Tasting - Rosemount Estate Moscato

I did not pair this wine with food

Name: Rosemount Estate Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: N/A
Country: Australia
Year: N/A
Price: $12, on sale for $3.95

Professional Notes: Clear, medium-lemon yellow in appearance; lovely citrus and honeysuckle aromas with lemon, honeysuckle, apple and ripe yellow plum flavours.  Serve chilled with angel food cake or fresh fruit and mild cheeses.

My Review: This $4 moscato tasted like a $4 moscato. It was nothing special. It had a very strong nose of lemon juice. The taste was tangy, again with the lemon juice, and some lemon grass. That was it- simple flavor profile. 

Tasting - Garnacha de Fuego, Old Vine Grenache

I did not pair this wine with food

Name: Garnacha de Fuego, Old Vine Grenache
Variety: Grenache
Region: Aragon
Country: Spain
Year: N/A
Price: $8.95

Professional Notes: 92 points, Wine Advocate. The Garnacha de Fuego, a 100% Grenache cuvee, was aged in both stainless steel and neutral French oak. There are 10,000 cases for the United States. This amazing wine boasts a dark ruby/purple color along with a sweet kiss of jammy black cherries intertwined with crushed rock notes that give the wine an undeniably minerality. As it hits the palate, a full-bodied, voluptuous texture takes hold and the flavor profile moves towards blacker fruits (ripe raspberries and black currants) intermixed with camphor and forest floor. This full-bodied, rich, glycerin-filled effort should drink well for 4-5 years, perhaps longer. 

My Review: This wine had a beautiful red color with purple hues. It had a jammy, sweet nose. The wine was very tannic, and had a fiery finish, as the name implies. Not my cup of tea, but an enjoyable wine. I would recommend it. 

Tasting - Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico

I did not pair this wine with food

Name: Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico
Variety: Rose
Region: N/A
Country: Italy
Year: N/A
Price: $14, on sale for $7.95

Professional Notes: Don’t let the pale garnet color fool you:  this is a substantial wine.  Aromas of red fruits and spice complement undertones of cranberries, wild berries, and plums.  On the palate, ripe tannins and good body make for an incredibly rich, yet easygoing red wine.  Pair this wine with sausage, spicy curry sauces, hot soppressata, and tandoori chicken.

My Review: This wine was light red in color. It had slight hints of plum on the nose. The wine was fairly tannic; the flavors changed on the finish. Overall, it was an alright wine in my opinion. I give it an 'eh.'

Tasting - Angove Viognier

I did not pair this wine with food

Name: Angove Viognier
Variety: Viognier
Region: N/A
Country: Australia
Year: N/A
Price: $15, on sale for $5.95

Professional Notes: Bright light straw in colour with some green hues, this wine has a lush ripe tropical fruit aroma. This is a fuller bodied white which fills the mouth with heady flavours of apricot, peach and citrus.  Angove Nine Vines Viognier is perfect for today's relaxed life-style and is the ideal accompaniment to grilled prawns with chilli and garlic or roast pork.

My Review: This wine was pale white in color; I could see right through it almost as clear as water. It had a crisp nose. I did not enjoy this taste of this viognier. This is my favorite type of varietal, I have tasted over 20 different types. This one tasted of synthetic rubber. It did not have the usual complex fruity taste. I would not recommend this particular viognier. 

Tasting - Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Seaview Vineyard

I did not pair this wine with food

Name: Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Seaview Vineyard
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Seaview Vineyard
Country: New Zealand
Year: N/A
Price: $21, on sale for $7.95

Professional Notes: This aromatic wine shows lifted flavours of blackcurrant with underlying notes of wet stone and thyme. The palate is elegant yet full with sufficient weight and texture, balanced by a flinty minerality. This wine is a fantastic match with foods such as cheese salad, poultry dishes and a wide range of seafood dishes including freshly shucked natural oysters, prawns, green lip mussels and creamy scallops.

My Review: This wine was pale yellow in color. The nose smelled of grass and vegetables, especially bell peppers. The vegetable smell was in the taste as well. The wine was medium bodied. I'm not a huge fan of the vegetable taste, but the wine was decent. 

Tasting - Chaddsford Barbera

I paired this wine with a lamb dinner

Name: Chaddsford Barbera
Variety: Barbera
Region: N/A
Country: Pennsylvania
Year: 2010
Price: N/A

Professional Notes: In past vintages, my Italian blend has been Due Rose, Sangiovese and Barbera. This year it is Uno Rosa. In 2010, a truly great and shocking vintage, this Barbera came on late, like a purple-maned Zebra striped Lion. Made from raisened, hail-decimated grapes, the wine shouts of violets and urgency and a great love affair. - Eric Miller, Winemaker

My Review: I enjoyed this wine with my parents during Easter this year. My father purchased this wine from the Chadds Ford winery in PA (not sure how much it cost, but it was probably above $20). The professional notes state the blurb that is written on the back of the bottle. I'm pretty sure my dad bought the wine just for the blurb. I must say, this wine was a real treat. One of the better red wines that I enjoyed. 13% alcohol, this nose of the wine was of red fruits. The wine itself had a vibrant red color. The wine had a very good balance. It was complex, and changed flavors as it worked its way down my tongue. The wine had a creamy texture and a wonderful hickory smoke finish. I really enjoyed this wine with the lamb dinner we had. I highly recommend it. 

Tasting - Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

I did not pair this wine with food

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: N/A
Country: Germany
Year: N/A
Price: $9.95

Professional Notes: This drier-styled Riesling is bright, fruity and floral with crisp acidity and clean flavors of apple, pear and peach that compliment its stony minerality and earthy complexity. It serves well as an aperitif and matches a wide variety of foods, like lighter salad dishes, shellfish, cream sauces and also anything with a touch of spice.

My Review: This wine had a strong nose and a weak taste. It had hints of acid on the nose, and tasted of plump fruits. It was fairly mellow for a Riesling, and I enjoyed it. I would recommend it.