Tasting - "Opera Prima Sweet White"

I couldn't find the wine label online.

Tasting: 4/12/12

Name: Opera Prima Sweet White
Variety: White Blend
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95 (Vintage Cellar)

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The flavor package of tropical fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn't offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor.

My Personal Wine Review: This was an interesting wine. The smell was of sweet fruit like grapefruit. I tasted a lot of spice along with tart fruit. This was a sweet wine with tartness, however I didn't get the tannins when I usually taste tart in wines.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - "Senda 66 Tempranillo"

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Tasting: 4/12/12

Name: Senda 66 Tempranillo
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $8.95 (Vintage Cellar)

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: 90 Points, Robert Parker. "The 2008 Senda 66 spent 8 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color, it sports a fragrant nose of spice box, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, layered and remarkably rich on the palate for its humble price, this lengthy effort will drink nicely over the next 5-6 years."

My Personal Wine Review: The wine was very dark in color and had a sweet and fruity smell to it as I detected cherries and plums. The flavors were an interesting mix of sweet to dark/heavy. The wine had a nice complexity from mint tastes to wood and oak. I liked this wine, but a little too much for me.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - "Sierra Cruz Carmenere"

I could not find the wine label online.

Tasting: 4/12/12

Name: Sierra Cruz Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Maule Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95 (Vintage Cellar)

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: As a member of the cabernet sauvignon family, carmenere (pronounced car-men-yare) originated Bordeaux as one ofhte grapes permitted for use in the red blends of that storied region. Chilean winemakers have embracd it and several wineries in that country produce it as a single varietal. The '09 Seirra Cruz is a very pleasant, soft, medium-boded wine that has fresh Cabernet-like aromas and flavors of spice, dark fruit and black pepper. It is a great value and also would be a nice match with marinated and grilled skirt or flank steak.

My Personal Wine Review: The wine had a dark color. The smell was deep with an earthy tone with meat and oak aromas. The flavors were very similar with big tastes of spice and oak. This went nice with a light mid-palate and I also got some charcoal components at the end of the taste. I liked this wine and would recommend it.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - "Lost Vineyards Chardonnay"

Image: www.lostvineyards.com
Tasting: 4/12/12

Name: Lost Vineyards Chardonnay
Variety: 20% Chardonnay & 80% Torrontes
Region: "Located in a remote valley in the Northwest corner of Argentina" (www.lostvineyards.com)
Country: Argentina
Year: NV
Price: $3.95

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: Pale golden color. Perfumed peach, pineapple, and nougat aromas. Round and soft with a fruity-yet-dry medium body. Tangy apple skin and lemon zest notes lift he fruit nicely on the finish.

My Personal Wine Review: The bouquet of aroma from the wine was very fruity and sweet. I detected fresh melon with juicy cantaloupe. However, the taste was disappointing as it had very little flavors with tree fruit and apples masked behind the other missing flavors. I did not like this wine.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - "Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc"

I couldn't find the wine label online.

Tasting: 4/12/12

Name: Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Maule Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95 (Vintage Cellar)

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc just oozes with bright citrus flavors and a nose of herbs and grass. Stylistically, it is a cross between the herbal, grassy wines so prevalent in Sonoma County and the riper more fruit forward products of New Zealand. Match it with pasta sauced with arugula, pine nuts, mushrooms and parmesan.

My Personal Wine Review: The nose was very strong, as I was overwhelmed with sour apple and it seemed like it was almost still fermenting. The flavors were light and crisp as I enjoyed the long small tannin texture. I also received a small hint of chlorine on the palate. I thought this wine was ok for probably my first sauvignon blanc tasting.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - "Cantina di Casteggio Moscato di Pavia"

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Tasting: 4/5/12

Name: Cantina di Casteggio Moscato di Pavia
Variety: Moscato
Region: Lombardy, Oltrepo Pavese
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95 (Vintage Cellar)

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: Bright, light golden color. Very aromatic nose of ripe apricots, sage, honey and a slight minerality. Medium bodied, sweet and fruity with flavors of apricots and tangerine. Well balanced and acidity and medium finish with layers of sweet and citrus fruit.

My Personal Wine Review: Delicious! Salmon pink color. The nose was the usual for a Moscato with a mix of sweet fruits like peach and mellon. The flavors is was really made this wine stand out to me. It had a "tight" mellon taste with complex flavors of strong green mellon entwined with crisp fresh apples. This was my favorite Moscato I have tried thus far and I would recommend this to everyone.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - "Montebeuna Rioja"

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Tasting: 4/5/12

Name: Montebuena Rioja
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2007
Price: $6.95 (Vintage Cellar)

Vintage Cellar Wine Review: 100% Tempranillo. Dark red. Spicy red berries and cherry on the nose, with hints of cracked pepper and dried rose. Crisp and dry on the palate, with spicy redcurrant and cherry flavors, light tannins and a fresh, energetic finish. An excellent value, and surprisingly elegant for this price point.

My Personal Wine Review: The wine had a dark ruby color to it. The smell was spicy and very fruity. The flavors were light and also fruity, but like the nose I couldn't pinpoint the tree fruit. The wine had a long aftertaste, but overall the wine was a spicy light drink with secrets of fruit.

I did not have food with this wine.