Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Classic Blueberry

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Classic Blueberry
Variety: 100% Blueberries

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: NV
Price: $19

Winery Review: This wine, made from ripe blueberries, is full bodied with a rich deep color. The berry nose and the tart flavor are balanced nicely with a delicate sweetness. The luscious essense of preserves lingers long after the last sip making it an excellent choice for brunch or dessert!

My Review: I don’t get to try blueberry wine often. This was delicious. With 4.5% residual sugar I knew it was going to be sweet. The nose was acidic mixed with shoe polish. The taste was like liquid blueberries. Great as a digestif. 

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Reconciliation

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Reconciliation
Variety: 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Petit Verdot

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2015
Price: $39

Winery Review: Deep garnet in color, this full bodied, Meritage red blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Petit Verdot has an intense smoky nose of ripe blackberries and dried black cherries. An initial hint of sweetness meets your palate along with notes of vanilla, cinnamon and dried dark cherries, ripe plum, currents and then wet river stone. Truly balanced tannins give way to a lingering finish of smoky fruity licorice. Great now through 2025.

My Review: Fantastic wine. The nose was great with hints of oak, vanilla, and red fruit. The taste was super smooth with no tannic component. I got hints of red fruit mixed with chocolate. It had a solid long finish.

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Norton

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Norton
Variety: 100% Norton

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2014
Price: $32

Winery Review: Norton is a rich, robust, and balanced wine. The nose of ripe plum and smoke is supported by dark cherry flavors and is encased by a bit of vanilla and spice. Finishing long, the firm tannins promise a long life in the bottle.

My Review: This was a delicious wine. The nose was full of spice, cherry, and vanilla. The taste was of black fruit primarily blackberries. It was a solid, full-body wine with a solid finish.

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Petit Verdot

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Petit Verdot
Variety: 100% Petit Verdot

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2014
Price: $34

Winery Review: The Winery at Bull Run’s 2014 Petit Verdot has a nose of cooked dark cherries and plums, popcorn and pencil shavings. Medium bodied with balanced acidity, black cherries and plums greet your palate then transform into earthy notes and pencil shavings mid-palate.  Smooth tannins will linger on your tongue with just a hint of savory herbs on the finish.

My Review: Bold offering from Bull Run. Pungent nose with red berries and cherries. The taste was silky smooth with some spice on the palate followed by cherries and raspberries. Solid finish.

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Merlot

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Merlot
Variety: 100% Merlot

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2014
Price: $30

Winery Review: Garnet in color, the 2014 Merlot has aromas of ripe cherries, plums and subtle oak and vanilla.  Light to medium bodied, juicy red and black cherries immediately greet your tongue followed by ripe plums, blackberries, and vanilla. The 2014 Merlot leaves you with subtle velvety tannins that linger long after you’ve finished. This well balanced Merlot is certain to grow only more delicious with time.

My Review: This was a good Merlot. It was approaching full body. The nose was aromatic with red fruit specifically raspberries with spice. The taste gave hints of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries. A slight spice came through. A slight tannic component was present at the end. 

Tasting - Hume Cabernet Franc

Name: Hume Cabernet Franc
Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2011
Price: $23

Winery Review: A pliant, lively wine to pair with roasted chicken or grilled salmon, this bears a forward note of red cherry, plus touches of cassis, char, herb and vanilla that add dimension. It's light to medium bodied, with fine, dusty tannins and fresh acids.

My Review: This was a nice entry for Cab Franc. This had a big nose filled with spice and berries. The taste was spicier than previous Cab Francs that I’ve had. I also got hints of raspberry and black pepper on the palate. It was a solid wine.

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Cabernet Franc

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Cabernet Franc
Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2014
Price: $32

Winery Review: Light-bodied and delicious featuring a complex combination of black fruits, black pepper, and smoke aromas with hints of blackberry, black and white pepper, and sweet spice flavors on the palate. Finishes easy with balanced tannins and a hint of vanilla and oak.

My Review: This wine had a big nose filled with spice and red fruit. The taste had hints of that spice with black pepper and cherry. The tannic component came through pretty well with an oaky finish.

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Delaney

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Delaney
Variety: 50% Riesling, 25% Vidal Blanc, 15% Traminette, 5% Petit Manseng, and 5% Viognier

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2015
Price: $32

Winery Review: Exhibits fragrant floral aromas as well as white peaches, dried apricots, and subtle hints of ginger. Soft lilac and a touch of exotic lemongrass meet your palate along with pineapple, tropical fruits and nectarine that linger on your tongue, leaving you with a long sweet finish.

My Review: This was an interesting assortment of grapes and it worked. The nose is aromatic with tropical notes and passion fruit. The taste is pretty sweet with hints of stone fruit, peach, and apricot. Ends with a smooth finish.

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Riesling

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Riesling
Variety: 100% Riesling

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2015
Price: $29

Winery Review: With a nose of exotic pineapple, lemon and lime, this semi-sweet, light-bodied Riesling is like biting into a crisp, tart green apple, followed by notes of key lime, and ending with a creamy finish of apricots and peaches.

My Review: This was a nice Riesling. The nose was full of aromas especially stone fruit. The taste was also of stone fruit with light citrus notes. It has a nice sweetness to it. It was smooth on the finish. 

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Barrel Select Chardonnay

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Barrel Select Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2014
Price: $29

Winery Review: A Virginian-style Chardonnay, aromas of ripe pear, honeydew melon and red delicious apples. Crisp flavors of apple and pear followed by subtle nuances of oak. Spicy notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, tumeric mid palate to a lingering vanilla spice finish.

My Review: I’ve never come across a Chardonnay that I liked but this was a first. I found this one enjoyable. It was oaked just the perfect amount to create the right flavors. The nose was of pear and apple with stone fruit and butter on the palate. It was silky throughout and smooth on the short finish. 

Tasting - The Winery at Bull Run Lilly’s Viognier

Name: The Winery at Bull Run Lilly’s Viognier
Variety: 100% Viognier

Region: USA
Country: Virginia
Year: 2014
Price: $29

Winery Review: Delightful floral essence, hints of white peach and apricot, medium to full bodied, creamy with crisp minerality on the finish.

My Review: I typically enjoy Viognier and this was exception. A delightful full body white with a fruity component throughout. Smooth all the way. I got passion fruit on the nose with some apricot. On the palate, I tasted stone fruit and the finish was clean. Very enjoyable and easy drinker. 

Tasting - Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva

Name: Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva
Variety: 100% Cannonau

Region: Sardinia
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: 7 CHF

Winery Review: Intense ruby red, good fluidity and consistency. Bouquet of ripe blackberries and roasted almonds, with notes of cinnamon and vanilla. Warm, spicy, pleasingly tannic

My Review: Oaky and fruity on the nose with hints of dark fruit specifically black currant and blueberry. The taste is earthy but with a taste of black currant. The taste is oaky too but with no hint of vanilla. It is mildly tannic with a full body and a short finish.

Tasting - Château Partarrieu Sauternes

Name: Château Partarrieu Sauternes
Variety: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle

Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: 10 CHF

Winery Review: Golden yellow in color. Scent of dried apricots and figs, accompanied by some honey and vanilla. Full-bodied with balanced acidity and long persistence.

My Review: This is a very silky, smooth wine. Decadent. The smell is floral and a bit pungent almost rotten. The taste is great with hints of honey and stone fruit specifically apricot. The finish is short but super smooth. I can’t really taste the alcohol at all.

Tasting - Legend of the Vine Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Legend of the Vine Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 8% Petite Sirah

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $13

Winery Review: Legend of the Vine Cabernet Sauvignon is a ripe red wine, plum tasting, chocolate hinting, smooth wine that provides twice its value for a fraction of the price. Aged in 92% French Oak and 8% American Oak it provides just touch of oak spices to its mix. The combination of different red wines enhances the taste and body of the offering.

My Review: This wine has very aromatic nose that is fruity with blackberries. The taste is similar with black fruit such as blackberries and blackcurrants. It is a very bold and full wine with quite the tannic component. It has a long finish and is delicious especially when paired with a nice ribeye.