Tasting - "Cortenova Primativo 2012"

Name:Cortenova Primativo
 
Variety: 100% Zinfandel

Region: Puglia

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Regular Price: $10

Sale Price: $6.95

      
                                           

                     

Vintage Cellar Tasting Notes:

Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and velvety on the palate. Great balance and structure. 100% Zinfandel

Personal Tasting Notes: 

Despite being 100% Zinfandel grapes this wine was not in the least bit sweet and was very spicy, with a strong bouquet.  This wine had an aroma of sharpie markers, blackberry and raspberries.  These aromas properly represented the flavors of the wine which had strong hints of berries particularly blackberries and raspberries.  The wine was tasted without food but would need to be paired with cheese or some other food to take away some of the bitter and spicy, extremely long linger.

Tasting - "Riebeek Cellars Shiraz 2013"

Name: Riebeek Cellars Shiraz

Variety: 100% Ribolla Gialla

Region: Swartland

Country: South Africa

Year: 2013

Regular Price: $12

Sale Price: $6.95

      
                                           

                     

Vintage Cellar Tasting Notes:

Often referred to as Shiraz Country, the Riebeek Valley is renowned for exceptional Shiraz wines. The Riebeek Shiraz is a lively rich wine, full bodied with a subdued smokiness on the nose and a pallet of ripe fruit and interesting spice.

Personal Tasting Notes: 

This Shiraz had a bouquet full of the aromas of cherries and black pepper, definitely sour or black cherries than sweet ones though. I found this wine to be rather dry with a long linger and did not enjoy it.  It was tasted alone but definitely needed to be tasted with cheese or something to make it more pleasant. There was some berry flavors particularly blackberries though and had hints of smoky wood. 

Tasting - "Petrucco Ribolla Gialla 2009"

Name: Petrucco Ribolla Gialla

Variety: 100% Ribolla Gialla

Region: Frilui

Country: Italy

Year: 2009

Regular Price: $21

Sale Price: $7.95

Wine Rating: 87 points –Wine Enthusiast

      
                                                                

Vintage Cellar Tasting Notes:

This well-priced Friulano would pair nicely with spicy Indian or Thai food thanks to the creaminess and richness of its mouthfeel. In addition, the wine offers a solid bouquet of peach and melon that would not compete with fragrant ingredients 100% Ribolla Gialla.


Personal Tasting Notes: 

The Bouquet of this wine was floral and light with a hint of honeydew melons.  It was rather dry and definitely more acidic and biting to the palate than was anticipated.  I did not detect the hints of peach given in the wine cellar's given description.   Additionally, though the wine did have a light, semi-sweet finish.  I believe that the rating of 87 given by wine enthusiast was high as I was not very impressed, although if tasted with food rather than alone it might be worthy of this score.  This was not a particularly enjoyable wine.