Wine Tasting: Sonnenband Moscato Magnum

Name: Sonnenband Moscato Magnum
Variety: Moscato
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $20

Shop review: This wine is intricate with the delicate perfumes of white flower blossoms, profound tropical fruit sweetness, and energized by citrus nectar.

My review:  Just from looking at the wine, I was immediately biased against it. The previous week I had tasted a different sweet moscato, which was also inexpensive for such a large bottle. On the nose it was flowery, with some mango and nectarine. Surprisingly, the wine didn't have an overbearing sweet smell. The taste, however, was extremely sweet. It was very syrupy, but was also very thin and light bodied. It mostly reminded me of small, sweet clementines. While not my favorite of the day, I did like it more than expected.

Wine Tasting: Neu Direction Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Neu Direction
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $15

Shop review: This Cabernet Sauvignon shows very good purity of fruit and skillful 
wine making. This wine is full of black fruit aromas, depth, and style. The palate 
pushes ripe plum and berry fruit along 
with chocolate, and the finish is chewy 
and correct in terms of tannin and 
structure.

My review:  The wine smelled earthy and moldy, but it was pleasant, which I found interesting. I'd describe it as an unpicked cherry orchard that let the fruit ripen and decompose. The first taste brought some heat and dryness, but then the wine mellowed out and tasted more of strawberry and cherry.  

Wine Tasting: Champteloup Pinot Noir

Name: Champteloup Selection

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Loire Valley
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $15

Shop review: In the heart of France’s Loire River Valley lies the Touraine wine region. 

Although it produces vast amounts of 

well-priced, fresh, mostly white wines, 

lovely reds like this are broadening 

Touraine’s appeal. This wine may seem 

familiar to you. It is a sibling of the 

Touraine Sauvignon Blanc we’ve offered 

for years. Serge de Bucy employs a light 

touch in his winemaking, using no wood 

and doing as little as possible to preserve 

freshness. Bright cherry and strawberry 

fruits are followed by a soft, smooth 

palate.

My review:  The wine had a very strange bouquet. The first thing that came to mind was smoked salmon and smoked cheese, but after a few sniffs the food smells went away and the blackberry smells came out. The sweetness of the wine was present, but it was also somewhat dry, with a light cherry flavor.

Wine Tasting: Baumann Gentil Classiq

Name: Baumann Gentil Classiq

Variety: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris
Region: Alsace
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $17

Shop review: A delicious and fresh blend of Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, 
and Pinot Gris. Light aromas of fresh fruit 
and delicate white flowers start your 
journey, followed by crisp flavors of stone 
and citrus fruit. A well balanced acidity 
on the dry finish ends this French blend 
beautifully

My review:  To me, this wine smelled like apples and cinnamon at first, but then the cinnamon smell dissolved away, leaving behind hints of a floral bouquet. To taste, this wine was extremely crisp, and moderately sweet, with more green apple flavor.

Wine Tasting: Fattori Runcaris Soave

Name: Fattori Runcaris Soave
Variety: 100% Garganega
Region: Soave
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $15

Shop review: From the local Italian word for “to work the soil,” Runcaris represents an easy, 
fresh expression of Soave Classico with 
lingering aromas of citrus, yellow rose, 
honey, jasmine and dried herbs.

My review:  The first thing to pop out was the strong citrus nose of the wine, as well as a light hint of herb pear smells. The wine had a very buttery taste, and was still had lots of citrus present. I had this wine with lemon and thyme sauteed chicken with Parmesan potatoes and feta zucchini, and the pairing was excellent. The buttery nature of the wine went very well with the potatoes, as well as with the chicken, which was very light on butter. The chicken was cooked in a stew of lemon rind, which gave it a hint of citrus taste. However, the wine, which had a large citrus flavor present, brought the light buttery-citrus flavor of the chicken from being somewhat under-powering to very flavorful. The wine did not pair as well with the feta cheese, however. The two were both great in their own regard, but did not blend well. Unlike with the rest of the dish, these two things belonged as parts of two separate dishes. I enjoyed this wine, and would order it again.

Wine Tasting: Angove Zibibbo Sparkling Moscato

Name: Angove Zibibbo Sparkling Moscato

Variety: Moscato
Region: South Australia
Price: $15

Shop review: This is a tasty and generous Moscato  that opens with plush aromas of honey, peach syrup, white flower and fragrant exotic fruit. There’s a nice sensation of fullness and creaminess in the mouth that is backed by the foamy effervescence of this sparkling dessert wine.

My review:  This wine smelled very strongly of fruit at first, but then I noticed the sugary smell. It was almost like sticking my face in a bowl of sugar and taking a whiff. And then I tasted it. Wow, this wine was sweet. Way, way too sweet. I've had sparkling wine before, so I was expecting some bubbles, but I barely noticed them after being buried in sugar. I'm fairly certain that if I had any more than the small amount I had to taste, I would've developed diabetes. There was a small taste of peach and pineapple, but everything was masked by how sweet this wine was. It would have been really good otherwise, but I doubt I will have this again. There are other sweet, sparkling wines that I prefer. 

Wine Tasting: Fetzer Malbec

Name: Fetzer

Variety: Malbec
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $15

Shop review: Delicious Malbec is 100% from Mendoza, Argentina. It has a vibrant red color with violet tones. Subtle and delicious aromas with an intense mixture of red fruits, plum and cherry jam. On the palate it’s juicy and has intense wood-like tannins that make it a rustic, yet versatile wine. Long finish.


My review:  This was my favorite wine of the day. The wine had a good blend of smells, from cherry to strawberry, and even a lightness that I can only describe as minty and fruity. The wine was not very dry, but it did have a nice little bite to it from the relatively high (13%) alcohol content. The wine was slightly sweet, and tasted somewhat of strawberries. Despite the fruitiness, the wine had a nice full body. The wine had a very smooth finish to it, followed by the minty and fruity aftertaste again. I will be having this wine again, as I took a bottle home with me.

Wine Tasting: Tres Ojes Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos

Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Shop review: Made from 100% Old Vine Garnacha. The wine has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice, and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good qualtiyy. This wine is fruity, juicy, and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet wonderful elegance and lightness. Enjoy with sausages, roasted meats, aged cheeses, etc.

My review:  The first thing I noticed about this wine was the color and opacity. The wine is indeed a very rich red, and I would even say that it is darker than the brick red that the shop review described. When held up to the light, I could not see through the liquid, even in the small amount that I had been poured for tasting. The second thing I noticed was how peppery the wine smelled, although hints of raspberry were present. I enjoy spicy wines, and immediately knew that I was likely to enjoy this one as well. The taste was very similar to the Trentadue wine that I had tasted two weeks prior. The wine tasted  mostly of blackberries, and had a nice peppery kick to it.  It was also full in body and fairly dry. 

Wine Tasting: The Royal Chenin Blanc

Name: The Royal Old Vines Steen Chenin Blanc

Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Shop review: One of the greatest buys I have tasted this year is this under $10, 100% Chenin Blanc from the Western Cape. A super flowery-scented nose includes notions of ripe honeydew melons and pears. This medium-weight, fresh, fruity, crisp, dry, textbook Chenin Blanc will provide immense pleasure over the next 12 months.

My review:  I expected this to be similar to the Sauvignon Blanc I had just tasted, seeing as how they come from a similar grape, but I could not have been more wrong. The wine had a very sweet and melony scent to it, which reminded me quite a bit of cantaloupe. This wine was much sweeter than the one before it, but was not nearly the sweetest of the day. The flavor was a bit flat, however, and there was little aftertaste to speak of. I enjoyed this wine, but I doubt I would order it for myself or pick it off of a counter. 

Wine Tasting: Norton Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Bodega Norton Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $12

Shop review: Aromas of pithy citrus and pineapple are decent but unrefined, while flavors of tangerine and pineapple are tropical, zesty and what they are. This is nothing more than a fresh, simple, citrusy white to sip on the patio.

My review:  This was the first wine that I tasted of the day, and it was a good way to start. The wine smelled mostly of lemon, but had many different floral smells as well, although I could not begin to tell you what different flowers smell like.  The wine had very crisp sensation to it, but was also very smooth, having a similar sensation to the freshness you feel after just having brushed your teeth. The wine did not taste fruity or sweet, and tasted just as much like lemon as it smelled. This wine would be excellent with a white fish, and I would definitely have it again.