Tasting - Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Name: Fetzer Gewurztraminer
Variety: 100% Gewurztraminer
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly.

My Review: This wine smelled very sweet. It had hints of fruits such as peaches. When I tasted it, it tasted like the syrup in canned peaches.  

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2015
Price: $6.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: "The 2015 Maipe Malbec is another 100% Malbec, with a deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty, blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It is delicious, soft and round."

My Review: This wine smelled and tasted of dark cherries and chocolate. It was a little bit too rich for my taste and I did not like it. I do not like wines that have hints of chocolate.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay

Name: Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay
Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $4.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: A pretty, floral wine, with a rose petal note underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish.

My Review: I did not like this red wine at all. It was very dry and tasted of cherries, which is not a flavor I like. When I smelled it, it had hints of dark berries. 

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Mapreco Vinho Verde Rose

Name: Mapreco Vinho Verde Rose
Variety: 100% Vinho Verde
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2015
Price: $7.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rosé made from the traditional vinho verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of strawberry, cherry and berries. A delightful twist on the original.

My Review: This wine had a pretty color to it. It smelled of fruity and florally. I really enjoyed this wine because it was sweet and had a little bit of fizz to it.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Mars & Venus Chardonnay

Name: Mars & Venus Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple.  Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping.

My Review: This wine smelled like apples. When I tasted it, it had a tart flavor with a bitter aftertaste that I did not like. It was also a little bit dry.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Beringer Chenin Blanc

Name: Beringer Chenin Blanc
Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: A fresh green-apple aroma and vivid citrus and crisp apple flavors are supported by vibrant acidity in this medium-bodied wine. The texture is smooth but crisp, making lots of good food pairings come to mind, from pre-meal cheese, to salads, seafood and veggie pastas.

My Review: This wine was smooth and had hints of pears and other fruits. It was not very sweet, but it was not very acidic either. This wine would be good for any occasion. 

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Carraia Aglianico

Name: Carraia Aglianico
Variety: 100% Aglianico
Region: Campagna
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: Produced in the Campania region of Italy, this Aglianico has delicious black fruit flavors with hints of licorice, volcanic soil and tar notes. Classic in nature, yet in a lighter, more crowd-pleasing style, the Carraia is made of the ancient Aglianico grape. This black grape originated in Greece and today is widely grown in Basilicata and Campania.

My Review: This wine was full bodied and smelled fruity. After tasting it, I thought it tasted earthy. It had hints of black cherries. I did not like this wine at all. It was too dark and had a lot of tannins.

I tasted this wine with no food.