Wine: Monte Degli Angeli
Variety: Sangiovese
Region: Puglia, Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95
Critic Review: The
aromas are rich and dark, with lots of black cherry and a hint of balsamic. In
the mouth the wine is round and energetic, with cherry and black raspberry
fruit complemented by hints of damp earth. If you like Sangiovese-based wines like
Chianti or our best-selling Colsanto from Umbria, you'll love this! The wine is
ripe, fresh, and fruit-driven with a wonderful dash of earthy complexity at the
end. Buy it by the case and drink with pizza, grilled poultry, and pasta.
My Review: I did not like this wine very much. I knew from the get go that I wouldn't like it very much. The smell of this wine was full of cherries, which I am not overly fond of. There was a hint of mocha smell to it as well. The taste of this wine was bitter and fruity at the same time, and it left a bad after taste in my mouth.
Overall, I did not enjoy this wine, but someone who enjoys cherries may enjoy it more!
Wine: Bola
Variety: Moscato
Region: Pavia, Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95
Critic Review: Loaded with juicy exotic fruit, mature apricot,
yellow peach and tangerine flavors, this sweet and delightful wine is perfect
for Sunday brunch or picnics.
My Review: The smell of this wine was full of citrus. It smelled like oranges and a little bit like flowers. The taste of this wine did not disappoint. I really enjoyed all the tangerine flavors, and it left my palate feeling fresh and clean.
Overall I really enjoyed this wine.
Wine: Alvarez de Toledo
Variety: Godello
Region: Bierzo, Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95
Critic Review: Clean
pale yellow color. Nose fruity, persistent and elegant aromas. Good backbone on
the palate.
My Review: The smell of this wine was very fruity. It was very potent, and it smelled very crisp and clean. The taste of this wine was very similar to its smell. I enjoyed how refreshing it was.
Overall, I enjoyed this wine.
Wine: Villa Jolanda
Variety: Brut
Region: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Critic Review: 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.
My Review: Initially, I enjoyed the smell of this wine. It smelled fruity, and I was able to get the pear scent. I then smelled bananas, which I am not a huge fan of. That made me much more hesitant to taste. I was pleasantly surprised that the banana did not come through the taste very much. It was a little drier than I prefer, but overall I liked it.
Overall, I enjoyed this tasting.
Wine: Chateau Morrisette
Variety: Fruit wine, made with apples
Region: Virginia, USA
Year: 2014
Price: $10.99
Critic Review: Our Apple Wine is made from crisp and juicy Virginia apples. Bursting
with the vibrant fruitiness of just-picked apples, this wine is sweet
and smooth, light bodied, with a clean crisp finish.
My Review: This is the first fruit wine I have tried. When I smelled this wine, I was not surprised that I smelled apples. The apple smell was mixed with a floral scent, and I imagine it smelled how an apple blossom would smell. The taste of this wine did not disappoint. The apples were very crisp tasting, and they provided a nice zingy after taste. I really enjoyed this wine.
Overall, I enjoyed this wine. I imagine it would pair well with a light meal.
Wine: Villa Pozzi
Variety: Moscato
Region: Sicily, Italy
Year: Not listed, assuming 2013
Price: $8.95
Critic Review: Loaded with juicy exotic fruit, mature apricot, yellow
peach and tangerine flavors, this sweet and delightful wine is perfect for
Sunday brunch or picnics.
My review: This wine smelled like citrus. The bouquet was very fruity, and I enjoyed the smell. The taste of this wine did not disappoint. Since I prefer sweet wine, this wine was very appealing to me. It left me with a nice refreshed feeling, and a lot of the tangerine flavors came through.
Overall, I enjoyed this wine. I imagine it would pair well with a light meal.
Wine: Paul Laureano
Variety: Tinto Classico
Region: Alentejano, Portugal
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Critic Review: Paulo Laureano’s Classico is a delicious blend of the
native Portuguese varietals Trincadeira (40%), Aragonez (40%) and Alfrocheiro
(20%). This is a full bodied red that reveals all that the terroir of Portugal
has to offer. Light cigar tobacco and soft leather present beautifully on the
nose. Dark, black fruits fill the mouth, but the wine flows smoothly over the
palate, with a good bit of spice on the finish. Pair with spicy, cured meats
and hard cheeses.
My review: This wine was interesting. The smells from the wine were the first time I've ever smelled them coming from a wine. The wine smelled slightly smokey, and the best way I could think to describe it was manly. I was not overly excited to taste it because the smells were so strange. My initial thought was the wine was bitter, and then immediately after I thought it was almost spicy. I did not like this wine very much.
Overall, this was a very unique wine. I do not prefer it, but for those who like something different, this is one to try.
Wine: Bodegas Atalaya
Variety: Laya
Region: Almansa, Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Critic Review: A blend
of 70% Garnacha Tintorera, a.k.a. Alicante Bouschet, and 30% Monastrell;
fermented in stainless steel, followed by four months in French oak. Bright purple. Cassis, blueberry, pungent herbs and mocha on
the nose. Smooth and open-knit on the
palate, displaying fresh cherry and dark berry qualities and a hint of black
pepper. Finishes with gripping tannins
and good length, leaving a subtle floral note behind.
My review: This wine smelled very strongly. I was able to tell from the smell I would not be a huge fan of this wine. It smelled very strongly of fruit, and had a hint of coffee and earth smell. When I tasted this wine, I immediately was hit with cherries and earth. I thought it was very bitter. I really did not enjoy this wine.
Overall, this wine was far to bitter for me. So far, I've determined I can handle lighter red wines.
Wine: Mars and Venus
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Valley, Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Critic Review: 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: I enjoyed this chardonnay more than other chardonnays because of the lack of oak. I am not a fan of oakiness, so this wine was different. Initially, I smelled fruit, but it smelled clean, almost like a cleaning product of some sort. Upon tasting, I knew it would be drier than I prefer (most chardonnays are), so I was not completely unprepared. I actually enjoyed tasting this wine. Some apple flavor came out, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Overall, I enjoyed this wine.
Wine: Cortenova
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto, Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95
Critic Review: 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.
My Review: This wine smelled very good. I was able to pick up on pears, and another fruit I couldn't identify. Upon tasting, I was able to get the hint of banana, which I am not a fan of. I really struggled getting over that taste. Overall this was a refreshing wine, and I think I really would have enjoyed it if the banana flavor was not there.
Overall, not terrible, but not my favorite wine.
Wine: Crane Lake
Variety: Riesling
Region: California, USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Critic Review: Punchy
lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge
to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle. Exceptionally priced, it’s
satisfying and elegant.
My Review: For a semi dry wine, I enjoyed this wine. My initial smell of the wine was very flowery, and I also smelled some sort of fruit. My initial taste was sweeter than I expected, although my mouth did become rather dry as I continued to taste the wine. I would imagine this wine pairing well with something semi sweet.
Overall I enjoyed tasting this wine.
Wine: Yellowtail Reserve
Variety: Merlot
Region: South Eastern, Australia
Year: 2010
Price: Usually $12, on sale for $6.95
Critic Review: Round, velvety and mouthfilling, this is a satisfying
Merlot at a bargain price. Aromas of black cherries and herbs fold in hints of
cinnamon and mocha, while the flavors are generally fruity, but with a slightly
tomatoey note. Soft on the finish. Drink now.
My Review: I will start off by saying I don't think my palate has adjusted to red wines yet. I was not a big fan of this wine. It smelled very fruity, and I was able to detect the cherry smell. When I tasted the wine, the cherry flavor was fairly pronounced, and I was also able to taste a coffee flavor. The taste of this wine lingered, and it filled your entire mouth.
Overall, I did not particularly like this wine.
Wine: Takutai
Variety: Pinot Gris
Region: Nelson, New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: Usually $21, on sale for $6.95
Critic Review: Since
this wine weighs in at 14%, the fruit was clearly very ripe. That ripeness is
reflected in the flavors as well, which feature nectarine and honey accented by
hints of white pepper. It’s full bodied and lush, with a long finish that
mingles the sensations of sweet and spicy.
My Review: This was an interesting wine to taste. The smell was very potent, and it smelled like a variety of fruit. I was also able to smell something i could not identify. It was almost earthy smelling, but that isn't quite the right word. The taste of this wine was not one of my favorites, but gave a variety of different flavors. I was able to taste the fruit, and there was a hint of something semi spicy.
Overall, this was not one of my favorite wines, but I can imagine it pairing well with food that does not have an overly powerful flavor.
Wine: Mars and Venus
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: La Mancha, Spain
Year: 2013
Price: Usually $10, on sale for $5.95
Critic Review: Citrus
and gooseberry aromas are mild but typical of the variety. A basic citrus
palate delivers modest tangerine and nectarine flavors which lead to a mild,
pithy finish showing light citric notes.
My Review: When I smelled this wine, I was immediately aware of the citrus in this wine. It smelled somewhat bitter, but the sweet scent was slightly more powerful. My first sip of this wine was a little dry, but I found that I enjoyed the citrus flavor. This was the first wine I have tried with strong citrus flavors, and I enjoyed it.
Overall I enjoyed this wine, and I look forward to trying more wines with a citrus palate.
Wine: Bella Sera
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto, Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $9
Critic Review: This notable
Italian import displays a crystal clear, pale straw color and an aroma
that is reminiscent of summer wild flowers and fresh pears. On the
palate, the wine is almost totally dry, but the fruit flavors give the
impression of sweetness. This wine also displays a moderately long,
flavorful finish.
This is an excellent wine that can accompany a
wide variety of foods, but it is a standout with shrimp or mild
cheese-based dishes.
My review: This wine was not what I expected. When I initially smelled it, I got a nice floral smell, and a hint of fruit. I was expecting it to be much sweeter than it was. My first taste was filled with an overwhelming dryness. My mouth dried out immediately, and a very strong bad fruit flavor lingered. As I continued to taste, it got a little bit better. The wine eventually didn't seem as dry, although I never grew to like the predominant flavors in this wine. One contributing factor to my dislike of this wine may have been the food I ate before tasting. I had Mexican cuisine before tasting this wine, and some of the spices did not bode well with this wine.
Overall, I was not a huge fan of this wine. I believe I would like it more if I paired it with some sort of Italian dish that was somewhat sweeter.
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