Tasting - Rioja Antano Crianza

Name: Rioja Antano Crianza

Variety: Tempranillo Blend

Region: La Rioja

Country: Spain

Year: 2008

Price: $8.99

Winery Review:  N/A

Ned's Take:
I felt that this was a darn good wine for under ten dollars. The nose was nice and had strong scents of dried, mixed, dark fruit. The nose was nice and strong, which is a plus in my mind since I want to be able to get some enjoyment out of just the smell. The taste was well balanced and was not too dry or acidic. The taste reminded me of dried or smoked plum with possibly a little fig. There was some oak taste, but luckily it was not one of the main flavors. I found it interesting that my palate picked up some traces of apple and even cloves. This all made for an enjoyable and interesting drink, but it wasn't something that I would drink alone. It is balanced and easy enough to drink to be consumed alone, but it would probably be more exciting with a good dinner.

Tasted Without Food

Tasting - One Hope Cabernet Sauvignon

Name:  One Hope Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with blend of other red grapes

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Price: $11.95

Winery Review:  WINEMAKER ROB MONDAVI JR. hand-crafted and made from a blend of grapes sourced from select vineyards throughout Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and California's Central Coast in partnership with Rob Mondavi Jr. The dark, ruby red Cabernet Sauvignon is a pleasure for the senses with the aromas of lush black cherry, cassis, and a hint of tobacco. Aged in American and French oak, its complex layers of spice are balanced by soft tannins making it the perfect wine to pair with roasted and grilled meats such as lamb, prime rib, or porterhouse steak.

Ned's Take:
Right away I liked the deep color of the wine. I think that the black cherries and the oak were pretty obvious on the nose and when tasting. The nose wasn't anything special, but I did get a good dose of spices on the taste. They were interesting and calm enough that it didn't attack my palate. Although the flavor was strong, it wasn't dry and had good acid balance. I enjoyed the fact that the smokey/oak taste wasn't overpowering and I could taste other things. The spices were not easy to pick out because it didn't really taste like one specific type. This was made more difficult by the fact that there seem to be at least 100 spices. I would say that it reminded me of oregano with a bit more bite from something like a pepper or mustard seed. I could see how this wine would go well with grilled meat due to the spices. Overall it was a good wine, mainly because of the balance and the spices. Those were the only things that stood out about this wine.

Tasted Without Food

Tasting - DeLoach Pinot Noir

Name:  DeLoach Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Price: $12.95

Winery Review:
On the nose, savory aromas of smoked meats and fragrant herbs are touched with the scent of mouthwatering ripe berries. Flavors of liqueur-soaked dark cherries, with pancetta and rosemary support smooth tannins that precede a long, silky finish.

Ned's Take:
I have to say that I liked this wine. It had a very nice nose that had some earthy tones mixed with refreshing flavor. I didn't pick up the smoked meat, but I think 'savory' was a good description. The taste and smell both made me think juicy. I thought of juicy berries, like cherries and cranberries, that were unwashed. The earthy plant taste didn't hurt the wine and actually added to the experience and made it more interesting than if it had been just fruit flavors. The taste was buttery and smooth, which went well with the smooth and relatively thick mouth feel. The taste felt balanced through the the finish and lasted a good amount of time. There wasn't really much of a transformation in the taste but it was consistently good throughout. I would say this was a pretty good wine and I wouldn't mind tasting it again.

Tasted Without Food

Tasting - One Hope Chardonnay

Name: One Hope Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay, small amounts of Muscat and Chenin Blanc

Region: Napa, Sonoma

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Price: $11.95

Winery Review: Winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr. hand-crafted with a blend of grapes from select vineyards throughout Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast of California. Our Chardonnay is blended with Muscat and Chenin Blanc displaying a pale gold color with aromas of fresh apple blossom and honeysuckle. Flavors of crisp pear and apple are vibrant on the palate, while its balanced oak and bright acidity makes this wine a great match with broiled or grilled seafood, poultry dishes and a wide assortment of cheeses.

Ned's Take: This wine had a great fruity smell. The taste imparted taste apples and some citrus. Honey flavors and a buttery feel were nice, but those seemed pretty standard for a chardonnay. There was a dried feel to the wine and the body was pretty normal. I didn't see anything special about this wine other than it being a relatively nice chardonnay.

Tasted without Food

Tasting - Innocent Bystander Moscato

Name:  Innocent Bystander Moscato

Variety: Blend of Black Muscat and Muscat Gordo

Region: Victoria

Country: Australia

Year: 2011

Price: $15.95

Winery Review:  The focus of Innocent Bystander is to produce quality, flavor-driven wines from carefully selected vineyards in the Yarra Valley and beyond. Over time Steve Flamsteed and his team have increased the level of complexity and texture in the Innocent Bystander wines with greater use of wild fermentations and restrained oak handling.

Ned's Take: This was a sparkling wine and had a nice amount of bubbles. Sometimes sparkling wines can be over carbonated, but this wine had just enough to make the aromas pop. The nose was a strong mix of berries and fruit. The taste had notes of berries, pears, and black cherry. The fruit flavor was succulent and the wine gave a smooth, and surprisingly thick, feel. The wine was sweet, which was to be expected from the style, but it was not overpowering. Overall, this was a pretty good wine and had interesting flavors for a Moscato.

Tasted Without Food

Tasting - Risata Moscato d'Asti

Name: Risata Moscato d'Asti

Variety: 100% Moscato

Region: Asti, Peidmont DOCG

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $15.95

 Winery Review: This Moscato d'Asti is fresh, fragrant, and frizzante with vibrant, flavors and aromas of ripe stone fruit, tangerines, and honey. The wine is concentrated and flavorful, but not overly rich or heavy; sweet, yet balanced.

Ned's Take: I will admit that the bottle was very cool and I appreciate the styling. That is about all I liked about this wine. This is probably one of the worst wines I have ever tasted, especially for the price it is. The nose was not too bad, but it was not very complex. I mostly smelt honey and maybe some apricot or other summer fruit. The taste is where the wine really fell apart. I don't know what the reviewer was thinking when they said balanced. This wine was so sweet that I probably needed to get checked for cavities afterwards. There may have been some flavor but it was hard to pick up anything over the sickeningly sweet sugar level. To be honest, I thought it tasted almost exactly like a ring pop or push pop. I haven't had either of those in years, but they immediately came to mind. So unless that is what you are looking for in a wine, I would say stay clear.

Tasted Without Food

Tasting - Guintrandy Cotes du Rhone

Name: Guintrandy Cotes du Rhone

Region: Rhone

Country: France

Year: 2010

Price: Unknown

Winery Review: 

N/A (tasted at Vintage Cellar)

Ned's Take:

I noticed the nice deep red color of this wine right away. The nose had great character and rich plums and prune came to mind. Upon tasting I found it to be warm and smooth. The flavor had an interesting blend of fruit and earthy tones. There was also a strong buttery flavors with hints of vanilla. I would say that it was definitely an interesting wine that seemed well crafted but I didn't feel like there was anything special to note.

Tasted without food

Tasting - Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: California

Country: U.S.A.

Year: 2010

Price: $13

Winery Review: 

N/A (tasted at Vintage Cellar)

Ned's Take:

This was a bit dry but had a buttery flavor to it to help balance it out. It was evident that there was some oak aging involved, but there were still good fruit flavors that came through. Unfortunately, the acidity did not seem very balanced and there was a chemical finish that was unpleasant. Any good characteristics that this wine had were ruined for me by the poor balance and flavor in the latter half of the palate. I don't think I will be recommending this wine to anyone in the near future.

Tasted without food

Tasting - Frisk Prickly Reisling

Name:  Frisk Prickly Reisling
Variety:  83% Riesling, 17% Muscat Gordo
Country:  Australia
Region:  Victoria
Year:  2011
Price:  $11.95 

Winery Review:

Leave to the Aussies to come up with a tasty value wine with a sassy descriptive name.  frisk is a friskly Reisling with a pleasing level of prickly spritz lifting the ample fruity flavors.  It has a pale straw color, lively bubbles, loads of tropical fruit and jasmine aromas, off-dry fruity flavors, a refreshing 9.8% alcohol, and a sweet/tart finish;  and all that Australian goodness.

Ned's Take:

First thing I noticed about this wine was the bubbles. They were pleasant, but not overwhelming. I would have to say that a lot of sparkling wines are too fizzy for my liking, but this one was manageable. I have always been a fan of reislings so I was excited to try this. The first word that I found to describe this was effervescent. The fizz made the aroma almost overpowering and powerful. I got a lot of the crip, light, fruity aroma that I have come to associate with reisling. The wine was light in body and had very little color. I tasted fruit blossoms as well as fresh pear, apple, and strawberry. There was definitely some sweetness, but it was not that bad. The influence of the moscat grapes was evident. The body was pretty light and smooth, but somewhat one dimensional. Overall, I would say that it was smooth and refreshing, but more of a fun wine than one that should be taken seriously. Feel confident that this is a wine that all of your casual female wine drinkers will love, but you would much rather have this than some sickeningly sweet, one dimensional moscato that seem to be the go-to for many of my female friends. This one has enough sweetness to make it easy drinking, but enough character and balance to keep wine enthusiasts interested.

Tasted without food

Tasting - Allamand Cuvee Saint Jeanette

Name:  Allamand Cuvee Saint Jeanette
Variety:  50% Chardonnay, 50% Saint Jeannet
Region:  Mendoza
Country:  Argentina
Year:  2011
Price:  $11.95

Winery Review:

From the winery formerly known as Finca El Reposo comes this blend of 90+ year old Chardonnay and the almost extinct grape Saint Jeannet.  Saint Jeannet originated in the South of France, but is now thought to exist only at this one vineyard in Argentina.  Made very naturally from organically farmed grapes with almost nothing added later, wild yeast fermentation and no oak.  Only 3,000 bottles of this wine are made each year, compared to around 420,000 bottles of Lafite Rothschild.  

Ned's Take: 

This wine had a wonderful bouquet that I enjoyed smelling again and again. It was light and flowery with different wildflower aspects like honeysuckle. The taste was not as great as the smell due to a texture that was a bit thin and a little heat coming through on the finish. The flavors were not as balanced and complex as the smell. It's hard to say whether this was a good wine or not since my expectations were very high from the description and the excellent nose. Overall, it was an interesting wine with great floral aromas but lacks balance in the taste. 

Tasted without food

Tasting - Paulo Laureano Classico Alentejano Tinto

Name: Paulo Laureano Classico Alentejano Tinto

Variety: 100% Aragonas

Region: Alentejano

Country: Portugal

Year: 2010

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: 

Intense ruby color. Clearly favors the component of primary aromas where notes of plum confit stress, blackberries, spice and ripe red peppers, all in a balanced and attractive Soft, to remember the hot plains, shows a nice fresh, soft and silky tannins and an elegant long finish.

Ned's Take:

First thing to say about this wine is that it has a great color that excited me before I even tasted it. Plums and dark fruit were immediately present and there was a good body to this wine. I was catching a small hint of floral hidden below the strong fruit flavor, but juicy fruit was the main attraction here. There was a bit of spice that worked well with the strong fruit. The texture would be described well as rich and slightly heavy. This made for a smooth, but robust drink. One downside was that some warmth was coming through. Normally I would say that it complemented the wine and worked well, but it was just a little more than necessary. It distracted me a little bit from the other components. Overall this was a good wine and added to my high impressions of Portuguese wines so far.


Tasted without food

Tasting - Beauvert Cotes du Rhone

Name: Beauvert Cotes du Rhone

Variety: 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah (red blend)

Region: Rhone

Country: France

Year: 2009

Price: $11.95

Winery Review: A beautiful ruby red wine.  Very fragrant with aromas of red fruit (currant, strawberry, and cherry) with hints of black pepper and cinnamon.  Medium-bodied and silky in the mouth with mature, round tannins.  Enjoy with meats, grilled vegetables, or cheese.

Ned's Take:
I definitely sensed the dried dark fruit in this wine. It had a smooth taste and a little bit of a warming feel, but not enough to really hurt the wine. It was interesting to get the traces of spice in the flavor. It didn't really pronounce itself until later in the flavor and on the second taste. I recognized that this was a well rounded wine that had good structure, but it seemed a bit reserved and boring. It would have been nice to see a stronger nose on the wine and some bolder flavors.

Tasted without food