Tasting - Hahn Appellation Series Chardonnay

Name: Hahn Appellation Series Chardonnay

Variety:  Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2020

Price: $20.95

Wine Critic review: Rated 88 by Wine Spectator "Tangy tangerine, melon and lemon curd flavors are fresh and round, with crisp acidity and hints of fresh herb and dried ginger on the finish. Drink now. 4,000 cases made." https://www.saratogawine.com/Hahn-Estates-Appellation-Series-Chardonnay-Arroyo-Seco-2020-750ml.html

Wine Folly: pg.96 general Chardonnay- The primary aromas listed in Wine Folly are yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter. The book also recommends serving this wine slightly chilled. This wine also is listed as having  low tannins and a slight sweetness.

My Review: This wine was super light and refreshing! I tasted lots of vanilla and butter in this vintage. It was very crisp and tasty. I would recommend this wine to a newer wine drinker who doesn't like tannins. This wine left my mouth feeling very moist and fruity. Overall, a solid choice!

Tasting - Cotes du Rhone Grand Veneur

Name: Alain Jaume Cotes du Rhone Grand Ceneur 

Variety:  70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault

Region: Rhone Valley

Country: France

Year: 2019

Price: $19.95

Wine Critic review: Wine Advocate: 89 Points “Perhaps best known for the family's Domaine Grand Veneur, this firm produces a huge range of wines from the Southern Rhône, which usually combine high quality with very reasonable prices The medium to full-bodied 2019 Cotes du Rhone Grand Veneur seems to favor Syrah in its notes of black olives and licorice, but also shows plenty of fleshy black cherry fruit. It's actually a tank-matured blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault. Concentrated but supple, it's round and expansive in the mouth, finishing with a subtle dusting of ripe tannins and hints of mocha.” https://www.cbcwine.com/wines/Alain-Jaume-Cotes-du-Rhone-Grand-Veneur-2019-w53081275o

Wine Folly: pg.117 general Grenache: Aromas of stewed strawberry, grilled plum, leather, dried herbs, and blood orange. This is the major grape in this blend. Wine Folly lists high alcohol content, a good body, and medium tannins.

pg. 172 general Syrah: The aromas listed in Wine Folly are blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, tobacco, and green peppercorn. It also lists a full body, high tannins, and strong acidity.

pg. 100 general Cinsault: Wine Folly lists raspberry, red currant, tart cherry, violet, and black tea as the primary aromas for this grape. This grape is a light body and acidity than the other two grapes in the blend.

My Review: This was a delightful blend! I agree with the wine review that the Syrah aromas shine through in this blend. I got black fruit notes with mocha and some kind of spiciness. It was fairly fruity with a sharp acidity to it. I would like to pair this wine with some kind of beef. Perhaps a cheeseburger! It might an interesting pairing, but I think it would be delicious!

Wine Dinner Blog #1

Tonight, my friends and I got together to enjoy a good dinner! Several of them are very good cooks, so it was very enjoyable and tasty. 

For the first course, we enjoyed some fresh cooked oysters with a onion sauce. I also enjoyed adding a little bit of hot sauce on the side of mine. The oyster was excellent by itself, but the wine paired with it made it even better. We chose to pair 2020 Saint Hilaire Limoux Blanc de Blanc Brut. I got lots of citrus notes in the sparkling wine which I think balanced the oyster sauce very well. The wine toned down the fishy-ness and brought forward the fruity notes in the sauce. It was a really balanced duo and I would love to have it again!

Name: Saint Hilaire Limoux Blanc de Blanc Brut

Variety: Champagne

Region: Limoux

Country: France

Vintage: 2020

Winemaker Notes: "Saint-Hilaire Brut displays aromatic flavors of peach, pear and green apple skins with a wonderful, full, creamy mouthfeel. Think non vintage Champagne for a fraction of the cost." 

https://www.wine.com/product/saint-hilaire-limoux-blanc-de-blanc-brut-2020/1099773

For the second course of the evening, we had pork chops. Since this is a red meat, it made sense to pair it with a red wine. Our wine of choice was a 2019 Catena Appellation Vista Flores Malbec. This was a dark fruit, full bodied wine that balanced the meat very nicely. The pork had very little seasoning on it, so the earthy notes in the wine brought some flavors in the pork that I did not taste before. I also got some hints of mocha in the wine which I think gave a slight sweetness in the pork.

Name: Catena Appellation Vista Flores Malbec

Variety: Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Vintage: 2019

Winemaker Notes: "The Catena Malbec Appellation Vista Flores shows a dark violet color with black reflections. The nose offers ripe, concentrated dark and red fruit aromas with delicate floral notes of lavender and violet, and mocha. The mouthfeel is rich and full with notes of sweet spice and a touch of leather. The finish presents soft, well-integrated tannins with bright, crisp acidity that gives the wine exceptional length." 

https://www.saratogawine.com/Catena-Zapata-Malbec-Vista-Flores-2019-750ml.html

For the final course, we had a delicious, rich chocolate and cherry cake. The cake was so chocolate-y and we decided to pair it with a sweet dessert type wine. In the end we chose a 2021 Perucchi Vermouth Bianco. I got lots of ginger aromas from this vermouth. It could also be all spice or cinnamon. Regardless of which spice it was, it smelled very nice. Like a Christmas cookie! I thought that the spice in the vermouth paired nicely with the rich chocolate cake. It broke up some of the darkness of the cake and revealed the layers beneath. I thought that it brought out the cherry flavor even more than before.

Name: Perucchi Vermouth Bianco

Variety: Bianco

Region: Catalunya

Country: Spain

Vintage: 2021

Winemaker Notes: "This Spanish vermouth exhibits some buttered pastries, cinnamon and cloves. The profile is much closer to a Bianco style and finishes with a twist of citrus. It’s a bit sweet, but not overtly so." 

https://www.astorwines.com/item/22496

I thoroughly enjoyed tasting the wines with this food. It is amazing to see how the different types of wines can bring out different flavors, textures, and feelings in the different foods. I can't wait for our next wine dinner!!

Drink This Now! #1- Lesson 2

For my first Drink This Now! blog post, I have chosen to complete the second lesson activity. I chose a Zinfandel from California for my red wine and I chose a Gewurztraminer from Alsace for my white wine. My glass selection consisted of a shot glass, a rocks glass, a water glass, a small wine glass, a big wine glass, and a Tupperware container. 

White Wine: The wine I chose was a 2020 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer from the Alsace region of France.

Winemaker Notes: "Featuring a golden color, this wine offers an inviting aromatic palate of baking spices, flowers and tropical fruit. The flavors of this wine mirror the aromas. This Gewurztraminer is a full-bodied wine with rich, mouth-filling character that maintains its freshness and encourages another sip." 

https://www.wine.com/product/pierre-sparr-gewurztraminer-2020/880004

Smell Notes

Shot Glass: I can smell some of the wine. The scent is very faint, but I can smell some floral aromas.

Rocks Glass: The only aroma I get is rose water.

Water Glass: I can barely smell the wine in the glass. I can maybe smell a little bit of rose.

Small Wine Glass: So much stronger smelling than the other vessels. Notes of pear, rose, and maybe pineapple.

Big Wine Glass: It is crazy how much more faint this glass was after the previous glass. I could still pick up on the floral components of the wine.

Tupperware: I honestly could not smell any aromas in the Tupperware.

Taste Notes

Shot Glass: I could taste some faint, floral notes of this wine.

Rocks Glass: This glass made the wine a little bit stronger, but I still was not much.

Water Glass: This glass made made really smell rose and the other floral components of the wine.

Small Wine Glass: This glass is far and away the best. The wine is so much better than the other glasses. In this glass, I get notes of pear, rose, and apple. So good!

Big Wine Glass: I still tasted most of the wine in this wine, but it is definitely less than the small wine glass. I still get notes of pear and rose.

Tupperware: I could not taste a lot of the parts of wine. The pear component disappeared completely in this vessel.

Red Wine: The wine I chose was a 2020 Lapis Luna Zinfandel from North Coast, California.

Winemaker Notes: "The Lapis Luna Zinfandel is rich, dark and enticing with flavors of lush blueberry, plums, and blackberry cobbler. The finish is smooth, long and juicy.

Blend: 80% Zinfandel, 20% Sangiovese"

https://www.wine.com/product/lapis-luna-zinfandel-2020/886887

Smell Notes

Shot Glass: It is very faint again, but I smell plum.

Rocks Glass: This one is a bit better than the shot glass. I got notes of plum and blueberry.

Water Glass: This glass gave similar scents as the Rocks Glass, but it was a bit stronger.

Small Wine Glass: In this glass, I got aromas of blackberry added into the mix.

Big Wine Glass: This glass smells so much better than the other ones! It really isn't a contest. I got aromas of blackberry, plum, and blueberry.

Tupperware: Once again, I smelled nothing from Tupperware container.

Taste Notes

Shot Glass: This glass tasted good, but it was not super strong.

Rocks Glass: I got the plum taste, but nothing else.

Water Glass: This glass gave me tastes of plum and blackberry, but it was not very strong.

Small Wine Glass: I think that this wine glass gives all of the flavors of the Zinfandel, but it is weaker.

Big Wine Glass: It is insane how this wine glass makes such a big difference! It tastes more jammy and fruity. I get all of the plum, blackberry, and blueberry notes.

Tupperware: This vessel is so much weaker than the big wine glass.

Bonus Round

Small Wine Glass: Good taste and flavors, but it is not as strong as the big wine glass.

Big Wine Glass: The warmed up and big glass provides extra flavor. I still get plum, blackberry, and blueberry. This experiment really eventuates the flavors and brings out the complexity of the wine.

Tasting - Maynard's Aged Tawny Porto

Name: Maynard's Aged Tawny Porto

Variety: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cao, Tinta Barroca

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Year: 2012

Price: $25

Wine Critic review: "Dark-colored, this rich, full-bodied wine is flavored with dry molasses as well as raisins. Cut with acidity, it has a mature feel that is both ripe and, at the end, dry, with a fragrant aftertaste." - 90/100, Wine Enthusiast https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/barao+de+villar+maynards+ten+old+port+aged+tawny+oporto+douro+portugal

Wine Folly: pg.154 Port- Wine Folly lists black plum, dried cherry, chocolate, raisin, and cinnamon are aromas for port. When I first smelled it, I swear I smelled Worcestershire sauce; however, it did not taste like that. I definitely tasted raisin, plum, and chocolate. It honestly tasted like fruity maple syrup!

My Review: I have never had a port before and this has definitely made curious to try some more! This was a fantastic dessert wine with a beautiful amber color. I would love to drink with cheese this after a really heavy meal as my dessert! I recommend to anybody who is curious to try port and does not know where to begin. You can't go wrong with this one!

Tasting - Colutta Pinot Grigio Skin Contact

Name: Colutta Pinot Grigio Skin Contact

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Friuli Colli Orientali

Country: Italy

Year: 2021

Price: $17

Wine Critic review: "Hawthorn and ripe green-apple aromas mingle together on this medium-bodied white. On the round savory palate, tangy acidity lifts honeydew melon and ripe Bartlett pear before a fennel finish." -Kerin O'Keefe https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/colutta-2018-pinot-grigio-friuli-colli-orientali/

Wine Folly: pg.149 general Pinot Gris- Wine Folly lists aromas of white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, and crushed gravel. Light fruits definitely shined through in this wine. I did not get any hints of almond or gravel. To me it smelled mostly like peach.

My Review: A very refreshing wine to have on a hot, sunny Saturday! I thought it was very crisp and fruity. I would love to try it again chilled and maybe served with white fish. I recommend this wine to anybody who is looking for something light and clean to sip on!

Wine and Cheese Pairing #1

What could be better than wine an cheese? The two seem to be made for each other! I had a fantastic time tasting with my friends at our Wine and Cheese night. The three wines we tried were a Moscato Bianco Sparkling Wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Shiraz. The price ranges for these wines were between $10-20. Very affordable for a group of college students! The three cheeses that we paired with the wine were a Brie, an Aged Sharp Cheddar, and a Gouda. The Brie was specifically chosen to pair with the sparkling wine. The cheddar was meant to pair well with the Cabernet Sauvignon. The gouda was selected to go with the Shiraz. 

First up, we tried Martini & Rossi Moscato Bianco Sparkling wine from the Piedmont Region of Italy. The aromas from the wine consisted of peach, apple, and something very sweet. The butter yellow colored wine on its own was very pleasing to taste! I got notes of elderberry, peach, and sage specifically. It was nicely sweet, smooth, and not acidic.

Brie: This was by far one of the best pairings of the evening! The creaminess of the cheese is very fun with the bubbles in the wine. Brie is also a little sweet which I think went well with the sweetness of the wine. This cheese also brought out a more tangy component of the wine.

Cheddar: The sharpness of the cheddar absolutely assaulted the palate when paired with the bubbles of this wine. It was WAY too strong to go with a sweeter wine.

Gouda: The gouda cheese was very plain compared to the wine. Almost too plain for my taste. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. The gouda was just kind of there.

Second, we tried 2020 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon from Central Coast, California. The smell of this wine was very pleasant! I detected aromas of blackberry, mocha, cherry, and some kind of spice. The taste on its own was also fantastic! It was an awesome full-bodied, tannic, acidic wine with notes of cassis.

Brie: THIS WAS TERRIBLE. What is the opposite of a match made in heaven? A match made in hell? If that's not a saying, it should be for this pairing. It had an awful aftertaste that I swear tasted like a goat. I think the sweetness of the brie clashed with the bold, young red characteristics of the wine.

Cheddar: After the brie, I think I would have enjoyed anything else. But, this was actually a good pairing! The sharpness of the cheddar balances well with the strong flavors of the Cab.

Gouda: Once again, I would say that the gouda was a neutral cheese. I did notice that this helped tone the wine down somewhat to make it a little less aggressive.

Lastly, we tried 2019 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz from Barossa Valley, Australia. This cherry red colored wine might have been my favorite wine by itself. The aromas of the wine consisted of blackberry, plum, clove, and oak. The taste was full-bodied with dark fruit, spice, and smooth tannins.

Brie: After the reaction between the brie and the Cab, I was very suspicious of this pairing. However, the sweetness and silkiness of the brie cheese balanced nicely with the Shiraz.

Cheddar: The cheddar was way too sharp to pair well with this wine. Since both wines are strong, they were constantly competing with each other for the top spot on my palate. However, it was not the worst thing ever. I would give another chance.

Gouda: This is where the gouda cheese shined! It's neutral characteristics were finally a blessing in disguise. The cheese softens the tannins of the wine and allows for flavors to emerge from underneath.

Tasting - Apothic Merlot

Name: Apothic Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2019

Price: $11.99

Winery review: Winemaker notes, "The 2019 Apothic Merlot reveals depths of black cherry, boysenberry and wild blueberries with subtle hints of vanilla and coconut. To add dimension to the wine, we added a touch of a unique grape called Teroldego, which marries well with the Merlot to create plush tannins and a long, lasting finish. Most of the fruit for this Merlot was sourced from Lodi, with some originating from a vineyard near Brentwood. We selected Merlot grapes for their dark fruit intensity and generous tannins to create a velvety mouthfeel. Portions of this wine were oak-aged for 3-4 months to preserve elegant fruit characteristics." https://www.wine.com/product/apothic-merlot-2019/764357#closePromoModal

Wine Folly: pg.131 general Merlot- The first fruit listed in Wine Folly is cherry. I did not pick up on that, but I definitely tasted plum. The book also lists notes of chocolate and dried herbs, but I did not pick up them. I did however get notes of vanilla and oak. I also tasted blueberry and boysenberry.

My Review: The bold, smooth wine was excellent! It had been aged a few years which I think helped the flavors come out even more. It was not dry or sweet. It was very nicely balanced in between. I enjoyed drinking this wine with beef wrapped in bacon! The boldness balanced the red meat very well. I really recommend this wine to enthusiastic red wine drinkers!