Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 
Variety: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Region: Napa Valley
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $27

Winemaker's Review: The 2012 vintage has yielded a lush and appealing expression of Decoy Cabernet with alluring black cherry and raspberry jam aromas, as well as more subtle notes of nutmeg, spice, and chocolate. On the palate, lovely layers of raspberry and plum are supported by excellent structure and seamlessly integrated oak. 

My Review: I had this wine over my spring break in Lynchburg at Shoemarkers Restaurant. It was really good; smooth and supple. It was a lighter Cabernet, not 'big', but gentle. It was crisp and had a lingering spiciness. There were soft tannins, red currants, no oak, and a lingering finish. I had just learned in my Geo of Wine course that you should get a bold red wine when eating a bold meat, so I decided to pair this with the Bleu Cheese Ribeye I had ordered. It was really good with the ribeye too! I also had it with fried calamari as an appetizer, which wasn't a good pairing, I think mainly because the fried food didn't go well with it. With the calamari I also had garlic escargot, which went SO well with the wine. I think the calamari was the best pairing of all that I tried, even better than the steak. 

Concha y Toro Frontera Vintage Red

Name: Concha y Toro Frontera Vintage Red
Variety: 80% Shiraz/Syrah, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot
Region: Central Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 1883
Price: was given as gift to my parents, apparently its only about $5

Dallas Wine Competition awarded the 2011 vintage Silver

Winery Review: A blended, branded wine produced by one of Chile's best volume winemakers - Concha Y Toro, made from grapes grown in their own vineyards spread across the Central Valley. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the addition of other varietals, this wine has been produced in a very modern style. Extremely fruity, with blackberry, strawberry and blackcurrant fruit flavours, with no oaking or heavy tannins, making this a satisfying yet easy drinking wine.

My Review: This is the first red blend that I've ever tried. It smells fruity. I can definitely taste dark berries and the black currant. I could taste mild fruits. There was no oakiness and very low tannins. It was really drinkable alone, but I also had it with chicken and mashed potatoes, which made it really good. I tried this with my mom over spring break and thought it was a really good wine for the price of it, but my mom wouldn't buy or recommend it. 

Mirassou Winery Chardonnay

Name: Mirassou Winery Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay 
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $8

Wine Makers Note: Mirassou California Chardonnay is fruit forward with delicious stone fruit flavors of peach and nectarine, complemented by tropical notes and a hint of citrus. A subtle oak character frames this medium-bodied wine. 

My Review: Very, very pale yellow in color/almost clear. It smells fruity. Very citrusy smelling, with white grape and lemon and peach aromas coming through. Alcohol comes through on the initial taste for me, which I guess means it has a higher heat than I was expecting. It tastes very sweet, almost too sweet for a Chardonnay. I could taste the peach flavors, and maybe some mango. I tried this with my mom over my spring break. I thought it was an alright bottle of wine, but my mom wouldn't recommend it. I did not have it with any food, but it tastes as if it would go well with some kind of cheese. It might be better chilled, but we had it at room temperature. 

Chakana Estate Maipe Torrones

Name: Chakana Estate Maipe Torrontes
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2013
Price:  $12 (sale $7.95)

Winery Review: 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: I tried this wine at the Vintage Cellar with some friends. It had a floral aroma. The flavors matched the flowery smell, with slight hints of fruit, maybe grapefruit and other acidic flavors. Sharp tinge. Light, slightly spicy. A little tannic. I did not try this with food. 

Wimmer Gruner Veltliner

Name: Wimmer Gruner Veltliner
Variety: Gruner Veltliner
Region: Niederosterreich
Country: Austria
Year: 2013
Price:  $15 (sale $9.95)

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Winery Review: Ripe Concord pear and an intriguing mouthfeel combine in this highly drinkable light white. This is enough weight to support and a pleasant hint of savoriness as well as depth.

My Review: I tried this wine at the Vintage Cellar with friends. This wine had a fruity, acidic floral bouquet. It was sweet smelling. There was a spicy, peppery taste with pears or green apple with some citrus. I could only take sips of this wine, but that was okay because it was dry, oaky and had a long finish. I didn't try this with food, but think it would be much better paired with something. 

Rubus Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Rubus Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $23.95

Winery Review: Its long finish displays full mature flavors of blackberry, currant, and chocolate with just a hint of toasty oak and black cherry. The tannins are refined and polished, allowing the fruit to be the focus.

My Review: I tried this with friends at the Vintage Cellar. The guy serving us wine explained to us that the label isn't a real winery, and that wines are made and have lots of left over, and are shipped out to be tasted by others, and if ordered they put this label on it. So it's not a real winery, and it's just sold under this label. In the wine we could identify blackberry currants and chocolate. One friend thought it tasted like rice. There was a spicy end note. I did not try this with food. 

Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Chiraz/Cabernet

Name: Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Chiraz/Cabernet
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Region: Barossa
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $17.95

91 Points Robert Parker

Winery Review: Another winner and sensational, the 2010 Shotfire Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Shiraz. A whopper of a wine, it is deep ruby/purple and possesses loads of glycerin and full body along with stunning notes of weed spice, graphite, blackberry, and pepper. Rich, chewy, and dense, in a typically bold, exuberant Aussie style, this is a wine to drink over the next 6-10 years.

My Review: I tasted this at the Vintage Cellar with some friends.
It was a very pretty, dark ruby color. and had black residuals floating in it that we noticed when it was poured. It smelled like nail polish remover. It was very full bodied and complex. It was really dry, tart, and had subtle tannins. It also had licorice tones with plum and ripe currants. It was slightly murky and had a long finish which made me pucker my face. 

Kennedy Point Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Kennedy Point Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2013
Price: $22 (sale $11.95)

88 Points Robert Parker

Winery Review: "This 2013 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. Consume it over the next year." - Robert Parker

My Review: I tasted this at the Vintage Cellar with my friends. It is a pale lemon color and smelled much like green tea. It was crisp, and it tasted a lot like celery, but didn't have much other flavors. Very earthy and herby, like parsley or cilantro. I didn't think this was a very good white wine. I didn't have this with any foods. 

Crane Lake Wine Riesling

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

Winery Review: Punchy lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle. Exceptionally priced, it's satisfying and elegant. 

My Review: I. LOVE. THIS. WINE. I tried this with my roomie at the Vintage Cellar on 2/29 during a tasting with some other wines that were under $10 and liked it so much I bought two bottles, one for me and one to take home for spring break to enjoy with my mama. It wasn't too sweet, like the Barefoot Riesling, but still sweet and refreshing. There were citrus aromas, such as lemon. There was an acidity and tartness that wasn't too overpowering. I took this home to let my other roomie try and this was her favorite of the bunch that we brought home too. I'm very excited about this wine. I didn't try it with any food, and it definitely doesn't need it. I'd only have it with a dessert such as tiramisu or maybe dessert crepes. 

Yellow Tail Special Selection Reserve Merlot

Name: Yellow Tail Special Selection Reserve Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: South Eastern
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Price: $12 (sale $6)

Winery Review: Round, velvety and mouthfilling, this is a satisfying merlot at a bargain price. Aromas of black cherries and herbs fold in hints of cinnamon and mooch, while the flavors are generally fruity, but with a slightly tomatoey note. Soft on the finish. Drink now. 

My Review: I tried this at the Vintage Cellar on 2/29 with my roomie and she LOVED it, so much so that she bought a bottle! I thought it had a wooden taste, and went down smooth. A very smooth finish. Not too dry like other Merlots, but after swallowing it made my mouth salivate a lot a lot. Really good value. Apparently it's in all 7/11 stores and I'd definitely recommend getting it. After purchasing a bottle we went home and had this with Benny's pizza, which made it even better! I'm definitely going to get a bottle and take it home to my dad because I think he would really enjoy this with me if I fixed a nice spaghetti dinner! :)

Gallo Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Gallo Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Ruby Cabernet

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2003

Price: $2

Winery Review: Is medium bodied with a smooth finish. It has mouthwatering flavors of jammy blackberry and raspberry with hints of cassis. This is combined with well integrated oak and flavors of cinnamon and clove. 

My Review: It's light in body, not much for structure or complexity. Some nice tannins, and strong notes of apple peel. I tasted this with my roomie and we held cinnamon next to it to hopefully get a hint of the smell of cinnamon in it like the winery review said, but definitely didn't smell any of it. My roomie identified a sweet, cranberry smell. I think it smells like balsamic vinegar. Drier than a merlot I had tasted beforehand. I did not try this with any food, although it would definitely go down a lot smoother paired with some awesome cheese and crackers probably. 

Gallo Family Vineyards Chardonnay

Name: Gallo Family Vineyards Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $9

Winery Review: Fresh flavors of apple, pineapple, and mango with a hint of roasted oak and brown spice.

My Review: I tried this with my roomie while we looked at a wine flavor identifying wheel, and noticed that some people describe wine as having a 'burnt toast' or 'moldy' taste. After laughing at that, we poured this and both realized that this smelled like straight mold, and neither of us wanted to try it after that. We did however, and both hated it. This was the least favorite of the bottles of wines we tried. It didn't really have much of a taste that we could identify. There was a higher heat than expected, and had terroir/earthy tones. I'm definitely not a fan of chardonnay after this. I did not try this with any food, although it was chilled which might have effected the taste. 

Barefoot Cellars Red Moscato

Name: Barefoot Cellars Red Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2014
Price: $7

Winery Review: Refreshingly sweet, the wine has aromas of red fruits. Juicy flavors of red cherry and raspberry shimmy with a sweet citrus.

My Review: I tried this with my roomie, who correctly identified the cherry tastes in this wine. She also could smell a shampoo or air-freshener fragrance. I identified a peachy-ness taste in it. Very sweet, but not too sweet, like the Barefoot Riesling. Very pleasant and fruity, with cherry acidness. This went down smooth and had lots of citrus tastes to it. We could drink this all night, and did, while watching The Interview on Netflix. :) I did not try this with any food, and it definitely didn't need it. I would only want to drink this with a small dessert, maybe even just a Krispy Kreme doughnut. 

Barefoot Cellars Riesling

Name: Barefoot Cellars Riesling

Variety: Riesling

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2012

Price: $6

Winery Review: This light-bodied and refreshingly sweet wine hits all the right fruit-filled notes with delicate orange blossom, juicy apple, and tangy lemon. The wine hits all the right fruit-filled notes with perfect pitch. A delicate orange blossom aroma bounce off juicy apple and tangy lemon flavors for a slightly sweet finale. 

My Review: I tend to like really sweet wine, but this wine was just too sweet. Almost syrupy, and the amount of sugar kills any fruit flavor. It smelled fresh and fruity, with citrus hints of maybe tangerine or grapefruit. This wine might be better if it were carbonated, or if I had added some soda water to it. Definitely a refreshing white Riesling, but just too terribly sweet.