Tasting - M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône Rosé

Name: M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône Rosé
Variety: 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Cinsault

Region: Côtes du Rhône
Country: France
Year: 2016
Price: $11

Winery Review: In the tradition of the Rhone valley's great rose wines, Chapoutier's Belleruche Rosé is made from a blend of Grenache (roughly 50%), with smaller amounts of Cinsaut (Cinsault), and Syrah. The Grenache in this food-friendly wine gives it bright red stone fruit flavors and beautiful color, while the Cinsaut gives its delicate strawberry aroma and the Syrah its body, making it a great pairing even for the intense flavors of seafood.

My Review: The nose is quite fruity with hints of strawberry, currant, and spice abound. The palate is also fruity but with hints of floral. There is a light hint of strawberry mixed with a bitter citrus taste and rose petals. It is fresh throughout with a long finish.

Tasting - Prophecy Pinot Noir

Name: Prophecy Pinot Noir
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $10

Winery Review: Prophecy Pinot Noir showcases the best of California. Upon the first swirl, this Pinot Noir delights the senses with a bouquet of toasted oak and ripe raspberry. Plush and smooth, the mouthfeel is round and filled with luscious layers of red cherry and strawberry that are complemented by notes of brown spice.

My Review: Big aromas on the nose with red fruit such as cherry with licorice and oak bursting forth. The palate had more cherry with black currant and smoke followed by slight oak on the end. It had a long, smooth finish and was a pleasant drinker.

Tasting - Rebuli Cartizze Prosecco

Name: Rebuli Cartizze Prosecco
Variety: 100% Glera (Prosecco)

Region: Valdobbiadene
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $30

Winery Review: A notable clear straw color. This Prosecco Cartizze Grand Cru has a perlage that is fine and persistent. It exhibits aromas of fresh apple, flowers, with some typical exotic fruits notes, typical of the Cartizze. The taste is delicate and fresh with long lasting flavors.

My Review: The aromas are of apple and stone fruit with a slightly floral note to it. It was crisp. As for the taste, white fruit with green apple and peach being present. There were honey notes throughout. It was crisp and dry with a long finish.

Tasting - Charles de Cazanove Brut Champagne Tradition Père & Fils

Name: Charles de Cazanove Brut Champagne Tradition Père & Fils
Variety: 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Meunier, and 10% Chardonnay

Region: Champagne
Country: France
Year: NV
Price: $27

Winery Review: This Champagne offers an array of flavor, including toasted brioche, Gala apple, lemon zest, graphite and ginger, with a touch of honey. Elegant, but with good intensity and a moderate, nut-tinged finish.

My Review: The nose carries hints of stone fruit mainly peach with a bit of minerality and grass. The palate also has stone fruit with floral notes and some honey. It’s pretty silky throughout with a long finish. Quality Champagne at a solid entry point.

Tasting - Antinori Tignanello

Name: Antinori Tignanello
Variety: 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc

Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $90

Winery Review: The 2012 Tignanello is an intense ruby red in color with purple highlights. The wine is potent and complex on the nose with spicy notes which mingle with aromas of red fruit, smoke, and balsamic sensations; cherries, plums, liquorice, and rosemary are additionally felt. The flavors are mouth- filling and elegant with much volume and an excellent balance in the texture, and the oak is perfectly fused in the spicy and fruity finish and aftertaste.

My Review: This was a magnificent wine. The nose was of red fruit specifically raspberries and cherry with a slight vanilla hint. The taste on the palate was predominantly red fruit with more cherry and raspberries with redcurrants and plum. It was slightly tannic that added to the structure. It was bold and finished long. It was a fantastic wine and possibly the best I’ve ever had. I paired the wine with a ribeye cooked medium-rare topped with chimichurri sauce and sides of roasted baby Dutch potatoes and a cheese stuffed roasted tomato.

Tasting - Korbin Kameron Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Korbin Kameron Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2003
Price: $15

Winery Review: This 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon is a brooding powerhouse.  It has a deep inkiness with aromatics of bluebery jam, plum pudding, espresso beans, and a hint of agave nectar.  The concentrated palate has layers of notes of cocoa nibs, fresh blueberries, and black mission figs.

My Review: There were notes of plum, raspberries, and blueberries. There was also oak and jam present. The taste was sort of earthy but kind of fruity. It was firmly in the middle. Blueberry and plum came through quite a bit. It had a long finish with oak on the end. It was kind of tight and could have benefited from some decanting. Overall not too bad.