Wine Tasting #4 - 2/26/15

Today, someone said that Meredith and I were "good at this"!  While we appreciated the compliment, we assured the girl that we were just blurting out whatever words popped into our heads to describe the things we taste and that it's an entirely subjective skill.  I'm not sure what's going on, but I had trouble picking out flavors while actually tasting though my nose seemed to be working fine.  Today we tasted:

Wine #1
Name: Mars & Venus
Variety:  Sauvignon Blanc
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $10, sale $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Citrus and gooseberry are mild but typical of the variety.  A basic citrus palate delivers modest tangerine and nectarine flavors which lead to a mild, pithy finish showing light citric notes.
My review: This was a very pale yellow wine.  On the nose, I found lemon and pears with a little bit of crushed grass (which I now know is a typical flavor for sauvignon blanc).  This wine didn't have a powerful taste other than slight hints of pear, but what really stole the show was the acidity.  It perfectly targeted the sides of the tongue for a pleasant puckering sensation that just about made up for my inability to taste supposed tangerine and nectarine flavors.

Wine #2
Name: Takutai
Variety:  Pinot Gris
Region: Nelson
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $21, sale $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Since this wine weights in at 14%, the fruit was clearly very ripe.  That ripeness is reflected in the flavors as well, which feature nectarine and honey accented by hints of white pepper.  It's full bodied and lush, with a long finish that mingles the sensations of sweet and spicy.
My review: This wine was also clear, but slightly more yellow.  It smelled like honey, ginger, and ripe honeycrisp apple.  Upon sipping, this wine tasted spicy and earthy with a long, lingering finish that was tasted like I'd opened the door on a smoking brisket and inhaled.  Again, the finish really defined the wine though this time it was more defined by flavor than sensation.

Wine #3
Name: Yellowtail Reserve
Variety:  Merlot
Region: South Eastern
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $12, sale $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Round, velvety, and mouth-filling, this is a satisfying Merlot at a bargain price.  Aromas of black cherries and herbs fold in hints of cinnamon and mocha, while the flavors are generally fruity, but with a slightly tomatoey note.  Soft on the finish.  Drink now.
My review: For me, Merlots can fall anywhere on a spectrum of delicious to undrinkable.  This one nestled itself in the middle, leaning towards the gross side.  It was a dark brownish red, opaque color like dried ketchup.  On the nose, I picked up cloves, earth tones, tomatoes and the slightest hint of a creamsicle milkshake.  I had a really hard time identifying the taste on this one, but it almost tasted like unripe melon.  It left me with the same taste you get when you bite into cantaloupe and it just isn't ripe yet.  The tannins were mild and left the tongue tingling.

Wine #4
Name: Crane Lake
Variety:  Petite Sirah
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Shows a certain rustic simplicity now, with youthfully jammy flavors of blackberries, cherries and currants, sprinkled with cocoa and pepper and wrapped into dusty tannins.
My review: This wine had a positively delightful fuchsia color around the edges of the glass!  It smelled like Burt's Bees Clover Honey Chapstick with a hint of strawberries and a little bit of pepperiness on the nose.  This wine had BIG overwhelming tannins and I really couldn't taste anything other than a cinnamon finish.  I'd say it needs to age a couple of years for the jamminess to come out.

Wine #5
Name: Crane Lake
Variety:  Riesling
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Punchy lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle.  Exceptionally priced, it's satisfying and elegant.
My review: This Riesling had a nice dry grass color to it.  It smelled overwhelmingly like honey and brown sugar as well as banana laffy taffy, mango, and a touch of crushed mint.  It tasted almost like mead, it was so sweet, and like the type of pineapple that Bruster's Real Ice Cream puts on banana splits or maybe even pineapple upside down cake.  I really need to work on my sweet descriptors.

Wine Tasting #3 - 2/19/15

Meredith and I braved the (well below) freezing temperatures and the mounds of snow today to go wine tasting yet again!  Today we learned the correct way to swirl your wine glass: place it on the table, place your pointer and middle finger on either side of the stem, and swirl in circles.  We also tried the following wines:

Wine #1

Name: Le Jade
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Languedoc
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 89 Points - Beverage Testing Institute.  "Silvery straw color.  Lively aromas and flavors of pineapple, yellow apple, melon, and Meyer lemon with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a tingling, complex, medium-long finish with notes of lemongrass, pear, and lemon with no tannins and no oak.  Bright and crisp with layers of juicy pineapple, pear, lemongrass and ripe melon make this perfect for repeated sipping or enhancing fresh farm to table cookery."  12.5% alc.
My review: Pale yellow with hints of peach in color, almost creamy.  Smelled like lemon and pear, citrus peel, and a little bit of crushed grass.  Tasted like lemonade with out the sugar with a really nice lingering citrus aftertaste.  The heat broke through on the swallow.
Paired with: nothing


Wine #2

Name: Petrucco
Variety: Ribolla Gialla
Region: Friuli
Country: Italy
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 87 Points - Wine Enthusiast.  This well-priced Friulano would pair nicely with spicy Indian or Thai food thanks to the creaminess and richness of its mouthfeel.  In addition, the wine offers a solid bouquet of peach and melon that would not compete with fragrant ingredients.  100% Ribolla Gialla.  13% alc.
My review: This wine was clearer with hints of green.  It smelled over-archingly like honey and green apple, so I see what they meant by it not competing with fragrant ingredients.  This wine was less acidic at first taste than the first, and I found it to be semi-sweet with a nice vanilla and butterscotch taste that lingered.  Does this mean I'm finally tasting oakiness????!
Paired with: nothing

Wine #3

Name: Riebeek Cellars
Variety: Shiraz
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Often referred to as Shiraz Country, the Riebeek Valley is renowned for exceptional Shiraz wines.  The Riebeek Shiraz is a lively rich wine, full bodied with a subdued smokiness on the nose and a pallet of ripe fruit and interesting spice.  14% alc.
My review: This was a garnet/brownish red colored wine that smelled like mud and cherries headed on the path to rottenness.  It tasted smokey and tart, with pepperyness on the tongue.  Mild tannins nicely dried out my tongue.  I wouldn't call the smokiness subdued, because I really couldn't taste much other than it.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #4

Name: Cortenova
Variety: Primativo (Zinfandel grape)
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $10 regular, sale for $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights.  Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and black fruit aromas and flavors.  Harmonious and velvety on the palate.  Great balance and structure.  100% Zinfandel.  13% alc.
My review: This was an even darker red that smelled like cloves with hints of black cherry.  It tasted spicy with notes of bacon, tomato, and smoke.  The tannins made me want to drink this wine with a big hunk of cheese.  I find that my pallate is overwhelmed by smokiness and I totally miss the fruit notes when it comes to tasting.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #5

Name: Opera Prima
Variety: Pink Moscato
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: not given
Price: $10, sale for $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: A blend of Muscat 97% and Tempranillo 3%.  This fine sparkling presents an intense aroma of fresh berries and tropical fruits with hints of white flower petals.  Delicate bubbles caress the palate offering a silky and pleasant sweetness well balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish.  Ideal on its own, as an aperitif, or with all types of sweets and desserts.  Serve it very cold, between 7 and 9 degrees (Celsius?).  7% alc.
My review: Nice bubbles!  This Moscato smelled like rain, grass, and crushed mint.  It had a lovely soft pink color.  It tasted like lemon peel and honey with hints of licorice.  Meredith tasted orange blossom as well, but I'm not sure I'd know what that smells like to begin with.  This wine was refreshing to drink, but left the mouth feeling like it was coated in sugar.
Paired with: nothing

Wine Tasting #2 - 2/12/14

Wine tasting round two with Meredith!  This time we came prepared with better sensory words (hopefully) to describe what we were tasting and water to cleanse our palates in between stronger wines.  I have a cold this week, so my nose wasn't quite on form.

Wine #1

Name: Alba - Santa Luz Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $11, sale for $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Like any good Sauvignon Blanc, this opens with oceanic aromas of citrus fruits, sea foam and minerality. In the mouth, it is juicy and stony, with washing acidity. Flavors of honeydew, lime and a nice grassiness finish firm, with good backbone. Drink this with salads, shellfish and ceviche.
My review: This wine smelled vinegary with hints of grass and pears.  At first, it had a hot apple bite followed by a citrus aftertaste.  I suppose you could describe it as oceanic citrus fruits.  It wasn't too dry, but the vinegary smell continued into the taste.  Color was straw/green.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #2

Name: Riebeek Cellars Collection Chenin Blanc
Variety: Riebeek
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $10, sale for $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Fresh kiwifruit, green apple and almond notes bounce along, showing a flash of plantain on the friendly finish.  Drink now.
My review: This Riebeek had a very light yellow color.  The nose carried hints of strawberry, honey, and pear.  It tasted more lemony and less vinegary than the Sav Blanc.  Overall tastes: sweet and fruity,  so I see what they meant by a friendly wine.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #3

Name: San Elias Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2014
Price: $9, sale for $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This medium-bodied red offers roasted plum, kirsch, sage and game notes, with light tannins supporting the spicy finish.
My review: This wine had a dark brown, almost crimson dried blood-like color.  It smelled like spicy earthworms and pepper (aren't I making this sound so appealing?).  Happily, the wine didn't taste at all like it smelled, though it did retain deep, powerful tastes.  Cloves and apple pie spices stole the show and lingered in the mouth, leaving you feeling surprisingly refreshed.  This wine was semi-dry, but actually quite pleasing.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #4

Name: Ilurce Tempranillo
Variety: Tempranillo 
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $14, sale for $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 88 points – Stephen Tanzer.  Dark purple. Zesty, youthfully medicinal aromas of dark berries, licorice and cracked pepper. Juicy and fresh, with smooth texture and sweet cherry and spice flavors framed by dusty tannins. Finishes with a suggestion of slightly roasted fruits and good clinging persistence. Delivers a lot of power and richness for the money.
My review: This was an even browner red than the Carmenere!  It smelled like overripe (read: practically rotting) cherries, other pit fruit, wet gravel, with a hint of sharpie.  It tasted overwhelmingly like a V8 tomato juice with another lingering clove aftertaste.  I'm honestly not sure whether the cloves stuck around from the previous wine or whether they were brought out in the Tempranillo.  It left the mouth dry and, again, tasting like pie spices.
Paired with: nothing

Wine#5

Name: Costal Vines
Variety: White Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This White Zinfandel has a beautiful pink salmon color and crisp acidity.  The wine shows juicy fruit flavors of strawberry and cherry, with a tangy sweet finish.  Pairs well with mild cheeses, crab cakes, and spicy Asian cuisine.
My review: This was a rapid change of pace and boasted a cheerful pink color.  I've always had White Zinfandel with communion, but this was an entirely different experience.  The wine smelled like apple juice and rain, and tasted incredibly sweet.  This was an easy drinking wine after the two stronger reds, but it was almost too sweet.  In the two sips I had, my tongue was coated in sugar, but a faint acidity broke through on the swallow leaving an aftertaste of vanilla (from the oak barrel??) and raspberry.
Paired with: nothing

Wine Tasting #1 - 1/29/14

On Thursday, I joined my friend Meredith and we went to a wine tasting at the Vintage Cellar.  They had a fantastic set up for the class, and here's what we tried:

Wine #1 

Name: Fontana Candida
Variety: Frascati
Region: Frascati
Country: Italy
Year: not given
Price: Reg $12, Sale for $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: A blend of 60% Malvasia Bianca di Candia, 30% Trebbiano and 10% Malvasia del Lazio. This Frascati, made from grapes grown in volcanic soils near Rome and cold filtered, is a pale straw gold. On the nose it offers light-as-a-zephyr lemon and a hint of grass. On the tongue it is ultra crisp and delightfully flinty, its lemon and clementine flavors as smooth as old silk. At the end of a nice clean finish a dab of ripe pear takes a bow.
My review: Smells fruity and crisp with hints of apple or grape (grape as in grape candy flavoring, not grape as in wine is made from grapes).  Tasted bitter upon first sip, and grew into a vinegar-y flavor.  Not a fan of this Frascati.  I didn't experience the lemon or clementine flavors, and I definitely wouldn't describe it as "as smooth as old silk".
Paired with: nothing

Wine #2

Name: Foxhollow
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This Chardonnay’s aromas of tropical pineapple, crisp green apple and citrus are supported by underlying nuances of vanilla. The finish is smooth and creamy yet balanced with enough acidity to accentuate the vibrant fruit flavors with a hint of orange blossoms.
My review: Smells like strawberries or some equally sweet fruit on the nose.  This wine tasted sweet with an almost buttery consistency in the mouth, really pleasant!  The heat broke through mid-swallow, but I enjoyed this wine overall.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #3

Name: B&G Chicken & Turkey
Variety: Côtes du Rhône
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: not given
Price: Regular $10, Sale $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 85 Points – Wine Enthusiast.  A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Carignan. Deep red garnet color with purple highlights. Intense nose of morello cherry, tobacco and liquorice. Good structure on the palate with lots of fruits and a long fruity and spicy finish. A true delight.
My review: Smells earthy and metallic to me, some dregs in the glass (that's a sign of good wine, no?).  This wine has a light red color, like garnet with the sun behind it and tasted great.  Less acidic than many Cotes-du-Rhones I've tried in the past.  The metallic smell resurfaced in the aftertaste.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #4

Name: Fox Hollow Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cab Sav
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Rich and supple with juicy plum, blackberry and chocolate flavors and a pleasant sense of sweetness backed up by good acidity and moderate tannins. Offers early complexity and charm with real richness and depth.
My review: This wine was a pinker, more rosy red and also came with a little sediment.  Detected hints of cherry on the nose, which apparently we actually plum and blackberry according to the wine's description.  This had a more acidic taste with a lingering vanilla aftertaste.  Hot mid-palate.
Paired with: nothing

Wine #5

Name: Opera Prima
Variety: Sparkling Moscato
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: not given
Price: Regular $15, Sale $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 85 Points – Wine Enthusiast.  Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The bubbles and flavor package of tropical fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn’t offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor.
My review: Pale yellow in color, great enthusiastic bubbles when first poured.  This moscato smelled sweet and almost minty, crisp with hints of pear.  The wine tasted minty or perhaps herbal (thyme, maybe?) with a hard first taste and a lemony aftertaste.  I tasted herbs, lemon, herbs, in that order.  Refreshing!
Paired with: nothing