Wine Samplings with my Family

I was in Nashville, TN over the weekend spending time with my family. It was a celebratory weekend for many reasons (my mom's birthday, my sister is getting married, I am graduating) so we had lots of wine this weekend!! I tried some great wines.

Cupcake Pinot Grigio

Name: Cupcake Pinot Grigio
Country: Italy

 Year: 2011

 Price:  $8.95

Wine Review:
Our Pinot Grigio is full with a nose that shows hints of pineapple, pears and sweet lemons. The body is full and gives way to a creamy mid-palate, integrating tropical fruits with the vibrant zing of citrus fruits. It is reminiscent of a pineapple upside down cupcake.”

My Review:

This wine was enjoyable. It was smooth and crisp with a hint of sweetness. I tasted some hints of fruit in the flavor.

 

Rombauer Chardonnay

Name: Rombauer Chardonnay
Country:Carneros

 Year: 2010

 Price:  $32

Wine Review:
Golden yellow color with a pale hue. Seductive aromas of peach, melon, and citrus are balanced with honeysuckle and vanilla. On the palate, flavors of pears, peaches and melons are backed with lively acidity. A nice touch of vanilla-scented oak provides an added flavor dimension. The creamy palate has a lingering finish of melon and citrus fruit with a satisfying buttery complexity. Our favorite pairing for this wine includes scallops in a cream sauce, pasta carbonara, chicken risotto and Cornish game hen.

My Review:

This was a great bottle of wine. One of the nicer wines I have had the opportunity to try! It had flavors of melon and fruit while still remaining oakey and buttery. It was a complex taste that I enjoyed a lot. 

Korbel Champagne

Name: Korbel California Champagne
Country: Italy

 Year: 2010

 Price:  $19.99

Wine Review:
Variety of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard and Pinot Noir

My Review:

This was just a fun wine we opened to celebrate! The champagne was very bubbly and sweet. It was fun to have a glass of, but not something I would want to drink often. It kind of gave me a headache. I think the champagne was rather sweet and lacked complexity. 

Cupcake Riesling

Name: Cupcake Riesling
Country: Columbia Valley, Washington

 Year: 2010

 Price:  $8.95

Wine Review:
This year's Cupcake Dry Riesling is bold, with the luscious aromas and favors of grapefruit, pineapple and nectarine. We maintain a regimen of stirring the wine on its lees to add a creamy mid palate and long subtle finish. True to form, this wine finishes with length and leaves one wanting another glass. Enjoy with any and all Asian cuisine, shellfish risotto, or a spicy chicken tagine.

My Review:

Loved this wine. Riesling has definitely become a favorite of mine, and this one was great. It was a dry Riesling which I really enjoyed, because it was more complex and deep than a simple sweet Riesling. However, it was still sweet and fruity which I loved.

Chateau St Jean Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Chateau St Jean Cabernet Sauvignon
Country: California

 Year: 2010

 Price:  $12

My Review:

Deep wine with a deep red color. It was very intense and had a dry, complex taste. However, it also had a subtle sweetness to it that I really enjoyed and that helped make it more complex.

Wine Tasting 4/5

Vintage Cellar Tasting

April 5, 2012

gPG Garganega Pinot Grigio

 

Name: gPG Garganega Pinot Grigio
Country: Italy

 Year: 2010

 Price:  $8.95

Wine Review:
gPG is from the delle Venezie regions of northeastern Italy. A clean and crisp palate with plenty of texture and weight follows aromas of apples and zesty lemons. It's perfect with grilled white fish or light risotto.

My Review:

This wine was very crisp and refreshing. I tasted hints of apple and citrus in this wine. It would have been great with a light fish or chicken recipe. I enjoyed this wine a lot. 

Montebuena Rioja Crianza

 Name: Montebuena Rioja Crianza
Country: Spain

 Year: 2007

 Price:  $6.95

Wine Review:
100% Tempranillo. Dark red. Spicy red berries and cherry on the nose, with hints of cracked pepper and dried rose. Crisp and dry on the palate, with spicy redcurrant and cherry flavors, light tannins and a fresh, energetic finish. An excellent value, and surprisingly elegant for this price point.

My Review: 

This was a very rich wine. The color was deeply red, and the smell was intensely alcoholic. It tasted very dry, and even had a hint of spice to it. I could definitely also taste a cherry flavor in it. This wine was maybe a little too intense for my liking.

Varas Vinho Tinto

 Name: Varas Vinho Tinto
Country: Portugal

 Year: n/a
Price:  $5.49/bottle ($21.95 for 4 bottles)

Wine Review:
This smooth Portuguese red is a blend of Castelão (45%), Tinta Roriz (25%), Tinta Barroca (20%) and Pinot Noir (10%). The vineyards are located near Lisbon, planted in sunny gentle slopes of clay and limestone soils. The wine was aged in oak barrels.

My Review:

This wine was definitely very oakey. I was not surprised to read it had been aged in oak barrels because that is the flavor I tasted most. Like the one before, the color was also very dark and the flavor was very rich. The body was pretty smooth and I liked it a fair amount.

Cantina di Casteggio

 Name: Cantina di Casteggio
Variety: Moscato
Country: Italy
Year: n/a
Price:  $7.95

Wine Review:
Bright, light golden color. Very aromatic nose of ripe apricots, sage, honey and a slight minerality. Medium bodied, sweet and fruity with flavors of apricots and tangerine. Well balanced acidity and medium finish with layers of sweet and citrus fruit.

My Review: 

This was my kind of wine! Super sweet! Almost too sweet actually... I could taste almost no alcohol and mainly just sugar. If you can handle the super sweetness, it was a good wine. I definitely tasted the fruitiness in the wine. 

Oveja Negra

 Name: Oveja Negra
Variety: Syrah-Cab Rose
Country: Chile
Year: 2010
Price:  $6.95

Wine Review:
Oveja Negra Reserva Rosé is bright cherry-red in color and has an attractive nose with aromas of raspberries and strawberries as well as plum and a bit of green apple. Crisp and juicy on the palate with a slight sweetness that accompanies the red fruit flavors. Pleasing natural acidity with medium high intensity, nice persistence, and a fresh finish.

My Review: 
I really enjoyed the complexity of this rose wine. It had noticeable fruitiness to it, while also remaining somewhat acidic. This wine had a great finish and aftertaste of berry.

Vintage Cellar Tasting 3/29

Vintage Cellar Wine Tasting

3/29/12

 Name: Primo Amore Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Country: Italy
Year: n/a
Price:  $8.95

Winery Review:
Straw-yellow with golden reflections and a delicate mousse. Fruity and very inviting, with intense scents of peaches and exotic fruit. Fresh and pleasantly sweet with a taste that reveals its varietal
characteristic.

My Review: The wine smelled fruity with hints of honey and nectar in it. It tasted very sweet and sugary, maybe too sugary. However, I did enjoy the taste of fruit on my palate when I tasted it. 

 Name: Faraway Farms Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Country: South Africa
Year: 2008
Price:  $5.95

Winery Review: Fresh, modern style, with lots of plum pudding, sweet chocolate, mocha, blackberry and boysenberry flavors supported by round, sweet tannins and toast.

My Review: Like the description says, this wine did smell like plum and blackberry. It smelled sweet and fruity, but also rich and decadent. It was sweeter than I expected to taste, and pleasantly good. I liked the sweet aftertaste.

 Name: Oak Vineyard Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa and Sonoma California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price:  $5.95

Winery Review: Quite an interesting Chardonnay, in an era when so many are too sweet and extracted. There’s plenty of orange and apricot fruit flavor, but also a brilliant streak of minerality, like a lick of cold steel, and the overall taste is dry. Really easy to like, with lots of complexity to warrant repeated sipping.

My Review: This was an interesting wine. I was expecting a somewhat sweeter taste because it was a chardonnay. But it did taste very buttery and oakey, much like Chardonnays from California usually do. It also had a fruity taste to it. It was a very complex wine with many different flavors going on.  I enjoyed that a lot. It would be fun to pair with some appetizers. 

 Name: Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Country: South Africa

 Year: 2010
Price:  $7.95

Winery Review: OBiKWA Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal summer wine and smacks of crisp tropical fruit with a smattering of gooseberries and fig. If you're planning a night out with mates - don't forget to bring along a bottle of this yummy potion!

My Review: This wine smelled and tasted very citrus. I could immediately smell the fruitiness that I later tasted. The aftertaste was sweet and interesting; I enjoyed it. Like the description says, it would be a great summer wine on a warm night. 

 

Name: Tres Ojos Old Vines
Variety: Garnacha
Country: Spain
Year: 2009 

Price:  $6.95

Winery Review: Bright ruby color. Primary dark berry aromas are simple but offer very good purity and focus. Juicy blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are youthfully tangy, with good back-end acidity adding snap. The clean, brisk finish leaves behind notes of sweet dark berry preserves and cracked pepper.

My Review: This wine smelled very much like alcohol and very intense. It had a peppery smell to it as well. It had a dry and bitter taste while also having some fruit undertones I tasted. 

Attimo Winery Visit--March 26

Attimo Winery Visit

Christiansburg, VA

Monday March 26, 2012

The entrance!

The vines--The owner (who went to VT!!!) said it took 6 years to let the vines grow before they could start making wine. So they have only been in business about a year now! 

A lovely barrel at the entrance.

Wine glass to taste the wines! 

Here was our menu of wines we tasted. They were as follows:

Masquerade (Chardonnay): Dry, smooth and oakey; pairs well with cheese plates and creamy foods.

Sonnet 98 (Vidal Blanc): Dry, Crisp, hints of fresh greens; pairs well with our Caprese salad.

I do (Traminette/Petit Manseng): Semi-sweet, distinct citrus notes; pairs well with macadamia salad, light desserts and spicy Asian food.

Deep Silence (Cabernet Franc): Dry red, intense berry flavors and light smoky pepper finish.

AD 325 (Chambourcin): Dry red with bold flavors and cherry undertones; pairs well with hearty foods. Their most popular seller.

Vertex (Cabernet Sauvignon): Dry red, rich wih black currant flavors and French oak notes, pairs well with rosemary walnuts.

Sweet Berry Sunset (Raspberry/Red Blend): Semi-sweet, intense berry and fruity flavors, pairs well with any chocolate dessert.

Sudden Downpour (Apple/White Blend): Sweet, apple wine with bourbon notes and earty tones with a clean finish; excellent mulled.

Seduction (Tinta Madera/Tourigna nacional/Souzao): Sweet, vintage ruby port. Direct from Portugal, hints of raspberry and raisins. Pairs well with Aged cheeses and brie. 

After trying all the wines, my favorites were "I do" and the dessert and the port wine. They were definitely all the sweetest. I loved that "I do" was sweet without being overwhelmingly sweet. It had an amazing smell also. I actually decided to buy a bottle! I decided that while the dessert wines were fun to taste, I probably wouldn't drink them much, and I would have bought a bottle of the port also, but it was their most expensive bottle ($26, still a rather good deal I know). It was very good. I was expecting something super intense, and it was, but it was also somewhat sweet and smooth and very welcoming. I loved the subtle fruity undertones it had.

It's clear that I enjoy sweet wines, but it was also a lot of fun trying the reds. I honestly did not try a wine I did not like. I probably could not have drank a whole glass of the vertex because it was very strong with an odd aftertaste, but other than that, I probably would drink all the others. The AD 325 was a rich, royal purple color and tasted earty/intense but was very drinkable to me. It did not overwhelm my pallet like I thought it might. I really enjoyed it. The 3 friends I was with each bought a bottle of the AD 325 because they liked it so much.  I also enjoyed trying the Deep Silence. It was a Bordeaux style red aged in oak, and had a sweeter taste to it than most reds. It was very drinkable to me and I enjoyed it. I could have bought a bottle of that too! They were all so good it was hard to decide!

Me trying the wines!

Our extremely knowledgeable host/owner of the vineyard

This is where we sat and tried the wines. They serve food here as well if you want to come for lunch or something. They also have a patio outside where you can sit. 

The bottle of wine I came home with! I can't wait to drink it!

Arrington Vineyard Visit: Nashville, TN

Winery Visit: Arrington Vineyards 

Nashville, TN

Saturday March 10, 2012

 It was my sister's bachelorette party weekend in Nashville, TN and we wanted to visit this winery for a day of fun. We took a party bus to and from to be safe and have a designated driver! This is us on our way to the vineyard relaxing and talking. I took this picture so I am not in it!

These gorgeous barrels were at the entrance of the vineyard. I thought this gave it a fun winery feeling. I was excited to get the opportunity to visit a vineyard after being in this class this semester.

 Luckily, it was a gorgeous day in Nashville. This is a shot of the vineyard looking down on it. Behind us is the actual building. There are numerous picnic tables for people to sit outside and drink wine/eat lunch.

 This is me and my sister enjoying the beautiful day outside! I am on the right. 

Because it was a special occasion, we got a private room to try our wines. They gave us a list of the wines we could try, and we got to choose 7 to try choosing from reds, whites, and desserts. I chose to try 2 reds, 3 whites, one rose, and one dessert. The ones I tried are as follows:

Stags White 2010-- The description on our sheet was: A refreshing white wine with a juicy fruit cocktail aroma and nectarine, green apple and citrus fruit flavors. --This is the vineyards most popular white wine, and I really enjoyed this wine. It was a blend of several grapes and for that reason, it tasted pretty complex to me while still remaining smooth and somewhat sweet (I like sweet!). I ended up buying a bottle of this that we drank during our lunch picnic. It was $19.99 for a bottle so not the cheapest but okay because I don't go to a vineyard everyday!

Viogner 2010-- The description of the wine: Full bodied wine with aromas of honeysuckle and peach followed by nectarine, melon and citrus flavors. -- This wine was interesting. It was very sweet and reminded me of honey. I liked the aftertaste as well.

Riesling 2010-- The description of the wine: Fruity, off-dry American style Riesling, bursting with lemon and green apple flavors. --I love Riesling usually as long as it is not too sweet, and this Riesling was perfect. It smelled fruity like sour apples or something, and tasted sweet while also having a somewhat dry taste to it. I LOVED this wine but ended up not buying a bottle because the other girls did not want this one for lunch. It was $17.99 a bottle

Firefly Rose 2010-- The description of this wine: Medium bodied dry Rosé wine with aromas of strawberry jam and cherry pie followed by Bing cherry and plum flavors. --I really enjoyed this Rose. I have not been exposed to a ton of Rose's and I think they are an amazing mixture of flavors. It was sweet, but not as sweet as some whites. I also love that it is served chilled because I prefer my wine a bit cold. The aftertaste was great.
Red Fox Red 08--The description of this wine: Aromatic notes of wild strawberry and black tea are followed by flavors of mixed berries, vanilla and black plum. --This is one of the vineyard's most popular reds. It definitely had a distinct flavor that I did enjoy. It tasted very fruity, while still remaining dry. I could definitely taste the alcoholic factor in the wine, and the aftertaste was strong. I did enjoy all the different flavors, especially a taste of vanilla.
Syrah 08-- The description of this wine: Rich, sweet aromas of blackberry, vanilla oak, and allspice are followed by flavors of juicy raspberry, blackberry, clove and cocoa. -- This wine was intense! Besides tasting very alcoholic and dry, it also had a taste of spice to it. I actually thought this wine was very interesting and fun to try. It was different from what I have normally tried, and I am glad I gave it a try!
Blackberry 2010-- The description of this wine: Aromas of blackberry cobbler and blackberry preserves are followed by luscious marion blackberry flavor; the sweet finish lingers on and on. --This was a dessert wine and absolutely wonderful! I had never tried an actual dessert wine until this trip. It was so sweet while not being too sweet that it made you feel sick. It tasted exactly like blackberry cobbler or something to me. I loved it!! I am definitely going to start exploring dessert wines more after tasting this one.

Me with my sisters trying the Stags White!

Vintage Cellar Tastings--March 18

Wine Tastings at the Vintage Cellar

Simonet Blanc de Blancs 

Name: Simonet Blanc de Blancs
Variety: Sparkling
Region: Elabore
Country: France
Year: n/a
Price:  $7.95

Winery Review:
On the nose, there is some bread-yeast and some toast, same on the palate. Great for an everyday bubbly or for mimosas!!

My Review: This was an interesting sparkling wine. It tasted very dry to me, similar to the bready taste mentioned in the review. It was kind of festive to drink, but I expected a sweeter taste I did not find. I tried without food.

Tierra de Luna Torrontes- Chardonnay

Variety: 80% Torrontes, 20% Chardonnay
Region: Mendoza
County: Argentina
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
Fresh and crisp, with floral aromas and flavors of quince and pear, this wine is a versatile companion to informal meals, and is excellent as an apertif.

My Review: I found this wine crisp and refreshing to the taste. I enjoyed the sweet aftertaste. It was also somewhat dry so was not overwhelmingly sweet or anything. I enjoyed it and would have it again. I tried without food.

Estrella Merlot

Name: Estrella Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:
This ruby colored merlot has raspberry jam aromas with a subtle hint of spice. Layers of vanilla, plum and fig are revealed that linger ever so slightly on the palate.

My Review: This wine had a pleasant, fruity aroma. The body of it was very smooth and did not taste too acidy (how I sometimes perceive red wine). It was a pretty pleasant wine overall, not my favorite but not bad.

Doural Red Tinto

Variety: Red blend
Region/country: Portugal
Year: 2009
Price: $8.95

Winery Review:
This Portuguese tinto (red) blend exhibits a deep red color with violet hues. The nose is vibrant and fruity. The palate offers notes of spice, cherry, and dark berry supported by good structure. Pairs well with red or game meat, cheeses and fish.

My Review: The wine had a very fruity, pleasant nose. The wine seemed to have different flavors present, one being a strong spice taste that I noticed. It was not my favorite wine, but would maybe be better if tried with food. 

Oxford Landing Estates

Variety: Viognier
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Winery Review:
88 Points, Wine Spectator
Bright and lively, this white is appealing for its pear, lychee and sweet spice character, which comes together smoothly against a silky texture.

My Review: I enjoyed the sweet, smooth body of this wine. I thought it had a pretty good flavor to it. It was sweet without being overwhelmingly sweet which I appreciated. It was a good price also.

Wine's I tasted over Spring Break

Tastings over Spring Break

Acrobat Pinot Gris

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Oregon

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Price: $12

Critic Review: Crisp entry with nice balance between acidity and residual sugar, round and full mid-palate, clean refreshing finish

My Review: I like this wine a lot. It was from my parents and probably a bit nicer than the wines I usually drink at school. It tasted smooth and refreshing with a sweet aftertaste. I enjoyed it a lot and had it with appetizers.

Apothic Red 

Variety: Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2010

Price: $1o.99

Critic Review: Apothic Red reveals intense fruit aromas and flavors of rhubarb and black cherry that are complemented by hints of mocha, chocolate, brown spice and vanilla. The plush, velvety mouthfeel and smooth finish round out this intriguing, full-bodied red blend.

My Review: This was an interesting blended red wine. My dad has recently gotten into drinking red wines after drinking solely whites for some time, and this was a red wine he had at home. I actually enjoyed this wine, and felt it had a lot of different flavors going on in it. 

Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Napa Valley, CA

Country: USA

Year: 2010

Price: $11.99

Critic Review: Aromas of lime, kiwi, citrus, melon and a touch of grass are complemented by flavors of grapefruit, lemon, mango, and guava in Ferrari-Carano's 2010 Fumé Blanc. Cool, stainless steel tank fermentation gives this wine a crisp freshness while the subtle oak character from barrel aging adds complexity and depth.

My Review: I really enjoyed this wine, as I do more sauvignon blancs. It had a fruity flavor to it, as well as a somewhat tart grapefruity flavor.  It tasted crisp and refreshing and I will most definitely buy it again! I did not have it with food but it would be great with some light fish or chicken. 

Cavit Pinot Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Trentino, Fruili and Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $5.99

Critic Review: Crisp and refeshing light white with a bursting bouquet of guava and green apple that shows flavors of citrus green apple and a slight minerality

My Review: This wine was not very good. It was cheap and I think I got what I payed for. I did not enjoy drinking it very much. It had a weird aftertaste and was not smooth. 

Chateau St. Jean Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: Napa Valley, CA

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Price: $10.95 (on sale)

Critic Review: This Merlot has blackberry and lavender aromas, jammy fruit flavors and hints of spice. Layers of cocoa powder, clove, and plum last throughout the finish. 

  

My Review: I thought this was a pretty good red wine as red wines go. It tasted somewhat  rich and had a smooth aftertaste. My friend who is a red wine drinker bought this bottle, and I have to say I might buy it myself some time. It was definitely enjoyable to drink.