Ca' Bea 2014

Name: Ca' Bea

Variety: Sangue di Guida

Region: Oltrepo Pavese, Italy

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: "Off-dry with a slight fizz, offering bright berry and mineral notes. Medium-bodied, with a clean, fresh palate and fruity finish. This is a rare, sweet red wine that is wonderful with desserts such as dry pastries, cookies and cakes."

My review: This is a great wine, I really enjoyed the sweetness in this and I could taste the minerals in it. The taste of it reminded me of drinking mineral water, though I cannot figure out why it did. It also reminded me of cranberry juice, because of the way my mouth puckered even though it was sweet. I did not have this wine with food.

Alvarez de Toledo

Name: Alvarez de Toledo

Variety: Mencia Roble

Region: Beirzo, Spain

Country: Spain

Year: 2009

Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: “The 2009 Alvarez de Toledo was bottled just a week before the wine was presented but seems to be showing no symptoms of distress. Balsamic, leather, and black fruits are the principal notes struck by this suave effort that over-delivers in a big way. Like its older sibling, it can be enjoyed now but will have more to say in 2-3 years.”

My Review: I liked this wine well enough, but I think it would be better with food - if I were to try it again, I think I would wait a few years and try it with a steak or something. It was very heavy, and I could taste the tannins, and it seemed like it had a lot going on. I did not have this wine with food.

Codirosso 2015

Name: Codirosso

Variety: Chianti, 90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino

Region: Tuscany, Italy

Country: Italy

Year: 2015

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "A heck of a value in Chianti, this delicious blend of 90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo and 3% Colorino offers up notes of licorice, new saddle leather, black cherry and berry fruit, loamy soil undertones and a touch of pepper and herbs. It is medium-bodied, savory and best drunk over the next several years."

My Review: I hate licorice. I really, really do. I did not like this wine at all, because I have such an aversion to even the smell of licorice (and smell is an intrinsic part of taste, after all). It's a no from me. I did not have this wine with food.

The Royal Old Vines Steen

Name: The Royal Old Vines Steen

Variety: Chenin Blanc

Region: Western Cape, South Africa 

Country: South Africa

Year: 2015

Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: "The 2015 Chenin Blanc offers loads of melony fruit interspersed with hints of honeysuckle and peach. It is delicious, crisp, fresh, lively, and a dead ringer for a good Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. Drink it over the next year."

My Review: I liked this one well enough, but it certainly was not my favorite. It was a bit too sweet for me, and it tasted more like juice than wine. I want more flavor and less sweetness than this wine provides. I did not have this wine with food.

Barão de Figueira

Name: Barão de Figueira

Variety: Vinho Branco Siria

Region: Beira, Portugal

Country: Portugal

Year: 2014

Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "This wine is soft and rounded. It has lemon and light spiciness along with cool acidity. It is an easy wine that is ripe with apple and fresh lemon juice and ready to drink."

My Review: I could smell the apples and lemons, and I think I was able to taste the lemon, but not the apple. It was very fresh and I liked the aftertaste. I did not have this wine with food.

Villa Vitas Ribolla Gialla 2014

Name: Villa Vitas

Variety: Ribolla Gialla

Region: Venezie, Italy

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "The 2014 Ribolla Gialla shows more minerality, nice quince, white currant and citrus oil notes, a dry, refreshing mouthfeel and a fragrant bouquet."

My Review: I enjoyed this wine! I can imagine having it with dinner on a summer evening, because that's what it reminded me of. It was light and refreshing, and a bit flowery. I did not have food with this wine.

Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines Grenache 2014

Name: Garnacha de Fuego

Variety: Old Vines Grenache

Region: Aragon, Spain

Country: Spain

Year: 2014

Price: $2.95

Wine Critic Review: "The Garnacha de Fuego Rose is a solid effort that has a light salmon color to go with notions of cherry blossom, orange peel and herbs de Provence. Medium-bodied, supple, fresh easy-drinking, and an outstanding value at $3." 

My Review: I loved the smell of this wine but I was not a fan of the taste - it tasted too much like I would expect my rose-scented hand lotion might taste. I did not have food with this wine.

Barao de Figueira Tino Reserva 2013

Name: Barao de Figueira

Variety: Tino Reserva Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca

Region: Beira, Portugal

Country: Portugal

Year: 2013

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "From vineyards at 2000 feet elevation, this is a rich and spicy wine that has a pure streak of fruit freshness and a firmly tannic core. It is perfumed from Touriga Nacional in the blend, with red berry and black plum flavors coming through strongly along, balanced by acidity. It will be better from 2017."

My Review: I did not like the smell of this wine so I did not expect to like it nearly as much as I did, since smell and taste are linked. It was very earth and dry, and I liked the aftertaste. I did not have food with this wine.

Vinedos Real Rubio Rioja Crianza

Name: Vinedos Real Rubio

Variety: Rioja Crianza, Tempranillo, Graciano

Region: Rioja, Spain

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: "Lightly baked berry aromas vie for attention with leather, spice and mild earth notes, and the result is disjointed. On the palate, this is tight as a drum initially, but more expansive as it unfolds. Cherry, plum, raspberry, vanilla and woodspice flavors finish pure, clean and easy. This is a fine yet manageable Rioja that’s not trying too hard. Drink through 2016."

My Review: This smelled a bit like cherries, which reminded me of "cheerwine" a little bit. This was definitely not as sugary, actually it was quite dry. I've discovered that I tend to enjoy Tempranillo, and that held true with this wine as well. I did not have food with this wine.

Crane Lake Riesling

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: Riesling

Region: California, USA

Country: USA

Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "Pale golden color. Ripe and dried peaches on the nose. Minerals and dried peach flavors. Nicely balanced, leaning towards lime acididty."

My Review: This was a very sweet smelling wine, and it tasted quite sweet as well. I've found that I tend to prefer dry wines over sweet ones, on the whole, but this was very nice and I could taste the peach flavor. I did not have food with this wine.