Tasting - Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir

Name: Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: $8.99

Winemaker Notes: "This firm-textured and tangy wine is nicely structured for pairing with rich protein dishes. Vivid cranberry and red-cherry flavors are accented by light toast and baking spices. -JIM GORDON"

https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/trinity-oaks-2018-pinot-noir-california/

Wine Folly: pg150 general Pinot Noir- Wine Folly lists cherry, raspberry, clove, mushroom, and vanilla as aromas for Pinot Noir. It also lists this variety of grape as a lighter one. The body, alcohol, acidity, and tannins are lighter. 

My Review: Pinot Noir is one of my favorite grape varieties. I loved the light body of this particular wine. It was really fruity and spicy as well. I would love to pair this with pork chops in future!

Tasting - Apothic Inferno

Name: Apothic Inferno

Variety: Zinfandel

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2019

Price: $11.99

Winemaker Notes: "Apothic 2019 Inferno is a Red Wine with a Whiskey Soul. Aging some of the wine in whiskey barrels adds an intriguing dimension of maple and spice to Inferno’s dark layers of black plum and blackberry. The palate intensifies with notes of dried cherry and toasty vanilla, then leads to a long, warm finish."

https://www.wine.com/product/apothic-inferno-aged-in-whiskey-barrels-2019/1063205#closePromoModal

Wine Folly: pg189 general Zinfandel- Wine Folly lists blackberry, strawberry, peach preserves, cinnamon, and sweet tobacco as aromas for this grape variety. Zinfandel is also known as a "big red" grape. It has a good, strong body and a higher alcohol content.

My Review: I love a big, strong wine! Apothic Inferno is aged in whiskey barrels which gives this wine awesome notes. It is bold, tannic, and acidic. I also tasted notes of oak, vanilla, and blackberry. If you can't tell by now, I am a big fan of Apothic wines! This one is definitely one of my favorites since I also enjoy whiskey and bourbon. 

Tasting - Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Laurel

Name: Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Laurel

Variety: Niagara

Region: Virginia

Country: USA

Year: 2022

Price: $12

Winemaker Notes: "A unique and refreshingly sweet dessert style wine made from native American grape varieties. Firm acidity balances the sweetness, producing a crisp finish with aromas of freshly picked grapes. Pour over fresh berries and sponge cake or blend with vanilla ice cream and fruit for a creamy dessert smoothie."

https://www.virginiawine.org/wineries/chateau-morrisette/wines/1085

Wine Folly: general Niagara- Wine Folly does not list this grape in the book. Niagara is a wine grape that is native to the United States. It is also known as the "White Concord" and is frequently used in jellies and grape juice. Some of the common aromas for this grape include apple, peach, and honey.

http://www.honeyflowfarm.com/Grapes-For-White-Wine/niagara.html

My Review: A local Virginia wine is always a treat to taste! This one was no exception. I really enjoyed the sweetness of this wine. I got aromas of honey and apple from it especially. This wine is perfect for newer wine drinkers because the sweetness makes it easy to drink. I also think the fact that it is used commonly for grape juice and jellies gives it a familiarity to most Americans.

As we were tasting this wine, my friend unfortunately got news that her dog had passed away that same morning. The resemblance of the wine label to Oreo is uncanny, so this blog is dedicated to this sweet girl. Rest in peace Oreo.

Tasting - Rinaldi Busy Bee Asti Spumante

Name: Rinaldi Busy Bee Asti Spumante

Variety: Moscato

Region: Asti

Country: Italy

Year: 2022

Price: $20

Wine Critic Notes: "No Oak. Aged on the lees for several months and in the bottle as well. Straw yellow color, fruity whit hints of apple, peach and mint."

https://winegourmetva.com/blogs/news/a-special-tasting-with-andrea-rinaldi

Wine Folly: pg.138 general Muscat Blanc- This grape can be a wide range of sweetness. The aromas listed are orange blossom, meyer lemon, mandarin orange, ripe pear, and honeysuckle. Wine Folly also lists low body, alcohol, and tannins. This grape variety typically has medium to high acidity.

My Review: I enjoyed this sparkling wine a lot! It was very sweet with a delightful, bubbly body. As the name suggests, I got notes of honey in this wine. It also had a nice tangy part to it that reminded me of green apple. I would recommend this wine to newer wine drinkers because of the sweet component.

Tasting - Volver Single Vineyard Tempranillo

Name: Volver 2019 Single Vineyard Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2019

Price: $16.95

Wine Critic Notes: "Dark ruby to the eye, this wine has aromas of black cherry, vanilla and violet. Flavors of cassis, cherry, salted caramel and rosemary are set into a web of gentle tannins that fade into a soft, floral finish. -MIKE DESIMONE"

https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/volver-2019-single-vineyard-tempranillo-la-mancha/

Wine Folly: pg.175 general Tempranillo- The book lists aromas of cherry, dried fig, cedar, tobacco, and dill for Tempranillo. It also says that this grape has a medium body, alcohol, acidity, and tannins. The book also states that it has a very low sweetness.

My Review: This wine is very bold! I enjoyed it's dry characteristics and lower tannins. I definitely got aromas of tobacco, vanilla, and blackberry in this wine. So far, all of the wines I have tried from Spain have delivered on so many levels! I would love to try this wine again with food. I'm thinking of buying some bacon wrapped beef and trying to pair it with this wine... I can taste it already!

Tasting - Apothic Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Apothic Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: $9.99

Winemaker Notes: "The 2020 Apothic Cab brings a silky, elegant dimension to the bold characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon. For this wine, we blended only the softest tannin Cabernet grapes with Zinfandel to bring distinct notes of blackberry and hints of strawberry. Layers of black cherry from the Cab meld with hints of rhubarb and spice with a subtle undercurrent of vanilla and mocha from a touch of oak aging."

https://www.wine.com/product/apothic-cabernet-sauvignon-2020/784554

Wine Folly: pg. 88 general Cabernet Sauvignon- Wine Folly lists aromas of black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, and graphite for this grape. It also recommends decanting it at least 60 minutes before drinking it. I didn't do that, but I would be curious to try it next time. Of course the book also lists very high tannins and body for Cabernet Sauvignon as expected.

My Review: Bold. Bold. BOLD! I expected this wine to pack a punch as a young, Californian Cab. It most certainly delivered! I got lots of dark fruit aromas from this wine such as black cherry and blackberry. There was also some delightful oakiness to it which was unexpected, but highly enjoyable. I would love to try this wine again with a big, bold steak or some kind of red meat dinner. I think a young Cab deserves to be paired with a bold dish.