Il Duca Moscato d’Asti

Name: Il Duca Moscato d’Asti

Variety: Muscat

Region: Asti, Piedmont

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $11.99

Winery review: A soft, easy-drinking white with notes of fresh peach and apricot intermingled with clover honey. Lower in alcohol, this is the perfect accompaniment to fresh fruit or as a delicious companion or alternative to dessert.

My review: This wine was amazing! It smelled fruity, sweet, and refreshing like you just cut up and mixed a bunch of different cold, fresh fruits in a bowl. The taste was consistent with the bouquet and the flavor was delicious. You could definitely taste peaches, and other sweet fruits, and it felt very refreshing. It seems almost impossible that it contained a drop of alcohol. This wine was very well structured and perfect for sweet, white wine lovers. I bought this wine, along with another 3 people that were at the tasting. I did not try it with food; it was amazing on its own. 

Chateau Lanessan Haut-Medoc

Name: Chateau Lanessan Haut-Medoc

Variety:  Bordeaux Blend

Region: Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux

Country: France

Year: 2003

Price: $27.99

Winery review: “This is a great Lanessan, one of the best I have tasted. A fine, elegant nose of violets, cassis, and black fruits. Very harmonious, concentrated. A great success 89-91 pts” –Wine-Journal.com . SILVER MEDAL at Concours des Vins d’Aquitaine held in 2005.

My review: This wine did not really impress me. What was different from all the other wines I have tasted though is that it had a floral note in the bouquet. It also smelled like berries. The taste of the wine was not as good as the bouquet. I think it lacked body since I didn’t really feel anything going on in the mid palate. However, at the end the wine did have a more berry oriented and tannic structured flavor. I did not pair this wine with food. 

Casado Morales Rioja Seleccion Privada

Name: Casado Morales Rioja Seleccion Privada

Variety: Other reds

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Year: 2005

Price: $19.99

Winery review:  “Purple-colored, it surrenders a lovely aromatic aray of wood smoke, incense, brier, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, this concentrated effort conceals enough structure to blossom…” –Wine Advocate. Rated at 93 pts.

My review: This wine was much better than the blended red wine I tried before. The bouquet contained a berry scent but also other fruity scents. It tasted kind of earthy and the tannins were strong. I would say this wine is medium-bodied since I did feel different flavors develop. I could taste a black berry, smoky flavor in the mid palate. Overall, I would say this wine was well structured. I did not try it with food but I would like to. 

Kitchen Sink Red Reserve

Name: Kitchen Sink Red Reserve

Variety: Other reds

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: N/A

Price: $12.99

Winery review: A luscious blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, and Petit Sirah with aromas of blueberry, pomegranate, and a hint of mocha. Plum, blackberry and cassis follow into mid palate. Slight acidity into the finish with fruit notes that carry through to the end.

My review:  I don’t have very much experience with red wines, but I've tasted better. This wine smelled like berries and alcohol. I did not feel any strong flavors in the mid palate so I think it lacked body. I definitely tasted the tannic aspect of it; it gave my mouth a puckering feeling. Also, at the end I could taste the alcohol. I did not pair this wine with food, but I think it would have tasted much better if I did.

Smart Cookie Sauvignon Blanc Marl

Name: Smart Cookie Sauvignon Blanc Marl

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Malborough

Country: New Zealand

Year: N/A

Price: $9.99

Winery review: Bright and zesty with aromas of freshly baked lemon and cookies. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors fill your palate and finishes refreshingly long. Tempt your taste buds with a mouth watering treat.

My review: This was my first time trying a sauvignon blanc and I wasn’t crazy about it. The bouquet was citrusy and crispy which I liked but the palate was very acidic and it was not fruity like other white wines I’ve had before. Also, this wine felt light-bodied since I did not perceive many flavors throughout. What I did like, however, was that it felt refreshing as I was drinking it. I did not taste this wine with food.

Gumdale Chardonnay Reserve

Name: Gumdale Chardonnay Reserve

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: South Eastern Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2010

Price: $8.99 

Winery review: Made with grapes from Australia’s top growing regions, this reserve wine exhibits aromas of peach, melon, and tropical fruit, interwined with a touch of vanilla. Soft and creamy with low acidity, this selection makes an excellent party wine. Try it with pasta.

My review: I really liked this wine. The bouquet was fruity but not sweet and the taste was oaky and dry but buttery at the same time. I think this wine was full-bodied, since it was filled with flavor throughout and it didn’t feel light; it was very well structured. I didn't try this wine with food and I don’t think it’s necessary to drink it with food because it has a lot happening on its own.