Tasting - Canyon Road Chardonnay

Name: Canyon Road Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $6:95
Vintage Cellar Review: "Medium-Bodied wine with notes of crisp apple and ripe citrus fruit and a hint of cinnamon spice. Delicious complement to grilled chicken, lighter pasta dishes, or mild cheeses."
My Review: The one and only thing I could smell in this wine was apples. Crisp, crunchy, sweet, ripe apples. I could almost smell everything about the apples from the seed to the tree to the orchard. It was a beautiful aroma. The first taste of the wine was sweet but then ended with a hot, spicy mix. I enjoyed the variation of sweet to hot because i was worried it would be so sweet it would be too sweet. There was a hint of oak and earthy accents, which were a nice addition.
There was no food paired with this wine.

Tasting - Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence

Name: Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence
Variety: 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cinsault
Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price $8:95
Vintage Cellar Review: "Bright salmon pink; typical of the fresh but warm Provence style. Refined and complex on the nose, with summer fruit and floral notes. Dry and crisp, with delicate flavor and full texture."
My Review: The noticebly bright color of the Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence was very bold and exciting. The aroma of the wine was very much like a subtle floral perfume and reminded me of walking through a field of various flowers or a outdoor flower shop. The taste was not as intense as the aromatics. At first there were a lot of fruits and it was very light, then the aftertaste was more vegetable and earthy. It was a refreshing and light beverage overall. I was expecting more flavor after such an overwhelming nose. It was a nice wine.
This wine was not paired with food.

Tasting - Montebuena

Name: Montebuena
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $8:95
Vintage Cellar Review: "Ripe cherry and black current on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and grip. Still on the young side, but this wine drinks very well with an hour or so of decanting; it is an excellent value for Rioja."
My Review: This wine had a very noticeable fruity aroma and had a bold red color. There was a blend of spice and vanilla in this wine. I'm not fond of vanilla or spicy wines, so this wine didn't do much for me. There was a lot of dark fruity flavors like plums and blackberries which gave it a very dry, chalky, not desirable finish.
This wine was not paired with food.

Tasting - Tres Ojos Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha
Variety: Grenache
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6:95
Vintage Cellar Review: "This wine has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. Enjoy with sausages, roasted meats, aged cheeses, etc."
My review: I really liked the combination of flavors in this wine. There was a kick of spice and kick of sweet that went hand and hand perfectly. The aftertaste was definitely won by the spice, but it was still a good wine. I would drink the wine if offered but I would not buy the wine on my own.
There was no food paired with this wine.

Tasting - Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz

Name: Emeri De Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: South Eastern
Country: Austraila
Year: NV
Price: $9.95
Vintage Cellar Review: "A relatively light, fresh style of sparkling shiraz, with berries and hints of chocolate picking up just a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish"
My Review: This was my favorite wine of the day and probably the best sparkling wine I've ever had. The first thing I noticed as it was being poured was the vibrant red color. It was unlike other reds I've seen and even commented on it to the people around me. I thought it was very light and refreshing and it reminded me of sitting on my back porch in the summer. I am not a huge fan of chocolate so I was nervous when I read the description on this one but the chocolate flavors were so subtle I wasn't turned off. I will definitely buy this in the future, it was delicious and different.
The wine was not paired with food.