Name: Peter Mertes
Variety: Sweet Red Dornfelder
Region: Rheinhessen
Country: Germany
Year: 2014
Price: $12
Winery review: This wine has soft tannins that combined with forward fruits flavors. This makes for a perfectly balanced sweet sipping wine.
Additional winemaker notes: This wine is more for a picnic, to be enjoyed with brie or another cheese, not a dessert wine. This one was pleasantly subtle in its sweetness, and was full of berry flavor. I did not try this with food.
Name: Castello Sonnino
Variety: Red Blend - Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano, and Malvasia del Chianti
Region: Chianti
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $15
Winery review: This blended wine is rich with a dark color. It has aromas of graham cracker and lemon rinds with a palate of plum and raspberry. This wine is creamy in texture and has a full finish.
Additional winemaker notes: The Vintage Cellar described this wine as "Tuscany in a bottle." It had a very chemical nose - reminded me of Windex or rubbing alcohol. Not very pleasant tasting. I did not try this with food.
Name: Bolla
Variety: Bardolino Magnum - 60% Corvina, 30% Rondinella, 10% Molinara
Region: Bardolino
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $15
Winery review: This blended wine offers hints of black cherries on the nose and black fruit on your tongue with a fresh finish.
Additional winemaker notes: The Vintage Cellar described this wine as a typical Italian red. The nose on this wine very strongly reminded me of venison - it had a raw, gamey, meat smell. It was also very earthy and peppery. I did not try this wine with food.
Name: Tenuta le Valette
Variety: Orvieto Classico - 30% Trebbiano, 30% Grechetto, 20% Malvasia, 15% Verdello, 5% Drupeggio
Region: Orvieto
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $18
Winery review: This blended wine has an aroma of spring flowers and a taste of light citrus.
Additional winemaker notes: I picked up walnut in this wine. There were low-fruit flavors, it was very watery. My friend described it as the "Keystone Light of wine." I would agree - this one was not my favorite. I did not try it with food.
Name: Aveleda Praja
Variety: Vinho Verde - 40% Arinto, 30% Loureiro, 20% Trajadura, 10% Azal
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: N/A
Price: $9
Winery review: This blended wine is full of fruit flavor, it has flavors of peach with a hint of salty sea air. Lots of zing with an acidity flavor.
Additional winemaker notes: Good white wine, reminded me of spring. Very citrusy, and fruity. Had a strange after-taste I couldn't pinpoint. Good amount of bubbles. I did not try this with food.
Name: Dona Sol
Variety: Shiraz, Petite Syrah and Symphony
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: N/A
Price: $7
Winery review: Shiraz has a unique jammy fruit character that is well represented in the Sweet Red. Both on the nose and on the palate, jammy fruit, like strawberries, cherry pie and red licorice, entices the senses and pair well with cheeses and desserts.
Additional winemaker notes: This was a sweet red wine, and too sweet in my opinion. It was very jammy, as the description suggests, but there was no nose that I could detect. I'm still recovering from a cold, so it could be attributed to lack of senses, but overall, I think it was just difficult to smell this one. Not my favorite, as it was too sweet. I did not try this with food.
Name: Velvet Crush
Variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: N/A
Price: $18
Winery review: Velvety smooth texture just like its name. Soft tannins and lush dark fruit character. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah bring backbone and character, while the Merlot balances out the blend for a soft, smooth texture.
Additional winemaker notes: I was eager to try this wine, as I love Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. My experience with Petite Sirah thus far has not been good - I do not care for the variety. However, I wanted to give this blend a shot. It had a very strong nose, but the taste was underwhelming. The taste was very dry and tannic, and the nose brought to mind cigarette smoke, which was a turn-off. I did not try this wine with food, but I wonder if I'd enjoy it more with food.
Name: Grand Cru
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $7
Winery review: This ruby-colored wine has aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon. Lamb shanks and pork tenderloin are a favorite main dishes to pair with this wine.
Additional winemaker notes: I enjoyed this wine, and could see myself drinking it with either cheese or pork. It had strong berry flavor, and a floral black-pepper aspect, as well as another floral aspect - like violets. I did not try this wine with food.
Name: Prime Brume
Variety: Garganega
Region: Soave
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $11
Winery review: Pale color. Fruity, floral minerally inviting aromas of passion fruit, white grapefruit, spice poached pear, and papaya with a lean, racy, bone-dry medium body and a smooth, complex, long lemon, passion fruit, raw hazelnut, and wet stones finish with no tannins and light oak. From the tantalizing nose full of exotic fruit, citrus and minerality thru to the long, crisp finish, this soave can seamlessly go from cocktail hour thru to vibrantly flavored dishes.
Additional winemaker notes: I did not like this wine as much as the Blue. It was a little flat-tasting to me, and had a strong woodsy scent - not oaky. It also had an odd bubble gum scent to me. Not my favorite. I did not try this wine with food.
Name: Quintas Melgaco Blue
Variety: Vinho Verde
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2013
Price: $10
Winery review: Refreshingly crisp white wine from Portugal--Vinho Verde is soft, light and refreshing, and is an uncompromising and ideal wine for everyday pleasure. Its bright color and pineapple aromas are followed by citrus notes. The palate is clean and fresh. Vinho Verde is an excellent accompaniment to fish and shell fish, white meats and salads.
Additional winemaker notes: This was very pleasant wine, bubbly and effervescent, and rounded out nicely on the end. I got lots of pineapple and citrus. I did not try this wine with food.
