La Mano Mencia Roble Red Wine 2012

La Mano Mencia Roble 2012 is a red wine grown in Northwestern Spain. A smooth and wet wine with pepper and fruit tastes it maintains soft tannins. Aged in oak barrels for at least three months it provides quality for the price. The aroma is fruit and berry mixed. As a wine it has a wet and low level aftertaste which raises its appeal. 

This wine was one of the specials you find in Trader Joes or other trendy stores and sold for $3.00 putting it in most people's price range. It normally retails for around $10. The special display that runs consistently offers an excellent opportunity to try trendy wines without breaking the bank. 

Considering that it has won the Los Angeles Wine & Spirits Competition awarded the 2011 vintage Gold Medal and the Mundus Vini awarded Gold you won't be disappointed. I have a personal preference for wines that are easy on the palate and are either wet or slightly dry. I am not really into the heavier wines unless it is blended and cured just right. 

This is the type of wine that will go well with most meals. When eating steak, burgers, or other greasy foods you might want to get something a little heavier. The heavier food will coat the taste buds. However, for general table wine you will like their offering. Toasting to good times doesn't mean spending a fortune before you actually earned it. 

Da Vinci Wine "The Blood of Jove"

From the south facing hill of Vinci and Cerreto in the Chianti reason grows the Sangiovese and merlot grapes that are used to make Da Vinci Chianti wine.  It is one of the best tasting wines I have had in some time. Smooth, fruity and just a touch of a pepper kick in the end. It is a great wine for red meat and pasta. 

With over 200 cooperative growers, producing Tuscany wine the quality is excellent for $14.99. Its crimson collars and taste mix well with the leathery taste. It is a nice sipping wine that would go well for parties and other events you might be planning. 

Over 90% of the Da Vinci Chianti wine comes from the Sangiovese grapes. This is primarily named after sanguis Jovis or the blood of Jove. Jove is also known as Jupiter the sky god of ancient Rome who was seen as the master of gods. He believed that the Eagle was his sacred creature who dominated the sky. 

http://www.davinciwine.com/

Wine Review: Candy-Apple Red Cabernet Sauvignon

In the perpetual search for the perfect wine I am forced to try interesting varieties. Sometimes these wines tantalize the right taste buds and other times they do not do justice. Being in the mood for something a little sweet, I picked up a bottle of Jellybean the Candy-Apple Red Cabernet Sauvignon. Thinking this was a type of flavored wine with blackberry jam, boysenberry pie and hints of cherry licorice that was to give me “candy flavors” I was excited to give it a shot.

A few days later, I had my chance and poured myself just a little. With a red tone associated with dark cherries it looked a little like fruit punch in a glass. It had a heavy look and clung slightly to the edges of the glass. Something akin to heavy punch in both smell and texture. Raising the glass to my lips, I noticed the first taste of berries that seemed to excite the senses. However, the aftertaste was not particularly that exciting. Not bad…but not exciting. Don't be afraid to try it as your tastes might be different.

Therefore, I decided to experiment with the wine and mix it with another brand of Cabernet Sauvignon and found that the two had a very strong combination. You might want to try this mixture for yourself to see what happens. If your palate is not into the high berry taste of Jelly Belly then go ahead and mix it with a less fruity brand. It works out fine and you might actually like it better than many of the wines you have purchased at full price.

Jelly Bean wine is a young person’s wine with bright flavors and bright colors. They host a number of different events in their wine tasting outlets. It is branded for a generation that is not yet very familiar with wine and provides some of their first interests in sweet tasting flavors. Fun, exciting, outgoing, and youthful are some of the words that can describe this product. It is a social party wine that is full of good times.

Cabernet Saugignon is a popular Californian wine. The grapes grow well in many different atmospheres and climates. As a small berry, it is seasoned just a little longer before being harvested. These berries are dark and tannic. A higher level of spice should be expected and an aftertaste may be more associated with drying out the back of the mouth. As a high tannin berry, it pairs well with meat, lamb, lentils, and other high fatty foods.  Such foods protect the taste buds from the high kick taste.

http://www.jellybeanwines.com/

Let’s Get Gnarly with Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon

Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon is an easy drinking wine that is light to the taste and soft to the taste buds. Big fruit and dark cherries mixed with an oak flavor. With 14.5 alcohol content and a PH level of 3.51 the taste doesn’t knock your socks off or make your hair fall out. However, it is hardy enough to make your event just a bit more interesting. 

Most reviews rate it right around the center of taste and quality. Yet with a grand price tag of $8.99 I think it is worth at least one bottle. Of course, your eye will be drawn to the red label with a gnarly old vine sprouting grapes. This is label fits the brand as the wine is made from older grapes, which encourages it have more flavor but less grape clusters per bunch. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is a relatively new wine on the market as it first made an appearance in the 18^th century in Chateau Mouton. As legend has it the Baron De Brane ripped up white wine grapes and planted a red wine grape by the name of Vidure. From here, the grapes are processed into a new type of wine that has sequentially spread across the globe. 

The type of food that Cabernet Sauvignon classically pairs with is lamb. However, as a hardy drink it can go with just about every type of high tasting meat. Beef, pork, venison, and rabbit are also proper choices.  High levels of oak influence and alcohol level make it a bold drink that goes with bold food. The wine matches with fatty foods that reduce the tannins on the palate to make the berry taste more alive.

Personally, I found the wine worth a single try but not particularly in the lineup of favorites. It works well as a basic table wine that can be used on occasion. The price is exceptional so it has just a bit more appeal than some of the higher priced brands. It is a California wine so if you are about supporting your local economy this would be one of the ways to do it. 

Price: $ 8.99 bottle

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