Tasting - Chateau Morrisette The Black Dog

Name: Chateau Morrisette The Black Dog
Variety: Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $11

Winery Review: A unique blend of Cabernet, Chambourcin and Merlot produces this exceptionally smooth semi-dry red wine. Its appealing spicy character and medium body enhance many dishes as well as light hors d’oeuvres. It’s obviously well bred!

My Review: There is a strong smell of berries on the nose specifically blackberry and raspberry. It is very fruity. As for the taste, it is very similar with more berries coming through with some spices on the back end. It is slightly sweet but not too much. It is very enjoyable. It has a short finish but quite smooth.

Tasting - Horton Vineyards Chateau le Cabin Blueberry Wine

Name: Horton Vineyards Chateau Le Cabin Blueberry Wine
Variety: Blueberry and Petit Verdot

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $12

Winery Review: These fruit wines are the result of my hobby gone wild and the long lost dream of Chateau Le Cabin finally coming true.  In the early 1980's the great Horton experiment began in my log cabin in Aroda, Virginia.  The cabin's cellar was full of home winemaking gear and very small barrels full of the first tastes of Horton wine.  That little cabin was the start of this endeavor and these fruit wines celebrate that home winemaking spirit.

My Review: Fruity with sweet smelling fragrances on the nose filled predominantly with blueberries and a hint of pine needles. The taste is sweet but not overbearing. Very fruity like sipping liquid blueberries. There was a light vanilla component. Smooth short finish. I loved this wine.

Tasting - Llano Estacado Signature Red Meritage

Name: Llano Estacado Signature Red Meritage
Variety: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 10.5 Cabernet Franc, and 6.5% Malbec

Region: Texas
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $12

Winery Review: We are allowed to include "Meritage" to our Signature Red only when the blend consists of traditional Bordeaux varieties. This particular blend is made up of four Bordeaux varieties: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 10.5 Cabernet Franc, and 6.5% Malbec. We have introduced a small percentage of Malbec to the blend this year to enhance the color and structure. We hope you are as pleased with the results as we were. Aromatically, this wine is perfumed with hints of dried cherry fruit and plums. In the mouth it is silky smooth with hints of vanilla‑coffee bean and cocoa flavors complimented by a medium tannin structure.

My Review: The nose on this one was fruity with very distinct cherry notes highlighted with some red currants and vanilla. A slight oakiness lingers. The taste is subtle and a bit watery. A lot of red fruit is present consisting of mainly cherry and raspberries. The finish was long and smooth. I found this wine to be superb. I like this wine less when it breathed.

Tasting - Horton Vineyards Norton

Name: Horton Vineyards Norton
Variety: 93% Norton, 7% Touriga Nacional

Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $12

Winery Review: Our Norton has a dark, rich color and an intensely fruity aroma of plums and tart cherries. Ageing in oak for 14 months has given this wine a long, flavorful, spicy finish.  A wine for game, grilled sausages, and spicy ethnic foods.  93% Norton, 7% Touriga Nacional

My Review: The nose on this wine is very fruity with mostly red fruit like raspberries. It was very aromatic with hints of oak. The taste on the palate produced a similar result of red fruit predominantly raspberries and cherries with a hint of vanilla. I found it to have a short finish and very smooth. I really liked this wine and the Virginia Norton variety is becoming a favorite.

Tasting - Marchesi Antinori Villa Antinori Toscana

Name: Marchesi Antinori Villa Antinori Toscana
Variety: 55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Syrah

Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $10

Winery Review: An intense ruby red in color, the aromas are equally intense and complex with notes of ripe plums, sweet spices, and dried fruit. On the palate, the 2011 Villa Rosso shows a firm body, supple and velvety in its tannins, long on the flow, and savory on the finish and aftertaste.

My Review: This wine was earthy on the nose with a mix of dirt and cassis. It had a certain complexity to it. The taste was also earthy with a pruny quality. It had very high acidity which made for a harsh wine. The finish was long. This wine might have passed but maybe a nice hard cheese could make it more palatable. 

Tasting - Becker Vineyards Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Becker Vineyards Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 100%

Region: Texas
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $8

Winery Review: Becker Vineyards Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the number one selling wine at Becker Vineyards. The cabernet has black cherry notes, raspberries and is a popular, easy drinking wine. Red berry fruit with spice and notes of rich balanced tannins.

My Review: The nose had an earthy smell to it with mushrooms accompanied by blackberries and slight oakiness. The taste was decidedly Old World filled with black fruit such as blackberries, blackcurrants, and raspberries. It had a slight tannic component. The finish was long and smooth. This was nice entry point into Texas wines and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tasting - Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec

Name: Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec

Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2014
Price: $12

Winery Review: Purple-colored, the nose offers up plum and black cherry notes with a touch of black pepper. The palate is soft and round with ripe, saturated berry flavors. Finishes spicy and full with chewy tannins.

My Review: The nose is quite pungent with hints of cherries and raspberries with a note of vanilla. The taste is similar with an oakiness readily present. It has quite the fruity component with black cherry. Vanilla is present on the finish. It is very acidic with a bite at the end.