Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2009
Price: $4.95
"Vintage Cellar" Review: "This is an unwooded Chenin Blanc, and is made from a 48 year old vines in the Swartland wine growing region. 'This wine packs a deceptive punch. And that punch tastes of apples, pears and quince, with an appealing herbal note that helps it pair well with salads and other light far. Don't drink it too cold, or you might miss all the fruit.' - Washington Post (June 2010)"
My Review: The three words I wrote down for this wine were "fruity, crisp, light." This was my first experience with a Chenin Blanc and I found it to be very similar to a sauvignon blanc. However, this varietal seemed to have a fuller body than a sauvignon blanc has traditionally. I also found this wine to be especially fruity. The pear flavor especially came through for my palate.
Tasting #2: Coldstream Hills Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Yarra Valley
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95
"Vintage Cellar" Review: "Predominantly fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks, with a small portion barrel fermented in older French oak, the wine is blended, bottled and released three to four months after fermentation. The nose shows fragrant gooseberry characters with underlying passionfruit and lychee aromas. Minerally, stalky notes are evident and provide additional complexity. The palate is a fine and elegant style and zesty lemon acidity and length. Varietal characters of passionfruit pulp and gooseberry dominate with hints of lemon peel in the background."
My Review: My first note on this wine was about its nose. More than any other wine I have tasted, this one had a particularly interesting (and not in a good way) nose. I couldn't quite put my finger on what the aroma was. I wrote down "rubber?" but I am unsure if that is the best descriptor of it. While I didn't find the flavor to quite match the aroma, I still was not fond of the flavor. I wasn't able to find any words to describe the flavor other than "odd." The only aspect that met my expectation was its very light body.
Tasting #3: Marques de Moral Crianza Tempranillo
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Valdepenas
Country: Spain
Year: 2007
Price: $7.95
"Vintage Cellar" Review: "87 points, Stephen Tanzer. Medium red. Aromas of redcurrant and cherry, plus a hint of dried rose. Fleshy and smooth, with moderate depth to its slightly bitter red fruit flavors. Finishes with decent breadth and grip, with the redcurrant element joined by a hint of white pepper."
My Review: The currants definitely came through in both aroma and flavor on this one. This was my favorite one that I tried. It was also my first experience with a tempranillo. It was a very pleasant first experience. I thought the wine was spicy, but not overbearingly so. I also thought the currant flavor was very mellow and the wine had a smooth finish. Really liked this one! Great deal!
Tasting #4: Le Lapin Multiplicity
Variety: Multiplicity
Region: Paso Robles
Country: California
Year: No year
Price: $6.95
"Vintage Cellar" Review: "Multiplicity is a blend of grapes that rabbit ridge is keeping under wraps for now. The nose is black cherry, blackberry, a little plum and some spice, with a touch of forest floor. The palate is full of fruit and spice, with flavors of black cherry and a slight cranberry note. Nice firm tannins and a medium finish."
My Review: I personally found this wine to be a little tart upon my first taste. I wonder if allowing the wine to breathe for a bit would make a difference with that. Very dry and a strong cherry flavor. My favorite word to describe this wine is "perky." It seemed to perfectly fit my overall feeling of this wine.
Tasting #5: Opera Prima Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region:
Country: Spain
Year: No year
Price: $5.95
"Vintage Cellar" Review: "This is an amazing value for an inexpensive Moscato sparkler that is great for many occasions. Its bright fruit aromas of lychee and lime are appealing and the flavors of honeydew, lim and lychee are delightful. Great for cake or fruit-based desserts."
My Review: This wine was extremely floral. Probably the strongest smell and flavor of flowers out of any wine I have ever tried. It was a little overbearing for me. It was also very sweet and very fruity. I have not had a lot of experience with moscatos but I am finding that I do not tend to like them. The melon flavor especially was very strong for my palate.
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