Wine Tasting - Yalumba Y Series Viognier

 The Basics:

• Grape Variety - Viognier
• Country of Origin - Australia
• Region of Origin - South Australia
• Vintage Year - 2021
• Price - $13.99

Winemaker's Review:

"Bright straw in color with green hues.  Aromas of orange blossom with fresh ginger, hints of honeysuckle, and white flowers.  Fresh apricot, white tea, dried figs, and fennel lead to a creamy mid-palate with a silky textural finish.  The wild fermentation and lees aging gives the wine an extra level of complexity on the palate that belies its age. "

Wine Folly Reference (186):

The wine is a rich, oily white wine originally from Northern Rhone.  Often oak-aged, flavor notes include tangerine, peach, mango, honeysuckle, and rose.

My Review:

The wine smells very citrusy with the first hints of orange and rose coming out well.  There's also a solid dried grassy note too.  There's a hint of honey on the first taste, but the wine is quite dry from start to finish.  I get a note of oakiness from the aftertaste and the flavors notes aren't overwhelming.  I do get notes like lemon, pineapple, peach, a lighter orange, and a dry tea/grass note.

This wine was one of the harder ones to taste and get notes for.  Between the strong dryness and the weaker notes, it was a challenge to pick up on the flavor notes.  While I did keep going back for more of the wine, it was more because I was struggling to pick up on a specific tasting - not necessarily because I was in love with the wine. 

   

Wine Tasting - Tilia Torrontes

 The Basics:

• Grape Variety - Torrontes
• Country of Origin - Argentina
• Region of Origin - Mendoza
• Vintage Year - 2022
• Price - $10.99

Winemaker's Review:

"Pale yellow color with greenish hues. Intense nose of passion fruit, citrus, and freshly cut grass.  Fresh, concentrated vegetal and tropical flavors on the palate.  Long and persistent finish."

Wine Folly Reference (177):

This is Argentina's own white is really only grown in this part of the world with few exceptions.  It may smell sweet, but it's usually dry to the taste with notes of Meyer lemon, peach, rose petal, geranium, and citrus zest. 

My Review:

When I tried this wine, I was drinking out of a rubber wine glass (it was an interesting night for sure) so throughout the tasting, I got a lot of rubbery taste and smell - which probably isn't the best.  I smelled quite a bit of acid - especially citrus, but otherwise no major scents.  The initial taste is pretty minerally and dry, but then it opens up into this taste of honeysuckle, apricot, grapefruit, a bit of cut grass, a bit of orange blossom/geranium, and even a white peach.  The fruits all work together to create a sense of natural sweetness that doesn't overwhelm the otherwise dry wine.  The wine then finishes pretty dry and acidic in a refreshing way. 

This wine came at the suggestion of a professor I work with - and she nailed it.  I really enjoyed the lightness of this wine with its rich fruity complex.  I think this was the first wine I tasted where I hit a large majority of the flavor notes without knowing them ahead of time - both from the winemaker's reference and the Wine Folley Text.  I would happily drink this wine again and pair it with a meal at the end of a long summer day poolside.  

   

Wine Tasting - Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

 The Basics:

• Grape Variety - Sauvignon Blanc
• Country of Origin - New Zealand
• Region of Origin - Marlborough, South Island
• Vintage Year - 2021
• Price - $10.99 for a half bottle

Vivino Review:

"Pale straw with green edges and aromas of citrus and tropical fruits with floral herb notes.  On the palate juicy apricot, peach, and grapefruit with lemon zest, classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Vivid acidity and spice compliment this well-balanced wine to a medium finish." (Sipping Fine Wine)

Wine Folly Reference (165 - 166):

The wine is a unique white wine with strong herbaceous flavors that are derived from compounds called methoxypyrazines (which are found in bell peppers).  Main flavor notes include gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach, and passion fruit; while New Zealand's Sauvignon Blancs also has notes of kiwi, pea shoot, jasmine, and ripe pear. 

My Review:

The chilled wine was super bright and smelled like grapefruit, blueberry, and orange blossom (which lines up with some of the notes from the review and Wine Folly).  The wine had tasting notes of more grapefruit, hibiscus, white peach, and a rosy floral note at the finish.  It wasn't overly dry, and with a slight touch of sweetness, the wine was really well-balanced. 

The wine was light and easy to drink, especially with its flavor notes.  I really liked this combination of the tropical florals and fruits in the wine, and I would be interested to try other wines like this from other parts of the world. 

      

Wine Tasting - J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon

The Basics:

• Grape Variety - Cabernet Sauvignon
• Country of Origin - United States
• Region of Origin - Paso Robles, California
• Vintage Year - 2020
• Price - $10.99 for a half bottle

Vivino Review:

"For about a million cases, this is a reliable stud of a wine.  Deep, dark blackberry and light wood aromas on the nose lead into berry jam, wood spice, and caramel flavors, with amplified tannins promising at least a few years of freshness." (Matt Kettmann)

Wine Folly Reference (88 - 89):

The world's most popular wine is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that originated in Bordeaux.  Wines are concentrated and age-worthy.  The wine is rich in flavor with high tannins that include notes of black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, graphite, tobacco, blackberry, and mint.   

My Review:

The wine was opened a few days earlier, and I kept it in the fridge before warming it up for the tasting.  The wine smelled strongly of cherry with other notes of blackberry, strawberry, and clove.  The wine was quite viscous and tannic (in my notes I wrote tannic with at least four C's on the end), but it was really well-balanced between its sugars and acids.  There was a large presence of tobacco, vanilla, and jam too - which helped make a well-rounded wine.  

There wasn't anything overly special about this wine though (since its flavors were really familiar) and along with its tobacco presence, I don't think I would be able to finish a whole bottle of the wine. 

     

Drink This Now! Color Experiment

For my first experiment from the Drink This Now! textbook, I chose to see if I could tell the difference between the colors of the same grapes by doing Lesson 6 - Color Me Clueless.  Going into the experiment, I didn't think that there was much significance in the appearance of the wine other than noting the viscosity.  

When I went into the Vintage Cellar to buy the wines, I specifically looked for the Tres Ojos Rouge wine, but they didn't have them both in stock.  At the suggestion of Randall, I went for a rose and red wine both from the Rioja region of Spain.  

The Wine: El Coto Rosado

• Grape Variety - Tempranillo
• Country of Origin - Spain
• Region of Origin - Rioja
• Vintage Year - 2020
• Price - $9.99

Vivino Review:

"Average good value Rioja rose (from 90% Tempranillo and 10% Grenache).  Those that enjoy a fruitier rose will enjoy this more.  Medium copper color.  Simple medium-intensity aromas of strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, and apple.  Dry, medium to high acidity light bodied.  Quite fruity flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry, with hints of rosehip, grapefruit, and watermelon.  Short finish." (Milena K)

Wine Folly Reference (175 - 176):

The grape is Spain's top variety (famously from Rioja) with notes of cherry, dried fig, cedar, tobacco, and dill while wines from Rioja have specific notes of dried cherry, sour cherry, pastrami, roasted tomato, and chard.  

Color Analysis:

When looking at the rose, not only was it pink - but it was specifically more of an apricot pink (a pink that's not as familiar as I get from other roses).  I used the color scale in the Wine Folly textbook and determined the color was somewhere between medium copper and deep salmon.  The color was super clear and not cloudy, and there were no noticeable legs of the wine.

My Review:

The wine not only had an apricot color, but it also had notes of apricot, fig, and almond.  Its earthy, slightly tannic taste was really nice, especially since the wine wasn't as sweet as I get with most other roses.  However, the wine was more acidic than I would have liked it to be, so it's the kind of wine I'd drink a little bit of and pair it with cheese or food.  After this tasting, I had some water, a few crackers, and some brie because my mouth was super dry.  

   

The Wine: Palacio del Burgo Rioja Tinto

• Grape Variety - Tempranillo
• Country of Origin - Spain
• Region of Origin - Rioja
• Vintage Year - 2018
• Price - $11.99

Timeless Wines Review:

"Very bright, deep, and clean violet color; blackberry and licorice aromas in the nose; long-lasting, powerful, and smooth taste in the mouth.  A fruity and plummy wine with just a hint of strawberry jam.  Full body.  Velvety tannins and a flavorful finish.  Dense and layered.  Some may find it a little heavy, but it's lively."

Wine Folly Reference (175 - 176):

The grape is Spain's top variety (famously from Rioja) with notes of cherry, dried fig, cedar, tobacco, and dill while wines from Rioja have specific notes of dried cherry, sour cherry, pastrami, roasted tomato, and chard.  

Color Analysis:

With this wine, there was definitely more of a presence with the color which in the bright light read more as a ruby color - somewhere between a pale and medium shade based on the Wine Folly scale.  The wine was more opaque than I thought, especially when I looked into the light with the glass.  There was even a hint of a few legs appearing, especially as the wine warmed up. 

My Review:

The wine was super rich with black cherry and a heavier spice that came out quite distinctively.  There also was a more earthy and woodsy element that came through the taste as well that was slightly tobacco-forward.  The strong tannins too helped round out the wine that made me want to go back for another sip. 

     

I learned from this lesson that you shouldn't rely entirely on color to tell you about the wine, but it can be the first visual in telling you about the wine.  Of course, it makes sense to start with color to ensure it's the right quality and not flawed given the grapes the wine originates from.  I can see how this can instantly distinguish between the varieties of some different varietal wines, but there's not much other use of the coloring differentiation.  

Wine Dinner #1

My first wine dinner was with a large group of friends on February 1st, 2023.  The party ended up being a mostly geography department hang out which was really nice and I could connect with many old friends and make new friends too.  For our dinner, we had a chicken pot pie bake, an Asian-style beef and broccoli, and oreo brownies (which I made for the event).  While both the proteins could have been main courses instead of one as an entre and an additional appetizer, I was still able to taste them as their own unique dishes.

     

The Wine: Donnhoff Tonschiefer Riesling

• Grape Variety - Riesling
• Country of Origin - German
• Region of Origin - Nahe
• Vintage Year - 2020
• Price - $29.99

Vivino Review:

"The zippy underripe scents of green apple and papaya alongside a delicate plastic petrol touch like Saran-Wrap singe your nostrils.  The acid is loud but focused steering your tastebuds towards grapefruit on the attack slowly decaying to a bitter sweat-dried apricot finish."  (Robert Sucher III)

Wine Folly Reference (158 - 159):

The aromatic wine variety can produce white wines ranging in style from bone-dry to very sweet.  The main notes include lime, green apple, beeswax, jasmine, and petroleum; and specific notes of apricot, Meyer lemon, and wet slate from Germany-made rieslings.

My Review:

On its own, I didn't pick up as many flavors as I would have anticipated.  I could easily smell and taste fruitier notes of pear and peach, but those were really the only notes I got.  I liked how this Riesling wasn't as sweet as they usually are; there was still a hint of sweetness in the wine, but it wasn't overwhelming the more subtle notes.  The wine was overall dry and light.  

Pairing Notes:

I paired this wine with the chicken pot pie bake because I thought the Riesling would pair best with the chicken (at least better than it would with the other courses), and I thought the white should have also gone first in the dinner.  With the chicken pot pie, the butteriness of the sauce and the flaky biscuit worked pretty well together, especially since the wine was on the drier side.  However, the wine was more acidic than I thought, and there was a bit of conflict with the large amount of cream in the dish.  I think I could have done better with this pairing and found something that would have balanced the richness better - probably a lighter, drier red.  

     

The Wine: Franco Serra Barbera D'Alba

• Grape Variety - Barbera
• Country of Origin - Italy
• Region of Origin - Piedmont
• Vintage Year - 2021
• Price - $16

WineEnthusiast Review:

"This 4th-generation wine-making family is producing pure and classic Barbera.  Fresh and vibrant on the nose with bright aromas of sour cherry, raspberry, violets, and clove.  The palate is driven by blue fruit flavors with dry herbs that are framed by fine tannins and bright acidity." (Jeff Porter)

Wine Folly Reference (79):

This is the everyday drinking red wine of the Italian Piedmont - they're approachable, affordable, and have lip-smacking high acidity.  Flavor notes include tart cherry, licorice, blackberry, dried herbs, and black pepper.

My Review:

The wine had a richness to it - there was a forward taste of cherry and blackberry with a strong tobacco and metallic taste which was borderline unpleasant to my palate.  There was also a hint of something citrusy and chocolatey in the finish which was an interesting complex.  The wine was pretty balanced and not as tannic as I would expect.  

Pairing Notes:

With the beef and broccoli, the wine emerged to taste more tobacco forward which caught me off-guard since I'm already very sensitive to tobacco/smoke.  It probably was too much for my taste, but I had other friends around me say they loved it.  The wine did enhance the sauce in a pleasant way since it brought out the more fruity elements of the sauce, but it did introduce an odd flavor into the beef - something tasting a little wonky and funky. 

    

The Wine: Domaine de Fontbonau Cotes du Rhone

• Grape Variety - Port
• Country of Origin - Portugal
• Region of Origin - Douro
• Vintage Year - N/A
• Price - $15.99

Winemaker Review:

"The special reserve still has the lusciously ripe, vibrant fruit of youth and lovely tannins, which give it the slightly peppery spice on the tongue.  But it also has the elegance of age: the softness and smoothness that can only be achieved by slow aging in old oak barrels"

Wine Folly Reference (154):

The most famous fortified wine of Portugal is a blend made in a variety of styles - where each one is unique.  Major flavor notes include black plum, dried cherry, chocolate, raisin, and cinnamon.

My Review:

The port on its own was incredibly sweet, too much for my palate, and rich with black cherry and dark chocolate.  There was a nice nutty quality in the port too which was a warmth that helped enhance the other fruity flavors. The port was also a lot more acidic than I anticipated, but it helped balance out all the sugar in there. 

Pairing Notes:

With the oreo brownies, the port paired really well.  The dark chocolate in the wine matched really well with the richer, fudgy brownies, and the nuttiness brought out a peanut flavor in the brownies too.  The brownies didn't really enhance the cherry flavors in the wine beyond building on the sweetness.  I think this combination worked the best, but it was by far the sweetest and made me crave a glass of water. 

   

I learned a lot about wine pairings through this exercise; both through positive and negative experiences.  However, I wish that there was a little more coordination and cohesion between all of the dishes since there wasn't a clear theme between the meals which could have easily elevated the whole experience more.  When we planned the event, it was more "come with what you want" and thus there wasn't as much harmony with the meals as I think there could have been.  Since I planned to bring the port before I made the brownies, there was a lot more cohesion between the two; and the other two dishes didn't have specific pairings.  The next wine dinner I do will hopefully have a lot more cohesion between all the dishes and the respective wine pairings. 

Wine and Cheese Pairing - Blacksburg Wine Lab

My wine and cheese pairing happened at the Blacksburg Wine Lab on January 25th, 2023.  Not only was this an educational experience, but I also spent the time catching up with my friend Laura (who's also taken the class) who I hadn't seen for a few months.  I chose to do the Old World wine flight, and we paired it with a small charcuterie board and an extra side of Bang Bang Brussel Sprouts.

The Bonus Side: Bang Bang Brussel Sprouts

• XO sauce, lime, herbs, and chili crisp
• Bonus notes of shellfish and pork

The Cheese: Valdeon Blue (Valdeon)

• Cow and Goat Milk
• Sweet, spicy, earthy, and soft
• Spain

The Cheese: Psychedillic (Psyc)

• Goat Milk
• Dill pollen, creamy, smooth, tart, bright
• California

The Cheese: Saint-Andre (St Andre)

• Cow Milk
• Bloomy rind, creamy texture, buttery, lush
• France

The Wine: Sauvion Muscadet-Sevre et Maine

• Grape Variety - Melon
• Country of Origin - France
• Region of Origin - Loire Valley
• Vintage Year - 2020
• Price - $16 for a sample of three glasses

Wine Enthusiast Review:

"This soft, lightly textured wine is bright and fruity.  It has good acidity, a lively lemon-zest character, and a clean, perfumed aftertaste.  Drink now." (Roger Voss)

Wine Folly Reference (129):

The grape is known for its lean, minerally white wines that pair famously with seafood.  The wine features hints of line, seashell, green apple, green pear, and bread dough.  

My Review:

The wine was really nice and light to drink.  Its sweet and buttery complex was pleasant with notes of peach and lemon.  The wine was drier and less sweet than I thought which was an unexpected surprise, which made the wine easier to drink.  The extra lemon kick as the lasting note was also a nice finish.  

Pairing Notes:

I chose not to pair the wine with the Valdeon because I knew right away that with the lighter flavors of the wine, the punchier cheese would immediately blow out the wine.  The bread I tried with the wine and Psyc wasn't my favorite because the chunkier grains brought out more of the bitterness of the wine in an unpleasant way.  However, the cheese paired really well with the wine.  The butteriness of both the wine and the cheese was enhanced in a delicious way that made me want to have more of this combination.  St Andre worked really well with the wine, almost to the point that they conflicted.  I think this may have to be because the two elements were so similar that there wasn't as much enhancement of new flavors, especially the butter element of the wine/cheese.  

The Wine: Time Waits for No One Monastrell

• Grape Variety - Monastrell
• Country of Origin - Spain
• Region of Origin - Jumilla
• Vintage Year - 2017
• Price - $16 for a sample of three glasses

Winemaker Review:

"Deep garnet with violet rim.  Powerful and intense ripe fruit aroma with hints of wood.  Reminiscence of spicy and smokey notes that are perfectly balanced with lightly toasted aromas.  A long finish with a juicy acidity is working together harmoniously."

Wine Folly Reference (133 - 134):

An intensely bold, smokey red wine found in abundance in Central Spain.  It's known as Mourvedre in Southern France, where it's an important grape in the Rhone/GSM blend. Key notes of the wine include blackberry, black pepper, cocoa, tobacco, and roasted meat.  Additionally, the warm dry climate produces wines with bold fruit flavors and even tar, black olive, black raisin, mocha, and smoke.  

My Review:

This wine was much richer, with notes of cherry and raspberry.  The sweetness of the wine came through really well and enhanced the natural spice of the wine (along with the Brussel spouts too that I had before trying the wine).  The mellow, tannins come out at the end in a lighter way (surprising for a red wine), making me want another glass. 

Pairing Notes:

St Andres and cracker combination with the wine was super satisfying.  The fats and butter in the cheese really enhanced the complexity of the wine in all aspects of the taste.  The fruit notes of the initial tasting were intensified, and the notes became darker cherry and blackberry. With the Valdeon and bread, the nuttiness of the cheese and grains were enhanced by the wine.  However, the saltiness of the cheese easily overpowers the more delicate fruit notes of the wine - making the combination not as enjoyable.  The Psyc and cracker combo with the wine was probably an in-between combination compared to the other two pairings.  There was a bit of overwhelming of the wine's sweeter flavors since there's still a fair amount of salt in the cheese, but there were still times when the butteriness of the cheese came through quite nicely and enhanced the wine.  

** NOTE: I couldn't take a picture of the wine because it was poured via tap and not a bottle - which sounds like a pretty cool idea!  It would be interesting to compare the taste of wine if it was poured via bottle and tap, though I'm not sure there's a significant difference.  I wish I could have taken a picture of the label though because it looks pretty dang cool: 

The Wine: Domaine de Fontbonau Cotes du Rhone

• Grape Variety - Shiraz/Syrah 
• Country of Origin - France
• Region of Origin - Cotes du Rhone
• Vintage Year - 2012
• Price - $16 for a sample of three glasses

Wine Chateau Review:

"Medium garnet-purple colored, the nose is of warm berries, black cherry compote, and dried Provence herb aromas with hints of cumin seed, cardamom, and violets.  Full, opulent, and seductive on the palate, it is superbly structured with a nice acid backbone and a medium to firm level of very finely grained tanning, finishing long and spicy."

Wine Folly Reference (172 - 173):

The wine is rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty originating from the Rhone Valley in France.  Notes include blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, tobacco, green peppercorn, bacon fat, and graphite.  

My Review:

Right off the bat, this wine smelled and tasted more prominent (albeit after a bite of the Brussels sprouts) than any of the other three wines.  It's a sweeter and fruiter taste, with notes of blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and black cherry, and physically feels richer on the tongue - mostly because of the heavier tannin taste.  

Pairing Notes:

The pairing with the Psyc and cracker was my least favorite - it easily outpunched the cheese, so much so that you couldn't tell there was cheese mixed in.  The Valdeon was a more pleasant combination, especially with the cracker.  There was more of a fruity taste brought out by the cheese, and this was by far the best balance pairing with the fruity and tannic elements of the wine and the buttery and salty bites of the cheese.  Finally, the St Andre was a really great pairing, especially because of the butteriness of the cheese but without the extra salt like in the Valdeon.  Overall, the combination brought out a more mellow part of the wine, which helped round out the wine.

     

I really liked this exercise, and the ability to play around with the different wines and cheese combinations was fun and helped me learn more about the wines and cheeses.  It was challenging at times because there was so much tasting going on and it was sometimes a challenge to keep all the flavors straight in my head and on my tongue.  After this tasting, my two favorite pairings were the Psycadillic with the Sauvignon Muscadet and Saint Andre with the Time Waits for No One Monastrell.  I built some bigger bites to have with the wine after my tastings of the different meats and jams on the board, which all worked really well together to build different flavor complexes.  

  

Wine Tasting - Illuminati Montepulciano D'abruzzo

 The basics:

• Grape Variety - Montepulciano
• Country of Origin - Italy
  
• Region of Origin - Montepulciano D'abruzzo
• Vintage Year - 2019
• Price - $17.99

Wine Enthusiast Review:

"Bright aromas of ripe red cherry and blackberry blend with accents of cinnamon, clove, and chopped herbs.  It's supple in feel on the palate, driven by juice berry flavors, and supported by soft, rounded tannins.  It's an enjoyable entry to the Montepulciano variety."

Wine Folly Reference (135):

A high-quality Italian red found mostly in Abruzzo, where it produces wines with black fruit flavors and a smokey-sweet finish when it's made with care.  Tasting notes include red plum, blackberry, dried thyme, baking spices, and mesquite.  

My Review:

This wine has been by far my favorite wine to taste and has been the easiest for me to interpret various flavors.  Initially, I picked up on notes of blackberry, cherry, spice, and oak, but the most surprising hint I got was a rich, dark chocolate that supported the other fruity flavors really well.  The balance of tannins, acid, and sweetness was incredibly done - where I could pick up on each note without it overwhelming the other two elements.  Oddly, the wine had a buttery and creamy quality, which sounds like it would be conflicting with the fruity elements, but it worked incredibly well with especially the oaky and spicier parts of the wine.  I did snack on some popcorn and a few cheeses/fruits with the wine, and it was an interesting experience.  Some of the snacks paired really well with the wine - like the brie brought out that creamy aspect of the wine I was looking to describe - and others didn't pair as well as I thought it would - like some raspberries brought out more acidity than I thought, almost unbalancing the wine.  

This was my most enjoyable experience thus far, and I finally felt like I got an idea of what I should be tasting when I try wines.  Not only did I like all of the notes I picked up on, but they also worked well with each other to make the others complex in a way that made the experience more enjoyable. 

     

(I put this in another post, but it's still relevant to this wine) Yes, that's a Budda-esque head.  I was in DC when I tried this wine and was staying in a really cool and eclectic place - think the Thrombey house from Knives Out (with its own wine cellar with multiple bottles of super well-known and expensive wine - picture not included unfortunately). And yes the bottle is empty.  It never stood a chance.  Hence why I thought it would be a good idea to take a picture in front of the Budda-esque head.  

P.P.S. I loved this wine so much that I went back the following day and bought another two bottles - guess this may be a good candidate for me to consider purchasing a case. 

Wine Tasting - Trader Joe's Petit Reserve Rose

 The basics:

• Grape Variety - Cabernet Franc
• Country of Origin - United States
  
• Region of Origin - Monterey County, California
• Vintage Year - 2021
• Price - $5.99

CheapWineFinder Review:

"This rose tastes like watermelon (not sweet), a slap of white pepper, Anjou pear, and juicy peach.  The mid-palate adds a salty sensation, a little vanilla cream, subtle but sharp spice, and guava."

Wine Folly Reference (86 - 87):

The grape is the parent grape of both the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; possibly originating in the Basque Country of Spain.  The grape is acidic with notes of strawberry, raspberry, bell pepper, crushed gravel, and chili pepper.  The grapes can also have notes of tobacco leaf, cedar, and vanilla; especially if they're from California.

My Review:

The wine smelled fruity with specific notes of grapefruit, hibiscus, and a hint of honey.  It had a sweet start on the palate when I started drinking it and notes of honey and raspberry came out really strongly. The grapefruit came through the taste with a hint of red apple and lemon - almost like a wine cooler, but not as sweet or artificial.  There was still a fair amount of sweetness in the drink, balanced quite well with the acidity to produce a lighter, refreshing taste.

This wine was a great bang for my buck - it was easy to sip on its own and I'm sure would work really well with some lighter meals (fish, chicken, or something tomato-y) and had flavor without being overly intense, especially in sugar.

    

Yes, that's a Budda-esque head.  I was in DC when I tried this wine and was staying in a really cool and eclectic place - think the Thrombey house from Knives Out (with its own wine cellar with multiple bottles of super well-known and expensive wine - picture not included unfortunately). And yes the bottle is empty.  It never stood a chance.  Hence why I thought it would be a good idea to take a picture in front of the Budda-esque head.  

Wine Tasting - Juggernaut

The basics:

• Grape Variety - Cabernet Sauvignon
• Country of Origin - United States
• Region of Origin - California
• Vintage Year - 2020
• Price - $19.99

Napa Cabs Review:

"Purity, intensity, and seamless structure. French oak beautifully transforms intense mountain fruit into a wine with uncommon richness, yet smooth and luxurious texture.  Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet is a wine that is fierce, brave, and delicious."

Wine Folly Reference (88 - 89):

The world's most popular wine is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that originated in Bordeaux.  Wines are concentrated and age-worthy.  The wine is rich in flavor with high tannins that include notes of black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, graphite, tobacco, blackberry, and mint.  

My Review:

This wine was quite rich and flavorful, even just on the smell alone; with hints of cherry, blackberry, and tobacco.  The taste was punchy with the cherry (even more of a black cherry richness), and also had notes of elderberry and currant (though I couldn't tell if it was red or black).  A tobacco and metallic hint came through at the end with a hint of clove and cinnamon, which was a nice complexity to the drink.  I didn't drink the wine with anything in particular, but I did have it after completing my wine dinner. This wine was great to drink later in the evening, and I was able to pick up quite a few notes that might have been from other wines I drank that night.

I usually get really overwhelmed by richer reds (especially with the tannins), but this was a pleasant wine to drink.  The various notes in the wine worked really well together but it wasn't as intense as I would have anticipated.  

     

Tasting - Cantarranas Verdejo

 The basics:

• Grape Variety - Verdejo
• Country of Origin - Spain
• Region of Origin - Castilla Y Leon
• Vintage Year - 2021
• Price - $11.99

Decanter Review:

"Keen herbal, lemon, pear, and floral notes burst deliciously through the nose onto the palate. Mineral, crunch inflections to the finish and aftertaste.  The concentration of flavor is up there too.  A wine with a bright finish that a wide audience will enjoy - and such a great value!" (DWWA, 2022)

Wine Folly Reference (181):

The wine is an herbaceous white wine that grows almost exclusively in the Rueda region of Spain (not to be confused with the Verdelho, which is a Portuguese grape used in Maderia).  The wine is high in acidity with a subtle bitterness with notes of lime, honeydew, grapefruit pith, fennel, and white peach.  

My Review:

The wine had a really sweet smell initially - slightly citrusy and also with a hint of watermelon.  Some of the first flavors tasted included the watermelon from my initial smell, a hint of lemon, white peach, and a bit of lime, but it wasn't as sweet as I thought it was going to be based on the smell.  The wine was super fruity all the way through before finishing on a drier note.  I didn't drink the wine with anything in particular, but I did have it after completing my wine dinner. I think I would have been able to get more out of it had I drank it before eating, though I was still able to touch some of the tasting notes after drinking heavier, sweeter wines.  

This has been one of my favorite wines I've sampled for the course.  Its super light, citrusy flavors really appealed to me without being overly sweet, and it was a great wine to drink on its own.  I would be happy to get this bottle again and try to pair it with seafood or chicken (especially something Spanish to match the wine's origin).