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Vintage: 2008
Price Range: $15
Producer: Vina Robles
Region & Country: San Miguel, California
Grape Variety: White Wine (Verdelho 41%; Vermentino 26%; Sauvignon Blanc 22%; Viognier 11%)
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 9/10/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/18/2010
Appearance: Clear with a tinge of yellow; brilliant clear and shines; full-bodied
Nose: Light, full floral scent, apple & lemon; creamy
Taste: Bold, full-flavor; creamy; fair taste of lemon; creamy tartness
Finish: Lingers sweet with lemon
Overall Impression: Fresh white, but still a little tart. Unfortunately, this wine did not pair well with spicy food. It is definitely creamy though and a great blend, but it tends to be a bit average. Nothing really stuck out that made it better than others I've had.
Overall Rating: 88/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
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!
Overall Rating: 93/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
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!
Overall Rating: 96/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
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.
Overall Rating: 86/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
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.
Overall Rating: 95/100
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.
Overall Rating: 96/100
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.
Overall Rating: 96/100
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.
Overall Rating: 93/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
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.
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 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.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
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: $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
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.
Overall Rating: 76/100
Overall Value: ** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $20
Producer: F.W. Langguth
Region & Country: Mosel, Germany
Grape Variety: Riesling
Recommended By: WineClub
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.
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2008
Price Range: $20
Producer: Vina Santa Alicia
Region & Country: Maipo Valley, Chile
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 6/8/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 6/9/2009
Appearance: Medium-bodied; pale yellow; brilliant and clean
Nose: Apples, melon, soft floral and smoked oak
Taste: Sweet, green apples; crisp, creamy and slightly acidic
Finish: Lingers slightly, but still clean; tart to smooth finish
Overall Impression: Maggie's Attic seems to start off tart but then finishes in a smooth, silky way. We had pasta and it was great with a while sauce. After dinner, it still tasted good. This wine can definitely stand alone. I know it's not very good with dessert though.
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $10
Producer: De Bortoli Wines
Region & Country: Bilbul, South Eastern Australia
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/9/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 6/4/2009
Appearance: Brilliant, clean straw to gold color; Full-bodied
Nose: Grass, herbs, soft honeydew, creamy scent
Taste: Full flavor, clean sweetness, slight cream
Finish: Lingers, warm on the throat, sweet aftertaste
Overall Impression: The sweetness of this Chardonnay overpowers the creaminess, but that isn't so bad! It was a wonderful white! I know that I've had better, but this one held its own. It definitely has a great full-flavor.
Overall Rating: 92/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $15
Producer: Duca di Castelmonte
Region & Country: Sicily-Marsala, Italy
Grape Variety: Grillo
Recommended By: Wine Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: WholeFoods, Evanston, IL - 1/31/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 4/22/2009
Appearance: Golden yellow; Full-bodied
Nose: Herb scent with grass
Taste: Herb and lemon, but has a perfumey type of taste
Finish: Creamy
Overall Impression: I don't really have much to say about this wine, because the only thing good about it was the finish. I don't know what it is. It tasted so much better at the wine tasting and that's why I bought it. It just wasn't as pleasant this time around. It certainly didn't live up to its name, but it would be a great name for a perfume. Maybe that's why it tasted that way...
Overall Rating: 85/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $15
Producer: Cecchetti Wine Company
Region & Country: Graton, California
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 2/7/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 4/7/2009
Appearance: Brilliant; Medium-bodied; pale, almost clear
Nose: Clean & floral with a hint of honey and apple
Taste: Crisp, clean, lite, buttery with green apple taste
Finish: Lemony lingers, but not acidic
Overall Impression: This is a great, sweet Chardonnay that isn't too overpowering. I love the crispness and fruit taste!
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: N/A
Price Range: $16
Producer: Bisol
Region & Country: Valdobbiadene, Italy
Grape Variety: Prosecco
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL - 4/5/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 4/5/2009
Appearance: Very bubbly & brilliant; straw yellow
Nose: Fruity and floral scent; lite, yet has that bubbly sharpness
Taste: Green apple and pear; crisp and clean
Finish: Cherries and sweetness, but not too acidic
Overall Impression: Delicious! I don't think you can go wrong with some Proseccos. I would definitely get this one again. This is the perfect wine to bring to a Sunday Brunch with friends. Also, it has a great value, so you can't go wrong with that. It has the perfect combination of fruit, flowers and sweetness.
Overall Rating: 95/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $15
Producer: Toasted Head Winery
Region & Country: Woodbridge, California, USA
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 1/10/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/31/2009
Appearance: Brilliant; pale gold & full body
Nose: Soft floral and herb scent & grass
Taste: Undertone of lemon; smooth, soft and sweet; crisp flavor
Finish: Smooth and buttery; not very acidic
Overall Impression: Another great Chardonnay! I really have never had any problems with Toasted Head. They make great wines. This wine is great with food, but I find it can stand alone with no problem. I think this would be a perfect summer wine. It was crisp and delicious.
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2008
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