Tasting - Morada Sangria

This sangria from Morada, in Spain was a decent version of the Sangria. When I was in Spain last summer we tried a lot of different sangrias, and this did remind me of a few of them. The shop's description was the following: Morada Sangria is a traditional Spanish drink made with red wine and citrus extracts. Garnet color and fresh on the palate. Pasteurization preserves the color, aromas and flavors. 7% Alc. It is a very refreshing Sangria with around 85 grams of sugar. That last sentence says a lot. I thought this was too sweet for me. I tasted a lot of citrus, and reminded me a lot of Orangina. I thought the aftertaste tasted extremely similar to Froot Loops too, just overall really sweet. I would probably cut this with some additional red wine to make it less sweet. There was no vintage on it, but it was $4.95 at The Vintage Cellar.

Tasting - Lost Vineyards Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

This is the second or third wine from Lost Vineyards winery in Argentina that I've tried. I was immediately a fan of this one, which made sense because I am a fan of both Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The shop described this one being dry and containing subtle tobacco undertones with a black licorice, cherry, scent. The oak is in the background. Would pair well hamburger or a steak rather than stand alone.  First off, I didn't notice any tobacco notes, which I feel like is a pretty distinct scent. I thought it had a light sweet smell, with notes of strawberry and possibly hay. It was acidic and dry and barely had any sweetness, less than I was expecting. It would definitely be a good dinner wine, with complex flavors and very full bodied.  I do not have the vintage for this, but it was for sale for $3.95.

Tasting - Villa Pozzi Nero D'Avola

This Nero D'Avola from the Villa Pozzi winery in Sicily, Italy was probably my favorite in the lineup. The Nero D'Avola grape is considered to be one of the most important red wine grapes from Sicily. The shop's notes on this one describe it as being very dark purple, with a reddish edge, typical of this grape. Tastes like black plums, licorice and subtle spice, not overly complex but appealing. A mouthful of juicy black fruit is well structured by tart acidity and soft but distinct tannins. I thought that it had a great full scent of grapes and blackberries. It was quite acidic, and tasted both sweet and sour, like a barely ripe blackberry. It was very fruity yet not overly sweet.  I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. This 2010 vintage was for sale for $8.95 at The Vintage Cellar.

Tasting - Tres Ojos Rose

The second wine from this week's tasting was Tres Ojos winery's rose, made from 50% Tempranillo and 50% Garnacha.  The winery is in Calatayud, Spain in the Aragon region.  The shop's notes describe this rose as having a spicy red cherry/plum nose with a soft lush attack of red berry fruit flavors and a crisp dry finish.  Would go well with tapas.  To me, the taste made me think of a grape jam with pepper sprinkled on top.  It was fruity but not very sweet, and left my mouth dry.  I could see this going well with cheeses and maybe beef and some vegetables.  This 2009 vintage was $3.95 at The Vintage Cellar.

Tasting - Les Perles Piquepoul

This piquepoul wine is from the Cotes de Thau region in France. The piquepoul is a grape variety often grown in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc regions of France and are often quite acidic. The Vintage Cellar described this song as being light and young and would pair well with light fare such as grilled chicken or salads. It has scents of apples, nectarines and sweet citrus oils, while the short finish is infused with a flavor of green melon rind.  I definitely noticed the smell of apples, a light but sweet scent.  It was a light wine, not terribly complex.  It reminded me of summer and eating outside.  It had a slight nutty or woody taste, like pistachios, while having a slightly sweet taste as well. Over all a pleasant wine, something everyone could enjoy and would go well with a lot of different foods at a barbecue.  This 2011 vintage was $7.95 at the Vintage Cellar.

Tasting- Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

This was a blended wine, made with Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Molinara wines.  It is called the Valpolicella Classico and is from Verona, Italy.  This bottle was from the 2010 season.  I have had quite a few blended wines before this one, and I generally am a fan, because wines complement each other very well, and can sometimes create the perfect combination of flavors for your taste and can be really enjoyable. The shop's notes said that the ruby red color and dry taste give it joviality and cordiality. It's fresh, fruity, and has strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors, with nice spice and a silky texture.  First off the smell. It was smoky, and woody, not like trees but more like grape stems.  It had a little bit of a fruity smell but more as an afterthought.  It tasted quite complex to me, somewhat smoky, maybe a little spicy, definitely had some heat to it. Had a bit of a bitter aftertaste, yet fruity also.  This would be good with some fresh fruit, maybe some dark chocolate.  This was available at the Vintage Cellar for $6.95.

Tasting Domaine De Mirail

This was an interesting one to me.  It was a rosé made from a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot.  It was produced by the Domaine De Mirail winery in the Gascony area of France, part of the Armagnac region.  This was their 2011 vintage.  The shop's notes describe it as being eye-watering in its crispness, with balancing acidity smoothing out a touch of caramel.  First thing, I couldn't taste caramel.  I thought it had a weaker smell than the previous ones, as well as a less powerful taste.  It tasted a lot like a watered down red wine basically, and I wasn't a huge fan.  It was sweet while being a bit acidic too, both being very light tastes.    This wine also costs $5.95 at the Vintage Cellar.

Tasting - Bodega Norton Torrontes

This Torrontes wine comes from the Bodega Norton Winery in Mendoz, Argentina.  This particular wine was the 2011 vintage.  The Torrontes variety is made out of the grape it is named after.  The shop's notes on this one describe it as having strong aromas of peach, rose petals and jasmine. My first smell made me think of summer and had strong sweet scents right away.  It definitely smelled flowery, it was very aromatic. It had a slightly pungent smell as it faded, like slightly overripe fruit, in my opinion. It tasted less sweet than I thought it was going to as well, and I didn't notice any jasmine in it, which is a pretty distinct taste and smell.  Thoroughly enjoyed this one as well, would love to try it with food sometime.  This bottle was $5.95 at the Vintage Cellar.

Tasting - Dibon Cava

The first wine from this week's tasting was a Cava, a sparkling white wine from the Dibon winery in Vilafranca Del Penedes, Spain.  Almost all of the Cava produced comes from the Penedes region in Catalonia.  The shop's review describes it as having citrus flavors with some apple as well, and very fresh.  The first thing that popped into my head when trying this wine was champagne.  This is the only kind of sparkling wine I have tried other than champagne before.  It was dry, and it smelled fruity, and a bit woodiness, and definitely citrusy.  It was very bubble, if you swished it around in your mouth it begins to feel very acidic.  And it was very dry, being of the brut variety, like most champagnes I have had before.  Overall this was a pleasant wine, that I could see going well with dessert, or maybe some cheeses.  I ended up buying a bottle of it for $9.95 after our tasting at the Vintage Cellar.