What's in My Glass Wednesdays! Sweet Tea Wine by Maiolatesi Wine Cellars

I have to admit that you won't see me drinking "flavored" wines often, but this one blew me away.  I absolutely, 100%, love ice tea.  I drink tea all summer and winter long, so naturally when I saw "Sweet Tea Wine" on the tasting room list at Maiolatesi Cellars in north eastern, PA... I just had to try it.  And I'll never regret it...

Sweet Tea Wine

(Photo by author)

Sweet Tea Wine by Maiolatesi Wine Cellars

The D-2010 Scale 

Sweet Tea Wine by Maiolatesi Wine Cellars (Pennsylvania)

Appearance (10 points possible): golden yellow and clear in color - considering it's base is grapes plus ice tea... - 10 points

Aroma/Bouquet (20 points possible): Minty, slight fruit note, and tea-like. - 15 points

Taste (10 points possible):  This is essentially like having a spiked mint ice tea in your glass.  It's medium bodied, smooth, minty and tea-like with a nice integrated kick of alcohol.  Slight sweetness in the finish, but not overbearing.  - 8 points

Balance (5 points possible): I think for a wine, it's balanced! - 5 points

Finish (5 points possible):  Slightly sweet and minty... as in fresh mint.  A good combination. - 5 points

Packaging *Introduction to the D-2010 Scale*

Quality of Package (5 points possible):  Uses a traditional Maiolates Wine Cellars label with gold trim.  Synthetic cork and no capsule. - 4 points

Label Marketability (10 points possible):  I think if you knew the Maiolatesi label, this would stick out.  But you would definitely have to read it to know that it is "Sweet Tea Wine."  The gold trim is attractive and does catch the eye. - 8 points

Other (5 points possible): There's nothing extraordinary about the package, but this is meant to be a simple, dessert or drink-by-itself kind of wine. - 3 points

Total Points: 88 points

Overall Thought: Here's another reason why wine scores don't make sense.  This is a good product.  Simple, yes, but the overall production of it is not.  There's something to appreciate in this uniqueness, but can it easily be compared to a great 1970-something Bordeaux?  Of course not!  However, if you are a tea drinker, this is a total winner for you.  I love it.  It sits here in my house as a "if-you're-alone-and-you-need-something-to-sip" kind of wine.  Sure to put you in a good mood.

Food Pairings:  This is a pool wine... or an outdoor bar-b-q wine.  You can pretty much drink this as if you needed a glass of fresh minty ice tea.

Cost: $11

Splurge Factor (out of 4): 1 - this is a bargain wine!

Where to buy:  Check out Maiolatesi Wine Cellars to find out where this is distributed.  This is a hot item for the locals... and they wait seasonally for it to come out!  :)  Cheers!