Lagunilla - Rioja Reserva

Vintage: YEAR
Type: Rioja
Country: Spain



An Excellent Rioja that won a decanter silver medal in 2005. It has an intense ruby colour with little give on the edge, which is not surprising given its age. The aromas are of dark berry and the flavour of rounded plummy fruit.

Champagne Mercier- Cuvee du Fondateur

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



This is a very good Non-vintage champagne. It is the Founder's selection from Mercier and I found it full of flavour, great bubbles and and overall excellent taste. It even had a bit of the "vintage flavour" to it, making it a bit stronger and fuller of flavour than one would expect from a non-vintage. Recommended.

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec

Vintage: 2006
Type: Malbec
Country: Argentina



Wow. After cleansing my palate of Casillero del Diablo (Chile) Malbec, I tried this Argentinian Malbec and was surprised at the difference. First of all, its colour is a gorgeous ruby-violet shade. Swirl it around in your glass to release aromas of berries and chocolate. Admire its long legs. Taste the cherries and minty finish. This is just lovely.

More info here.

Champage Tarlant

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



Champagne Tarlant has a claim to fame for being a zero dosage champagne. This means that when the second fermentation occurs, they do not need to add any sugar to the bottle (the dosage). As far as I'm aware, this is unique for champagne.

Of course the quality of the champagne is very good. There seemed to be almost too many bubbles which were nice and small. The taste was great, though this is not my favourite Brut. Recommended.

Mercier - Brut Rose

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



This rose champagne is a real treat. My husband (then fiance!) picked up a trio of Mercier Champagnes after our tasting at the House in Epernay. Some people think that rose wines suffer from identity crises but not this one. This one is bright and it dances to announce to your taste buds that it is a sparkling Champagne. Alas, this is not a vintage and it is made from a blend of grapes from two different years. It is still a beautiful wine to use for a toast at a special occasion at home.

Summerhill - Cabernet Franc

Vintage: 2004
Type: Cabernet Franc
Country: Canada - Okanagan



This wine was picked up in our March trip to the Okanagan Valley. Summerhill is one of the better know vineyards in the area and this Cabernet Franc is a good representation of their wine. Very good flavours of berry and blackcurrent with some woody bouquet and finish. Recommended.

Gruss - Pinot Gris

Vintage: 2004
Type: Pinot Gris
Country: France - Alsace




This wine was the oldest vintage presented from Domaine Gruss at the 3D wine tasting session. Because of its age, it has a light golden colour. Upon smelling the released aromas, hints of honey and flowers come through. This is a dry wine but it is also soft on the palate.

Chateau Rousselle - Prestige

Vintage: 2002
Type: Bordeaux
Country: France



This wine is quite aged, which is why when the glass is leaned against white paper, the colour fades toward the rim. The colour verges on brown rather than red. The nose is very mossy and earthy; however, the taste is light and peppery (cloves). This is a fairly alcoholic wine, which is shown by the legs running down the sides of the glass after giving it a good swirl.

Clos de los Siete

Vintage: 2007
Type: Blend
Country: Argentina




What is this a blend of? Quite a lot: Malbec, Merlot Syrah & Cabernet Sauvignon. I've recently tried a few blends from the new world, and if done properly they are exquisite. This one is done well. I enjoyed all aspects of this wine, fruity flavours and oakey finish, great colour and legs. Recommended.

Borgogno

Vintage: 2001
Type: Barolo
Country: Italy




An excellent strong Barolo. Great colour and fragrance, quite a bold flavour. Perfect with a steak (I wouldn't drink this on itself).

Chateau Pierredon

Vintage: 2005
Type: Claret (Merlot with Cabernet Blend)
Country: France - Bordeaux



Another great Bordeaux from 2005. Medium-bodied and lovely on the tongue.

Chateau Les Ragottes

Vintage: 2005
Type: Claret (Merlot with Cabernet Blend)
Country: France - Bordeaux




This was a very good red with great flavour. Great oak tones and a lovely colour. Recommended. Apparently this was a great vintage year for Bordeaux.

Champagne Colin

Vintage: non-vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France



First things first, I'm note really a Champagne drinker. That being said, this is an excellent bottle and it was a pleasure to drink. I'm not sure how easy it is to get outside of France, but if you like dry champagne this is a good choice. What really impressed me with the bottle was how plentiful and tiny the bubbles were.

Bock Ermitage

Vintage: 2006
Type: Blend
Country: Hungary - Villany



An excellent Hungarian wine, if a bit expensive. One of Hungary's most famous vineyards in their premiere wine region this mixed red ( Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and others) aged in oak before being bottled. Great to drink and a fine example of Hungarian wine.

Casillero del Diablo

Vintage: 2005
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country: Chile



This is a great wine, and won an award for this year. It is fruity and full with a great balanced taste. Recommended.

Maison Benedetti Châteauneuf-du-pape

Vintage: 2005
Type: Châteauneuf-du-pape
Country: France - Rhône



One of the only white wine reviews you'll see on this site, mainly because I'm not really a fan. I will say that this white is superb, rich and oaky with an excellent taste.

BTW, not many people know that you can get a white Châteauneuf-du-pape. You can find it, but the production is very small.

Legenda

Vintage: 2005
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Country: Italy - Vino da Tavola



Who knew that wine from Moldova could taste so good. The only thing I regret is that I only had one bottle.

More here