Tasting- Becca Tovana

Name: Becca Tovana

Variety: Old Vine Garnacha
Region: Munebrega

Country: Spain

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Shop 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." - Vintage Cellar

My Review: This wine was very very dry. It tasted a little bit smokey with a hint of blackberry to it. The finish on this wine tasted almost like caramel or a chocolate to me. It also had a tiny hint of pepperiness to it, which made it unique. Overall, I thought that there were too many flavors going on in this wine, and it wasn't one of my favorites. 

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine. 

Tasting- Marques de Caceres

Name: Marques de Caceres 

Variety: Verdejo
Region: Rueda

Country: Spain

Year: 2013

Price: $9.95

Shop 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." - Vintage Cellar

My Review: My first impression of this wine when I was smelling it was that it was going to be kind of tart. It almost smelled a little bit yeasty. When I tasted it, I was surprised because I actually liked it. I thought that this wine was very unique. It had a little bit of a bite to it and it tasted maybe like and apple or a pear, or even a dried peach or apricot. 

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine. 

Tasting- Dibon Cava

Name: Dibon Cava 

Variety: 25% Xarel-lo, 45% Macabeo, 30% Parellada 
Region: Catalonia

Country: Spain

Year: not listed

Price: $9.95

Shop 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. " - Vintage Cellar

My Review: I liked this wine, but it was a little more tart than I would prefer. There is only one way to describe this wine to me. Safe. With a light gold color and body, green apple and floral nose nothing stood out at first. The taste had a slightly bitter bite almost immediately, followed by the tingling effervescence and a grapefruit finish. Unless you’re a fan of grapefruit, I’d pass on this one.

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine. 

Tasting- Hahn Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling

Name: Hahn Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling 

Variety: 100% Riesling 
Region: Piesport

Country: Germany

Year: not listed

Price: $9.95

Shop Review: "This wine’s light, airy mouthfeel belies its sweetness and intensity of flavor. Honeyed pineapple aromas; similar flavors on the palate, adding gentle citrus notes toward the long, sweet finish." - Vintage Cellar

My Review: I was excited to taste this wine because I typically like Rieslings, and this wine did not let me down. I loved all of the fruity flavors to this wine both when smelling and tasting it. I primarily tasted a honey tropical fruit from this wine, and it was extremely refreshing. This wine also had a slight floral finish to it, which made this wine go down so smooth. I think this wine would be perfect for a summer night, and I would definitely consider purchasing it in the future. 

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine. 

Tasting- Tres Ojos Garnacha Calatayud

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha Calatayud 

Variety: 75% Garnacha, 15% Tempranillo 
Region: Calatayud

Country: Spain

Year: 2012

Price: $6.95

Shop Review: "88 points – Robert Parker The 2012 Tres Ojos Garnacha contains 15% Tempranillo (I wonder why), and unoaked cuvée of 200,000 bottles that matures in vat for at least seven months before bottling. What I tasted was a very honest, fresh and fruit-driven red with aromas of cherries, garrigue and thyme with a medium-bodied palate, some weight and tannins that would do better with food. This is a red that sells for a song." - Vintage Cellar

My Review: I did not like this wine at all. I felt like this wine was extremely bold and it came on too strong with all of the flavors. From smelling it alone, I could sense the spices and herbs of this wine. When I tasted this wine, the cherry flavor was almost overwhelming and the herbal hints were not complimentary to the flavoring of this wine. I don't think I would ever consider purchasing this wine in the future. 

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine. 

Tasting- Torre Castillo Cosecha Monastrell

Name: Torre Castillo Cosecha Monastrell

Variety: 100% Monastell
Region: Jumilla

Country: Spain

Year: 2011

Price: $7.95

Shop Review: "89 points - Stephen Tanzer 100% Monastrell, aged in American oak for four months. Bright ruby. Powerful, spicy aromas of dark berry preserves and lavender. Fleshy and round on the palate, offering spicy blackberry and blueberry flavors and gaining sweetness with air. Finishes smooth, long and slightly warm. " - Vintage Cellar

My Review: I was not the biggest fan of this wine. However, I could definitely pull the blueberry flavors from this wine and I found that to be very unique because I haven't tasted that flavor in a wine before. This wine both smelt and tasted very earthy to me. It reminded me a lot of the sediment of the earth, but it also had weird hints of vanilla and cherry. Overall, I wasn't a fan of this wine, but I think that it had a good balance of all of the different unique flavors. 

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine. 

Tasting- Chateau Suau Bordeaux Rose

Name: Chateau Suau Bordeaux Rose 

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Bordeaux

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $18.00 (Regular) $7.95 (Sale) 

Shop Review: "88 points - Stephen Tanzer 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Light, lurid pink.  Tangerine, raspberry and white pepper on the fragrant nose.  Juicy and focused in the mouth, offering zesty red berry flavors with a refreshingly bitter edge.  Closes clean and tight, with lingering spiciness and a touch of orange zest." - Vintage Cellar

My Review: Again, I really liked this wine. I found the peppery spice of this wine to be very surprising. I wasn't expecting this Rose to be spicy at all, so it was definitely unexpected. I really liked the fruity flavors of this wine, but it was also unexpectedly bitter. This wine really reminded me of a chocolate covered frozen cherry or a tangerine, and I liked that this wine was able to catch me be by surprise in so many different ways. 

Food: I drank this wine at the Vintage Cellar tasting, so I was unable to pair any foods to this wine.