Tasting Wine: 5 new wines

After last Thursdays Wine Tasting, I left the Vintage Cellar with 7 new bottles I've never tried (or heard of). Here are the 5 I've tasted so far.

Name Palo Negro
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Region Mendoza
Country Argentina
Year 2010
Price $7.95 

Critic's Review Toasty and forward, with rounded currant and plum fruit backed by a nice weight in the palate. A long, sustained finish. Definite quality for an outstanding price.

My Thoughts (First Tasting) I should begin this by saying I picked this wine solely because the label is sexy as all Hell. From a design standpoint, this label KICK ASS. But for me, the obsession with this wine ends there. This red wine had an odd translucency about it, especially for a Cab Sav. It showed hints of brown. The initial nose was highly alcoholic. It made my eyes water. It had a musty, vegetal smell about it, like dead leaves and rotten mushrooms. Truthfully I thought this wine had gone bad. There was low complexity to it.  There was virtually no fruit present on the palate. It was VERY acidic and sour tasting.

This wine was not paired with any food.

My thoughts (Second Tasting) After letting this wine breathe FOR TWO DAYS, it began to open up. Dark fruit and spice could be detected on the bouquet. It was still highly acidic and the alcohol was still up. However, it was at least drinkable.  When paired with dark chocolate and raspberry, notes of dark berry fruits could be detected on the mid palette.

This wine was paired with a raspberry filled, dark chocolate.

Name Rex Goliath
Variety Merlot
Region California
Country United States
Year --
Price --

Critic's Review Mouth-filling flavors of plums, cherries and wild red berries dominate from start to finish. Soft, supple and complex. Pretty and seductive with a decidedly spicy nose of black cherry, cassis and cedar. Very ripe and round, almost like a Jolly Rancher candy.

My Thoughts This Cali Merlot was a dark red with a slightly purple hue. It did not dominate with complexity. It was soft, supple and smooth. The nose was powerful with dark berry fruits, primarily blackberry, mixed with a woody component.  On the mouth, it was round, with notes of cherry and cedar.

This wine was not paired with any food.

Name Faraway Farm
Variety Chenin Blanc
Region Westen Cape

Country South Africa
Year 2009 
Price $9.95

Critic's Review The soil composition and the ability to ripen the grapes work well where this wine was produced. Shale and wet rock on the nose. Rich golden yellow color. Nice combination of sweet tropical fruits like pineapple and guava, backed up with white pear, and of course some lemon. Nice viscosity, feels full and rounded in the  mouth. Some brown spice at the back of the palate. Good acid content.

My Thoughts This is a solid effort! There is a nice combination of Old World earthiness and New World style fruit. There is a mineral quality, like wet rock, to this wine that pairs nicely on the nose with upfront, serious tropical notes. This white wine had a glistening yellow gold quality about it. Pineapple and pear mixed with hints of spice on the mid palette. I got some shale and lemon on the  finish. Delicious!

This wine was not paired with any food.

Name Andeluna
Variety Torrontes
Region Mendoza

Country Argentina
Year 2010 
Price --

Critic's Review Green color with silver tones. Aromas of white flowers, citric and tropical fruits, especially rue, jasmine and peach. Fresh with an intense finish. Torrontes can be enjoyed as an aperitif of as the perfect companion to light pastas, seafood and chicken.

My Thoughts On the nose, this wine was powerful with orange, lime and peach. Very fragrant! Hints of a floral component on the nose transferred to the mid palette. Jasmine and orange blossom could be detected. I also could get a little cut grass aspect on the finish with a bit of lemon.

This wine was not paired with any food.

Name Gen 5

Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Region Lodi, Central Valley, California
Country United States
Year 2009
Price $11.95 

Critic's Review Taking Lodi into a whole new level, the finely-tuned 2009 Gen 5 Cabernet shows intricate and complex flavors; ripe for sure, yet classy and refined; long finish.

My Thoughts This red was smoky on the nose. There were hints of dark berry fruits mixed with spices both on the nose and the palette. Complex. There was a blackberry aspect to this wine masked by a cinnamon and woody component. Hints of leather and spice on the finish.

This wine was not paired with any food.