Tasting - Lost Vineyards Vinho de Mesa Tint

Name: Lost Vineyards Vinho de Mesa Tint

Variety: Tinto

Region: Not Listed

Country: Portugal

Year: Not Listed

Price: $3.95

Wine critic review: Pours a light garnet color with a nice crisp zest, with aromas of cranberries and orange peel on the nose. Drinks smooth with a briary of mild cherries, wild strawberries and raspberries along with a note of rhubarb. Pairs particularly well with wild game and heavy fish such as salmon.

My review: This wine was delightful. Very crisp and zesty with a strong aroma of orange. Very smooth and coated my pallete with tastes of strawberries, blue berries, and a slight peppery taste as well. I did not pair this wine with food but I would really like to pair it with fish per recommendation from the critic review. A great wine at a great price!

Tasting - Torrent Bay Chardonnay

Name: Torrent Bay Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Nelson

Country: New Zealand

Year: 2009

Price: $6.95

Wine critic review: Fleshy, melony aromas cuddle some fresh oak. The palate has decent acidity so there’s freshness along with weight, resiny oak flavors, lemon and green apple.

My review: This wine had an herbal taste paired with a fruity honeydew melon taste as well. Acidic, but not overwhelming. Some woody undertones were present as well. I did enjoy this wine, but not enough to buy it. I did not pair this wine with food.

Tasting - Spanish Vines Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Spanish Vines Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: D.O. La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2009

Price: $4.95

Wine critic review:  85 Points, Wine Enthusiast - Apple and floral notes and then an almost buttery palate with baked apple and citrus flavors

My review: I really enjoyed this wine. Apple was strong in both the nose and in the taste.There was also a citrus element present. This wine was very smooth and delightful. I did not pair this wine with any food but I think it'd be great with a fresh fruit platter.

Tasting - Muscanti Brut

Name: Muscanti Brut

Variety: Spanish Sparkling Wine

Region: Girona

Country: Spain

Year: N/A

Price: $7.95

Wine critic review: Lemon blossoms, green apple, toast and honeydew melon are front and center in this crisp refreshing Spanish Sparkler. Silky supple with lingering flavors, yet a tingle of citric acid on the finish. A combination of traditional cava grapes but this wine is not made in the traditional méthode champenoise (which is required by Spanish law to be called Cava). This is made with the Charmat process so this wine may only be called ‘Spanish sparkling wine’ 

My review: This wine had a little too much fizziness for me and was very dry. Not a very sweet wine, but was somewhat refreshing if you can get past the excess fizziness. The aromas I caught from the nose was of granny smith apple and citrus. I did not pair this wine with food.

Tasting - Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Variety: Riesling

Region: Pfalz

Country: Germany

Year: 2010

Price: $8.95

Wine critic review: Flint and mineral notes accent pineapple and lime aromas, while on the palate, the wine shows plenty of ripe, citrusy fruit flavors.Tangy acids on the long finish provide balance.

My review: This riesling was pretty dry with a somewhat high level of acidity. This wine was very crisp and tasted of apples, pears, and peaches. Definitely very fruity and citrusy. The aroma was also delightful and smelled of lime. I enjoyed this wine and while I did not pair it with food I think it would go great with a light salad or some shellfish. Would be great as an apertif.

Tasting - Don Ramon Tinto

Name: Don Ramon Tinto

Variety: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo

Region: Campo De Borja

Country: Spain

Year: 2008

Price: $7.95

Wine critic review: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo. Aged 3 months in American Oak
casks. Ruby red in color, with creamy aromas of earth and cherry. Flavor turns toward deeper and darker black cherry and raspberry on a medium framework. A subtle earthiness underneath the bright fruit adds some depth and complexity.

My review: The cherry aroma in this wine was very obvious. It was the first aroma I noticed and it turned me off a little bit because I am usually not a huge fan of wines that have a very strong black cherry taste. However, I really enjoyed this wine. It was a very deep wine with a soft, rich finish. I hope that me liking this wine means my pallette is starting to expand! Definitely a great wine for it's price and I will remember this in the future. I did not pair this wine with any food.

Tasting - Resonata Nero D'Avola

Name: Resonata Nero D'Avola

Variety: 100% Nero D'Avola

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95

Wine critic review: Dense ruby red with violet reflections. Lush and ripe bouquet full of mulberries, blackberries and spice. Harmonious and well balanced with good berry fruit in a spicy background.

My review: To be honest, I did not enjoy this wine at all. Not even a little bit. The combination of berry and spice didn't suit my pallete. The aromas I caught were of floral and berries and the taste was again strong of berries. This wine was very smooth and had an interesting finish. I didn't pair this wine with food but I imagine if I had liked it that it would go good with roast or steak.