Bully Hill - Bulldog Baco Noir

Tasted on: February 27, 2010
Purchased for: $6.99



Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 11%


• Residual Sugar: unknown, but labeled as very dry
  

Tasting:

Appearance: A dark, blood red with little transparency.

Aroma: Absolutely wonderful bouquet. Hints of pepper intermingled with a strong fruit background.

Taste / Texture: The pepper taste is at the forefront and I like that more than I thought that I would. It waters the mouth a bit and bites at the taste buds. There's a sweetness or lemony acidity in the first taste, but the wine is absolutely dry. It leaves me a tad confused. The notes seem off-balanced.

Aftertaste: Pleasant. A medium-short finish. The dryness doesn't leave the mouth a desert upon finishing.

Decision: This wine is very interesting and would best be paired with a strong red meat dish. I've had better red wines and I've had worse! 75/100.

Four Chimneys - Kingdom White

Tasted on: February 20, 2010
Purchased for: $9.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%


• Residual Sugar: unknown

Tasting:

Appearance: Lovely light, pale yellow. No particulates.

Aroma: Strong fruity and oaked bouquet.

Taste / Texture: Initially thin and lacking flavor, but the taste quickly catches up and is well-balanced and flavorful. I can't distinguish the notes very well in this wine, but they seem to go together very well.

Aftertaste: Quick finish. Pleasant aftertaste.

Decision: First of all, I need to point out that this is an organically-produced wine. This is a novelty, especially in the Finger Lakes. The taste doesn't compare to some other FL dry white blends that I've had, but it is definitely respectable. I think that over chilling it will dull the flavor, so I would be careful with that. 80/100

Bully Hill - Chardonel

Tasted on: February 17, 2010
Purchased for: $8.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content:11%


• Residual Sugar:unknown - dry
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Lovely straw color. Very clear - no particulates.

Aroma: Crisp, melon bouquet. I can also smell a floral note too. Very nice aroma.

Taste / Texture: Wow. Complex taste on first sip. Very strong beginning. Melon note is the strongest. There is a note that I cannot identify that almost has a minerality to it, but not so bitter or moisture-sucking. Lovely medium body.

Aftertaste: Coats the tongue a bit. The aftertaste is nice and reminiscent of the primary tasting.

Decision: A great everyday wine. I would recommend drinking it in warmer weather with a nice southern-style meal. 85/100

Heron Hill - 2005 Eclipse Red

Tasted on: February 12, 2009
Purchased for: $11


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.5%


• Residual Sugar: 0.02%

Tasting:

Appearance: Dark, dark red-purple. Opaque. Would love to have a dress in this color!

Aroma: Very, very pleasant bouquet. I'd dab it behind my ears if I weren't drinking it! Sort of smells peppery - is that the currants? Has a cherry note rounded out by the oak aging. My naive nose doesn't detect a complex aroma.

Taste / Texture: Full-bodied and very nice mouth-feel. Doesn't taste as sweet as it smells. The forefront taste is a subdued cherry. The acidity feels a little strong, but I'm new at evaluating this aspect of wines.

Aftertaste: Long finish. The wine coats the tongue and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

Decision: Very pleasant dry red wine. I would pair it with a nice dark chocolate or a light seafood dish or salad. It's more of an everyday wine than a special occasion wine. I would purchase again if I had a food pairing in mind. 80/100