Wine #1
Name: Alba - Santa Luz Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $11, sale for $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Like any good Sauvignon Blanc, this opens with oceanic aromas of citrus fruits, sea foam and minerality. In the mouth, it is juicy and stony, with washing acidity. Flavors of honeydew, lime and a nice grassiness finish firm, with good backbone. Drink this with salads, shellfish and ceviche.
My review: This wine smelled vinegary with hints of grass and pears. At first, it had a hot apple bite followed by a citrus aftertaste. I suppose you could describe it as oceanic citrus fruits. It wasn't too dry, but the vinegary smell continued into the taste. Color was straw/green.
Paired with: nothing
Wine #2
Name: Riebeek Cellars Collection Chenin Blanc
Variety: Riebeek
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $10, sale for $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Fresh kiwifruit, green apple and almond notes bounce along, showing a flash of plantain on the friendly finish. Drink now.
My review: This Riebeek had a very light yellow color. The nose carried hints of strawberry, honey, and pear. It tasted more lemony and less vinegary than the Sav Blanc. Overall tastes: sweet and fruity, so I see what they meant by a friendly wine.
Paired with: nothing
Wine #3
Name: San Elias Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2014
Price: $9, sale for $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This medium-bodied red offers roasted plum, kirsch, sage and game notes, with light tannins supporting the spicy finish.
My review: This wine had a dark brown, almost crimson dried blood-like color. It smelled like spicy earthworms and pepper (aren't I making this sound so appealing?). Happily, the wine didn't taste at all like it smelled, though it did retain deep, powerful tastes. Cloves and apple pie spices stole the show and lingered in the mouth, leaving you feeling surprisingly refreshed. This wine was semi-dry, but actually quite pleasing.
Paired with: nothing
Wine #4
Name: Ilurce Tempranillo
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $14, sale for $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 88 points – Stephen Tanzer. Dark purple. Zesty, youthfully medicinal aromas of dark berries, licorice and cracked pepper. Juicy and fresh, with smooth texture and sweet cherry and spice flavors framed by dusty tannins. Finishes with a suggestion of slightly roasted fruits and good clinging persistence. Delivers a lot of power and richness for the money.
My review: This was an even browner red than the Carmenere! It smelled like overripe (read: practically rotting) cherries, other pit fruit, wet gravel, with a hint of sharpie. It tasted overwhelmingly like a V8 tomato juice with another lingering clove aftertaste. I'm honestly not sure whether the cloves stuck around from the previous wine or whether they were brought out in the Tempranillo. It left the mouth dry and, again, tasting like pie spices.
Paired with: nothing
Wine#5
Name: Costal Vines
Variety: White Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This White Zinfandel has a beautiful pink salmon color and crisp acidity. The wine shows juicy fruit flavors of strawberry and cherry, with a tangy sweet finish. Pairs well with mild cheeses, crab cakes, and spicy Asian cuisine.
My review: This was a rapid change of pace and boasted a cheerful pink color. I've always had White Zinfandel with communion, but this was an entirely different experience. The wine smelled like apple juice and rain, and tasted incredibly sweet. This was an easy drinking wine after the two stronger reds, but it was almost too sweet. In the two sips I had, my tongue was coated in sugar, but a faint acidity broke through on the swallow leaving an aftertaste of vanilla (from the oak barrel??) and raspberry.
Paired with: nothing
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