The study of wine is known as Oenology...but I'm too busy drinking to study. So, I choose Winography. I drink it and then I tell you what I drank. Enjoy my drinking...
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $20 Producer: Quivira Vineyards Region & Country: Sonoma, California, USA Grape Variety: Zinfandel Recommended By: Wineclub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 2/2/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/20/2009
Appearance: Full-bodied; Glossy, purple-red Nose: Black and raspberry; oak, tobacco and spices Taste: Smooth and juicy; raspberry, oak and spices Finish: Lingers and dry Overall Impression: I thought after smelling this wine that it was going to be much bolder and spicier. Yes, there was a great bold aroma, but the taste was very smooth. This was a great Zin. I love when wines surprise me! Overall Rating: 93/100 Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2003 Price Range: $13 Producer: Remhoogte Estate Region & Country: Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, South Africa Grape Variety: Red Blend (57% Cabernet Sauvignon; 40% Merlot; 3% Pinotage) Recommended By: Dean Noonan @ WineStyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 1/6/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home; 12/3/2009
Appearance: Dark cherry red; Full-bodied Nose: Cherry, oak and vanilla Taste: Spicy cherry, vanilla and oak; layered tastes Finish: Cherry comes through more; lingers warmly on the throat Overall Impression: This blend has a familiar flavor, as if I have drank it before. Despite being average, it's still pretty delicious. It has a nice spice and boldness on top of its great fruit flavor.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $12 Producer: Celliers Jean d'Alibert Region & Country: Languedoc, France Grape Variety: Grenache Syrah (85% Grenache; 20% Syrah) Recommended By: Maggie Noonan @ WineStyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 8/6/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home; 11/4/2009
Appearance: Deep, dark blood red; Light-medium bodied Nose: Easy berries and heavy spices; oak, deep cherry and blackberry Taste: Juicy, bold flavor; smooth going down; taste of cherry and oak Finish: Vanilla and a little oak; lingers softly Overall Impression: This was a great, smooth wine! I loved how it had bold flavors with a clean taste and finish. This was also a great stand-alone wine. I would bring for a party or present it for a wine tasting.
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $15 Producer: Vina Robles Winery & Vineyards Region & Country: San Miguel, California, USA Grape Variety: Red Blend (51% Petite Sirah; 43% Syrah; 4% Tannat; 2% Touriga) Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 9/10/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home; 10/21/2009
Appearance: Deep, dark purple; full-bodied; dyes the glass Nose: Plum, lavender, earthy spices Taste: Deep earth and oak flavor; mocha; bold flavor Finish: Slightly dry; lemon zest; does not linger long Overall Impression: This blend had a lovely scent and a wonderful bold flavor! Actually, the aroma and the taste do not match at all, but it's still quite delicious.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $20 Producer: Ribera Del Duero Region & Country: Soria, Spain Grape Variety: Tempranillo Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/8/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/16/2009 Appearance: Dull, garnet red; full-bodied; leaves the sugar residue on the sides of the glass Nose: Some cherry and berry aromas, but has a "barnyard" stench to it Taste: Some berries, vanilla and a metal flavor Finish: Little dry; more metal taste once it settles Overall Impression: Unfortunately, after tasting the metal in the wine more than the berry flavors, and the smell of the wine after opened, I'm starting to think that this bottle took a turn for the worse. I can taste those delicious vanilla and berry flavors trying to come through, but I think I waited a little too long to drink this wine. Overall Rating: 83/100 Overall Value: ** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $28 Producer: Conn Valley Vineyards Region & Country: St. Helena, California, USA Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/9/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home; 10/12/2009
Appearance: Deep dark red-purple; full-bodied Nose: Slightly hot at first; rich berry scent with cherry Taste: Light, average-plain; berry taste, but slightly watered down; tastes a little like sugar-free grape Kool-Aid Finish: Lingers slightly, but lightly; light juicy sweetness Overall Impression: I like to find wines that can stand alone or be paired with food. This wine is definitely a dinner wine. I really wouldn't want it alone. It has a good palate cleanser and a lot of great berry scents, but it still has that mild grape Kool-Aid flavor that really threw me off. It's just average to me.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $25 Producer: Ninquen Mountain Estate Vineyard Region & Country: Colchagua Valley, Chile Grape Variety: Red Blend (70% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Carmenere) Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 1/5/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home; 10/6/2009
Appearance: Full-bodied; Deep red or blood red Nose: Cherry, raspberry, oak, a little licorice; smells very rich Taste: Bold, yet acidic; has some spice to it; earthy Finish: Very powerful oak, vanilla and berries; lingers Overall Impression: I rarely come across a wine where the best part is the finish. Usually, it's impressing from the get-go, but this wine had all the best flavors in its finish. You get reunited with the aromas you caught before. I also loved the boldness of this wine.
Vintage: 2008 Price Range: $13 Producer: Cono Sur (Wine Maker - Adolfo Hurtado) Region & Country: Colchagua Valley, Chile Grape Variety: Viognier Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 8/6/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home; 9/26/2009 Dinner: Baked chicken breast w/ vegetables
Appearance: Brilliant, pale yellow-gold; full-bodied Nose: Pear, apple, a little bit of peach and honey; light on the nose Taste: Clean, crisp taste; a nice taste of lemon, but cleansing Finish: Slightly acidic and lingers; somewhat creamy Overall Impression: Although I had this with a seasoned chicken breast (and it was so paired deliciously), I'm betting this white would be wonderful with some spicy food. The taste is so cleansing, cooling and fresh that it would be a great wash over the spiciness. This is also definitely a summer wine!
Vintage: 2008 Price Range: $20 Producer: White Haven Wine Company Region & Country: Malborough, New Zealand Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Recommended By: Wine Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/14/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 9/22/2009
Appearance: Pale gold and full-bodied Nose: Peaches, grapefruit, pears and honey Taste: Grapefruit and lemon; has a creaminess and sweet crispness Finish: Creamy with an herb finish; lingers slightly Overall Impression: This Sauvignon Blanc is probably one of the best I have ever had...for now, of course. It has a great balance of fruit, sweetness and creaminess. The herb finish is also very nice!
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $15 Producer: Bodega Esmeralda Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 9/12/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 9/15/2009 Dinner: Scallop & Vegi Pasta
Appearance: Brilliant yellow-gold; full-bodied Nose: Rich floral scent; hint of olive juice Taste: Earthy, feels salty like a dirty martini; at first, there seemed to be no fruit taste, but there seemed to be a little hint of grapefruit Finish: Hot burn, but hints of creaminess; slightly salty with a hint of fruit Overall Impression: To be honest, I was a little thrown off by this Chardonnay. I think maybe it's because it tastes more to me like a mixed drink than a white wine. It's a little harsh than what I expected. So, if you are looking for one potent white wine, this one is your match. I must say that the bottle is absolutely interesting and I think that's how they suck you into buying this one.
Vintage: ~ Price Range: $15 Producer: Clara Carpene Region & Country: Valdobbiadene, Italy Grape Variety: Prosecco Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 9/12/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 9/13/2009
Appearance: Lots of bubbles; full-bodied and pale gold Nose: Floral with tropical fruit scents; slight scent of peach and pineapple Taste: Very light and clean; there are hints of tropical fruits and you can taste the pineapple; good amount of bubbles - not harsh Finish: Soft perfume on the palate; slightly creamy Overall Impression: You gotta love a wonderful Prosecco and this was definitely one of them. It was very exotic with the tropical tastes and scents. It was delicious with a great finish.
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $26 Producer: Seghesio Family Vineyard Region & Country: Healdsburg, California, USA Grape Variety: Zinfandel Recommended By: Christmas gift from Anne Mansfield
Place & Date Purchased: Christmas Gift, Chicago, IL - 12/24/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 9/5/2009
Appearance: Full-bodied; Dark, blood red Nose: Mixed berries, faint sweet jam scent and a rose scent Taste: Rich, bold and full flavored; sweet, but not sugary; matured berries Finish: So smooth with lots of fruit flavors Overall Impression: Anne sure impressed with this gift. Sure, it took me nine months till I drank it, but it was well worth the wait. This Zinfandel was awesome! It was a great wine from beginning to end. With this bold flavor, I could almost taste it with steak. But it can definitely hold its own if you want to drink it by itself. Overall Rating: 97/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $20 Producer: Rose Valley Winery Region & Country: Graton, California, USA Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 8/3/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 8/25/2009 Dinner: Scallops, various cheeses and french bread
Appearance: Brilliant, pale gold; very clean and light-bodied Nose: Strong lemon, apple, pear, honey and floral scent Taste: Sweet honey taste with hints of apple and pear; clean and crisp Finish: Taste more fruit in finish; lingers slightly, but clean Overall Impression: This wine was delicious with the scallops. I'm a huge fan! This is got to be the best summer because it's just so fruitful and light. You will love the clean and crisp taste. It just cleans your mouth.
Place & Date Purchased: Alpha Food, Liquor & Gifts - Chicago, IL - 5/15/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 8/21/2009
Appearance: Very dark red - almost black; very cloudy; full-bodied Nose: Berry jam scent, but somewhat hot Taste: Some berries, somewhat sour and heavy Finish: Dry and lingers slightly; the finish is the best part Overall Impression: So I took a chance by purchasing this wine. The bottle many have not been touched for quite some time. Plus, I'm suspicious that there may have been a little cork rot. I just needed to let this one breathe... a lot! Seriously! I wasn't very impressed by it. It was just way too sour and very hot even after I gave it plenty of time to breathe. Overall Rating: 70/100 Overall Value: * / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $19 Producer: Clayhouse Vineyard Region & Country: San Miguel, California, USA Grape Variety: Adobe White (34% Chenin Blanc, 17% Chardonnay, 16% Roussanne, 11% Viognier) Recommended By: Wine Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 1/31/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 8/18/2009 Dinner: Various cheeses and crackers
Appearance: Light, almost white gold; full-bodied Nose: Sweet scent like peaches and honey; very floral Taste: Sweet, smooth and clean; tastes very floral with honey Finish: Creamy and sweet; the sweetness also lingers Overall Impression: Awesome! Even though I had it with the cheese and crackers, I know this would be a great stand-alone wine. It's the perfect combination of white grapes. It's the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess.
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/9/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 8/13/2009 Appearance: Black, cherry red; medium-full bodied; opaque Nose: Jam fruit, cherry, chocolate, slightly hot Taste: Sweet berries (cherry) with acidic wash; bold but with a light texture Finish: Dry, but causes tongue to water creating a jammy after-taste Overall Impression: The acidity isn't so bad once you have a few tastes. The berries and jam begins to show more. I thought that this was a little sugary though. Also, you might want to drink it within 24 hours. I corked it well and after a couple days went to have a glass... Yuck. You could smell the vinegar. So, drink fast, Kids. Overall Rating: 89/100 Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $13 Producer: Domain De Gournier Region & Country: Saint Anastasie, France Grape Variety: Viognier Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 8/6/2009 Place & Date Tasted: First wine at the new apartment! - 8/9/2009
Appearance: Very bright, yet brilliant, golden yellow; medium-bodied Nose: Sweet, tart green apples with a crispness Taste: Crisp and sweet green apples with a creamy texture Finish: Slightly creamy with a lingering tartness - not a bad tartness Overall Impression: I think this Viognier would be better with food, like simple cheeses and bread, but it was still delicious. I would actually like to try it with some scallops or in a white sauce, or sitting on the back porch during the afternoon with some snacks. I think this would be the perfect snack white.
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $25 Producer: Stags' Leap Winery Region & Country: Napa, California, USA Grape Variety: Viognier Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 7/6/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/30/2009
Appearance: Very light in color; full-bodied; color similar to the pulp of a lemon Nose: Smells ashy like champagne; chalk, apple, floral Taste: Sweeter than the scent; lots of sweet fruit flavor; slightly acidic with a vague champagne taste Finish: Dry, but the sweetness lingers in a good way Overall Impression: If you have never liked champagnes that much, but enjoy a white wine, this is for you. The smell, color and some taste is exactly like a champagne, but without the bubbles! It also has a yummy sweetness and not that ashy taste that most champagnes tend to have.
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 3/2/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/25/2009
Appearance: Deep, glossy purple; light-bodied Nose: Over-ripened berries and some spices; there is an unpleasant smell of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it Taste: Sweet, almost sour fruit; starts of tasting juicy Finish: Dries up and acidic; the sweetness lingers with a hint of ash Overall Impression: This was definitely not the best Pinot Noir I've had, but I would say it's pretty average. Christie couldn't say anything when she tasted it because she informed me that she was going to gag. I wasn't that dramatic about it. I think the sourness of the fruit seems to throw off the taste.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $20 Producer: R Wines Region & Country: Eastwood, Australia Grape Variety: Grenache Recommended By: Easter Gift from Erika Swain
*Nothing says "Happy Easter" than presenting someone with a bottle
Place & Date Purchased: The Swain's, Chicago, IL - 4/12/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/24/2009
Appearance: Glossy, slightly translucent and yet cloudy; full-bodied Nose: Strawberry jam and cherries; strong fruit scent Taste: Sweet berry taste that has a juicy smoothness at first and then also has a spicy kick to it Finish: Dry, lingers and slightly acidic Overall Impression: When I was presented this wine, I seriously didn't know what to expect. After tasting it, I loved it. After discussing with Erika that I loved it, she was surprised. She said that when she had it, it tasted like "wine and cigarettes" to her. So, I'm wondering if the following is the reason: A) Our taste buds are completely different B) She was probably smoking cigarettes while drinking it C) She had a bad bottle
It could be a number of things. Here's another thing I'm pondering. If it was so bad, why was she giving it to me? Erika, you got some 'splaining to do. But I thought that this was a fantastic Grenache! I loved the boldness and the finish. I loved how it smelled like jam, but it didn't taste like it. And for the price, you can't go wrong. Overall Rating: 96/100 Overall Value: ***** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $13 Producer: Withington Vineyards Region & Country: Western Cape, South Africa Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: Dean w/ Winestyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 1/6/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/23/2009
Appearance: Brilliant, light and pale gold; full-bodied Nose: Artificial lemon (like lemonade), perfume and oak Taste: Lemon, yet some lime; a little creamy; earth and oak; light on the tongue Finish: Lingers; you can taste a powerful amount of alcohol - a warm burn Overall Impression: This was a different type of Chardonnay. I found it more average than others, but definitely not in a bad way. This wine definitely had more citrus than creaminess, but overall had a great taste.
Vintage: N/A Price Range: $9 Producer: Bully Hill Vineyards Region & Country: Hammondsport, NY, USA Grape Variety: Seyval Blanc Recommended By: A gift from Erika & Larry Swain
Place & Date Purchased: The Swain's Home, Chicago, IL - 11/24/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/19/2009 Dinner: Ropa Vija Sandwich (extremely spicy...I thought I was going to die.)
Appearance: Bright, pale yellow; light-bodied Nose: Light & sweet; apple, pears and honey Taste: Sweet, creamy and light honey taste; fair green apple Finish: Lingers slightly with a good sweetness Overall Impression: Yum Yum very good! When you look at the bottle, it describes it as a dry wine. I really didn't think it was as dry as the "meter" on the bottle said. I do believe this would be a better stand-alone wine. Once I finished that sandwich and got the burn out of my mouth, the wine was so much better. I love that the texture is creamy and smooth! It was a wonderful simple wine. Overall Rating: 95/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $22 Producer: Simonsig Region & Country: Koelenhof, South Africa Grape Variety: Brut Rose (Pinotage, 90%; Pinot Noir, 10%) Recommended By: Wineclub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 12/8/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/13/2009
Appearance: Dark pink; very bubbly Nose: Slight fruit with a little grapefruit scent Taste: Sweet with tangy bubbles; slightly acidic Finish: Sweet and smooth aftertaste Overall Impression: This was a great sparkling wine. It didn't have an overpowering sweetness or that ashy taste that some others get. This was more of a dessert bubbly.
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $12 Producer: Blackstone Winery Region & Country: Napa Valley, California, USA Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 4/25/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/5/2009
Appearance: Pale gold; clean and brilliant; full-bodied Nose: Green apples and sweet perfume; some herbs Taste: Sweet and crisp, greet apples; hint of pear; perfume and floral Finish: Lingers with a creaminess and a good slight tartness Overall Impression: I think this is the nice summer wine that you can bring to a party on a beach. It's very casual and not pricey. It just haves a summer flavor to it with the flowers and fruit. The crisp taste and sweet goodness makes it a very nice Chardonnay. Overall Rating: 87/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $23 Producer: Mosby Winery Region & Country: Buellton, California Grape Variety: Dolcetto Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 1/31/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 7/1/2009
Appearance: Deep, cherry red; full-bodied Nose: Vibrant, smells juicy, cherry, candy apple sweet Taste: Juicy cherry; huge burst of fruit, but with a lite texture Finish: Lingers smoothly with sweetness on the tongue Overall Impression: This Dolcetto definitely goes right up there with some of the other great Cabs & Malbecs I have tried. The explosion of fruit boldness is something I love most about reds, but it is so lite. It is not heavy, so it seems like the perfect summer, stand alone wine. It actually has a delicious, mouth-watering flavor. Overall Rating: 97/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2008 Price Range: $12 Producer: Don Miguel Gascon Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina Grape Variety: Malbec Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/30/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 6/30/2009
Appearance: Deep, dark purple; opaque and medium-bodied Nose: Black berries, white pepper, spices, little cinnamon & mocha, cherry Taste: Bold taste of black berry & cherry; slightly dry Finish: Lasting taste of bitter mocha Overall Impression: The aroma of this Malbec is much more enticing than its taste, yet it still has a great, juicy bold flavor of fruit. Overall Rating: 90/100 Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Greetings. I don't know about you, but when someone dies that is usually a big star, I usually want to have a toast to their memories. Today, Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson both passed away. I wish when I was toasting them that I had picked out a better wine...
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $12 Producer: Les Jamelles Winery Region & Country: Marseillette, France Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/9/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 6/25/2009
Appearance: Light, but bright yellow; clean and medium-bodied Nose: Bananas, over-ripened melons, tart perfume scent Taste: Slight banana, almost like the banana flavored Runts candy; average - nothing really stands out Finish: Warm, lingers; aftertaste is ashy and not so good Overall Impression: Not impressed at all. :( There was this overpowering banana in everything. It's a little overwhelming, but I guess perfect if you are a huge fan of bananas.
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 4/5/2009 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 6/19/2009
Appearance: Extremely light, almost clear; light-bodied Nose: Light scent; soft floral & herbs; slight cream aroma Taste: Sweet, but not overpowering; candy lemon & peach; creamy on the tongue; clean and crisp apples Finish: Sweet, smooth aftertaste; lingers sweet Overall Impression: Great Riesling! It's so smooth and doesn't make your mouth pucker like some other Rieslings do. The crispness and clean taste is what makes this one so good. This would be the perfect summer sweet wine.
I grew up in the south and I still like to consider myself a "southern girl." Oh yes, American by birth, yet Southern by the grace of God. I now live up north where the people talk funny and wear shoes. Just kidding.
I really would like to say that I'm a simple kind of girl, but my friends usually disagree by telling me how horrible I am and how complicated I can be. That's why they love me, or so I've been told.
Vintage: 2006
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