Rosemount Estate

Name: Rosemount Estate

Variety: Moscato

Origin: Australia

Price: $12 ($3.95 Sale)

VC Review: "Clear, medium-lemon yellow in appearance; lovely citrus and honeysuckle aromas with lemon, honeysuckle, apple, and ripe yellow plum flavours. Serve chilled with angel food cake or fresh fruit and mild cheeses."

My Review: Smells of apples and pears. Tasted like them too. Cheesecake texture. Average wine overall but nothing special. It was extremely easy to drink at only about 8%. alcohol content so I guess that's a bonus or negative depending on how you look at it. 

Garnacha de Fuego

Name: Garnacha de Fuego

Variety: Old Vine Grenache

Origin: Aragon, Spain

Price: $8.95

VC Review: "The 2011 Garnacha de Fuego, a 100% Grenache cuvee, was aged in both stainless steel and neutral French oak. There are 10,000 cases for the United States. This amazing wine boasts a dark ruby/purple color along with a sweet kiss of jammy black cherries intertwined with crushed rock notes that give the wine an undeniable minerality. As it hits the palate, a full-bodied, voluptuous texture takes hold and the flavor profile moves towards blacker fruits (ripe raspberries and black currants) intermixed with camphor and forest floor. This full-bodied, rich, glycerin-filled effort should drink well for 4-5 years, perhaps longer."

My Review: Smooth velvet cake smell. Definitely understand why this is a dessert wine. It tasted strongly of cherries, blackberries, and the drink Malta Goya. It was definitely dryer than I expected which kind of threw off the initial appeal. I'd prefer a dessert wine to be less dry. 

Librandi Ciro

Name: Librandi Ciro

Variety: Rosso Classico

Origin: Italy

Price: $14 ($7.95 Sale)

VC Review: "Don’t let the pale garnet color fool you:  this is a substantial wine.  Aromas of red fruits and spice complement undertones of cranberries, wild berries, and plums.  On the palate, ripe tannins and good body make for an incredibly rich, yet easygoing red wine.Pair this wine with sausage, spicy curry sauces, hot soppressata, and tandoori chicken."

My Review: Sharp on the nose - ginger and spice hits your nostrils. It tasted of Macintosh apples, plums, and cranberry sauce. Somewhat sour tasting wine, which surprised me because of ow plush and sweet the smell was. This wine was also a tad bit bitter, but in more of a cough syrup way - as the texture was syrupy itself. Not my style of wine necessarily. 

Angove

Name: Angove

Variety: Viognier

Origin: Australia

Price: $15 ($5.95 Sale)

VC Review: "Bright light straw in colour with some green hues, this wine has a lush ripe tropical fruit aroma. This is a fuller bodied white which fills the mouth with heady flavours of apricot, peach and citrus.

Angove Nine Vines Viognier is perfect for today's relaxed life-style and is the ideal accompaniment to grilled prawns with chilli and garlic or roast pork."

My Review: Compared to the previous wine, the nose was a lot more overbearing - strong citrus and nectarine scent. The wine was also fuller-bodied than the last one and I'd describe the taste as refreshingly bitter. It was bitter in a kola nut sort of way. Could also taste peach/nectarine/lemon definitely. I ended up buying this bottle, as I felt it was the best value of the day. Very solid wine.

Yealands

Name: Yealands Estate 

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Origin: New Zealand

Price: $21 ($7.95 Sale)

VC Review: “This aromatic wine shows lifted flavours of blackcurrant with underlying notes of wet stone and thyme. The palate is elegant yet full with sufficient weight and texture, balanced by a flinty minerality. This wine is a fantastic match with foods such as cheese salad, poultry dishes and a wide range of seafood dishes including freshly shucked natural oysters, prawns, green lip mussels and creamy scallops.” 

My Review: This wine had a very noticeable, pleasant peach scent. More so fresh peach than that of a Snapple iced tea, for example. Taste-wise, it was a medium-toned and citrus filled. There was a cat-pee feeling/finish that came about once I swallowed -- I could taste the aroma of it. I did not consume with food, just at the Cellar. Overall decent wine (7.5/10)

Heinz Eifel Shine

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine

Variety: Reisling

Origin: Germany

Price:  $9.95

VC Review: “This drier-styled Riesling is bright, fruity and floral with crisp acidity and clean flavors of apple, pear and peach that compliment its stony minerality and earthy complexity. It serves well as an aperitif and matches a wide variety of foods, like lighter salad dishes, shellfish, cream sauces and also anything with a touch of spice.”

My Review: Nice nose, smelled of peaches and sprite. There weren't overwhelming flavors, but did taste white grapes and pear. There have been better reislings at the wine tastings.

Atlas Cumbres

Name: Atlas Cumbres

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin: Argentina

Price: $15

VC Review: "Intense red color with violet highlights, with clean, fresh and complex aromas of berries, plums, figs and pepper. Strong personality is in perfect balance with a medium body and pleasant tannins. Ideal for: red meats, cheeses and strong sauces"

My Review: This was probably the strongest wine of the day. Deep ruby color, and had a strong nose as hoped. I could smell ginger once again along with grape and plums. The finish was impressive, and that's what stood out most. While it was strong, it wasn't overwhelming. Good balance.