Tasting Terre di Poggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Laude

Name: Terre di Poggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Laude

Variety: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Laude

Region: Abruzzo

Country: Italy

Price: $8.95

Year: 2012

Shop Review: This opens with dark aromas of leather, tobacco, cured meat, plum and prune. It shows soft tannins and loads of dark fruit on the finish.

My Review: This wine to me would be 100% better with food. When trying it without food, it was not something I would ever drink alone. It smelled heavily of tobacco and cured meat, kind of smelling like a hang out between a big group of guys in their "man cave". The only semi sweet smell I could get would be a bit of blackberry, which isn't even that sweet of a smell. On the taste, it was quite tannic and bold and I could taste more of a leathery/tobacco taste than any type of grape or fruit. While it wasn't a horrible wine, I think that for a newbie like me it was too bold and harsh.

I would like to drink this wine with a steak!

Tasting Sean Minor Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris

Name: Sean Minor Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris

Variety: Pinot Gris

Region: Carneros, Cali

Country: USA

Price: $20

Year: 2013

Shop Review:

The Vin Gris is a bright and vibrant salmon color with cherry, strawberry, cranberry and ripe watermelon aromas on the nose.  On entry, the wine displays bright strawberry flavors. Throughout the mid-palate and finish, raspberry and cherry fruit characters are balanced with spicy and crisp acidity that linger creating a refreshing and lengthy finish.  My Review:  This wine was right up my alley, since I am a lover of sweets! I liked the light rose color and could really feel the summer ripe strawberrys and a tinge of watermelon and a sour cranberry smell. The taste was the perfect mix between an acidic white grape juice with strawberry and raspberry flavors. It wasn't Moscato like but it was crisp. I did not try this with food but would like to offset it with something salty, like a salmon or spicy mexican food perhaps.

Tasting Grande Resereve des Bastides Gaillac

Name: Grande Resereve des Bastides Gaillac

Variety: 50% Loin de i'Oeil, 30% Mauzac, and 20% Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Gaillac

Country: France

Price: $9.95

Year: 2013

Shop Review: A crisp and fruity blend featuring 20% of the herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, 50% creamy Loin de l’Oeil and notes of fresh apple and crisp pear, plus a touch of herb from the 30% Mauzac. It has a bright feel, with a hint of mineral on the finish.

My Review: This white almost reminded me more of a sparkling wine or a champagne. It smelled like granny smith apples and a bit like sour guava fruit. The taste was more like crisp pears, and kind of reminded me of that sparkling pear juice you could get from the store around New Year's. I couldn't taste mineral per say but the finish tasted a bit like wet rock.

I did not pair this with food but would like to try it with some light cheese and cured meat appetizers!

Tasting Villa Jolanda Brut

Name: Villa Jolanda Brut

Variety: Prosecco

Region: N/A

Country: Italy

Price: $8.95

Year: N/A.

Shop Review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste.

My Review: I loved this sparkling wine and was loving the light pear smell but it was definitely not as strongly smelling as many other sparkling champagnes I have tried. It had a crisp taste with pear and apricots throughout the mid palette and ended with an apple finish, like a macintosh taste! I would have this sparkling wine again!

I did not have this with food but would serve it with light appetizers!

Tasting Alvarez de Toledo Godello

Name: Alvarez de Toledo Godello

Variety: Godello

Region: Bierzo

Country: Spain

Price: $7.95

Year: 2013

Shop Review: Clean pale yellow color. Nose fruity, persistent and elegant aromas. Good backbone on the palate.

My Review: This wine was extremely pale and almost looked like water. I could smell a tiny bit of a fruity aroma, like citrus but to me the vegetable smell was overwhelming. It was almost like a tomato or perhaps a leafy green veggie. The taste was lemon like and sour but not in a bad way.

I did not try this with food but would like to do so in the future, perhaps with a chicken dish.

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region:Veneto

Country: Italy

Price: $7.95

Year: N/A

Shop Review: Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This is their house white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. Great value Grigio! Drink now.

My Review: This wine was interesting and I enjoyed the tangerine like smell with a mix of cantaloupe scent. I expected it to be more acidic and while it was tart, I was happy about it's balance and undertone of sweetness. I felt like there was a bit of a crisp, granny smith apple finish as well!

I drank this wine with a light pasta dish with shrimp and really enjoyed the combo!

Tasting Monte Degli Angeli Sangiovese

Name: Monte Degli Angeli Sangiovese

Variety: Sangiovese

Region: Puglia

Country: Italy

Price: $7.95

Year: 2013

Shop Review: The aromas are rich and dark, with lots of black cherry and a hint of balsamic. In the mouth the wine is round and energetic, with cherry and black raspberry fruit complemented by hints of damp earth. If you like Sangiovese-based wines like Chianti or our best-selling Colsanto from Umbria, you'll love this! The wine is ripe, fresh, and fruit-driven with a wonderful dash of earthy complexity at the end. Buy it by the case and drink with pizza, grilled poultry, and pasta.

My Review: The initial smell I got from this wine was a bit of vegetables, like broccoli and peppers in a  salad. When I read about the label mentioning it had balsamic, it did remind me of what I tasted, almost like a dressing with a purely vegetable salad. I could also feel a bit of an earthy smell, like dirt. The taste itself was black currant with a hint of black pepper. The after taste hit me with wet rock and I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. Overall,  I think I might prefer this wine with food.

I did not try this with food but I would like to try it with some pasta or pizza!