Sunday, October 31, 2010

One Cent Shipping, November 1st through 3rd, at Wine.com

Wine.com: 1 cent Shipping

Wine.com is kicking off November with 3 days of 1 cent shipping on 12 or more bottles. A great way for you to stock up for Thanksgiving! Use code ONECENT12 at checkout. Valid three days only: November 1st through 3rd, 2010.

For even more savings throughout the month, use one of the following November coupon codes during check-out:

NOV75: Save $5 on orders of $75 or more;
NOV300: Save $20 on orders of $300 or more;
NOVGIFT: Save 5% on any gift basket.

Coupon codes may not be combined on one order, and expire November 30, 2010.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Schmitt Sohne Liebfraumilch 2008

Schmitt Sohne Liebfraumilch 2008
Origin: Germany
Blend: Riesling, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, and Kerner (percentages unknown)
Alcohol Content: 9.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $4.99

Our review: Golden straw in color with aromas of apple and peach, and floral notes with honey. Quite sweet on the palate, but also a little bitter. The finish is a bit chalky.

Our rating: As this wine was new to us, we weren't quite sure what to do with it, so we served it with dessert, probably not a terrible choice but not terribly inspired either. Even now, we're still not sure -- but think it probably best pairs with something like a Sunday brunch buffet, where there are a variety of foods to choose from. It's low alcohol content also suggests it might be an appropriate "early in the day" wine. We rate it on the low side of Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Schmitt Söhne GmbH.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Douglas Green "Vineyard Creations" Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Douglas Green "Vineyard Creations" Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Origin: Western Cape, South Africa
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $5.99

Our review: A light fragrance of citrus (lime, gooseberry) and lemongrass are exhibited by this greenish straw-colored wine. Somewhat reminiscent of limeade on the palate, there is a good acidic balance, starting slightly with a sweet sensation before developing a bit more tartness into the finish, which itself is crisp and clean, though brief.

Our rating: This is a nice example of we often call a "picnic wine", one that is easy-going, refreshing, and pairs readily with a variety of foods -- one that you might want to take along, for example, on a picnic. We guessed right, and served our bottle at lunch with sandwiches and chips, finding it quite enjoyable. Priced attractively, we rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "A perky dry white with attractive tropical pineapple aromas and a zesty citrus finish."

Winery website: Douglas Green Wines.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Feudo Arancio Grillo 2008

Feudo Arancio Grillo 2008
Origin: Sicilia, Italy
Blend: Grillo (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Pure yellow gold in color, this wine has aromas of tropical fruit with a distinct spice note. Fruitful on the palate, the flavors have some herbal character. The finish is lengthy with considerable depth.

Our rating: Most definitely not a wine for sipping, we suggest pairing it with flavorful dishes, such as a pasta with a rich sauce, which is how we enjoyed our bottle. There's a lot of complexity here, but it doesn't always work harmoniously. Still, we rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Typical aroma of jasmine, white flowers and tropical fruits with a fresh and fragrant finish. "

Winery website: Feudo Arancio Vini di Sicilia.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Redcliffe Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Redcliffe Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Light yellow with green tints, this wine has citrusy aromas (lime, grapefruit) coupled with very mild grassy notes. Crisp and well-balanced on the palate, the slightly tart citrus flavors are accompanied by a dry minerality that continues into the moderately long finish.

Our rating: This wine has all the typical characteristics of this varietal from New Zealand without being overly aggressive. We've been fans of this label, rating the Redcliffe Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Above Average, nearly Excellent and the Redcliffe Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Excellent. While this vintage is fine as well, it isn't quite as good, seeming to us to be a little thin and flat. We rate it on the very high side of Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Intense grapefruit aromas with herbaceous undertones. Racy flavors of green apple and tropical fruit. This wine is crisp, dry and refreshing with a zippy lemon-lime finish."

Winery website: None found.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Paso a Paso Verdejo 2009

Paso a Paso Verdejo 2009
Origin: Rueda, Spain
Blend: Verdejo (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Golden straw in color, this wine is powerfully fragrant, with aromas of tree fruit (apple, apricot) and orange blossom; there's also a hint of honey. Very smooth with a medium body on the palate, the fruit flavors are well balanced. The finish is ever so slightly tart, but otherwise rather unremarkable.

Our rating: We enjoyed this wine, and found it to be very food friendly. The round, soft feel suggests at least partial oak cellaring -- but we don't know for sure. We served our bottle with roasted chicken and vegetables, with which it paired quite nicely, though it could easily be served with seafood or even pork dishes. We rate it to be Above Average, nearly Excellent.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Conquista Torrontes 2008

Conquista Torrontes 2008
Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Blend: Torrontes (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $5.99

Our review: This golden-colored wine is lightly fragrant, with notes of tropical fruit (papaya, mango) and honey. Smooth, almost creamy, on the palate, the flavor profile is similar to the nose, though a distinct spiciness is also present. The finish has an "oak" character to it, long and deep.

Our rating: This wine has many interesting facets to it … yet seems slightly flawed. The oakiness here -- and we're not even sure this one touched any oak, so we're using that term generically -- softens the wine somewhat but there's an underlying bitterness that we didn't appreciate. We'd recommend pairing it with almost any poultry dish, and even pork dishes, though we think it wouldn't do well with fish. Still, we rate it Above Average. Priced at just $6, it's definitely worth a try -- especially since this continues to be a rather unusual varietal in the US.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Aromas of apricots, honey and spices followed by a refreshing palate of tropical fruit and melon."

Winery website: None found.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Bellingham Chenin Blanc 2008

Bellingham Chenin Blanc 2008
Origin: Coastal Region, South Africa
Blend: Chenin Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: Medium yellow in color with tints of green, this wine is very fragrant, with aromas of ripe tropical fruit (banana, papaya, melon). Round and flavorful on the palate, the fruit flavors are nicely balanced with a mild acidity. Some sweetness develops into the finish, which is exceptionally long and rather complex ... though not necessarily in a good way.

Our rating: We think this would make for a perfectly acceptable wine to serve with mildly spicy Asian cuisines, which is how we enjoyed our bottle. It would also go well with a mixed appetizer platter. More interesting than many of this varietal we've tasted, it's also more confusing, one of the few wines that seemed to degrade the more we consumed. Our overall score is just Average, but that itself is an average of initial and final impressions.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "An invigorating crispness is complemented with notes of flowers and tropical fruit, including cantaloupe, pear and peaches."

Winery website: Bellingham Wines.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Root: 1 Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Root: 1 Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Origin: Casablanca Valley, Chile
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $10.99

Our review: Aromas of citrus and gooseberry with notes of lemongrass are exhibited by this golden straw-colored wine. Initially a bit tart on the palate, the citrus fruit flavors take a moment or two to develop. There's a bit of grassiness and herbaceousness as well. The finish has considerable mineral character to it, and is slightly spicy.

Our rating: This is an interesting take on this varietal. It has all the typical characteristics expected of a sauvignon blanc, but adds a few unexpected twists. We'd suggest pairing it with lightly seasoned seafood dishes. Although we generally enjoyed the wine, the lingering finish that seems rather discordant is what disappointed us the most -- and really caused the score to drop. Priced a tad on the high side as a result, we rate this wine just Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "An elegant and crisp wine with citrus notes and a fresh, clean finish."

Winery website: Root: 1 Wine.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Barone Fini Pinot Grigio 2009

Barone Fini Pinot Grigio 2009
Origin: Valdadige, Italy
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: A pale greenish gold in color, this wine has tree fruit aromas with some floral and spice notes. The fruit flavors on the palate are of crisp apple and pear. The acidic balance is slightly off, though. The finish is lengthy but unremarkable.

Our rating: This wine is just OK, somewhat flat and without a lot of character. We served our bottle with a vegetable risotto, with which it paired nicely, if not memorably. There's really nothing we can say is wrong with it, but on the other hand, we really can't give ourselves a reason to buy another bottle. For what we score to be an Average wine, it's priced on the high side.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tariquet Classic Ugni Blanc Colombard 2008

Tariquet Classic Ugni Blanc Colombard 2008
Origin: Gascony, Bas-Armagnac, France
Blend: Ugni Blanc (70%), Colombard (30%)
Alcohol Content: 10.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Medium gold in color, this wine has aromas of tree fruit (peaches) and citrus (tangerine) with faint floral and spice notes. The fruit flavors have a rather aggressive tartness on the palate, not an unbalanced acidity, just tart -- almost like juice from an underripened orange. There isn't much of a finish.

Our rating: This is an unusual tasting wine, not unpleasant, but very different, one that takes a little getting used to. In many ways, the flavor profile is quite subtle with a lot of interesting facets to it. We completely mispaired it, serving it with poultry, when it is really a seafood wine. We rate it Above Average, but suspect that it may be better with the right cuisine.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Superbly intense for a dry fruity white, its bouquet reveals floral and citrus aromas with nice touches of tropical fruit. Light and well-balanced, this wine is a thirst-quenching pleasure."

Winery website: Tariquet Wines Armagnac Cotes de Gascogne.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Fall Into Great Deals from Wine.com!

Wine.com: Amazing Savings!

Fall into great deals from Wine.com. From the everyday shopper to the serious collector, Wine.com has savings for everyone, everyday. Top rated wines under $20, fine wines up to 50% off retail, and great deals on wine from every wine region and varietal from around the world.

Wine.com: 90 Point Hanna Refresher Gift BasketConsider, for example, this delightful ABC gift basket: Hanna Winery's Estate 90+ rated Sauvignon Blanc complements this beautiful hand-woven bamboo basket filled with gourmet treats that includes Camembert cheese, smoked almonds, wine and cheese biscuits, focaccia crisps, French picholine olives, and more!

For even more savings throughout the month, use one of the following October coupon codes during check-out:

FALLTEN: Save $10 on orders of $150 or more;
FALLGIFT: Save 5% on any gift basket;
FALLCLUB: Save 10% on any 3-, 6-, or 12-month wine club membership.

Coupon codes may not be combined on one order, and expire October 31, 2010.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Recanati Yasmin White Wine 2009

Recanati Yasmin White Wine 2009
Origin: Shomron, Israel
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (50%), Emerald Riesling (25%), French Colombard (25%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: This straw-colored wine is very aromatic, fruity and spicy with floral notes. The fruit flavors on the palate tend toward tropical, but don't have much depth. The finish is rather spicy with some mineral character.

Our rating: This is an interesting blend that we appreciated more as we consumed the bottle. We're not sure if any oak was used (the spicy, smoky finish suggests at least some), but if so, it was done in moderation. Probably best paired with roasted chicken and vegetables, it's versatile enough to accompany many other dishes. Our first Israeli wine, but almost certainly not our last, we rate it on the high side of Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Recanati Winery.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Yellow Tail "The Reserve" Pinot Grigio 2008

Yellow Tail "The Reserve" Pinot Grigio 2008
Origin: South Eastern Australia
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 11.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: Aromas of green apple with some light spice notes are present in this golden straw colored wine. The palate has a similar flavor profile, though is a little tart. The finish adds some balance, and is relatively long.

Our rating: We have mixed feelings about this wine. Our initial impression was somewhat negative, but improved as we drank it. It seems to demand food be consumed with it, and though we paired it with a chicken dish, we think it may actually be better with seafood. When we score the wine, it rates about Average. We previously rated the Yellow Tail "The Reserve" Pinot Grigio 2006 Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Pale straw in colour this wine displays delicate and juicy aromas and flavours of pear, green apple and lime. Overall the wine is crisp and dry showing a fine mineral acidity."

Winery website: [yellow tail].

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Rondel Cava Brut NV

Rondel Cava Brut NV
Origin: Spain
Blend: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada (blend percentages unknown)
Alcohol Content: 11.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: August 2010
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: Yellow gold in color, this lightly sparkling wine has aromas of apple and spice. Very toasty on the palate, the apple flavor seems "off" a bit, tasting almost like unripe fruit. The moderately long finish continues the toast notes.

Our rating: As much as we enjoy cavas, we didn't particularly like this one. We started the bottle as a late afternoon aperitif, but ended up mixing it with orange juice and serving as a mimosa the following morning. We rate it Below Average to Inferior. (Note: the bottle depicted is slightly different from the one we reviewed.)

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Grupo Codorniu.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Sonoma Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Sonoma Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Origin: Sonoma County, California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.8%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: This wine has aromas of tropical fruit (kiwi, papaya) with citrus and herbal notes. The fruit flavor on the palate tends towards citrus (grapefruit), a bit tart but reasonably well balanced. The finish adds some mineral character.

Our rating: This wine seems a bit one-dimensional and rather flat. It's too grapefruity, and lacks the herbaceous or grassy character one comes to expect from this variety that add depth and interest. Of course, being from California, we should be grateful it isn't oaked, so that's in its favor. Still, we can't help consider this to be a relatively weak effort, though it doesn't score badly, ending up on the very low side of Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Rodney Strong Vineyards.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

One Cent Shipping, October 4th through 6th at Wine.com

Wine.com: 1 cent Shipping

You'll find great deals on wine all month long at Wine.com, but don't miss out on the three days when you can enjoy 1 cent shipping on any 12 or more bottles. Use code PENNYCASE at checkout. Valid three days only: October 4th through 6th, 2010.

For even more savings throughout the month, use one of the following October coupon codes during check-out:

FALLTEN: Save $10 on orders of $150 or more;
FALLGIFT: Save 5% on any gift basket;
FALLCLUB: Save 10% on any 3-, 6-, or 12-month wine club membership.

Coupon codes may not be combined on one order, and expire October 31, 2010.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Citra Pinot Grigio 2009

Citra Pinot Grigio 2009
Origin: Sicilia, Italy
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $4.99

Our review: Tree fruit aromas (apple, pear) are exhibited by this light lemon colored wine, accompanied by pleasing floral notes. The flavor profile on the palate is similar, though slightly unbalanced and a bit on the tart side. The finish is rather flat without much character.

Our rating: Given this wine's price point, it's actually quite a decent wine. Probably best served with food that tends to round off the rough edges. Still, in the end, an undistinguished wine but a very good value. We rate it on the low side of Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Color: Bright straw gold. Bouquet: Delicate and pleasing with floral and fruit scents. Taste: Dry, light and crisp."

Winery website: Citra Wines.
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