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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: $20
Producer: Luigi Bosca
Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Variety: Bonarda
Recommended By: WineStyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 3/2/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 6/2/2009
Appearance: Deep, dark purple; full-bodied
Nose: Slightly hot with hints of cherry and roses
Taste: Juicy cherry taste with hints of rose and violets
Finish: Slightly dry and lingers; strange aftertaste
Overall Impression: This Bonarda has a bold fruit and flower taste. The finish is strange though. I think it may be due to the floral taste or maybe the skins of the grapes were tart.
Overall Rating: 87/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2004
Price Range: $18
Producer: Baglio Di Pianetto
Region & Country: Sicily, Italy
Grape Variety: Ramione (Merlot, 50%; Nero D'Avola, 50%)
Recommended By: WineClub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 5/4/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 5/30/2009
Appearance: Deep purple, very opaque; full-bodied
Nose: Berries, spices and floral scent
Taste: Soft on the tongue with berries, but after it has a bold, slightly dry kick
Finish: Lingers slightly, smooth; the berry taste returns in the very end
Overall Impression: This wine was so well-developed and balanced. It had a great, mature taste. This was a great blend of grapes and went well with spiced steak. I would get this wine again and again!
Overall Rating: 93100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2007
Price Range: $20
Producer: F.W. Langguth
Region & Country: Pfalz, Germany
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir, 90%; Regent, 10%)
Recommended By: WineClub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 4/5/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 5/28/2009
Appearance: Rose red; transparent, yet brilliant gloss
Nose: Cherry, watermelon candy and floral scent
Taste: Juicy; tons of fruit flavor
Finish: Linger slightly; sweet after tones, yet not sugary
Overall Impression: For a Pinot Noir, it's delicious. Usually some Pinot Noirs, to me, have an ashy flavor to it. Not this one! It also was not dry whatsoever. This was all around good and I would get it again in a heart beat!
Overall Rating: 90/100
Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005
Price Range: $20
Producer: Le Chatelaine
Region & Country: Cotes du Rhone, France
Grape Variety: Red Rhone Wine - Grenach 50%, Syrah 25% & Cinsault 25%
Recommended By: WineClub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 11/2/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 5/12/2009
Appearance: Deep purple; Medium-bodied
Nose: Soft floral, almost a perfume scent
Taste: Lite fruit with a very mellow taste; good acidity
Finish: Slight perfume taste and lingers warm on the throat
Overall Impression: I enjoyed this one a lot. It didn't seem to even have to try to be good and I think it's because it was so mellow. This was definitely a good mix of reds. I didn't aerate it, but I didn't think it needed to be. This is just a great, easy going wine. It is perfect for any occasion.
Overall Rating: 91/100
Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006
Price Range: $20
Producer: Clos La Chance Winery
Region & Country: San Martin, CA
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Recommended By: WineClub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 12/8/2008
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 5/5/2009
**HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO**
Appearance: Raspberry red and full-bodied
Nose: Fruity, earthly and sweet scents
Taste: Light, fruity & sweet; Very juicy taste
Finish: Fruitiness lingers; not acidic
Overall Impression: This Cabernet Sauvignon seems to just wet the mouth perfectly. It's so juicy and fruity, but the best part is that it's not acidic at all. It's just lush, delicious and sweet. I think this would make a great summer cab.
Overall Rating: 97/100
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: 2004
Price Range: $17
Producer: Cecchetti Wine Company
Region & Country: Graton, California
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 2/7/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 4/21/2009
Dinner: Giordano's Stuffed Pizza
Appearance: Deep red, but slightly brown; medium bodied
Nose: Copper/Mineral scent, like a penny; a little hot
Taste: Copper and ash; almost like blood; tastes hot also, even after airing
Finish: Lingers with an ash taste and acidic; it just leaves a horrible after taste
Overall Impression: Not impressed at all. It's been a while since I have had a Cabernet that was just not good. There may be a fruit or berry taste, but I could never tell you which one. It was just overall metallic and not very good. This seriously should have been a "Critter" wine.
Overall Rating: 70/100
Overall Value: *.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2008
Price Range: $12-20
Producer: Bodega's Colores Del Sol
Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Variety: Malbec
Recommended By: WineClub
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 1/5/2009
Place & Date Tasted: Home - 4/20/2009
Dinner: Grilled Chicken Salad
Appearance: Deep, brilliant cherry red; medium-bodied
Nose: Sweet and fruity; blackberry with a hint of vanilla
Taste: Oakey and chocolaty; fruity blackberry with a bold kick
Finish: Lingers and then smoothes
Overall Impression: I have found another awesome Malbec that I would love to have again! I bet it would be better with red meat and even as a good stand alone wine. It was delicious with a great bold and fruity taste! I wouldn't use an aerator on this wine though. It makes it too tart.
Overall Rating: 95/100
Overall Value: ****.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2008
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