Annalisa

Name: Annalisa

Variety: Malvasia

Region: Asti

Country: Italy

Year: 2016

Price: $9.95

Winemakers notes: The perlage is fine and persistent. The color is pale pink, almost cherry. The aromatic scent is intense and reminiscent of wild berries, blueberries and wild strawberries. The flavor is sweet, slightly sparkling and full of berries. Since this is a sweet and aromatic wine is a classic to combine with fruit tarts and pastry. An ideal companion in moments of celebration, Malvasia is also a nice refreshing drink at any time of the day.

My review: I was immediately reminded of sugar cane when smelling this wine. It is tart, bubbly, and has the sweetness and fruitiness of red berries, specifically strawberries. It has a very sweet finish once the tartness from the berries subsides.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

CK Mondavi

Name: CK Mondavi

Variety: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2015

Price: $9.95

Winemakers notes: Red Blend is their winemaker’s signature cuvee, an expression of five red varieties capturing the best of each vintage. It has the backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon, the finesse of Merlot, the structure of Petit Verdot, the floral essence of Cabernet Franc and the boldness of Malbec. This full-bodied wine offers flavors of black cherries and plums and ends in a soft, balanced finish.

My review: This wine smells sweet like honey. When i tasted it, I was shocked with notes of leather and Oak. I could taste cherries and the honey towards the end and the finish. It had a bold finish with many deep flavors.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

Vigna Lenuzza

Name: Vigna Lenuzza

Variety: Refosco

Region: Fruili

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $5.95

Winemakers notes: Classic varietal notes of wild herbs, roasted coffee beans, leather and spices deep ruby hues while on the palate sweet spiced notes of cinnamon and cardamom, held together with lively acidity and graceful tannins.

My review: This wine smells heavily of honey. You can clearly taste the bold flavors of spices, herbs, and other notes of non-fruity flavors. The smokiness and taste of leather come across clearly.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

William Fevre La Mission

Name: William Fevre La Mission

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Maipo Valley

Country: Chille

Year: 2016

Price: $8.95

Winemakers notes: This La Misión Chardonnay is very fruity and highlights notes of pear, white peach, and a hint of smoke which is very characteristic of some vines from the Maipo Valley. It is very fresh and round in the mouth and has developed aromas of toasted bread and butter.

My review: This wine smells rather musty initially with hints of acidic grapefruit. It tastes sweet like pears and has a lingering tartness. It has a very smooth texture.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

Mont Pellier

Name: Mont Pellier

Variety: Viognier

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2015

Price: $8.95

Winemakers notes: With abundant aromas of honey-suckle, stone fruit, apricot and tropical fruit, our Viognier finishes crisp and clean with hints of vanilla and fruit that is pleasantly balanced.

My review: This wine smells very strongly of apple and honey-suckle. You immediately get the sweetness followed by the fruitiness of fruits like apple and pear. It finishes softly with a lingering fruitiness.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

Pierre Olivier

Name: Pierre Olivier

Variety: Tempranillo/ Airen

Region: Catalan

Country: France

Year: Not Listed

Price: $9.95

Winemakers notes: A blend of Airen and Tempranillo grapes with 2% raspberry juice. Pale pink salmon. Just a touch off-dry, this is a very pleasant sparkler that reveals aromas of spicy red apple with a hint of cinnamon that carry through to the palate. Well made and exceedingly pleasant to drink.

My review: I really enjoyed this wine! I could clearly taste the raspberries in addition to a genuine sweetness. It was sparkling which made the wine very enjoyable and easy to drink. It had a very sweet and fruity finish.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

Terre dei Savoia

Name: Terre dei Savoia

Variety: Nebbiolo d’Alba

Region: Piedmont

Country: Italy

Year: Not Listed

Price: $6.95

Winemakers notes: Its perfume is quite complex, with spicy notes of cinnamon and vanilla, pleasant and characteristic; at the same time it is also fruity, with cherry and strawberry notes, and at the end we find dried fruit and pleasant toasted almond aroma. The palate has an interesting structure, characterized by a soft tannins, which together with alcohol and acidity, create harmonic and elegant sensations.

My review: I was immediately shocked to smell and taste the spice of this wine. This wine had a very bold flavor profile with little hints of fruit or sweetness. I found this wine to be a big to big for my liking due to all of the competing complex flavors and spices.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

El Cortijillo

Name: El Cortijillo

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2017

Price: $5.95

Winemakers notes: Vivid ruby. Pungent red berry and peppery spice scents show good focus and lift. Gently sweet and incisive on the palate, offering jammy raspberry and cherry flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Finishes taut and spicy, with supple tannins sneaking in late.

My review: I immediately smelled honey when I smelled this wine. I was surprised to taste a dry, spicy, flavor when I took my first sip. I was very surprised to find that the wine was not as sweet as it smelled. It had a bold and dry finish.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.

Tres Ojos

Name: Tres Ojos

Variety: 70% Garancha, 30% Tempranillo

Region: Calatayud

Country: Spain

Year: 2017

Price: $6.95

Winemakers notes: Medium pink. This is Garnacha rosé made in a fruity, easy drinking style. Showing ripe strawberry fruit, its moderate acidity and suave texture makes it the perfect sipping rosé. A blend of 70% Garnacha and 30% Tempranillo grown on limestone, marl and slate soils and made by the San Gregorio cooperative, which includes about 900 ha of 40+ year old vines. 14.5% alc.

My review: This rosé has a very rich berry flavor without the sweetness. There was not an overpowering sweetness to it and it actually left my palate dry. It was not very carbonated for a rosé and it had a somewhat sour finish.

Pairings: I did not pair this wine with any food.