Tasting: Jam Jar Sweet White

Name: Jam Jar Sweet White
Variety: Muscat
Region: N/A
Country: South Africa
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Soft floral hints add depth to the otherwise straightforward ripe peach and nectarine aromas. There's a good balance in the mouth, with a nice acidic lift and slightly lime edge to cut the sweetness on the finish and close with the faintest hint of honeydew melons."

My Review: This muscat was very sweet just like it's name suggests. I liked this wine but I dont think I could drink too much of it because of its high levels of sugar/sweetness. It had a flowery and peach-like aroma and taste that helped open up the wine on the palate. I really did have a floral,earthy, and peach-like texture and characteristics that I really enjoyed. This is for sure a desert wine that would go well with peach cobbler or chocolate cake. Good wine overall though. 

Tasting: Entrada Malbec

Name: Entrada Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: N/A
Country: Chile
Year: 2012
Price: $5.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Firm and structured, this is a solid wine, laced with mineral acidity and tight tannins. It has a juicy, blackberry fruit component cutting though the texture."

My Review: This Chilean Red Malbec wine was not very good in my opinion. I think it may be something about South American wines that don't agree with me, and this one was one of those wines. It was not terrible, but it wasn't great either. It had a rough, organic texture that did help open up the taste of the wine, but not in a good way. I was not a big fan of this wine, but I think it is meant for a certain type of palate. 

Tasting: Vina Borga Borsao

Name: Vina Borga Borsao
Variety: 100% Grenache
Region: Campo de Borja.
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "86 Points - Robert Parker , The 2012 Vina Borgia was fermented and aged in stainless steel. Its medium dark ruby color is followed by  abundant notes of strawberries and black cherries offered in a straightforward, medium-bodied, soft, hedonistic, round style. It is hard to believe a wine this good can sell for $7 a bottle. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years."

My Review: This Grenache Red was very, very good. One of my favorite red wines I have ever tasted. The wine smelled of plum and blackberry, much like the aroma characteristics of red wines overall. You could this wine had a heavy amount of tannins due to its incredibly try texture and finish. I loved the taste and this wine would be incredible, in my opinion, with a prime rib or sirloin steak. I would most definitely suggest this wine. 

Tasting: Peter Lehmann Chardonnay

Name: Peter Lehmann Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: N/A
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Regular Price: $20
Sale: $9.95


Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike) "The 2010 Chardonnay presents subtle notes of spiced apple slices and ripe peaches with hints of freshly baked bread and melon. Light bodied, clean and refreshingly crisp in the mouth, it offers just enough apple and pear flavor concentration, finishing with medium-long persistence. Drink it now to 2014."

My Review: In my opinion, this Chardonnay was incredibly.....forgettable. Just a bland, uninteresting wine that really did nothing to make me like it or remember it. It did not have a great aroma that would help open up the wine on the palate. It had a "firewood" aroma that I found weird. The taste was about as interesting as the smell. I would not recommend this wine, but that's just my opinion. 

Tasting: Protocolo Vine de la Tierra de Castilla

Name: Protocolo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: N/A
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike) "Greenish gold. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry, understated and focused, offering clean citrus and melon flavors and slow-building sweetness. Finishes dry and brisk with an echo of lemon. As usual this is an outstanding value."

My Review: This white wine was interesting in its texture and taste. It had a lemon, orange aroma that opened up the taste of this wine. It was quite pungent and stung the nostrils. It had a tart, but refreshing taste that i really did enjoy. The tempranillo really made my tongue tingle. The wine had smooth finish which I always enjoy in a good white wine.

Tasting: Indwe Sauvignon Blanc

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Name: Indwe Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: N/A
Country: South Africa
Year: N/A
Price: $7.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Grapes are meticulously sourced from our grape producers along the Coastal region of the Western Cape ensuring complexity and freshness in the wine. Indwe Sauvignon Blanc is full of layers, balance and persistence. The wine is imbued with tropical and citrus notes, with hints of melon and gooseberry flavors."

My Review: This wine was mediocre on all levels. It was bland in taste and smell and in my opinion isn't even worth a review. It had decent texture but nothing special. I would NOT recommend this wine.

Wine of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon

Name: Wine Men of Gotham Chard.Semillon
Variety: 80% Chardonnay, 20% Semillon
Region: N/A
Country: Australia
Year: N/A
Price: $7.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Chardonnay Semillon is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Semillon. It gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot and butterscotch aromas. The medium bodied palate provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish."

My Review: This white wine has an awesome name and great overall characteristics. This blended wine was incredibly complicated in taste and aroma. It had a smooth and easy texture that made it very enjoyable and highly recommended. It had a very earthy and fruity aroma that really helped open up the taste of the wine. This wine reminds me of summer and would be best on a nice cool summer evening while sitting by a pool or  on beach. I highly recommend this wine to anyone who enjoys a nice summer wine. 

Tasting: Canyon Road Pinot Noir

Name: Canyon Road Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $6.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Rich, fruit forward cherry flavors, soft tannins, a medium body and a smooth velvety finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, salmon, and a savory pork dishes."

My Review: This traditional red Pinot Noir was very much like the Vintage Cellar's critique. It was rich and full-bodied which really gave it an overwhelming texture and taste. This pinot had a cherry/cranberry aroma that made me think of an orchard or forest. The texture was smooth and creamy and tastes of cherry. This wine was pretty good for a Pinot I guess, but I'm not a big Pinot Noir fan. 

Tasting - Toschi Cabernet Sauvignon

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Name: Toschi Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $8.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Well-balanced flavors of dark berries and plums. Spicy fruit finish."

My Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon was like many other Cabernets in that it was red and very complicated in taste and structure. It was quite powerful in taste and aroma. The Cabernet had a strong smell of wild cherry and blackberry. The wine was powerful on the palate as well tasting spicy and tangy. I think I may have tasted black current or blackberry. This wine is for experienced wine drinkers that can really dissect this complicated wine. 

Tasting: R Wines Eco. Love Riesling

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Name: R Wines Eco. Love Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: South Island
Country: New Zealand
Year: N/A
Price: $18
Sale Price: $7.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Mike): "Our South Island Riesling has a range and combination of flavors unlike any other. These flavors span citrus , root ginger, white peach, spices and florals. Eco.love Riesling is made in balance to an off-dry style. Food Pairing: Asian Fusion, Seafood, Curry, and anything spicy."

My Review: This white Riesling was decent but rather ordinary in my opinion. It had a pungent orange-smelling aroma that opened up the taste of the wine. It also had an earthy smell which gave good contrast to the orange-like aroma. The Riesling had an oakey taste, the oak monster was out on this Riesling. It reminded me of the term "smokey" as well for some reason; like a cigar bar or hookah lounge.  

Tasting: El Sierro Macabeo/Chardonnay

Name: El Sierro Macabeo/Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: N/A
Country: Spain
Year: N/A
Price: $6.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Amanda): "In the glass there is a bright and shiny white wine with an incredibly welcoming, fresh appetizing aroma reminiscent of ripe tropical fruits. The flavor is rich, balanced and extremely comfortable. The near-perfect all purpose white wine. As an additional benefit, and good evidence that El Sierro reflect the new Spain, the bottle is sealed with the technical viewed perfect screw cap that at once eliminates any risk of cork flavor and keeps the fruit and the wine fresher for a longer time."

My Review: This wine was quite dry, which was surprising because it was a white, not a red wine. It was quite strong but not overwhelming which was nice. This white was rather bland with a very tart taste that really did not keep me interested. It had a fruity, pear smell that I did enjoy but did not necessarily correlate to the taste and finish of the wine. This wine was one of the better ones that I tasted at this wine tasting, but was not the best none-the-less. 

Tasting: Arnold Palmer Chardonnay

Name: Arnold Palmer Chardonnay                                                          
Variety:Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $20
Sales Price: $7.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Amanda): "A vibrant Chardonnay from vineyards in cooler climates of California. Chardonnay is well known for its characteristic fresh fruit aromas and rounded, rich flavors. Weather during the 2011 harvest provided ideal growing conditions for lush, yet perfectly balanced fruit."

My Review: I had high hopes for this wine just because it had the name Arnold Palmer in it and I love Arnold Palmers and golf. But this wine was quite mediocre. It was a weak and unimpressive wine that really had no unique characteristics that made it stand out and it really just had that typical Chardonnay taste. It had an all-natural smell of dirt, floral, fruity smells that did not overpower you at all. It is a good summer wine to drink but its sour taste and forgettable overall characteristics make this wine nothing special. 

Tasting: Villa d'Rosso Toscano

Name: Villa d' Rosso Toscano

Variety: Sangiovese

Region: Montepulciano 

Country: Italy

Year: N/A

Price:$6.95

Vintage Wine Cellar (Amanda): "100% sangiovese grapes and is a wonderful rendition of a velvety Tuscan red." 

My Review: This red wine was very interesting to taste in that I havn't had much experience with Sangiovese type wines. This Italian red was quite dry but not as much as the next one, the Maipe Malbec, but it was pretty dry in it's own right. It had a wild berry/plum-like taste on the palate. The tannins really released in the finish drying out the mouth. The wine had a fresh and fruity bouquet that really opened up the nostrils.

Tasting - Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: N/A
Price: $8.95

Vintage Wine Cellar Review (Amanda): "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."

My Review: This wine was a typical Mendoza, Argentina wine with its unique texture and South American zing. This wine was incredibly dry like most reds but this one seemed to have a little extra dryness to it. You could literally feel the tannins drying out your mouth almost immediately as the finish began. It was borderline overwhelming. This Malbec had a flowery bouquet and what seemed to be a cranberry/strawberry-like taste on the palate. This wine was mediocre in my book. Next please. 

Tasting - Loredona Riesling

Name: Loredona Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: Monterey, California
Country: United States
Year: N/A
Price: $15
Sale Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review (Amanda): "If you like your Rieslings on the sweet side, this pretty wine is for you. It's brisk in Central Coast acidity, which citrus, peach, honeysuckles and spice flavors that finish clean and long."

My Review: Like most rieslings this wine was exceptionally sweet. It had a flowery bouquet and a fruity finish. The wine smelled a lot like a dandelion mixed with an oranges and apricots. There was a finish of peach and orange that sat incredibly well on the palate. The wine had a thin, but smooth texture that really open up well when it hit the tongue and released its taste. This was probably my favorite of the wines and really is worth the buy at a sale price of $7.95. 

Wine Tasting - Georges Duboeuf Beajolais Noiveau

Name: Georges Duboeuf Beajolais Nouveau
Variety: Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year:2013
Price:$7.95
Vintage Cellar Critique: Amanda; "An aromatic red, with floral and white peach notes accenting the black raspberry and plum flavors. This is open-knit and fresh, offering light tannins on the finish."

My Critique: This red wine was again not my favorite. It had a raspberry-type taste with a hint of plum possibly in the finish. The bitterness was there but not too overwhelming which I liked. This wine was very dry and tart tasting like most red wines. I didn't love this wine, but I didn't hate it either. It really left no impression on me so it was really nothing special.

Wine Tasting: CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

Name: CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Variety: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Viognier
Region: Paso Robles
Country: California
Year: 2009
Regular Price: $16
Sales Price: $10.95 1 Liter, $5.95 500 ml


Vintage Cellar Critique: Amanda; This certified organic winery produces outstanding quality at reasonable prices offering classic Cabernet flavors of fresh herb, olive, cedar and cassis. Focused and intense with a charming rustic side and broad tannins that firm up on the finish.

My Critique: The "juice box wine" as we effectively refer to this wine, is a Cabernet Sauvignon that has a dry texture and bitter taste. I was not a big fan of this wine.....like many reds, it was bitter and overpowering. The "oak monster" was out in full force with this wine and really gave it an overpowering flavor. It also had a tart like taste that really did not do it much favor. This wine was really not my cup of tea. 

Wine Tasting: First Light Moscato

Name: First Light Moscato
Variety: Muscat
Region: N/A
Country: Australia
Year: N/A
Regular Price: $15
Sale Price: $7.95
Vintage Cellar Critique: Amanda; "Ripe lychee, tropical fruits and musk on the nose as you near the glass. Lovely grape and stone fruits and on the palate is highlighted with the subtle sweetness and spritz that makes this such a fun drink. Low in alcohol and nicely balanced acidity ensure you will want more than one glass of this easy drinking wine."

My Critique: This Moscato was pretty good tasting wine, but I have an affinity for the sweet, sparkling moscatos. This Moscato, like a lot of carbonated wines, danced on your tongue and pallate. It really opens up on the finish and you can taste the musk and tropical fruits in the finish. The fruity aroma was intense and powerful on the nostrils and prepared you for this wines sweet and fruity flavor. I give this wine an 87 out of 100. 






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Wine Tasting: Beltrame Friulano

Name: Beltrame Friulano
Variety: Tocai Friulano
Region: Friuli
Country: Italy
Year: 2009
Price: $9.95
Vintage Cellar Critique: Amanda; "100% Tocai Friulano straw-colored yellow with a pale green tin expresses an intense, delicately aromatic and floral bouquet. The flavour is dry, soft, slightly fruity with slightly bitter nuance in its almond aftertaste and suggests peach."

My Critique: This white wine was particularly interesting because it had a unique taste that was hard to identify. It had a fruity aroma and a fleshy, concentrated taste. It tasted lemony and had a crisp feel  and smooth finish. It was rather bland and unimpressive in my opinion. I would not recommend this wine just because of its unique, but rather boring wine

Tasting - Mas Llunes Maragda

Name: Mas Llunes Maragda
Variety: Grenache
Region: Emporada
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $9.95
Vintage Cellar Critique: Amanda: "This Grenache Blanc is exquisitely sculpted with sharp acids and pinpointed minerals, and offers orange, melon, and vanilla-honey flavors. A delight to drink, at a great price."

My critique: This white whine was a crisp and acidic. It was a very dry wine that had a smooth finish and a lot of activity on the palate. The Mas Llunes Maragda had an apply taste and it was super tarty. The finish was not too long which is understandable with grenaches. This wine had a fresh and fruity aroma that really helped with the taste of the wine. I give this wine an 85 out of 100. Good and worth the buy.