United States
Year - 2013
Price - $6.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
This ruby-colored wine has aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon. Lamb shanks and pork tenderloin are a favorite main dishes to pair with this wine.

My Review - I smelled pepper, blackberry, dark cherry, strawberry jam and plum. This wine was much more bitter on the palate than I expected from the smells. It really didn't have much flavor for me but was smooth - more of a Merlot taste. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Prime Brume Garganega"

Name - Prime Brume Garganega
Variety - Garganega
Region - Soave
Country - Italy
Year - 2014
Price - $11.00, Sale - $6.95

Wine Critic Review - 91- Tastings.com
Pale color. Fruity, floral minerally inviting aromas of passion fruit, white grapefruit, spice poached pear, and papaya with a lean, racy, bone-dry medium body and a smooth, complex, long lemon, passion fruit, raw hazelnut, and wet stones finish with no tannins and light oak. From the tantalizing nose full of exotic fruit, citrus and minerality thru to the long, crisp finish, the soave can seamlessly go from cocktail hour thru to vibrantly flavored dishes.

My Review - I smelled pear with peach and grapefruit and a hint of wildflower. I tasted a sweeter, smoother wine than the last with a hint of candied banana and orange. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Quintas Melgaco Blue Vinho Verde"

Name - Quintas Melgaco Blue Vinho Verde 2013
Variety - Vinho Verde
Region - Vinho Verde
Country - Portugal
Year - 2013
Price - $10.00, Sale - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
Refreshingly crisp white wine from Portugal -- Vinho Verde is soft, light and refreshing, and is an uncompromising and ideal wine for everyday pleasure. Its bright color and pineapple aromas are followed by citrus notes. The palate is clean and fresh. Vinho Verde is an excellent accompaniment to fish and shell fish, white meats and salads.

My Review -  I smelled pears, citrus, orange peel and pineapple. It tasted like sweet pear and pineapple, slightly pungent/bitter but had a nice lingering finish. I did not try this wine with food.