Barefoot Riesling NV

Barefoot Riesling NV
Origin: California
Blend: Riesling (100%)
Alcohol Content: 11.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Pale yellow with a very citrusy aroma, mainly lemon, and some light floral notes. Semi-dry to crisp on the palate, the flavor is similar in character to lemonade. The finish is brief.

Our rating: We're generally fans of Barefoot non-vintage wines, and this example is no exception. It's a light, fun wine, the natural sweetness nicely balanced with a brisk acidity. Choose this wine for a picnic or summer barbeque. We rate it on the high side of Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "This light-bodied and refreshingly sweet wine hits all the right fruit-filled notes: delicate orange blossom, juicy apple, and tangy lemon."

Winery website: Barefoot Wine and Bubbly.

Famega Vinho Verde NV

Famega Vinho Verde
Origin: Portugal
Blend: Avesso, Azal and Pedernã (percentages unknown)
Alcohol Content: 9.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Bright yellow in color with aromas of green apple, spice, and bell pepper, this wine is a bit fizzier than most vinho verdes. Dry and fruity on the palate, there is a refreshing mineral, almost flint character. Not much finish, nor is one typically expected, but there is a very slight sweet sensation.

Our rating: This is a very nice vinho verde (green wine), which we served at a brunch, though it would work equally well paired with appetizers or a spring mix salad. Usually consumed as young as possible, our bottle was dated 2008. We rate it slightly Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None found.

Winery website: None found.

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Coyote Creek Symphony 2008

Coyote Creek Symphony 2008
Origin: California
Blend: Symphony (100%)?
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Golden yellow in color with tropical fruit (melon) and tree fruit (white peach) aromas, this light- to moderate-body wine is slightly sweet, but with a good acidic balance, though the fruit flavors are a bit muddled. The finish is rather flat, but has a nice spicy character to it.

Our rating: We're not entirely sure this is a varietal wine or a blend with symphony being the dominant grape. It's pleasant, but not remarkable. We'd recommend serving it with spicy Asian cuisines, with which it should pair nicely. About Average here, maybe slightly better.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None. There is no information about this wine on the winery website.

Winery website: Adler Fels Winery.

Santa Julia Organica Torrontes 2008

Santa Julia Organica Torrontes 2008
Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Blend: Torrontes (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Golden straw in color, this wine has aromas of tropical fruit (melon, pineapple, banana) with distinct spice notes. Of light- to moderate-body on the palate, the fruit flavors are expressive, and nicely balanced with a crisp acidity. The finish is equally pleasing, complex with depth of character.

Our rating: This is a wonderful wine, full of flavor and character. We served our bottle with broiled chicken and rice pilaf, with which it paired quite nicely. This isn't a common varietal in the US, but look for it when trying something different, and this winery in particular. We rate this wine Excellent.

We've enjoyed previous, non-organic, vintages almost as much, rating the Santa Julia Torrontes 2005 Above Average, nearly Excellent; and the Santa Julia Torrontes 2006 well Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Colour: Silver yellow with brilliant pale green reflections. Aroma: Notes of rose, orange peel, white peaches, fruits salad, chamomile and other aromatic herbs. Flavor: A fresh and balanced flavor."

Winery website: Familia Zuccardi.

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Carmen Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Carmen Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Origin: Curico Valley, Chile
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Yellow-green in color, this wine has herbal aromas of lemongrass, with significant spice notes. Initially a bit tart and citrusy on the palate, the fruit flavors smooth out and are accompanied by a touch of minerality. The finish is clean but lacks depth.

Our rating: This is a nice, versatile wine, not exceptional but decent. We served our bottle with grilled fish, but we think it would work well with most Asian-inspired cuisines. We rate it about Average. Last year, we rated a previous vintage, the Carmen Sauvignon Blanc 2007, also about Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Bright greenish-yellow in colour with fresh and expressive varietal aromas. Deliciously crisp with fresh and juicy citrus and grapefruit, along with nettle and flint. Nice varietal typicity and a long finish."

Winery website: Viña Carmen.

River Road Sauvignon Blanc 2008

River Road Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Origin: Russian River Valley, California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.2%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Silver-gold in color, this wine has aromas of tropical fruit (pineapple) and lemongrass. Light and crisp on the palate, there's a nice balance between the fruit flavors and a mild acidity. There's a touch of spice in the finish.

Our rating: This is a rather pleasant wine, not terribly complex but versatile with respect to pairing. We served our bottle with an appetizer course, a good choice, but most cuisines would benefit from its inclusion in the menu. We rate it well Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None. There is no information about this wine on the winery website.

Winery website: River Road Vineyards.

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Nobilis Vinho Verde NV

Nobilis Vinho Verde NV
Origin: Portugal
Blend: Unknown
Alcohol Content: 9.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Straw in color with a bright aroma of green apples, this slightly sparkling wine's mineral character tends to dominate the fruit flavors on the palate. It's a bit tart on the finish and slightly unbalanced.

Our rating: In contrast to many vinho verdes, this one doesn't quite work as a sipping wine or aperitif, but rather is better consumed with food. Try it with brunch, or a spring mix of salad greens. We rate it on the low side of Average.

Note: Vinho Verdes (literally Green Wines) should be purchased as young as possible. Our bottle was stamped 2009.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Sogrape Vinhos.

J. Lohr Bay Mist White Riesling 2007

J. Lohr Bay Mist White Riesling 2007
Origin: Monterey County, California
Blend: White Riesling (100%)
Alcohol Content: 11.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2009
Purchase Price: $8.99

Our review: Light gold in color with aromas of tree fruit (peaches) tropical fruit (kiwi) with notes of apple blossom and a touch of spice. Initially a bit crisp on the palate with nicely balanced fruit flavors, a slight sweetness slowly develops into the finish, which itself is very fruity and pleasing.

Our rating: A long time ago, this was one of our favorite wines, but it went through several years of poor quality and we stopped buying it. We picked up a bottle to try again and are pleased to report that it seems to have regained some of its former glory. This is a fine riesling, not overly sweet, and with a lot of interesting elements. We rate it near the top of the Above Average range.

Note: The product specification sheet states the alcohol content is 12.9%, yet the bottle label states it is 11.5%.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "A pale brassy yellow color with enticing fruit aromas of pear, lychee, ruby grapefruit, honeydew melon and apricot. The 1.98% residual sugar is balanced by the crisp grape acidity and natural spritz from a long cool fermentation, making it an enticingly fruity, refreshing wine capable of complementing the vibrant flavors of Thai curried chicken, Indian Mughlai Biryani chicken, or as an aperitif."

Winery website: J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines.

Coyote Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Coyote Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Origin: California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Pale straw with aromas of gooseberry, herbs, and lemongrass, this wine is quite tart on the palate, the fruit flavors dominated by a mineral character. The tartness dissipates somewhat in the mineral finish.

Our rating: This is a somewhat unpleasant wine, and definitely one that needs to be consumed with food. We served our bottle with a chicken dish, but it might be slightly better with fish. Still, we don't recommend it, and rate it Below Average. We rated the previous years vintage, Coyote Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2007, similarly, on the low side of Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None. Though an image is provided on the winery website, no information about the wine can be found.

Winery website: Adler Fels Winery.

La Playa Sauvignon Blanc 2009

La Playa Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Origin: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: October 2009
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: Light gold with an aroma of gooseberry and lemongrass, this wine is crisp, even tart, on the palate though without much fruit flavor. The finish is pleasant, but brief.

Our rating: This wine favors the somewhat harsher New Zealand style of this varietal, one that works well with seafood dishes. Unfortunately, it seems to lack depth and complexity. We enjoyed it, and would probably recommend it based on its price, but it isn't memorable. About Average overall. Interestingly, we rated a previous vintage, the La Playa Sauvignon Blanc 2007, nearly Excellent.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "A consistent favorite with the critics, this pale yellow-green wine has a bright and floral nose, with aromas of blossoms, lime and honeydew. On the palate, it is fresh, well-structured and shows a lively acidity, with crisp lemon-lime zest, citrus candies and a note of fresh grass."

Winery website: Viña La Playa Winery.

Pavao Vinho Verde NV

Pavao Vinho Verde NV
Origin: Portugal
Blend: Unknown
Alcohol Content: 11.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: September 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Light gold in color with a very brief appearance of tiny bubbles, this wine is very fragrant, with aromas of tree fruit and blossoms. The initial sensation on the palate is one of harmony, but then it diverges into what can only be described as a sweet tartness. The finish is surprisingly lengthy, though maybe a little heavy on the minerals.

Our rating: This vinho verde (literally "green wine" due to its young age) may be best suited as an aperitif; it doesn't hold up well when paired with food. We did serve ours at brunch, but enjoyed it more on its own. Just for fun, we did a 50:50 mix with fresh orange juice to finish up the bottle (creating a mimosa), and found it quite refreshing. The juice helps soften some of the rough edges of the wine. Not one of the better vinho verdes we've tasted, it scores on the low side of Average. (Note: always purchase the youngest vinho verde you can find; our bottle was dated 2009.)

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Ch. Los Boldos Momentos Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Ch. Los Boldos Momentos Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Origin: Rapel Valley, Chile
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2009
Purchase Price: $8.99

Our review: Straw in color, this wine has gooseberry, citrus, and herb aromas with notes of honey. Light-bodied and crisp on the palate, the fruit flavors have the merest hint of sweetness and are accompanied by a brisk minerality. The finish is quite nice, lengthy, with a touch of spice.

Our rating: We're fans of Chilean sauvignon blancs, and this is a fine example. Very versatile, you can confidently pair this wine with a wide variety of foods and cuisines; we served our bottle with stir-fried chicken and vegetables. We rate this moderately priced wine well Above Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Vina Los Boldos. No mention of this wine could be found on the winery's website.