Columbia Crest Two Vines Gewürtztraminer 2006

*NEWS*
After my New Years party I had several partially finished wines to finish off so tonight will be several reviews!

On the bottle: Columbia Crest Gewürtztraminer enjoys a long, cool fermentation to produce a clean, crisp wine with bright acidity and exotic spice highlighted by citrus aromas and flavors.

750mL, 11.5% Alc. by vol., Albertsons, $8.99

I bought this wine because I really enjoyed a Gewürtztraminer I had from Messina Hof. This one was a bit of a let down, though. It tasted very yeasty and that coupled with the spice notes made it unpleasant for me to drink. This could be an off batch, but I'm not sure. I wouldn't buy this wine again,even though it has a low price because I know I can get Messina Hof Gewürtztraminer for a low price and it's much better. I did not bother to pair this with cheeses.

La Bourgeoisie 2010 Chardonnay

On the bottle: Our goal: to capture terroir in its most elegant form and to preserve the integrity of the wine world by rebelling against the 100 point system. A wine of of sustainable and environmentally friendly farming. No advertising. 100% chardonnay.

750mL, 13.5% Alc. by vol., HEB, $11.99

I bought this wine because the wine guy at HEB recommended it to me. This wine is made by The House of Independent Producers. I liked the bottle and the whole thumbing their nose at the establishment as well as the promise that the grapes were sustainable grown. The price wasn't bad either. Unfortunately this wine was rather forgettable. It tasted like any old chardonnay with nothing particularly remarkable about it. I would definitely drink it again, but I don't think I'd want to pay this much for it.

Pacific Rim 2009 Gewürztraminer

On the bottle: Our Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer is fermented in stainless steel tanks with wild, native yeast - preserving a crisp profile that enhances rather than dominates fresh, vibrant cuisine. The true nature of out Gewürztraminer shines through with floral aromas and flavors of lychee, passion fruit and melon. AN enlightened pairing with chicken stay, moo shoo pork, roast turkey and all manner of curries.

750mL, 12.4% Alc. by vol., Costco, $9.99

I bought this wine because the last time I tried the Gewürztraminer varietal I really enjoyed it, the bottle has a nice design, and it was cheap. This comes in a screw top bottle, and it is delicious. When it's chilled doesn't have much of a smell, but it if warms up a bit it's scent is sharp. The flavor starts sweet, but has an acidic bite and warms my throat as I drink it. I think the flavor mellows out a bit, for the better, when it's been out of the fridge for a bit, but not as warm as room temp. I am curious about pairing this with spicy food, as I drank it with lemon-pepper baked salmon and rice. Overall I really liked this wine and will buy it again if I run across it and want a white that I don't need to blog about.

Chocolate Shop Chocolate Red Wine

On the bottle: Chocolate Shop. the ultimate "Chocolate Lover's Wine" is a deep, ruby red wine blended with rich, velvety chocolate. Inviting aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate combine in the glass and continue on the palate surrounded by hints of cocoa powder. Nuances of sweet red wine linger on the smooth finish. Chocolate Shop provides you with an indulgent wine experience like no other.

750mL, 12.5% Alc. by vol., Costco, $9.99

Oh my goodness this wine was so good! It's very sweet, but not too sweet. It smells like dark chocolate without a hint of bitterness. I was worried this wine would resemble Choco-Vine and be gross, but it is simply amazing! No sticky mouth at all, not sickeningly sweet, my only "complaint" is that it really can only pair with desserts and I like to drink wine with dinner and not as or with a dessert. My roommate and I have already made plans to do back to Costco tomorrow to buy a few more bottles. I highly recommend this wine to anyone who likes sweet wines and chocolate.