More than Manischewitz: Moriah's Wine Blog

Name: Wild Life Variety: Chenin Blanc Region: Swartland Country: South Africa Year: 2015 Price: $6.95 Shop/wine critic/winery review: WildLife Chenin Blanc is the perfect every day wine that offers uncomplicated quality for the novice and connoisseur alike. Packed with upfront tropical fruit, the nose charms with an abundance of guava and gooseberries. These fruit flavors follow through on the palate, balanced by a crisp acidity to ensure a fresh and fruity style of wine. My review: This wine smelled fruity like citrus—oranges and lemons. This wine had a heavier body and a tropical, citrus flavor. I really did not like this wine, I thought it sort of tasted like Parmesan cheese and oak. I think this might have been better with food. I tasted this wine without food.

Name: Beringer Main & Vine Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Napa, California Country: United States Year: N.A. Price: $5.95 Shop/wine critic/winery review:  Beringer’s Main & Vine Sauvignon Blanc is full of lively aromas and flavors of fresh citrus and passion fruit. Easy-drinking and satisfying, this wine is well. My review: This wine smelled fruity like citrus and peach. It had a light body and was acidic and slightly tannic with a peachy, citrus flavor. I tasted this wine without food. 

Name: Baci Dolci Mosto di Uve Parzialmente Fermentato Variety: 35% Garganega, 35% Marzemino, 30% Moscato Region: Veneto Country: Italy Year: N/A Price: $7.95 S hop/wine critic/winery review:  A delicate, slightly bubbly pale pink wine. Fresh strawberry and cherry aromas. Light bodied with red fruit flavors and a refreshing sparkle to balance the semi-sweet finish. My review: This wine smelled very sweet with flavors of raspberry, orange peel, and apple juice. This tasted very sweet and refreshing like apple juice. This is definitely a very sweet wine that would go well with dessert!  I had this without tasting food. 

Name: Jardin de Luculo  Variety: Garnacha Region: Navarra Country: Spain Year: 2012 Price: $6.95 Shop/wine critic/winery review:  There’s a lot more in the bottle of the 2012 Jardin de Luculo, which is pure Garnacha from 30-year-old vineyards fermented in concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and aged six months in used barrels. Here the nose shows much more complexity, notes of sweet cherries, red licorice and hints of sweet spices. The palate is medium-bodied, quite dry and the flavors denote some very ripe fruit underneath. The slightly drying finish should go almost unnoticed with lamb chops, rather than drunk on its own.  My review: This wine smelled sweet and fruit with blackberry, orange, pineapple, caramel, and bacon flavors. This taste was dry, tannic, and fruity. This wine would pair nicely with Hawaiian pizza! I had this without tasting food. 

Name: Wildlife Merlot Variety: Merlot Region: Swartland Country: South Africa Year: 2014 Price: $6.95 Shop/wine critic/winery review:  The wine offers an array of red berries and a soft and mellow palate. The style is elegant with distinctive red berries and well-integrated wood aromas on the nose. The palate is velvety and smooth with an aftertaste that lingers with the juicy flavors of abundant berries. My review: This wine smelled sweet and spicy with an oaky, mulch kind of smell. The wine was dry and tannic, with blackberry notes and a smooth finish. This wine had an interesting kind of blackberry earthy-funk taste.  I had this without tasting food. 

Name: Schwartz Rose Variety: Grenache, Mouvedre Region: Barossa Country: Australia Year: 2015 Price: $6.95 Shop/wine critic/winery review:  Made from a blend of Grenache and Mataro, this pale pink rosé is definitely a wine to enjoy with friends.  Perfectly pale pink in colour with soft strawberry and elements of musk and perfume.  The palate shows a macerated strawberry component that makes for a great point of interest coupled with a broad red fruit spectrum. My review: This rose wine smelled floral and sweet and had a light mouthfeel. Unfortunately, I did not like this wine--I thought it tasted like cheap liquor. It had an aftertaste that can only be described as...cheese.  I had this without tasting food. 

Name: Boet Le Roux Variety: 100% Colombard Region: Swartland Country: South Africa Year: 2016 Price: $7.95 Shop/wine critic/winery review: " Colombard is not considered one of the great wine grapes and is used mostly for cognac in France and white jug wine in California. This old vine example from South Africa, though, is delicious. Crisp and refreshing with zesty acidity, it’s a delightful wine to start a party." My review: This wine smelled very floral with notes of citrus. It tasted very sweet with an acidic, tart, and dry finish.  I had this without tasting food.