Tasting - Canyon Road

Name: Canyon Road
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95

Winery review: Rich, fruit forward cherry flavors, soft tannins, a medium body and a smooth velvety finish.  Pairs well with creamy soups, salmon , and savory pork dishes.  

My review: I got a huge blast of butter, like freshly whipped butter, from smelling this wine along with hints of oak.  This pinot tasted a lot like sweet cherries too, maybe even a cherry pie.  Definitely not a full bodied red though, I'd say it had more of a lighter body and finish.  

I had this wine without food

Tasting - Maipe

Name: Maipe
Variety: Torrontes 
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Winery review: Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals.  On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body.  Well balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish.

My review: Not bad!  On the nose I was getting strong smells of lemon cake, and who doesn't love lemon cake? Pretty delicious if you ask me.  This white tasted like sweet fruit, and was not acidic.  It had a nice finish.   

I had this wine without food

Tasting - Hugl

Name: Hugl 
Variety: Grüner Veltliner
Region: Niederösterreich
Country: Austria
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Winery review: "A fresh scent of green pears greets the nose. What follows comes in a light, crisp citrus vein, supported by a rounded mouthfeel. A refreshing wine for immediate drinking. - Anne Krebiehl, MW", Wine Enthusiast - 89 points

My review: This white was so, so tart.  I can't emphasize this enough, but not necessarily in a bad way.I was able to pick up lemon zest and mouthfuls of grass on my palette.  Pretty solid wine for the price point.  

I had this wine without food

Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele Pino Grigio

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele Pino Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $8.99

Winery review: Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This is their house white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish.  Great value Grigio! Drink now.

My review: This pinot had a sweet acidic smell, with notes of sweet pear or honeydew melon. The finish was pretty smooth, almost like yellow cake mix.  it was a little too tart for my liking, and sort of one dimensional.  Overall this was a pretty average pinot grigio.

I had this wine without food

Tasting - Lost Vineyards

Name: Lost Vineyards Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Country: Argentina
Year: NV
Price: $4.95

Winery review: This wine is dry and contains subtle tobacco undertones with a black licorice, cherry, scent. The oak is in the background. Would pair well hamburger or a steak rather than stand alone.

My review: I thought this wine had a lot going on for the $5 price tag.  I was able to smell dark cherries, and a little bit of what I thought to be oak initially.  It took me a little while to pick up the third most distinct smell, which was licorice, but that's pretty much all I could smell afterwards.  On the palette I was able to daste dark cherries and a warm spicy finish.  I also tried this wine with spaghetti and meatballs and it brought out the fruit a little more, although it finished more spicy than without food.

I had this wine with spaghetti and meatballs and then again without food

Tasting - Beltrame Friulano

Name: Beltrame Friulano
Variety: Tocai Friulano
Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Country: Italy 
Year: NV
Price: $14.96

Winery review: This northern Italian white is clean and fresh on the palate, with aromas of honey, freshly cut grass and a touch of eucalyptus. It's a bottle you can enjoy every day with light meats and seafood dishes

My review: This was a decent Italian white wine.  I picked up a pretty pepper smell on the nose, and not much else.  This Beltrame wasn't overpoweringly sweet, but instead had a nice balance between sweetness and what I assumed to be black licorice.  There wasn't a hole lot going on in the mid-palette, but the back-palette was somewhat spicy, probably from the peppery nose.

I had this wine with chicken teriyaki stir fry and then again without food

Tasting - Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Name: George Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $14

Winery review: Balanced and lightly creamy, offering pretty flavors of plum sauce and raspberry coulis threaded with hints of ground spice. Elegant, with a floral finish.

My review: I really enjoyed this wine.  It tasted of berries, not really sure what kind but had a very smooth finish.  I also got a subtle and somewhat low key tart aftertaste. The finis was lip puckering.  I also tried this wine slightly chilled and it really brought out more fruity aromas.  

I did not have this wine with food