Wine Tasting: Jam Jar Sweet White Muscat

Name:  Jam Jar Sweet White
Variety: Muscat

Region: Western Cape

Country: South Africa
Year: 2011
Price: $9

Shop review: 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:  Smelled of sweet peaches and clementines. Tasted like a mouthful of sugar, with some tropical fruit flavors. 

Wine Tasting: Entrada Malbec

Name: Entrada
Variety: Malbec

Region: 

Country: Argentina
Year: Mendoza
Price: $6

Shop review: Firm and structured, this is a solid wine, laced with mineral acidity and tight tannins. It has a juicy, blackberry fruit component cutting through the texture.

My review:  When I first smelled this wine, the first thing that came to mind was how different (aka, weird) it smelled, like decomposing leaves and peat, with some plum and blackberry. However, after letting it sit for a few minutes, the weird smells started to fade away, leaving behind the berry smells. It tasted of dark berries and plum. After taking a bottle home, I let it sit open all day before drinking it, and there was non of the peat smells that I noticed during the tasting. 

Wine Tasting: Vina Borgia Borsao Grenache

Name:  Vina Borgia Borsao 
Variety: Grenache

Region: Campo de Borja

Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $7

Shop review: Also made from 100% Grenache, 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:  Buttery and creamy smell at first, which I though was strange to smell in a wine that was aged in stainless steel. After it opened up, it smelled of cherry and strawberry jam. This wine was fairly light for a red wine, and not very dry. I primarily tasted cherry.

Wine Tasting: Peter Lehmann Chardonnay

Name:  Peter Lehmann
Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Barossa Valley

Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $10

Shop review: 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:  Smelled very similarly to white grape juice, and had a similar texture of grape juice: light and thin. There were some apple and pear flavors,  but was very light on any distinct taste, with almost no finish. 

Wine Tasting: Protocolo Vino de la Tiera de Castilla

Name:  Protocolo Vino de la Tiera de Castilla
Variety: 50% Airen, 50% Macabeo

Region: Castilla La Mancha

Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $7

Shop review: 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 wine smelled like oranges and citrus. It was light and dry, with a minty orange flavor and a long finish.

Wine Tasting: R Wines Eco.Love Riesling

Name:  R Wines Eco.Love
Variety: Riesling

Region: South Island

Country: New Zealand
Year: 2012
Price: $18

Shop review: 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 wine didn't smell very sweet or dry, which is something that most Riesling's I've had have been very distinctive in. There was slight hints of peach on the nose, but otherwise I had to really struggle to get anything out of this wine. There was not much flavor, other than some kind of floral taste, again not being either sweet or dry. I wouldn't get this again, because I've had much better sweet and dry Rieslings. 

Wine Tasting: Toschi Cabernet Sauvignon

Name:  Toschi
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $9

Shop review: Well-balanced flavors of dark berries and plums. Spicy fruit finish.

My review:  This was one of the most interesting wines I've ever had, but this time, that was not a good thing. It smelled of forest and earth, with some spiced pepper. It reminded me of what lincoln logs smell like after they've been stored in the attic for a long time. The wine was not very tannic, which I found surprising considering its' dark color. It had a very thick texture, and tasted (and felt) like what I imagine it would be like to eat a moss smoothie. IT had a smoky campfire aftertaste, which normally I would consider to be good, but here it just wasn't.  This is probably my least favorite wine I've ever had. That being said, I would almost be inclined to taste this again, but with a different vintage, to see if it really is something I don't like, or if it was just a bad year for the winery.