Tasting - Canyon Road Chardonnay

Name: Canyon Road Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: US

Year: 2011

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Medium-bodied wine with notes of crisp apple and ripe citrus fruit with a hunt of cinnamon spice. Delicious complement to grilled chicken, lighter pasta dishes or mild cheeses.

My Review: As expected, this California Chardonnay was oaky. I liked the apple flavor that came through all the way from the nose to the finish. The finish was where I tasted the oak, but it wasn't the typical overly buttery oak flavor, and it paired nicely with the strong apple flavor. I liked this slight departure from the usual mega-buttery oak blast I get from most California Chardonnays.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence

Name: Sainte Victoire Cotes De Provence
Variety: Granache, Sryah, Cinsault

Region: Provence

Country: France

Year: 2011

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Bright salmon pike, typical of the fresh but warm Provence style. Refined and complex on the nose with summer fruit and floral notes. Dry and crisp with a delicate flavor and full texture.

My Review: This featured an extremely aromatic nose with strong flower scents. The attack came through with clear fruit and berry flavors which were weak at first, but intensified through the mid-palate. The color of this wine made me think it would be softer in it's approach and I was pleasantly surprised by how full the fruit flavors were. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Montebuena Tempranillo

Name: Montebuena
Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Ripe cherry and black currant on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and grip. Still on the youn side but this wine drinks very well with an hour or so of decanting; it's and excellent value for Rioja.

My Review: In my wine experience so far, tempranillo has become my clear favorite and wines like this have helped me come to that conclusion. This had the peppery, spicy nose that I was looking for. The attack featured less spice and more black cherry and tobacco. The pepper came back strong, though, in the mid-palate and hung around through a long finish. As peppery spice is definitely my favorite aspect of a wine, I greatly enjoyed this tempranillo. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Tres Ojos Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha
Variety: Garnacha

Region: Calatayud

Country: Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: This wine has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. he palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. Enjoy with sausages, roasted meats, aged cheeses etc.

My Review: The nose on this Garnacha is very spicy, with hints of fruit flavors. The white pepper hit hard on the mid-palate and then ravaged my mouth, hiding all other flavors. It had a very nice dryness that persisted throughout. Maybe it was just because I love white pepper in a wine, but I really enjoyed this. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz

Name: Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz

Region: South East Australia

Country: Australia

Year: NV

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: A relatively light, fresh style of sparkling Shiraz, with berries and hints of chocolate picking up just a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish.

My Review: The nose on this sparkler is really fresh and juicy. It starts off with just intense juice and effervescence and strong berry flavors and vanilla come in towards the mid palate and persist through the finish, which is surprisingly long for a sparkling wine. I've never had a sparkling Shiraz before and it certainly did not disappoint. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Dibon Cava Brut Reserve

Name: Dibon Cava Brut Reserve
Variety: 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada

Region: Penedes

Country: Spain

Year: NV

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: Light gold with plenty of bubbles, this wine has aromas of apples and pears with pleasant floral notes. Crisp and light bodied on the palate, stone fruit flavors are accompanied by a mild minerality and balanced acidity. A delicious sparkler for a great price!

My Review: This interesting blend was extremely bubbly. While smelling it I found that I noticed a fairly loud crackling sound that I discovered was due to extreme effervescence. The nose hinted at bright fruit flavors, like typical white wine apple and pear flavors. It was light and un-intrusive to my palate and the fruity, tingly body was truly refreshing. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Villa d'Orvieto

Name: Villa d'Orvieto
Variety: Grechetto, Procanico, Malvasia

Region: Orvieto

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: It’s a blend of Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), and Malvasia. Fresh and crisp, it has a beautiful, floral bouquet. It is wonderful with appetizers, fish, chicken, and salads. 

My Review: Both the explosive aroma and flavor of this wine gave me the distinct impression of common, green grapes one would eat. It was very smooth, with almost no acidity or bitterness. I noted what seemed like some interesting oak flavors. This was extraordinarily drinkable and while it didn't offer a wide array of flavors, the smooth, simply grape taste was quite enjoyable. 

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Cartenova Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Name: Cartenova Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Variety: 100% Cartenova Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Region: Abruzzo

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95

Winery Review:  Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity. Excellent with pasta dishes and red meats. 

My Review: I found this wine to be an interesting introduction to a new grape variety. The nose was an enticing mixture of spice and some sort of sour berry. The first thing that hit my palate was a nice sweetness. The tannins were noticeable but kind of quiet. The spice picked up again in the mid-palate and continued through to a long finish. Overall, I found that I enjoyed this wine considerably and I look forward to cracking into the bottle my friend couldn't resist buying at the Vintage Cellar tasting.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Monte Aman

Name: Monte Aman
Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Arlanza

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Fermentation of selected grapes in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature. Aging in American oak casks for 5 months followed by 3 months in the bottle before being released in the market. Inky ruby. Ripe cherry and plum on the nose. Smooth and fleshy, with deep dark fruit flavors complicated by bitter chocolate and anise. A spicy quality adds lift and focus to the weighty fruit. Offers an appealing mix of power and energy and drinks very well right now. 

My Review: As a huge fan of Tempranillo, I found this wine very satisfying. It certainly delivered the intricate Tempranillo spice that I expected, which started off in the mid-palate and continued through to the long, satisfying finish. The nose had clear plum and fruit flavors that hit quickly in the attack. This was one of the more complex wines I've ever had; the progression from fruit to oak spice was excellent. I've found that at the Vintage Cellar tastings I typically purchase whichever of the wines I find the best. This was easily the wine of the week for me and I look forward to breaking into this bottle sometime soon.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Maipe Chardonnay

Name: Maipe Chardonnay
Variety: 85% Chardonnay, 15% Viognier

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2012

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: 30% malolactic fermentation, 30% was aged in French oak barrels. Brilliant yellow golden color with green hints. The wine is crisp and filled with white peach, pear, green apples flavors, toasty vanilla. Elegant and luscious wine, well balanced. Crisp and long finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, pork, veal, vegetables. 

My Review: I found this Chardonnay very tasty, with some noticeable oak flavors. In the mid-palate there was a pleasant vanilla mixed in with slightly tart fruit. As strange as it sounds, towards the mid-palate I tasted what seemed like buttered toast. These tapered off into a long and very acidic finish. This was one of the best Chardonnays I've tried so far. 

I did not try this with food.