Name: Fetzer Gewurztraminer
Variety: Gewurztraminer
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2014
Price: $12
Shop Review: A rainy minerality on the
nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle
and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is
full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and
chalky element stops it short of treacly. - 87 – Wine Enthusiast
My Review: This wine is overwhelming sweet at a first sniff. Berries mix with super sugars and bits of honeysuckle. The taste doesn't have much improvements of the sweet factor but pulls out more of the peachy notes.
Name: Maipe Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2015
Price: $12
Shop Review: "The 2015 Maipe Malbec is another 100% Malbec, with a
deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty,
blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It
is delicious, soft and round." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (March 2016), 87 pts - Excellent Wine Values for Under $25
My Review: This deep violet wine has strong scents of blackberry on the nose. Pepper and oak mingle on the palette of these sweet flavors making it an interesting and strong combination.
Name: Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay
Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $12
Shop Review: A pretty, floral wine, with
a rose petal note underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The
fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish.
My Review: This deep red wine had sweet ripe plums on the nose mixing with raspberries and light florals. These sweet flavors carry over to the palette and mix with a hint of spice and a tannic component.
Name: Mapreco Vinho Verde Rose
Variety: Vinho Verde Rose
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2015
Price: $10
Shop Review: The cherry color reveals a
slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rosé made from the traditional
vinho verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of
strawberry, cherry and berries. A delightful twist on the original.
My Review: Little bubbles show a slight fizz to this pale pink wine. The nose has aromas peaches and berries with a sweetness overall. The taste is a bit acidic, but it balances out the sweetness of the wine.
Name: Mars & Venus Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95
Shop Review: A very nice value
Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak
here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a
hint of caramelized pineapple. Juicy and
clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight
sipping.
My Review: This golden yellow wine had a wonderful bouquet of apples, pears, and lemons on the nose. This crisp wine had intensified sugars on the palette, but made for easy drinking.
Name: Fetzer Gewurztraminer
