Tasting - Smoking Loon Moscato

Name: Smoking Loon Blue Loon
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price $6.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "The 2015 Smoking Loon “Blue Loon” Moscato opens with enticing aromas of honeysuckle, overripe honeydew melon, sundried apricot and a touch of honey, peach and mandarin. The palate presents ripe melon, peach nectar and orange blossom honey. The bright flavors and refreshing acidity make this Moscato the perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of foods. Enjoy “Blue Loon” Moscato with brunch, light chicken dishes or summer appetizers. It’s also delicious served with biscotti, creamy desserts, or fresh fruits such as yellow or white peaches."

My Review: This wine had a floral scent, like blossoms. It tasted super sweet, with notes of lemon and honey most palpable on the palette. It was enjoyable, but the sweetness was a bit much unpaired with some kind of food.

I had this wine alone, without food.

Tasting - Los Dos

Name: Los Dos
Variety: Grenache Syrah
Region: Campo de Borja
Country: Spain
Year: 2015
Price $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "Almira’s 2010 Los Dos is a blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah fermented and aged in tank. Blue and black fruits, pepper, and incense inform the nose of this savory, layered red. It is a very good value meant for drinking over the next 3-4 years."

My Review: Los Dos smelled peppery, with blackberry and black cherry notes too. It tasted dry, with a light body and a dark fruity flavor on the finish, bit of pepper and spice from the Syrah which blended nicely to the overall taste.

I had this wine alone, without food.

Tasting - Vinterra Pinot Noir

Name: Vinterra
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2015
Price $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "The Vinterra Pinot Noir displays ripe, sweet plum notes with an edge of complexity on the nose. The palate is rich and round supported by fine grain tannins."

My Review: This wine had a unique smell I hadn't yet encountered in a Pinot Noir. It was earthy, musty, with hints of mushroom on the nose. Tastewise, It was dry but not overly so, with a good fruity flavor, with some bitterness. The acidity was sharp and worked pleasantly into the flavor.

I had this wine alone, without food.

Tasting - Acronym Chardonnay

Name: Acronym
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price $6.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "Simple and soft, this Chard is a juicy, forward with hints of tropical fruit and a touch of vanilla. A nice acidity balances the rich fruit flavors."

My Review: This wine smelled of pear like many whites do to me, with some mineral and grassy notes as well. It tasted well balanced, with good acidity and notes of vanilla and fruit. Enjoyable but I didn't find it very unique.

I had this wine alone, without food.

Tasting - Buenas! Viura

Name: Buenas! Viura
Variety: Viura
Region: not specified
Country: Spain
Year: 2015
Price $6.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "¡buenas! Viura offers alluring notes of ripe, red grapefruit that intermingle with flavors of pear and wild flower on the palate. This refreshing white has invigorating acidity with a crisp, clean finish."

My Review: This wine smelled grassy to me, with hints of tart and lime as well, some fruity elements too. It tasted well balanced, with floral and citrus notes and a grassy background theme too. Certainly a refreshing white wine that was highly enjoyable and I ended up walking out of the store with a bottle!

I had this wine alone, without food.

Tasting - Cantina di Casteggio Sangue di Giuda

Name: Cantina di Casteggio Sangue di Giuda
Variety: 80% Croatina, 20% Uva Rara
Region: Lombardy
Country: Italy
Year: not specified
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "SANGUE DI GIUDA (Judah's blood) name of the wine because of it's deep ruby red color, with purple hues just like blood! The Judah's part of the story is a bit trickier... part local folklore – (i.e. legend) goes something like this: After Judah’s betrayal and hanging, Jesus forgave him and allowed Judah to come back on earth, specifically in the area of Oltrepo’ by the town of Broni. When the local farmers recognized him, they wanted to kill him, but they spared him when he helped to heal their vines that had been affected by a disease. In return, they named the grape after him. Another explanation is that this wine is a "traitor" because it is so delicious that you can get tempted without much effort. Regardless of what you like to believe, this wine is just incredibly delicious!"

My Review: This wine smelled sweet, with hints of red apple. It tasted smooth, like a sweet grape juice. I expected more of a sparkling effect but didn't pick that up from the tasting, it wasn't very fizzy at all. I enjoyed how it wasn't too sweet, pleasant to sip on and would certainly have again.

I had this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Castle Rock

Name: Castle Rock
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "This wine offers aromas of herbs, black cherry and spice, showing a bit of heat. The dark-fruit flavors have good intensity, with dry, astringent tannins backing them up."

My Review: This wine smelled of red fruit with a bit of toasted oak in the background. It tasted of red currant, pleasantly dry with a tannic finish. A great experience of a Cabernet Sauvignon.

I had this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Baron de Lajoyosa

Name: Baron de Lajoyosa
Variety: 50% Grenache, 30% Tempranillo, 10% Carinena, 10% Cabernet
Region: Carinena
Country: Spain
Year: 2005
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "It is a wine of beautiful appearance, color dress mature and well covered with light shades of cherry development. Its primary aromas of ripe red berry fruits. The palate expands exceptionally ripe and round: warm and fleshy, long, proud finish."

My Review: This wine smelled very sweet, akin to a port except not quite as strong. It tasted bone dry, with blackberry and mineral notes and a nice finish, counter to what you'd expect from the smell. It was a pleasant surprise.

I had this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Rubus

Name: Rubus
Variety: Colombard and Ugni Blanc
Region: Southwest France
Country: France
Year: 2015
Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "Fresh, clean and lively with intense exotic fruit aromas. Crisp, clean and zesty in the mouth, it offers delicate flavors of citrus fruit and grapefruit, and a long lingering finish."

My Review: This wine smelled very grassy to me, over everything else. Its taste contained notes of grapefruit, citrus, and had a floral finish, overall a decent wine.

I had this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Protocolo Tierra de la Castilla

Name: Protocolo
Variety: 50% Airen, 50% Macabeo
Region: Tierra de la Castilla
Country: Spain
Year: 2015
Price: $6.95

Vintage Cellar Review: "The 2015 Protocolo Blanco is a blend of 50% Airen (the most commonly planted white grape in the world) and 50% Macabeo, also known as Viura. It is crisp, light, with hints of grapefruit and white currant. It is relatively dry, clean, and just about everything one would expect of a wine at this price point, only better."

My Review: This wine smelled like many whites do to me, tart with notes of pear, also like fresh melon and cantaloupe. It tasted balanced with nice acidity, not too dry or too sweet. The finish was clean and pleasant. All around a smooth wine to sip on.

I had this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Cantina di Casteggio

Name: Cantina di Casteggio
Variety: Moscato
Region: Lombary
Country: Italy
Year: unspecified
Price: $7.95

Wine Shop Review: "This fun dessert wine has delicate aromas of citrus, tropical fruit and fragrant white flower. The bright foaming palate offers juicy yellow peach, candied nectarine zest and a hint of rose. It's sweet, but it also has enough fresh acidity to stop it from being cloying. Perfect for the afternoon, weekend, or any other time."

My Review: This wine had a sweet scent, with notes of tropical fruit. It tasted super sweet, almost like a fruity mixed drink, with notes of the tropical fruit present and a pleasant finish. It was nice for a tasting, but I wonder how I would prefer a whole bottle of it because of how over the top sweet it was.

I had this wine alone without food.

Tasting - Oxford Landing

Name: Oxford Landing
Variety: Shiraz
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $9.95

Wine Shop Review: "For such a competitively priced offering, this delivers a lot of complexity. Dried herbs, anise, chocolate and coffee notes add nuance to the raspberry fruit. It's medium bodied and supple, with a lush, lingering finish. Drink now–2020."

My Review: This wine had a very unique smell, so harsh it was almost like an expo marker, very dark. It tasted of blackberries and had other earthy hints, and had a smooth finish which I didn't expect after the smell.

I had this wine alone without food.

Tasting - Indwe

Name: Indwe
Variety: Pinotage
Region: Coastal South Africa
Country: South Africa
Year: 2015
Price: $8.95

Wine Shop Review: "A disclaimer: I have never cared much for Pinotage, the indigenous South African grape variety, but this Pinotage from Indwe, named after the country's national bird, the blue crane, comes across like a light Pinot Noir. Subtle notes of cherries, spice and forest floor are followed by a round, light to medium-bodied, pure, seductive, well-crafted wine that should drink well for a year or so."

My Review: This wine smelled tannic, with notes of violet and lavender. It tasted tannic but not harsh, with earthy, plant-esque notes that balanced nicely.

I had this wine alone without food.

Tasting - Aveleda-Praia

Name: Aveleda-Praia
Variety: blend of Arinto, Loureiro, Trajadura and Azal
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: unspecified
Price: $8.95

Wine Shop Review: "It's rare to find a Vinho Verde – the famously light and refreshing "green" white wine of Portugal – that isn't delightful, but this is one of the best of the breed. And there's no better time to quaff these wines than in the spring and summer. This version is lightly effervescent, with a lively acidity that wakes up the palate. It combines lime and peach flavors with a whiff of sea breeze. Somehow it manages to be both ethereal and penetrating."

My Review: This wine had a scent of pear like all whites do to me, but also hints of apple. It tasted like that as well, smooth and tart, well balanced and pleasant.

I had this wine alone without food.

Tasting - Kennedy Point

Name: Kennedy Point
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2014
Price: $9.95

Wine Shop Review: "This 2014 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough area offers outstanding value. Crisp and fresh with a hint of herbaceousness intermixed with notes of wet pebbles, melon and caramelized citrus, it is medium-bodied, surprisingly long and very well-crafted."

My Review: This wine had a very grassy, plant-like smell. It tasted the same, with a good finish, dry. What I expected from a New Zealand wine.

I had this wine alone without food.