Gallo Stuff

I tried these wines from Gallo. I'll not knock the wines themselves just for being part of the Gallo conglomerate, but keep in mind that the whole Gallo team are masters at the art of marketing.

Bella Sera Rosso
A serious pop wine. This generic red blend has an odd nose; it has hints of sweetness similar to a sweeter white, like a moscato d'asti or sweet riesling. The palate is surprisingly dry considering the nose, but the tannins are soft with hints of strawberry or cherry candy. The finish is quick and gives way to that tiny amount of sweetness the nose would lead you to expect.

Dancing Bull Merlot '03
Hmmm. Rancho Zabaco has a new line of wines, expanding beyond the sauvignon blanc and zinfandel that they've grown. I hate to be so limited in a review, but I don't know how else to say it: this merlot tastes like a cheap merlot. Nothing special.

Dancing Bull Cabernet Sauvignon '03
Similar to the merlot, this cab follows varietal standards and seems sort of cheap. It's got a nose sort of reminiscent of raspberries or darker berries. Decent tannins last a moderate length on the finish.

Dancing Bull Sauvignon Blanc '04

This has to be the most interesting wine from all the Dancing Bull wines we tried today. Grassy notes on the nose reflect a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, but are much less dominant, allowing softer hints of orange blossom through. The palate is full of zesty citrus and pineapple and a flavor I only know how to describe as fresh, juicy, green seedless grapes.

Dancing Bull Chardonnay '04
At first I thought that the softness of the nose of this chardonnay was because it was chilled a bit too cold. So after holding it in my hands until it was almost warm, it still didn't have a very pronounced nose. Maybe some peach or apricot? The palate is soft with a tiny bit of butter, perhaps some citrus without the brightness.

Napa Valley Vineyard Chardonnay '03
This chardonnay has a lot more oak than the Dancing Bull, but isn't unbalanced. Also some pineapple and more acidity, adding to the overall complexity.

Marcelina Carneros Chardonnay '01

The color of this chardonnay really seperates it from the others - it has a nice golden hue reflecting higher extraction and more intense flavors. Thank god! Butter and oak balance with acidity and a softer, more mellow fruit and maybe even a hint of nut. Really interesting. I had to wonder why we were trying an '01, which seemed a bit old even for a Carneros chardonnay.

Marcelina Napa Cabernet Sauvignon '02
Maybe I'm a bit slanted towards cabernet; I was really looking forward to this bottle. The nose is satisfyingly thick, full of dark berry fruit and maybe a little earthy dust. At first all other flavors were completely overrun by massive tannins with a bit of earth. None of the flavors I was expecting from the nose could shine through. About twenty minutes later, though, this cab kicked serious ass, totally open and ripe. I wonder if it would age well with a "Stelvin" Screwcap. Damn I wish I had a decanter.