Tasting - Anderra Carmenere

Name: Anderra Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Store Review:  Black currant and blackberry aromas open up to reveal bright strawberry and cherry notes, and a subtle spicy character. A touch of vanilla oak complements the fruit and the ripe, sweet finish. Pair with savory dishes, like earthy stews, spicy dishes, like braised short ribs, chile con carne, Texas ribs, or steak au poivre

My Review: This wine had a very pleasant smell to it, distinctively dark berry and oaky. The oak came across well in the taste as well, feeling nice and dry with a cherry flavor as well as being a little bit spicy. It all balanced together fairly nicely.

I tried it with no food.

Tasting - Castle Rock Sonoma Pinot Noir

Name: Castle Rock Sonoma Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Sonoma, Calfornia
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Store Review:  Dark ruby color. Aromas of chocolate covered berries, dates, grilled pepper, cedar, and a touch of peppered ham with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a cherry tart and dark roasted nut finish. Very tasty and well balanced.

My Review: I did not care much for this wine. It had a smell that reminded me of dark berries yet not in a particularly pleasant way, and the flavor was earthy. It had the taste of a forest floor, with something like mushroom flavors to it. If I were to drink this wine again, I would need to pair it with something to freshen it up a bit.

I tried it on its own with no food.

Tasting - Wild Life Chenin Blanc

Name: Wild Life Chenin Blanc
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2015
Price: $6.95

Store Review: Packed with upfront tropical fruit, the nose charms with an abundance of guava and gooseberries. The palate follows through with fruit flavors, balanced by a crisp acid to ensure a fresh and fruity style of wine.

My Review: This wine was an interesting one, and was harder for me to put together notes for. It did not have a particularly strong smell for me, though it was a little bit fruity. The flavor was mostly dry while still being light and fruity.
I tried this wine on its own.

Tasting - Beringer Main & Vine Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Beringer Main & Vine Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: non-vintage
Price: $5.95

Store Review: This Sauvignon Blanc has wonderful grapefruit, guava and melon aromas that lead into citrus and melon flavors. There's a slight grassy back-note with a hint of honey and a balanced acidity that leads into to a citrus finish.

My Review: This wine was nice and had a bright flavor to it, with plenty of citrus fruit flavor to it with a bit of grassiness. The finish was short and bitter, but overall it was a very pleasant wine.

I tried it with no food.

Tasting - Baci Dolci Mosto di Uve Parzialmente Fermentato Rosato

Name: Baci Dolci Mosto di Uve Parzialmente Fermentato Rosato
Variety: Garganega, Marzemino, Moscato
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: non-vintage
Price: $7.95

Store Review: Blend of 35% Garganega, 35% Marzemino, and 30% Moscato. A delicate, bubbly, pale pink wine. Fresh strawberry and cherry aromas. Light bodied with red fruit flavors and a refreshing sparkle to balance the semi-sweet finish.

My Review: As someone who is never a fan of dessert wines, this one surprised me. It smelled a little bit like raisins and apples, and when I tasted it it was of course sweet but not overwhelmingly so. It was light and refreshing and not at all syrupy, the bubbles doing a good job to freshen it up on my tongue.

I tried this wine with no food.

Tasting - Jardin de Luculo Navarra

Name: Jardin de Luculo Navarra
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Navarra
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Store Review: There’s a lot more in the bottle of the 2012 Jardin de Luculo, which is pure Garnacha from 30-year-old vineyards fermented in concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and aged six months in used barrels. Here the nose shows much more complexity, notes of sweet cherries, red licorice and hints of sweet spices. The palate is medium-bodied, quite dry and the flavors denote some very ripe fruit underneath. The slightly drying finish should go almost unnoticed with lamb chops, rather than drunk on its own. It’s approachable now, but it should develop in bottle. Drink 2014-2018.

My Review: The first thing I noticed about this wine was how dry it was. It had nice notes of earthiness on the nose as well as hints of berries along with a bitter finish. It was surprisingly light compared to my expectations when I smelled it.

I tried this wine on its own with no food.

Tasting - WildLife Merlot

Name: WildLife
Variety: Merlot
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $6.95

Store Review: The wine offers an array of red berries and a soft and mellow palate. The style is elegant with distinctive red berries and well-integrated wood aromas on the nose. The palate is velvety and smooth with an aftertaste that lingers with the juicy flavors of abundant berries.

My Review: This wine was a fairly pleasant one, and it was a fairly mellow red. It tasted pretty dry and oaky with a very bitter and earthy smell, with a surprisingly long finish. The tannins left my mouth feeling dry for a while after tasting it.

I tried this wine on its own with no food.