Wine Tasting - Vintage Cellar

Name: Dibon Cava

Vintage: Non-Vintage

Region: Barcelona, Spain

Price: $10

Tasting Notes: Xarel-lo, Parellada and Macebeo.  The nose offers regal yeast and richness, while the palate has complexity to prop up apple, citrus and grapefruit flavors. Sold from front to back, with health and freshness.

My Review: I thought this wine was pretty good.  The main flavor and scent I got from this wine was definitely apple.  The taste was very fresh – sort of tasted like cider and was also crisp and tart.

 

Name: Norton Torrontes

Vintage: 2011
Region: Mendoz, Argentina

Price: $6

Tasting Notes: Greenish yellow with hints of gold, this Torrontes has intense aromas of white peach, rose petal, and jasmine.  Norton Torrontes 2011 is pleasant and well balanced on the palate.

My Review: This was probably my favorite at the Vintage Cellar wine tasting this week.  The smell was sweet and floral.  I had heard of people describing a wine as floral before, but this was the first time I could actually smell it.  The taste had a slight peach flavor and it had a nice long finish.  It was not too sweet and not too tart – well balanced wine.

Name: Dom de Mirail – Cabernet/Merlot Rose

Vintage: 2011
Region: Cotes de Gascogne, France

Price: $6

Tasting Notes: There is a fresh, crisp character to this light rosé.  It is eye-watering in its refreshing character, with balancing acidity, smoothing out the edges with a touch of caramel.

My Review: The smell was light – not strong, fresh, with maybe a hint of a floral note.  This wine was definitely crisp and clean but there wasn’t much taste at all – very bland – fairly disappointed.

 

Name: Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

Vintage: 2010
Region: Italy

Price: $7

Tasting Notes: 65% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 10% Molinara.  The red ruby color and the dry taste give this wine joviality and cordiality.  It is fresh and fruity, with lovely strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors, with nice spice and a silky texture.

My Review: The color of this wine was different than I had seen before – it was very red, but not dark at all.  The smell was spicy and earthy, as was the taste.  To me, the spice seemed to overtake any fruity flavors that should have been present.  Overall, I did not like this wine very much. 

Name: Gabriella Chianti

Vintage: 2008
Region: Italy

Price: $8

Tasting Notes: This beautiful wine has the very deep red, almost purple, color that you would expect in a Chianti.  The first thing you notice is the fruit, balanced by a bit of spice.  It’s a good dry wine with a bold flavor.  Even with its boldness, this Chianti is velvety smooth.

My Review: I was excited to taste this wine because I had never tried a Chianti before, but the smell immediately put me off – I couldn’t really describe it, but it had an oil/gas scent that I did not like.  The taste was dry and spicy and it was  not suitable for my palate.