Row House Cellars - Red Table Wine

Tasted on : March 4, 2011
Purchased for: $9.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.5%
• Residual Sugar: 0%

Tasting:
Appearance: Dark, dark blood red
Aroma: A subtle bouquet. I can't really identify the aroma notes, but it's very nice.
Taste / Texture: An interesting blend of flavors. Again, I can't pin down the exact notes, but they're nice together. Smooth feeling on the tongue and nice blending of tastes.
Aftertaste: Medium-short finishing time on the tongue. The aftertaste itself is pleasant enough.

Decision: Decision 75/100 Okay for a blended wine. It isn't anything particularly special about this wine. I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Swedish Hill - Viking White

Tasted on : October 29, 2010
Purchased for: $6.99Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 0.5%

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• Gold medal NY Wine & Food Classic, NY 8/09
• Gold medal LA Int'l, CA 5/09
• Gold medal Indy Int'l, IN 6/09

Tasting:
Appearance: Very clear, light straw-colored. Nice legs.
Aroma: Crisp apple aroma. Subdued such that it does not flit across the room to ensnare the nose.
Taste / Texture: My immediate reaction isn't very favorable. The taste of the wine is akin to a pinot grigio. There is a mineral or other type of note that completely overwhelms the taste.
Aftertaste: The aftertaste is the best part, funnily enough. The taste is nice and the finish is rather short.
Decision: I've had better wines in this price range, so I wouldn't buy this again. 70/100

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

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

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.