- Chateau Serres Sainte Lucie Cuvee Marquise
- Grenache/Syrah (most out of multiples varieties)
- Corbieres
- France
- 2010
- $4.95 (originally $17)
- There was no wine score on this wine but I enjoyed it.
- The immediate aroma that this wine produced was a strong barnyard smell. Additionally it also provided a dark orange hint as well which acutally complimented the previous scent. The bouquet also informed me that this wine was going to be spicy, which made sense since it was a Grenache. The initial taste was very spicy, and strong compenents of rich earthy qualties such as fresh soil. There was also small hints of unmarked vegetables, grippy hints of pepper, and parching bites of sweat on the final palette. It was almost like someone was stuffing a sock in my mouth, and this wine also produced a mysterious aftertaste flavor that I could not describe.
- I did not have this with food but if I did it would have been some sort of pasta with meatballs
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Tasting - Serres Saint Lucie
Tasting - Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone
- Alain Jaume & Fils Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone
- Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
- Southern Rhone Valley
- France
- 2010
- $14.95/750 mL + $38.95/3L
- Cellar Tracker from the overall score gave it an 87.8 wine score
- First of all this came as a box wine, and I have never had a box wine before. Right away I could smell the tannic structure from the wine, and I could also smell smokey contents with a little bit of a meat scent, possibly a corn dog. The taste offered some surprising sappy essence with an unripened cherry. I also got some hints of licorice, and the full weight of tannins was present in the wine too. I could also get the smokey feel presented in the bouquet, and the heat of the alcohol came through on the mid palette. the final palette produced some peppery yet somewhat sour dinstinctions that turned into a flinty aftertaste. Overall I enjoyed the complexity of this wine.
- I did not have any food with this wine but I did would get some smoked beef or chicken with it.
Tasting - Lobetia Tempranillo
- Lobetia Tempranillo
- Tempranillo
- La Mancha
- Spain
- 2011
- $10.95
- I could not find a single wine rating or score on this wine
- I was not a big fan of this wine, and I can now see why I could not find a wine score on it. The bouquet evoked no scents even though the description states I should find a distinct cherry flavor at least. The taste was strange in the sense that it had a strong initial acidic kick that transformed into a spicy and prickling black cherry flavor. The final taste on the palette brought a bitter and soapy aftertaste with a syrupy texture that left me very dissatisfied with the wine.
- I did not have a food with this wine
Tasting - Lobetia Chardonnay
- Lobetia Chardonnay (Organic)
- Chardonnay
- Las Pedroneras (Cuenca)/La Mancha
- Spain
- 2011
- $10.95
- Could not find a wine score but Paul Clear on southtampa.patch.com gave it a 4 out of 5 stars, saying it over-delivers for the price charged.
- Overall this Chardonnay was very average compared to others I had. The bouquet said it all when I noticed no distinct fruit from the aroma, most likely a tropical fruit such as pineapple. the other scents were very discrete and I might have discovered a hint of some weak herb but could not tell for sure. The taste offered little as well, and I got an initial warm heat from the alcohol, and a sharp and steely pineapple flaver that I discovered earlier. There was also no buttery taste from a classic chardonnay, but there was a hint of green, possibly fresh cut grass taste as well. In summary, I was not impressed by lack of complexity in this wine.
- I did not have food but if I did I would have tried fish with it.
Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele
- Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele
- Pinot Grigio
- Veneto
- Italy
- No Vintage
- $7.95
- Since there is no vintage is it hard to find a wine score, but on tripadvisor.com it got 75% positive rating from non-professionals who visited Venice.
- Overall I felt this Pinto Grigio was a little odd, and I was not used to the strong mineral tastes that came out of this wine. The bouquet was misleading from the taste, because it possesed a light melon smell, with an assortment of other light fruits that I could not describe. The taste on the other hand was totally different. I pretty much got a variety of mineral tastes, specifically a sulfuric tone, as well as a strong wet rock flavor. at the end I also got a bitter taste of flint which overall made me unsure about disceptive flavors in this wine.
- I did not have any food with this wine, but I was so thrown off by the flavors I would not know what to eat with it.
Grape Varietal - Grenache


From a scientific perspective Grenache grapes are generally grown to ripen late during the seasonal span of growth. It is also one of the most typical grapes used to make rose wines in Spain and France, notably around the Tavel district in the Rhone Valley of France. The reason Grenache grapes are used for rose wines, in some cases, is because the skin tends to lack color, which helps give it the pinkish tint. Furthermore Grenache grapes are also used in fortified wines because of its naturally high alcohol content, which is also most commonly used in Australian fortified wines. The Grenache vine also possesses a strong wood canopy that organically grows upright. This allows the grape to grow in windy areas, which aides in its easy growing patterns across the globe. Apart from the grape preferring hot climates, it can easily grow in marginal wet climates with a degree of resistance to water stress. This durability also allows the grape to have longer growing periods, for example Grenache grapes are harvested well after the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. This longer growing season can generally produce Grenache grapes capable of establishing fifteen percent alcohol content. Although Grenache grapes are durable, they can be susceptible to more grape diseases than the average grape. Diseases such as coulure, bunch rot, and downy mildew can easily infect a Grenache grape vine due to the small space between grape clusters.
Ordinarily, Grenache grapes are usually used as a component to blended wines and this is because of its high alcohol and high sugar content. They can be used to create more potent red wine flavors, or soften big tannic wines such as Syrah. So what are some common tastes, and why is Grenache considered a lesser-quality wine? To start, it is because of its high alcohol and high sugar flavors, which will usually produce an unbalanced wine due to scientific processes that produce the alcohol. If there is high alcohol content in a grape there is usually low acid and low tannin production, which also produces low quantities of malic acid too. However, the grape does produce sweet berry flavors with a spicy component, which is odd considering that it has high alcohol content as well. Grapes with high alcohol content typically have lower sugar content and flavors, because the grape ferments sugar into alcohol.

As a result of the quick consumption, the most distinct Grenache flavors are usually jam, pepper, red current, raspberry, fleshy, rustic, and sweet berry attributes. Additionally people can also depict a taste of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, plum, tobacco, barnyard, and earth like qualities. Apart from flavor, the best food pairings for Grenache are usually mild to very strong cheeses, garlic rubbed spareribs, barbecued pork, lamb, and black olive oil. Additionally chicken wings, mild Italian sausage, bean soups, seafood based in tomato sauce, chicken with mushrooms, and cheeseburgers all compliment Grenache. In summary, you should not look for vast prominence in the varietal wine, due to its lack in certain characteristics, but understand that it is a common backbone for a majority of wines across the world, thanks to its durability.
Works Cited
Boyer, John D. Drink This Now! Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.
"Grenache." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenache>.
Zraly, Kevin. Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. New York, NY: Sterling, 2009. Print.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Tasting - Concannon Shiraz
- Concannon Shiraz
- Shiraz
- Central Coast, California
- USA
- 2008
- $7.95
- Champane's Wine Cellar scored it 87 points
- This last wine was so different from the past fruity wines and I personally enjoyed it. First, the bouquet showed off the strong scent of vegetables, which was mostly hints of onion, and tomato. It even smelled like luke warm tomato soup. The taste supported the smell, and I got a bitter tomato with a spicy kick on the first palette. On the mid palette I got a hint of mushroom, and the final palette gave me a sweet relief of dark cherry meeting Hershey's dark chocolate. I enjoyed the complexity in this wine and I enjoyed the old school earthy flavors for the first time ever.
- I did not have any food with this wine, but I would have something with tomatos in it
Tasting - Ksana Bonarda
- Ksana Bonarda
- Bonarda
- Mendoza
- Argentina
- 2008
- $9.95
- Wine Spectator gave the wine 88 points
- This was the first time I had a Bonarda, and I thought it was very tasty and full bodied. Immediately after sniffing the wine I got a variety of fruity jams, most likely blueberry, as well as a heavy dirt smell similar to fertilizer. When I tasted it I got a fruity strawberry blend, but was surprised me was a tannic bomb that cooperated with the fruit in the front and mid palette. The fullness of the body really came out on the last palette when the fruit radically changed from fruity to super spicy, almost jalapeno spice. The greatest part was it did not burn on the way down, and it had a long and pleasant spicy aftertaste that worked well with the strong tannic structure.
- I did not have this wine with food, but I did think of some chili and garlic bread.
Tasting - Black Ridge White Zinfandel
- Black Ridge White Zinfandel NV
- White Zinfandel
- Central Valley, California
- USA
- No Vintage
- $3.95
- There is no exact wine score from major wine critics, but Mike Northup said it tastes well with grilled meats, heavy pasta, burgers, and pizza.
- Overall the price of this wine says it all, there was nothing special or specifically good about this wine. There was no bouquet at, which from experience meant there was probably little complexity. There was no change in taste on the different sections of the palette, and the alcohol was a little warm as well. There was a little spice on the way down but the basic flavor was watered down cherry. This wine is pretty much the Natural Light of wine and was very thin.
- I did not have this with food, but I not very intrigued to try it with grilled meats like the previous review stated.
Tasting - Chandon Sweet Cuvee
- Chandon Sweet Cuvee NV Sparkling Wine
- Pinot Noir/Chardonnay
- Sonoma County, California
- USA
- Non-Vintage
- $9.95
- Wine Spectator gave the wine a score of 88 points
- First of all I immediately enjoyed the color of this wine, which was a rich copper. It is a sparkling wine and the initial bouquet provided a spicy scent possible clove. The taste provided a strong mineral and earthy taste initially, but it did not get spicy until it hit the end of my palette. Obviously this wine was full bodied and it had some complexity that I was not expecting from this sparkling wine. Even better, the spice was not overpowering on the way down it, rather it was satisfying.
- I did not have food but anything would have been good with it.
Tasting - Wilson Daniels Sauvignon Blanc
- Wilson Daniels Sauvignon Blanc
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Central Coast/Santa Barbara, California
- USA
- 2010
- $7.95
- I could not find a specific score for this wine, but the Vintage Cellar gave it a subpar review, calling it a standard tasting sauvignon blanc.
- The initial sniff from this wine produced a strong orange scent, as well as an extreme citrus bomb. I even got a hint of kiwi, which got me excited for this wine because I had never smelled that fruit before in a wine. Overall the taste was extremely aciditc with a little sweetness in the mid and final palette. The strong orange flavor was very prevelant and even though it was a citrus bomb the taste ended with a smooth finish. Basically, it was a simple and straighforward sauvignon blanc with no surprises in taste.
- I did not have any food with this wine.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Tasting - Poggio al Tufo Cabernet Sauvignon
- Tselepos Agiorgitiko
- Moschofilero
- Arcadia/Peloponnese
- Greece
- 2012
- $9.95
- There is no score yet for this vintage but the last 3 vintages were given a score of 88 by CellarTracker
- I got very strong bouquet of vanilla, and that was about it. The actual taste was very plain, and was almost like a Rose wine. It was very distinct that it had no body, in fact it almost seemed like it was watered. Overall the lack of wine made this very uninteresting and very forgetfull.
- I did not have food with this, but it probably would not have helped.
Tasting - Stickybeak Chardonnay
Tasting - Vinha do Foral Pygoes Dry Moscato
Tasting - Grand'Arte Alvarinho
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Tasting - Morli Neri
- Morli Neri
- Chianti/Sangiovese
- Chianti Region/Tuscany
- Italy
- 2009
- $8.99
- I could not find any score online or anywhere, this is relatively new wine, created by Siema wines in 1997. one critic gave 4 out of 5 starts on the Vintage cellar site.
- I thought this wine was very unsatisfying because of the poor lack to hide the taste of alcohol. At 12.5% there needs to be complexity and this wine does not suceed in doing so. In fact the flavors that it trys to incorporate, just increase the heat of the alcohol. Flavors such as an unripened strawberry are not only increasing the bitterness of the wine, but they are not creating any good balance or chemistry with the rest of the wine.
- I did not eat anything with this wine
Tasting - El Pedrosal Ribera del Duero
- El Pedrosal Ribera del Duero
- 100% Tinto Fino
- Ribera del Duero
- Spain
- 2009
- $21.95
- Stephen Tanzer gave it a score of 89 points
- This wine was interesting because I had never had a wine with tinto fino grape, especially at 100%. From the bouquet I knew right away this was going to be a spicy wine with strong hints of black pepper. This was reinforced by the initial tastes of pepper and amplified the tannic feeling. After the initial bite though it eased into a slight taste of blackberry jam on toast which allowed myself a drink after the final pallete. I also tasted some vanilla, but just barely, and all of these flavors blended well with dominant pepper and spice flavor. overall it was a well rounded wine with solid flavors that complimented itself well. If I ever visit Spain this would be the wine I would want to drink
- I did not eat anything with this wine but if I had the chance I would have eaten a steak.
Tasting - Beaumes de Venise
- Dom de Fenouillet Beaumes de Venise
- 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre
- Rhone Valley
- France
- 2010
- $23.95
- Jancis Robinson on wine-searcher.com gave it a score of 84
- Overall I thought this wine was not that interesting, pretty much just a boring wine. This bland flavor was reinforced by classic tastes of an old school wine such as earthy flavors like clay. This wine had a weak taste of cherry as well that did not improve or worsen the mineral taste. It is like the winemaker just wanted to add another flavor at the last minute to try and enhance the simple flavors. The bouquet was just as dissatifying as the taste; again it was not bad but it was nothing special.
- I did not have this wine with any food
Tasting - Dom Vincent Dampt Chablis
- Domaine Vincent Dampt Chablis
- Chardonnay
- Burdundy
- France
- 2011
- $21.95
- Jancis Robinson on wine-searcher.com gave it a score of 86
- This wine was shockingly exciting to drink, Initially I got a strong lemon and acidic flavor. However this acidity was not as strong as the Dom de la Louvetrie Muscadet that I had before this one. This wine was extremely complex, because after I had the initial kick from the lemon I got an old school dry and moldy taste. The final palette revieled even more flavor with an earthy taste of copper and even vomit. Strangly I enjoyed this final taste, and each flavor worked well with oneanother to make a well balanced wine.
- I did not have this wine with food, but if I did I would have had some cheese, most likely swiss.
Tasting - Dom de la Louvetrie Muscadet
- Dom de la Louvetrie Muscadet
- Muscadet/Melon de Bourgogne
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Main/Loire Valley
- France
- 2011
- $15.95
- Gault & Millau on Wine-Searcher.com gave it an 80/100
- This wine had a some fruity taste, moslty pineapple, to the initial and mid pallete. There was also strong acidity that hit every part of the pallete but really strenghtened on the last pallete. The strong acidity did not dampen the taste in any way though, in fact it gave it a zest that I could see myself enjoying as a dessert wine
- I did not have this with food
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