Lazan 2009

Bottle of Lazan 2009
(sorry for the poor quality photo)

Lazan
D.O. Somontano 2009
Blend: Moristel 70% + Garnacha 30%
Barbastro, Spain
12.00 USD

Loaded with fresh red fruit flavors, loganberry and raspberry aromas leap from the glass, while the palate is long and smooth, with a very persistent finish.  Great with tomato-based Mediterranean cuisine, game and mature cheeses, we often serve this wine cool, when it makes the ideal accompaniment to oily fish and red meats. (bottle label)

So it was Friday wine night and we had a delicious dinner of pasta pesto and caprese crostinis and a bottle of 2009 Lazan The first impression of this wine was a fairly strong fruit nose to it.  I wasn't sure of what fruit but I thought cherry.  There were not to many other distinct smells that I could really come up with.  First taste was fairly smooth, with a spicy maybe peppery finish.  I wasn't able to really pick up any distinct taste to this wine.  It wasn't overly tannic or had much heat to it.  There was a fruit component but nothing jumped out at me.  The crostini was excellent with it and the pesto made it more smooth with a fruity sweetness.

Naked Mountain Cabernet Franc 2007

Bottle of Naked Mountain
 Cabernet Franc 2007

Naked Mountain 
Cabernet Franc, 2007
Blend: Cabernet Franc 80%, Merlot 9%, Petit Verdot 8%, Tannat 5%
Virginia, USA
19.00 USD

This is a medium bodied red wine with a nose that comes alive with aromas of bright berries, red currant, and a hit of spice. The well rounded tannins on the palate are accompanied with flavors of blueberry, dark cherries, plum and a hint of white pepper. A long finish with hint cocoa and toasted nut, pair it with lamb chops, breaded veal, Mediterranean cuisine, or a dark chocolate raspberry mousse. (Naked Mountain Winery)

So it's Thursday and everyone knows that tonight is family dinner night and the Office.  We were having a delicious veal stew, biscuits and rice and Marie and I thought it would be a nice pairing if we brought over our bottle of Cabernet Franc we got this winter from a Winery named Naked Mountain that is located in Markham, Virginia.  Also, this was a thank you from me to Derek for helping Marie pin-up her drawings for her big review tomorrow.  He has been saying he has wanted to have a Cabernet Franc soon.

 Anyways, on to the review:

 The first smell was a bit spicy on the nose.  It wasn't the same kind of alcohol burn but more of a strange mixture of spices.  There was a slight sweet, oaky body to it as well.  It just seemed like a thick wine just from the smell.  The sweetness I think was partly some cherry coming though but I'm still not entirely sure on that it was really the only red fruit smell that I could come up with.  I did, however, jokingly mention something about red current mostly because that was the only other thing coming to mind but again I have no idea what it actually smells or tastes like.  Ironic that it was actually in the description above.  The first sip was a bit strong.  Lots of tannins and some fruit with a slight peppery burn towards the end of the sip and lingering after in the back of the mouth and throat.  After a while Derek and I decided that the slight fruity taste was cherry but were unable to really nail it down.  I'm not sure about the plum or blueberry (maybe if I go back and try it again with that in mind I would be able to pick that up) but for sure the pepper.  It was awesome!  The wine with the stew was great.  The stew itself was very rich and full of pepper (we can thank Carl for that) and strangely enough it smoothed out the wine while enhancing the pepper.  I mean the first time I took a sip after eating some of the stew it was like drinking silk with an explosion of pepper at the end.  I didn't really get a huge flavor difference other than maybe some of the fruitiness coming out a bit more.  All in all it was a lot of fun to drink this wine and experience it with the food we had. 

Emma Pearl 2009

Bottle of Emma Pearl Merlot

Emma Pearl 2009
Merlot
California, USA
18.00 USD


Fresh juicy cherries and ripe sun-kissed raspberries grown on California’s Central coast come to mind when swirling the 2009 Merlot in the glass. On the palate, the welcoming fruit-laced nose gives way to delicate notes of exotic spices, vanilla and soft silky tannins. The finish is velvety smooth with lingering notes of pomegranates and cherries. It’s easy to pair this charming wine with the likes of strawberry vinaigrette salad or roasted lamb with red plum sauce. (cellar360.com)

With a deep, rich, velvety red color; this merlot has a strong presence smell wise that seemed to coat my nose and mouth instantly with a nice oaky richness.  There was also some kind of fruit which I thought was possibly a cherry but I'm still not quite sure about that.  The wine had a nice smooth fullness to it with a light heat that crept up towards the middle and end.  There was a pleasant mix of oak and what I couldn't nail down but what I thought was either cherry or strawberry.

This is definitely a wine I'd like to have again.

Risata Moscato 2010

Bottle of Risata

Risata
Moscato d'Asti 2010
Asti, Italy
Moscato Grapes
16.00 USD

This Moscato d’Asti is fresh, fragrant, and frizzante with vibrant, flavors and aromas of ripe stone fruit, tangerines, and honey. The wine is concentrated and flavorful, but not overly rich or heavy; sweet, yet balanced. (prestigewinegroup.com)

This moscato had a sweet but not overly sweet smell to it.  It was a nice balance of the floral honeysuckle, rich fruits and a bit of honey thrown in there.  I wasn't able to really nail down any particular fruit smell though.  It was surprisingly light, crisp and clean given the sweetness of the smell.  It had a nice overtone of honey and seemed to bubble on the tongue all the way through to the finish.

It was a great moscato and definitely one of Marie's favorites so far.  We will probably be getting this one sometime soon...as soon as we save up the money.

One Hope 2009

Bottle of One Hope Chardonnay

One Hope 2009
Chardonnay
California, USA
12.00 USD

ONEHOPE California Chardonnay is hand-crafted with a blend of grapes from select vineyards throughout Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast of California. Our Chardonnay is blended with Muscat and Chenin Blanc displaying a pale gold color with aromas of fresh apple blossom and honeysuckle. Flavors of crisp pear and apple are vibrant on the palate, while its balanced oak and bright acidity makes this wine a great match with broiled or grilled seafood, poultry dishes and a wide assortment of cheeses. (WINEMAKER ROB MONDAVI JR.)

My first impression of this wine was its incredible color and clarity that for some reason really caught my eye.  Compared to the wine in my previous post it was a much sweeter smelling wine with a bit more body to the nose.  It wasn't quite as crisp and clean to me.  It also had some kind of what I think of as an oaky wood nose.  Upon tasting  the wine I found it to actually be a very crisp and clear wine.  It had a very strong citrus edge to it but was still a very smooth wine all the way through and lingered a bit after the swallow.  

In the time I had to sample the wine I wasn't able to really pick up on the apple blossom or honeysuckle smells but this is definitely a wine I will be going back to get more of in the near future.

Bolla Soave 2010

Bottle of Bolla Soave

Bolla Soave 2010
Veneto, Italy
Blend: Garganega + Trebbiano grapes
~11.00 USD

Bolla

"Soave" means “soft” in Italian, and the soft floral bouquet and clean pear and lemon flavors help this wine live up to its name. A delicate almond aftertaste makes it the perfect quaff to lighter fare like grilled seafood, chicken, fish-based pastas, and entrée salads. It also makes a perfect aperitif. (Winery's notes)

This was a pleasant wine to try at the Vintage Cellar.  It was very light and crisp from the very start.  It wasn't overly sweet smelling and had a nice citrus hint to it.  Pear was immediately evident but not overpowering the other aromas.  There was a floral perfumey scent that I wasn't able to nail down.  It was a smooth wine all the way through each sip with almost no heat and the pear came through very evidently.  It was a good wine that I'd like to come back to and enjoy a whole bottle of.

Dona Sol 2008

Bottle of Dona Sol
White Zinfandel

Dona Sol 2008
White Zinfandel
A blend of Zinfandel and Blush
Sonoma, California USA 
~5.00 USD

WINEMAKER NOTES:

“Doña Sol White Zinfandel is a voluptuous blush wine that has hints of strawberry and fresh fruit in its wide range of aromas.  As the wine flows into the palate, fresh fruit and sweet cherries are evident.  The wine ends with a smooth sweet finish.” (John Allbaugh, Winemaker)

FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

”Pair this White Zinfandel with seafood (light & heavy), shellfish, pork, cheese, poultry, and desserts.”

(John Allbaugh, Winemaker)

The wine maker's notes are spot on with this wine.  It's smell is thick and rich with sweetness that you can almost feel.  There are tons of fruit smells coming though but strangely I get more of a sweet raisin bread kinda smell out of it more than any other fruit smell.  There is maybe a slight honey scent as well.  It is smooth with almost no hint of any alcohol to it and it carries through to a silky finish that coats your mouth.  As with the smell, the flavor I get the most is a raisin with other fruits [possibly strawberry like the winemaker says but I really can't tell that well] in the background.  There is a slight hint of some kinda citrus as well as vanilla.  It is certainly an easy drinking wine that would go well with any dessert course.

....Maybe the raisin taste is the cherries?


After thought:  This kinda reminds me of my mother's Bourbon Balls she makes during Christmas.