Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2011

Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2011

Origin: d'Abruzzo, Italy
Blend: Trebbiano (100%)
Alcohol Content: 11.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: June 2012
Purchase Price: $6.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Medium gold in color, this wine has aromas of apple, pear, honey and spices, with softer notes of almonds. The palate is similar to the nose, though the earthy, woodsy character seems more dominant here. The finish is persistent and has a slightly chalky minerality to it.

Our rating: This is most definitely a wine to serve with food and probably one that should be opened early and consumed later; we don't think it works all that well on its own. It's reasonably food friendly, though, probably best paired with roasted poultry or barbecue pork dishes. We can't say we're enthusiastic about this wine, but we didn't mind it either. A nice change of pace, but all in all, we score it just Average. We've reviewed this wine twice in the past, apparently enjoying those bottles more than we did this one: We rated the 2007 vintage and the 2008 vintage both Above Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Concannon "Selected Vineyards" Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Concannon "Selected Vineyards" Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Origin: Central Coast, California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (98%), Riesling (2%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: June 2012
Purchase Price: $8.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Straw in color with silver highlights, this wine has aromas of lemongrass and sweet bell pepper with citrus zest and vegetal (asparagus) notes. Light-bodied on the palate with a very slight creamy texture, the flavors are similar to the nose, with a somewhat more pronounced tart citrus character. The finish is very clean, adds some minerality, and is of moderate length.

Our rating: There are several interesting aspects to this wine. It's tart yet not quite crisp. There is considerable depth to the flavors yet they seem light, almost airy. These aren't negative qualities by any means; the complexity exhibited here is rather difficult to describe in simple terms. And yet it's not quite harmonious, though it's hard to pin down exactly why. We think this wine would pair well with most seafood dishes; we would lean more towards fish fillets or steaks than shellfish. We previously rated the Concannon Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Average; we rate the present wine a bit better, Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: This wine has a brilliant straw hue with notes of gooseberry. The palate is slightly tropical with a good depth of fruit. Cool stainless steel fermentation keeps the flavors bright and lively, and the medium body is slightly rounded in feel, leading to a crisp finish.

Winery website: Concannon Vineyards.

Recaş Pinot Grigio 2011

Recaş Pinot Grigio 2011

Origin: Romania
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: June 2012
Purchase Price: $6.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: A pale greenish straw in color, this wine has aromas of apples with faint notes of cider. Very crisp with a pleasant tartness, the apple cider-like flavor has a hint of smokiness to it. The merest suggestion of sweetness presents itself into the finish, but is gone in a flash. The finish itself is lengthy but lacks discernable flavor, and seems muddled overall.

Our rating: This is an interesting wine, but not one we'd probably buy again. We think it fairly versatile, and would suggest pairing it with chicken — which is what we did — or even pork. Still, the finish really bothered us, and made us forget about the strengths that preceded it. Overall, we score the wine Below Average, but those who enjoy a smoky, earthy finish to their wines may enjoy this one more than we did.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Cramele Recaş. We could not locate this wine on the company's website, though we are guessing based on the label that it is part of its "Castle Rock" brand, which is also not listed there.

Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio 2011

Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio 2011

Origin: Friuli, Italy
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2012
Purchase Price: $6.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Lightly scented with aromas of tree fruit (apples, pears), this exceptionally pale, straw-colored wine is very smooth on the palate, with flavors of apple — a nice blend of golden delicious and tart green — cider and a bit of citrus zest. A moderately aggressive minerality develops into the finish, but doesn't overwhelm.

Our rating: While there isn't much depth to this wine, we appreciate it for its versatility, from being a simple sipping wine to one that could be paired with almost any cuisine. We enjoyed our bottle with a pasta dish — actually Swedish meatballs — and it worked out just fine. Available exclusively from Costco, we typically pick up several bottles to have on hand for those situations when we're being particularly indecisive about what to serve; this is a safe "go to" wine in that regard. We rate it Above Average and at just $7 a very good value.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Ecco Domani Italia Moscato 2011

Ecco Domani Italia Moscato 2011

Origin: delle Venezie, Italy
Blend: Moscato (100%)
Alcohol Content: 8.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2012
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 (750ml bottle)

Our review: A barely noticeable effervescence appears upon pouring this pale gold wine with silver highlights. It exhibits aromas of sweet tropical fruit with distinctive notes of freshly cut oranges. Silky smooth on the palate, the fruit flavors — juicy pear is what first came to mind — are sweet but not aggressively so. Indeed, the initial sweetness is tempered almost immediately by a balancing acidity. The finish adds some soft minerality but is otherwise rather brief.

Our rating: This stylish wine is delicious on its own, which is how we enjoyed our bottle, sitting on the balcony watching the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. We struggled a bit trying deciding how to pair it, eventually settling on serving it on our weekly "appetizer" night, a meal consisting of nothing but, well, appetizers. (We often do that in restaurants as well, ordering 3-4 appetizers instead of two meals between us.) We believe it would have paired nicely with our eclectic mix of foods … had it lasted that long. Which it didn't. We rate it Above Average, nearly Excellent, and a fine choice while spending a simple, quiet night at home. (We're also going to keep this in mind for our next social gathering. Its versatility and low alcohol content also makes it the perfect party wine. The attractive cobalt blue bottle doesn't hurt, either!)

Taste profile from the winemaker: Lovely aromas of peach, apricot and mandarin orange entice the nose, while the slightly off-dry palate has bright acidity to make this wine so refreshing.

Winery website: Ecco Domani.

This bottle of wine was received as a sample for review. No promise was given or implied that it would be the subject of an endorsement or review, either positive or negative.

Smart Cookie Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Smart Cookie Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2012
Purchase Price: $9.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Golden straw in color, this wine has typical varietal aromas of gooseberry, green pepper and citrus zest with just a hint of orange blossoms. Very smooth on the palate, the citrus flavors are very well balanced, slightly tart with a touch of vegetal sweetness. Some grassiness is present in the persistent finish.

Our rating: We often serve Sauvignon Blancs with seafood, in particular grilled or broiled whitefish filets, but we have to confess this bottle didn't make it to the table. It is absolutely delicious and we enjoyed it while preparing dinner, somewhat surprising ourselves that when it came time to sit down there was none left. That was our loss, as we believe it would have paired beautifully with the meal. Clearly it works just fine on its own, and we think it would pair well with most light dishes. Striking all the right notes in all the right ways, we rate it Excellent, one of the best of this varietal we've had in a long time.

Taste profile from the winemaker: Bright and zesty with aromas of freshly baked lemon cookies. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors fill your palate and finishes refreshingly long.

Winery website: None found.

Cielo "1908" Pinot Grigio 2011

Cielo "1908" Pinot Grigio 2011

Origin: delle Venezie, Italy
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2012
Purchase Price: $7.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Light straw in color, this wine has aromas of tree fruit (peach, apple) with a very slight note of earthiness. Of moderate body on the palate, the flavors are similar to the characteristics of the nose with a good acidic balance. That earthy, now almost nut-like, note becomes slightly more prominent in the finish.

Our rating: We've taken to replacing our standard pasta with whole grain pasta, which has a somewhat more hearty character and flavor to it. And this wine paired very nicely with our most recent dish, which included chicken as the protein. We believe it is probably best enjoyed with a meal, and not necessarily a light one, where it can easily hold its own. We previously rated the 2008 Cielo Pinot Grigio Average, but we think this vintage markedly better, at least Above Average and maybe a little higher. (A follow up note: We always write our reviews before reading what the winemaker has to say. And we have to admit, after reading that they use the term "bread crust" to describe the bouquet, what we called "earthiness" is actually probably more of a yeasty character. We'll have to add "bread crust" to our list of potential adjectives for future use!)

Taste profile from the winemaker: Colour: Straw yellow with green reflections. Bouquet: Bread crust and green apple. Taste: Fresh and drinkable.

Winery website: Cielo e Terra.