Tasting- Black Opal Cabernet Merlot

Name: Black Opal
Variety: Cabernet Merlot
Country: South Eastern Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $6
Wine Review: The aromas display excellent regional and varietal characters of berry and spice. These scents follow through with rich cherry and plum flavors, a hint of chocolate and a subtle touch of oak. The flavors develop well and finish with a long finely textured mouth feel.
My Review: This red wine had a very strong scent of berries. The smell and initial taste of this wine was very similar to red wines that I have has thus far. The finish was very dry and acidic however, unlike the others. It was dry and very acidic, but we did have this wine was tasted with lasagna and that took some of the final bite off of the finish. 

Tasting- Santa Julia Tempranillo

Name: Santa Julia
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $10
Winery Review: A deep fruit nose opens to rich black fruits on the palate - plums and figs, with hints of vanilla and tobacco.
My Review: This Tempranillo was very dark in color. When I first sniffed this wine I could just gather scents from a variety of spices. After a few tries, I started to smell some blackberry's and a hint of  raspberry. To the taste, this wine was pretty spicy and dry on the finish. I could briefly taste a splash of berry, but that was short-lived. I did not have food with this wine.

 

Name: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau
Variety: Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $4
Wine shop review: Bright and tangy, offering a classic banana note on the nose, with
flavors of raspberry, wild strawberry and light spice. Modest finish.
My Review: This dark wine had a very strong pepper smell. The pepper smell was so overwhelming to my nose that I could only smell spices and pepper. The taste was pretty one-dimensional and the wine didn't have much body to it. The wine was dry and spicy to my palate as well, and I never tasted any fruity or berry flavors. I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting- Jellybean moscato rose

Name: Jellybean Moscato Rose
Variety: Moscato
Region:Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $8
Wine Review: A hint of effervescence and a big hit of Strawberry Parfait overlay lush notes of red berries, peach and apricot in our Moscato Rosé. A characterful blend of sunshine-loving Moscato and Raboso grapes from northeastern Italy’s Veneto, this lightly sparkling charmer enchants with a vibrant pink color and abundant berry notes to match. Perfect for pairing with starters, cakes and pastries, it playfully balances sweetness and acidity and wraps up with a lingering, fruit-riddled finish.
My Review: The more that I tasted this wine, the more I enjoyed it. At first, the explosion of strawberry was a bit too much for my palate but I grew to like it. This red wine had scents of strawberry's and lime, as well as a strong smell of sweetness. As I tasted it, the wine reminded me of the red Moscato that I tasted a few weeks ago but this had a big taste of strawberry thrown in. The finish was semi-dry and also left a taste of whipped topping in my mouth. I had no food with this wine.

Tasting- Barefoot Pink Moscato

Name: Barefoot Pink Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $5
Wine Review: Deliciously sweet and bubbly with flavors of red tree fruit and fresh berries. A creamy finish collides perfectly with candied cherries and sweet citrus flavors making it the sweetest Bubbly we’ve got.

My Review: My favorite wine thus far was this very sweet Pink Moscato.  The wine smelled like grape juice with a hint of pomegranates and citrus mixed in. It was very sweet in both taste and smell, and the finish was very quick and also pretty sweet. I enjoyed tasting this wine and I think that I will try more of this variety in the future. No food was had with this wine.

Tasting- Bay Bridge Merlot

  
Name: Bay Bridge Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $5
Wine Review: Deep ruby color. Red berry, fruit gum, and spiced nut aromas. A brisk entry leads to a fruity medium body of berry jam and pencil flavors. Finishes with a quick powdery tannin fade. An easy going quaffer for picnics.

My Review: This wine was very dark red in color and smells like raspberries mixed with pepper. It doesn't smell sweet like many of the wines that I have written about so far, instead it smells very spicy. After tasting this wine I determined it was pretty dry and my palate was overwhelmed with the spices. It was a very unique wine when compared to the ones I have had before, but definitely isn't the worst I have tasted. I did not have food with this wine. 

Tasting- Rex Goliath Chardonnay

Name: Rex Goliath Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Madera
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price:$5
Winery Review:  A rich, ripe, and tropical Monterey chardonnay! Pretty toasted oak wrapped around layers of pineapple, pear, and citrus. Lengthy, round, and creamy aftertaste that lingers well into the next sip. A solid core of acidity and a seamless wine from start to finish. Great as a companion to a dinner of salmon or a rich pasta like Fettuccini Alfredo. I actually enjoyed a glass of this wine while preparing a saffron risotto the night that I wrote these notes . The tragedy was that I had to use a half cup of this wine in the recipe (I didn't have a cheap white wine on hand). However, all anguish went away when I poured myself a glass to enjoy with my creation.

My Review: This golden wine was definitely different from the others that I have tasted so far. The aromas were very sweet and spicy, with some citrus scents mixed in. When the wine first entered my mouth it tasted surprisingly like a mix of oranges and other sweet fruits. That original sweet taste was very short lived however, and the wine became incredibly dry and acidic. This is by far the driest wine I have tried, but it is still a pretty good drink. I did not have any food with this wine.