Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin 2010

This wine just joined my list of favorite wines.  I really enjoyed both the bouquet and the taste. It has a wonderful full aroma of fruit and spice. The taste is full-bodied and long lasting.

I would recommend this wine to any fan of "spicy" wines such as other Zinfandels and Shiraz/Syrah. I also think this is a great crossover wine for those wanting to expand their palate, yet find Syrahs typically too spicy/peppery.

**And yes I know I wrote "clody" not "cloudy" in the sheet below, but since it is an image I can't change it.

Waterbrook Melange Noir 2008

This wine is a perfect example of how spending a bit more on wine isn't always a safe bet. This also creates a big disappointment as well because you spend that extra bit on your wine and you get something lack luster or even bad.

There was nothing great about this wine. When wines are blended, the wine is normally at least interesting even if not tasty. This wine was 100% boring. It had a light basic wine bouquet. The taste was short and basic with no finish to speak of.  In plainer terms, this was like drinking watered down wine. There was some variety in the taste as all wines (even the worst) will have. There was nothing undrinkable about this wine and no unpleasant taste, but there was nothing exciting or enjoyable about it either. That is what I look for in a wine. I truthfully wouldn't even cook with this wine because I am not sure it would really add that much flavor to the dish.

If someone serves you this wine or gifts it to you, don't worry you won't spit it back out, but don't expect an interesting blend with different flavors and finishes.  It's just a wine.

Rosenblum Syrah 2009

I wish I had a bottle now! This stuff was so tasty. This is probably one of my favorite reds I have ever had.  I am a big fan of the Shiraz/Syrah wines right now (Fun Fact: Shiraz is what Syrah goes by in Australia & New Zealand).

This wine had a wonderful bouquet with a full fruity and spicy aroma. The taste was smooth and pleasing.  It was a very full-bodied wine that stayed true to the spicy notes that Syrahs are so often known for. I also enjoyed the fruity plum taste that is so often missing in most Shirazes.

If I did not have this blog where I need to try different wines and new ones I have not tried, I would have bought at least 4 bottles of this wine, especially at the sale price!

Little Black Dress Merlot 2010

This was a wine had the opportunity to taste at a wine tasting a few days ago.  This was my favorite of the 3 Little Black Dress wines I tried (the other two were whites).  Forgive me if this description is a bit short. I only had a tasting size, so I could only get so much information out of it (a full glass really helps).

I am not always a fan of Merlots because of the typical oaky notes, but this one I really did enjoy.  It was a bit fruitier than most Merlots I have tried.  If I was hosting a dinner party, I would definitely make sure to have a bottle of this for those Merlot lovers.  It is an affordable price and easy to drink.

Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Argentina is known for it's reds, but Malbecs and Zinfs mainly.  This Cab was about what I expected from an Argentinian Cab.  It was pleasant, drinkable, forgettable.  I did try their Malbec as well (no specific review for it though) and it was quite good.  I would suggest going for their Malbec if you are wanting to go for a wine by Alamos, if you are wanting a Cab, stay tuned for a better recommendation.

It isn't a bad wine, just I have had better for $10-13 as far as Cabs go.  The taste was smooth and strong, but the finish was short lasting and I prefer a long lasting finish on my reds.  My biggest problem with this wine is there was debris at the bottom of the bottle & it came out in the last glass poured. The other issue was the tannins were very strong and caused this wine to be very drying. 

This isn't a wine to impress, but easily drinkable by anyone that can enjoy a dry red.



Altavins Domus Pensi Red Wine 2008 40% Garnatxa Peluda 40% Samso 20% Syrah

My first wine review! So at the bottom of every review (well most, there might be some impromptu tastings I don't have this available to me), I will have this chart with facts about the wine and my impressions.  This is for someone who wants more than just the basics.  The tastings are based on my opinion on a 1-10 scale, 10 being great or the highest.

This is a Spanish red blend of a Garnacha (Grenache) and Carinena (Carignan), with a Syrah as well.  A pleasant red wine with a hint of spice yet with a full juicy flavor.

In other words, if you don't like Shiraz or Syrah because they taste burnt or peppery, you probably won't like this one.  If you just feel like those wine are typically too drying (as tannins not sweetness), then you might like this. This is a good basic wine that, in my opinion, would fall in the semi-dry category, not necessarily because of sweetness but the juiciness is strong for a red.

My favorite thing about this wine: I feel like I am drinking a Spanish wine.  I'm not sure how to describe it, but give me some paella and I'd say Ole!

My least favorite thing about this wine: It's a bit too juicy for me.  I like my reds dry, but that is a personal preference.  There aren't any huge flaws with this wine, so I had to pick something.

Enjoy!