Tasting--Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano Moscato Non Vintage

Name: Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano
Variety: Moscato Non Vintage
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Year: NA
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: 

-"Pale color. Confected, fruity aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle, pear tartlet, and honeydew melon with a satiny, shy, spritzy, moderately sweet light-to-medium body and a sleek, fast yellow apple, candied pear, honeycomb, and sweet papaya finish with no tannins and no oak. Simple and approachable with sweet apple, melon and candied pear on a framework of gentle, delightful bubbles."

 


My Review:

-87pts 
-If I absolutely had to pick a favorite from this week's flight, this wine would be it. However, with that being said, this wine was no big shakes. This wine had no defining nose. To the taste, it was sweet and refreshing, with hints of peach. I got almost a smoky flavor, but I think that might've been residual from the wine before this. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Jip Jip Rocks
Variety: Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Padthaway
Country: Australia 
Year: NA
Price: Regular $19, Sale $8.95

Winery Review: 

-87 – Robert Parker
-"This red wine is a well above average effort with lots of flavor as well as Australia's so easily obtainable, lush fruit. The 2013 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (55% and 45% respectively) exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with a layered, peppery, berry fruit-scented nose revealing licorice and meaty notes. From a much lighter vintage, it is a supple, easygoing red to enjoy now and over the next several years."

My Review:

-83pts
-I HATED this wine. On the nose, I got an overwhelming sense of pepper and could definitely smell a headache coming on (not to mention I couldn't stop sneezing...). To the taste, this wine was spicy and dry with a kick on the finish. This wine was just not my style at all. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Cavit Alta Luna Pinot Noir

Name: Cavit Alta Luna
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Vigneti delle Dolomiti
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: Regular $20, Sale $9.95

Winery Review: 

-"On the nose cherry, plum and berry aromas mingle with notes of spice and tobacco. On the palate soft, supple tannins and refreshing acidity are beautifully balanced by ripe cherry fruit flavors on the finish which is dry, harmonious and elegant."


My Review:

-86 pts
-Three for three, I was also not a huge fan of this wine. On the nose, I got deep cherry and dark fruits. To the taste, this wine was a bit smoky with cherry flavors and a very dry finish. I tried this wine on its own without food. 

Tasting--El Cortijillo Verdejo

Name: El Cortijillo
Variety: Verdejo
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: 

-90 Points – Beverage Testing Institute
-"Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper."

My Review:

-86 pts
-This wine was probably my least favorite out of this week's flight. On the nose, I got deep apple aromas with hints of earthiness and almost rubber. To the taste, this wine had hints of pear but was seemingly very watered down and sour. I tried this wine on its own without food. 

Tasting--Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Pinot Grigio

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: 

-"A Venetian favorite!  It is crisp and dry, rich and spicy with hints of peach and honey…perfect with salads, pasta, chicken and fish!  Musaragno is an organic wine estate near Venice, Italy."
 
My Review:

-86 pts
-This wine was okay. I had a really hard time opening it up and couldn't quite put my nose on the bouquet--it was a little earthy with hints of honey. This wine had an overwhelming sour apple flavor. Overall, it wasn't bad but it also wasn't my favorite. I tried this wine on its own without food. 

Tasting--Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Name: Fetzer
Variety: Gewurztraminer
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2014
Price: Regular $12, Sale $8.95

Winery Review: 

-87 – Wine Enthusiast
-"A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly."
My Review:

-89+ pts
-Great wine to top off this week's flight. The nose for this wine wasn't too strong-- I got hints of melon but nothing very defining. To the taste, this wine was exceptionally sweet with a very strong apple flavor (strong, but not overpowering by any means). I tried this wine on its own without food.