Wine Dinner #2 - 4/8/15 - The Palisades

It was really sunny when we were seated!

Today, Will and I had date night + wine and food pairing night at the Palisades (which, coincidentally, is where we went on our very first date many moons ago).  The theme for this evening was Italian food and wine, and our waiter told us that this is the wonderful chef's favorite style of cuisine.  Here's the menu:

Potato Gnocci (potato dumplings with browned butter) paired with La Carraia Orvieto Classico (2013 - This classic Italian wine is pale yellow in color and offers elegant, intense aromas of Mediterranean flowers, citrus fruit, and apples.  Fresh and full bodied with good acidity.  Excellent balance with a long and pleasing finish.)

Braised Chicken (tomato and olive braised chicken over polenta) paired with Tiamo Chianti (2013 - This is a medium-bodied red wine that is superbly balanced with aromas of red fruits and violets.  Fruit forward, soft, and very elegant flavors.)

Taste of Italy Pizza (tomato, mozzarella, parmesan, kalamata olives, and pepperoni) paired with Bonaventura Rosso Toscano (2009 - ruby red color, smooth and elegant in the mouth and medium bodied.  Aromas of rose petals and dark cherry with hints of flavor from dark cherry fruit and some red licorice with a finish of earthy tones.)

Swirl and Sniff

And here are our reviews:

La Carraia
This wine was SO beautifully fragrant!  The nose was composed of ripe apples, honey, and what could have been papaya or mango.  It tasted like you were biting into the center of a ripe, juicy pear that had just been rinsed off with really cold water.  This was an easy drinking wine with a crisp finish.  With the gnocci, the acidity was mellowed out a little bit, but some of the fruitiness was also hidden.  I think I prefer the two separately!

Tiama Chianti
Our noses may have been a little corrupted by the delicious smells of our foods, but this second wine smelled like raw meat and rotten cherries.  It tasted earthy with super jammy notes and high tannins.  With the braised chicken, the tannin structure calmed right down and this turned into a very drinkable wine!  The fruit notes were brought out to play by the tomato seasoning and the butter-iness of the polenta really brought out the nice body of the wine.

Bonaventura Rosso Toscano
The Toscano had a TOTALLY different smell and taste than the Chianti.  On the nose, it was herbal and fresh, like you accidentally fell into your mother's herb garden and released a bouquet of smells.  It tasted just like the description above says: like dark fruits and licorice.  Because I am not a fan of anything remotely close to sassafras (including licorice and root beer), I really didn't like this wine on its own.  Will, however, loves that flavor and this was his favorite wine!  With the pizza, specifically with a bite of the pizza containing an olive, the licorice flavor was toned down allowing the fruit flavors to come out to play.  This really was a delightful pairing which turned an overwhelmingly one dimensional wine into something special.

Thank you, Palisades team, for a wonderful night and fantastic food!  This was the best gnocci I've
ever had!  We rounded off our meal with one of the legendary pizzas, a havarti and pear beauty.

Sad because the wine and food are gone :(

PIZZA!!!

Wine Dinner #1 - 4/4/15

Practicing Vaynerchuck's famous "sniffy sniff"

Tonight, we decided to spice up the traditional family Easter dinner by turning it into a wine and food pairing extravaganza!  Dad, Will and I hit up our local (pretty gucci) Kroger and spoke with the sommelier to find wines to pair with our meal.  With our main course, a meat lasagna, he recommended an Italian Chianti (which makes sense).  For our side of asparagus pan-seared in olive oil and salt, he recommended a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Finally, he suggested a Cava from Italy to pair with strawberries and a mild cheese as an apperitif.  Each of his suggestions were in the 10-12 dollar range.  In attendance were myself and my boyfriend Will, my sister Laura, my mom and dad, and my grandparents (Grammy and Pop pop).

Full wine details:

Ruffino 2012 Chianti Superiore from Pontsassieve, Italy

Fire Road 2014 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlbourough, New Zealand

Segura Vidas 2013 Brut Reserva Cava from Penedes, Spain

Our beautiful appetizer, all set up

We started things off with the Cava, and did the tastings collectively.  We smelled apple, pear, salt, vinegar, strawberries, and mineral water.  We tasted apple as the primary flavor, with a bitter aftertaste.  Pop pop and I both have colds, and it helped with our itchy throats :)  With the strawberries, the bitterness was cut in half and the wine was very good.  With the brie, the bitterness was amplified.  The strawberries were the best pairing, and it was fun to see Mom and Grammy, who don't normally like Champagne-style wines, really enjoy the taste combo.  Laura also tried the Cava out with white cheddar cheese-its and said the taste reminded her of the sea breezes of Portugal.

Asparagus and Sav Blanc!

Next we tried the Fire Road sauvignon blanc.  It had a really powerful, smack-you-in-the-face nose of green cantaloupe, passion fruit, mango, musk/catnip, osage orange, and coconut.  The taste really reminded me of the orange flavor of trident gum with high acidity and passion fruit.  The asparagus really knocked down the pucker-factor and played up the melon/kiwi gum-flavor.  I also thought it made a weird pencil eraser aftertaste.  We also tried it with strawberries and it was a hit because the strawberries met the strong fruitiness of this wine, and the sugars knocked the vinegar right out.

At this point we all sat down around the table for the main course.  The Chianti smelled like meat, formaldehyde (mom), Italian bitter grapes (pop pop), musty, and raspberry.  It had medium tannins and was relatively dry with a slightly oily consistency.  It tasted like a hint of smoke with underlying fruit with a nice spicy feel.  Laura said it tasted like Jesus's blood.  With the lasagne, the tannins were knocked right down and the red berry flavor came out.  We also tried it with garlic bread.  Will said the garlic bread made the wine taste bitter, but I thought it was a nice pair with the fat of the butter softening the wine.

Laura helped us out with a family selfie.

We also tried a Lambrusco wine with the lasagna.  Mom said this one smelled a lot like pears, but I picked up bubble gum and an herbal sense.  Laura said the smell reminded her of the multiple broken colors of granite used to distinguish the style of the Baroque era.  It tasted super sweet and fruity which worked with the tomatoes of the lasagna, but I preferred the drier pairing.

Overall this was such a fun experience that added excitement to our Easter dinner!  I think everyone had a great time, learned a little something, and enjoyed some good wine!  We finished up the night with some coffee to cleanse the palate and perk up after the food coma.

Dessert coffee

Dad enjoys the Cava

Wine Tasting #7 - 4/2/2015

My nose came back!  This wine tasting was much more successful.  Also, my apologies to those of you who viewed this post before it was complete.  I hit publish early on accident!

Wine #1
Name: Grande Reserve des Bastides
Variety: Gaillac
Region: Gaillac
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: A crisp and fruity blend featuring 20% of the herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, 50% creamy Loin de L'oeil and notes of fresh apple and crisp pear, plus a touch of herb from the 30% Mauzac.  It has a bright feel, with a hint of mineral on the finish.
My review: Clearish-golden color, though SUPER pale.  Smells like fresh cut hay, pomegranate, citrus-lime in particular.  Tastes like really sour grapefruit.  It opened with a burst of crushed herbs, had a sweet mid-palate, and finished harshly with the sour grapefruit aftertaste.  Semi dry.

Wine #2
Name: Sean Minor
Variety: Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris
Region: Carneros
Country: California
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: The Vin Gris is a bright and vibrant salmon color with cherry, strawberry, cranberry and ripe watermelon aromas on the nose.  ON entry, the wine displays bright strawberry flavors.  Throughout the mid-palate and finish, raspberry and cherry fruit characters are balanced with spicy and crisp acidity that lingers creating a refreshing and lengthy finish.
My review: This one had a delightfully peachy color, which was not what I expected when I read Pinot Noir.  It smelled like bread dough, which the pourer seemed to hate on, honeycrisp apple, and one of those beeswax honey straws you get at apple orchards.  It tasted like apple again with a sassy tart opening which smoothed out to a mellow finish with a lingering vanilla aftertaste.

Wine #3
Name: Terre di Poggio
Variety: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Laude
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This opens with dark aromas of leather, tobacco, cured meat, plum, and prune.  It shows soft tannins and loads of dark fruit on the finish.
My review: Really pretty ruby red color, but it smelled like a brown wine with hints of bacon and smoke.  I really couldn't get much out of this bouquet.  It tasted like an apple yet again, with big citric acid notes.  Meredith said the aftertaste reminded her of a communion wafer, which I thought was interesting.  Really couldn't get a lot out of this one.




Wine #4
Name: Charles Thomas
Variety: Cotes du Rhone
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre,.  Has grown organically since March 2009 (in conversion).  Part of the vineyard is plowed with horses.  Average age of the vines: 30 years old.  Clear ruby wine with overtones of red berry fruits.  Round and supple with smooth aftertaste.  A good all around red wine for meat courses, poultry, and light cheeses.  Best drunk now while fresh with good keeping up to 4 years.
My review: This had a lovely garnet (brownish red) color and a big nose!  On first sniff, I got straight up hickory smoke.  On second sniff, I got floral notes, melon, maybe baby's breath flowers?.  It tasted like black pepper with big tannins and unripe fruit/melon rind.  It had a little hint of leather, and I feel like there was some fruit hiding in there that would come out if it were allowed to breathe a little more.

Wine #5
Name: Peter Mertes Riesling Platinum
Variety: Riesling
Region: Rheinhessen
Country: Germany
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: This quality Riesling is crisp, clean, and easy drinking.  Floral and fruit aromas suggest sweet melon and honey with enough acidity to ensure a beautifully balanced and versatile wine.
My review: This was a pretty clear Riesling, with orange blossom, cut grass, and honey on the nose.  It tasted like peaches and lime peel.  It was really quite sweet, but it didn't leave my mouth coated in sugar like the Moscatos we've had in the previous weeks.

Wine Tasting #6 - 3/26/15

Let me just preface these tasting notes by saying that my palate was WAY thrown off yesterday.  I ate an apple on my way to the tasting, and I came down with some sort of cold/flu thing immediately upon returning home.  My taste buds were feeling super limited, but here's what I got out of it.

Wine #1
Name: Villa Jolanda
Variety: Brut
Region: n/a
Country: Italy
Year: n/a
Price: $8,95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections.  Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots, and bananas.  Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste.
My review: Nice yellow/pale green color.  Sweet on the nose like cotton candy and strawberries.  High acidity, but a pleasing bite that I could drink all day.  I felt like the alcohol broke through a little bit on the finish.

Wine #2
Name: Alvarez de Toledo
Variety: Godello
Region: Bierzo
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Clean pale yellow color.  nose fruity, persistent and elegant aromas.  Good backbone on the palate.
My review: This one smelled like cat pee and pineapple.  It had a clear yellow color.  Less acidity, but also less mouth-feel.  Hints of melon rind, lemon, celery, and apple.

Wine #3
Name: Oracle
Variety: Pinotage
Region: n/a
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $7.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: An unusual style of Pinotage with complex aromas of black pepper, smoke, tomato, and dark fruit.  The palate is packed with ripe mixed berry flavors, making this unoaked red wine a real crowd-pleaser.
My review:  This wine smelled like butter to me, which is awkward because apparently it's unoaked.  It also smelled like tomato sauce.  It tasted like tomato again, with big tannins and a lingering finish.

Wine #4
Name: Monte Degli Angeli
Variety: Sangiovese
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: The aromas are rich and dark, with lots of black cherry and a hint of balsamic.  In the mouth the wine is round and energetic, with cherry and black raspberry fruit complemented by hints of damp earth.  If you like Sangiovese-based wines like Chianti or our best-selling Colsanto from Umbria, you'll love this!  The wine is ripe, fresh, and fruit-driven with a wonderful dash of earthy complexity at the end.  Buy it by the case and drink with pizza, grilled poultry, and pasta.
My review:  This had a beautiful garnet color, and smelled like spicy fruit with raspberries galore.  It tasted like cloves with some fruit in there and had big tannins.

Wine #5
Name: Bolla 1.5L
Variety: Moscato
Region: Pavia
Country: Italy
Year: n/a
Price: $9.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Loaded with juicy exotic fruit, mature apricot, yellow peach and tangering flavors, this sweet and delightful wine is perfect for Sunday bunch of picnics.
My review:  As I mentioned before, my palate was doing some weird stuff.  This one really smelled like a rubber eraser on the end of a pencil with hints of herbs.  It tasted like honey and juicy yellow fruit, with more rubber lingering on the aftertaste.

Wine Tasting #5 - 3/19/15

Wine #1
Name: Cortenova
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections.  Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas.  Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste.
My review:  Super clear wine, smells like an unripe pear with honey and strawberries.  It tasted overwhelmingly like apple and lemon.  Lingering acidity and tongue pucker, hint of watermelon rind taste.  Mid-dry.  Vinegary start, smooth finish.


Wine #2
Name: Mars and Venus
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Valley
Country: Chile
Year: not given
Price: $5.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag.  No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with
a hint of caramelized pineapple.  Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties of weeknight sipping.
My review: This wine was a little more yellow than the Cortenova pinot prigio with what looked like a higher viscosity.  It smelled like cat pee, overripe tangelo orange, and kiwi.  Upon taste, it really made the tip of my tongue pucker and tasted like lemon.  Slightly minty finish, not a long lingering wine.

Wine #3:
Name: Bodegas Atalaya
Variety: Laya (blended red)
Region: Almansa
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: 88 points - Stephen Tanzer.  A blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera, aka Alicante Bouschet, and 30% Monastrell; fermented in stainless steel, followed by four months in French oak.  Bright purple.  Cissis, blueberry, pungent herbs and mocha on the nose.  Smooth and open-knit on the palate, displaying fresh cherry and dark berry qualities and a hint of black pepper.  Finishes with gripping tannins and good length, leaving a subtle floral note behind.
My review: Ruby red/purple wine.  Smelled like a baby daffodil/hibiscus aka slightly sweet floral with bits of melon and raspberry.  Medium tannins with a biting acidity on the finish.  I tasted cloves and spice with hints of lingering blackberry.  I felt like this wine needed to either be rapid-aged or be paired with cheese to be more drinkable.

Wine #4:
Name: Paul Laureano
Variety: Tinto Classico
Region: Alentejano
Country: Portugal
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Paulo Laureano's Classico is a blend of the native Portuguese varietals Trincadeira (40%), Aragonez (40%) and Alfrocheiro (20%).  This is a full bodied red that reveals all that the terroir of Portugal has to offer.  Light cigar tobacco and soft leather present beautifully on the nose.  Dark, black fruits fill the mouth, but the wine flows smoothly over the palate, with a good bit of spice on the finish.  Pair with spicy, cured meats and hard cheeses.
My review: This wine was brownish-red and I felt like I already knew what it would taste like from the color alone.  It smelled like tomato and bacon with a little bit of vanilla coming through.  It tasted like the way an old tobacco barn smells, like you could exhale smoke from drinking it.  Spicy feel, light tannins.  Sensed some kind of mouth-filling fruit, but couldn't identify it.

Wine #5:
Name: Villa Pozzi
Variety: Moscato
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: not given
Price: $8.95
Shop/wine critic/winery review: Loaded with juicy exotic fruit, mature apricot, yellow peach and tangerine flavors, this sweet and delightful wine is perfect for Sunday brunch or picnics.
My review: Pale yellow sparkling wine rather than green.  Smelled like a mix of honeysuckle, jasmine, orange zest, overripe pineapple, overall delightful, if overly sweet, nose!  Tasted like one of those sugar-coated peach rings -- LOTS of sugar.  I also picked up hints of lime at the finish.

Wine & Cheese Pairing #2

I was planning on attending the regular Thursday wine tasting today, but Blacksburg did it's usual surprise snow thing again and the Vintage Cellar closed at 4:00.  Instead of just abandoning the wine quest all together, I got my friends Oliver and Maggie and my awesome, down-for-anything boyfriend Will to have a wine and cheese party!  We headed next door to Kroger and stocked up on wine.  I took advantage of Rex Goliath's insanely well-priced deal and purchased a Free Range Red and a Pinot Grigio.  Maggie bought a Llama Malbec, and we also picked up wedges of gouda, jarlsburg, and manchego cheese.

Wine #1 - Rex Goliath Pinot Grigio
We started with whites and worked to full bodied reds like I now know you're supposed to.  This pinot grig was VERY light in color with a pale greenish/yellow tint.  It smelled absolutely delightful with honey, honeycrisp apple, grapefruit and a hint of butterscotch.  Unfortunately, it did not taste as great as it smelled.
Alone - it tasted like apple juice with a citrus finish.  The overwhelming flavors were apple and honey.  Note that I didn't chill this wine.  If I had, I don't think it would have tasted like anything at all.
Gouda - The gouda cut whatever acidity this wine had to begin with (read:not much at all) and made it taste like straight up apple juice.
Jarlsburg -  This was an okay pair, and rather than changing the flavor, it did something strange to the texture turning the Jarlsburg into what I imagine is the consistency of ear wax.
Manchego - The manchega stripped the sweetness out of the wine and made it taste like you were chewing on the end of a good old Ticonderoga number 2 pencil.

Wine #2 - Rex Goliath Free Range Red
This was a deep plum colored wine that smelled leathery, spicy, black cherry, oaky and earthy.
Alone - It tasted like spice, like you took a big bite of the skin of a Christmas ham and got a clove in there, too.  This wine had NO acidity at all, and you felt tannins on the back part of the roof of your mouth.
Gouda - Yum!  This combo was so drinkable at first sip.  The cheese became more buttery and pungent, and the tannins were gone from the wine so it effectively tasted like grape juice.  I tried this combo later on, though, and the combo made the wine taste TOO sugary.
Jarlsburg - The Jarls and the Red mix totally cancelled each other out in a confusing combo that left you wondering what exactly was in your mouth.
Manchego - Oh yum!  This combo takes the mild cheese and adds more dimension to bring out the advertised jamminess of the wine.  This was a close tie with the gouda for best pair.

Wine #3 - Llama Malbec - According to Maggie, this wine had a 93 rating when she picked it up from Kroger.  It had a pretty dark amethyst/garnet color and smelled like cassis, strawberries, and tomatoes.  It definitely smelled like a spicy old vine Malbec.
Alone - This wine had more tannins and acidity but the same amount of alcohol as the previous wine.  It tasted like it had half of a prune, metal, and a tiny bit like bile on the finish (but in a good way somehow).
Gouda - The fruit comes out to play with this combination.  I caught hints of blueberry and what couldn't be mango but sure did taste like it.  This relatively thick wine was turned to the consistency of grape juice.
Jarlsburg - Ew, this tasted bad with Jarls.  We have got to find a wine that this cheese will play nicely with, because this really doesn't work.  It seemed like they brought out the worst in each other with waxy swissy cheese and thin flavorless acidy wine.  My disgust could stem from the fact that I really don't like swiss cheese, so take this as my own opinion.
Manchego - This combo let the Manchego become buttery and stronger in flavor.  It stripped the thickness out of the wine and didn't leave it with much flavor.

This wine and cheese pairing experiment wasn't quite as successful as the first experiment.  I learned that there is, in fact, a reason why the Rex's were so inexpensive.  They really weren't balanced or developed wines to begin with, so with cheese, they almost lost all their flavor.  Til next time!

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

Wine & Cheese Pairing #1

Last night, 01/23/15, I hosted my first wine and cheese party.  The guests of honor:

• Hogue's 2012 Gewürztraminer from Colombia Valley, WA
• Château de Ségriès 2013 Côtes-du-Rhône from Lirac, France
• Bricco Del Tati's 2013 Piemonte Barbera from Piemonte, Italy
• French Camembert Suprême 
• French Comte 3 Comtois 
• Point Reyes Farmstead Original Blue Cheese
• Will, Oliver, Maggie, and Sarah

We began the party with a meal of chicken fajitas and potato pierogies (a weird combination, I know).  After everyone had eaten and our palates had a chance to reset, it was time to taste the wine.

Here's our tiny table set up for fajitas followed by wine and cheese.

With the help of the friendly wine guy at Empo Kroger, I chose three wines for our tasting.  A Côtes du Rhône with 14% alcohol by volume and no description on the label.  The label did include, however, the fact that the wine was bottled at the chateau and had the vigneron independant label, so I trusted it would be good.  The second wine was an Italian Barbera with 12% abv.  This wine was suggested by friendly Kroger guy as an easier-to-drink red with fruity notes and a less acidic bite.  The third wine was a Gewürztraminer chosen on the recommendation of the Kroger man as well as for the interesting name.  This 13% abv's label boasted of, "intense aromas and flavors of sweet lychee, rose petal and grapefruit."  Each of the wines were under $10.  The cheeses were purchased at Eats and included a runny Camembert worthy of Zola's descriptions, a hard Comtois that was a buttery cheese somewhere in between a swiss and a parmesan, and a good old smelly blue cheese.

From left: Sarah, Maggie, and Oliver excited to start tasting.

We began with the Côtes du Rhône.  It had a rich garnet color and medium legs (I'm not really good at legs yet, but they struck me as being medium for some reason).  At first taste, I was struck with the biting acidity followed by a sweet lingering aftertaste of cherries or black currants.  It had a metallic mid-palate.  With the blue cheese, the tannins were killed and the wine was much more enjoyable, but bland.  The Comte still reduced the punch of the tannins, but didn't overwhelm the taste of the wine.  The camembert did not pair well with this wine at all as it seemed to accentuate the bite of the tannins and make the wine taste like the rind of the cheese.  If you were looking for a pair which made the wine the most drinkable, go for the blue cheese.  If you're searching to bring out the most flavors, go for the comtois.

Here I am in my pajamas using a fancy aerator to unlock more flavors.

Next was the Barbera.  This wine was darker in color and the legs (if legs are actually how the wine drips down the glass after you swirl it) were dispersed further apart around the glass.  The wine smelled flowery with a hint of a metallic scent.  Upon tasting, I discovered a biting initial taste with a metallic aftertaste, and the heat broke through mid-palate (which I think is normal for a red wine?).  The blue cheese completely overwhelmed my taste-buds for this wine, and the camembert made the wine taste even fruitier to the point of being nearly too sweet for a red.  This wine paired the best with the Comtois, for the combination made the wine taste smoother and the cheese more buttery and smooth rather than Swiss-y.

Will really took the "get your whole nose in there" advice to heart.

We closed with the Gewürztraminer, a pale yellow wine with no real legs to speak of.  This wine smelled crisp and fresh with hints of pear.  It tasted even sweeter with hints of honey and rose and a spicy aftertaste.  I'd say this was a great dessert wine, but it really did not pair well with any of the cheese.  The camembert made the wine taste like vinegar, but left you with an apple aftertaste.  The blue cheese made this already sweet wine even sweeter, but the tastes of the two did not clash as badly as the camembert combo.  The Comtois and the Gewürztraminer effectively cancelled each other out and left a buttery aftertaste.  All in all, this wine is best on its own (or maybe with chocolate?).

Leftovers for the rest of the week!