Tasting - Kenwood Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Name: Kenwood Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California (Mendocino and Sonoma Counties)

Country: USA

Year: 2019

Price: $15

Winery Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon is layered with blackcurrant, bay leaf and baking spices on the nose. The palate is full-bodied and soft with flavors of black cherry, savory notes and white pepper on the finish.

My Review: The nose was very fruity with some spice. Red fruit was predominant with cherry and some blueberry. Some oak is also present. Some oak is also present on the taste with some red fruit and black cherry and blackberry. It is a bit hot but not too much. Some cocoa is detected on the very end. Long finish. Very nice.

Tasting - Egobodegas El Goru 2019

Name: Egobodegas El Goru 2019

Variety: 70% Monastrell, 25% Syrah, and 5% Petit Verdot

Region: Jumilla

Country: Spain

Year: 2019

Price: $15

Winery Review: Deep-red coloured wine with purple edges, with an extremely intense aroma of red and ripe fruit, pleasantly creamy, accompanied by touches of toasty oak. It is fruity and flavourful in the mouth, meaty and gamey with smoked charcuterie notes and soft, ripe tannins. Vanilla and cinnamon accent the finish.

My Review: I was excited to try another unique blend of grapes that I hadn’t had before. The wine started with red cherry on the nose with some plum and blackberry. I also got hints of ashes and green pepper. On the palate was an earthiness of dirt followed by black fruit mainly black cherry. Some spice lingered as well. It had a long finish. This was an interesting wine that was enjoyable.

Tasting - Ava Grace Vineyards Red Blend

Name: Ava Grace Vineyards Red Blend

Variety: California Bordeaux Blend

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: NV

Price: $7

Winery Review: Our Red Blend exhibits notes of blackberries and raspberries, with hints of spice. The palate is clean, with flavors of cranberries, roses and a touch of rhubarb. A lingering finish is touched by notes of vanilla and dark cherries.

My Review: Spice and red berries swirl around the nose with some raspberry and slight oakiness. The taste is fruit forward of red fruit such as raspberry and plum. It has a medium body with a long finish. Interesting wine.

Tasting - Stationmaster Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Name: Stationmaster Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California (Alexander Valley in Sonoma County)

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: $20

Winery Review: Intense black fruit flavors and aromas with a food-friendly acidity. Great wine to pair with red meats.

My Review: The nose is very fruit forward with dark berries such as raspberry and blackberry. There is a slight oak and leather scent to it as well. More fruit is present on the palate such as red fruit featuring red currants and raspberries mixed with plum and blackberry. This wine was a bit hot with a short finish. It was just okay. 

Tasting - Osborne Ruby Porto

Name: Osborne Ruby Porto

Variety: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, and Tinta Barroca

Region: Porto/Duoro

Country: Portugal

Year: NV

Price: $18

Winery Review: A delicious ruby port, at an attractive price. Bright, ruby-red in color, lots of cherry and fruit flavors, with just the right touch of sweetness. Drink as an aperitif or after dinner.

My Review: Red berries fill the nose with hints of butter and oak. Some light spice lingers with just a touch of wet wood. Red berries mostly raspberry coat the palate along with a touch of spice. It is slightly acidic with mild tannins. A woody quality comes through on the end before a short finish.

Tasting - Monticello Vineyards Estate Grown Merlot 2018

Name: Monticello Vineyards Estate Grown Merlot 2018

Variety: 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc

Region: California (Oak Knoll in Napa Valley)

Country: USA

Year: 2018

Price: $36

Winery Review: Bright red berry aromas, cherry and raspberry, dried floral tones intertwined with hints of mocha, vanilla and cola. On the palate, I find the wine both relaxed and invigorating. There is a wonderful round midpalate that is well-balanced on a beam of acidity. The framework of gentle tannins leads this wine into a lingering finish that is both full, yet bright, and I anticipate this elegant wine will age gracefully.

My Review: This wine was quite fruit forward on the first whiff. Notes of cherry and red berries come through mixed with a bit of spice. It also smelled like a mix of chapstick and candle. The taste was quite a combination of things. Red berries and plum come through first with some spice. It is quite dry. It is somewhat earthy with notes of dirt and green pepper. It is okay but could do with a great deal more breathing.

Tasting - Imagery Estate Pinot Noir 2021

Name: Imagery Estate Pinot Noir 2021

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2021

Price: $15

Winery Review: Balanced and smooth, this Pinot Noir has layered notes of jammy strawberry, cherry and boysenberry. The fruit flavors are enriched by well integrated oak and blended with Petit Verdot to achieve a substantial body. This Pinot Noir is rich and complex with soft tannins and a long layered finish. Petit Verdot contributes to the beautiful color and substantial body of the wine.

My Review: The nose is a wonderful bouquet. It is filled with cherry, raspberry, currant, and berries. Oak is also present. Luscious cherries dance on the palate with some blueberry and berries to fill out the nice body. It has some solid tannins and is very nice all around.

Tasting - Rodney Strong Upshot Red Blend 2019

Name: Rodney Strong Upshot Red Blend 2019

Variety: 32% Malbec, 32% Zinfandel, 25% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 5% Riesling

Region: California (Sonoma County)

Country: USA

Year: 2019

Price: $15

Winery Review: This rich, supple wine bursts with blackberry and dark cherries with hints of spice followed by lush, rounded tannins and a lingering finish.

My Review: After seeing the varietal makeup on the bottle I was really excited to try this wine. The nose was of red fruit mainly raspberry and red currant. Some vanilla and oak came through as well. Quite fruit forward. The first thing I noticed on the palate was how smooth and silky it was. Berries such as raspberry and cherry were most predominant. It was even a bit tart. It had nice supple tannins and a long finish. This was a very good wine.

Tasting - Simple Life Pinot Noir 2019

Name: Simple Life Pinot Noir 2019

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2019
Price: $13

Winery Review: The 2019 Simple Life Pinot Noir is softly balanced with bright fruit and warm spice flavors. Our Pommard-based Pinot Noir blend opens with Bing cherry, thimbleberry, and vanilla pomegranate aromas on the nose that lead to baked cherries, raspberries, and subtle notes of cinnamon and nutmeg on the palate. One sip transports you to wine country without leaving your home.

My Review: Cherry explodes on the nose followed up with blackberry and red currant and more berries. Some oak is also present. First taste is another berry bomb filled with cherry, cherry, and cherry. Some more red currant is also present. There is also the slightest bit of earthiness. This wine is well rounded with a medium body and nice tannins. Long finish. Nice wine.