Tasting - Santa Duc Gigondas

Name: Santa Duc Gigondas
Variety: 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah and Cinsault
Region: Gigondas
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $43.95

Winery Review: Aged completely in foudre, it exhibits lots of blueberry, blackberry and kirsch fruit intermixed with hints of crushed rocks and spring flowers. This medium to full-bodied, soft Gigondas is ideal for drinking during its first 6-10 years of life.

My Review: This wine had a very strong woody, oak aroma. There was not much fruit aroma or flavor. It was very mineral in flavor and had a very tannic finish which I did not like.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Burgess Syrah

Name: Burgess Syrah
Variety: 100% Syrah
Region: Napa Valley, California
Country: United States
Year: 2009
Price: $19.95

Winery Review: Inviting color of dark purple garnet lead your nose to very pretty aromas and flavors of plum, blackberry and spice. A rich, round mouthfeel and long, smooth finish confirm why we love Syrah so much.

My Review: This wine had an interesting coconut aroma with some plum coming through. After tasting, there were light fruit flavors and it had a smooth finish with light tannins.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone Les Vielles Vignes

Name: Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone Les Vielles Vignes
Variety: 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Morvedre, 10% Cinsault, Cournoise, Carignan
Region: Cotes du Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2010
Price: $15.95

Winery Review: The old vines give great depth and density to the wine. Older vines produce less fruit, the flavors coming through the grapes are concentrated into those fewer clusters. The nose is of plump, dark fruit; ripe black cherry and blackberry as well as a bit of mint. The palate is full of lovely berry fruits, lush ripe strawberry, black raspberry and black currants and undertones of wild herbs, like a basket of freshly picked forest berries and herbs. Those lush flavor and herbal notes make this a nice partner for a cozy crock of French Onion Soup.

My Review:This wine had a smoky, spicy aroma with hints of oak. After tasting, there were some hints of berry fruits but it was very tannic and acidic which took away from the flavors.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Moulin de Gassac Rose

Name: Moulin de Gassac Rose
Variety:40% Grenache, 40% Carignan, 20% Syrah
Region: Languedoc
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $10.95

Winery Review: A delightful salmon-pink wine is produced using the traditional saignee process. After macerating on the skins for approximately 10 hours, the juice is then pumped off and fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Aromatics of strawberries and crushed red fruit leap from the glass. In the mouth, it is fresh with excellent acidity, some mineral components and good length. Very food friendly. It is a great companion to just about anything you want to throw at it.

My Review: This wine had nice berry aromas of strawberry and raspberry. After tasting, the flavor was overpowered by tannins and a dry acidic finish. I did not really like this wine.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - McPherson La Herencia

Name: McPherson La Herencia
Variety: 75% Temparanillo, 9% Syrah, 6% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache & Carignan
Region: Lubbock, Texas
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $16.95

Winery Review: Spanish-style red wine made to give a tip of the hat to both the Spanish explorers who first crossed the Texas High Plains, and to those who first envisioned a Texas wine industry> This delicious blend is packed full of juicy bramble fruit, tobacco leaf, and spice. The wine fermented in stainless steel and aged fourteen months in new and neutral French oak giving more weight than 2010 but still round tannins and a pleasantly savory finish. Enjoy this wine on its own or with your favorite Texas BBQ.

My Review: This wine had a smoky, oak aroma as well as some tobacco aromas. However, after tasting, the berry fruit flavors came through and it was nicely balanced. There was a light tannic finish that surprisingly had some acidity to it.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Familia Pacheco Jumilla

Name: Familia Pacheco Jumilla
Variety: 80% Monastrell, 20% Syrah
Region: Jumilla
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: This coupage of Monastrell and Syrah is dark red-maroon in color with a full body. Red berry aromas can be appreciated on the nose, with a slight touch of lactose and balsamic sensations. Familia Paco Pacheco Organic is a balanced, full-bodied, fresh wine enhanced by seasoned tannins and the reoccuring traces of ripe fruit.

My Review: This wine had a very distinct new tire smell and some spices on the aroma. After tasting, there was definite spices present with a dry finish that was a bit dry. I did not get fruit flavor from this wine and it was not one of my favorites.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Col Des Vents Corbieres

Name: Col Des Vents Corbieres
Variety: 50% Carignan, 35% Grenache, 15% Syrah
Region: Languedoc
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $9.95

Winery Review: Brambly berry, cherry and raspberry, spices, black pepper...all are present in this authentic French country wine. There are also some aromas of Garrigue (Rosemary, thyme and lavender) giving a minty, herbal notes, that are quite refreshing as well. The wine is a perfect match with a nice rosemary marinated roasted lamb.

My Review: This wine had a very herby, licorice aroma to it. Taste wise, the black pepper and spices were definitely present while the fruit flavors were muted. It also had a tannic finish which I did not like.

I did not have this wine with food,

Tasting - Domaine Pouillon Pierre Cab/Syrah 2009

Name: Domaine Pouillon Pierre Cab/Syrah 2009
Variety: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah
Region: Horse Heaven Hills

Country: United States
Year: 2009
Price: $30.00

Winery Review: Currant and strawberry play on the lighter part of the nose as hints of spiced dark chocolate lurk in the depths of the bouquet. Jammy, dark fruit that stimulate a picture of the sense of place in this wine. Brooding flavors of cedar, black tea and licorice give way to celebratory currants and red velvet cake. Balanced tannins and cherry lead through moods of tobacco, cassis and boysenberries. Finishes long with a memory of the earth that this fine fruit was grown in.

My Review: This wine was immediately different from the other red wines. It had a much more fruity and jammy smell. After tasting, the fruit and jam definitely came through with a solid tannin texture. Overall, it was a better red wine than the others.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Casa Silva Quinta Gen. Red

Name: Casa Silva Quinta Gen. Red
Variety: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere, 10% Petit Verdot and 10% Syrah
Region: Colchagua Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2005
Price: $30.00

Winery Review: It has a bold, dark crimson color, an inviting, fairly high toned nose of wild sage-like notes against really intense cassis. There's plenty of oak here, and a certain leafy quality adding to that lifted aromatic. On the palate it is a very fine, dry, inky black fruit, but very polished as are the tannins, the acidity feeling quite natural and the 14.5% alcohol again just a touch prominent along with the spicy, smoky oak.

My Review: I did not enjoy this wine. It had a very strong oak and smoke flavor and smell as the winery review pointed out. It was also very bitter and dry probably from the 14.5% alcohol content. There was no fruit flavor and only had plant and wood flavors.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Delaroche Cotes du Rhone

Name:  Delaroche Cotes du Rhone
Variety: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95


Winery Review: "This semi-opaque ruby, custom cuvée of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre is made specifically for Fran Kysela. It exhibits very fresh, ripe dark red fruit with very good palate weight and depth and ends with rich fruit notes. Made from organically grown grapes. Incredible value!" - 90

My Review: This wine had a very tart smell and had some heat in the flavor. It was very mild for a red wine, however it was bit too dry and bitter for my taste. It was better than expected but the red fruit flavor did not come out as much as I would have liked.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Domaine de La Guicharde Cotes du Rhone

I forgot to take a picture of the bottle
at the tasting. The wine sampled was a 2011
Cotes Du Rhone. 

Name: Domaine de la Guicharde Cotes du Rhone
Variety: 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $14.95

Winery Review: Very bright and exuberant, offering lots of violet, anise and blackberry aromas and flavors, with a good lacing of firm cherry pit keeping this honest through the finish. - 88

My Review: I found this wine very bitter. I did not get the blackberry taste but there was some hint of cherry throughout. This white wine was heavier than expected and not as smooth.