Tasting-Gabriella Chianti

Name:  Gabriella Chianti
Variety:  100% Torrontes
Region:  Tuscany
Country:  Italy
Year:  2008
Price:  $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  This beautiful wine has the very deep red, almost purple, color that you would expect in a Chianti. The first thing you notice is the fruit, balanced by a bit of spice. It’s a good dry wine with a bold flavor.  Even with it’s boldness, this Chianti is velvety smooth.

My Review:  The smell was very stronger.  It has a sweeter/fruitier smell with a hint of dry and acidity.  The taste was terrible, and the wine was hard to drink.  It was very bitter, dry, acidic, and tart.  I mean very dry.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

Name:  Lavarini Valpolicella Classico
Variety:  65% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella, and 10% Molinara
Region:  Valpolicella Classico
Country:  Italy
Year:  2010
Price:  $6.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  The red ruby color and the dry taste give this wine joviality and cordiality. It is fresh and fruity, with lovely strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors, with nice spice and a silky texture.

My Review:  This wine has a basic red wine smell.  It smells very dry, acidic, and bitter.  The taste is not one of my favorites.  It is pretty dry, acidic, tart, and bitter.  The finish reminds me of my mouth being on fire.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Dom de Mirail Cabernet/Merlot Rose

Name:  Dom de Mirail Cabernet/Merlot Rose
Variety:  50% Cabernet and 50% Merlot Rose
Region:  Cotes de Gascogne
Country:  France
Year:  2011
Price:  $5.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  There is a fresh, crisp character to this light rosé. It is eye-watering in its refreshing character, with balancing acidity, smoothing out the edges with a touch of caramel.

My Review:  This wine smells very clean and breezy.  It reminds me of sitting on the beach.  The taste is not as great as it smells.  It is a do able wine, but it is dry and acidic.  It has a smooth taste going down.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Norton Torrontes

Name:  Norton Torrontes
Variety:  100% Torrontes
Region:  Mendoza 
Country:  Argentina
Year:  2011
Price:  $5.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  Greenish yellow with hints of gold, this Torrontés has intense aromas of white peach, rose petal, and jasmine. Norton Torrontés 2011 is pleasant and well balanced on the palate.

My Review:  This wine has a very strong smell of something I cannot put my finger on.  It is something that I have smelt before that is floral and fruity.  The taste, however, is nothing like it smells.  It is very acidic and bitter.  To top it off it has a bite at the end.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Dibon Cava

Name:  Dibon Cava
Variety:  25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, and 45% Macabeo
Region:  Penedes
Country:  Spain
Year:  NV
Price:  $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  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.

My Review:  This wine has a basic wine smell.  It has a hint of granny smith apple and a hint of acidity.  The taste is very delicious.  It is very smooth going down and even tastes a little bit like apples.   I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Opera Prima Pink Moscato

Name:  Opera Prima Pink Moscato
Variety:  Moscat Grape
Region:  Castilla La Mancha
Country:  Spain
Year:  NV
Price:  $5.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  This fine sparkling presents and intense aroma of fresh berries and tropical fruits with hints of white flavor petals. Delicate bubbles caress the palate offering a silky and pleasant sweetness well balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. Ideal on it own, as an aperitif or with all types of sweets and desserts.

My Review:  The Pink Moscato smells very clean and soapy.  Almost like a Bath and Body Works fragrance for a body wash.  The taste is delicious.  It has a berry soda, fruity, and smooth taste.  It is very easy to drink.  Best wine yet!  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Black Opal Shiraz

Name:  Black Opal Shiraz
Variety:  100% Shiraz
Region:  Southeastern Australia
Country:  Australia
Year:  2011
Price:  $5.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  The Black Opal wines are sourced from vineyards found in South Australia along the Limestone Coast, at Langhorne Creek and in the infamous Barossa Valley. Black Opal Shiraz is rich red in the glass. Aromas of blackberry, pepper and spice followed with rich plum flavors round out the palate. Soft tannins give structure to the fruit-driven palate.

My Review:  The Shiraz smells terrible.  There is a hint of dry vomit.  It also has dry and acidic smells.  The taste is not as bad as it smells, however, there is a touch of acidic taste.  This wine is drinkable.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Sokol Blosser Meditrina

Name:  Sokol Blosser Meditrina
Variety:  Blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel
Region:  Oregon
Country:  USA
Year:  NV
Price:  $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  It's created from the finest Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel. The taste is lush and velvety with expressive notes of raspberry and cherry. It pairs nicely with pasta and anything off the grill.

My Review:  The Meditrina has a hint of raspberry and black cherry smells.  The fruit smell is mixed in with a very dry smell.  At first, the taste is okay and very smooth.  When you finish it, however, there is a bite that is very tart and dry.  I do not care for this wine at all.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay/Semillon

Name:  Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay/Semillon
Variety:  80% Chardonnay and 20% Semillon
Region:  South Australia
Country:  Australia
Year:  2008
Price:  $5.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  Gotham’s 2008 Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Semillon. It gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot and butterscotch aromas. The medium bodied palate provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish.

My Review:  The Chardonnay had a very bad smell.  There was a hint of vomit and acidic smells mixed together.  The taste was very bitter, dry, and acidic.  This one was a drinkable Chardonnay.  That says a lot because I am personally not a fan of Chardonnay.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Beringer Riesling

Name:  Beringer Riesling
Variety:  100% Riesling
Region:  California
Country:  USA
Year:  2009
Price:  $5.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  This wine is the perfect balance of honeysuckle and bright peach flavors. A perfect compliment to light fare, appetizers, or just sharing with friends.

My Review:  The Riesling has a hint of peach and a little acidic smell.  The taste was very smooth and very easy to drink.  It is definitively drinkable.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Dark Horse Cabernet

Name: The Original Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety:  Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:  California
Country:  USA
Year: 2011
Price: $8.99


The Original DARKHORSE Description:  Bold flavors of blackberry and black cherry, supported by firm tannins, brown spice and a dark chocolate espresso finish.

My Review:  The smell of this wine is very nice.  It had a very strong berry smell with a hint of blueberry.  The taste was very acidic at first and a very smooth after taste.  I was not eating any food while at the tasting.

Tasting-Don Manuel Torrontes

Name:  Don Manuel Torrontes
Variety:  Torrontes
Region:  Mendoza
Country:  Argentina
Year:  2010
Price:  $13.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  90 points, Wine Enthusiast.  A really good and clean white wine with all the tropicality and zest that this Argentine variety can give.  The nose is crystalline and pure, with white flower scents of jasmine and citrus blossom, while the palate is round, melony and full of lychee and papaya.  Smooth on the finish.  Drink soon-M.S.

My Review:  This wine smelled like faint vomit.  The smell made me very hesitant to taste it.  To my surprise, the taste was not as bad as it smelled.  The taste was clean and smooth at the end.  The after taste was a little sour.  I did not eat any food at the tasting.

Tasting-Dom de la Quila Muscadet

Name:  Domaine de la Quilla Muscadet
Variety:  100% Muscadet or Melon de Bourgogne
Region:  Loire Valley
Country:  France
Year:  2011
Price:  $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review:  Oyster Wine!!!  The real key to the wines from Domaine de la Quilla is that the Vinet's keep the wines sur lie for eight months before bottling at the end of May, unlike most in this appellation who bottle in March.  The Vinet family work proudly to produce this impeccably dry and fragrant wine.  Enjoy!

My Review:  This is the first wine I tasted the way I was taught in class.  While tasting the wine I learned that sur lie means yeast was left in the wine.  I struggled with the smell at first but finally smelled berries.  When I tasted it, it had an acidic taste.  I did not eat any food at the tasting.