Name: Valle Las Nencias Malbec Reserve
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2008
Price: $14.99
Winery Notes: "Vine growers for four generations, the Gaiola family (Angel and daughter María) have made another terrific wine from their old vines in the Uco Valley. Hector Durigutti continues to consult on this wine. As with all of Durigutti's efforts, the wine is fermented only with indigenous yeasts and the oak (8-12 months in two-year-old French) is very well integrated. Soft blue and purple fruits are pure, with just a hint of spiciness and violet floral notes, balanced nicely with fresh acidity. The fruit purity, weighty mid-palate and overall balance all speak to the Uco Valley, some of the best land in Argentina for making delicious Malbec with a true sense of place. Possibly the finest Malbec I've had all year (and yes, I do prefer this to its ever popular sister wine we recently emailed, also from the Uco Valley!)"
- K&L Wines
My Review: On the nose, this wine was very oaky and dark, with dark berries sticking out to me. It wasn't as dry as i expected the taste to be, but it was still solid. The flavors that really popped out were dark fruits, like cherries, black berries, etc. and had a spicy kick to it on the back end. Overall, this was a very good bottle of wine that I would definitely buy again. Solid all around.
Name: Barefoot Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $7.97
Winery Notes: "This is a fruit-driven style of Pinot Grigio with citrus and apple flavors. The finish is crisp and refreshing. Barefoot Cellars continues to put good juice in bottles for a very fair price."
- Totalwine.com
My Review: The reason why this wine cost a little more than a normal barefoot is because it's actually a larger bottle, so I wasn't expecting it to taste all the great either. Especially after trying the moscato. The nose was a little lighter than I'd expected it to be, with nice orange and lemon flavors popping out right away. The taste was very refreshing and actually had hints of apple and light grape flavors. Overall, not a bad bottle of wine, but not my favorite either.
Name: Barefoot Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $6.99
Winery Notes: “Barefoot Moscato is a sweet wine with delicious mouth watering flavors of juicy peach and apricot. Hints of lemon and orange citrus complement a crisp, refreshing finish. Barefoot Moscato is perfect with spicy Asian cuisine, light desserts, fresh fruit and mild cheeses.”
My Review: On the nose, this wine was very very sweet, and had touches of candy-like smells and notes. The taste, backed that up completely. It was a very sweet and tart tasting wine, a sweetness that you get when you're eating like a cherry lollipop or something. I thought this wine was too sweet for my taste, and was much too light for me. It definitely did taste the price, however, and most likely would not buy another one though.
Name: 2012 Banyan Gewurztraminer
Variety: Gewurztraminer
Region: Monterey County
Country: California
Year: 2012
Price: $14.99
Winery Notes: "Thai-American winemaker Kenny Likitprakong crafts this dry, light Gewurztraminer to go with the cuisine of his heritage. From the cool climate of Monterey County, it gives great complexity and finesse at a low price. A nose of lemongrass and citrus leads to a palate of lychee, lime, notes of watermelon and lemon zest, backed by bracing acidity and quartzy minerality. Drink it with green, red, or yellow curry, lemongrass chicken, or a plate of seasonal fruits."
- winfieldflynn.com
My Review: On the nose, this wine was very fresh and had a nice sweetness to the smell. The taste, however, was a little stronger, with hints of green apple and other sharp fruit flavors popping out. It wasn't an overly sweet taste, but a nice and strong fruit-flavor that gave this wine a nice touch. Overall, a solid bottle of wine and not bad in my opinion.
Name: Loredona Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Monterey, California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $15
Winery Notes: "If you like your Rieslings on the sweet side, this pretty wine is for you. It's brisk in Central Coast acidity, with citrus, peach, honeysuckle and spice flavors that finish clean and long."
- The Vintage Cellar
My Review: A solid selection for those looking for a fruity and citrusy wine. The nose came off very floral and candy-like. The taste backed that initial nose off, with a very sweet and candy-like flavor on the back-end of the taste buds. It was a very subtle sweetness, however, not over-powering but inviting. A good wine, especially those looking for that sweet, citrusy-flavor.
Name: Maipe Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95
Winery Notes: "Deep purple color with violet tints, complex plum, fig, strawberry, spices and floral aromas; rounded and velvety tannins, excellent length with a distinguished character. Excellent when paired with game, roasted red meats, pasta or pizza."
- The Vintage Cellar
My Review: YES. This was by far my favorite wine of the group this week. Very nice and inviting dark fruit flavors in the nose; specifically dark cherries and raspberries. The taste was that of any dark berries I've ever had in my life, almost like an explosion of wild and unique berry flavors in my mouth. It resonated with a tartness factor, like that of sweet tarts, both sour and sweet, which was an interesting yet delicious finish to the wine itself. Definitely a wine that I would recommend to both friends and family.
Name: Villa d Rosso Toscano
Variety: Sangiovses
Region: Montepulciano
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95
Winery Notes: "100% sangiovese grapes and is a wonderful rendition of a velvety Tuscan red."
- The Vintage Cellar
My Review: This is a very nice wine. It stuck initially with a very strong sense of grape and cherry in the nose, coming off sweet and nice. The taste, though, was bitter, but not overly empowering. It was a little more dry than expected or preferred but not too much to make it unappealing. Overall, I liked this wine a lot and would definitely recommend to friends.
