Light red wines for the holidays

La Purisima Monastrell 2013

La Purisima is a small co-op winery in Yecla, Spain -  a region I've never heard of until now. I must admit I was initially attracted to this wine by its sublime label, but the wine itself was just as beautiful. The wine is 100% Monastrell and aged in oak for 3 months, which allows the intense fruit and crisp acidity of the Monastrell grape shine through. Perfect for all occasions and a VERY good value. 

Nose: light, silky, perfumy; milk, violets

Tongue: soft tannins, light bodied, juicy, fruit forward at first (strawberries) with lingering floral and herbaceous undertones

Price: $9.99

Rating: 4/5

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Thymiopoulos Young Vines 2013 Naoussa

I love trying out new varietals, which can be a hit or miss. I had never had great experiences with the Greek wines I ordered in restaurants, so I had low expectations for this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. This wine was complex, balanced, and well rounded. It is also light-bodied and great for sipping on. I am now looking forward to trying their other un-pronounceable varietals and blends!

Nose: light and floral, hints of chocolate, violets, starfruit. Cream undertones

Tongue: light bodied, yeasty; flavors of hawthorn, strawberry. Peaty aftertaste

Price: $14

Rating: 4.25/5

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Bebame Red 2012

Finally, a domestic wine from El Dorado County, CA. The Bebame Red is a blend of 93% Cabernet Franc and 7% Gamay Noir - grapes one does not typically associate with California. Nor does this taste like the usual big obnoxious California reds on the shelves these days. This wine carries a lot more finesse - like a waltz vs. hip-hop (that is, california cab)- and as with the theme today, is light bodied and highly quaffable. Would definitely buy more bottles next time.

Nose: warm and nutty, with flavors of almonds, strawberries, and grape
Tongue: light but juicy, spicy, with a finish of vibrant acidity. Fruit forward with hints of raspberries; a kick of ceyenne pepper lingers in the aftertaste; very well rounded

Price: $18

Rating: 4/5

Wines to splurge on for the holidays: GROTH 2010 CABERNET SAUVIGNON & Circle of Life White 2011

This wine is a huge splurge (by my standards) at $45, but your finessed palate will thank you for the sacrifice. I had my first sip of this wine completely ignorant of the fact that it was a $45 cab and it blew me away - the hallmark difference between a truly amazing wine and an expensive wine.

Nose:  spicy and warm, with full notes of hickory and wet earth. powerful.

Tongue: complex, deep, full-bodied and lush. Fills your mouth with flavors bursting of dark-chocolate, seaweed, and spiciness. Bold & lasting tannins. Yes it's very sexy

Price: $44.99 

Rating: 4.5/5

The Circle of Life white is a biodynamic wine produced by a stunning vineyard in South Africa. At $15, it is not really a splurge, and it is so delicious that you can stock up and have it with all your holiday festivities. Or year-round, for that matter. The next best thing would be to visit the breathtaking biodynamic farm in South Africa.

Nose: layered with notes of pear, white peppercorns, honey, apples, lemons, juxtaposed on a background of wet hay, corn, asparagus. Finished with flavors of vanilla cake..yum

Tongue: sweet & fruit-forward, notes of cantalope, honeydew, honey, pears, and tangerine

Price: $14.99

Rating: 4/5

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 

The best Pinor Noir I've ever had. and a mediocre disappointment from Trader Joes

This is a $20 wine I accidentally got at a wine store tasting with my friends. I usually don't spend to the upper teens for wines, especially now that I'm a broke medical student. But retrospectively, it was well worth the splurge. I am usually not too big on Pinor Noirs - they are too fruity and light bodied for me, and not enough of the ummph. The Sean Minor Pinot might make me convert. It is light, but filled with so much juice and tingling flavors at the same time. It tickled all my pleasure-sensing tastebuds with delight. Unfortunately, it did not last. Ah well, till the next time I splurge....

Nose: fruity, strawberries, oranges, raspberry, a bit of oak. Marshmellows in the background

Tongue: juicy, silky smooth. Notes of cherry and strawberry, a bit of chocolate, a bit floral . Perfectly balanced.

Price: $20

Rating: 4.5/5 <3 <3 <3
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I read a lot of positive notes about this wine while looking up general reviews for Trader Joe's wines. Apparently, Trader Joe's received so much high demand for this wine, they had to bring it back year after year. As for me, I found it very mediocre for such hype. Maybe it's because I was drinking it right after I finished the amazing Sean Minor Pinor Noir above.  At $6.99, it paled in comparison to TJ's $4.50 Found Objects Malbec. Probably not going to buy this again.

Nose: a bit "off" (1st thing I noticed), notes of sawdust and rotting wood, backed by toffee and chocolate.

Tongue: zesty, dry, light bodied, with lingering tannins. Flavors of raspberry, dark chocolate, caramel, and hickory. Bitter aftertaste. On the acidic side, but not too overwhelmingly so.

Price: $6.99

Rating: 3/5

Parducci Petite Sirah 2007 & MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2009

This is a small-priced wine with a big taste. I got it on wine.com using a Groupon. It retails around only $9-$13. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth and sophistication of this wine. As a plus, the grapes are sustainably grown, and the label is pretty :)

Nose: Yummy flavors of chocolate, caramel, coffee, and oak. Earthy

Tongue: big, bold, dark, and very dry - not for the faint of heart. Structured and long lasting tannins, but not overwhelming. Very well balanced. A bit raw for now. It could use a bit more time on the shelf. Notes of wet earth, truffles, dried currants, with a hint of smokiness. Definitely drink this with a substantial meal (mmm...I'm thinking of bloody steaks).

Price: $11

Rating: 4/5

 

While I'm not a huge fan of whites, I've definitely had better Chenin Blancs than this. It was way too bitter - I think it was sitting in my fridge for more than a month before I finally finished it! I guess you can't always have the luck of running into cheap good wines (like the Parducci).

Nose: fragrant, warm floral, and nutty, with notes of peaches, honey, and vanilla

Tongue: sweet at first, with a tangy aftertaste. Top notes of toasty honey grahams and apricots, but has a overwhelmingly bitter and stemmy aftertaste. 

Price: $8

Rating: 2.5/5

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