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This Auslese is light with a somewhat citrusy tone instead of the apple so common with proseccos. It has some good bubbles and is incredibly smooth. Color: A very light white. Nose and Palate: Quite a winner...On the nose I found a mostly floral bouquet with some lighter fruits lingering in the background. On the palate something tries to show early but is swept up in sweetness before it can express itself. Just when it appears doomed to be an overly sweet effort a nice crisp, acidic backbone saves the day showing mineral characteristics and leading to a pleasant finish. Alcohol: 10.0 % ABV Appellation: Rheinhessen, Germany You could enjoy a glass or two in the day at a picnic or before dinner, and not be impacted afterwards. Unless you are a Riesling purist I imagine there are few out there that wouldn’t enjoy this effort.

Lacheteau - Vouvray - Loire Valley, France This semi-dry white wine is spicy and citrusy notes. Flavors of ripe fruits like nectarines, pears, melon, and a very interesting and pleasing grapefruit. Goes well with a wide range of foods because of its sweet, fruity flavor. This is a very approachable wine. The fruit emerged much more strongly on the attack and mid-palate, it acquired a distinct almost sweet tangerine flavor with a hint of almond and it lost the bitterness originally evident. This wine needs to breathe for several hours at cooler temperatures in my opinion. The body is medium, acid medium. Appellation: Loire Valley France Alcohol: 12.0%

This wine is made with the Dornfelder grape used a lot in Germany. I would definitely think this wine would be crowd pleaser for the non-hard core red wine drinkers Color: A light red color. Nose and Palate: It has a slightly sweet, fruit taste with a hint of dryness. This wine is very mellow with no tannic dry aftertaste. Alcohol: 9.5 % ABV Appellation: Pfalz, Germany This wine is best served cold and is good on its own or paired with something with a spicier feel such as pizza or a spicy pasta sauce.

Grifone Primitivo Wine There's Zinfandel, and then there's Primitivo. Which is kind of misleading, since Zinfandel and Primitivo are, genetically speaking, the same grape. Color: A deep, inky red wine. Nose and Palate: Concentrated aromas of red berries and licorice. Not quite as spicy as American Zinfandels, this Primitivo is full-bodied, warm & fruity, with strong, lingering tannins. Alcohol: 13.0 % ABV Appellation: Italy, the Madurai region (geographically, in the boot's heel). It's a wine that’s meant to be enjoyed now— I suggest enjoying it with rich cheeses. This is one of Marisa’s favorites.

Les Portes de Bordeaux Another great little wine from the Bordeaux super vintage of the century (so far). Color: A deep ruby-red color. Nose and Palate: It has a scent of freshly crushed red and black berry fruits. Loads of currants and ripe cherries predominantly, but also freshly squeezed plum juice, and some underlying notes of herbs and fruit-driven minerality are present. The wine coats the inside of the mouth with freshly crushed red fruits. The mid-palate is a sort of cranberry-grape juice mixed with well-structured tannins that seem nicely interlaced with the fruit in the wine and shows its youth and power of the vintage, even at this level. The finish lingers with fine red fruit and a kick of minerals. Other: This wine would be one of my top choices for a general crowd pleaser. Alcohol: 13.0 % ABV Appellation: Bordeaux, France. This wine is not only worth the price but would have been at four times that.