Red Tail Ridge - Dry Riesling

Tasted on: December 23, 2009
Purchased for: Unknown


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.5%
  


• Residual Sugar: 0.7%
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear, medium-intense straw color

Aroma: Wonderful bouquet. I'm a little stuffed up, so I can't really distinguish the aroma notes. I'm going to rely on the tasting notes for this - lemon and lime aromas are concentrated in this wine.

Taste / Texture: I can taste a minerality and lemon/lime notes. Thin-bodied, but the flavors seem to work with it.

Aftertaste: Nice finish that is neither short nor overstaying. It leaves a pleasant taste and the dryness is cloying against the palette.

Decision: Not the best riesling wine that I've had, but definitely okay. It gets better as I drink more. 85/100

Bully Hill Seyval Blanc

Tasted on: Friday, December 11, 2009
Purchased for: ~$6.99


Wine Data: Non-vintage White Table Wine from the Finger Lakes region, New York

• Alcohol Content: 11%
  


• Residual Sugar: .5%
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Medium straw colored with a very light amber sparkle

Aroma: Cool floral scent mingled with citrus and wood. Extremely light and pleasant bouquet

Taste / Texture: Light-bodied with a tart citrus entry that travels quickly. Extremely dry with lemon, grapefruit and mineral undertones. Right up my alley!

Aftertaste: Lingering citrus finish

Decision: This particular wine is definitely a medium-class, every-day table wine you won't be embarrassed to serve. The taste is pleasant yet lacks a strength of character. If you are in the mood for mellow, this wine fits the bill. 75/100

Hunt Country - 2008 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: December 11, 2009
Purchased for: ~$13


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 13%


• Residual Sugar: 0.7%


• pH: 3.1

Tasting:

Appearance: Very clear. Only the slightest tinge of straw. Weak legs.

Aroma: Intense fruit notes. Apple and floral scents are the strongest. Very nice bouquet.

Taste / Texture: WHOA is this wine dry. Green apple flavor is at the forefront. The wine has a rich mouthfeel that quickly leaves. Tart and light-to-medium-bodied.

Aftertaste: Acidic aftertaste with a medium finish.

Decision: I never thought that I'd say this, but I think I've found a wine that is too dry for my tastes, so to speak. However, I know that my mom would LOVE this wine. 80/100

Wagner 2006 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: December 4, 2009
Purchased for: ~$12.00 as a TGIF mood enhancer

Wine Data: Wagner Vineyards located on Seneca Lake, New York

• Alcohol Content: 11.5
  


• Residual Sugar: 0.23
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• Score: 83

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear faint straw color with light-medium body

Aroma: Pleasant melodic scent of pear, melon and peach with a subtle citrus essence duly noted.

Taste / Texture: Burst of tart lemon/lime upon entry which smoothly dissipates into a mellow slightly fruity finish. Mineral notes are expressed throughout the tasting.

Aftertaste: Crisp, citrus after-tones that quickly leave creating a dry finale.

Decision: A nice change of pace wine that is light on the tongue as well as the wallet. Serve this wine with seafood and white meats preferrably prepared with herbs as not to overwhelm the delicacy of the wine. I would purchase this wine again if given the opportunity.

Ravines - 2007 Keuka Village

Tasted on: December 04, 2009
Purchased for: ~$15


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%


• Residual Sugar: 0.8%

Tasting:

Appearance: Remarkably clear with a yellow, light gold tinge. Nice legs.

Aroma: Bouquet isn't that strong, probably due to the chilling. I can detect a strong melon note.

Taste / Texture: Nice mouth feel. Strong melon note, slight minerality. Thin body. Very dry.

Aftertaste: Moderate finish with rather balanced taste. Simple with few nuances.

Decision: A nice wine, but not a favorite. The body is too thin and the flavors are too subtle to thoroughly enjoy it. 80/100

Thanksgiving Holiday

While my mother (and brother) visited for the Thanksgiving holiday, we enjoyed two wines:

-- Goose Watch Pinot Noir Brut Rose
-- Broadbent Vinho Verde

I already formally reviewed the Broadbent wine; however, I will not be reviewing the Goose Watch champagne at this time. I thoroughly enjoyed both and anticipate purchasing both bottles again in the future.

Fulkerson - 2005 Delaware

Tasted on: November 20, 2009
Purchased for: <$10


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 4.5%
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Very clear. very slight straw tinge.

Aroma: Wonderful bouquet. Fruit notes are the strongest. Pear, perhaps?

Taste / Texture: Boy howdy, is there sugar. The sweetness almost overwhelms the flavor, but not completely. The sugar comes first and then the taste of the grapes. I can't pinpoint the flavor.

Aftertaste: Lasting and coating on the tongue (probably due to the sugar).

Decision: Way too sweet for my tastes. 65/100

Swedish Hill - Natural Sparkling Wine

Tasted on: November 13, 2009
Purchased for: ~$20


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 1.4%
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• Gold Medal Int'l Eastern, NY 5/09
• Gold Medal Riverside Int'l, CA 5/09
• Gold Medal & Best of Class Pacific Rim Int'l, CA 4/09
• Gold Medal Pacific Rim Int'l, CA 4/09
• Gold Medal Florida State Fair Int'l, FL 2/09

Tasting:

Appearance: Very clear. slight yellow-green tint. Very active bubbles and head.

Aroma: Very aromatic with strong citrus notes. Not overwhelming and harmonious.

Taste / Texture: Strong citrus flavor (pears? apples?) with a hint of mineral. Mineral seems a bit too strong to make the flavors sing together. Crisp. Doesn't make my tongue tingle, though.

Aftertaste: Lasting and somewhat coating on the tongue.

Decision: Nice champagne, but definitely not the best that I've had (that prize goes to Chateau de Frank). Wouldn't buy it again because the price doesn't seem to correlate with the quality. 75/100

Broadbent - Vinho Verde (NV)

Tasted on: October 23, 2009
Purchased for: $7.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 9%
• Residual Sugar: Unknown, but likely below 2.5%
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• 86 points - Wine Spectator

Tasting:

Appearance: Very clear. slight green tint.

Aroma: Very aromatic with citrus notes. Simple, yet delightful bouquet.

Taste / Texture: The slight carbonation gives it a tingly mouth feel. The blood orange note is clear. The wine has a medium body. The flavors work harmonious towards a generously flavorful taste.

Aftertaste: Lasting, somewhat coating, and quite pleasant on the tongue.

Decision: Excellent, excellent wine. It would pair great with a salad or white meat summer dish. Also a great wine to drink by itself. As a fan of champagne, I love bubbles and their tingling taste on the tongue. Definitely a keeper. 90/100

Raats - 2008 Chenin Blanc (Non-NY)

Tasted on: October 17, 2009
Purchased for: $10.50


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 13.5%
• Residual Sugar: 2.2 g/L
  
• pH: 3.45
• Total acid: 6 g/L

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• 88 points - Wine Spectator

Tasting:

Appearance: Very clear, slight straw color

Aroma: Complex, sweet, and fruity aroma. Intense.

Taste / Texture: Mineral taste with fruity tones. Light-medium mouth feel. Flavors taste a bit disjointed - the mineral overwhelms the fruitiness when slightly chilled.

Aftertaste: Tongue retains some flavor, but is not coated. Pleasant after-taste.

Decision: The wine is layered with minerality and fruit notes that are a bit out of sync. The residual sugar seems high to me because the sweetness isn't overwhelming. Pleasant taste, but a bit too subdued. This vintage was not aged in oak - perhaps that would have changed its flaovring and added taste value to the wine. Would probably not buy again, but not a terrible wine. 75/100

Penguin Bay - 2007 Rose of Chambourcin

Tasted on: October 9, 2009
Purchased for: $7.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 11.7%
• Residual Sugar: 0.25%

Wine Awards:

• Gold Medal Florida State Fair Int'l, FL 2/09
• Double Gold Medal San Francisco Chronicle Competition, CA 1/09
• Gold Medal Golden Nose Wine Competition, NY 5/08
• Gold Medal Indy Int'l, IN 6/08

Tasting:

Appearance: A beautiful ruby red with a medium intensity. No particulates or haziness. Mostly transparent.

Aroma: Strongly aromatic - sitting about two feet away from my opened bottle, I can smell it. Strawberry note is the easiest to detect

Taste / Texture: Thin bodied, full of flavor. Again, the strawberry note drowns out any other flavor for detection. Great dryness and acidity.

Aftertaste: Moderate-short length for the finish. Remaining flavors are pleasing.

Decision: Wine has a great balance of acidity, sweetness, and alcohol. Though simple, the flavors are very enjoyable. Would recommend and buy again. An easy wine to like. 85/100

Long Point Winery - 2006 Zinfandel

Tasted on: October 2, 2009
Purchased for: $12.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 14.7%
• Residual Sugar: unknown, but dry (probably < 0.5%)
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Dark, deep red. Not translucent. Almost black. Be VERY careful around furniture and rugs. I have a feeling that this wine could leave a nasty stain.

Aroma: Complex bouquet. I can smell the liquorice / anise note. My nose isn't very sophisticated at picking out smells. I'm sure that over time this will develop.

Taste / Texture: Smooth and strong. The flavor is complex with a hint of coffee, anise, and dark chocolate. Of course I could taste these once I read the winery's description of the bottle.

Aftertaste: Lingers on the tongue. Residual taste is somewhat appealing. Leaves a quite bit of a bite of bitterness and dryness at the end.

Decision: For a red wine, I am very impressed with the quality of this wine. The aroma and flavors are very complex. I would likely buy it again should a red wine mood strike me. 85/100

Atwater Estate Vineyards - 2007 Riesling

Tasted on: September 26, 2009
Purchased for: $9.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 2.2%
• Acidity: 0.74%
• pH: 2.76

Wine Awards and Grades:

• 91 points from Wine & Spirits
• Gold at New York Wine & Food Classic

Tasting:

Appearance: Straw-colored and clear. Very subtle green hue.

Aroma: The first thing I smelled was the sweetness of the wine. Perhaps a fruit note.

Taste / Texture: Sweetier than I usually taste, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the flavors. The sugar does not shield the taste of the grapes. Robust, complex flavors are present, but I am having trouble separating the different flavor notes. Smooth and medium-bodied.

Aftertaste: A nice, but not overbearing, coating of the tongue. Flavor doesn't overstay its welcome.

Decision: For a sweeter wine than I am used to, it does have a magnificent flavor. I would definitely buy this again. 85/100

Fulkerson Winery - 2007 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: August 27, 2009
Purchased for: $8

Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 0.7%

Wine Awards and Grades:

• 85 Points Wine Enthusiast

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear and very pale straw

Aroma: Not very aromatic. Smells sweet and of melon.

Taste/Texture: Medium-bodied. Dry finish. Not bursting with flavor. Mellow. Mineral finish.

Aftertaste: Clean finish, slight coating of tongue with mineral and melon notes.

Decision: 70/100. Not bad. Might or might not buy again.

Anthony Road - 2007 Dry Rosé

Tasted on: August 21, 2009
Purchased for: $9.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Residual Sugar: 0.4%

Tasting:
Appearance: Clear crimson. Beautiful hue.

Aroma: Strong. Fruity (apple?). Pleasant.

Taste/Texture: Full of flavor. Strong beginning with a bit of a bite. Smooth.

Aftertaste: Soft finish. Lingers a bit, but doesn't coat the tongue.

Decision: Very nice. 80/100.

Dr. Konstantin Frank - 2006 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: August 14, 2009
Purchased for: $14
Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 0.9%
• pH: 2.97
• Acid: 0.8%

Wine Grades and Awards:

• Many, many, many

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear straw colored. No particulates or cloudiness.

Aroma: Strong and complex bouquet of primarily fruity aromas. Can smell the citrus.

Taste/Texture: Smooth. Not too thin. Nice flavor, slight bitterness (minerality?). Can really taste the pear.

Aftertaste: Not fleeting, but not coating. Pleasant.

Decision: Rather good. 85/100. Would probably buy again.

Chateau Lafayette Reneau - 2007 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: August 06, 2009
Purchased for: about $14

Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: Dry, exact % unknown

Tasting:
Appearance: Very clear. No particulates. Very light straw color.

Aroma: Very aromatic and clean. Complex and fruity.

Taste/Texture: Nice body and melon flavor. Biting end.

Aftertaste: Pleasant. Does not coat the tongue or last very long.

Decision: 90/100. Excellent and would definitely buy again

Buttonwood Grove - 2006 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: July 30, 2009
Purchased for: about $14
Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: Dry, exact % unknown

Tasting:
Appearance: No particulates. Clear with a slight yellow-pale green tint.

Aroma: Complex and aromatic. Not overly strong. Slight fruit

Taste/Texture: Smooth, not too thin. Great sugar content (not too dry or sweet for me). Apple? taste. Clean tasting. Not overly acidic.

Aftertaste: Pleasant. Doesn't coat the tongue. Not a crisp finish, though.

Decision: 85/100. Very respectable Riesling. Would buy again.

Lamoreaux Landing - 2008 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: July 17, 2009
Purchased for: $9.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12.2%
• Residual Sugar: Dry, exact % unknown
• pH: 2.93
• Acidity: 7.65 g/L
  

Wine Awards and Grades:

• 87 points Wine Spectator
  

Tasting:
Appearance: No particulates. Clear with a very light straw tint.

Aroma: Complex and aromatic. Very fruity. Citrus and peach.

Taste/Texture: Smooth with a bite. Briskly acidic. Tart.

Aftertaste: Pleasant and lasting.

Decision: All right. Not the best riesling I've tasted, but is respectable. 75 out of 100.

Castel Grisch - 2007 Cayuga White

Tasted on: July 10, 2009
Purchased for: about $7
Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 11%
• Residual Sugar: Unknown but after tasting, must be below 3%, but not dry

Tasting:
Appearance: Looks like water. No particulates and no tint.

Aroma: Strongly fruited. Complex.

Taste/Texture: A tad thin, but good flavors. No bite, quite smooth.

Aftertaste: Not lasting.

Decision: Pretty good wine for the price. May or may not purchase again. A little too sweet. 65/100

Castel Grisch - 2007 Traminette

Tasted on: June 12, 2009
Purchased for: $11
Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: Unknown but after tasting, must be below 3%

Tasting:
Appearance: Light yellow and clear

Aroma: Floral and fruity. Pleasant and faceted

Taste/Texture: Off-dry and crisp. Full and fruity. Enjoyable and not overwhelming.

Aftertaste: Brief, pleasant, does not linger

Decision: I really liked it. Would definitely buy again.

Belhurst Winery - Golden Pheasant (NV)

Tasted on: Februrary 20, 2009
Purchased for: about $15

Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 1.5%

Wine Awards and Grades:

• 2008 Golden Nose Competition - GOLD Medal
• 2008 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition - Silver Medal
• 2008 San Francisco International Wine Competition - Bronze Medal

Tasting:
Appearance: Very clear and pale

Aroma: Wonderful, distinct bouquet. Fruity smell, almost champagne-like.

Taste/Texture: Delightfully tingly, not too sweet. Crisp and lasting. Very nice.

Aftertaste: Not long lasting. Pleasant and not thick.

Decision: Really, really good. Definitely recommended.

Herman J. Wiemer - Dry Rosé (NV)

Tasted on: January 30, 2009
Purchased for: $9.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 11.9%
• Residual Sugar: unknown
• Grapes: 80% Pinot Noir 20% Chardonnay

Tasting:
Appearance: A very clear and brilliant rose. Not light and not dark.

Aroma: Complex, sweet, fruity, balanced

Taste/Texture: Smooth, pleasant, a bit thin, a little woody, but barely noticeable

Aftertaste: Lasting and pleasant

Decision: Very good. Would recommend and buy again.

Goose Watch - 2007 Diamond

Tasted on: January 12, 2009
Purchased for: $7.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 5.5%

Wine Awards and Grades:

• Gold Medal - NY Wine & Food Classic, NY 8/09
• Gold Medal - LA Int'l, CA 5/09

Tasting:
Appearance: Clear, very pale champagne color, no contaminants

Aroma: Faint, not very distinctive

Taste/Texture: Whoo Boy, that's sweet, yet somehow not too overwhelming. Very grape-tasting. Does not coat the tongue.

Aftertaste: Brief, not unpleasant, some residual sweetness

Decision: Nice, but too, too sweet for my tastes.