Great Value!
A wine to pair with hearty meat sauces or rich tomato based pastas this is a delicious one with seductive aromas of warm, sweet black raspberry, roasted herbs and chocolate with very appealing notes of violets and cedar chips. The palate is supple, weighty and smooth - layered with dark chocolate, berries, spice and tobacco. The finish wraps up with savoury herbal flavours and fine, powdery tannins.
A blend of: Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Carmenere and 15% Syrah
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - September 7th, 2010

This chewy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Carmenere and 15% Syrah features savoury aromas of dark berries and roasted herbs, plenty of spice, mocha and a hint of bell pepper. The palate is supple, it's medium-full bodied with flavours of espresso and leather, dark fruits and grilled meat with toasted oak and green olives.
It is a hearty wine that is meant to be paired with hearty roasted meats or rich stews.
©copyright 2009 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 9th, 2009

A compilation of leather and fresh cherry aromas with violets and cigarbox. The palate is juicy and lively with layers of red berry and cherries, tobacco and fine spices. Lovely acidity and fine tannins make for a perfect (and affordable) dinner wine. Pair with pastas, slow cooked meats or creamy taleggio cheese.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - September 6th, 2010

This rustic, organic Chianti (a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino Toscany) will pair well with tomato based pastas or a platter of salami and antipasto.
Cherries, raspberry and black pepper aromas are layered with saddle leather, spice and dried herbs. Similar juicy red fruit appears on the palate with cocoa, earthy flavours and savoury spices. The texture is dusty, fine, granular tannins linger from start to finish.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - August 18th, 2010

The Rosso delle Venezie IGT is made from Corvina, Croatina and Merlot grapes that have been partially dried prior to fermentation - this gives more intensity to the grape as the water evaporates.
It is an earthy wine presenting scorched earth, intense fruit, patchouli and spice aromas. The palate is smooth and concentrated layered with sweet berries, chocolate and earthy flavours. It has balanced acidity and a long finish trailing toasted spice flavours.
Pair with robust tomato-based dishes, hard cheeses and roasted meats.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 28th, 2010

Widely available, this very affordable Chianti is great for tomato based pastas, cheese and salami.
Expect aromas of smoked cherries, saddle leather and spice, hints of iodine and sunbaked earth. The palate is nicely rounded with juicy cherry, cigarbox and spice flavours. A simple and plesant everyday table red with a slightly powdery texture.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 27th, 2010

The baker's dozen blend of varieties (including: Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache and Montepulciano) in this fun, screw-capped red express aromas of berries and plums, leather and cigarbox with plenty of peppery spice notes. There is nice complexity for the price, it is a charming wine with a supple texture and rustic edge. Flavours of berries, chocolate and mixed spices linger across the palate. The folks at Big House recommend spaghetti bolognese, lasagna or grilled meat to pair with this affordable red.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 27th, 2010

Penfolds has the uncanny ability to make elegant wines at any price point and they do so, continuously.
The Koonunga Hill Shiraz~Cabernet is made from 70% Shiraz with the remainder being Cab. It is a a wine with aromas of black cherries and plums, chocolate and tobacco, sweet spice and savoury smoke and roasted herbal undertones. Good concentration - the dark juicy fruit reappears on the palate with cocoa and espresso hints, dried herbs, roasted meat and salty spice rub flavours.
A solid red for grilling or rich red sauces on pasta.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 5th, 2010

From the ancient Roman winemaking town of Velletri comes this red is a blend of Cesanese, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Merlot.
Already having aged and softened somewhat in the bottle it presents aromas of sweet cherries, cocoa and raisin with undertones of saddle leather, herbs, spicebox and earth. The palate is bright yet velvety, rich and earthy - warm sweet fruit, tobacco and spice flavours lead to a long smooth finish.
Pair with rich red pastas topped with plenty of Parmagiano.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 21st, 2010

This food-friendly and fruity wine is made from a blend of Portuguese traditional varieties Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Tinta Barocca with the unique addition of Pinot Noir. It offers plenty of sweet raspberry and blueberry aromas, vanilla and tobacco with a potpourri of dried flowers and cedar chips. It has nice acidity and juicy berry fruit on the palate cola spices and cedar flavours and a slightly angular finish.
Pair this wine with crusty bread and soft cheese or fish in stewed tomato sauces.
Great value for weekday dinners!
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 8th, 2010

This B.C red blend has very pleasing high-toned fruit aromas. It offers cherry and berry with a splash of sweet vanilla and licorice and pleasing undertones of earth. The palate is also bright, the fruit is sweet and supple and tastes of red berries, warm spice and cocoa with a hint of tobacco - the finish is smooth. The juiciness of this wine would pair nicely with rich, tomato-based sauces on meat, pasta or roasted veg.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 6th, 2010

This charming blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano presents aromas of sunwarmed cherries and fine spices, saddle leather and rich earth with hints of espresso, violets and vanilla. The palate is supple and echoes warm cherry and berry flavours, sunbaked earth, roasted coffee and dark cocoa. It has nice flavour-lifting acidity and a smooth finish.
A great everyday pasta wine!
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - May 12th, 2010

An impressive first vintage showing for winemaker Sandor Meyer's Discovery Series Tempranillo.
Expect enticing layers of peppery red fruits, fine spice and cigarbox with undertones of prune. The palate reflects similar red fruit and spice, it has surprising underlying power with nice structure and ripe tannins throughout, the finish is lengthy...
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - May 2nd, 2010

This affordable and organic red (a classic grape variety to Sicily) presents upfront aromas of ripe berries and vanilla, sweet spice and mocha with a hint of tobacco. The palate is supple and shows juicy berries, spice,chocolate and hazelnut flavours wrapped in powdery tannins and bright acidity.
A nice weekday pasta wine!
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - April 29th, 2010

NEW!
Arriving on private wine store shelves in May 2010, this nicely aged Tempranillo provides aromas of cherries and red berry, dried herbs and dried flowers, leather and earth. A fresh wine with plenty of bright acidity and flavours of rich, sweet berries, cocoa, tobacco and coffee, leather and spice flavours carry through on the finish.
Pair with firm cheeses and roasted meats or rich tomato sauces.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - April 28th, 2010

Made primarily from Tempranillo with the addition of 15% Garnacha and Graciano this 2002 vintage reserva is still wonderfully fresh.
Aged 22 months in barrel followed by another two years in bottle it is complex and elegant, worthy of a special meal.
You can expect aromas of saddle leather and blackberries, rich dark earth and toffee. The palate is juicy but has an appealing silky texture - flavours of forest berries, leather and spice wiht a hint of dried fruit. It has a long finish with powdery tannins.
Pair with aged cheeses, stewed meat and richly sauced pasta.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - March 16th, 2010

Here is your Monday-Thursday pasta wine - a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo with rich warm aromas of cherries and espresso, a hint of iodine, leather and sunbaked earth and a core of chocolate shavings and dried herbs. The palate reflects the aromas - chocolate and savoury spices, plum and cherry flavours, just a suggestion of dried fruit with char, cigarbox and spice lingering on the finish.
A simple, juicy and smooth weekday dinner wine.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - March 9th, 2010

This is a well-priced weekday pasta wine - simple and juicy with a bright ruby colour, cherry fruit aromas with leather, sunbaked earth and cocoa powder notes with a very savoury core of tomato leaf and dried herbs. The palate is juicy, loads of acidity and tart red fruit with more leather and spice following suit on the palate.
Pair with salami and cheese or pastas in red sauce.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - January 25th, 2010

This very approachable Tempranillo falls under the label of Crianza - which means by Spanish wine law it must be aged a minimum of two years, and one of those years must be aged in the barrel.
It presents significant red fruit and leather with exotic spices, cocoa, tobacco and ample peppery tones. The palate is bright led by smoky fruit and spice flavours. A very easy drinking and supple wine that will partner nicely with tapas or aged cheeses.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - January 8th, 2010