Tasting - First Light Moscato

First Light

Moscato

Australia

2012

$7.95

Wine review: Ripe lychee, tropical fruits and musk on the nose as you near the glass. Lovely grape and stone fruits and on the palate is highlighted with the subtle sweetness and spritz that makes this such a fun drink

My review: Light red and pink color. Apple and fruity on the nose. Sweetness kicks in instantly with a lot of tropical fruit, mango, and apple. It was a sparkly, clean, and sweet. Not much alcohol with light body. Clean and smooth finish with hint of sweetness. It would be a nice sipping wine by itself or light cheese snack or even with chocolate.

Tasting - CalNaturale

CalNaturale

Cabernet Sauvignon

Paso Robles

California

2009

$10.95 1 Liter

$5.95 500 mL

Wine review: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Viognier this certified organic winery produces outstanding quality at reasonable prices offering classic cabernet flavors of fresh herb, olive, cedar and cassis. Focused and intense with a charming rustic side and broad tannis that firm up on the finish.

My review: Dark red and blackberry red color. Coffee, mocha, caramel, and hint of petrol on the nose. It was very hot, spicy, and dry. Full bodied wine with very smooth finish. Spiciness and smoothness was well balanced. It will go really well with any meat dishes with medium sauce or any Asian spicy dishes.

Tasting - Beajolais Nouveau

Georges Duboeuf

Beajolais Nouveau

Beaujolais, France

2013

$7.95

Wine review: An aromatic red, with floral and white peach notes accenting the black raspberry and plum flavors. This is open-knit and fresh, offering light tannins on the finish.

My review: Medium purple red color with young grape and fruity on the nose with hint of vanilla aroma. It was a full body wine with perfume and green apple in the mid palate. It was very dry at the end. It will go well with seafood pasta or just fish dishes with heavy sauce or mid to heavy cheese.

Tasting - Beltrame Friulano

Beltrame Friulano

Tocai Friulano

Friuli, Italy

2009

$9.95

Wine review: 100% Tocai Friulano Straw-coloured yellow with a pale green tint express an intense, delicately aromatic and floral bouquet. The flavor is dry, soft slightly fruity, with slightly bitter nuance in its almond aftertaste, and suggestion of peach.

My review: Yellowish or light yellow color, and green on the nose. It was a  medium hot and spicy wine with medium body . It got drier towards the end. Apricot and hint of lemon as well as bitter and dry at the end. This wine will go well with any shellfish or seafood pasta with cream sauce. medium sauce or spicy dishes will be very good with this one.

Tasting - Mas LLunes Maragda

Mas LLunes Maragda

Grenache Blanc

Emporada, Spain

2010

$9.95

Wine review: This Grenache Blanc is exquisitely sculpted with sharp acid and pinpointed minerals, and offers orange, melon and vanilla-honey flavors. A delight to drink at a great price

My review: Light clear gold, plum and lemon like color. Medium body, acidic and alcohol balance was fair on the nose. Smooth and fruity at the end. Hint of lemon, orange, and not a sweet wine. More to the dry side flavor, It will go well with mild cheese and pasta with light sauce.

Dinner - Red Lobster (Maine)

My wife and I were celebrating our belated Valentine's day and we decided to go out for dinner with wine and cocktail. We both have been craving for seafood, and Blacksburg is located nowhere near the ocean, so we just agreed to go to Red Lobster in Christiansburg, VA. Since it was Saturday night, the restaurant was packed with people and we had to wait for about an hour to get seated.

After we got seated, I was really eager to try Savignon Blanc because I just read about French white wines from the textbook and I was curious how it will taste and feel in my mouth. Also, it will go really well with seafood dishes that we were about to eat. So I ordered a glass of Savignon Blanc, and My wife ordered Pina Colada. 

I chose salad with Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar dressing, and my wife had salad with red wine dressing. They also gave us free breads.

Finally our dishes came out. Mine was a Shrimp and Lobster Linguine with Alfredo sauce, and my wife ordered Bar Harbor Lobster Bake which was consist of lobster meat, shrimp, scallop, mussel, and pasta noodle. My dish was very creamy and salty, and my wife's dish was lightly buttered pasta and seafood baked in a bowl.

 

Here's my review for the Wine and Diner: 

I had 2012 Coastal Estates Savignon Blanc, California, U.S.A. and it was about $6 per glass at the restaurant. The color was light and clear, and green and little bit of citrus were on the nose. This wine had sweet green apple, light, crisp, and acidic light body. It wasn't syrup sweet, it had medium sweetness and acidic flavor at the beginning, but they gradually disappear towards to the end. It was not a dry wine at all and nice and smooth from the beginning to the end..

It was actually very good paring with seafood dishes as I expected. The salty and creamy flavor balanced very well with crisp and acidic aroma/flavor of this wine. My dish could have been too creamy and greasy for my taste, but the right amount of acid level in the wine helped to balance between the two.

I think it would have been equally good if I tried Chardonnay with drier aroma and flavor. Overall, the dinner with wine experience was very successful since the balance was very good and clean. We both had great time and can't wait to go try another dishes with different wines.

Tasting - Sonnenband

Sonnenband

Moscato Magnum

Spain

$9.95

Wine review: This wine is intricate with the delicious perfumes of white flower blossoms, profound tropical fruit sweetness, and energized by citrus nectars.

My Reveiw: Clear and light colored wine. I was instantly picking up very sweetness. It had a lot of sugar in it, and fruit and flower aroma/flavor were coming forward. It will be very good desert wine and it will be very good with chocolate covered strawberries.

Tasting - Neu Direction

Neu Direction

Cabernet Sauvignon

Mendoza, Argentina

2010

$7.95

Wine review: This Cabernet Sauvignon shows very good purity of fruit and skillful winemaking. This wine is full of black-fruit aromas, depth and style. The palate pushes ripe plum and berry fruit along with chocolate, and the finish is chewy and correct in terms of tannins and structure.

My reviw: Dark color, and I was able to smell and taste some distinctive perform or flower like taste at the end. It was sweet and plum like aroma/flavor, but it was much more stronger like perfume. It was dry as expected, and good body and weight. It was smooth from mid palate and end. It will go well with any meat or bbq dishes.

Tasting - Champteloup

Champteloup

Pinot Noir

Loire, France

2011

$7.95

Wine review: Light touch using no wood and doing as little as possible to preserve freshness. Bright cherry and strawberry fruits are followed by a soft smooth palate.

My review: The color was very light and clear. It was earthy, leathery, and some berries on the nose, also I was able to pick up some cherry flavors. It was definitely not sweet, but smooth. Even though this wine was not stored in wood, I was able to pick up some, but very subtle leathery flavor at the end.

Tasting - Baumann

Baumann

Gentil Classiq

Alsace, France

2012

$9.95

Wine review: Blend of Reising, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Light aromas of fresh fruit and delicate white flowers start your journey, followed by crisp flavors of stone and citrus fruit. A well balanced acidity on the dry finish ends this French blend beautifully.

My review: The color was clear and light. It was earthy on the nose, and very dry at the end. I was able to pick up some perfume like flavor at the end, and it was very subtle. This wine doesn't have a full body, and it was more like some flavor first and then disappears towards the end. It was crisp and smooth. It will go well with cheese or not heavy food.

Tasting - Fattori

Fattori

Runcaris Soave

Soave, Italy

2010

$7.95

Wine review: Almond and floral notes on the nose with a building array of acacia, citron and melon aromas. Bright and round in the mouth with a rich melony mid-palate that has a peach accent tone. Lightly mineral with a fresh, easy, clean feel and a touch of cool icy spice on the finale.

My review: Light yellow color, more like clear side.The nose was lemon and it was very dry side white wine.The lemon flavor was very subtle at the end and I couldn't tell melony mid palate at all. This wine was definitely not a sweet wine and it had mouth drying taste at the end. It would go well with seafood or seafood pasta.

Tasting - Matchbook

Matchbook

Syrah

Zamora

California

2010

$13.59

Wine review: Aromas of blackberry pie, dusty sweet oak and mellow spices of cardamom and mace are prominent with underlying hints of smoke, earth, and cocoa. Flavors of raspberries and blackberries dominate giving this wine a juicy, mouthwatering character. The finish is long with flavors of currants, cherries, and cocoa powder tannins.

My Review: I remember that I tried this matchbook syrah long time ago when I was a highschool graduate and didn't know anything about wines. It was really bitter and dry enough to make me stop drinking wine for a long time. The nose displayed typical Syrah's dark, earthy, and oak aroma. This wine had a full body, but not complex enough. I was able to pick up a lot of fruity aroma and taste, such as blackberries, mocha/chocolate, and of course, it was very dry at the end. It was too tannic and dry at the end, and it will be good idea to have this wine with food, such as greasy steak with a lot of fat!

Tasting - Peter Lehmann Clancy's

Peter Lehmann Claycy's

Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot

Barossa Valley

Australia

2009

$15.59

Wine Review: The nose displays a lovely raspberry and pastille lift with a palate of red berry, dark plums and chocolate. Blending the three varietals gives Clancy's great complexity, richness of fruit flavor and a harmonious balance of soft tannin finish.

Blend: 39% Shiraz, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot

My review: I wanted to try this wine in order to compare the difference between Layers and Clancy''s blend. Since it was blended with Shiraz, Cabernet, and Merlot, I was able to tell It would be very dark color, oak, dry, and tart wine even before I opened the bottle.

The color was very dark as expected, and it was scary dark. I was kind of afraid of tasting it, but I had to do it, so I did. =)

The nose indeed displayed dark fruit, mocha, and hot. As expected, this wine had a full body with hint of dark berries and mocha or chocolate along with tart and tannin at the end.

This wine will be very compatible with fat and greasy food, such as red meat steak and creamy pasta with a lot of cheese.

Tasting - Peter Lehmann Layers

:

Peter Lehmann Layers

Blend of Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Tempranillo

Barossa Valley

Australia

2010

$15.59

Wine Review: This multi-dimensional wine is an exciting medium blend of four red grape varieties. The colour is vibrant cherry with a burst of red berries and spice on the nose, leading to a softly textured finish. 

My review: I think this wine was blended with other dry wines, and it has more tart, dry, and oak aroma and taste. The color was darker red / purple color, and It had more close to full body, and complex taste since it was blended with other different wines. It was very earthy, oak, and dry at the end, and it was more towards full body side. It was kind of strong and hot for my taste. It will go great with red meat and grease steak and creamy pasta with Alfredo sauce.

Tasting - Rosa Regale

Rosa Regale

Brachetto

Pidemont

Italy

$19.99

Wine Review: Extremely fruity nose, blackberry, strawberry; pretty straightforward. Fun taste, sweet and slightly fizzy. This wine would be easy to guzzle.

My Review: I bought this wine for Valentine's day. Actually, my wife loved it since it was really nice and sweet, fruity, sparkly wine. Clear and pink/purple color was joyful, This wine was a desert wine, and it was really fruity and flowery. I instantly picked up sweet rose aroma, and the taste was very crisp, fruit, flower, and sparkling. I can have this wine all day just by itself in order to cheer up and relax.

Tasting - The Black Dog

The Black Dog

 Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, petit verdot, and Chambourcin

Floyd Co. Virginia

U.S.A.

Non-Vintage

$9.59

Wine Review: Aroma: Fruity. Palate: Berries, subtle spices. Finish: Smooth. Off-dry, medium-bodied. Chambourcin, Cabernet, Merlot. 

My Review: I was excited because I 've been wanting to try wines from Chateau Morrisette which is from Floyd, VA. This wine was recommended by the sales person at Kroger. When I was tying to identify the aroma of the wine, I was having a hard time comprehending the aroma since this wine was blended with 4 different varieties. I picked up some spice and hint of fruit and little bit of oak, but they were very hard to tell and very subtle. This wine was very smooth and semi dry at the end. It definitely was not a full body wine and more like a medium bodied wine. I found some strange aroma/taste. After 4th glass, this wine seemed to be getting hot and drier. I was using a decanter and I aerated the wine in a decanter for about 8 hours before the actual tasting and consumption. This wine would be good with a light snack, such as cheese platter or just by itself.

Tasting - Col Di Sasso

Col Di Sasso

Cabernet Sauvignon & Sangiovese

Tuscany

Italy

2012

$9.99

Wine review: The nose of this wine is dominated by “high pitch” aromatics like cherry, raspberry and spices.  The palate has a bright acidity and offers ripe cherry, raspberry and plum flavors with moderate concentration.  The tannins are soft, but noticeable.  The finish is medium in length and offers tangy cherry flavors.  For nine bucks, this is not a bad wine.

My review: Cherry red color wine and the smell was sweet and plum like. Also it's got 13% alcohol and it was really smooth when I tasted in my mouth. There was little bit of tannin and acidic body but not significant. It was not hot or spicy, and it was more like plum and smooth flavor with little tannins form a nice structure to the body. This wine will go really well with seafood creamy pasta or tomato sauce pasta. 

Tasting - San Angelo

San Angelo

Pinot Grigio

Montalcino

Italy

2012

$16.59

Wine review: Pinot Grigio enthusiasts will love this citrusy expression from Tuscany. There’s just enough warm-climate ripeness here to give the wine a full, creamy feel on the finish, yet the bouquet is all about freshness; notes of lemon-lime, melon and white peach are prominent.

My Review: The color was very light yellow and clear. I could smell light fruit and sweet, but the bottle was opened more than 4 hours when I tasted, so it was hard to pick up the detailed smell. When I swirled in my mouth, it was very crisp and fresh. Also, this wine was very light and fruit flavor. It will go really well with any fruit or just by itself. This wine was like fresh summer morning.

Tasting - Fess Parker

Fess Parker

Syrah

Santa Maria

California

U.S.A.

$17.49

Wine review: Flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, spice and toast commingle on the palate with light mint and herbal notes.

Vineyard Notes:

53% Rodney’s Vineyard, 41% Camp Four Vineyard, 5% Hampton Vineyard all from Santa Ynez Valley & 1% Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa Valley

My review: The color was normal red and little bit on the dark redish side. The smell was very rich and full, sweet and little bit of spice which was more like pepper. It's got a kick with hot and spicy also i was able to taste mocha like taste at the end. Since this one is blended wine, I was able to taste a lot of different taste, such as sweet, berries, dark and richness. I will definitely recommend this wine with red meat steak or BBQ.

Tasting - Tres Picos

Tres Picos

Grancha

Borja

Spain

2011

$15.59

Wine review: It has a dark ruby color with shades of purple. On the nose there is a rich aroma of ripe berries with hints of floral tones typical of the Garnacha, a unique variety. In the mouth, it is a full bodied rich wine with a taste of blackberries, strawberries and hints of leather, vanilla and plums.

My review: The color was dark red and lighter tint was shown when I swirl in the glass. I was smelling fruits, sweet, and some aroma that I can't really describe. It's like aroma between sweet and earthy green smell. This wine was definitely hot and spicy since it contains 15% alcohol, and I was able to pick up the smell and taste hot and spicy when I actually tasted it. It will go well with some greasy and meaty food or sweets like chocolates in order to balance the hot and spicy.

Tasting - Catena

Catena

Malbec

Mendoza

Argentina

2011

$19.99

Wine review: The Catena Malbec presents a deep violet color with purple reflections. This microclimate blend of four unique vineyards offers intense aroma, soft texture and concentrated flavor. Deep aromas of ripe red and dark fruits are joined by delicate violet and lavendar notes, with traces of vanilla and mocha.

My review: The color of this wine is dark red, and I was able to see some hint of lighter red when I swirl in the glass. Since it has 13.5% alcohol, the first smell was hot and spicy, but not super strong. After that dry fruit like smell came slightly. This wine was slightly on the sweet side when I swirl in my mouth, and I was able to taste some cinnamon and fruit like after taste. This wine will work well with red meat steak or creamy pasta with chicken.

Tasting - Gnarly Head

GNARLY HEAD

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

CALIFORNIA

U.S.A.

2011

$15.59

Wine Review: Deep ruby color; concentrated black fruit aroma, some oaky notes; medium bodied, very firm on the palate; black fruit flavors, some wood in the finish.

My Review: Dark redish color. First smell was very black cinnamon like smell. After swirling in my mouth I was able to taste sweet, fruity, and little bit of bitter after taste. This wine might be able to go well with some thick and sweet snacks like chocolate.