Under $10

Our tour of the world wines has been completed. We've sampled from pretty much every main region we could think of. So what's next on our list? Would that be the end of Tannin Team?

Of course not! Because the holidays are always a tight time for cash, we decided to wrap up our tasting year with a celebration featuring bottles with list prices under $10 at our area wine stores. That's not to say they might not be a little pricier wherever you are, but they're guaranteed to be on the less expensive side.

A. Barefoot Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - more info
Appearance: Dark, beet juice, "Outstanding!"
Nose: 2.5
Aroma: 3.8
Balance: 4
Complexity: 2.2
Finish: 2.5 - "It's long, but I don't like it."
Comments: "Church wine." "I was gonna go with college, but that works, too."
Haley and Jen liked it.

B. Montebuena Rioja 2010 - more info
Appearance: More cherry-colored, legs look alright.
Nose: 1
Aroma: 2
Balance: 3
Complexity: 2.1
Finish: 2.3 - longer, but bitter, like grapefruit
Comments: Definitely wine, guaranteed. "It'll do." "This wine needs to eat a sandwich [because it needs more body]." Dry. "This is the kind of wine where I really don't like it, but I keep drinking it, because it's so interesting, whatever it's doing to my mouth."

C. Big House Cardinal Zin 2011 - more info
Appearance: Light, too light for a zinfandel
Nose: 2
Aroma: 2 - peppery flowers
Balance: 3.3 - sweet
Complexity: 2
Finish: 3 - short, but sweet
Comments: "And there was a great smacking of lips." Juicy, would be good for sangria, off-dry, the opposite of a flouride treatment.

D. DFJ Vinhos Alta Corte Caladoc Tinta Roriz 2009 - more info
Appearance: Darker, fatter/slower legs
Nose: 4
Aroma: 3.9 - like a country store at Christmas time
Balance: 1.5
Complexity: 1.5 - metal, blood, and NPR
Finish: 1 - not short, but very bitter
Comments: Tastes like "Car Talk."

E. Mirassou Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - more info
Appearance: Straw, coliform failure
Nose: 3
Aroma: 3 - "I dunno..."
Balance: 1.5
Complexity: 1.5
Finish: 2
Comments: "This is not sauvignon blanc." "It tastes like balloons." Sweeter than it should be. Kind of like a chardonnay.

F. Naylor Vidal Perfection 2009 - more info
Appearance: Medium straw
Nose: 2
Aroma: 3.3
Balance: 4 - but a bit sweet
Complexity: 2.5
Finish: 3 - short, but not unpleasant
Comments: Smells less offensive. "This wine is a slut." "Well, her name is NAYLOR..."
Our favorite white.

G. She Flirts Chardonnay 2008 - more info
Appearance: Dehydrated, vibrant, pineapple juice
Nose: 2.5
Aroma: 3.5
Balance: 2.7
Complexity: 2.7
Finish: 2.1
Comments: Not mislabeled. "Why does that make me think of a cow?" "Keep drinking until you find the complexity." "I'd rather Naylor."


Now that we've looked at different regions and gotten an idea of the qualities of various wines, we're going to look a little deeper and focus on varietals. Each tasting will feature one red and one white, just for variety. Our hopes are to discover more subtleties between vintages and vineyards, and maybe discovering that we don't actually hate moscato. Following the varietal features, we'll take a look at blends, organic wines, and do a sangria contest. What fun!

California

Yes, I'm a slacker. California was June's selection and it's already almost August! But let's get on with it--

We did California at Dan's place so we could show off the new bar. There were a lot of people, and subsequently a large wine selection. Please do not judge us too harshly from the following image, as the empty bottles make us look a little less than classy.

A. Bohemian Highway Merlot 2009 - more info

Appearance: Dark, creepy red, scarlet, blood, ruby, garnet, cranberry (I think this was less a descriptive effort and more of people acting like a thesaurus)

Nose: 3.5

Intensity: 2

Balance: 3

Complexity: 2

Finish: 2.3

Comments: Warms the heart, had nice legs, would make a good sangria, simple.

Dan and Katie liked it

B. Ghost Pines Zinfandel 2009 - more info

Appearance: Blood-looking, very dark, pretty, blackberry, prune juice, purple-ish

Nose: 3

Intensity: 1

Balance: 3

Complexity: 3.3

Finish: 4.5

Comments: Pops and punches, Mike Tyson wine, blackberry and vanilla, jammy, hangs in the back, dense, fruity, dry

Jen and Dan liked it, not Ashley (2) approved.

C. Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - more info

Appearance: watery purple, between the first two, leggy

Nose: 3.5 ("Smells like communion," effervescent)

Intensity: 1.5

Balance: 2 (acidic)

Complexity: 2.7

Finish: 2 (lingers, but not in a good way)

Comments: Probably good with red meat, bacon pizza
Ashley L. and Kerri liked it.

D. Snap Dragon Red Blend 2008 - more info

Appearance: dark silk, ruby, crimson, vermillion

Nose: 2.5

Intensity:  1.2

Balance: 4

Complexity: 3

Finish: 2 (intense but quick)

Comments: "It's good," "solidly smooth," a good generic wine, good with spicy food, brings out the smokiness in barbeque.

One of Jen's go-to reds, Ashley L. likes, Michelle's fave.

E. Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio 2010 - more info

Appearance: light yellow, straw

Nose: 3

Intensity: 2

Balance: 3.9 (watery, light)

Complexity: 2

Finish: 1.1 (no oompf)

Comments: Would go well with hearty fish, chicken, or crab. Drinkable, but not substantial on its own, tastes watered down with white grape juice.

Dan likes

F. Serafina Cellars Malvasia Bianca 2009 - more info

Appearance: same, Jewish, cloudy

Nose: 3.8 (sweet)

Intensity: 3.4

Balance: 1.5

Complexity: 4

Finish: 3

Comments: Tastes like it's mixed with cider, Welch's, coppery, mineral, flavor builds, smells sweeter than it tastes, likely good with yogurt. "I got goosebumps drinking that."

Katie and Zach's fave

G. Running with Scissors Chardonnay 2010 - more info

Appearance: golden, yellow, straw

Nose: 4 (sweet, grassy, straw, oats)

Intensity: 1

Balance: 3.9

Complexity: 2

Finish: 3

Comments: Smell is reminiscent of hay fields, taste is berry, tart.

Ashley L.'s fave, Jen likes

H. Cherry on Top white blend 2010 - more info

Appearance: yellow

Nose: 3.3 (sweet, after rain)

Intensity: 2

Balance: 3 (apple!)

Complexity: 3.5

Finish: 2

Comments: Can taste the chenin blanc, smooth, in and out really quickly, pair with french vanilla ice cream.

Jen's fave

I. Menage a Trois Moscato 2010 - more info

Appearance: yellow

Nose: 3.5

Intensity: 2

Balance: 2.2

Complexity: 2

Finish: 3

Comments: "I find this wine shallow and pedantic." "Makes a valiant effort, but it just doesn't get the job done." "We're drinking Rhianna right now..."

J. d'Arenberg The Stump Jump Sticky Chardonnay 2008 - more info

Appearance: golden, dehydrated

Nose: 1.5 (Capri Sun)

Intensity: 2

Balance: 3 (for a dessert wine)

Complexity: 2

Finish: 3.8 (long and agonizing)

Comments: Simple syrup, golden raisin, good for a dessert wine.

July's Pacific Northwest selection coming soon!

South Africa

I actually did a bit of research on South African wines before this party. And by "research," I mean I read one chapter about it from the book Educating Peter, by Lettie Teague. It was useful, but did not give me very high hopes, as Pinotage, the "only truly South African grape," was described as tasting reminiscent of animal pelt.

Even though the book didn't have much good to say about Pinotage or Chenin Blanc (and made me worry that these varieties will soon be extinct), we did enjoy the unique taste of those wines. And look, we have a picture this time! They're even in order of drinking.

A. Mulderbosch Sauvingnon Blanc 2010 - more info
Appearance: White, pale
Nose: 4
Intensity: 3.3
Balance: 4
Complexity: 2
Finish: 2
Comments: Semi-dull, has a bite, fresh, minerals, tart finish. "Better than I thought, but I don't love it." "I can feel it more than I can taste it."
Michelle's favorite white


B. Indaba Chardonnay 2010 - more info
Appearance: More hay, less straw
Nose: 2.5
Intensity: 1.7
Balance: 3
Complexity: 3.4
Finish: 4.1
Comments: Finish is better than the sip.


C. Indaba Chenin Blanc 2011 - more info
Appearance: Pale, good legs, transparent
Nose: 4
Intensity: 1.3
Balance: 3
Complexity: 3
Finish: 2.6
Comments: Unassuming, apples and leather, gets better the more you drink it, biggest taste at mid-palate, could go well with red meats.


D. Kanu Chenin Blanc 2009 - more info
Appearance: fizzy, cloudy
Nose: 5 - "Oh!!"
Intensity: 2.6
Balance: 3.7
Complexity: 3.2
Finish: 3.1
Comments: Like champagne, more bold, it rises, has a lot of texture, wavy finish.
Andy's favorite, MV and Jen's favorite white, Michelle's other favorite white.


E. Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Theta Syrah 2003 - more info
Appearance: Deep, chocolatey, opaque, leggy, dark
Nose: 5 - Chocolate, wood
Intensity: 4
Balance: 3
Complexity: 5
Finish: 3.8 - Dry
Comments: Smokey, beefy, earthy. "It's kinda like dirt... I like it." "Candlewax, campfires, and apples."
The only red Michelle has ever liked.


F. Goats in Village Shiraz Pinotage 2008 - more info (This link doesn't offer price, but it does have the story, which you will need to read to understand the comments.)
Appearance: Translucent, dark, angry, "I see a lot of AIDS, but not many goats."
Nose: 4 - Smokey
Intensity: 3.5
Balance: 5
Complexity: 4.2 - Bursts
Finish: 4 - Tasty but subtle
Comments: It has AIDS and goats. Highest entertainment value per dollar. Likely good with chocolate or steak.
Dan and Haley's favorite. Jen's second favorite red. 

G. Barista Pinotage 2009 - more info

Appearance: Similar to the last one, cherry, not as viscous
Nose: 5 - Spicy and grassy
Intensity: 2.7
Balance: 4
Complexity: 5 - "What is that?"
Finish: 5 - "Long and luscious"
Comments: Grassy, coffee, mocha, cherry, meadow, open field, snakes and butterflies, staccato, sensuous.
Kerri's favorite. Jen's favorite red.



H. Graham Beck The Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - more info
Appearance: Purple, confident and sexy (in a Scottish accent)
Nose: 3.6 - Molasses, honey
Intensity: 2.4
Balance: 4
Complexity: 2.95
Finish: 4.2
Comments: Hippie wine, berry, vaguely smokey, chewy, round.