Name: Tweak's Treasure
Variety: 80% Sangiovese, 20% Shiraz
Region: California grown
Country: United States of America
Year: 2013
Price: Free
ABV: ??%
Their review: Homemade - no review.
My review: A friend of a friend purchases a truckload of grapes once a year and this year produced 600 or so bottles. We opened one. Does not taste or smell like any wine I've ever had. Upon opening the bottle reminds me of bare feet in a humid basement - was not a fan of the smell. After letting it sit out for an hour or so blackberries are prevalent on the nose. Pours a very translucent red - the color of strawberries. There is a distinct flavor that I have chosen to dub "the homemade flavor" for now. Not a wine I would necessarily consider complex, but a simple dark fruit seems to stand out. Overall a little funky but ultimately fun to drink.
Name: Agriverde Piane di Maggio Trebbiano d'AbruzzoVariety: Trebbiano Region: AbruzzoCountry: ItalyYear: 2012Price: $3.99ABV: 12.5%
Their review: "Intense and delicate on the nose. Recalls white flowers and orange zest. Medium bodied and dry with very good acidity, it leaves a pleasant bitterness on the back of the palate."
My review: Pale and not golden, but has the appearance of a body. Definitely green apple aroma and possibly some sort of light olive. Not a sweet or bitter smell, but has a dryness to it. The dryness doesn't really come out in the taste, and there is a long finish packed with green apple. This was an excellent wine for the price and makes me excited to try more Italian wines - especially Trebbianos.
Name: Bay Bridge ChardonnayVariety: Chardonnay Region: Livermore ValleyCountry: California, United States of AmericaYear: No YearPrice: $2.99ABV: 12.5%
Their review: No company review; no website. But I found this from a user on cellartracker.com: "Pleasantly surprised by this. Didn't expect much and the wine delivered just a little more than my low expectation. Though, if I had tasted it blind I would have said it was more of a Sauvignon Blanc than a Chard. Lots of acid, freshness and citrus... Certainly nothing special and doesn't really have much of a finish - but certainly drinkable and with the acid, would be a decent everyday wine for dinner."
My review: Didn't have much to spend on wine this week so I had to turn to old reliable: Bay Bridge. The chardonnay is very pale and thin. I really don't get much on the nose... it's a cross between a fruit and a tree. The alcohol doesn't show up in the nose as much as one might expect. Definitely acid and slightly boozy taste, but overall very mild and highly drinkable. I wish I had more to say on this one but it's very simple and one-dimensional, but at $3 it holds its value.
Name: Rex Goliath MalbecVariety: MalbecRegion: Grown in Argentina, bottled in Madera, California Country: ArgentinaYear: No YearPrice: $4.29ABV: 13%
Their review: "Our Malbec's sweet spice intesity, lush texture, and silky finish is like dancing a seductive Tango - delightfully balanced with all the right moves."
My review: Lots of very quick, skinny legs and a deep, slightly translucent ruby color. On the nose... I'm finding it hard to be polite about this. There is a spiciness, but at various points through a few glasses I've gotten what reminds me of chlorine, viscous medicine, and a shopping mall. The taste is far more forgiving. There is a definite spice reminding me of late Autumn, something I'm partial to, which fades into a dry finish. I'm having a hard time picking up anything else... I would not consider it fruity, and the finish has more of a boozed kick than I would like. I'll have to find another Malbec to try; after this bottle it doesn't seem to be in contention for a favorite grape.
Name: Crane Lake Cabernet SauvignonVariety: 100% Cabernet SauvignonRegion: Napa and Sonoma, California Country: United StatesYear: 2012Price: $4.99ABV: 12.5%
Their review: "Rich color with notes of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, and vanilla. Tannins are soft and layered."
My review: Very red yet translucent, fun to look at. Uniform legs that run quickly down the glass. I'm very happy with this wine. Before reading any reviews I was able to pick out blackberries, and can sense some cherry on the nose after reading the review. The smell of alcohol is well-covered. The taste is packed with dark fruits, and is exceptionally smoother than any other red wines I can remember trying. There is an incredibly appealing spiciness in the smell that comes out even more so in the taste, especially in the finish. It is this semi-dry spiciness that makes me very excited to try more cabernet sauvignons. Once again I am extremely happy with this wine.
Name: Tilia MerlotVariety: 100% MerlotRegion: MendozaCountry: ArgentinaYear: 2012Price: $9.95ABV: 13.5%
Their review: "Tilia Merlot show sweet Bing cherry and plum fruit aromas and flavors and finishes with ripe and smooth tannins."
My review: A very red, but not dark, wine with quick legs. Not an overly boozy smell, but a strangely pleasant and long debated over tarter sauce. Definitely some sort of mellow, reserved, non-citrus fruit on the nose that I must presume is the described plum aroma - presumed because I can't say I've ever had a plum. The mouth is far more dry than expected, and I'm having a hard time picking out the "plum" I caught on the nose. The dryness seems to be bringing out yet again a musty flavor, but this trend I'm experiencing in several different wines must mean I'm mistaking mustiness for some quiet, dry flavor. Upon finishing the glass I caught perhaps a bit of tanginess. Overall the alcohol was well-hidden and I now realize I need to try a plum so I can identify it.
Name: Entrada Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Nancagua
Country: Chile
Year: 2012
Price: $5.95
ABV: 12.5%
Their review: "Entrada Chardonnay displays the attractive ripe peach and citrus notes of this classic variety, supported by crisp acidity and an enduring finish."
My review: I can't really get anything other than an alcohol and musty nose. Very few legs with the swirl. I enjoy the color - it's more golden and not as pale as other white wines I've tried. I was expecting a lot of citrus, and am getting a tiny bit of lemon, although the acidity seems to outweigh the flavor. I couldn't put a name on the fruit I was getting, but after reading the description on the bottle I can faintly pick out the peach that was mentioned. The mustiness does not come out in the flavor, fortunately, but after several tastings on different days there is still some anonymous bland flavor I can't place. Perhaps the alcohol is outweighing it. I am still working on looking past the boozy flavor. Six dollars is cheap, but I wish I could have seen another layer in this wine.
