Westinghouse Chardonnay Viognier 2011 (USA)

Nose:  Very fresh with prominent citrus and a hint of vanilla.

Taste:  Somewhat dry and smooth

Finish:  Citrus finish with a hint of sweetness, but a bitterness as well that stays with you.

What we say:  V - 'Bananas?" S - 'It could be lychee fruit'  V - 'I still smell ripe bananas'  S - 'I can't really taste anything.  Maybe the aftertaste is a bit banana-y?' 'I find it really weird.  It's an odd flavour.  I can't place the little that I can taste.  It's not bad though.'  V - 'It's definitely a summer wine - might work well on a superhot day.'  S - 'Yeah, but not a British summer, a proper summer'

What they say:  5.5 (S - 6; V - 5)

Rating:  Fusion of citrussy, butterscotch-edged Chardonnay and floral, honeyed Viognier, with a touch of oak.

Price:  £9.99

Vespertine Old Vine Zinfandel 2012 (USA)

Nose:  Originally pretty light, but it got heavier as things went along. Definite cherry, dark fruits and some oakiness, maybe with something spicy at the end.  Has an overriding earthiness/dampness.

Taste:  Pretty dry, cherries/dark cherries.  Small elements of sweetness.

Finish: A bit tart with medium tannins.  Minerals at the very end.

What we say:  S - "The nose is almost damp, or musty?'  V - 'Sort of like a spiced cherry cake?'  S -  'I just smell all kinds of weird things.  Like I just smelled meat, which I'm pretty sure is not actually in there.'  'Is there a smokiness to it, like hickory?' 'Now I smell wet dog - it changes all the time'  V- 'Definitely has the aftertaste of mineral water' 'It's dry, but the tartness is messing me up a bit.'  S - 'I taste hickory now'  V - 'Yeah, it's just a little bit smokey'  S - 'Every time I sip this I think it tastes like something different.  It's like the candy in Willy Wonka'

What they say:  A wine of immense charm and character. Fruit is at the fore - blackcurrant and classic raisin notes, supported by perfectly structured vanilla oak tones.

Rating: 5.5 (V - 5; S - 6)

Price: £17.99

C4 Barossa Valley Chardonnay 2011 (Australia)

Nose:  Fruity, kind of a sweet citrus.  Maybe a bit of vanilla that gives it the sweet element.

Taste:  Almost like a really fresh grape, but not as sweet.  Pretty crisp.

Finish:  Somewhat bitter but not unpleasant - maybe minerals.

What we say: S - 'Wow, it's strong. I think I can smell it from here.... or is that just the flowers?'  V - 'The finish tastes like dessert.'  S - 'It's pretty fresh and refreshing'  V - 'I have no idea what that taste is.'  S - 'It's a bit tangy, or tart.'  V - 'It's sort of like mineral water without the bubbles.'  S - 'It's crisp, like when you have the first coating of ice on something.'

What they say:  Fresh and vibrant with tropical notes and a mid-weight body.

Rating:  7 (S - 8; V - 6)

Price:  £9.99

Star & Vine Viognier 2010 (USA)

Nose:  Citrusy and vanilla.  Maybe grapefruit or lemon on the citrus end.

Taste:  Reasonably dry with lychee fruit or starfruit.  Could have some vanilla as well.

Finish:  Quite tart, couldn't decide whether there was floral or just citrus and vanilla.

What we say:  V- 'Banana??' SS - 'Definitely fruity!'  S - 'Maybe a bit like window cleaner at first, or a citrusy household cleaning product.'  J - 'Can something smell 'vigorous'??'  S - 'What was that other wine we thought tasted like lychee fruit?'

What they say:  Characteristic rose blossom, lychee, and ripe pear note, with a zingy lemon-edged acidity.

Rating:  6.6 {SS - 7.5; J - 7; S - 6; V - 6}

Price:  £9.99

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)

High Dive Chardonnay 2010 (USA)

Nose:  Sweet, with vanilla and citrus, maybe grapefruit.  Smooth and fresh.

Taste:  Bold flavour.  Pineapple, maybe grapefruit, definitely citrusy and acid.  Pretty dry

Finish:  Somewhat acid citrus finish, but not in a bad way, though quite pronounced.

What we say:  V- "It's a really nice combination on the nose."  S- "It's like a heavy white." "Every time you put your nose in the glass, you get a hit of vanilla."

What they say:  Nuttin'

Rating:  8

Star & Vine Shiraz 2010 (USA)

Nose:  Sweet, maybe syrupy.  Nutmeg or cloves - smells like Christmas - maybe lingonberry?

Taste:  Remarkably close to the nose - spicy or lingonberry.

Finish:  Smooth - not really different from the taste.

What we say:  S - "It's interesting, because it has some sweetness, but only slightly.  I feel like I know this flavour - that we've had it before, but I can't place it"  "It's certainly good and unique, but maybe not something you would want to drink all evening."

What they say:  Rich and full, with ample briar-fruit.  A lingering finish with luscious vanilla-edged hints.

Rating:  7

Canyon Creek Merlot 2010 (USA)

Nose:  Definitely not oaky, more on the berry side of things.  Cherries/blackberries?

Taste:  Unremarkable.

Finish:  Bitter in the finish, almost sour.





What we say:  V- "It smells like a dessert." "It doesn't have any distinguishable taste to it. It just tastes like a standard tannin-y red, almost like what they would serve at Communion."

What they say:  Hints of vanilla, aromas of black cherry, vanilla and pepper.  Taste of blackberries and blueberries.

Rating:  3.5 (S - 3; V - 4)