Once again: the Good, the Okay, the Ugly

ZD Chadonnay 2012

Hallelujah! Finally a Cali chardonnay that I like :D

Nose: sweetness - pineapple, honeysuckle, daisies, mead

Tongue: sweet, notes of honey, papaya, pineapple (think tropical fruits!); toasted coconut and grapefruit rind lingers like bittersweet memories on the tongue

Price: ~$25

Rating: 4.25/5
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Johansing Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Perhaps I should change the title to "the Best, the Great, and the Ugly", 'cause this bottle is a mighty fine thing too

Nose: spicy, heady, musky like dark, damp wood; feel yourself romping through muddy, wet rainforest; as you let the wine aerate, the aroma turns into smores and campfire

Tongue: smooth, velvety, with balanced acidity. Begins with warm flavors of hazelnut, caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, and cinnamon, giving into orange and citrus flavors

Price: ~$28

Rating: 4/5 

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Frey Organic Red Wine

Granted, this wine was $9.99, but I've definitely had a lot better luck with this price range. I should probably stop buying random wines just because it's organic.

Nose: at first promising notes of smoke, embers, and tiramisu soon gives into lingering aromas of sawdust and musky alcohol

Tongue: first impression was "ugh did I just drink my cough medicine?" Then comes flavors of pickles, rotten tomatoes, licorice, and shoe varnish

Price: $9.99

Rating: 2/5 

Martilde OLTREPO PAVESE Barbera 2005 & Cycles Gladiator Central Coast Chardonnay 2005

I bought this wine at CentralBottle Wines after tasting it during one of their Thursday wine events. For a $13 bottle, this wine is extremely impressive. The beautiful label is another plus :) Antonella Tacci herself creates the artwork and produces the wines with her long-time companion and partner Raimono Lombardi. The winery Martilde is a combination of their beloved cats Martina and Matilde. This wine is a feast for the eyes, nose, and tongue!

Nose: sweet, succulent, juicy, and very creamy. Smells like yummy creme brulee and tiramesu. Juicy, with notes of cherry, warm spices, and delicious milk chocolate

Tongue: ultra smooth, robust - can hold down pretty much anything (except maybe raw steak), flavors of the forest and wet earth. Full bodied, bold, and spicy.

Price: $13

Rating: 4.5/5

I'd like to think that I'm a fairly open-minded person and would hate to call myself an ABC (no not American Born Chinese, but Anything But Chardonnay). I have never tasted a California Chardonnay that I liked, but I love Chablis (basically a French Chardonnay, which is mostly unoaked). So I thought that my dislike of Cali Chards might be because of their heavy oaking. This Gladiator Chardonnay boasts of a "subtle use of oak". Besides, the label is gorgeous. I thought I would give it a try. The result? Well, maybe I am an ABC after all...

Nose: toasty, light, with notes of kiwi, honeydew, and pear. Crisp

Tongue: shallow, short finish. I didn't detect any oakiness. Notes of honeysuckle. Stemmy, acidic, slightly aggressive

Price: $10

Rating: 2.8/5