Name: Alamos Torrontes - The Wines of Catena
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Origin Salta
Country: Argentina
Year: 2013
Price: $13 (retail)
Winery review: The intense mountain sunlight and pure snowmelt water of the Andes gives the Alamos Torrontes its explosive floral aromatic character and bright citrus flavors. This crisp, refreshing wine is excellent with spicy empanadas and grilled fish.
My review: This Torrontes really reminded of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with hints of grass and ammonia on the nose and a light theme of fruitiness throughout; it is very pleasant in an aromatic sense. I would say that it is fairly dry with a lightly acidic, floral taste on the palette. It's just a light South American and I like it because it has character and the South America is very proud of the grape varietal Torrontes!
I had this wine without food.
Name: Rioja D.O.C. Antano Reserva
Variety: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Gamacha
Region: Labastida, Basque Country (northeastern Spain)
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $14 (retail)
Winery review: Blending Rioja's four traditional varietals, Tempranilllo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Gamacha, our Reserva starts with a rigorous grape selection followed by gentle pressing and patient aging. It is ruby red in color and shows wonderful layers of cassis, cherry and vanilla flavors with just a hint of spice in the mid-palate through the finish which is long and elegant. This well-aged wine is perfect with steak, roasted pork, lamb and even heart seafood steaks such as swordfish. It will also age beautifully for years in the bottle.
My review: I think this is the first Rioja I've ever had and I liked it a lot! I had strong themes of oak, dark fruits such as cherry and even some blackberry, and vanilla on the nose. It opens up very nicely with its bouquet when swirled in the glass. The taste was very dry, lightly tannic, lightly acidic with a medium body, in my opinion. I also could taste the age on this wine; it's usually expected that red wines pack a punch when they're young because the tannic and acidic components haven't had time to settle and soften. Because it's a 2008 vintage, this wine has had some time to settle down and I could really sense a complexity to this wine because of the aging. I would definitely pair this wine with steak and other heavy meat dishes.
I had this wine without food.
Name: OneHope California Sparkling Brut Wine
Variety: Unspecified (tastes like Sauvignon Blanc and maybe Chardonnay)
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: Non-vintage
Price: $13 (retail)
Winery review: Our Premium Brut Sparkling is light in color and displays aromas of fresh green apple and nectarine with a hint of fresh baked bread. Crisp, intriguing fresh fruit reminiscent of succulent peach, sweet berries and pear linger on the palate, finishing with creamy and refreshing bubbles. This Sparkling can be paired with appetizers, seafood, sushi, as well as a wide range of desserts and cheeses.
My review: I thought this was a good sparkling wine. It reminded me a lot of a New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc on the nose with themes of ammonia and fruits, like grape fruit, maybe some hints pear and peach, etc. It has a nice balance of carbonation and dryness in comparison to themes of some acidic fruits, grapefruit coming through the most. I think of this as more of a celebration wine meant to be drunk by itself and not necessarily with any food at all. I think some pungent cheeses and soft crackers (maybe even Italian bread) would probably go best with this sparkling wine.
I had this wine without food.
Name: R Wines Eco.Love Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: South Island
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $18 (retail)
Winery review: Our South Island Riesling has a range and combination of flavors unlike any other. These flavors span citrus, root ginger, white peach, spices and florals. Eco.Love Riesling is made in balance to an off-dry style. Food Pairing: Asian Fusion, Seafood, Curry, and anything spicy.
My review: This definitely wasn't one of the excellent Rieslings that I hear about from others. I was expecting it to be very sweet; on the nose, I sensed a hint of light sweetness along with some floral themes. Tasting the Riesling, I discovered strong semi-sweetness (on the dry side of semi-sweet), a light creamy mouth feel, and surprisingly low alcohol. I usually expect a Riesling to be mostly sweet with some floral hints, but also with hints of petroleum. I would pair this wine spicy Asian dishes.
I had this wine without food.
Name: Canyon Road Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $7 (sale)
Vintage Cellar review: Rich, fruit forward cherry flavors, soft tannins, a medium body and a smooth velvety finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, salmon, and savory pork dishes.
My review: I actually liked this Pinot Noir a little bit. Not as full bodied as some that I've had, but a nice Pinot Noir if your looking for a light red wine to go with food. I noticed strong aromas of blackcherry, blackberry, and other dark fruits and a bit of oak on the nose. On the taste, I took away themes of light acidity, light body, oak, pepper, and dryness. It's a decent Pinot Noir for the price and I think it would go well with skillet-cooked pork chops in a light cream sauce and maybe sauteed vegetables in a light buttery sauce.
I had this wine without food.
Name: Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon
Variety: 80% Chardonnay; 20% Semillon
Region: South eastern Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2008
Price: $8 sale
Vintage Cellar review: Chardonnay Semillon is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Semillon. It gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot and butterscotch aromas. The medium bodied palate provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish.
My review: I really don't think this wine has much going for it. In my opinion, it is very simple and non-complex. Light oak and butter aromas come through on the nose; the taste is fairly light in body. It's definitely not an interesting wine and I would probably only drink it again if it was absolutely the only wine I had to drink. However, it is a Chardonnay, and the usual consensus is that Chardonnays are fairly simple wines to begin with, so I would say it's a decent Chardonnay (and Semillon) at best.
I had this wine without food.
Name: Allamand Valle de Uco Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $13 (retail)
Winery review: Cristian Allamand's 2012 Valle de Uco Malbec is made from grapes that Cristian Allamand personally owns or manages in Valle de Uco; a cool, high altitude valley located at the foothills of the Andes range 80 km south of the city of Mendoza, Argentina. There are a variety of regions and sub-regions in Argentina with the potential to show an ample range of flavors and styles. Thanks to the unique microclimate of Valle de Uco, Christian Allamand is able to craft wines that are ripe, silky and intense, yet elegant and most importantly terrior driven.
My review: I really noticed strong hints of vanilla and caramel on the nose. Dry and a bit spicy on the taste, but not a punch in the face. Mid-body, well structured, and overall a great balance and quality of acidity and tannin. I think it was of much higher quality than a Brownstone Malbec I reviewed from the same region.
I had this wine without food.
