Salvenal Albariño 2009

Salvenal Albariño 2009
Origin: Rias Baixas, Spain
Blend: Albarino (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Medium gold with green reflections, this wine has aromas of tropical fruit and honey with hints of spiced cider. Very smooth and fruitful on the palate, the blend of flavors tends more towards tree fruit (apple/pear) with a light floral component. The finish is clean though undistinguished and relatively brief.

Our rating: We served this wine with sauteed chicken breasts and fresh asparagus, a nice pairing. Indeed, though we sampled the wine before eating, the food seemed to bring out more of the subtle characteristics of the wine, improving it overall. If you are unfamiliar with this varietal, this would be a good choice for your first bottle. We rate it Above Average, a rating we also gave to an older vintage, the Salvenal Albariño 2007.

Note: This wine isn't mentioned on the website provided on the bottle, though another Albariño is, one which we reviewed some time ago (and would like to try again), the Condes de Albarei Albariño 2006.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Condes de Albarei.

Laurent Reverdy Sancerre 2009

Laurent Reverdy Sancerre 2009
Origin: France
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Medium golden yellow in color, this wine has aromas of citrus and tropical fruit with notes of honey and spice. More flavorful on the palate than one might expect from the nose, and of a similar profile, there is a rounded mouthfeel, not quite soft but sort of creamy. The finish adds some mineral and herbal character, a somewhat harsh though not unpleasant contrast to what precedes it.

Our rating: We rarely purchase Sancerre, as it is typically far more expensive than we want to spend on everyday wine. But at $10, we couldn't pass this up and all in all, it is rather nice. It isn't quite as interesting as we might have hoped, lacking the subtlety and depth that this varietal is capable of showing, but still, given its price, it's hard not to appreciate it for what it is. We served our bottle with roasted chicken, with which it paired quite nicely. We think poultry is probably the best pairing, but pork would likely work as well; it seems a little heavy -- not the right word but serves its purpose here -- for appetizers or lighter meals. We rate it on the high side of Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Tiki Sound Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Tiki Sound Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Light gold with green and silver highlights, this wine is lightly fragrant, with aromas of lime and citrus blossom and slight notes of lemongrass. The palate has a bit more body than one might expect, with rounded, well-balanced citrus flavors (grapefruit, lime) and just a hint of bell pepper and herbs. The finish is brief, adding little of note.

Our rating: This is a very nice example of this varietal from New Zealand, typical in many respects of what one has come to expect from the region, yet bringing its own style to the table. For example, it's a bit softer than others we've sampled, crisp but not bracing. We enjoyed our bottle with Thai cuisine, but think it very food-friendly, pairing nicely with most white-meat or seafood dishes. We rate it Above Average, nearly Excellent.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Doña Paula Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Doña Paula Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $7.99

Our review: Very aromatic, this greenish-yellow colored wine exhibits fragrances of fresh citrus, lime zest and lemongrass. Crisp on the palate, the fruit flavors are well balanced with just the right amount of tartness. The finish is a little overly astringent and adds a dry mineral character.

Our rating: We don't often see this varietal from Argentina, and quite liked this example. We enjoyed our bottle with blackened grouper sandwiches, a very nice pairing. We think any seafood would work here; indeed, this seems to be a versatile wine, cuisine-wise. Though the rather odd finish prevents us from giving this wine top marks, we still rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Intense aromas of yellow grapefruit, lime and passionfruit that are well integrated with gooseberry and herbal notes. On the palate this is a wine with great freshness and very long aftertaste."

Winery website: Doña Paula Argentina.

Benito Santos Terra de Cálago Albariño 2008

Benito Santos Terra de Cálago Albariño 2008
Origin: Rias Baixas, Spain
Blend: Albarino (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Yellow-gold in color, this wine has aromas of ripe tree fruit with significant floral and spice notes. The initial sensation on the palate is one of sweetness, followed almost immediately by a tart green apple flavor. The finish is long, and reminiscent of spiced cider.

Our rating: We weren't impressed with this wine, which reminded us strongly of apple or pear cider. Which would have been fine, except the fruit flavors on the palate were weak and not harmonious -- or maybe they simply weren't well developed. Oak cellaring -- we're guessing that's where the spiciness comes from -- failed to soften the rough edges of this wine, giving it a somewhat medicinal character instead. We served our bottle with roasted chicken and potatoes, which we think is a good pairing. But in the end, we rate it Below Average, and not a good (in our opinion) example of this varietal. (Note: The bottle label depicted is slightly different from the one we reviewed.)

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Is yellow and intense aromas on the nose with citrus, floral, mineral and ripe apple notes. The palate is sweet, tasty, with a touch of acid and with possibility to accompany any kind of food."

Winery website: Terra de Calago.