Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $7.95
Review: Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This is their house white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. Great value Grigio! Drink now.

My Review: I smelled some faint fruit in the nose of this wine. I detected somewhat of a floral taste, but it was mainly masked by the very tart aspects of the wine. Not impressed.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Bricco Dei Tati Rosè

Name: Bricco Dei Tati Rosè
Variety: Barbera
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95
Review: Fresh with aromas of strawberries, cherries, and rose petals, this an ideal wine with shellfish, salads, chicken, and appetizers

My Review: I thought this wine smelled like strawberries. It had a wee bit of spice on the palatte, but tasted fairly fruity. I did like the more subtle fruit flavors of this wine.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Cortenova Pinot Grigio

Name: Cortenova Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95
Review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine Perfect also as an aperitif.

My Review: I was surprised at how clear this wine was - in my wine glass it almost looked like water, there was so little color in it. I didn't really detect any scent from the wine, and likewise I didn't detect any taste. Besides for the slight tart taste, you could have fooled me into thinking I was drinking water.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Cortenova Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Name: Cortenova Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Variety: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95
Review: Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity. Excellent with pasta dishes and red meats.

My Review: I thought this wine had a very fruity smell. I could taste a light spice quality to the wine and could definitely feel the tannins - a very dry wine that I wish I had food with.

Food? I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Villa d' Orvieto

Name: Villa d' Orvieto
Variety: Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), and Malvasia blend
Region: Orvieto
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95
Review: Fresh and crisp, it has a beautiful, floral bouquet. It is wonderful with appetizers, fish, chicken, and salads.

My Review: I thought it seemed a little heavy when tasting, almost a little oily. I think my palate hadn't really recovered from the previous wine tasted (the Cava Brut), so this wine paled in comparison to the sparkling one before.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Villa Pozzi Nero D'Avola

Name: Villa Pozzi Nero D'Avola
Variety:Nero D'Avola
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95
Review: Very dark purple, with a reddish-violet edge, typical of this grape. Black plums, a hint of licorice and subtle spice, not overly complex but appealing. A big mouth full of juicy black fruit is well structured by tart acidity and soft but distinct tannins.

My Review: I thought this wine had a vaguely raspberry smell to it. It had a very heavy taste and was very dry. It had a distinct aftertaste, but not one I could place, a hint of spice was also detected.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Gabriella Chianti

Name: Gabriella Chianti
Variety: Blended
Region: Chianti
Country: Italy
Year: 2008
Price: $7.95
Review: This beautiful wine has the very deep red, almost purple, color that you would expect in a Chianti. The first thing you notice is the fruit, balanced by a bit of spice. It’s a good dry wine with a bold flavor. Even with it’s boldness, this Chianti is velvety smooth.

My Review: I smelled a lot of plum, or even grapes in this wine. I thought it had an almost astringent taste, with a little bit of spice. Definitely left me with a taste of raspberries in my mouth.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

Name: Lavarini Valpolicella Classico
Variety: 65% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 10% Molinara blend
Region: Valpolicella
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $6.95
Review: The red ruby color and the dry taste give this wine joviality and cordiality. It is fresh and fruity, with lovely strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors, with nice spice and a silky texture.

My Review: To me the wine had a very dusty red color. I could smell the strawberries in the wine, but I could not taste them because I was overwhelmed by the spice flavors. There was so much spice it almost made the wine seem smoky, like I was drinking a wood chip used to cook barbecue.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - Bartenura Moscato

Name: Bartenura Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: Provencia di Pavia
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $4.95
Review: The inviting apricot preserves, honey, butter, and roasted almond aromas of this semi-sparkler pull you right in. It's on the sweet side, with stone-fruit flavors kept alive by decent acidity. The palate bubbles and tingles and maintains its balance. Fine as an aperitif or with dessert.

My Review: This wine was so good. It smelled like gummy candy. It had a super sweet but delicious taste - it reminded me strongly of liquefied candy. I would have bought it but they ran out at the store. Definitely something I want to purchase and drink again.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting - La Cappuccina Soave

Name: La Cappuccina Soave
Variety: Garganega
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95
Review: Bright straw yellow in color. Delicate on the nose, with notes of flowers and almonds. Dry, well-structured and delicately fruity, with hints of bitter almonds on the finish that is typical of Garganega-based wines.

My Review: I thought this wine was very sweet and light, although I did not discern any specific flavors. I also did not notice any strong fragrances. However, I thought this wine was very drinkable.

Food? I did not have this wine with food.