Tasting - Cortenova

Name: Cortenova
Variety: Primitivo
Region: 
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:  Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and
black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and
velvety on the palate. Great balance and structure.
Excellent with grilled or roasted meats, game and
cheeses.

My review:  This was a very dark wine.  On the nose their were aromas of earth, dirt and plum.  This wine was extremely tannic and was more a feeling experience than one of taste.  I could not register any tastes of the tannins.  Perhaps a big steak would compliment this wine.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Canyon Road

Name: Canyon Road
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:  This Pinot Noir expresses tantalizing flavors of ripe cherry and wild raspberry, and finishes with brown, vanilla spices and a smooth finish.

My review:  It was clear from the start that this was a Pinot Noir due to the light color.  The wine smelled like old leaves, smoke and dirt.  It is autumn.  Earthy tastes dominated this wine.  It was full bodied.  I enjoyed this wine but it was not my favorite.  This was not a wine that was designed to be consumed without food.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Oak Vineyards

Name: Oak Vineyards
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  This light straw-colored Oak Vineyards 2010
Chardonnay expresses smokey aromatics with nuances of apple and lemon zest that continue onto the palate where they flourish into citrus, orange blossom, and smoked oak flavors until meeting a crisp, medium finish. 

My review:  This wine was light, pale yellow color.  Scents of rubber and creme hit the nose first.  They were the most apparent smells but were not very strong. This wine had clearly been oaked but it was no overwhelming.  It had a very smooth feel with just a hint of acidity.  This was a great full bodied wine.  One of the better Chardonnay's that I have tasted at the Vintage Cellar.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Saurussel

Name: Poysdorfer Saurussel
Variety: Gruner Veltliner
Region: 
Country: Austria
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:  Crisp lime flavors, white pepper and lentils, followedby a mouthful of mineral notes and gooseberry. A long lingering finish. A great accompaniment to any Asian or fresh seafood dishes. 

My review:  This wine was almost completely clear.  The wine had a strong pear smell.  Alcohol also came through in the "sniffy sniff."  The wine was light bodied.  It was oaky and creamy.  It was a pleasant wine. This wine would be great with some asiago cheese.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Opera Prima

Name: Opera Prima
Variety: Sweet White
Region: 
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The flavor package of tropical fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn’t offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor.

My review:  This wine holds up to its name.  It was very sweet.  The wine had a golden yellow color as can been seen in the picture. I did not get to see how the wine looked in my glass because it was turned pink because of some red wine that was still in the glass.  The smell was like walking into a room full of hard candy.  The wine was very sweet almost just like sugar water.  The texture was very smooth and thicker than most wines.  This wine was OK.  At least  this wine tells you exactly what to expect.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Senda 66

Name: Senda 66
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: 
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:  90 Points, Robert Parker

“The 2008 Senda 66 spent 8 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color, it sports a fragrant nose of spice box, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, layered, and remarkably rich on the palate for its humble price, this lengthy effort will drink nicely over the next 5-6 years.”

My review:  This wine was very dark and had a violet hue.  The smell was very sweet again: full of strawberries, raspberries, sugar, and Twizzlers.  The texture was super smooth almost like silk.  That feeling quickly disapated and the wine became very tannic and acidic.  The wine was more of a textural experience than one of taste.  This wine was OK but not my favorite.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.

Tasting - Sierra Cruz Carmenere

Name: Sierra Cruz
Variety: Camenere
Region: 
Country: Chile
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Winery Review:  As a member of the cabernet sauvignon family, carmenere (pronounced car-men-yare) originated in

Bordeaux as one of the grapes permitted for use in the red blends of that storied region. Chilean winemakers have embraced it and several wineries in that country produce it as a single varietal. The ’09 Sierra Cruz is a very pleasant, soft,  ediumbodied wine that has fresh cabernet-like aromas and

flavors of spice, dark fruit and black pepper. It is a great value and also would be a nice match with marinated and grilled skirt or flank steak.

My review:  Another weird wine.  This wine was not flawed but was not my type.  The color was almost black.  The nose was just like I walked into the veggie section of the grocery store.  All I could smell was leaf lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots.  The taste was very vinegar like so it seems the salad was completed with a vinegar based dressing.  I like to eat my salad, not drink it.


I tasted this wine on its own without food.