Name: Crane Lake Zinfandel 2013
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: Lake County, North Coast
Country: California
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Wine Review: Light pink wine with floral and tropical aromas: flavors of strawberry, peach and raspberry with a touch of sweetness. This wine is an easy sipping wine that also pairs well with a wide variety of foods ranging from crab cakes or pâté to spicy Asian dishes, glazed ham, and grilled sea bass.
My Review: This smelled like pure sugar. It also had notes of pear and was light. It tasted like the color pink, was sweet and very subpar. It was not complex at all in my opinion. I did not like it at all.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Vina Galana Alicante Bouchet 2012
Variety: Alicante Bouchet
Region: N/A
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price: Regular: $15/Sale: $9.95
Wine Review: From the rare Alicante Bouchet, one of the few grapes in the world with red flesh. This wine has a plush texture carrying flavors of brandied cherry and chocolate ganache in this round red. Light tannins and gentle acidity impart a lovely, balanced structure.
My Review: This smelled like someone was making a fruit salad in a biker bar. It was smokey, charcoal-y and tasted like burnt wood. I really liked it and thought it was one of the more interesting wines I have tasted.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Tonnino Syrah
Variety: Syrah
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Regular: $14/Sale: $7.95
Wine Review: An intense red color. Aromas of violet and black currant enriched by hints of licorice and black pepper. In the mouth it is full, round, slightly tannic and with a spicy note on the finish.
My Review: It smelled like dark cherry, and was quite stinky. It tasted very tannic, was big and bold and burned my throat a little from the heat. Overall, I liked it.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Riebeek Cellars Viognier
Variety: Viognier
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2015
Price: Regular: $12/ Sale: $7.95
Wine Review: The color is a brilliant green-gold and the style is dry but fruity. The perfume of a floral bouquet greets the nose and follows through with lovely tropical flavors in a light but lingering palate.
My Review: This had a very sweet smell. It had notes of apple and smelled very warm. It tasted fruity, sour and almost like rotten/fermenting apples. It was easy to drink.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Dom Michel Thomas Pinot Noir Sancerre Rose
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Loire
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: Regular: $32/Sale: $8.95
Wine Review: Light, bright pink. Redcurrant, strawberry and chalk on the nose, with a touch of singed orange gaining strength with air. Dusty red fruit and citrus flavors are braced by tangy minerality, which adds lift and cut. Uncompromising in the best way, finishing with excellent clarity and echoes of lemon and orange zest.
My Review: Disclaimer: I had a bit of a cold while tasting these, so my smell and taste buds were a little off. With that being said, it smelled faintly like strawberries. It tasted fruity, burned my throat a little and had some heat. It was a little bland (maybe due to my cold) and the aftertaste was mild.
I did not have food paired with this wine.
Name: Crane Lake Gewürztraminer 2013
Variety: Gewürztraminer
Region: Lake County, North Coast
Country: California
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Vintage Cellar Review: Slightly high-tones notions of rose petal mingle with lemon on nose and palate of this lightly sweet, richly textures yet balanced Gewürztraminer. This is not as heady as you may expect and will be a treat with spicy Asian dishes. Lychee and rose petal make another very fetching appearance on the finish.
My Review: This smelled a little like apricot to me. It was floral and sweet and almost chlorine-y, but in a good way. I thought it tasted slightly sugar water, roses and tulips and had a little heat. I really enjoyed this wine and ended up buying it!
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Codirosso Chianti 2014
Variety: Chianti
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: Regular: $13/Sale: $7.95
Vintage Cellar Review: Ruby red color with purple reflections. Intense vinous bouquet with hints of violets and dark cherry fruit. The flavor is full of ripe fruit and a hint of spice. It is well balanced and dry. The finish is persistent and satisfying.
My Review: It smelled like prunes/plumbs. It was warm and quite sweet. It had low tannins, a warm mouth feel and didn't have many bold flavors. This one was very hard for me to characterize what I was tasting. I got fruity notes but couldn't identify which fruits.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Indwe Pinotage 2013
Variety: Pinotage
Region: Souther
Country: South Africa
Year: 2013
Price: Regular: $12/Sale: $5.95
Robert Parker Review: "A disclaimer: I have never cared much for Pinotage, the indigenous South African grape variety, but this 2013 Pinotage from Indwe, name after the countries national bird, the blue crane, come across like a light Pinot Noir. Subtle notes of cherries, spice and forest floor are followed by a round, light to medium-bodied, pure seductive, well-crafted wine." Drink now-2016.
My Review: It possessed a dark, berry smell that was warm. It tasted sweeter than I thought it would, and carried heat (it had a more acidic finish than I would have liked). There were also lots of cherry flavors.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Palacio de Bornos Verdejo 2013
Variety: Verdejo
Region: Ruedo
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: Regular: $12/Sale: $5.95
Wine Enthusiast Review: 89 points. Zesty and clean, with pure grapefruit and passion fruit aromas. It's charged up but perfectly balanced, with bright, focused citrus and pineapple flavors. Lemony acidity keeps the finish rolling, then throw in some chive and fresh greens and you have a spot-on Verdejo.
My Review: This wine smelled like summer to me. It was acidic, but soft. It tasted almost like spiked apple juice. It was easy to drink, had a soft mouth-feel and was sweet, with no bite at the end. I also got some grassy notes.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Tonnino Grillo 2014
Variety: Grillo
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: Regular: $14/Sale: $7.95
Wine Spectator Review: Fruit-forward and tangy, this light bodied, snappy white offers flavors of guava, apricot, candied grapefruit zest and stone. Drink now. 20,000 cases made.
My Review: It smelled like apple, and almost like an oaked chardonnay with a strange buttery note. It tasted very light and floral to me, like daisies. It was sweet and acidic. I liked it a lot!
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Chateau L'insoumise Bordeaux
Variety: Bordeaux blend
Region: Southwest France
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $9.99
Winery Review: Fruity wine with tannins. Ideal with traditional meals.
My Review: I found this wine to be less flavorful than the Pinot Noir. It also had less tannins. It smelled like strawberries, but didn't taste a lot like berries. It was very dry. I think this was my least favorite wine of the assortment at Kroger.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Italo Cescon Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Veneto Region
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $11.99
My Review: This wine was very earthy, and seemed to have low tannins. It also had a strong berry smell and taste. It tasted like mulberries and raspberries.
Winery Review: The [Pinot Noir] is full-bodied and rich but not heavy, high in alcohol, yet neither acidic nor tannic, with substantial flavor despite its delicacy and a soft, velvety texture.
I did not have food with this wine.
Name: Italo Cescon
Variety: Reisling
Region: Veneto Region
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $11.99
Winery Review: Italo Cescon Riesling is fresh and fragrant with a delicate aroma. The elegant taste has a good structure balanced with good acidity and a full body. Pairs well with: seafood, chicken, veal, and oysters.
My Review: This was a dry style riesling, so it was not sweet at all, like most rieslings. It had a lot of citrus tones, like grapefruit. I got hints of dry pomegranate as well. I liked it a lot and bought a bottle!
I did not have food with this pairing.
