Saturday, February 25, 2012

Tasting - Santola Vinho Verde, Protocolo Blanc, Resonata Nero D'avola, Don Ramon Tinto, Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Tasting #1: Santola Vinho Verde

Varietal: Vinho Verde
Region: Not applicable
Country: Portugal
Year: No vintage
Price: $7.95

"Vintage Cellar" Review: "Soft and creamy, although with just the right Vinho Verde bite, this is a crisp and clean wine, boasting light pear and pink grapefruit flavors. Off dry and very fresh."

My Review: This was my second experience with a vinho verde. It definitely has the same light fruit aromas that the other vinho verde had. The color of this wine was very clear. The first vinho verde I had almost had a slight carbonation to it, while I thought this one didn't have that quality. I'm not sure if that is something characteristic of that varietal or just that particular wine I had. The body was just as light as I expected from the color. It was thin and very crisp. It would be great in the middle of summer. Chris said he thought it tasted like adult Fresca.


Tasting #2: Protocolo Blanc

Varietal: Protocolo
Region: Not applicable
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

"Vintage Cellar" Review: "87 points, Stephan Tanzer. Greenish gold. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry, understated and focused, offering clean citrus and melon flavors and slow-building sweetness. Finishes dry and brisk, with an echo of lemon. As usual, this is an outstanding value."

My Review: This one smelled just like a chardonnay to me. It had that rich oak and distinct fruit aroma of a chardonnay. However, when I tasted it, it seemed a little light in depth. It wasn't very complex and didn't seem to have a lot of flavor to me. It was dry, which I liked but it was oddly light for its intense nose aromas.

Tasting #3: Resonata Nero D'avola

Varietal: Nero D'avola
Region: Not applicable
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95

"Vintage Cellar" Review: "Dense ruby red with violet reflections. Lush and ripe bouquet full of mulberries, blackberries and spice. Harmonious and well-balanced with good berry fruit in a spicy background."

My Review: This one was very nice! It had a very subtle vanilla flavor that hit me first. After that, I tasted cherry and a little tobacco. Dry, well-balanced, and didn't have a lot of heat. We bought two bottles of this one!

Tasting #4: Don Ramon Tinto

Varietal: Tinto 
Region: Not applicable
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $7.95

"Vintage Cellar" Review: "75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo. Aged 3 months in American Oak casks. Ruby red in color, with creamy aromas of earth and cherry. Flavor turns toward deeper and darker black cherry and raspberry on a medium framework. A subtle earthiness underneath the bright fruit adds some depth and complexity."

My Review: This wine had very strong tannins and an interesting flavor. I have never tasted grenache by itself but since I have had tempranillo before, I suspect the odd flavor was from the grenache. It was almost a little bitter. I didn't taste hardly any of the tempranillo, which I suppose makes sense since it only constituted 25% of the wine. This was alright for me.

Tasting #5: Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Varietal: Riesling
Region: Not applicable
Country: Germany
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

"Vintage Cellar" Review: "Flint and mineral notes accent pineapple and lime aromas, while on the palate, the wine shows plenty of ripe, citrusy fruit flavors. Tangy acids on the long finish provide balance."

My Review: The first word that I said and then wrote down about this wine was "whoa." It had a VERY sweet smelling aroma and a VERY strong, odd flavor in it that completely overpowered the wine. Perhaps it was the flint? I'm not sure what it was, but this was absolutely undrinkable for me.

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