Name: Chateau L'Insoumise Caresse du Terroir 2012 Bordeaux

Variety: 60% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc

Region: Bordeaux

Country: France

Year: 2012

Price: ~$12

Review(Or Lack Thereof): I got this wine from the recommendation of the wine specialist at Kroger. I have not been able to find much in the way of tasting notes or reviews besides for the 2011 vintage on Vivino.

My Review: When I first smelled this wine, I got some dirty laundry, but after getting past that, there was plum, vegetal, and hints of spices. There were mild tannins, earthy tastes, and not much fruit beside subtle plum. Might need a good cheese to enjoy this wine properly.

 

Name: Fincastle Cabernet Franc 2013

Variety: Cabernet Franc

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: ~$11

Review (Fincastle Winery): Dry red aged 24 months in oak. Less tannic than Sauvignon with hints of anise, blackberry and black cherry.

(http://www.fincastlewine.com/our-wines/)

My Review: This wine is aromatic with woody, oak/briar, as well as earthy/leafy smell. The taste seems sweet, but that could be because of the low tannins. The sweetness turns to a sour quality after the initial attack, tasting like raspberries that are not yet ripe, with a subtle taste of a cigar box. I liked this wine initially, but the sweetness and sour aspect were overpowering with nothing to balance it out.

Name: Blackstone Merlot 2014

Variety: Merlot

Region: Central Valley

Country: USA

Year: 2014

Price: $8

Review (Blackstone): "Our Merlot shows rich blackberry, plum and raspberry flavors with hints of vanilla and tasted French bread."  (http://www.blackstonewinery.com/merlot.php#.Vvh7s7n2bIU)

 My Review: Like I said in the last post, this along with the Bogle Cabernet Sauvingnon made me feel very dumb.  This wine was less aromatic than the Bogle, and smelled acidic.  I got some blackberry and a little raspberry on the nose.  There was mild tannins and a dry/savory aspect that I couldn't identify, some plum, and possibly earthy tastes. This wine was less fruity but also less dry than the Bogle.

Name: Bogle Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Clarksburg/Central Valley

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $11

 

Review (Bogle Vineyards): Irresistible vanilla and intriguing black plums lay way to the dense and concentrated wine that is the Cabernet Sauvignon. Deeply extracted and complex dark fruit enhance the full-bodied character, and touches of toasted hazelnut and spicy clove are left by the 12 months of aging in one year old American oak. Ample tannins and an enduring finish will allow this wine to cellar for another 6-8 years, but don’t let anyone say you can’t enjoy it now…(http://www.boglewinery.com/ourwines_cabernetsauvignon.php)

 

My Review: I tasted this wine along with the Blackstone Merlot and they both made me feel like an idiot because I had a hard time picking out descriptors, as opposed to the white wines I've been drinking.  This wine had a ruby red color and a bouquet of berries  and possibly cedar.  There were moderate tannins and a taste of almost a vanilla cigar.  After reading the tasting notes, the cedar smell was probably something else woody, since it was aged in oak. This was more fruity than the merlot, but more tannic and dry.

Name: Stone Cellars Pinot Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Napa Valley

Country: USA

Year: ??? (None on label)

Price: ~$6

Review (Valley Fine Wines): This Pinot Grigio is crisp and refreshing with bright fruit flavors of green apples, citrus and melon; pairs well with zesty salads or lightly seasoned pasta dishes.

(http://www.valleyfinewines.com/Stone-Cellars-Pinot-Grigio--750mL--White-Wine-_p_2095.html#.VvhtZrn2bIU)

My Review: This wine was an impulse buy by my girlfriend but ended up being enjoyable though simple. There was some apple and grape on the nose, with a little citrus.  The taste was grapefruity (but not sour) with some green apple and was light. Not complex but still good and easy to drink.  Good for summer. Could take on spring break and drink out of the bottle and not feel bad about it because of the price but still have a good tasting wine.