Another week of wines at the Vintage Cellar, same rules as always. The wines are meant to be both cheap and well crafted to appeal to the college aged budget. All of the wines are Under $20 normally and under $10 on sale at the Vintage Cellar. This week featured a balance of reds and whites with unusual tastes and finished with a sweet desert wine type at the end.
As a note I will review each wine separately giving both my impression of the wine and the description from the winemaker themselves. Following that I will rate each wine on a scale [-2, 2]. Where:
-2: Bad wine, undrinkable
-1: Disliked, but drinkable
0: Okay wine, neither disliked or liked
1: Good wine, might buy
2: Great wine, definitely will buy
Wine #74
Name: Dibon Cava
Variety: Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada
Region: Catalonia
Country: Spain
Year: N/A
Price: $9.95
Winery review: 88 points – Wine Enthusiast
Made from 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, the nose offers regal yeast and richness, while the palate has complexity to prop up apple, citrus and grapefruit flavors. Solid from front to back, with health and freshness. Cava, Catalan sparkling wine, is made mostly in the regions of Penedes, and the capital of cava is Sant Sadurni d´Anoia. Dibon is located in Vilafranca del Penedes, aproximately 20 Km from Sant Sadurni. The Dibon vineyard is in the process of becoming fully organic. It consists of 75 hectares of trellised vines 1000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea.
My Review:
Pear with slight floral components, on the nose. Sparkling seeming with light floral on the pallet. Overall light in body and taste.
Rating: 0
Wine #75
Name: Marques de Caceres
Variety: Verdejo
Region: Rueda
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95
Winery review:
Vivid straw colour. Fresh, clean and intense bouquet enlivened by notes of citrus fruit with a depth of pears and apples. Deliciously fresh and full in the mouth where racy, focused flavours deliver notes of minerals, lemon rind and green apples. Good length and a refreshing finish. Has all the character of the best from its appellation.
My Review:
Slight fruit on the nose, with some hints of floral components. The fruit is light like pear and apple and the taste is heavy in body and lacking in acid. Wine tastes flabby and not that interesting.
Rating: -1.0
Wine #76
Name: Breca Tovana
Variety: Old Vine Garnacha
Region: Munebrega
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Winery review:
Gnarled vines, grown without irrigation, are a mainstay of Spain’s winemaking tradition and produce small clusters of perfectly ripe Garnacha grapes. Aromas of blackberries, plums, and cherries fill the glass and develop into luscious flavors of black stone fruit. Long, supple tannins complete this extraordinary wine.
My Review:
Oaky smooth on the nose can tell that it has most likely been aged. The taste is of blackberries and cassis. Silky smooth body makes me think it may have been aged in french oak. Light in body with good slight blackberry cherry flavors with little in the way of tannins.
Rating: 0
Wine #77
Name: Rare Red
Variety: Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Merlot
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: N/A
Price: $9.95
Winery review:
A multi-vintage blend of Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Petite Syrah, and Merlot that is full-bodied and fruit forward with a spicy and complex finish. This wine has been partially barrel aged for eight months in American and French oak.
My Review:
Peppery on the nose with not much else going for it. Heavy in body but loads of spice with no room for any other flavors at all.
Rating: -1.5
Wine #78
Name: Jam Jar
Variety: Moscato
Region: N/A
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95
Winery review:
This charming, easy-drinking Moscato offers flavors of peach, apricot, lychee and orange blossom. A lively jolt of acidity keeps it fresh and fruity. Fancy enough for a special occasion toast, yet sweet-natured enough to enjoy every day, our bright and cheerful sweet wines are sure to capture your heart.
My Review:
Some slight acidity to it and some orange and pear notes with a sweet syrupy body that is almost too sweet. Reminds me a little of the heavy syrup in canned fruits. Does not have a lot in complex taste and has an overall candiness to it.
Rating: -0.5
As a note I will review each wine separately giving both my impression of the wine and the description from the winemaker themselves. Following that I will rate each wine on a scale [-2, 2]. Where:
-2: Bad wine, undrinkable
-1: Disliked, but drinkable
0: Okay wine, neither disliked or liked
1: Good wine, might buy
2: Great wine, definitely will buy
Wine #74
Name: Dibon Cava
Region: Catalonia
Country: Spain
Year: N/A
Price: $9.95
Winery review: 88 points – Wine Enthusiast
Made from 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, the nose offers regal yeast and richness, while the palate has complexity to prop up apple, citrus and grapefruit flavors. Solid from front to back, with health and freshness. Cava, Catalan sparkling wine, is made mostly in the regions of Penedes, and the capital of cava is Sant Sadurni d´Anoia. Dibon is located in Vilafranca del Penedes, aproximately 20 Km from Sant Sadurni. The Dibon vineyard is in the process of becoming fully organic. It consists of 75 hectares of trellised vines 1000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea.
My Review:
Pear with slight floral components, on the nose. Sparkling seeming with light floral on the pallet. Overall light in body and taste.
Rating: 0
Wine #75
Name: Marques de Caceres
Variety: Verdejo
Region: Rueda
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95
Winery review:
Vivid straw colour. Fresh, clean and intense bouquet enlivened by notes of citrus fruit with a depth of pears and apples. Deliciously fresh and full in the mouth where racy, focused flavours deliver notes of minerals, lemon rind and green apples. Good length and a refreshing finish. Has all the character of the best from its appellation.
My Review:
Slight fruit on the nose, with some hints of floral components. The fruit is light like pear and apple and the taste is heavy in body and lacking in acid. Wine tastes flabby and not that interesting.
Rating: -1.0
Wine #76
Name: Breca Tovana
Variety: Old Vine Garnacha
Region: Munebrega
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Winery review:
Gnarled vines, grown without irrigation, are a mainstay of Spain’s winemaking tradition and produce small clusters of perfectly ripe Garnacha grapes. Aromas of blackberries, plums, and cherries fill the glass and develop into luscious flavors of black stone fruit. Long, supple tannins complete this extraordinary wine.
My Review:
Oaky smooth on the nose can tell that it has most likely been aged. The taste is of blackberries and cassis. Silky smooth body makes me think it may have been aged in french oak. Light in body with good slight blackberry cherry flavors with little in the way of tannins.
Rating: 0
Wine #77
Name: Rare Red
Variety: Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Merlot
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: N/A
Price: $9.95
Winery review:
A multi-vintage blend of Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Petite Syrah, and Merlot that is full-bodied and fruit forward with a spicy and complex finish. This wine has been partially barrel aged for eight months in American and French oak.
My Review:
Peppery on the nose with not much else going for it. Heavy in body but loads of spice with no room for any other flavors at all.
Rating: -1.5
Wine #78
Name: Jam Jar
Variety: Moscato
Region: N/A
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95
Winery review:
This charming, easy-drinking Moscato offers flavors of peach, apricot, lychee and orange blossom. A lively jolt of acidity keeps it fresh and fruity. Fancy enough for a special occasion toast, yet sweet-natured enough to enjoy every day, our bright and cheerful sweet wines are sure to capture your heart.
My Review:
Some slight acidity to it and some orange and pear notes with a sweet syrupy body that is almost too sweet. Reminds me a little of the heavy syrup in canned fruits. Does not have a lot in complex taste and has an overall candiness to it.
Rating: -0.5
No comments:
Post a Comment