Wine 32: Shiraz

Another filler wine while waiting for something new to try. The important thing about filler wines is to just make sure they are cheap and good.

Black Opal, Shiraz 2009
color: dark garnet
aroma: forgot
taste: It was dark and slightly smoky. I forget anything beyond that.
rating: good

Wine 31: Castillo Red

More catch up. This is the last of the Florida wines I have and then I will be moving on to some more pedestrian wines, then some Serbian stuff. I also just made a decent sized order including some charbono, which I've wanted to try for a long time.

San Sebastian Winery, Castillo Red
color: blood red
aroma: raspberry
taste: It was light and tangy with light tannins, cranberry and a little strawberry.
rating: decent

Wine 30: Blanc Du Bois

Well, I had nanowrimo so there has been a bit of delay in doing posts. So, not that anyone is paying attention, there will be a cluster of posts wrapping up the Florida wines.

San Sebastian Winery, Blanc Du Bois 2010
color: light straw
aroma: vanilla, floral, grape
taste: light vanilla, orange aftertaste?
rating: average

Wine #29: Cream Sherry

Is this a wine? Close enough for me. I got this because the winery had one wine I wanted and had a three bottle minimum order.

San Sebastian, Cream Sherry
color: amber
aroma: honey, vanilla
taste: It was slightly sweet, honey aftertaste, golden raisin, mango, and orange. This lasted a while because I drank it in small doses.
rating: good

Wine #28: Frappato

I didn't get a picture of this, I just forgot.

FiaNobile, Frappato 2007
color: ruby red
aroma: plum, oak, raspberry
taste: I thought it needed to breathe. I hoped the tannins would die out and maybe some fruits would emerge, but it never happened. The overall flavor was warm, earthy, with round tannins.
rating: average

Wine #27: Grolleau

As a disclaimer, there could have been some heat damage for this wine. I had this shipped against the company's advice.

Le Cousin Rouge, Grolleau
color: cherry, slightly bubbly
aroma: floral, honey, raspberry
taste: It was slightly carbonated. There was raspberry and it was kind of light and fruity, but it had a leathery aftertaste that ruined everything. The aftertaste made me think it might be heat damage, because it was so out of character with the rest of the wine's taste.
rating: below average

Wine #26: Nero D'Avola

I don't have a picture of this one because I picked it up at a restaurant. I had my doubts when I saw it had a screw cap, but I guess it makes sense for a restaurant to avoid corks.

Rocca, 2008 Nero D'Avola
color: garnet
aroma: berries, cheery, vine
taste: It tasted like raspberry with medium tannins, and a touch of indian gum.
rating: good

Something

I have no idea what this wine is. The website I bought it from said it is Pineau d'Aunis. The bottle says it is Pinot Noir, and the web in general says it is 50% Pineau d'Aunis and 50% Cot. This isn't the first time this site that I ordered from mislabeled what they were selling. Blagh.

You Are so Beautiful, 2009
color: rose
aroma: floral and berries with some oak
taste: It was smooth no strong smoke, which points to it not being a Pinot Noir. The flavors were cherry, raspberry, and oak. Overall it had a tart finish.
rating: good

Wine #25: Gaglioppo

The wine that took over 2 months to ship. I wish it was worth the wait, but that would have to be a great wine.

Duca Sanfelice Librandi, 1999 Gaglioppo
color: dark garnet
aroma: tabacco, berries, some spice
taste: It started of with soft tannins, cinnamon, raspberries. Seemed like it needs to breathe. Came on bolder and tangier later.
rating: good

Wine #24: Beaujolais

They finally shipped my latest shipment. It took 2 months and of the four wines I ordered, they sent one. That meant the wine cost 18 and the shipping cost 15. I try to make large orders to spread the cost around. I doubt I'll ever order from those guys again.

Louis Jadot, 2008 Beaujolais-Villages
color: apple red
aroma: berries, oak?
taste: It is strawberries and tart apples. Light and served cold.
rating: average

Wine #23: Mataro

Still waiting for my wine shipment, tomorrow I'll tell them to either ship it or cancel it. So, I picked up from the shop a Mataro aka. Monastrell or Mourvédre.

Three Spinelli, 2007 Mataro
color: garnet
aroma: cherry, oak, tobacco
taste: Overall it was dry and tannic with maybe a bit of smoke, and some raspberry.
rating: good

Wine #22:Zweigelt

Still waiting for my wine shipment to come in so more from the local liquor store.

Zantho, 2006 Zweigelt
color: dark ruby
aroma: leather, berry
taste: pretty light overall with berry, plum, and light tannins. There was some cranberry later on.
rating: average

Wine #21: Garnacha

Still waiting for my next batch of wine. In an email the support person said they had only one of the four wines I ordered in stock. That's what you get for drinking obscure stuff.

Las Rocas, 2007 Garnacha
color: garnet
aroma: spice, leather, earth
taste: the first day it had leather with a touch of strawberry, slightly tannic, oak. It became more balanced with time.
rating: good

Wine #20: Norton

No photo for this one. I finished it a while ago and am waiting for my next (long delayed) shipment. This is also not the best Norton I've ever had. That was probably from Keswick vineyards.

Hinnant Family Vineyards, 2006 Norton
color: a dark inky red
aroma: spice, raspberry, tobacco
taste: it initially had light tannins with berry and tobacco flavors. There were more tannins later and the berry became more of an aftertaste.

rating: average

Wine #19: Noble

This is a two for one post. I saw a winery offering Muscadine and Noble wine. I therefore got both and because they had a three bottle minimum order the Norton I will be reviewing next week. I then realized that Muscadine is a family of grapes of which Noble is one. I really just ended up with two Nobles, but luckily they are made differently. One is a sweet while the other is dry. I have been looking for this at other wineries so that I might try a dry Concord or Catawba (as opposed to the sickeningly sweet versions I've had so far).

Hinnant Family Vineyards, Tar Heel Red (Noble)
color: a dark rose, or a light red
aroma: syrup, strawberry, raspberry
taste: a slightly sweet grape flavor but nowhere near cloying. Overall it had a light fruity taste with grape and strawberry.
rating: average

Hinnant Family Vineyards, Noble
color: cherry
aroma: alot less syrup, strawberry
taste: this was similar in overall flavor to the Tar Heel Red but alot less sweet. The strawberry was still there but less grape. Overall, still a fruity wine and no real tannin.
rating: average

Wine #18: Cabernet Sauvignon

Finally getting to the most popular red wine today. Obviously I've had it before, but I tend to avoid it. I resent the fact that it takes up 1/4 of all shelf space available even though most of them are mediocre and taste similar.

Chateau Ste Michelle, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
color: inky purple
aroma: tannin, cherry, vanilla
taste: it has smooth tannins, with vanilla and dark cherry pop (it was slightly carbonated). The pop went away as it degassed, which left it with more earth, tannin, and berry.
rating: Good

Wine #17: Zinfandel

A relatively common wine because I am waiting for yet another shipment. Next week will be the same thing. I have three wines that should be coming in soon. Still, I really don't mind going back and trying wine I liked the first time around.

Gnarly Head, 2007 Old Vine Zin
color: cherry
aroma: tabacco, cherry, earth
taste: a bit of tannin and some raisin. Also some berry, and vanilla that made for a good balance to start. It ended up with soft tannins, cherry, and a bit of strawberry.
rating: Good

Wine #16: Negrette

And now the negrette I mentioned last week.

Santa Barbara Winery, 2006 Negrette
color: ruby red
aroma: leather, cinnamon, cherry
taste: its smooth, a bit of tannin and earth, maybe some strawberry. Eventually the tannin drops out and the flavor becomes raisin and strawberry.
rating: Good

Wine #15: Nebbiolo

Another wine I've had before I started blogging. I wanted the Negrette wine this winery offered, and bought this wine along with it. Wineries almost always have a minimum shipping charge and it just makes sense to spread it over more than one bottle. Anyway...

 

Santa Barbara Winery, 2005 Nebbiolo

color: dark red apple
aroma: candy apple, roses, and cinnamon
taste: it started out with mostly berry, and a bit of earth and spice. The tannins were low to begin with and then grew while keeping some nice berry in aftertaste.

rating: Good

Wine #14: Touriga

Vintage really does make a big difference in taste. I had this wine a few years ago and it was one of my favorites. I have it again and it is considerably less impressive. Perhaps I have just had more wines and am more educated about what makes for a good bottle. The varietal is a Touriga. There are two Tourigas, and I don't know which one this is.

 

Keswick Vineyards, 2008 Touriga

color: dark garnet
aroma: strawberry and indian gum
taste: there are light tannins and a bit of green apple, cherry, and strawberry. The fruitiness deminished a bit over the week.

rating: average

Wine #13: Negroamaro

Briefly back to wines I've never had before.

 

La Pisara, 2003 Negroamaro

color: dark ruby
aroma: cranberry like a cranapple drink
taste: a really light wine with just a tiny bit of tannins. A little strawberry, raspberry and slightly earthy.
Rating: average

Wine #9.2: Bonarda

The first repeat. I wondered for a while how to label these.

 

Finca El Reposo, 2006 Bonarda

color: dark magenta
aroma: berry, earthy, citrus?
taste: To start there were soft tannins, some raisin and tobacco with a bit of cherry. The next day it had more bite with plum later.
Rating: good

Wine #12: Dornfelder

On to the wines I received for Christmas. I have had a Dornfelder 2 times before, with the second try being an uber-sweet desert wine. Gladly, the third try was more like the first than the second.

 

Fritz Windisch, 2006 Dornfelder

color: garnet

aroma: dark earthy plum
taste: To begin with it was light, not at all dry, little tannin, and fruity (cherry and strawberry). It had less fruit more of an earthy balance the second day. Never much tannin.

Rating: Good

Wine #11: Blackberry honeywine

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I didn't know what I was getting when I bought this. The website listed Abouriou as the varietal, so I was disappointed when I got it and the bottle clearly said "no grapes". I drank it but wasn't happy about it. I definitely preferred the hard cider.

HoneyRun Proprietor's Reserve Blackberry Honeywine

color: dark purplish red
aroma: honey
taste: like blackberry juice with more body to it. The honey makes up the aftertaste. I don't really like strong honey tastes. Slightly sweet but not by much.

Rating: drinkable

Wine #10: Duras

Soon I will have another Bonarda to review and I can't decide whether to add the new review to the old post or create a new entry. Onward.

Plageoles, 2005 Duras

color: garnet
aroma: plum earthy vanilla
taste: Smooth, a little strawberry, dark earthy with low tannins. Tannins are the dominant flavor and yet it is still a light wine. Interesting

Rating: good

Wine #9: Bonarda

I got this Bonarda online, thinking I would never come across it anywhere else, then I got another bottle for Christmas. It getting harder for people to give me obscure wines at this point.

Nieto Senetiner, 2006 Bonarda
color: dark inky purple
aroma: strawberry, some cherry and floral parts
taste: The first day it had a little bit of plum and tannins and was overall dark and earthy. Later it the dark tannins became stronger with a bit of tobacco/leather and a little plum.
Rating: Good

Wine #8: Petit Rouge

This varietal is supposedly from a small valley in the Italian alps. It was not on my list of varietals before I ordered it which makes me think it is really petite syrah with a regional name, but I like petite syrah so even if it isn't a new varietal I still don't mind drinking it.

Grosjean Freres 2006, Torrette

color: ruby red
aroma: dark cherries, earthy
taste: smooth and light, slightly carbonated, almost no flavor to start with. Gets better and more earthy with time and some raspberry flavor comes out as well. Not worth drinking for the first hour but great after that.
Rating: Very Good