Tasting: Scott Family 2014 Dijon Clone Chardonnay

Name: Scott Family Dijon Clone Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Arroyo Seco, California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $25

Winery Review: A buttery style, this bottling offers popcorn, sea salt caramel and vanilla cookies on the nose alongside tropical coconut, ripe peach and banana fruit, all judiciously presented. There's an immediate sizzle of acidity to cut through the butter on the palate, where pan-fried apples, squeezed lemons and almonds make for an excellent California Chardonnay.

My Review: This wine smelled like movie theater popcorn - very buttery. The taste was incredible. The acidity helped cut down on the buttered popcorn initial taste I got, and hints of citrus, oddly, mostly lime, and a touch of toasted nuts at the end left me craving more of this wine.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Chardonnay

Name: Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa Valley, California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: $12

Winery Review: The Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay is a luminous, light gold color in the glass with fragrant aromas of fresh lemon crème, citrus, crisp apple and toasted hazelnut. The inviting nose leads to a richly textured palate with flavors of citrus, stone fruit and a honey almond character. The wine is well-balanced between an elegant, creamy roundness and a line of bright acidity. The pleasing finish is persistent and flavorful.

My Review: This wine smelled of citrus, honey, and green apples. The taste was a bit too acidic from the start for me and very mineraly, but I got some toasted nuts, cream, and apples dashed with lemon, but the acidity carried on to the aftertaste and all of the flavors together made me not a fan.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Costera Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2015

Name: Costera Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2015
Variety: 90% Cannonau, 5% Bovale Sardo, 5% Carignano
Region: Sardegna
Country: Italy
Year: 2015
Price: $15

Winery Review: Costera shows the typicity of the Cannonau grape with flavors of very ripe strawberries, black cherries, herbs, and spices. The warmth and intense sunlight of southern Sardinia can be seen and felt in the wine with unexpectedly deep color and fullness on the palate. French oak barriques provide rounded tannins and flavors of vanilla.

My Review: I wish I had a pot roast to go with this wine. It smelled of black cherries, black pepper, and mowed grass. It tasted also like wet grass, licorice, and baking spices, and was very tannic on my palate. It was very dry and prune-like. I was not a fan of this wine by itself, but am sure it would be delightful with heavy foods.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Sonoma-Cutrer Founders Reserve 2015 Chardonnay

Name: Sonoma-Cutrer Founders Reserve 2015 Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Sonoma - Russian River Valley, California
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: $65

Winery Review: On the nose, this vintage offers a balance of rich and spicy characteristics of nougat, clove, caramel, sandlewood and nutmeg that open up to fruit scents of Honeycrisp apple and Asian pear. Fruit flavors of pear and green apple shine through and are accented with a touch of oak spice. Winemaker, Mick Schroeter, made this wine in this particular way to capture the true essence of the vineyard sites. It is a blend of three vineyards each with Burgundian spacing: Les Pierres, A-Burgundy from The Cutrer vineyard, and block "X" from Vine Hill vineyard.

My Review: This wine smelled and tasted like an apple pie. I was hit with a strong nutmeg and clove scent. The flavor was PHENOMENAL. It felt like I was drinking a fresh baked, hot apple pie. The green apple wasn't overwhelming and the slight acidity of the apple helped balance some of the spice.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Newton Red Label Chardonnay

Name: Newton Red Label Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Sonoma County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price:  $34

Winery Review: The warm vintage resulted in tropical fruit aromas, including pineapple and star fruit mingling with the perfume of apricots and apple-pears. On the palate fresh stone-fruit and lychee flavors are balanced by a touch of oak.

My Review: This wine smelled like a warm summer day. It smelled very fruity and floral, of ripe pears and some citrus. It tasted like apricots and honey. The aftertaste was very oaky and vanilla filled in the best way possible. I would highly recommend this wine!

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Villa Jolanda Moscato the Blue

Name: Villa Jolanda Moscato the Blue
Variety: Muscat Blanc A Petits Grains
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: Regular $14, Sale $10.95

Winery Review: The nose has the scent of ripe peaches. It is sweet with peach apricot and floral notes on the palate.

My Review: This wine smelled like ripe fresh fruit on a summer day, mostly peaches and a flower garden.  The carbonation completely overpowered any taste for me. It tasted like La Croix's regular carbonated water - basically carbonated nothingness.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price: Regular $20, Sale $9.95

Winery Review: Inviting aromas of boysenberry, vanilla and dark chocolate swirl in the glass. Rich flavors of ripe black cherry coupled with hints of crème brulee sugar crust and butterscotch weave through the palate. Balanced acidity and polished tannins on the finish.

My Review: I did not get any of the aromas and flavors of the winery review. This wine smelled like herbs and spices to me, and tasted like a handful of soil and was very earthy. The aftertaste was a bit like caramel and molasses. This wine was way too much happening at once for my palate and I probably wouldn't drink it again by itself.

I did not taste this wine with food.