Tasting - Crane Lake II

Crane Lake

Riesling

2013

$5.95 Sale Price

California

Winery Review: The trademark German red grape varietal Dornfelder has a lovely purity of soft red berry fruit. Integrated soft tannins combined with forward fruit flavors make for a perfectly balanced everyday sipping wine.

My Review: The appearance of this wine was of a soft red color. The smell was sweet but had a small bite to it. The taste was a lovely mix of soft fruit and harsher alcohol. This was my favorite wine of the bunch. 

Tasting - Crane Lake I

Crane Lake

Shiraz

2013

$5.95 Sale Price

California 

Winery Review: Beautiful ruby appearance, with blackberry and pepper notes. Tannins and fruit marry well for a soft finish. This wine pairs well with sharp cheddar cheese and hazelnuts. Also try it along with roast lamb at Easter time, veal marsala, or grilled salmon.

My Review: The dark red of this wine was beautiful and glossy. The smell was soft and not what I expected from this wine. The smell was the opposite of the taste. There was a heavy taste of black currant jam and sharp pepper. This wine was too heavy for me. 

Tasting - Georges Duboeuf

Georges Duboeuf

Nouveau 2015

$5.95 Sale Price

Beaujolais, France

Winery Review: A cornucopia of expressive fruit wrapped in an almost-bubblegum-like frame; it is the flagship Nouveau.

My Review: This wine smelled like expensive, acidic perfume, and had a sweet after smell. On first taste I got a huge sense of strawberries and vanilla. The combination was weird but it wasn't unpleasant. This wine was okay in my book. 

Tasting - Maipe

Maipe Torrontes

2014

$7.95 Sale Price

Mendoza, Argentina

Winery Review: The wine has a spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well-balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish.

My Review: I loved the smell of this wine. It reminded me of a fruit salad my mother used to make often when I was little. The strongest distinct smell was of peaches. The taste had similar fruity flavors to the smell. I liked this wine. 

Tasting - Tonnino

Tonnino

Pinot Grigo

$7.95 Sale Price

Sicily, Italy

Winery Review: It is fresh and clean on the nose with fruity notes of pear, green apple and white peaches. The palate is true to the nose with a fresh acidity, coriander and lime notes followed by a crisp finish. This wine pairs well with youthful aperitifs, clams or mussels, pastas and risotto dishes.

My Review: This wine had a pretty golden yellow color. At first smell, I noticed light fruity smells such as apple and some citrus' such as light lemon. It has a sharp acid taste that sat heavy on my tongue but was eventually overridden by the fruitiness of this wine. It did not leave a bad aftertaste. 

Tasting - Peter Mertes

Peter Mertes

Sweet Red Dornfelder

2014

Sale Price $6.95

California, Germany

Winery Review: The trademark German red grape varietal Dornfelder has a lovely purity of soft red berry fruit. Integrated soft tannins combined with forward fruit flavors make for a perfectly balanced everyday sipping wine.

My Review: This wine was a dark red color that you could still see through. The nose of this wine smelled like pine and cherries which I thought was an odd combination. It had a small bite to it on first taste but that was softened by the plum flavor. This wine was okay.

Tasting - Castello Sonnino

Castello Sonnino

Chianti Montespertoli

2010

Sale Price $8.95

Chianti, Italy

Winery Review: A blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia del Chianti. Rich and modern, with a dark, saturated color and aromas of graham cracker and lemon rind. A juicy palate packed with plum and raspberry is carried by a creamy texture that’s rather toasty in terms of flavor. The finish is round, full and chocolaty.

My Review: The color of this wine was a dark ruby red. It smelled like dried leaves and had a sharp floral smell. The taste of this wine was very full of acid and took me by surprise at first. I didn't like the sharpness of the acid and the fruit. It left a film that coated my mouth after I swallowed and I didn't like the oily texture.