Tasting - Banrock Station Shiraz

Name: Banrock Station Shiraz 2010
Variety: 100% Shiraz
Region: South East
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $7


Critic's Review: Deep purple color, ripe red berry fruit with mint and spice aromas; dry, full-bodied, black cherry and plum flavors with a touche of anise - wine-align.com


My Review: This Shiraz had a very full-bodied and earthy bouquet. It had a slight meaty aroma, mixed with bold blackberry and black cherry scents. Along with these earth tones, hints of smoke and dirt were also found complementing its dark ruby color.  On the palate, this wine was very similar to its smell. Lots of smoky oak mixed with blackberries and cherries, followed by slight hints of dark chocolate. This wine was very tannic, and for being (only) 13.0% ABV, was slightly hot. Overall it was a good and very enjoyable wine on both the nose and the palate due to its full-bodied robustness.


I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Poggio Vipere Chianti 2008

Name: Denominazione Di Origine Controllata E Garantita  Poggio Vipere Chianti 2008
Variety: 100% Chianti
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2008
Price: $12


Critic's Review: Ruby red color, it has a good body and persistent aroma with hints of cherry spice. In the mouth, it reveals itself as soft, fresh, and pleasantly balanced.


My Review: On the nose, this wine had a great bouquet. There were strong aromas of dark berries and smoky wood complemented by its dark garnet red color. Tasting this Chianti, I found myself very pleased. Upon tasting, I found essences of strawberries and cherries with a hint of bayleaf spices in the mid-palate. It's finish was very smooth, with a strong almost aged scotch-like flavor of smoky charred sandalwood. Overall, I found this wine to be a good light-bodied wine with strong tastes of berry and wood, followed by a smooth no-heat finish.


I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Terra d'Oro Zinfandel

Name: Terra d'Oro Amador County Zinfandel
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Amador County, California
Country: United States
Year: 2006
Price: $15

Critics Review: Fans of old-fashioned, rustic, kick-butt Zin from Amador County will find a lot to like in this ripe and rustic offering. Its ripe berry, minerally aromas are more concentrated than they are complex, and its brawny structure owes nothing to refinement, yet as we have seen with wines from this vineyard, all it takes to show them at their best is plate of sauce-slathered pork ribs hot from the barbecue. Wine Spectator - Rated 88



My Review: This Zinfandel was very good. Upon first opening the bottle, I found hints of dark berries (Cherries and Blackberries), chocolate and oak. It was a smooth wine with a light to medium body and very slight heat in the finish. After leaving the bottle uncorked for the night, the wine really opened up. It became much smoother - no heat at all - and I tasted much more of the cherry and oak. The hint of chocolate was replaced by the taste and scent of charred oak, giving it an earthy taste.

I did not taste this wine with food.

See the Critic's Review here