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.

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.

Brotherhood - 2008 Merlot

I haven't tasted a new vintage of New York wine for a while, but I'm back!

Tasted on: February 26, 2011
Purchased for: $10.99




Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 13%
• Residual Sugar: <0.3%

Tasting:
Appearance: Dark, dark, barely transparent color. Decent set of legs.

Aroma: After letting my glass of red wine air for a half hour, the aroma still wafted over to my chair. A wonderful bouquet of berry and pepper.

Taste / Texture: My first impression is that the flavor is unassuming and pleasant. A tad acidic with the berry (currant?) flavor. Decent mouth feel.

Aftertaste: Relatively short finish with a nice aftertaste.

Decision: Decision 85/100 I haven't had too many merlot wines to compare this one, but I like it and would purchase it again.

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

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 Viking Red

Tasted on: Friday, March 5, 2010
Purchased for: $6.99 750ml


Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12%


• Residual Sugar: .05%
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• "Best Red Hybrid Blend" NY Wine & Food Classic, NY 8/09


• "Best Red Hybrid Blend" NY Wine & Food Classic, NY 8/08


• Gold Medal & Best of Class San Francisco Chronicle, CA 1/08

Tasting:

Appearance: Deep garnet hue with faint opacity

Aroma: Subtle cherry/berry fruit with a slight wafting of oak. Lightly scented.

Taste / Texture: Soft beginning of berry that gains momentum as it coats the tongue in its velvet cloak. The oak becomes more noticeable when the liquid strikes the back of the palate.

Aftertaste: The wine quickly vaporizes upon swallowing yet leaves a footprint of is pleasant character. The mixture of berries continues to remind.

Decision: This New York Table Wine is an extremely good value for the product that you get. The mixture of French Hybrid and vinifera grapes is practically perfected. One can't expect a better red table wine! I will definitely be buying this again. I'll give it a 90/100 for the great value as well as the flavor that this wine possesses.

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.

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

Goose Watch 2006 Lemberger

Tasted on: January 29, 2010
Purchased for: $ 13.99

Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content: 12.8%
  


• Residual Sugar: 0%
  

Wine Awards and Ratings:

• N/A
  

Tasting:

Appearance: The color is a deep claret that is practically opaque.

Aroma: Intense berry and cherry overtones accompany slight oak and earthy undertones.

Taste / Texture: Very dry with bold, distinctive flavors of a variety of berries. The pepper taste hits a high note as the wine travels to the back of the tongue. Surprisingly smooth once the berries take over after the shock of the initial acidic entry.

Aftertaste: The peppery taste creates a grand finale that slowly vaporizes. This wine has ego!

Decision: The wine will pair well with cheeses, game and a variety of meats. The intense fruitiness of the wine requires a complimentary partner such as a roasted pork loin or a grilled steak. I'd probably purchase this wine again should the opportunity present itself. I give it a rating of 80/100

Hunt country - Alchemy

Tasted on: January 2, 2010
Purchased for: ~$14

Wine Data:

• Alcohol Content:12.5%
• Residual Sugar:0.4%
• pH: 3.6
  

Tasting:

Appearance: Brilliant dark reddish-mulberry. Nearly opaque in its intense color.

Aroma: Lovely bouquet dominated by the oak-aged grapes. The cherry and pepper notes take a back seat to the lovely oak aroma.

Taste / Texture: I can definitely identify the black cheery, oak, and pepper notes of this wine. Medium-body with an excellent mouthfeel.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is rather long and pleasant. The wine ends on a harmonious note.

Decision: Excellent, excellent red wine. I love the combination of grapes which seem to work in a seamless fashion in presenting their flavors. This wine would best be paired with a stronger meal or cheese. I am most impressed. 95/100.

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