Tasting - Fruit & Flower Chardonnay 2019

Name: Fruit & Flower Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Region: Washington

Country: USA

Year: 2019

Price: $15

Winery Review: Introducing our delightful Fruit & Flower Chardonnay. Crafted with precision, this vibrant white wine mesmerizes your palate with refreshing notes of juicy fruits and delicate flowers. Its crisp acidity and smooth finish make it the perfect choice for any occasion, whether enjoyed on its own or paired with your favorite dishes. Experience the elegance and charm of this exceptional Chardonnay today!

My Review: This wine has a beautiful bouquet of honeysuckle and tropical fruit. Notes of pineapple followed by a bit of vanilla tickle the nose. It is fruity and silky on the palate with hints of stone fruit, apricot, and pear. There was also a slight butter note. This is a nice, inoffensive wine.

Tasting - Apothic Espresso

Name: Apothic Espresso
Variety: Red Blend
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $15

Winery Review: Apothic Espresso delivers a rich and smooth red blend with notes of red fruit, toasted oak, and hints of espresso roast. This is the perfect item for all espresso martini lovers to try!

My Review: This is an interesting wine and one that I was excited to try. The first hint of aroma is chocolate with dark fruit. Hints of blueberry and blackberry mixed with toasted oak dance in the nostrils. Notes of toasted oak overwhelm the palate. I get no apparent hint of fruits. This wine is quite earthy with notes of dirt, tobacco, and leather. It has a short finish. The idea for this wine was better than the execution.

Tasting - Fantini Sangiovese 2020

Name: Fantini Sangiovese
Variety: 100% Sangiovese
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Year: 2020
Price: $15

Winery Review: Fantini Sangiovese is garnet in color. It offer a fruity bouquet of strawberries and black cherries with vinous notes and hints of wood, quite intense and persistent; medium-bodied, with firm tannins and good balance, immediate appeal.

My Review: This is a solid sangiovese wine with primarily red fruit and berries. The main fruit is blueberry with a slight oakiness and slight raspberry. The taste is fruity mainly of red berries. Raspberry and blueberry are quite noticeable. The tannins are nice and soft. This is a nice wine.

Tasting - Tussock Jumper Malbec 2022

Name: Tussock Jumper Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec
Region: Tulum Valley
Country: Argentina
Year: 2022
Price: $12

Winery Review: Everything starts in vineyards located in Caucete district, 650 metres above sea level, in a soil of alluvial origin with texture from sandy loam to clay loam and low content of organic matter. My grapes are hand-harvested and immediately sent for winemaking process in order to keep the optimum conditions. Before travelling around the world to meet you, I partly rest for 3 months in company with French and American oaks.

My Review: I got red berries on the nose, predominantly raspberries. Some oak and some vanilla come through as well with some blackberry on the end. The taste is quite fruit forward mostly of dark fruit and cherry. Some oak is present too with a bit of leather. It is tannic and tight with a long finish.

Tasting - Aravail Vineyards Red Wine Blend 2019

Name: Aravail Vineyards Red Wine Blend

Variety: 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache
Region: Monterey County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2019
Price: $13

Winery Review: Aravail red wine blend is the epitome of gracious California living. Crafted with Grenache and Syrah, this wine elevates every occasion- from casual drinks on the patio to elegant dinner parties- with alluring berry and violet aromas, dramatic cherry flavors and hints of chocolate and spice. Classic with a refreshingly modern twist, Aravail is your invitation to sip stylishly.

My Review: Cherry comes through first on the nose followed by green pepper and some spice. Hints of more red berry and raspberry continue through. It tastes much like my first impression of the aroma with cherry dominating. Then it inexplicably tastes like a Tootsie Roll Pop and chocolate. There is some light spice but fruity. It finished long and very smooth. This is a good wine especially for being the private label for a grocery store.

Tasting - Franciscan Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Name: Franciscan Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Monterey County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2019
Price: $15

Winery Review: Bright Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc opens with generous aromas of grapefruit, lime and white florals. The delightfully crisp palate brings notes of fresh-cut Meyer lemon, white peach and juicy pear, with tropical hints of guava, lychee and crushed pineapple adding depth. A refreshing, lifted finish makes this wine an ideal choice for pairing with seasonal green salads.

My Review: Stone fruit and tropical notes are apparent on the nose. I get hints of peach, pineapple, and apricot. It is a very vibrant aroma. The taste is nice and light and fruity. I taste lychee and lime zest with pear and peach. It presents a nice medium body with a long finish. It is a very solid wine. Very nice.

Tasting - The Pledge 1000 Malbec 2017

Name: The Pledge 1000 Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2017

Price: $17

Winery Review: Ripe, earthy berry aromas are on the savory and leathery side, while this pulls inward on the palate due to racy acidity. Tangy berry and black plum flavors are lightly herbal, while this doesn't show a lot besides mild oak on a long finish driven by perky acidity. Drink through 2025.

My Review: Cherry bomb on the nose. Red fruit forward with some raspberry. There’s a hint of vanilla detected with some spice. First notes on the palate are of strawberry and cherry. It tastes predominantly of red fruit. A slight raspberry tang is present followed by plum. This wine has a long finish and an excellent body. This is an exquisite wine especially at this price point.