Tasting- Ebano Ribera del Duero Tempranillo

Name: Ebano Ribera del Duero Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: Ribera del Duero

Country: Spain

Year: 2007

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "87 Points, Robert Parker, The 2007 Ebano 6 is 100% Tempranillo aged 4 months in French oak. Dark ruby red in color, it displays a pleasant bouquet of cedar, spice box, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium- to fullbodied on the palate with savory flavors and plenty of spice, this racy, vibrant Tempranillo has enough structure to drink well over the next 5-6 years and is a very good value."

My Review: This wine had an overpowering smell of tobacco as well as fruit and spices. The spices were heavily present in the taste of the wine and there was some heat for an aftertaste. I was shocked that there was not fruit in the taste of this wine. A medium bodied wine with not much to it besides the spices in the taste and smell.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Lost Vineyards Vihno de Mesa Tinto

Name: Lost Vineyeards Vihno de Mesa Tinto

Variety: Tinto

Region: N/A

Country: Portugal

Year: Nonvintage

Price: $3.95

Wine Critic Review: "Pours a light garnet color with a nice crisp zest, with aromas of cranberries and orange peel on the nose. Drinks smooth with a briary of mild cherries, wild strawberries and raspberries along
with a note of rhubarb. Pairs particularly well with wild game and heavy fish such as salmon."

My Review: The smell of this wine consisted of dark berries, cherries, and was very oaky. I was very intrigued with this wine because the tasting had branched off from the interesting white wines I had tried. The taste consisted of subtle hints of berries and cherries, to me it was a light red wine. Also, the wine had some nice hear at first, however, there was none present for an aftertaste. Overall, a light-medium bodied wine which was did not have anything special to it.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Torrent Bay Chardonnay

Name: Torrent Bay Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: South Island
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "Fleshy, melony aromas cuddle some fresh oak. The palate has decent acidity so there’s freshness along with weight, resiny oakflavors, lemon and green apple."

My Review: This wine smelled like cat pee as well as a moldy/wetneess/moisture smell was present. The taste was not bad, there were some hints of citrus fruits present and it did linger on my palate for an okay aftertaste. Another light bodied wine that was a little better than the Spanish Vines I had tried right before this wine.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Spanish Vines Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Spanish Vines Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $4.95

Wine Critic Review: "85 Points, Wine Enthusiast Apple and floral notes and then an almost buttery palate with baked apple and citrus flavors."

My Review: The smell of this wine reminded me of cat pee, which was not pleasant at all. The smell was so overpowering that I was very weary of tasting the wine. The taste was aweful, the cat pee was present and it was extremely bitter. It did not taste good and I was disappointed that I could not taste any sort of fruit. A light bodied wine that I would never drink again.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Muscanti Brut

Name: Muscanti Brut
Variety: Brut
Region: Gironi
Country: Spain
Year: Nonvintage
Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "Lemon blossoms, green apple, toast and honeydew melon are front and center in this crisp refreshing Spanish Sparkler. Silky supple with lingering flavors, yet a tingle of citric acid on the finish. A combination of traditional cava grapes but this wine is not made in the traditional méthode champenoise (which is required by Spanish law to be called Cava). This is made with the Charmat process so this wine may only be called ‘Spanish sparkling wine’."

My Review: The smell of this sparking wine was bubbly with apples and citrus fruits. The taste of this wine was okay to me, I could not get over the intensity of the carbonation that was present. Also, there was not much to it, it was a little crisp and I got some heat on my tongue as an aftertaste. Overall, this was a light bodied wine and I was not that impressed. I have had other Bruts before and this was rather lackluster to me.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine
Variety: Riesling
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: "Flint and mineral notes accent pineapple and lime aromas, while on the palate, the wine shows plenty of ripe, citrusy fruit flavors. Tangy acids on the long finish provide balance."

My Review: The smell of the wine was full of citrus, grassy, floral ,and gave off an aroma that it was going to be a very sweet wine. When I tasted the wine because I was pleasantly surprised because it was not as sweet as I thought. Instead it was tart which was interesting because I have only tasted sweet Rieslings. Citrus was present while I first tasted the wine and lingered as an aftertaste. A light bodied wine which was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend to my friends!

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Don Ramon Tinto

Name: Don Ramon

Variety: 75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo

Region: Campo de Borja

Country: Spain

Year: 2008

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo. Aged 3 months in American Oak

casks. Ruby red in color, with creamy aromas of earth and cherry. Flavor turns toward deeper and darker black cherry and raspberry on a medium framework. A subtle earthiness underneath the bright fruit adds some depth and complexity."

My Review: The smell of the wine was very intense, very oaky, with dark berries and cherry was heavily present here. The flavor of the wine was explosive, I definitely could taste the presence of dark berries and cherry. The aftertaste of the wine which consisted of some spice was really good and lingering. To me this was a full bodied wine and was my favorite red wine that I tried during the tasting at the Vintage Cellar.

This wine was not tried with food.