Tasting - Prime's Port Vinho do Porto Ruby N.V.

Name: Prime's Port Vinho do Porto Ruby

Variety: Ruby Porto

Region: Oporto

Country: Portugal

Vintage: N.V.

Price: $18 Sale $9.95

Winery Review: Ruby color; red fruit aromas; pleasantly sweet and balanced taste. As the wines used to produce Prime's Ruby Port age, they gain smoothness and elegance while retaining their fruitiness, intensity and youthful ruby color. They are then blended together for balance and consistency.

My Review: A tough wine to decipher for me and I'm sure for most in general.  The heat is on the nose with a soft spice and brown sugar.  The brown sugar is also there in the taste which is softer on the attack than the only other ruby port I have had (Fairbanks).  Though I don't care for port too much, this was pretty enjoyable.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Lindeman's Bin 80 Cabernet-Merlot 2015

Name: Lindeman's Bin 80 Cabernet-Merlot

Variety: Red Bordeaux Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)

Region: New South Wales

Country: Australia

Vintage: 2015

Price: $18 Sale $7.95 (Magnum)

Winery Review: Medium red in color with ruby hues. On the nose aromas of dark red berries, blackcurrants and ripe plums

While the palate is  medium bodied, with dark red berries and a soft tannic finish.

My Review: A very complex blend due to the 4/5 majority Cabernet Sauvignon I'm sure.  Stronger and sharper on the nose than the jazz blend with hints of some berries and dark cherry.  On the palette, soft and smooth with some black cherry and plum that come out with chewing.  Slightly sweet with some acid in the younger wine.  The special characteristic to look for is a tongue numbing sensation with some oxidation in the mouth.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Domaine du Poujol Jazz 2011

Name: Domaine du Poujol Jazz

Variety: Red Blend (Grenache, Cinsault)

Region: Coteaux du Languedoc, Languedoc

Country: France

Vintage: 2011

Price: $13 Sale $5.95

Winery Review: Minerally and berry notes make for a savory blend of flavors in this fine-grained red. Dried berry fruit dominates, with accents of white pepper and dill seed. Delivers lively acidity on the finish. Drink now through 2018.

My Review: I completely agree with the blend name by the winemaker here; the wine is simultaneously kickin' but blue.  Keeping in mind that this wine is made from the exact smae grapes as the rose, and from a similar region, the two wines are vastly different but allow you to investigate similarities due to the grape varieties themselves.  The nose is fruit forward with dark berries and a cherry-plum character.  The wine starts kickin' with a bite of acidic minerality similar to the rose.  This kick somewhat reminds me of the first taste of coffee in the morning.  The wine then slows down to expose its grainy tannins and heat from alcohol and spice.  Very different wine though very good and fun to pronounce its region.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Pazo de Monterrey Godello 2014

Name: Pazo de Monterrey

Variety: Godello

Region: Monterrei, Galacia 

Country: Spain

Vintage: 2014

Price: $15 Sale $5.95

Winery Review: Clean, minerally, slightly green in aromatics and oh so approachable and nice. For an under-$15 white, this Godello from Monterrei excels with layered flavors of apple, minerals and natural spice. The finish is long and hints at fresh herbs like thyme and tarragon. Potentially superb with garlic shrimp or calamari over fresh greens.

My Review: This wine was also a mineral-focused wine.  Again, barely anything came out of the nose save a hint of yellow tree fruit.  Barely anything goes on in the mouth initially with just some sweetness.  Subtle is a word I would use for this wine except for the minerality/salty terroir flavor that seems to come from all Spanish white wines.  Light and refreshing; sweeter than the rose.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Domaine de la Foret Rose de Mediterranee 2015

Name: Domaine de la Foret Rose de Mediterranee

Variety: Rose Blend (Grenache, Cinsault)

Region: Provence

Country: France

Vintage: 2015

Price: $9 Sale $5.95

Winery Review: 85– Wine Enthusiast Best Buy: In color, this is almost white. There is some attractive acidity and the soft wine will slip down easily with just a touch of red currant. The result is a lightly mineral wine that is refreshing and good for an apéritif.

My Review: A very white rose that was tough for me to pick up much in the nose besides some citrus zest.  On the palette it was dry and the salty-acid feeling I get with Spanish whites came through--I have since learned a common name for this is minerality.  The slightest tint of tannins comes with the light body.  It finishes with some sort of white floral notes and a slight sweetness.  The bottle and label make you feel fancy drinking it.

Tasted without food.

Featured Tasting! Fox Creek Shiraz 2012

I did not buy this wine though I know I will in the future.  It was my first Australian Shiraz and I was blown away.  In general I have only really wanted to buy the white wines after tasting, but I have finally found a comfort red style that I know I'd like more of.  Preliminary research says that more recent vintages may be even better.

Name: Fox Creek

Variety: Shiraz

Region: McLaren Vale

Country: Australia

Vintage: 2012

Price: $23 Sale $9.95

Bonus Background: McLaren Vale is the jewel of South Australia's Fleurieu Zone.  South Australia itself produces the majority of Australia's wine.  Most vineyards are located in decent proximity to the major city of Adelaide.  South Australia has a large variety of soil and the climate necessary to support the growth of many different grape varieties.  The most common, however, is Shiraz--genetically identical to the originally french Syrah grape.  Australia has made this grape their own and it has thrived, taking on hints of local flora.  It has been so successful that it may be just as famous or even more famous than any old world version of Syrah.

Winery Review: 91 Points - Steven Tanzer

Bright purple. Exotic, expansive aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, vanilla and cola, along with a peppery overtone and a hint of violet pastille. Broad, fleshy, appealingly sweet boysenberry and cherry liqueur flavors show excellent depth and a seamless texture. Finishes juicy and long, with building spiciness, an echo of blue fruit and round tannins.

My Review: This Shiraz was exceptional and gave me an appreciation for different tannic qualities.  A deep red (almost black) to the eye for which bubbles have a golden hue.  The nose focuses on dark, warm, and smooth berries. Big but smooth is a recurring theme. A slight oakiness comes out in the taste with black cherry sweeping in. This wine's real high point comes after swallowing, where it balances incredibly well with high tannins and full body.  After a minute or so, vanilla finds its way to your taste buds and it changes the tannins to creamy smooth and wets the palette.  An incredible wine and the best I've tasted thus far in my short history. If this wine is on sale then buy it; if it is listed for regular price I would probably still recommend.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Jam Jar Sweet White 2015

Name: Jam Jar

Variety: Sweet White - Muscat (Mainly Moscato)

Region: Western Cape

Country: South Africa

Vintage: 2015

Price: $15 Sale $7.95

Winery Review: This charming, easy-drinking Moscato offers flavors of peach, apricot, lychee and orange blossom. A lively jolt of acidity keeps it fresh and fruity. Fancy enough for a special occasion toast, yet sweet-natured enough to enjoy every day.

My Review: A mainly Moscato Muscat sweet white that is incredibly light and easy to drink.  The aromas were tough to iterate but I've settled on sweet, floral, and almost buttery in a way. It seems like the sugar will overpower the other flavors initially, but it does a nice job of getting out of the way to let floral notes and a dark, rainy feeling come over you.  Crisp and refreshing as it decrescendos to a soft finish.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Candoni Buongiorno N.V.

Name: Candoni

Variety: Red Blend - Buongiorno (Organic Primitivo and Syrah)

Region: Puglia

Country: Italy

Vintage: N.V.

Price: $15 Sale $7.95

Winery Review: Black ruby color. Mild, spicy, earthy aromas of spiced berries and plum with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a tingling, brisk earth and cinnamon finish with dusty, coating tannins and moderate oak. A sturdy, earthy red for the table. 

My Review: This red blend has the drinkability of a lighter red with the bigger flavors of darker reds. The nose gives hints of red plum/cherry with some spice similar to cinnamon possibly added from the Syrah. The aromas are justified in the taste with a good medium balance. Sweet and spice counteract each other in the aftertaste leading to a reprise of fruit in the finish.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Maipe Torrontes 2016

Name: Maipe

Variety: Torrontes

Region: Salta

Country: Argentina

Vintage: 2016

Price: $13 Sale $7.95

Winery Review: Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well-balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish.

My Review: Possibly even clearer than the Viognier in color. A fruity noise with 3 distincts: orange blossom, apricot, and peach. The taste reveals very ripe and acidic versions of the aforementioned aromas. The taste changes from acidic to sweet, then presents more floral notes which remain for a while. Overall very enjoyable and would love to try again on a hot beach vacation. Blue moon would be my pick as a beer of similar qualities to this wine in general.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Oxford Landing Viognier 2014

Name: Oxford Landing

Variety: Viognier

Region: South Australia

Country: Australia

Vintage: 2014

Price: $13 Sale $8.95

Winery Review: 89 – Wine Enthusiast Best Buy

This wine may not be quite as rich or expressive as the other Viogniers in the Yalumba stable, but it's still an attractive effort. Pineapple and apricot flavors pick up hints of gingery spice on the vibrant finish. 

My Review: A very pleasant and full smelling white, especially compared to the whites that I've tasted previously on this blog. Crystal nectar color. There is definitely a lot of floral action with apple going on in the nose possibly also accompanied by an earthiness. The taste seems to focus on orange blossoms. Overall pretty balanced in the aftertaste that gets hotter in the back of the mouth with some spice towards the end. Overall pretty good with a lot going on but all making sense.

Tasted without food.

Featured Tasting! Crane Lake Gewürtztraminer 2015

This is the featured tasting of the week though I didn't buy it!  Allow me to explain.  This week I picked my wine as it would pair with a dinner more than just for sipping otherwise I would be all over this wine. A fantastically unique dessert wine of which this was my first experience.  In all honesty all the wines this week were exceptional and I would've gladly purchased all 5 if I had reason to.

Name: Crane Lake Gewürtztraminer
Variety: Gewürtztraminer
Region: California
Country: USA
Vintage: 2015
Price: $5.95

Bonus Background: Gewürtztraminer is traditionally from regions of Germany, Alsace and northern Italy with great variety between those versions.  Gewürtz is the German word for "spicy" which is what characterizes this unique white and is the common denominator between all versions because it comes from the grape. The pink grape hails from Germany though can be found all over the greater Alps region of Europe.  It can be sweet (traditionally German version) and it can be dry (typically Alsace) but all tend to have a distinct lychee aroma and flavor.  This means it is a dessert wine or a white wine with all the perks of both. Depending on your particular version this wine usually goes well with exotic spicy foods like Indian and south-east Asian cuisine.

Winery Review: This floral wine has notes of rose, peach, and apricot, with a smooth, lingering finish. This wine pairs well with both smoked Gouda and Munster cheeses. Also try it along with roast pork, turkey, red snapper or sautéed abalone.

My Review: Yum yum yum. Besides the fact that I love German beverages in general (especially southern German beer), I am probably only slightly biased in liking this as much as I do.  I understand that it is not from Germany but the fact that Gewürtztraminer has such variety in the old world should mean Californian versions should be welcomed with open arms.  The color is light gold with a hint of rose and the smell is equally sweet and spicy.  I couldn't detect the lychee though I could not recall the taste of one during the tasting anyways.  A decent body in this one which came with less sugar than a typical dessert wine.  The spice comes as second only to the initial sugar and comes in the form of a cinnamony-nutmeg flavor.  The fact that Gewürtztraminer is such a different wine made it my favorite of the day.  As everyone says you either love or hate Gewürtztraminer, so I am glad that I tasted this wine first before being surprised for a full bottle, and that is my recommendation.  Now I know I can move up the shelf to try a true German or Alsace Gewürtztraminer and that I will enjoy the purchase.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - El Ganador Malbec 2015

Name: El Ganador Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Vintage: 2015
Price: $12 Sale $7.95

Winery Review: 87 – Beverage Testing Institute
Garnet color. Aromas of black cherry, plum jam, rich dark soil, and violet honey with a lightly tannic, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, complex, medium-long black cherry, rich garden soil, crushed plum, and cinnamon toast finish with medium tannins and moderate oak. Dense, dark and chewy with earthy complexity, balancing the luscious jammy fruit qualities of new world with earthy qualities of old world wines.

My Review: My first taste of a big, bad Malbec was not as over-bearing as I thought it would be; in fact I really liked this wine so I bought it.  The color is as black as grapes can get I suppose.  The nose revealed a heavy black cherry with darker jamminess intertwined.  The taste was alot less tanic than I expected, only a slight step up from the Pinot Noir but with a distinct oaky toastiness.  The initial impression was graceful tannins followed by a slightly sweet jam with slight acid towards the end that gives way back to the initial impression.  Very complex and I especially liked the bit of unexpected acid as this is a baby Malbec, though that may just be my preference.  If acid is not your thing, just let it age a bit.  I will enjoy my bottle of it with a big red-meat dinner later this weekend.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Grand Cru Vineyards Pinot Noir 2014

Name: Grand Cru Vineyards Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region:  California, Winery: Sonoma
Country: USA
Vintage: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: This ruby-colored wine has aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with appetizers and main courses. This wine goes well with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon, lamb shanks and pork tenderloin.

My Review: A nice and easy red with plenty of soft dark fruit to think about.  A light yet full red color with darker fruits than you would expect from the color.  I smelt blackberry while others around me said plum (I have not had a plum recently to compare smell/taste).  The taste was that of dark berry area in general and was not lacking for jammy character.  Balanced low in general with some tannins initially that come back near the finish.  After the initial tannins, a slight sweet-sour taste comes along that lingers for about 30 seconds.  Overall an excellent experience and would buy, again, if I had the money to spare.  In fact I really enjoyed every one of these 5 wines posted today.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Douglas Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Name: Douglas Hill Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: California, Winery: Sonoma 
Country: USA
Vintage: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: This light, crisp Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of grapefruit, bell pepper, and asparagus. On the palate, hints of floral and honey are revealed to yield a well-balanced, refreshing wine.

My Review: A light-bodied semi-sweet white with hints of lemon in the aroma.  Move it to the mouth and the herbs hit you immediately but it is no slap across the face.  From what I could decipher, thyme was present and I wouldn't disagree with the bell pepper and asparagus from the review above.  This wine really has some travel across your taste buds: soft and sweet on the tip moving to bigger sweetness and acid, then it calms down on the middle of the tongue and finishes with some heat in the back.  Was quite a drastic difference from the Soave previously tasted but I could see it pairing well with a summery chicken dinner.

Tasted without food.

Tasting - Prime Brume Soave 2015

Name: Prime Brume Soave

Variety: Saove (Gargenega)
Region: Soave/Veneto
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2015
Price: $10 Sale $6.95

Winery Review: 91 - Beverage Testing Institute (August 31st 2016)
"Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors."

My Review: I was unable to pick up on any specific aromas or flavors in particular with this wine though it was excellent overall! The color is an old gold straw and smells of a mix of soft tropical fruit with some lactic aroma like butter. The taste is very similar to the smell though after a minute or so the wine takes over different parts of the mouth: the soft fruit gives way to a more full fruit followed by sweetness and then acid in that order.  Every aspect of the wine was balanced low though there was moderate acidity when it came through.  Too complex for me to talk about though I'm told it is a good example of a Soave: would recommend the buy as it is a wine you could probably find more depth to with each sip besides the fact that decent Soaves run typically cheaper ($7-15).  Would buy a bottle if I had the money to spare.

Tasted without food.