Tasting - Lost Vineyards

Name: Lost Vineyards

Variety: 60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Argentina

Country: Argentina 

Year: NV

Price: $4.95

Winery Review: It is dry and contains subtle tobacco undertones with a black licorice, cherry scent. The oak is in the background. Would pair well with hamburger or a steak rather than stand alone.

My Review: On the nose, this wine has some strawberries and blackberry, but definitely some earthy undertones. The flavor of this wine was very surprising because I expected it to be much more of a fruit bomb since it is mainly a Shiraz from Argentina, so you would assume it would be made in a "New World" style. However, it is actually much more "Old World" in flavor, having a lot more earthy tones on its own, with the fruit being brought out more by food. Overall this was a very decent wine and I bought it because it was relatively cheap. I did have this wine with food and it was definitely enhanced since it was made in an "Old World" fashion. I paired the wine with a feta dip and pita bread. The saltiness of the feta cheese definitely brought out the fruits more and I got much more strawberry and grapey flavors. 

Tasting - Reserve Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône

Name: Reserve Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône

Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault

Region: Rhone Valley

Country: France

Year: 2010

Price: $14.95

Vintage Cellar Review: As for their other values, the 2010 Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone
Reserve (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault) displays
loads of ripe flavors. It is very concentrated for a Cotes du Rhone,
and is actually an amazing wine. Classic garrigue, black cherry
liqueur, lavender, licorice and spice box are all present in this fullbodied, intense, and rich Cotes du Rhone. This is a sensational
effort to drink over the next 4-5 years, although it might last even
longer.

My Review: On the nose, this wine had a lot of green pepper and earthy smells with a bunch of dark fruits on the end, such as dark blackberry and black cherries. There was also a hint of black pepper to the nose as well. The taste was very underwhelming for a wine from the Rhone Valley. There wasn't a lot of flavor discernible, just a little green pepper and some light cherry. Overall the flavor of the wine was very one-dimensional and somewhat disappointing. I think because it is a wine that can age well, maybe it just needs a few more years under its belt to really mature and bring out the flavors in it. Overall this wine was decent, but I probably wouldn't have it again until it was at least aged another year.
I did not have any food with this wine.

Tasting - Lobetia Tempranillo

Name: Lobetia Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: La Mancha 

Country: Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $10.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the
varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. It shows a nice cherry
color with a violet shade because of its youth. Red berries and
cherries on the nose. On the palate it is fresh, slightly astringent,
and harmonious with a long finish.

My Review: On the nose, this wine was very jammy, with a combination of grapes, raspberry and cherry. It also had a slight hint of white pepper on the back end of the scent. On the palate, this wine tasted surprisingly light on the palate. The color was a typical dark purplish red, but the wine didn't taste as heavy as i'm used to in dark reds. The white pepper was definitely apparent on the tongue. Overall, it was a very well-balanced wine and I would be willing to have it again.
I did not have any food with this wine.

Tasting - Lobetia Chardonnay

Name: Lobetia Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $10.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the
varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. Clean, bright color with
a greenish-yellow tone. On the nose, exotic fruits like pineapple.
Full flavored, fresh, with good acidity in the mouth, it finishes with
tropical fruits

My Review: This wine was very fruity on the nose. There was quite a bit of pineapple scent, as well as pears and light strawberries. On the tongue, the pineapple was definitely apparent. This wine also had an interesting flavor that I couldn't quite pin down. It was also like a fresh-cut grass taste, but very subtle. It was definitely a unique flavor to get out of a white wine, but one that I liked. This Chardonnay was not oaked at all and I could definitely taste the difference. It almost tasted like a completely different grape variety. Overall I would definitely have this wine again, although I don't know that I would pay $11 for it.
I did not have any food with this wine.

Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: NV

Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review: Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This is their house
white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and
rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet
fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. Great value Grigio! Drink
now.

My Review: On the nose, this wine was very fresh, smelling of pears and green apples. It had a hint of acidity, but for the most part it smelt sweet. On the palate, the sweetness remained, but I was surprised that it had almost of buttery taste to it. This typically would indicate that it had undergone some oaking, but I'm not sure if it's possible to oak Pinot Grigio? For a white wine, this actually had a lot of depth to the flavor, as if layers and layers of new flavors kept being revealed. The sweet pears were also still very apparent on the tongue as well. Overall, I really liked this wine and would have bought it if I had any money to spare.
I did not have any food with this wine.

Tasting - Concannon Shiraz

Name: Concannon Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz

Region: Central Coast, California

Country: United States

Year: 2008

Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar Review: This is an extremely rich, full-bodied wine with a dark fruit core.
Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, cassis and dark cherry are
followed by more berry fruits and chocolate and mocha on the
palate.

My Review: There was lots of spice on the nose of this wine, with dark fruits, especially a dark raspberry and black cherry. The flavor of this wine was much more vegetal on the palate, similar to the other red we had today. It was fairly tannic as well, but not as much as the Ksana. The spice was apparent on the tongue, as well as a fresh cut grass flavor. Overall, this was a decent wine and I wouldn't mind having it again.
I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Ksana Bondarda

Name: Ksana Bonarda

Variety: Bonarda

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2008

Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: The bouquet is floral and lightly jammy, with berry aromas and a
savory note or two. To the uninitiated, this is a great introduction
to Bonarda. Finishes solid. Very sweet, berry smell with some
rooty undertones. Kind of dry, makes your lips pucker.

My Review: On the nose, this wine had a little bit of spice. The alcohol was fairly apparent on the nose, but it was also grapey with a hint of black cherry. The palate was a little different that what the nose hinted at. It was much more vegetal and tasted like green peppers and it was very tannic. The vegetal flavor was balanced with a little bit of blackberry. Overall, this wine was good, but not my favorite. More than anything, how tannic it was made me not necessarily want to have it again.
I did not have food with this wine.