Tasting - ILauri Rose Spumante Brut

Name: ILauri Rose Spumante Brut
Variety: Rose Spumante/Sparkling
Region: Veneto, Europe
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $14.95

Store Review: Elegant and expressive, this rosé presents a mesmerizing stream of steady bubbles all immersed in a lovely raspberry-pink color. It has fresh aromas of cherry and red currant with good acidity and a velvety smooth finish. 

My Review: This wine had a nice pink color to it with little bubbles throughout the glass. I agree with the store review of this wine, elegant and smooth.  It almost tasted like a carbonated juice with a hint of a cherry taste to it. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Hayes Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Hayes Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet SauvignonRegion: Central Coast, CACountry: USAYear: 2014Price: $13.95

Store Review: Aromas of cocoa, dried cherry, black currants and a hint of cigar. Vanilla and spice undertones. Rich cherry and blackberry flavors upon first sip. Medium tannins and acidity create perfect balance. A bit of bakers spice and rosemary on the finish. 

My Review:  This was a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon.  It had a woody almost cigar-like smell with berries lingering.  The taste was if I were eating berries while smoking a light cigar.  The acidity and tannins were well balanced.  I liked this one so much I bought it to try again later.

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Garrido Crianza 2009

Name: Garrido Crianza
Variety: Crianza
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $20.95

Store Review: This round red has ripe plum, spice, vanilla and dried herb notes, with light tannins and balsamic acidity. Shows some maturity now, but stay balanced and accessible. Drink now through 2017. 

My Review:  This was a really good red wine that was definitely aged in oak.  The vanilla tones came through the fruity flavors and it was really well balanced.  Would definitely drink again. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Robin K. Chardonnay

Name: Robin K. Chardonnay

Variety: ChardonnayRegion: Russian River, SonomaCountry: USAYear: 2014Price: $19.95

Store Review: Honed in classic Burgundian style. Sixteen months of aging in 30% new French oak yielded bright, expressive wine with well-articulated flavors of lemon custard, tropical fruits and orange blossom. The viscous, firmly-structured palate adds notes of nutmeg, ripe lemons and spicy oak, all merging in an elegant finish. The balance of this wine makes it incredibly versatile with your favorite dishes, and demands creative food pairings. 

My Review:  The French oak really came through in this wine with oakey flavors and thick palate but still had the fruity flavors.  Sonoma really does grow some good Chardonnay grapes. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Glazebrook Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Glazebrook Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2014
Price: $15.95

Store Review: Pale stew-yellow in color with touches of green. It shows intense passion fruit and mango armors, backed by classic herbal notes of boxwood, nettle and ripe capsicum. It has a lively palate of tropical fruit with crisp lime acidity and lingering passion fruit. It is crisp and clean on the long finish. 

My Review:  This wine had a color of yellow with a little green.  It had a fruity smell with herbal undertones.  Definitely had a crisp palate with the fruit really coming through.  It had a nice balance and was quite refreshing. 


I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Manfred Breit Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese

Name: Manfred Breit Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese
Variety: Riesling
Region: Mosel
Country: Germany
Year: 2012
Price: $18.95

Store review: The late harvested Spatlese wines are medium bodied but still very flowery, with good aging potential. This Goldtropfchen Spatlese is very fresh with a nice tropical fruit flavor balanced with the acidity. This wine has good potential for aging at least 8 years.

My review: This wine was the Vintage Cellar's featured wine for the day and understandably so. The grapes for this wine are picked from a steep hillside that requires the pickers to use harnesses and rappelling equipment to harvest them. It was a really sweet and fruity wine. I thought it was delicious and would definitely recommend it.

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Picket Fence Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Picket Fence Alexander Valley
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $16.95

Store review: Classic Sonoma Cabernet characteristics of cassis, green olive and hints of chocolate. French oak aging contributes vanilla, clove and hazelnut aromas which create a unique foil for the robust blackberry and raspberry fruit flavors leading to a round, flavorful finish. Pair with aged and semi-hard cheeses, or try lamb with a dry rub of rosemary, shallots and fruity olive oil.

My review: This is the third wine I had from Picket Fence and so far I really enjoy their wines. This was a good red wine with a full body. I think my palette needs some more development before I really start to enjoy these darker red wines. They are a little too much for me right now. I would like to try it with some of the suggested pairings.

I tasted this on its own with no food.