Tasting - District Winery Old Vine Zinfandel

Name: District Winery Old Vine Zinfandel
Variety: 100% Zinfandel

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $34

Winery Review: Big and bold, yet smooth and sensual, this wine was made from 50-year-old vines that produce fruit with high concentration due to very low yields.

My Review: This wine had a certain perfume quality to it, very fragrant. It was very fruity full of red fruit with notes of cherry, raspberry, and currant. It was also very fruity on the palate as well full of red fruit and red berries. I got hints of cherry and currant with a little oakiness and vanilla. Despite not being sweet there was a sweet component to it which is hard to explain. It had a long finish and was thoroughly enjoyable. It was a very good wine.

Tasting - District Winery Cuvée Noir

Name: District Winery Cuvée Noir
Variety: 65% Grenache and 35% Petite Sirah

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $23

Winery Review: A unique red blend, this wine offers bright red fruit flavors that burst forth from the glass while elements of cherry pie mingle with cola, rosemary branch, and black licorice through the supple mid-palate and long finish.

My Review: The nose on this wine was filled with red fruit mainly cherry with a slight spice note. More spice comes through on the palate with cherry, red currant, green pepper, and tobacco. It was light bodied and had a long finish. This was nice every day drinking wine.

Tasting - District Winery Pinot Noir

Name: District Winery Pinot Noir
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

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

Winery Review: Aged in 35% new French oak, this Old World style of Pinot Noir echoes the soils of Burgundy. A brooding wine with rich fruit, spice box, and earthy components.

My Review: Spice is readily apparent on the nose with red fruit specifically cherry also being prominent. Interestingly enough bubble gum is a note I smelled. Right away you could tell it was old world style. The taste was of cherry, currant, and tobacco with a slight oak quality. It was dry and acidic and slightly tannic. It was a good quality wine.

Tasting - District Winery Sauvignon Blanc

Name: District Winery Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $26

Winery Review: Notes of honeydew melon, cantaloupe, lemongrass, and tropical fruit with a hint of freshly shaved nutmeg. Vibrant, bright, and clean flavors show all the way through the long finish. Will cellar well for 10+ years.

My Review: This wine smelled very fresh and had a combination of grass and honey on the nose. More honey was present on the palate with a bit of sweetness. It was fresh and crisp with some apple coming through as well. It was slightly acidic with a short finish. High quality Sav Blanc and enjoyable.

Tasting - District Winery Chardonnay Unoaked

Name: District Winery Chardonnay Unoaked
Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Region: New York
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $21

Winery Review: Light in color but intense in aromatics and flavor, this wine has bright acidity and a creamy texture. Notes of fresh picked strawberries, essence of grapefruit, and wet river stones along with hints of honeydew melon and white peach are apparent throughout. Fresh and vibrant now, this wine will continue to age well for the next 10-15 years.

My Review: The nose is quite interesting with a lot of green fruit present such as green apple with a tinge of butter. The taste is very fresh and crisp. I get notes of honeycrisp apples and honey. It has a long finish and is refreshing.

Tasting - Prophecy Red Blend

Name: Prophecy Red Blend
Variety: 34% Zinfandel, 26% Merlot, 21% Syrah, 8% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon & 8% Other Varieties

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

Winery Review: Our Red Blend brings together fruit from two renowned growing regions, Washington and California. This wine is silky and medium bodied, with  layers of red fruit complemented by aromas of spice and vanilla leading to a long silky finish.

My Review: Fruity nose bursting with red currants and raspberry. There’s a slight oakiness to it with a hint of blueberry. The blueberry really comes through on the taste followed by raspberry and some currant. It is fruity and smooth throughout with some oak and tannins on the back end with a long finish. This wine was pretty enjoyable.

Tasting - Graffigna Malbec

Name: Graffigna Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec

Region: San Juan
Country: Argentina
Year: 2016
Price: $12

Winery Review: PALATE Structured and balanced, with ripe tannins and fresh acidity that leads to toasted and vanilla hints on the finish. AROMA Profound and fruit forward, with ripe red berries, sweet spices and a hint of black pepper backed by toasted notes from its oak aging. SUGGESTED FOOD MATCHING Very versatile. It pairs well with lamb and grilled beef, spicy food and poultry.

My Review: Red fruit bursts from the glass with hints of red currant, raspberry and a hint of strawberry. Red licorice with a touch of vanilla is also present. The first sip is a fruit bomb. It is very fruit forward with currant and some blackberry. A butter like quality is also noted. This wine is very smooth with a long finish and solid tannins. It was all around good, solid wine.

Tasting - Rainstorm Silver Linings Pinot Noir Rose

Name: Rainstorm Silver Linings Pinot Noir Rose

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Region: Oregon
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $12

Winery Review: Color: Rose pink. Bouquet: Strawberry, rose petals and pomegranate seeds. Taste: Crisp and lush. It is completely dry with refreshing acidity.

My Review: The nose is quite fruity full of red berries like cherry and strawberry. Its flavors are subtle. The taste is similar with notes of strawberry, raspberry, and tart cherry. It has a long finish. This is a very interesting wine and makes for a nice pairing with many different food and cheeses, very versatile.  

Tasting - Bell'agio Chianti

Name: Bell’agio Chianti

Variety: 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo Nero

Region: Chianti
Country: Italy
Year: 2016
Price: $13

Winery Review: Color: Ruby-red with purple hues. Bouquet: Full and reminiscent of violets. Taste: Dry and smooth with zesty notes of cherry and berry fruit.

My Review: The nose is very fruity full of red fruit like raspberry and red currant with some licorice. There are subtle notes of black fruit present. It is light on the palate with subtle flavors like cherry and raspberry. It is a little tannic with a zesty quality. It is a solid wine, not great but not bad.

Tasting - Field Recordings PETS Petite Sirah

Name: Field Recordings PETS Petite Sirah
Variety: 100% Petite Sirah

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $22

Winery Review: Only 8 barrels of this 100% Petite Sirah bottling were made in total. Despite its name, the Petite Sirah grape yields big, gutsy, structured wines, and this example from Andrew Jones of Field Recordings certainly does this variety justice. Succulent and juicy, this wine has a ton of personality, showing vivid floral aromas, exotic spicebox notes, and blueberry and blackberry jam on the palate.

My Review: Black licorice, black currant and black fruit in general mix with hints of cocoa and blueberry to craft the nose on this wine. It is fruit forward on the taste with blueberry being the most pronounced with blackberry and licorice following it up. It is slightly hot and has a long finish. This is a very good wine and I enjoyed it very much.

Tasting - Luxury Prosecco Gold Brut

Name: Luxury Prosecco Gold Brut
Variety: 100% Prosecco

Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2015
Price: $13

Winery Review: Brilliant straw green color. Aromas and flavors of fondant, mango jam, peach, and roasted almond with an bright, effervescent, fruity medium body and an amusing, medium-long apple sauce, lemon curd, and floral honey finish. A very tasty and refreshing Prosecco pleaser.

My Review: It’s fruity mainly tropical with hints of stone fruit and melon on the nose. A bit of honeysuckle is also present. The taste is also quite fruity with more stone fruit coming through. Hints of melon and mango combine with honey to create a tasty wine. It has a long finish and is pretty well balanced.

Tasting - Domaine de la Colline Chinon

Name: Domaine de la Colline Chinon

Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc

Region: Chinon
Country: France
Year: 2015
Price: $16

Winery Review: Bitter cherry and tobacco notes are laced with racy savory accents. The finish is flecked with white pepper details.

My Review: I get mainly red fruit specifically cherry and red currant on the nose. Slight spice and pencil shavings are apparent as well. The taste is very fruity and a bit atypical of a Cab Franc. Cherry and spice were present throughout. It was somewhat tannic with a medium body. It needed to breathe some more but not too bad.

Tasting - Francis Ford Coppola Claret

Name: Francis Ford Coppola Claret
Variety: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petit Verdot, 4% Petit Sirah

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $12

Winery Review: Rich and aromatic, our 2015 Black Label Claret boasts beautiful extraction, velvety tannins, and robust character. Exotic spices and earthy nuances embellish dark, complex fruit flavors that are long-lived on the finish.

My Review: This wine had big, strong aromas of mainly black fruit. I got notes of black currant, raspberry, and licorice with some spice. Overall quite fruity. The taste was smooth with a lot of raspberry, cherry, and red currant. It was also slightly oaky with some black pepper. It was not big and bold like a typical cabernet sauvignon. It was tannic and had a long finish. It was a really nice wine and of good quality.

Tasting - Game of Thrones Red Blend

Name: Game of Thrones Red Blend
Variety: Syrah, Tempranillo, and Petite Sirah

Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $20

Winery Review: Dark bing cherry, mulberry, vanilla and mocha aromas. Soft, juicy black fruit combines with chewy tannins to provide a full, rich palate. The wine is youthful and fruit forward with a lasting finish.

My Review: The nose is mainly of cherry and red currant. There is some spice and a slight oaky quality to it. The taste was similar with red berries and cherry with some spice and a slightly oakiness and vanilla. This is a bold wine with good balance and a long finish. I was impressed with this wine.