Viansa Pierina 07

Here is another white wine from Viansa. We opened it because we made fish for dinner.

The bottle says they are the only producer of Viernaccia in the the US. Typically, it is crafted to display flinty, almost mineral flavors, but they try to produce a more multi-dimensional fruity style of wine that still stays true to its origins. So, this is another pseudo-Italian wine. Estate grown Carneros grapes. 14.1% alcohol.

This wine is a fairly colorful white wine in the glass. The nose presents sour apple and pear. On the palate, there is a peachy, chardonnay taste. Bitter Oak dominates the finish.

We would not buy this wine again, but the other wine from the same vintner was excellent.

Newell Vinyards Petite Syrah 04

This is one of the more "expensive" wines at Gross Out at $8.99. It comes from a small family owned winery with limited production.

The bottle says it is 100% estate fruit and they use 100% new American Oak barrels. They use small lot fermentation and malolactic frementation. It is unfiltered and hand harvested. The winery is located in Paso Robles a popular area for Petite Syrah. This bottle has a natural cork. 13.9% alcohol.

In the glass, this is another dark Petite Syrah. The nose is complex and opens up nicely; we smelled blackberry, spice, and strong oak. On the palate, we tasted dark cherry and chokecherry. The finish is very big and Oaky; it lingered with spice and vanilla. As the wine opened up, the oak began to dominate. This wine shows nice complexity probably due to the barrels and not being filtered.

We have had this wine for a few weeks and finally got around to trying it. Even as a more expensive bottle (for Gross Out) we will buy some more. This is a BIG wine and could be a big winner for you. WARNING: You have to like OAK to like this wine.

Viansa Arneis 07

We received some requests to review white wines as well as red, so we picked up this promising find at Gross Out. They wanted only $3.99 for this "$18 elsewhere" wine. Arneis apparently means "a little crazy or a little rascal" and is the varietal.

The bottle says the California vintners have Italian heritage. This variety is rarely grown and produced in California. "Arneis has unique, delicate flavors and aromas of pear and green apples followed by a wonderfully crisp finish. Arneis... produces a wonderful light, well balanced wine with firm acidity and elegant fruit." This bottle has a natural cork. 13.5% alcohol.

The wine has a lovely golden color in the glass. Swirling finds the wine is very dry. We detected pear and apricot on the nose. Pear also dominates the palate with a spicy finish. This wine is somewhat like a Chenin Blanc, but more robust mouthfeel. This wine was very smooth throughout and enjoyable for these red wine drinkers.

We rate this as a good value and would buy it again. The interwebs say this is the "white Borolo" which is a great compliment in our book.

Pullman Petite Syrah 06

Looking at the label, you may be able to guess what is "wrong" with this bottle that it shows up discounted at Gross Out.

This wine is from Le Vigne in Paso Robles, central California. The bottle says "this wine presents the same exterior ruggedness [as the car on the label] but reveals soft and luxurious nuances in the glass." 15.5% alcohol. Natural cork.

In the glass, the wine is very dark typical of a petite syrah. The nose is nice and fruity. On the palate, it has a smooth currant - raspberry flavor. The finish is woody and full of tannin. The wine tends toward more straightforward tannin than Syrah peppery spice. This wine is ready to drink and tastes more like a big Cab than we expected.

We would buy this again at $4.99 and consider it a good value, but not a jackpot. Look for the label designed by a high school student.

Black Oak Cabernet 09

Here is another "half-price" wine from Gross Out. It is supposed to retail for $9.99 and you can pick it up for $4.99 right now. This is not the unreal discount of some of the other wines next to it on the shelves, but it is one we have not tried yet.

Under the plastic "foil" lies one of those plastic "corks". This is not a good sign. I know that these are a lot cheaper and produce less waste for the winery, but I have rarely liked the wine behind them. The bottle promises a "medium-bodied wine with aromas of rich plum and cedar. The flavors reminiscent of dark cherry and blackberries with a nice sprinkling of spice."

In the glass, the color is not very heartening; it is almost as clear as a blush wine. The nose is also quite "light" and I might imagine "cedar". The palate is so indistinct that I have trouble really identifying any specific taste. The finish is also light. Other than a lingering bitterness this wine does not have much character at all (to my taste.)

This wine does not have the character I expect from a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Doncaster Estate Shiraz 10

Well, it is already time for Australian 2010 vintages to arrive. Remember that their season is half a year ahead, so you could compare it to a 2009 1/2 from the Northern Hemisphere. This one appears to be bottled in American Canyon, Ca? So, it may be shipped here in bulk to be bottled.

The bottle says it is from South Eastern Australia and it a great place to grow this variety. "Bright berry fruit characters on the nose give way to rich soft fruits on the palate, supported with a firm tannin structure and light oak notes." Make sure you enjoy it responsibly with friends and eat it with a barbie or blah blah. 13.9% alcohol. This bottle has a screw cap.

The color is fairly light and the nose does have soft berry notes. The wine is light on the palate (or less charitably THIN) and does give way to a firmer finish. There is a pleasing peppery taste that is characteristic of Shiraz/Syrah. The initial tastes are best, since the wine does not get more complex and seems to have a bit of harsh sulfide treatment?

It is tough to be too critical of a wine you can pick up for $3.99. It does belong in the below $10 group, but is is a good deal? I would not run out and buy a case, but if you can't pay more than $4 for a bottle this is drinkable.