Tasting - Crane Lake

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: White Zinfandel

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: 
Light pink wine with floral and tropical aromas: flavors of strawberry, peach and raspberry with a touch of sweetness. This wine is an easy sipping wine that also pairs well with a wide variety of foods ranging from crab cakes or pâté to spicy Asian dishes, glazed ham, and grilled sea bass.

My Review:  This wine had a smell of strawberries and other fruity flavors. It was very sweet in taste and smooth. I was unable to pick up many flavors on this wine because the taste of the Vina Galana from before dominated this wine.

Tasting - Vina Galana

Name: Vina Galana

Variety: Alicante Bouchet

Country: Spain

Year: 2012

Price: $9.95

Winery Review:  From the rare Alicante Bouchet, one of the few grapes in the world with red flesh  this wine has a plush texture carring flavors of brandied cherry and chocolate ganache in this round red. Light tannins and gentle acidity impart a lovely, balanced structure.

My Review:  This wine had a mild smell with a hint of spice.  The flavor was of oak or wood and had a burnt taste to it. It was also very dry. Overall, I did not like this wine.

Tasting - Tonnino

Name: Tonnino

Variety: Syrah

Region: Sicily

Country:Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $7.95

Winery Review:  An intense red color. Aromas of violet and blackcurrant enriched by hints of liquorice and black pepper. In the mouth it is full, round, slightly tannic and with a spicy note on the finish.

My Review:  To me this wine tasted strongly of raspberries. There was also a very strong alcohol taste to it and it was very dry. Finally, there was a both bitter and spicy aftertaste. Overall, I did not particularly like this wine.

Tasting - Riebeek Cellars

Name: Riebeek Cellars

Variety: Viognier

Region: Swartland

Country: South Africa

Year: 2015

Price: $7.95

Winery Review:  This is a luscious viognier, featuring a deep yellow color, that explodes with juicy peach and honeysuckle flavors. Viognier can easily become flabby, but this one manages to keep its figure within bounds. I recommend this for immediate, lip-smacking enjoyment.

My Review:  This wine had a very mild smell and also a very light taste. It was also very moist, in the opposite way that a lot of wines make your mouth feel dry. I tasted peaches in this sample. Finally,  I thought this wine was very smooth.

Tasting - Dom Michael Thomas

Name: Dom Michael Thomas

Variety: Sancerre Rose

Region: Loire

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Winery Review:  Bright orange-pink. Lively, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh red berries, orange peel and honeysuckle, with a hint of anise building in the glass. Dry and nervy in the mouth, offering vibrant strawberry and orange pith flavors and a suggestion of rose pastille. The floral element comes back on the finish, which lingers with very good spicy persistence.

My Review:  This wine had a bitter fore and aftertaste to it. I tasted a very strong flavor of white grape with a hint of orange peel. I also tasted a little peach in this wine. Contrary to the first and aftertaste the mid taste was very sweet. I enjoyed the transition of bitter to sweet to bitter this wine provided.

Tasting - Crane Lake

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: Gewurtztraminer

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  Slightly high-toned notions of rose petal mingle with lemon on nose and palate of this lightly sweet, richly textured yet balanced Gewürztraminer. This is not as heady as you may expect and will be a treat with spicy Asian dishes. Lychee and rose petal make another very fetching appearance on the finish.

My Review:  This wine had both a very sweet smell and taste to it. I would describe the flavor as being of watermelon or some other sort of melon.  Overall, this was definitely my favorite sample of the day.

Tasting - Codirosso

Name: Codirosso

Variety: Chianti

Region: Tuscany

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $7.95

Winery Review:  Ruby red color with purple reflections.  Intense vinous bouquet with hints of violets and dark cherry fruit. The flavor is full of ripe fruit and a hint of spice. It is well balanced and dry. The finish is persistent and satisfying.

My Review:  To me, this sample had a very mild floral flavor.  It also gave off a very strong smell of alcohol. Finally, this sample was dry. Overall, I was not very impressed by this wine. It seemed to have no depth of flavor.

Tasting - Indwe

Name: Indwe

Variety: Pinotage

Country: South Africa

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  “A disclaimer: I have never cared much for Pinotage, the indigenous South African grape variety, but this 2013 Pinotage from Indwe, named after the country's national bird, the blue crane, comes across like a light Pinot Noir. Subtle notes of cherries, spice and forest floor are followed by a round, light to medium-bodied, pure, seductive, well-crafted wine.” Drink now-2016.

My Review:  I first detected scents of both floral and spice.  I smelt the scent of cloves and other spices similar to those used in like a pumpkin pie. My impression on the taste of this wine is the following: very spicy, very smooth, and very dry. The spice was overpowering though and left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Overall, this was my least favorite sample of the day.

Tasting - Palacio de Bornos

Name: Palacio de Bornos

Variety: Verdejo

Region: Reuda

Country: Spain

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  Zesty and clean, with pure grapefruit and passion fruit aromas. It’s charged up but perfectly balanced, with bright, focused citrus and pineapple flavors. Lemony acidity keeps the finish rolling, then throw in some chive and fresh greens and you have a spot-on Verdejo.

My Review:  My initial impression of this wine was that it had a very sweet scent to it. I tasted very fruity flavors with a hint of citrus or pineapple. The initial taste was very mild and almost watery.  Finally, there was a spicy aftertaste to this sample.  Overall, I thought this was a pretty good wine.

Tasting - Tonnino

Name: Tonnino

Variety: Grillo

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $7.95

Winery Review:  Fruit-forward and tangy, this light-bodied, snappy white offers flavors of guava, apricot, candied grapefruit zest and stone. Drink now. 20,000 cases made.

My Review:  To me, this wine very much represents a classic white wine.  When I think of white wine these are the flavors that I think of.  I get a very strong white grape flavor that is slightly bitter. Overall I think this is a decent wine.

Tasting - Peter Mertes

Name: Peter Mertes

Variety: Platinum Riesling

Country: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: $9.95

Winery Review:  Light-bodied slightly sweet white wine; medium pale slightly greenish yellow. Inviting fresh white peach aroma and flavors. Easy to drink and not complicated, but what's there is very pleasant, and flavors develop in the glass.

My Review:  I thought this sample had a very strong floral smell to it.  To me it had a musty taste to it but also had hints of citrus.  This sample was very smooth and very easy to drink. Overall, this was my favorite sample of the day.

Tasting - Crane Lake

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: Petite Sirah

Region: Lodi, California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  This wine is ruby-purple colored; notes of blackberry, plums and spice predominate the nose and flavors. The tannins give a soft, full mouth feel.

 My Review:  To me this wine tasted strongly of both grapes and blackberrys.  There was also a very strong spicy aftertaste and overall this sample was very bitter.  This was my least favorite sample of the day.