Leonard Oakes - 2009 Chardonnay

Tasted on :Friday & Saturday September 16th & 17th, 2011
Purchased for: $15  

This won't be a typical structured review because, well, because I said so. I first tasted this wine at the South Wedge Farmer's Market and immediately loved it. It's a dry white chardonnay, but that doesn't inhibit it from having a wonderfully full flavor. I would definitely buy this wine again. 90/100.

Fulkerson - 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted on :May 27, 2011
Purchased for: $13.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 0%

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• 2010 - Oakland Community College Great Lakes Wine Competition - Bronze
• 2010 - International Eastern Wine Competition - Bronze
• 2010 - Golden Nose Wine Competition - Bronze
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Dark, inky, plum colored. Very pretty.

Aroma: As my glass is airing, I can smell the wine from about a meter away. Wonderfully berry aroma.

Taste / Texture: You can definitely tell that this has been oak aged. Great flavor and smooth texture. The taste is cloy and doesn't slap you in the face. Subtle.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is nice. Medium finish.

Decision: Nice wine. A great balance of flavor and acid. The oak aging is the best part of the taste. 85/100

Imagine Moore - 2007 Wisdom (Cabernet Franc)

Tasted on :March 11, 2011
Purchased for: $15.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.5%
• Residual Sugar: unknown, dry
  

Tasting:
Appearance: Sitting in my living room lit with one lamp, my glass of wine looks black. There seems to be little light able to penetrate the liquid. Bringing the glass up to the light, it is still VERY dark, but a red hue is detectable and not much light makes it through.

Aroma: A nice bouquet. Typical cabernet franc notes.

Taste / Texture: Smooth. Again, very typical cabernet franc taste. Nice balance of acidity and alcohol. Mineral ending.

Aftertaste: Doesn't linger on the tongue. Nice aftertaste.

Decision: 80/100. A nice, typical cabernet franc.

Wagner - Reserve White

Tasted on : November 27, 2010
Purchased for: $5.99

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear, pale, pale straw. Nice legs.

Aroma: Playful apple aroma.

Taste / Texture: Nice, fairly bold taste. Smooth, but neither thin nor thick. Apple note is at the forefront and I cannot detect other flavors.

Aftertaste: Pleasant aftertaste despite a relatively short finish.

Decision: Great value wine! Not only is it tasty and pleasant, it is affordable. 85/100

Treleaven - 2008 Dry Riesling

Tasted on :November 20, 2010
Purchased for: $12.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 10.9%
• Residual Sugar: unknown, dry
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• 2009 Wine Spectator - 85 points
  

Tasting:
Appearance: Clear, pale straw. Bubbles are adhering to the sides of the wine glass.

Aroma: Nice, delicate bouquet. Hard to place exact notes aside from "fruity".

Taste / Texture: Excellent mouthfeel. Wonderful flavor. Crisp fruit notes.

Aftertaste: A lingering lemon on the sides of the tongue after swallowing. This note lasts longer than the taste on top of the tongue. Medium finish on the top of the tongue, medium-long on the sides.

Decision: Very respectable Riesling wine. Interesting flavor notes on different parts of the tongue. 85/100

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

Anthony Road - 2007 Chardonnay

Tasted on: September 25, 2010
Purchased for: $10.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.7%
• Residual Sugar: 0.5%

Tasting:
Appearance: Beautifully clear, transparent, straw colored

Aroma: Very subtle aroma. I'm finding it hard to pinpoint the notes here.

Taste / Texture: Smooth taste. Lemon? Interesting complexities that I can't seem to define. Nice balance of acidity, alcohol, and sugar.

Aftertaste: Medium finish. Pleasant aftertaste.

Decision: Very pleasant chardonnay! Great value. Would buy again. 80/100.

Glenora - 2007 Pinot Noir Rosé

Tasted on : September 18, 2010
Purchased for: $13.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 11.5%

Tasting:
Appearance: A lovely clear, cherry color.

Aroma: The aroma of this wine isn't very strong. I can't chalk that up to chilling since it was only the fridge for about twenty minutes. I can detect the strawberry notes the description mentions.

Taste / Texture: The first taste is interesting because it's both sweet and dry. The strawberry note is at the forefront and dominates the taste. There's also a tinge of acidity that I find interesting. This wine doesn't have much body.

Aftertaste: A nice aftertaste. A weak finish, though.

Decision: A mediocre rosé wine that doesn't have any glaring defects, but overall doesn't add up to much. I've had better. I've had worse. 75/100

Flechas de los Andes - 2007 Gran Malbec

Tasted on :August 20, 2010
Purchased for: $14.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 14.5%
• Residual Sugar: dry

Wine Awards:

• 92 points - Wine Advocate
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Dark, dark burgundy. Seems thick because after swirling there were no rivulets that ran down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: Wonderful cracked pepper and cherry notes.

Taste / Texture: That's a lot of wine character! Medium-full bodied, smooth with a blast of pepper. The fruit notes take a back seat. Nice feeling on my tongue.

Aftertaste: Pleasant and rather long finish compared to other wines I've tasted.

Decision: I like it! 85/100

Keuka Lake - 2007 Leon Millot

Tasted on : August 13, 2010
Purchased for: $14.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 11.5%
• Residual Sugar: unknown, dry
  

Tasting:
Appearance: Dark, dark red. Impenetrable by a normal table light.

Aroma: Lovely aroma. Can definitely pick out the currant / peppery note. It isn't particularly fragrant, like, you cannot smell it from several feet away; however, I don't find this is a huge drawback.

Taste / Texture: A quite different taste than I'm used to. The taste is a bit of an acquired, well, taste. Quite smooth in taste with a bit of an acidic tinge.

Aftertaste: Nice. Medium-long finish.

Decision: An interesting wine. 80/100

Leonard Oakes - 2008 White Oakes

Tasted on: August 07, 2010
Purchased for: $11.49
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 11%
• Residual Sugar: 0.6%

Tasting:

Appearance: One of the palest white wines I've encountered. The palest of yellows. Nearly colorless.

Aroma: Lovely bouquet. Not the most aromatic wine, but the notes that are there are pleasant. I cannot place the aromatic notes through smell. Perhaps the chill has dampened them (and my allergy-afflicted nose doesn't help!).

Taste / Texture: Very smooth texture. Interesting flavor. Fruit note... pear? No. The winery describes it as apple. Yes, I can agree with that. The winery also notes an allspice component, but I can't tease that apart from the flavor as a whole.

Aftertaste: Medium finish on the tongue. Aftertaste flavor is pleasant.

Decision: Very nice, mild wine. I might not buy it for myself again, but I would not turn down an offered glass or two. 80/100

Fox Run Chardonnay

Tasted on: 07/30/10
Purchased for: $11.99

Wine Data: 2007 Vintage

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: low
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• Awards

Tasting:
Appearance: Clear light straw coloring

Aroma: Subtle citrus and pear/apple scented

Taste / Texture: Medium body with explosive lemony/orangy punch that evaporates quickly leaving a slight overtone

Aftertaste: pleasant citrus tones that gently remind without being overbearing

Decision: 95/100

Hunt Country - 2007 Cabernet Franc

Tasted on: July 23, 2010
Purchased for: ~$15
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 13%
• Residual Sugar: 0.2%

Tasting:

My mother and I went to Keuka Lake to do some wine tastings at wineries around there. Hunt Country was a winery that I had to visit. I bought this bottle there because I loved its taste during the tasting.

Appearance: A dark, dark red - almost black.

Aroma: I can detect cherries and the oak aging of the wine. Unfortunately my nose isn't working for me tonight. Needless to say, it smells quite nice.

Taste / Texture: Delightfully dry and full of flavor. Full body and great balance between flavor, alcohol, and sugar.

Aftertaste: Pleasant aftertaste. Medium finishing time.

Decision: There was a reason why I bought this wine after the tasting. Excellent taste. Like the winery, I would recommend this wine for any beef dish or to pair with cheeses. 90/100

Chateau Lafayette Reneau - 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted on: June 26, 2010
Purchased for: $9.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 13%
• Residual Sugar: unknown, dry
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• Gold, Best of Class – 08 New York Wine and Food Classic

Tasting:
Appearance: A gorgeous color of purple. A royal and dark purple. Clear and without fault.

Aroma: A wonderful bouquet marked with a cherry note. Definite notes of black pepper and perhaps oak?

Taste / Texture: An excellent taste. I can definitely pull out the black pepper taste and some of the oak. The cherry note is in the forefront. The mouthfeel is absolutely pleasant and the body is medium. The entire wine seems balanced in notes, acidity, alcohol, and sweetness.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is nice. It remains on the tongue for a medium length of time, possibly shortened by its dryness.

Decision: A great red wine. I think cabernet sauvignon is at the top of my red wine types. I would definitely buy this again as it is both a bargain and an excellent wine. 90/100

Swedish Hill - 2008 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: June 18, 2010
Purchased for: $11.99

Wine Data:

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

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• Gold Medal NY Wine & Food Classic, NY 8/09

Tasting:
Appearance: Light green and clear. No particulates

Aroma: Nice, strong riesling bouquet. Strong fruit notes, particularly pear; however, the description indicates that they are floral notes. I can see how I confused the two. Definitely clean and uncomplicated.

Taste / Texture: Great initial taste. Smooth texture with a punch of dryness, especially after eating something salty. The exact notes of flavor are difficult for me to separate out this evening, especially after my nose led me astray earlier. I'll just say that whatever the flavors, they're very nice.

Aftertaste: Medium-short finish. Nice lingering taste.

Decision: Very agreeable dry riesling. The notes are pleasant and the dryness doesn't over- or underwhelm the wine. I'd definitely buy this one again. 85/100.

Dr. Konstantin Frank - 2007 Rkatsiteli

Tasted on: May 28, 2010
Purchased for: $15.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 0.75
• pH: 3.43
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• 2007 - Best of Appellation: Double Gold
• 2007 - Amenti del Vino Competition: Double Gold

Tasting:
Appearance: Nice and clear. Tinged with a straw color.

Aroma: Very full bouquet. A mysterious fruity note. After reading the description, I can identify the mango and pineapple aromas.

Taste / Texture: Surprisingly sweet for the residual sugar amount. Unassuming flavor, but complex with a medium body. Each taste is interesting.

Aftertaste: Medium finish time. The aftertaste is pleasant and does not overly coat the tongue. Finishes a tad drier than it starts, but not by much.

Decision:
I tried this wine since rkatsiteli is one of the oldest vinifera grape varieties. The wine, as made by Dr. Frank, is pleasant and interesting to drink, though it doesn't wow. Regardless of sugar content, it's a little too sweet and falls somewhere between dry and off-dry. I wouldn't turn down a glass of it, but I probably won't buy another bottle for myself. 75/100

Anthony Road - 2008 Dry Riesling

Tasted on: April 30, 2010
Purchased for: $13.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.4%
• Residual Sugar: 0.7%

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear faint yellow color with the slightest tinge of green.

Aroma: Very nice floral aroma. Not very strong, but alluring nonetheless.

Taste / Texture: Bursting with flavor. Medium body with excellent mouth-feel. The balance of acidity, sugar, and alcohol seems perfect.

Aftertaste: Very nice. There is a relatively long finish with a slight coating of the tongue. The aftertaste itself is quite pleasant.

Decision: I really like the taste and balance of this wine. A very solid showing for a riesling with a cloying sweetness that doesn't affect its dryness. I would pair this wine with a light summer dish, perhaps even something with shrimp. 90/100

2007 - Keuka Lake Estate White

Tasted on: March 27, 2010
Purchased for: $9.99


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 10.5%


• Residual Sugar: unknown
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Clear. Light green-yellow tint.

Aroma: Fruity bouquet.

Taste / Texture: Unique taste. I'm getting a note that I haven't experienced before, but it's hard to describe. Almost smoky. Lovely mouthfeel.

Aftertaste: Medium-long finish with lingering flavors being pleasant for the tongue.

Decision: A nice value wine. I don't have much more than that to say about it. 75/100.

Hunt Country - 2008 Seyval Blanc

Tasted on: March 5, 2010
Purchased for: $7.99
Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%
• Residual Sugar: 1%
• pH: 3.3
• Total Acidity: 8.7 g/L
  

Wine Awards and Ratings

• Seyvals from Hunt Country have won 6 Gold and Double Gold medals since 2004
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Transparent, greenish-yellow hue with a medium intensity.

Aroma: Clean, fruity pear aroma. Very nice.

Taste / Texture: Sweeter than I expected, but still off-dry. Intense fruit flavor that I can't really identify. Medium-thin body. The pH, alcohol, and acidity seem balanced.

Aftertaste: Aftertaste is pleasant. Medium finish.

Decision: Excellent value wine. The taste is pleasant and very well balanced. I would buy it again. 85/100

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.