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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: 2005
Price Range: $15
Producer: Mutt Lynch Winery
Region & Country: Healdsburg, California
Grape Variety: Merlot
Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 2/2/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/24/2009
Dinner: Spiced chicken breast and stuffed past in a vodka sauce
Appearance: Medium bodied; Garnet red
Nose: Blackberry and jam scent
Taste: A little hot, even after airing; spicy and jammy
Finish: Acidic, tart and lingers
Overall Impression: "Woof bark bark ruff woof," which translates to "I've had a better Merlot for about the same price or better." It was much better after allowing to breathe, but still there was something about it that was lacking. I don't think it was actually worth the price... woof!
Overall Rating: 85/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $17
Producer: Cecchetti Wine Company
Region & Country: Graton, California
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 2/7/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/18/2009
Appearance: Light gold; brilliant-clear
Nose: Clean, fruity scent; soft floral and creamy
Taste: Sweet and herb; slightly tart
Finish: Slightly dry and lingers
Overall Impression: I had a bit of a strawberry when drinking this and it was great. It's a decent Sauvignon Blanc. It's a clean white, but the price is way too steep. I have had better for a much better price.
Overall Rating: 86/100
Overall Value: **/ 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $12
Producer: Maryhill Winery
Region & Country: Goldendale, Washington, USA
Grape Variety: Gewurtraminer
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL - 3/5/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/5/2009
Appearance: Brilliantly clean & almost colorless; medium-bodied
Nose: Apples, sweet and clean
Taste: Green apples, buttery with a good tart flavor
Finish: Lingers smoothly; buttery and creamy
Overall Impression: This would be the perfect dessert wine. It has a great smoothness so it's no over-bearing and not sour at all.
Overall Rating: 96/100
Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $11
Producer: Josef Drathen
Region & Country: Rheinhessen, Germany
Grape Variety: Spatlese
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 12/5/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 3/2/2009
Appearance: Yellowish-green; brilliant and full-bodied
Nose: Clean and sweet scent; herbs and a hint of green apple
Taste: Syrup-esk taste; plain with some pear
Finish: Lingers thick on the tongue, but not harsh
Overall Impression: First of all, you get enticed by this beautiful blue bottle. When you pour the wine, it glows and it's a gorgeous color. It looks clean and crisp. The scent is just as wonderful. It lures you in with a clean herb and fruit aroma. Then you taste it and it's nothing like what you expected. It's thick and like syrup. The taste is the complete opposite of the scent.
Overall Rating: 80/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: ????
Price Range: $12
Producer: Valentin Bianchi
Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Variety: Rose Wine
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 02/07/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 02/17/2009
Appearance: Brilliant rose red; medium-bodied; light bubbles
Nose: Light & fruity with citrus undertones
Taste: Lots of sweet; sugary taste; strawberries
Finish: Lingers slightly with citrus
Overall Impression: This Rose would make a great dessert wine. I think it would be perfect with a slice of plain cheesecake.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $17
Producer: Francis Coppola - Diamond Collection
Region & Country: Geyserville, California, USA
Grape Variety: Claret
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 02/16/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 02/16/2009
Appearance: Brilliant garnet red; full-bodied
Nose: Spices, raspberry jam & orange marmalade
Taste: Bold berry and spices
Finish: Slightly acidic & dry
Overall Impression: I have a tendency to compare certain wines when it comes to having one of the same series. For F.C. wine's, I definitely like their Cabernet Sauvignon more, but the Claret wasn't bad. I think this particular wine is extremely over-priced.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Happy Valentine's Day and Happy 100th Winography.
My friend, Josh Handley, threw in a couple of bucks to get me this wine as the 100th. I think it was only appropriate to drink it on Valentine's Day. Thanks, Josh. Now that I'm actually at a hundred wines and I've spent over a thousand dollars, maybe I should cut back. Yeah, right.
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $17 (Gift)
Producer: Vino Del Sol
Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Variety: Bonarda
Recommended By: The gentleman working in the store.
Place & Date Purchased: In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL - 02/13/2009 - Gift from Josh Handley.
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 02/14/2009
Dinner: Steak fajitas
Appearance: Deep dark purple, almost black; full-bodied
Nose: Blackberries & raspberries; There is a slight jam scent; slight vanilla and nutmeg
Taste: Blackberries and spices
Finish: Cherries and sweetness, but not too acidic
Overall Impression: Josh, we picked a good one! This paired well with the spicy steak fajitas. I'm sure it would pair well with any red meat. The first sip is bold, but the finish is completely mellow. It's the exact way I like a wine to be. The blackberries were full and had the right amount of sweetness in the end. I think this would be the perfect wine to bring for a dinner party. I would definitely get it again!
Overall Rating: 97/100
Overall Value: ****.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $11
Producer: Maxwell Creek Winery
Region & Country: Rutherford, CA
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 01/06/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 02/04/2009
Appearance: Very light, almost clear; brilliant, full-bodied
Nose: Peaches, pears and a hint of grass
Taste: Earthy, sweet tasting and fruity
Finish: Slightly acidic and dry
Overall Impression: This wine had a great flavor that wasn't so overly powerful. It's a perfect example of a Sauvignon Blanc.
Overall Rating: 89/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $10
Producer: Neil Empson Selections
Region & Country: Milan, Italy
Grape Variety: Chianti
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 12/05/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 02/04/2009
Dinner: I'm not proud, but I will admit that I had Taco Bell. Nachos, Burrito, Quesadilla, etc.
Appearance: Deep cherry red; full-bodied
Nose: Earthy tones, berries with a sweet scent
Taste: Little bitter, acidic and a little lemony
Finish: Slightly dry with tart aftertaste
Overall Impression: There's only so much of a dry and acidic wine I can take. It wasn't so bad, but after a couple of glasses I felt as if I had been eating a sweet tart. I'm sure this Chianti would be excellent in a red wine vinaigrette or maybe for cooking. ** One day later, it tastes better than last night, but still has that dry after taste.
Overall Rating: 84/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
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