VINA ROBLES - WHITE4

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

THE WOLFTRAP - ROSE

Vintage: 2008
Price Range: $15
Producer: Boekenhoutskloof
Region & Country: Franschhoek, South Africa
Grape Variety: Rosé (Syrah 75%; Cinsault 15%; Grenache Noir 10%)
Recommended By: Wine Club

Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 7/6/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/16/2010

Appearance: Watered down cranberry juice; full-bodied
Nose: Non-candy sour apple scent; sweet floral scents
Taste: Sweet with a sour side; acidic citrus; tart
Finish: Sweetness lingers
Overall Impression: First, I have to admit that I'm not a fan of Rosé wines...not even at a wedding.  This one was too tart for my liking.  It wasn't very flavorful to begin with and I thought it would get better.  You know how I feel about "critter wines."  If it has an animal on it, it probably will taste different.
Overall Rating: 75/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars

BAGLIO DI PIANETTO - FICILIGNO

Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $18
Producer: Baglio Di Pianetto
Region & Country: Sicily, Italy
Grape Variety: Ficiligno (Viognier 50% / Insolia 50%)
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

STEELHEAD - ZINFANDEL

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

AIGLE NOIR - RED BLEND

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.

Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars

BLACK BERET - GRENACHE SYRAH

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.

Overall Rating: 95/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars

VINA ROBLES - RED4

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.

Overall Rating: 93/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars

VINA GORMAZ - TEMPRANILLO

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

PROLOGUE - CABERNET SAUVIGNON

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.

Overall Rating: 88/100
Overall Value: ** / 5 Stars

ANTU NINQUEN - RED BLEND

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.

Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars

CONO SUR - VIOGNIER

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

WHITE HAVEN - SAUVIGNON BLANC

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

DOS LOMOS - CHARDONNAY

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

CLARA C - PROSECCO

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

SEGHESIO - ZINFANDEL

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

ROSE VALLEY WINERY - SAUVIGNON BLANC

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

AGUSTINOS - CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Vintage: 2000
Price Range: $10
Producer: Agustinos Estate Vineyard
Region & Country: Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Recommended By: N/A

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

CLAYHOUSE VINEYARD - ADOBE WHITE

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

GRANROJO - TEMPRANILLO

Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $11
Producer: Bodegas Navarro-Lopez
Region & Country: Spain
Grape Variety: Tempranillo
Recommended By: N/A

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

DOMAINE DE GOURNIER - VIOGNIER

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