Tasting - Beliveau Estate A Capella

Name: Beliveau Estate A Capella
Variety: 39% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 22% Chambourcin

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $26

Winery Review: Bright red berry flavors with a soft vanilla bean and star anise finish.

My Review: This wine had some big aromas on the nose with hints of red fruit and red licorice with a slight hint of vanilla and tobacco undertones. The wine also had big flavors with a lot of red fruit on the palate with a slight hint of vanilla and oak. It had a long finish. This is my favorite wine from Beliveau Estate and I was very happy with it.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate Soul Singer

Name: Beliveau Estate Soul Singer
Variety: 100% Chambourcin

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $26

Winery Review: Old world style with cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

My Review: Notes of barnyard come through heavy on this one mixed with spice. The taste is quite earthy with more spice present combined with some red fruit and cherry. It had a short finish. This was a pretty unique wine and I really liked it.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate Trailblazer

Name: Beliveau Estate Trailblazer
Variety: 100% Merlot

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $22

Winery Review: Hints of figs, plums, raisins with a light smoke finish.

My Review: Smoke was evident on the nose with a bit of plum. More smoke and plum were there on the palate with some spice throughout. It was a light bodied wine with a long finish. This was a nice middle of the road wine.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate The Reserve

Name: Beliveau Estate The Reserve
Variety: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Zinfandel

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $20

Winery Review: Bright red berries pair with light spicy notes.

My Review: The nose had hints of spice, tobacco, and cherry. At first I thought this might have been a Cab Franc. The taste had more cherry throughout with some hints of spice in it. It had a long finish. This was a nice combination of grapes that worked out really well.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate Crown Jewel

Name: Beliveau Estate Crown Jewel
Variety: 57% Pinot Grigio, 33% Niagara, and 10% Traminette

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $16

Winery Review: Bright summer flavors of apple and pears with a caramel finish.

My Review: Thanks to the Niagara grapes the nose on this wine is similar to grape juice with big aromas. The taste itself is sweet which is quite nice. There are hints of grape and pear with caramel like crème brûlée on the end. It had a long finish. This was a nice balanced wine.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate Lover's Quest

Name: Beliveau Estate Lover’s Quest
Variety: 64% Vidal Blanc and 36% Chardonnay

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $18

Winery Review: Semi-sweet blend with notes of rose petal and melon.

My Review: The nose was slightly fruity and vaguely tropical. The taste was slightly sweet which was just enough to balance it out. Hints of melon and stone fruit were present throughout. The wine finished short and was a really nice wine. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate Captivate

Name: Beliveau Estate Captivate
Variety: 100% Riesling

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $18

Winery Review: Dry and fruity with lemon zest and light butterscotch.

My Review: The nose on this one was buttery with stone fruit defining it. The taste was dry despite having 1% residual sugar. There was a hint of lemon zest but I wouldn’t call it citrusy. There was a slight butterscotch flavor on the end. It had a short finish. This was a nice little wine.

Tasting - Beliveau Estate Mystique

Name: Beliveau Estate Mystique
Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $16

Winery Review: Unoaked, refreshing and bubbly with hints of ginger and custard.

My Review: The nose was of stone fruit and a bit of citrus. The taste was definitely a bit bubbly with hints of grass and stone fruit. It was sort of silky with a long finish. A custard taste came through on the end. I’m not a fan of chardonnay but this was nice.

Tasting - Mojave Rain Red Blend

Name: Mojave Rain Red Blend
Variety: Red Blend

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $15

Winery Review: A well-balanced California Red that has enticing aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and plum. Flavors of dried strawberry, earth and spice linger in the finish. This wine is great just on its own! Or enjoy with wild mushrooms over polenta, meat-stuffed ravioli or Italian cheeses.

My Review: The nose was generally of red fruit specifically raspberries with some cherry and slight vanilla notes. The taste was fruity throughout with hints of cherry, raspberry, and currants. There was some vanilla on the finish which was long. It was a quality wine but nothing particularly special. It is similar other California red blends that I have had countless times before.

Tasting - Mojave Rain Zinfandel

Name: Mojave Rain Zinfandel
Variety: 100% Zinfandel

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $15

Winery Review: Jammy, spicy, and bold! This wine has juicy raspberry, strawberry, red plum flavors and a zesty black pepper spice in the finish. Try this wine with grilled or barbecued meats, pasta with tomato sauce or smoke cheeses!

My Review: Big aromas fill my nose as soon as I open the bottle. I get notes of red currant, cherry, and licorice. There’s also a hint of something burnt almost like leather. The taste is big and bold too with berries present throughout with more currants and raspberries. It is silky smooth with a long finish. This was a really nice wine.