Wine Tasting – Weinkeller Erbach Flonheimer Adelberg Silvaner Dessert Wine

Name: 2010 Weinkeller Erbach Flonheimer Adelberg Silvaner

Variety: 100% Silvaner

Region: Rheinhessen, Germany

Country: Germany

Year: 2010

Price: $4.95/liter

Winery Review: “The fruity, mouthwatering wine has a nice acidity-sugar balance and comes from the so-called ‘Rheinhessen-Switzerland', the heartland of Rheinhessen. It has a floral bouquet and is full of lemon zest. Hint of passion fruit, and smells like yellow fruit, lemon-grass and green tea, all wrapped around a pleasant creaminess and a semi-dry profile. The finish is zippy and refreshing. Perfect for a party on the deck as it comes in a liter bottle!”

My Review: Rather than a bright sweet dessert wine, it had a sort-of deep, smoky sweetness to its aroma and flavor. The bottom of the bottle was lined with tartar crystals, which was interesting to see. That indicated that there was a slight acidic tone to the wine, and I definitely tasted it. This dessert wine had heavy lemon-y quality to it. I could definitely taste the lemon-grass.  There was a little heat in the finish, but for the most part, I found this wine very creamy. The bite at the end had the effect of cleaning the palate. The flavor lingered slightly, but it was more like when a juice flavor lingers.

With food?: I didn’t have any food with this wine.

Wine Tasting – Montebuena Rioja

Name: Montebuena Cuvée KPF Rioja

Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Rioja, Spain

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: “(100% Tempranillo, raised entirely in American oak): Vivid ruby. Ripe cherry and blackcurrant on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and a grip. Still on the young side but this wine drinks well with an hour or so of decanting; it’s an excellent value for Rioja.”—90 points—Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (September 2012)

My Review: The deep, vivid red of this wine speaks to its full-bodied quality. I initially smelled pepper—black and white pepper that dissipates when the sweetness of cherry, cranberry and licorice take over. This wine had a slight bite in the onset, but finished smooth. I could definitely tell it was oaked: super smooth and almost creamy. I found this wine fairly uncomplicated, a simple red that would be delicious with any meal. 

With food?: I tried this wine on its own, without food.

Wine Tasting – Delaroche Côtes du Rhône

Name: Delaroche Côtes du Rhône

Variety: Rhône Blend –50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre

Region: Rhône Valley, France

Country: France

Year: 2011

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: “This semi-opaque ruby, custom cuvée of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre is made specifically for Fran Kysela. It exhibits very fresh, ride dark red fruit with very good palate weight and depth and ends with rich fruit notes. Made from organically grown grapes. Incredible Value!”—90 points—I-WineReview (December 2013)

My Review: I’m not much of a red-wine drinker, but I rather enjoyed this one. It has a medium reddish-purple color, almost ruddy. This wine smells sweet with berries and dark fruits; it tastes clean with slight hints of plum and cherry. The mid palate of this wine has a smoky quality to it, like drying leather. The finish is clean, not too dry, and pleasant. This is a well-integrated wine, very smooth and no heat.

With food?: I did not taste this wine with food.

Wine Tasting – Maipe Torrontés

Name: Chakana Wines Maipe Torrontés

Variety: 100% Torrontés

Region: Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

Country: Argentina

Year: 2013

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with the fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish. Best enjoyed in its youth either by itself, or as a wonderful partner with smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, seafood and a great partner for spicy food as well.

My Review: Delicious! This wine was a surprise. Its beautiful, deep straw color speaks to its mid-to-full bodied profile. The very floral and very sweet aroma hits the olfactory like an unexpected gift. However, what comes through on the palate in its initial taste is only the floral aspect. It’s almost rosy with a hint of a bright acid. The surprise is that while the wine smells sweet, it is actually rather dry. Perhaps not as dry as a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris, but drier than expected. Its taste is a complete contradiction to the olfactory pick-up. It’s almost spring-like (the season) in its aroma with a fresh and crisp bite at the finish.

With food?: I tried this wine on its own, without food. The first food that comes to mind is BBQ.

Wine Tasting – Cortenova Pinot Grigio

Name: Cortenova Pino Grigio

Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio

Region: Northeast Italy, Venezia, Italy

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $7.95

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 finish. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine. Perfect also as an aperitif.

My Review: I really enjoyed this wine! The first thing I noticed was the color. It is a sort-of vibrant, almost colorless wine with some emerald tones. The flavor was very light. It has a very bright floral-y fruit-y aroma. The initial texture of the wine is crisp, a little dry. This wine finished clean and doesn’t linger. I found the wine to be somewhat tropical in flavor; the banana flavor stood out for me, while the nutty, almond flavor was very subdued.

With food?: I tried this wine with no food, but I suppose it would be delicious with light seafood.

Wine Tasting— Foris Gewürztraminer

Name: Foris Rogue Valley Oregon Gewürztraminer 2012 Variety: 100% Gewurztraminer Region: Illinois Valley, Rogue Valley Appellation, Oregon, USA Country: USA Year: 2012 Price: $14.95 Winery Review: Labeled dry and tasting very much so, this clean, floral-scented Gewürztraminer has a pleasingly dusty aspect; rose petals with a thin veneer of incense. Long and complex.—90—Wine Enthusiast. My Review: Straw colored. This wine smelled dry however, I found that it wasn’t very dry on the palate. It has a sweet, floral aroma, complemented with a rosy flavor. I tasted some bright fruits like pineapple and nectarines, but this bright aspect was very subdued and dulled. The overall impression I had of this wine was that it wasn’t very bright and acidic, rather slightly smoky. The aftertaste I was left with was of nutmeg or cinnamon. I found this wine delicious! With food?: I tried this wine on its own without food.

Wine Tasting— La Posta Cocina Malbec

Name: La Posta Cocina Malbec 2011 Variety: 100% Malbec Region: Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina Country: Argentina Year: 2011 Price: $14.95                   Winery Review: The 2011 Cocina Malbec is from La Consulta, Altamira and Vista Flores in the Uco Valley and sees some French and American oak (20% new). It has a tight nose of black cherry and boysenberry fruit with hints of violet. The palate is medium-bodied with full tannins. The finish is smooth and there are some pleasant mulberry and dark plum notes on the aftertaste. This constitutes easy-drinking Malbec. Drink Now. My Review: This wine almost SMELLED oaked: almost creamy, decadent, but casual. The floral aroma of the wine was evident and almost over powering. I’m not sure I tasted the boysenberry fruit, but the black cherry and plum flavors were present. The medium-bodied wine lingered with a pleasant, slightly sweet aftertaste. With food?: I did not try this wine with food.

Wine Tasting— El Sierro Tempranillo Cabernet

Name: El Sierro Tempranillo Cabernet Variety: 80% Tempranillo and  20% Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Valencia, Spain Country: Spain Year: 2011 Price: $7.95 Winery Review: Dark ruby in color with rich aromas of red fruit and light spices. It is a real knock-out with delicious flavors of dark cherries, blackberries and vanilla all perfectly integrated. The Tempranillo provides wonderful spice and fruit, while the Cabernet Sauvignon gives structure and depth with the beautiful use of oak. My Review: At first glance, the dark, deep ruby color of this wine was app ealing. It was beautiful. The taste and aroma of this wine don’t linger on the palate. The initial flavor of this full-bodied wine is of spice and pepper. This dissipated when the berry fruit and vanilla flavors became evident. The oaking of the wine lends to the creaminess of the flavor. The smooth finish made me want more of it. With food?: I tried this wine on its own without food.

Wine Tasting— Chateau Vieux Duché Merlot/Cab/Cab

Name: Chateau Vieux Duché Lalande de Pomerol Variety: 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc Region: Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux, France Country: France Year: 2009 Price: $19.95 Winery Review: Aromas of black fruits, smoked meats, coffee and mocha characteristics with a medium full palate impression and lengthy, superb finish. Tannins are subdued and round, evident upon opening, but dissipate with a short time in the glass. Excellent typicity of the “little” appellation next to Pomerol. My Review: Smells like dirt. And farm animals. And dirt. I wasn’t particularly fond of this wine. I only agree with the winery review’s notes of the aroma of black fruits; otherwise, I found this wine a bit too earthy. I could point out aromas of hay and hot rocks. Whatever fruit flavors are incorporated, they are very subdued, unless paired with food. With food?: At first, I tried the wine on its own. The above review is my take on the wine from that first sample. I tried the wine again, but this time, after having a bite of the Manchego cheese we were provided. The fruits in the wine opened up and the wine became much sweeter, more palatable and pleasant. This wine could be perfectly paired with beef or other red meats.

Wine Tasting— Babich Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Babich Sauvignon Blanc Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc Region: Marlborough, New Zealand Country: New Zealand Year: 2012 Price: $14.95 Winery Review: A juicy white, with bright acidity and lean lemon, lime and green apple flavors. A note of fresh thyme graces the finish. Drink Now. My Review: I found this wine very surprising. My initial impression of its aroma was that of fruity gummy bears. I am not necessarily accustomed to a Sauvignon Blanc tasting or smelling particularly sweet, however, I was surprised that this one contradicted my previous experience with the variety. Letting it linger on the palate, I found subtle tones of grass or herb, perhaps not thyme, and definite acidity. I agree with the general flavor notes given by the winery review but I’d add that this wine has a dry, almost tart taste that doesn't linger past consumption. With food?: I didn't try this particular wine with food, but I imagine some seafood would allow the citrus fruits to express more fully.

An Introduction

The purpose of this blog is to document my experiences with wine. So what better way to start it off, than to give you a look to MY introduction to wine and alcohol!?

My parents are the kind of people who believed that giving their children an exposure to alcohol early-on would decrease the amount of trouble they would get into later. They told us, "get in trouble now while we're around, so that the binge-drinking, police enforcement-inducing behavior wears itself OUT of your system." My 3 siblings and I definitely appreciated this when we were younger. We got to drink with our parents and the 'grown-ups' when we were still in elementary school. I think my first alcoholic beverage was red wine........I was 10. We would go to family get-togethers and have a glass of whatever the hosts were serving, usually a deep dark red. 

That was also about the time we went to France...and we know the French, they love their wine! In France, we went out to breakfasts and had a sensible cafe au laits and chocolat chauds, then lunches and dinners with pitchers of wine. We'd have picnics with a bottle or two and all of the vineyards we'd visit would give us a tasting. I'd say I have some experience drinking wine and since I turned 21, I've been happily purchasing wine, too.

I don't pretend to be an expert, but I know my favorites. Wine is my alcoholic beverage of choice and in the past few years, I've favored good Californian Rieslings--sweet, but just a little drier and less floral than Moscato. However, recently I've been loving some Chilean Malbecs. I drink with my friends and family, sometimes alone watching a movie. I love trying new wines and am constantly searching for a good wine that is relatively affordable on my poor-college-student budget. Maybe I'll find one this semester...

I hope to learn about the histories behind different wines, the regions from which these wines originate, what environments are conducive to grape growing and whatever factoids about wine that'll make me sound smart.

I am so excited to DRINK and WRITE ABOUT IT! Hopefully, this little look into my drinking past gives you an idea of how much I enjoy the beverage. I look forward to learning as much as I can during this semester in Geography of Wine.