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.

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.

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

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.

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