Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: NV

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This is their house white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. Great value Grigio! Drink now.

My Review: The nose on this wine was a cool mixture of fruit juice and some metallic scents. The flavor was similar to the nose. I really didn't get any distinct flavors out of it, mainly because they weren't very profound and, as I had a cold when I tasted it and my nose was stuffed up, I couldn't really taste all that much. Overall, this wine was very fresh, and I'd like to try it again sometime.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Lobetia Chardonnay

Name: Lobetia Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $10.95

Winery Review: Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. Clean, bright color with a greenish-yellow tone. On the nose, exotic fruits like pineapple. Full flavored, fresh, with good acidity in the mouth, it finishes with tropical fruits.

My Review: The nose on this wine was very unique. It had a tight mixture of pineapple and grass. The pineapple continued throughout and it was paired with a nice earthy-ness that I found very unique. The acidity was there but it was soft enough that it didn't bother me. I was surprised by the finish, which was longer then I thought it would be for Chardonnay. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Lobetia Tempranillo

Name: Lobetia Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $10.95

Winery Review: Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. It shows a nice cherry color with a violet shade because of its youth. Red berries and cherries on the nose. On the palate it is fresh, slightly astringent, and harmonious with a long finish.

My Review: The nose on this wine made me think it would be a very typical tempranillo, as it had big black cherry and pepper. It was not quite what I'd come to expect from the basic tempranillo though, as It had a really great earthy quality that came through in the mid-palate to mix with the awesome black cherry that persisted throughout. It had that tempranillo spice and an awesome earthy x-factor that separated this wine from other tempranillos to me. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone 2010

Name: Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone

Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault

Region: Rhone Valley

Country: France

Year: 2010

Price: $14.95

Winery Review: As for their other values, the 2010 Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Reserve (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault) displays loads of ripe flavors. It is very concentrated for a Cotes du Rhone, and is actually an amazing wine. Classic garrigue, black cherry liqueur, lavender, licorice and spice box are all present in this fullbodied, intense, and rich Cotes du Rhone. This is a  sensational effort to drink over the next 4-5 years, although it might last even longer.

My Review: I knew this wine meant business immediately from the nose, which had big black cherry and strong violet scents. It came on strong, and was very full-bodied, with the black cherry being the most notable flavor from the attack to the mid-palate. It was spicy and hot in all the right ways, with a long finish that burned beautifully. I really enjoyed this wine. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Ksana Bonarda

Name: Ksana Bonarda

Variety: Bonarda

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2008

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: The bouquet is floral and lightly jammy, with berry aromas and a savory note or two. To the uninitiated, this is a great introduction to Bonarda. Finishes solid. Very sweet, berry smell with some rooty undertones. Kind of dry, makes your lips pucker.

My Review: The first thing I thought when I gave this wine a good sniff was damn that's gonna be pretty strong. I was not disappointed.  It had a solid level of tannic oomph that I liked and there were hints of some cool berry flavors that felt kind of just out of reach to my palate. It certainly had that cool, dry mouth-coating feeling, which I also liked. Overall, it had the tannin power but not too much else. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Concannon Shiraz

Name: Concannon Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz

Region: Central Coast, California

Country: US

Year: 2008

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: This is an extremely rich, full-bodied wine with a dark fruit core. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, cassis and dark cherry are followed by more berry fruits and chocolate and mocha on the palate. 

My Review: This Shiraz was pretty cool. The nose had some enticing spice with some of what I could only determine to be blueberry mixed in. It tasted peppery with all sorts of really dark fruit flavors. I could taste the blackberry along with a strong influence of what I believe was black currant. The finish was very smooth, which I thought was surprising for such a full-bodied wine. I will most likely buy a bottle of this stuff then next time I'm hanging around the Vintage Cellar trying to replenish the supplies in my wine cellar, (which is really more of a broom closet where I keep my wine.)

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Chandon Sweet Cuvee

Name: Chandon Sweet Cuvee

Variety: Blend

Region: California

Country: US

Year: NV

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: This wine is an innovative sparkling wine style revealing vibrant stone fruit and floral aromas with rich, luscious mouthfeel. This wine enlivens the senses and sparks spontaneous moments, complementing your passion for a good life.

My Review: I was surprised to find that I actually liked this wine, despite it being not my usual style. The nose didn't give me a whole lot, other than freshness. The most notable thing about the flavor was the very interesting bubbles, which had a cool texture and weren't actually too bubbly. It tasted like apples and fresh wildflowers with the flower stems mixed in to give it kind of a grassy component. It had a smooth, timely finish and overall I found it quite pleasing. 

I did not try this with food.