Tasting--Beringer Chenin Blanc

Name: Beringer
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: 

-"A fresh green-apple aroma and vivid citrus and crisp apple flavors are supported by vibrant acidity in this medium-bodied wine. The texture is smooth but crisp, making lots of good food pairings come to mind, from pre-meal cheese, to salads, seafood and veggie pastas."

My Review:

-90 Points

-This wine was definitely my favorite out of this week's selections. On the nose, this wine was peachy with hints of apple and citrus fruit and a little cheese. To the taste, this wine was sweet, peachy, and smooth throughout the palette. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Carraia Aglianico

Name: Carraia
Variety: Aglianico
Region: Campagna
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Regular $15, Sale $9.95

Winery Review: 

-"Produced in the Campania region of Italy, this Aglianico has delicious black fruit flavors with hints of licorice, volcanic soil and tar notes. Classic in nature, yet in a lighter, more crowd-pleasing style, the Carraia is made of the ancient Aglianico grape. This black grape originated in Greece and today is widely grown in Basilicata and Campania."

My Review:

-87 Points

-Surprisingly, I really liked this wine. The nose definitely threw me off--it was very strong and reminded me of cleaning supplies with hints of dark fruits. This wine tasted like Christmas for me with cherry and spice. This wine was definitely bitter throughout the palette and had a hot finish. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Siema Vino Rosso

Name: Siema
Variety: Vino Rosso (Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo)
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: NA
Price: Regular $10, Sale $6.95

Winery Review: 

-"Intense ruby red with soft garnet nuances in the glass, the Rosso is intriguingly fresh, fruity and spicy on the nose. Perfectly round and balanced, the wine is particularly soft and dry. Pair with simple dishes like fresh cheese, ham, salami, or pizza for a divine culinary experience."

My Review:

-87 Points

-This wine was okay for a red. On the nose, I got overwhelming scents of dark fruits, black currant, and cherries with a hint of spice. This wine tasted strongly of cherries with the bitter oak monster making an appearance. The finish on this wine was very hot. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Dom de la Foret Grenache Cinsault Rose de Mediterranee

Name: Dom de la Foret
Variety: Grenache Cinsault Rose de Meiterranee
Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: NA
Price: Regular $13, Sale $8.95

Winery Review: 

-"A stony, pure style, with a warm paving stone note framing the dried cherry and rose water notes. The long, watermelon rind—inflected finish is finely tuned. Shows length and cut, staying lacy in feel. 50% Cinsault and 50% Grenache."

My Review:

-86 Points

-I couldn't quite get on board with this wine. My peers at the tasting were raving over this wine, but after trying it, I did not get what all the hype was about. The nose was mediocre with hints of pears, peaches, and even a little funk (cheese or feet). This wine had no real flavor and was very watered down. However, this wine was very smooth throughout the palette. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Bricco dei Tati Cortese

Name: Bricco dei Tati
Variety: Cortese
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Regular $10, Sale $6.95

Winery Review: 

-"The Washington Post: Great Value! Treat this terrific little white like a red: Don’t chill it too much, then let it open for a half-hour to develop its enticing tropical fruit flavors. It’s dry, but the fruit gives an appealing illusion of sweetness. Great as an aperitif or with light seafood dishes.”

My Review:

-89 Points

-I enjoyed this wine quite a bit. It had a strong pear nose with hints of citrus fruits. This wine tasted almost exactly as it smelled--very heavy pear with light citrus taste. This wine was bitter and a little hot on this finish but, overall, I liked it. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Crane Lake Riesling

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Riesling
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: 

-"The trademark German red grape varietal Dornfelder has a lovely purity of soft red berry fruit. Integrated soft tannins combined with forward fruit flavors make for a perfectly balanced everyday sipping wine. Great with grilled red meat, sausage and chicken. Best served slightly chilled."

My Review:

-89 Points

-This wine was my favorite from this week's selections. On the nose, I got strong citrus with hints of spice. To the taste, this wine was predictably sweet with a strong apple flavor. This wine was smooth on the palette with a good finish. I tried this wine on its own without food.

Tasting--Crane Lake Shiraz

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Shiraz
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: 

-"Beautiful ruby appearance, with blackberry and pepper notes. Tannins and fruit marry well for a soft finish. This wine pairs well with sharp cheddar cheese and hazelnuts. Also try it along with roast lamb at Easter time, veal marsala, or grilled salmon."   

My Review:

-87 Points

-I usually have good experiences with Crane Lake wines, but this one, for me, was underwhelming. On the nose, I got strong earthiness with hints of plum. To the taste, I got very strong vegetable with hints of pepper. This wine reminded me of Christmas time. I tried this wine on its own without food. 

Tasting--Georges Duboeuf Nouveau

Name: Georges Dubouef
Variety: Nouveau
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2015
Price: Regular $12, Sale $5.95

Winery Review: 

-"George Duboeuf is THE king of Beaujolais.  His wines are full of pop, charm and great flavor and his Beaujolais Nouveau is no exception.  A cornucopia of expressive fruit wrapped in an almost-bubblegum-like frame; it is the flagship Nouveau. "   
 

My Review:

-87 Points

-I had a lot of trouble opening this wine up--I hardly got anything on the nose. To the taste, this wine had strong hints of dark fruits and cherries. It seemed a little watered down for me, with no real defining taste and a very bitter finish. I tried this wine on its own without food. 

Tasting--Maipe Torrontes

Name: Maipes
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2014
Price: Regular $14, Sale $7.95

Winery Review: 

-" The wine has a spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well-balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish."   
 

My Review:

-88 Points

-I liked this wine more than the first in this week's tastings, but it still wasn't my favorite. This wine had a strong pear nose with hints of pineapple an other citrus fruits. To the taste, I got strong pear and light citrus. This wine flowed smoothly through my palette and had a good finish without heat. I tried this wine on its own without food.