Indomita Reserva Pinot Noir 2011 (Chile)

Nose:  Really light, slightly berryish and sweet.

Taste:  Light, slightly sweet, definitely red berries, maybe blackberry as well?

Finish:  Relatively tanniny.

What we say:  V - 'It's like Kool-Aid with tannins' S - 'It's like a light, light, light cough syrup, or a really light carbonated cherry drink.'

What they say:  Scent of violet and blackberry.  Taste of cherry and woodspice.

Rating:  5

Viña Ecoyen Navarra Reserva 2002 (Spain)

Nose:  Sweet - definitely cherry.  With some type of spice, maybe cinnamon or nutmeg?

Taste:  Quite smooth, with Christmas spices - nutmeg or cloves?

Finish:  A little bit of tannins on the finish, maybe a little peppery?

What we say:  V - 'The nose almost reminds me of cherry pie.  It's quite nice.'  S - I like it, particularly the Christmassy bit.'  V - 'There's just the right amount of sweetness'

What they say:  Red cherry and black fruits mellowed by creamy vanilla.

Rating:  7

La Multa Catalana Old Vine Garnacha Blanca 2010 (Spain)

Nose:  Not really that fruity - maybe a bit of pineapple?  There's something else that's a bit more pungent, perhaps some type of flower?

Taste:  Really smooth with citrus flavours, maybe a hint of vanilla.

Finish:  Pretty big with definite floral overtones.

What we say:  V - 'There's something weird going on with the nose'  'The taste definitely blooms in your mouth'  'It's more sweet than I expected from the nose.'

What they say:  Subtle flavours of orange blossom, acacia and peach.  With a long, mineral finish.

Rating:  6.5 (S - 6; V - 7)

Roc de Lussac Lussac St. Emilion AOC 2010 (France)

Nose:  Sharp, with darker berries - maybe blackberries.

Taste:  Dry berries?

Finish:  Medium tannins.

What we say:  S - 'At the very beginning there are berries'  'It's quite not like sawdust, but what's another type of wood?'  V - 'I'm having trouble with this one - nothing really stands out.'

What they say:  Black fruit flavours and subtle tannins.

Rating:  4.5 (V - 5; S - 4)

Gloria de la Roche Touraine AOC Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (France)

Nose:  Citrusy, with something fresh in the end.  Reasonably light - maybe a bit of floral?

Taste:  Not dry; almost like a semi-sweet at first taste with a bit of floral at first.  Reasonably thick in in the mouth.

Finish:  Moves to citrus and dry.

What we say:  S - 'I think it's good, but I don't know what to say about it.  It's more interesting than your standard white.  There is a clear development on the palate.'

What they say:  Fresh and zesty.  Very aromatic with citrus fruits notes.

Rating:  6.5 (V - 6; S - 7)

Toro Loco Tempranillo 2011 (Spain)

Nose:  A pretty standard woody-berry combo, with an emphasis on the wood.  Pretty medium - not overpowering, but not too light.

Taste:  There's a bit of sweetness in it.

Finish:  The tannins boom in your mouth.

What we say:  V - 'It's about as middle of the road as you can get, though perhaps a bit on the sweet side.'  S - 'It's pretty standard.  It's not bad, but I don't think i'd go out of my way to drink it again.  It wouldn't be missed.'

What they say:  Full bodied; fresh and juicy.

Rating:  4

Silver Bay Point Red (United Kingdom)

Nose:  Pretty fruity - maybe strawberry?

Taste:  Syrupy, almost cran-strawberry.

Finish:  Almost no finish, but really sweet.  Almost juice-like.

What we say:  S - 'It smells like cheap alcohol, like one of those mix drinks.'  'It almost tastes like juice.'  V -'I was uncertain whether I was drinking wine at first.  The wine taste hits you about five seconds later.'  S - 'I feel like it should be cold.  It's like a room temperature, alcoholic punch.  I want to put ice cubes in it.' 'I would never buy this as a wine.  Maybe to put in a punch, but never as a wine.'  V - 'It's shocking how bad it is.'

What they say:  Hints of juicy red fruits; soft and mellow.  GREAT FOR PARTIES (all caps in original)

Rating:  1.5 (V - 2; S - 1)

Sail Chardonnay 2011 (USA)

Nose:  Fresh and citrusy.  A sweet element - maybe pinapple or vanilla?  Really quite pleasant.

Taste:  Definitely citrusy, particularly towards the end.  Slight sweetness to it - again it might be vanilla.

Finish:  Pretty tart - almost lemon but not quite.

What we say:  V - 'There's something slightly desserty about the nose.  I almost think I smell meringue or something.  I can imagine this as a cake or a pie.'  'It's a bit syrupy in texture' 'It's not the most compelex wine we've had, but it's pretty decent.'  

What they say:  Crisp citrus fruit with weighty, melon flavors.

Rating:  6.5 (S - 6; V - 7)

Marqués de Valencia Gran Reserva 2004 (Spain)

Nose:  Hit of berry at the beginning, but the remainder is pretty woody.  Reasonably sharp; relatively unremarkable.

Taste:  Pretty bitter all the way through.  Definitely woody in the taste, maybe with a touch of fruit - super dry.

Finish:  Bitter

What we say:  S - 'My nose has issues today, I just smell sharpness'  V - 'The tannins are running wild'  'It has a consistent sharpness in the mouth that is only accented in the finish - this is about as dry as I think we've had it.'  'If you are into a tannin bomb then this might be your thing, but it's not mine.'  S - 'There's stuff going on here, but the finish is a killer.'  'Maybe it's a cheese wine - you certainly can't have it with cherries - the finish just beats you up!'

What they say:  Nuttin'

Rating:  3 on its own, though 6 when paired with a strong cheese.

Monos Locos Valle Central Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (Chile)

Nose:  Citrusy, not a pineapple, but not quite tart enough for grapefruit.

Taste:  Pear at the beginning?  Definitely something sweet about it

Finish:  Sour fruit?

What we say:  S - Pear initially, but then it ends on something really familiar that we've had with whites.'  'Pretty smooth, with a bit of sharpness'  'It's above average, but not as good as other whites we've had.'  V - "I can't tell if the finish if more sour or bitter."

What they say: Nuttin'

Rating: 6

Kinniemuin Hilltops Chardonnay 2011 (Australia)

Nose:  Definitely citrusy and fresh, maybe a bit of vanilla
 
Taste: Slightly sweet or nectary, balanced with sour fruit.  Again, maybe a bit of vanilla

Finish:  Acidic, though not unpleasant.

What we say:  S - 'It's almost like there's a juice in it.  I think there might be grapefruit, but that might be the fish talking.'

What they say: Lightly oaked and fruit-driven.

Rating: 5

Colchagua Valley Carmenère 2010 (Chile)

Nose:  Very light, maybe something sweet at the very end.  Maybe spicy?

Taste:  There's a sweetness to it, very smooth and velvity.

Finish:  Pretty smooth, maybe berries?

What we say:  V - 'It's a nice colour.  I think I smell cheese.'  S - Do you remember the book the Velvateen Rabbit?  It's so sad.'  'It's heavy, but not overpowering or in the tanniny headachy way.'  'You could bring this to a dinner party where you're not sure what people like - it's a safe dinner party wine'

What they say:  Deep red and black fruits with a gentle wild herb perfume.

Rating:  6

Ariki Reserva Cabernet Syrah 2010 (Chile)

Nose:  Dense, heavy, musky, woody.  Only the slightest hint of fruit.  It's interesting, but there's something else we can't put our fingers on.

Taste:  Reasonably powerful, sort of tart, definite woodiness.  Super dry.

Finish:  Definite tartness, lingering.

What we say: S- 'Oh! There's the pencil crayon smell again.  What is that supposed to be, oak?'  'The nose is almost sappy piney humid woods with a lot of foilage'  V 'I wonder if it almost smells like Christmas - not in a spicy way, but in a tree way.' S 'I don't know if I like it - it's just a bit to tart for me, almost sour.'  

What they say:  Red fruit aromas, blackcurrent flavours and a weighty finish.

Rating:  5.5 (S - 5; V - 6)