Name: Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany
Year: 2010
Price: $9
Winery 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: Citrus, grapey nose with hints of mud and dirt. The earthy flavors were most present as I tasted this wine, and there was a level of acidity that did not please me as I swallowed. I was a little disappointed as most of the other Rieslings I have tasted of late have been great. Not this one.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
Name: Don Ramon Tinto
Variety: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo
Region: Campo de Borja
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $8
Winery 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: Big earthy nose with hints of spice and woodiness. Picked up the oak as I tasted along with hints of some dark berry mix. I wasn't a fan of this one, but the label looked cool.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
Name: Resonata Nero D'Avola
Variety: Nero d'Avola
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $7
Winery 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: Smells of dark berries and earth were followed with tastes of dark berries, roasted meat, and a little bit of the described spice. I was impressed enough to pick up a bottle after the tasting.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
Name: Protocolo Blanc
Variety: Did not specify.
Region: Castilla
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $7
Winery review: 87 Points, Stephan Tanzer. Greenish gold. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry, understated 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: Citrusy, flowery nose. Did not get any mint when smelling the wine. Lots of citrus flavors but I could feel a little bit too much of the heat of this wine. It just did not go down well for me.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
Name: Santola Vinho Verde
Variety: Did not specify.
Region: Mealhada
Country: Portugal
Year: Did not specify. Likely 2010.
Price: $8
Winery 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: Light, citrus smells. Had pronounced lemon and citrus flavor that went down smooth. Not a bad wine, but not my favorite at the tasting.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
Name: Lost Vineyards Spumante Dolce
Variety: Spumante Dolce
Region: No idea.
Country: Italy
Year: Did not specify
Price: $5
Winery review: Pale 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: Sweet scent; smelled like apple juice. This is not a complex wine, but damn, it was good. Essentially carbonated grape juice for 5 dollars. I picked up a bottle with a friend and it was worth the money.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
Name: Charles Thomas Cotes-du-Rhone
Variety: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $9
Winery review: From a 140+-acre estate near the well-known Cotes du Rhone village of Pont Saint Esprit emerges this juicy Cotes du Rhone, a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. Wellmade, 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: Peppery, smokey nose as described. Not overpowering, but definitively the most powerful nose of any of the wines tasted at the sitting. I enjoyed the strong tastes of wooded meat and seasoning and imagined that it would go well with any barbecue or steak. The wine had a slight hotness to it, but nothing I couldn't handle.
I tasted this on its own with no food.
