Tasting Secco Grapefruit Pompelini

Name: Secco Grapefruit Pompelini

Variety:White wine blend with grapefruit juice

Region: Trier

Country: Germany

Price: $9.99/bottle

Wine critic review:

This deliciously sweet and refreshingly tart blend of carbonated white grape wine and grapefruit juice makes a perfect companion to brunches cocktail parties or any joyous occasion that you can think of. Invert gently before opening to combine flavors and mix any settled fruit pulp. Serve slightly chilled.

Your review:

At first, I was really worried about trying this. Typically I don't love white wine and really dislike sweet white wines. However, this sweet and pink wine was a lot of fun. The sweetness was not overwhelming and was balanced with the tartness of the grapefruit juice. Bubbles danced on the tongue. There was a lingering peachy and tropical aftertaste that made you feel like you should be sitting on a beach somewhere.

I tasted this with no food. 

Tasting Belles Vignes Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Belles Vignes Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Loire-Atlantique

Country: France

Year: 2016

Price: $7.29/bottle

Wine critic review:

Our winemaker created with Belles Vignes a premium collection of wines made from the best varietals from the most famous french vines. An expressive wine with notes of citrus fruits and gooseberries typical of Sauvignon grape variety. Crisp and refreshing, it is wonderful on its own or with fish, chicken, or goat cheeses.

Your review:

A quick sniff provided scents of ethanol, acid, and grapefruit. The inital taste was quire bitter and of citrus. Grapefruit was the dominant fruit but some lemon was present as well. The wine was poorly balanced with too much acid and bitter taste to enjoy the underlying fruits. A metalic manufactured aftertaste lingered.

I tasted this with no food.

Tasting Trader Joe's Reserve Pinot Noir

Name: Trader Joe's Reserve 

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Napa, CA

Country: United States

Year: 2014

Price: $7.99/bottle

Wine critic review:

smooth and fruit-forward; delicate but discernable flavors of cherry and fresh plum mingling with light vanilla oak and soft lingering tannins, leading to an extended, luxurious finish

Your review:
Really just your standard pinot noir although it was incredibly well balanced and flavors were well blended. It had a oaky, smoky, and jammy aroma. Tasted of jammy black fruit. There was a little hint of sweetness finishing with an earthy aftertaste. Quite good.

I tasted this with no food. 

Tasting El Principe Delaguardia Red Blend

Name: El Principe Delaguardia

Variety:Red Blend

Region: Navarra

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $7.99/bottle

Wine critic review:

Dark dry red fruit, maybe a bit of oak influence, somewhat unintegrated acid. It doesn't taste "manufactured" (as might be expected in this price range), but it's still unmemorable and not worth revisiting for me.

Your review:

From new french oak barrels a distinct oaky taste was noted along with smoke and dark berry. There was a lingering hint of strawbery. Tannins are strong. When tasted with a coffee brownie, more ripe fruit is exposed. Some tartness and raspberry flavors are added with the brownie.

Tasting Klingenberg Blanc de Noir

Name: Klingenberg Blanc de Noir

Variety: Pinot noir

Region: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: $17.95/bottle

Wine critic review:

The 2014 Klingenberg Blanc de Noir is a white wine make of pinot noir. Spicy oak, floral and black burrants mixed with a mineral driven and impressive acidity bite in the end. So cool, so good, so much the best still Blanc de Noir we've ever had.

Your review:

I really wanted to try this because I was so curious about a white "red wine" varietal. So, upon recommendation from the vintage cellar, I bought this one. Typically, I love pinot noirs. But this one was not the best, and close to the worst thing I've ever tasted. It was incredibly acidic and bight the tongue. There were overwhelming tastes of rotten apple and pear fading to a subtle nutty taste. It kind of tasted like what my mouth tastes like after I throw up- I'm not exaggerating. Maybe I got a bad bottle, but it will take me a long time before I touch white pinot noir again. 

I tasted this with salmon, but after a few sips of wine, the flavor of the food was ruined. So I stopped drinking the wine and continued with the salmon. 

Tasting Alvaro Domecq Aranda Cream Sherry

Name: Alvaro Domecq Aranda Cream Sherry
Region: Jerez
Country: Spain
Price: $9.95
Winery review:  Golden-brown in color, this has heady aromas of cola, nut, nutmeg, root beer and caramel. A pure, creamy palate of cinnamon apple, mocha, coffee and chocolate. It's quite smooth and balanced, and very long on the finish.
My review: Interesting golden brown tint. Very strong scent of alcohol and what smells like burnt butterscotch. Tasted like caramel and burnt brown sugar. Very viscous. 
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting Layer Cake Garnacha 2011

Name: Layer Cake Garnacha 
Year: 2011
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Price: $7.95
Winery review: The Layer Cake Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain is rich and powerful, yet clean and balanced. Layered with aromas of ultra ripe black fruit. On the palate, the wine shows intense dark fruit with abackground of rich dark chocolate and fresh ground coffee with a long creamy finish.
My review: Smelled subtly sweet with strawberry. Tasted of ripe red berries turning to a smoky jammy taste. A little to sweet to start but turns to a dark chocolate finish. Pretty good!
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.