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Greetings and Holiday Wishes!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday. I certainly did. Now that the New Year is approaching, you should definitely be ringing it in with bottles of bubbly. Here's what entertained my Christmas day.
Vintage: 2004
Price Range: $10
Producer: Henri Moreau
Region & Country: Bordeaux, France
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon from Medoc
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/25/2008 - Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!!!
Appearance: Full-bodied, deep red garnet
Nose: Lingering scent of plum; sweet scent
Taste: Smooth, sweet and clean; this has the taste of raspberry
Finish: Sweet and slightly acidic
Overall Impression: This cab is sweet but in a good way. I did feel like I needed to eat something salty with it to counter the sweetness. It definitely is delicious and very juicy. I liked it and for the price, it's even better!
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: N/A
Price Range: $12
Producer: WP SRL Crocetta
Region & Country: Montello, Italy
Grape Variety: Prosecco
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 12/07/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/07/2008
Appearance: Light, medium bubbles and very pale gold
Nose: Fruity, yet somewhat chalky; scent of apples
Taste: Light, but dry; Sweetness is subtle
Finish: Sweetness stays; acidic - bubbles linger
Overall Impression: I think this Prosecco was reasonably priced. Actually, it was bought for about $9, so I think I got an excellent deal for the taste. I would bring this to your New Year's Eve party and get popular quick! The best part is that it's not overly sweet, not too dry. It's just right.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $12
Producer: St. Lucas Winery
Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Variety: Torrontes
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 12/05/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/05/2008
Appearance: Medium-full bodied; slightly bubbly; pale straw
Nose: Pineapple and glazed peaches; sweet scent
Taste: There is a bit of a bite at first with a good acidity and then it gets creamy
Finish: Floral and lingers
Overall Impression: This Torrontes has great flavors. This would be the perfect summer wine! I could also see using it in cooking. It's sweet and good. I can't wait to try this one out next summer.
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $15
Producer: Mendoza Estate
Region & Country: La Consulta, Argentina
Grape Variety: Malbec
Recommended By: N/A - First visit to the store.
Place & Date Purchased: In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL - 09/18/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/03/2008
Dinner: Indian food - Chicken Marsala and boy, was it good!
Appearance: Dark garnet red; Full bodied
Nose: Mixed berries; little spice scent also
Taste: Bold, fruity, clean and juicy
Finish: Citrus sweet; lingers
Overall Impression: This was another great Malbec, and if you haven't noticed by now, I love Malbecs. It balanced well with the food, but it can surely survive without the food. It had a wonderful, full fruit flavor!
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $20
Producer: Clos La Chance Winery
Region & Country: San Martin, California, USA
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 11/02/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/26/2008
Appearance: Brilliant; straw gold; full-bodied
Nose: Sweet, green apple; slight hint of cut grass
Taste: Sweet, clean, buttery and slightly acidic
Finish: Sweet, lingers slightly and slightly bitter
Overall Impression: For a Chardonnay, I've definitely had better and for a better price. It was extremely sweet to the point where it started to be a little too tart for me. I felt it was just average. It was also a little sugary and did not taste natural at all.
Overall Rating: 79/100
Overall Value: **.75 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $20
Producer: Axis Vintners
Region & Country: Sonoma, California, USA
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/07/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/26/2008
Dinner: Steak and vegetables. May I point out that it was the best steak I have had in about a year.
Appearance: Brilliant; shiny pale red, light bodied and transparent
Nose: Strawberry, raspberry and nutmeg
Taste: Nothing like the smell; spicy and bold; lingers a little
Finish: The fruit taste comes after the spices leave
Overall Impression: Delicious! This went perfect with the food also. This Pinot Noir was light but had a great, bold fruity taste.
Overall Rating: 93/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $8
Producer: Chateau Diana Winery
Region & Country: Healdsburg, California, USA
Grape Variety: Red Table Wine
Recommended By: Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 10/26/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/11/2008
Appearance: Medium-bodied; opaque, deep red
Nose: Powerful, sweet scent, some spices and berries
Taste: Juicy, sweet, blackberry taste
Finish: Smooth with slight acidity
Overall Impression: You want to know what the trick of this wine is? It's so much better aerated! Actually, this wine was surprisingly good for the price and for being a seasonal wine. I would definitely bring it to my next Halloween Party.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: ****.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $12
Producer: Oak Ridge Winery
Region & Country: Lodi, California, USA
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: Wine Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/11/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/09/2008
Dinner: Pepperoni pizza from this fancy place called Pizza Hut
Appearance: Brilliant, full bodied; Pale gold
Nose: Greet apple; soft scent
Taste: Light, sweet, apple - crisp and clean
Finish: Creamy, not acidic, doesn't linger long
Overall Impression: This Chardonnay was very nice. It was light and flavorful. It would probably be great with light food. Gnarled Vine is a great clean and crisp wine.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $15
Producer: Estancia Estates
Region & Country: Sonoma, California, USA
Grape Variety: Merlot
Recommended By: Andre LaSalle
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 10/26/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/07/2008
Dinner: Various cheeses
Appearance: Brilliant ruby red; Light bodied
Nose: Spicy scent; deep cherry; powerful
Taste: Bold, slightly spicy, a little sweet, cherry
Finish: Doesn't linger much; very low acidity
Overall Impression: This Merlot has a lot of flavor. I think it's much better without food or paired with a better food than just cheese. It's a great casual type of wine and delicious.
Overall Rating: 91/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $10
Producer: R Wines
Region & Country: Eastwood, Australia
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 10/26/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/28/2008
*Shrimp pasta in a white cream sause
Appearance: Brilliant, pale gold; light bodied
Nose: Light & clean scent; green apple
Taste: Fruity & light; sweet
Finish: Creamy, yet slightly tart; taste lingers
Overall Impression: This is another fun Halloween wine that you can bring to a party. Although, I wouldn't mind drinking it year round as well. So I guess Pure Evil is not just for Halloween anymore. This Chardonnay had a great flavor. It was okay with the food.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $9
Producer: Vampire Vineyards
Region & Country: Creston, California, USA
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 10/26/2008
Place & Date Tasted: The home of Dr. Lawrence Swain and wife, Mrs. Erika Swain - 10/26/2008
** A little after dinner wine.
Appearance: Garnet, slightly cloudy; lot of legs
Nose: Light; Red cherry and plum
Taste: Black cherry; Erika noted that she tasted a "hint of celery." This could be true, but I think it's also fair to note that Erika had a cold.
Finish: Slightly dry and the taste lingers
Overall Impression: This wine is good for a seasonal thing. For example: If you go to a wild Halloween party with over 15 people, bring this wine. If you are having a dinner party with friends, don't bring this wine. It will not impress very much. It's a good wine, but I have had so much better for the same price.
Overall Rating: 83/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $16
Producer: Francis Coppola - Diamond Collection
Region & Country: Geyserville, California, USA
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 10/26/2008
Place & Date Tasted: The home of Dr. Lawrence Swain and wife, Mrs. Erika Swain - 10/26/2008
Dinner: Lasagna with pork, beef, onion, carrot and cheese. Delicious!
Appearance: Brilliant, clear, corn silk color
Nose: Clean with the scent of pears; Very light scent
Taste: Sweet, but in a good way; crisp, light
Finish: Very light acidity; the taste slightly lingers
Overall Impression: This wine went well with the dinner, but it was so flavorful that I would actually like to try it by itself. Larry & Erika both said that they would definitely try it again! I have always liked the Francis Coppola's from before and this one is no different. It's right up there with a great, crisp & clean taste.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $20
Producer: Kraemer Family / Etude Wines
Region & Country: Napa, California, USA
Grape Variety: Red Table Wine - Zinfadel 45%, Petite Sirah 21%, Primitivo 18%, Barbera 9% and Tempranillo 7%
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/24/2008
Dinner: Various cheeses & bad weather :(
Appearance: Brilliant with a gleaming reddish-purple; medium bodied
Nose: Oak, cherry and spices; medium bouquet
Taste: Cherry and spices flavor; it has a good sweetness
Finish: Very acidic and dry. Flavor lingers.
Overall Impression: The wine was good straight out of the bottle, but the aerator brought out its full rich flavors. I liked this wine, but can't say that I loved it. I think it would be good with spicy food. I really did like the sweetness of the cherry flavors.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $10
Producer: St. Lucas Winery
Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Variety: Malbec
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/21/2008
Dinner: Steak w/ portobello mushrooms and salad
Appearance: Brown-raspberry red, low-medium, clear
Nose: Long lasting, berry, bold and powerful
Taste: Berries, chocolate, rich and full flavor
Finish: A little dry but not very acidic; taste lingers a little
Overall Impression: This is a great Malbec. I have had better, but for this price you can't go wrong. It was bold and delicious. I liked it with food, but I'm sure it could stand alone.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $16
Producer: Vina Santa Alicia
Region & Country: Maipo Valley, Chile
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/16/2008
Appearance: Brilliant pale gold; light bodied
Nose: Fruity - apples and pears; aroma is clean and strong
Taste: Sweet, clean and crisp; a little buttery
Finish: Apple finish, sweet, low acidity, lingers
Overall Impression: KB's Chardonnay is a great medium wine that does not overpower with sweetness or tartness. It's just the right amount on every side. A "just right" white, if you will.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $15
Producer: Bodegas Rozam S.L.
Region & Country: LaRoda (Albacette), Spain
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Recommended By: Wine Tasting at WineStyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 08/08/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/14/2008
Dinner: Various cheeses
**Note: On the back label of this wine, it notes that to better enjoy this wine, you should chill it to about 68F degrees. The label is temperature sensitive and will outline the figure on the front will have a blue outline when perfect, as shown in the picture. We tried it chilled.
Appearance: Medium, Shiny reddish-purple
Nose: Cherry, other berries, sweet with traces of vanilla
Taste: Oakey, some spices
Finish: Acidic, tart, slightly dry
Overall Impression: In the war of COLD vs. WARM... Warm is definitely the winner here. When you let this wine warm back down, all the flavors come in. I would definitely try this wine both ways to see which one you like, but for me it's warm.
Overall Rating: 85/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Is the name long enough for everyone? Just checking in...
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $10
Producer: Domaine de la Petite Cassagne
Region & Country: Rhone, France
Grape Variety: Viognier - White Table Wine
Recommended By: Tasting at LUSH Wine & Spirits
Place & Date Purchased: LUSH Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL - 09/28/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/08/2008
Dinner: Salmon, steak and hummus
Appearance: Gold, full bodied
Nose: Sweet, pear, citrus, medium scent
Taste: Mildly sweet, crisp, apples
Finish: Lingers slightly, but in a good way; sweet
Overall Impression: This white was delicious! It was just a great white that you definitely want to try and that I would definitely get again. It is not too sweet and not too dry. It's just right.
Overall Rating: 93/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $10
Producer: Louis Dressner Selection
Region & Country: Languedoc, France
Grape Variety: Red Table Wine (Syrah, Carignane & Grenache blend) Recommended By: Erika & Larry Swain - First tasted it over at their house.
Place & Date Purchased: LUSH Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL - 09/28/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/07/2008
Dinner: Various cheeses and salami
Appearance: Clear, ruby red; medium bodied
Nose: Very little fruit, hot, some spices.
Taste: Hot, pepper. I have actually read people reporting the taste of olives. I think the wine was too hot to taste olives.
Finish: Lingers for a long time; acidic
Overall Impression: The first time I tried with wine with Erika & Larry, I didn't mind the taste. It was good. This might have been a bad bottle though. Overall, it was very hot, even after I had aerated it. There was very little fruit taste. It was just an average wine.
Overall Rating: 82/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
"You must be my Lucky Star!" Oh, Madonna. This is your wine. You start off hot and then you end all slightly dry.
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $20
Producer: Lucky Star
Region & Country: Graton, California, USA
Grape Variety: Petite Sirah
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/07/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/03/2008
Appearance: Low-Medium bodied; purplish-red; dark & cloudy
Nose: Powerful; hot and fruity
Taste: Smooth, slightly dry and has hints of raspberry
Finish: Slightly dry; fruit lingers
Overall Impression: I tried it as is and it was very hot. It was so much better after aerating. It was fruity, a little light and smooth after that. I believe the finish is the best part of this Lucky Star's flavor.
Overall Rating: 87/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $17
Producer: Maryhill Winery
Region & Country: Goldendale, Washington, USA
Grape Variety: Red Combination: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc
Recommended By: Maggie Noonan of WineStyles, Evanston
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/17/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/30/2008
Dinner: Variety of cheeses and salami
Appearance: Cloudy, ruby red
Nose: Clean & powerful, spices and vanilla
Taste: VANILLA and sweet
Finish: Sweet with medium acidity
Overall Impression: If you like vanilla in anything, this is your wine. The taste was sweet and strong with vanilla, but it also had a great finish to it. I liked that it was sweet yet spicy at the same time. Great wine!
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $10
Producer: Foster's Wine Estates
Region & Country: St. Helena & Napa, California, US
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/23/2008
Appearance: Straw yellowish gold
Nose: Clean, buttery, sweet, fruity zest
Taste: Buttery and fruity with a little bit of spice
Finish: Acidic and tart, but then turns buttery
Overall Impression: All in all, this chardonnay had a buttery flavor to it. I like that in a white. It leaves a warm feeling in your tummy. It was a great wine.
Overall Rating: 87/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $10
Producer: Top Wine Chile
Region & Country: D.O. Colchagua Valley, Chile
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/22/2008
Dinner: Italian sausage stuffed portobella mushrooms and pasta
Appearance: Deep ruby red
Nose: Hot scent, slightly fruity with a little pepper
Taste: Lightly fruity, cherry taste
Finish: Lingers, acidic and dry
Overall Impression: You can't go wrong when your bottle comes in a sack, right? It's right there on the bottle. This is a good dinner wine, even though it did not go very well with the dinner made. I'm sure it would have been better with something lighter. I do think that this is the kind of wine that would do better with food than alone.
Overall Rating: 88/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $11
Producer: Underdog Wine Merchants
Region & Country: Alsace, France
Grape Variety: Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/17/2008
Dinner: Nachos. No, nothing fancy.
Appearance: Very light gold.
Nose: Sweet and fruity
Taste: Light, buttery and sweet. But not too sweet to where it's over-powering.
Finish: Lingers and coats; slightly thick taste
Overall Impression: It doesn't taste as fruity as it smells and that's something I like in whites. That first sip just throws me for a loop because I expect it to be so much sweeter. Wasabi White has a pleasant, sweet taste. It is also not too tart which is something else I like. I hate it when I'm making that pucker face.
Overall Rating: 91/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $16
Producer: Vina Santa Alicia
Region & Country: Maipo Valley, Chile
Grape Variety: Malbec
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/11/2008
Dinner: Barbecue chicken wrap
Appearance: Thick, blood red; very opaque
Nose: Vibrant chocolate with fruity tones
Taste: Complex flavor and very bold
Finish: Lingers with spice and slightly dry
Overall Impression: I loved this wine. There were so many flavors in just one sip. It had very complex tastes and such boldness. This is definitely one to pick up. KB's Malbec was good, but this cab is awesome!
Overall Rating: 97/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $20
Producer: Hook & Ladder Vineyards
Region & Country: Santa Rosa, California, USA
Grape Variety: Gewurtzraminer
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 07/07/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/09/2008
Appearance: Very light yellow; almost clear
Nose: Apples; Very light and soft scent
Taste: Tart, then sweet; Has a good apple flavor
Finish: Long lasting. Coats the tongue
Overall Impression: This wine is good with cheese and fruit to clean the palate. It was a very tasty white, but I've had the same for a much better price.
Overall Rating: 91/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $13
Producer: Domain De Gournier
Region & Country: Rhone, France
Grape Variety: Grenache Noir
Recommended By: Wine Tasting at WineStyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 08/08/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/04/2008
Dinner: Chicken marinara with portobella mushrooms and tortellini & penne pasta
Appearance: Cranberry red
Nose: Slightly hot; no particular fruit scent
Taste: It is a little spicy, a little acidic, but bold in flavor
Finish: A little dry; citrus and tart
Overall Impression: This grenache noir had a good flavor. I really loved the spices of it. I think it would have been better with just cheese.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $20
Producer: Engelbrecht Els Vineyard
Region & Country: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape Variety: Merlot
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 08/04/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/02/2008
Dinner: Home-made mac & cheese with baked chicken
Appearance: Deep red with brown tones
Nose: Soft floral and fruit scent
Taste: Tart, then fruity; slightly acidic
Finish: Warm, slightly dry and acidic
Overall Impression: This Merlot was good with food. I think it would taste better with less spicy food, since I Cajuned up that chicken. It definitely tasted better with the mac & cheese. I think it would be great with cheese in general. I would definitely try it again, but by itself.
Overall Rating: 88/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $12 / Half Bottle
Producer: Aureuen Grenouilleau
Region & Country: France
Grape Variety: Bordeaux
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: Leon de Bruxelles, Paris, France - 08/21/2008
Place & Date Tasted: On the famous Chaps-Elysee, down the street from the Arc de Triomph - 08/21/2008
Lunch: The restaurant pretty much serves Mussels, so take a guess at what I ate that afternoon?
Appearance: Light to medium red
Nose: Light, citrus aroma
Taste: Spicy; mildly sweet
Finish: Warm after-taste
Overall Impression: I thought this wine was great, especially with my mussels which were delicious. Perfect combination. I also thought that the warm after-taste was pleasant.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
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