La Sera, Red Ambrosia

Bottle of La Sera
Red Ambrosia

La Sera
Red Ambrosia
Varietal:  Vermentino
Emilia-Romagna, Italy
11.95 USD


Riesling fans will love this one; it is sweet, light & fizzy with fresh strawberry and raspberry flavors. Recommendation: Perfect for concerts in the park, summer BBQs or Oriental cuisine. Serve chilled.  (Westchester wine warehouse)


This wine hit you in the face with its floral and rich fruit aromas.  There were tons of nice ripe strawberry.  It was a very sweet bubbly wine.  In that way it was very similar to moscato but it felt much lighter and and cleaner than most
 moscatos I've had.  Strawberry took center stage in this wine. 

Four Bears Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Bottle of Four Bears
Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Four Bears

Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Varietal:  Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

14.95 USD

Ruby in color and displays aromas of lavender, cedar and raspberry fruit.  Flavors of blackberries and raspberries combined with hints of savory spices coat the palate.  The soft tannins and sweet oak balance lead to a long and lingering finish. (Vintage Cellar)

This was a very nice red.  Just on color it looked like it was liquefied raspberry jam.  On the nose it matched its appearance with a strong dark fruit jammy-ness.  It also had an aroma I couldn't really place but to be honest it kinda smelled like someone had just washed their hair with a sweet shampoo and then stuck it in my face.  On the palate, it was again very jammy and full of sweet dark fruit.  I thought of raspberry and blackberry instantly.  It was slightly dry but at the same time a very smooth wine.  It went down very easily with it having that dry component to it.  Also, I couldn't really pick up much if any heat to it at all.  This was a very enjoyable wine for me.

Pietra Santa Sangiovese 2008

Bottle Lable of Pietra Santa
Sangiovese 2008
(Sorry couldn't find the full bottle)

Pietra Santa 
Sangiovese 2008
California, USA
Varietal:  Sangiovese

15.95 USD

Produced exclusively from grapes grown on the estate and showcases winemaker Alessio Carli's talent with the grape.  Growing up in Tuscany, Alession watched his father make Chianti and later hone his skilled at the renowned Badia a Coltibuono.  Our Estate Sangiovese tastes of cranberry and intense Bing cherry with undertones of anise and a lingering finish.  The depth and complexity of this wine has make it an annual best seller and the ultimate companion to great Italian cuisine.  Typical of this varietal our Sangiovese vines have matured and we have been rewarded by increasingly rich fruit. (Vintage Cellar)

With strong notes of oak and rich thick smoke this wine exploded out of the glass.  There were also tones of sweet red fruit smoothing out the nose.  On the palate it had quite a bit of heat to it which detracted from the wine a bit.  It had an interesting bitter cranberry component to it as well as a strangely acidic bite...that may have just been the cranberries talking though.  All in all I enjoyed the smell more than the taste.

Pietra Santa Sacred Stone Red

Bottle of Pietra Santa
Sacred Stone Red

Pietra Santa
Sacred Stone Red
Blend: Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah
California, USA
10.00 USD


Dark ruby in color, with warm, plummy aromas, a hint of raisins and a dash of spice; floral and peppery notes on the nose carry over to the palate with a burst of fragrant pepper and bright red fruit. Full bodied, tart and somewhat tannic, with an intriguing minerality lurking behind the forward fruit and peppery spice. Powerful alcohol (14.8%) leaves a distinct warmth in the finish. Made by a California producer and bearing no regional appellation or vintage, it's described as a "Rhone-style blend," with Syrah, Carignan, Grenache and the less characteristically Rhonish Sangiovese and Zinfandel (wineloverspage.com)


This was a very bold and full bodied wine.  With lots of tannic structure mixing well with the earthy nose and red fruit.  It was not very sweet but had a lot of red fruit components to it and although it wasn't overly kick you in the mouth dry, towards the finish it certainly dried out a lot more for me.  

Four Bears Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Bottle of Four Bears
Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Four Bears
Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Varietal:  Sauvignon Blanc
California, USA
13.00 USD


Rich and complex with aromas of ruby grapefruit, citrus and tropical fruit.  On the palate, the combined flavors of fresh melon fig and lime are balanced perfectly to form a crisp, mouthwatering texture and a lingering finish. (Vintage Cellar)


First impression on the nose was a lot of grassy notes with just a hint of lemon on end.  There was a very pleasant smooth melon present too.  On the palate there was an explosion of tropical fruits.  It was actually really hard to pick out one from another.  There was a tartness of a grapefruit but a smooth melon really held most of the fruit flavors for me.  A hint of acid kept the wine from being overly sweet in my opinion.  It was a very nice addition.  The wine smooth all the way through with only the slightest bit of heat at the end. 

Barrel Oak Chocolate Lab

Bottle and Glass of
Chocolate Lab

Barrel Oak 

Chocolate Lab (no date)

Varietal:  Chambourcin

Virginia, USA

31.00 USD

One of our most popular, the Chocolate Lab is a totally unique port-style Chambourcin infused with essences drawn from cocoa beans added to the wine during secondary fermentation. Lush vanilla and chocolate that finishes perfectly and is not too sweet. Aged in recovered whiskey barrels with 5% residual sugar.  (Barrel Oak Winery)

This was a delicious dessert wine.  It was rich and fully bodied on the nose while not being overly alcoholic on the nose.  There were hints of vanilla, dark chocolate, espresso and cherry on the nose as well.  It was rich and delightfully sweet on the front end and mellowed out a bit to a nice dark chocolate kick on the finish.  There was not a whole lot of heat to it but what little there was was actually very pleasant in my opinion. 

Barrel Oak Merlot 2009

Lable of Barrel Oak
Merlot 2009

Merlot 2009

Varietal:  Merlot

Virginia, USA

29.00 USD

Soft and sensual with balanced acidity.  This fruit-forward Merlot represents ideal wine making condition from vine to bottle.  Barreled in American and Hungarian oak, the finish is reminiscent of espresso and warm croissant.  (Barrel Oak Winery)

I don't really remember a whole lot about this wine standing out to me.  There some red fruits on the nose but nothing overwhelmingly jumped out at me.  It did have a nice silky nose and feel to it but not much else backing that up.

BOWHaus Red 2009

BOWHaus

Label of BOWHaus
Red 2009

Red 2009
Blend:  Chambourcin, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Malbec
Virginia, USA
26.00 USD

Chambourcin with a fine blend of Merlot, Cab Franc, Syrah and Malbec.  Slightly off dry, very fully developed and highly quaffable.  Excellent with a wide variety of foods.  (Barrel Oak Winery)

This wine had a nice nose to it.  It was rich and full bodied with little heat and a slight tannic component to it.  There was a nice rich deep red fruit component which I think was cherry.  Also, thrown in there was a strange spice mixture and when I asked about it was told that that came from the Chambourcin grape.  It coated your mouth from start to finish and wasn't overly tannic.  There was a little heat on the end but nothing overwhelming and the red fruit came though nicely in the beginning and carried through towards the finish.  

BOWHaus White 2010

Label of BOWHaus
White 2010

BOWHaus
White 2010
Blend: Vidal Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc
Virginia, USA
26.00 USD


Light, fuity, sunshine in a glass!  Blend of Vidal and Sauvignon Blanc.  Riesling reminiscent and our most popular wine.  (Barrel Oak Winery)


This was a very odd wine.  It was light and fruity on the nose with something that for a while I just couldn't pick out.  It was a rich, creamy smell that after talking it over with Marie we decided it was actually a mixture of pineapple and banana.  The banana was something I was not expecting.  It also came through on taste.  It started off fairly light and crisp with some good sugars and not much heat at all and then transitioned into an almost creamy buttery banana.  To be honest it was an interesting wine to try but I'm not so sure I personally enjoy banana in my wine.  

Barrel Chardonnay 2010

Barrel Chardonnay 2010
Varietal:  Chardonnay
Virginia, USA
28.00 USD


100% Chardonnay with hints of Fuji apple, Asian pear and vanilla.  Aged Sur-lie in new French Barrels.  100% malo-lactic fermentation provides a rich, buttery finish. (Barrel Oak Winery)


This was everything I think of when I think of a Chardonnay.  It was fruity and fairly light.  It had a thickness though that coated my mouth and stayed with me through to the end.  The oak was very prevalent being aged in New French Barrels in both the nose and taste which is something that I don't mind a whole lot.  The apple and pear made pleasant appearances in the nose and held the oakyness off in the taste.  Being aged Sur-lie there was an amazing bread smell and taste too.  I was very excited to finally try a wine that was aged Sur-lie.  It did smell like they mixed beer and wine together...it was quite interesting.


(Sorry, I wasn't able to find an image of the bottle)

Mandra Rossa, Fiano 2009

Bottle of Mandra Rossa
Fiano 2009

Mandra Rossa
Fiano 2009
Sicily, Italy
Varietal:  Fiano
13.95 USD

Brilliant pale yellow with hints of green. Bouquet of ripe tropical fruits and citrus aromas. Medium-bodied and dry with elegant balance. The fruit and citrus aromas on the nose evolve on the palate in an array of fruit flavors. 

Serving Suggestions: Enjoy with chicken and turkey entrées, fish and grilled vegetables. (wine makers notes)

This was a nice light wine aromatically.  Hints of sour green apple and other citrus really made the base of the aromas.  It felt light and crisp on the nose as well.  The green apple really came through to the forefront on the first sip.  It was a strangely sour wine.  More so than I think any that I have had in a while.  There was a little heat towards the end of the and almost a fizzle kind of feel on the mouth.   

Blau 2009

Bottle of Blau 2009

Blau 2009
Montsant, Spain
Blend:  Mazuelo, Syrah and Garnacha
13.95 USD


"Cherry, pomegranate, mountain herb and smoke notes mingle in this expressive red. There's a gentle texture, yet well-integrated tannins provide structure and bright acidity enlivens the floral finish. Mazuelo, Syrah and Garnacha. Drink now through 2015 (Wine Spectator; 91 points)


This was the last of this Saturday's tastings and I do believe it was another Bourdeaux blend [at least that's what I overheard] but this wine called Spain its home.  There was some heat on the nose that was immediately apparent and it did have a bit of a burning sensation.  There was an oaky molasses paired with some kind of red fruit.  I wasn't able to pinpoint what that fruit was though.  Maybe it was the pomegranate.  I also thought I got a hint of vanilla sneaking its way around in the background.  The first thing I noticed on the first sip was the dryness and the heat of the alcohol.  After that first hit some sweetness came through that I wasn't expecting.  It almost tasted like a strawberry or raspberry jam to me and was quite nice.  But unfortunately the heat quickly came back towards the finish and overpowered much of the sweetness.   

Poggio alle Querce 2007

Bottle of Poggio alle Querce
Il Guado Bolgheri 2007 

Poggio alle Querce
Il Guado Bolgheri 2007
Tuscany, Italy
Blend:  Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
26.00 USD


Wine spectator gave this wine a 92 point rating.


Enticing plum and black cherry flavors are accented by oak spice and iron in this intense, muscular red.  Saturates the palate, eventually leaving the steeling structure to grace the finish.  The fruit echoes.  Best from 2014 through 2020.  (Vintage Cellar)




Interestingly this is another Bourdeaux Blend like the one before [post 27] but it was completely different...and better in my opinion.  The colors were similar.  A nice clear dark purple and almost opaque towards the center.  The nose exploded at you before you even got close to the glass.  I think I spent almost five minutes just smelling this wine before I realized I hadn't tasted it yet.  There wasn't the usual mob of students taking the wine class in the Vintage Cellar today (thank you Spring Break), which is why I was able to spend so much time just sniffing away to my hearts delight.  There was so much going on in the nose with this wine.  There was a definite cherry fruitiness that was coming to the forefront.  There were notes of dark chocolate mixed with a smoky oak component as well.  And strangely enough I got a kind of medicine hint as well as some rock.  If I had to describe the it more directly it was like mixing up some of the nasty cherry dimetapp and some band-aids with some gravel thrown in there for shits and giggles.  Oddly though, I kinda liked it.  In my opinion it smelled better than it tasted.  There was a component of plum coming to the forefront and spices too.  It was relatively light and dry but a nice sweetness from the plum to balance that out.  Even though it was light it had a way of sticking with you that would be more characteristic of a much heavier wine.  It did also have a bit of heat on the end.  I bet that if this does get to age to 2020 it will be one hell of a wine, and for 19.95 on sale at the Vintage Cellar I may just go get a bottle to do that with!

Beau-Rivage: Bourdeaux Rouge 2010

Bottle of Beau-Rivage
Bourdeaux Rouge 2010

Beau-Rivage
Bourdeaux Rouge 2010
Margaux, France
Blend:  Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
10.00 USD

Light raspberry and cherry jam on the nose supported by a touch of leafiness. Moderate weight on the palate - with some herbal notes and juicy raspberries finishing with good acid balance. (danmurphy's.com)

Um, so yeah I guess there were those things in there on the nose.  I can see the cherry jam one a little bit but to be quite honest I didn't get much out of the nose on this one.  Perhaps it was because I was a little bit stuffy then.  The same kinda went for the taste as well.  It was a base of a red fruit [cherries perhaps] and a strong drying tannic feel that really overpowered everything else in my opinion.  However, I understand this was supposed to be a fairly dry wine.  There was also quite a bit of heat on the end as well.   I do think that maybe if it had several hours to sit out or years to store away it would be a much better and well balanced wine.  Maybe I'll go pick up a bottle and try that out.

Faraway Farm: Chenin Blanc 2009

Bottle of Faraway Farm
Chenin Blanc 2009

Faraway Farm
Chenin Blanc 2009
Western Cape, South Africa
Varietal:  Chenin Blanc
~10.00 USD

There is a special place in Africa, far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, where soaring mountains dominate the landscape.  Tucked away behind these mountains you will find our vineyard.  this is the home of Faraway Farm.  

Our Chenin Blanc will spoil you with flavors of fresh green apple and succulent ripe melon.  Drink with close friends.  (bottle label)

It's wine Friday everyone!  Unfortunately one leg of the "wine Friday" tripod is missing in action...Derek, you know who you are!  However, Marie and I are keeping it classy this evening with a nice bottle of Faraway Farm's 2009 Chenin Blanc.  We have decided to pair this with some delectable citrus tilapia and asparagus served over a bed of rice.  In my opinion we did well with this pairing and I do have to say that I will be trying this one again.  The chenin blanc looked almost as clear as water and the green apples smacked you in the face the moment you got your nose anywhere near the glass.  You could tell that it was going to be light and citrusy with out any doubt.  There was an undertone of melon present as well on the nose but by far the green apple stood out.  Taste wise it was like squeezing  lemon and green apple juice right into your mouth.  It had a light, crisp character to it that I feel helped cut some of the sour sweetness down.  It wasn't overly sweet or dry by any means and had a spicy note to it when tasted after some of the tilapia.  It did have a bit of heat from the alcohol but it certainly wasn't overbearing.  I think without that it would have just tasted like green apple juice.  All in all this was a very pleasant wine.  It would be a good summer evening wine as well or a picnic wine for that matter.