Tasting - "Crane Lake Riesling"

Name: Crane Lake Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Wine Review: "Punchy lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle. Exceptionally priced, it’s satisfying and elegant."

My Review: This wine smells sweet and sugary and has a sweet, pear taste. This wine has a sugary aftertaste; it's very good but too sweet for a whole bottle!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Crane Lake Petite Sirah"

Name: Crane Lake Petite Sirah
Variety: Sirah
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Wine Review: "Shows a certain rustic simplicity now, with youthfully jammy flavors of blackberries, cherries and currants, sprinkled with cocoa and pepper and wrapped into dusty tannins."

My Review: Right away I noticed that this wine had a pretty maroon color and smelled sweet and slightly fruity. This wine really dries your mouth out and does not have a whole lot of flavor. It is also not sweet at all as the nose suggested. Not very good!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Yellowtail Reserve Merlot"

Name: Yellowtail Reserve Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: South Eastern, Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $12

Wine Review: "Round, velvety and mouthfilling, this is a satisfying Merlot at a bargain price. Aromas of black cherries and herbs fold in hints of cinnamon and mocha, while the flavors are generally fruity, but with a slightly tomatoey note. Soft on the finish. Drink now. "
 My Review: This wine has a fruity, slightly alcoholic, dark cherry smell and a sweet cherry, no alcohol taste. Very good! This wine dries your mouth out and has a little bit of an alcoholic aftertaste.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Takutai Pinot Gris"

Name: Takutai Pinot Gris
Variety: Pinot Gris
Region: Nelson, New Zealand
Country: Nelson, New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $21

Wine Review: "Since this wine weighs in at 14%, the fruit was clearly very ripe. That ripeness is reflected in the flavors as well, which feature nectarine and honey accented by hints of white pepper. It’s full bodied and lush, with a long finish that mingles the sensations of sweet and spicy."

My Review: This wine has a sour smell that almost reminds me of Lysol cleaning wipes. The taste is sweet and fruity with a sweet yet slightly sour aftertaste. Good!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Mars and Venus Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Mars and Venus Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $10

Wine Review: "Citrus and gooseberry aromas are mild but typical of the variety. A basic citrus palate delivers modest tangerine and nectarine flavors which lead to a mild, pithy finish showing light citric notes."

My Review: This wine smells like Welch's white grape juice and has no alcohol smell at all. The taste is not sweet at all and very sour with an alcoholic aftertaste. Not my favorite!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Wine and Cheese Pairing #2

Since I already had cheese leftover from my last wine and cheese pairing--and cheese is not cheap at all--I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and choose three different wines to pair and do a second wine and cheese pairing with my boyfriend. Seeing as he is a lot more open to wine (because I guess anything with alcohol appeals to a college-aged boy) the convincing and coming up with descriptions was much easier than the first pairing I did with my not-so-eager parents.

First we did an initial taste test so we could fully determine how the cheese changed the flavor of the wine and vice versa. 

First up, my all time favorite wine--Schmitt Sohne Riesling:

This 2014 German Riesling smelled of sour pear and alcohol and tasted sweet, yet not overly sweet, light, a little buttery, and with no alcohol at all. There was a bland aftertaste that dried our mouths out slightly. We both thought this wine would pair well with alfredo (which made me excited to pair it with cheese).








Second, Oak Leaf White Zinfandel:

 The first thing we noticed about this wine was that its' smell was similar to stinky feet and moldy cheese. However, the taste was sweet/sugary, light, floral, a little bland, and with no burn of alcohol at all. There really was no aftertaste. This wine was pretty good!








And finally, Oak Leaf Merlot:

This wine was dark magenta in color and not completely opaque but still pretty dark. It smelled of flowers and soil almost like a flower bed however also had a slight dark cherry smell as well. The taste was not very sweet in your mouth as we could taste the alcohol upfront where the sugar only come through after the wine was swallowed leaving a sweet aftertaste. Not too shabby!







Now on to pairing each of the wines with three different cheeses!

First, we tried each of the three cheeses with the Riesling:
1. Tomato Herb Goat Cheese: Together, the wine intensified the cheese  really bringing out the tomato and herb flavors stronger than when the cheese was consumed alone. This cheese made the wine taste light and sweet--almost like just having fruit juice rather than wine. The cheese gave the wine a stronger pear/fruitiness flavor and took away some of the sugar in the wine. Good pairing!
2. Haas Gouda: The sourness in the Gouda made the wine taste more sugary and sweet where the sweet wine brought out more of the sour flavors in the cheese. We could taste much less fruit when paired with this cheese and a slight alcohol aftertaste was noticed in the wine from the bitterness of the cheese. This bitter cheese did not seem to go well with such a sweet wine!
3. Parmesan: This cheese took away most of the sweetness in the wine and left no alcohol burn whatsoever. The cheese definitely overpowered the taste of the wine and brought out a sour aftertaste in the wine as well. Surprisingly, we both thought this was a pretty good pairing.

Second, we tried each of the three cheeses with the White Zinfandel:
1. Tomato Herb Goat Cheese: Right away this combination weirdly reminded us both of yogurt. This cheese left a bitter, alcoholic aftertaste from the wine and took away most of the sweetness tasted earlier in the wine. This combination brought the stinky feet/moldy cheese smell to taste; we did not think that this was very good!
2. Haas Gouda: The Gouda made the wine taste pretty sweet in your mouth and then bitter afterwards. The Gouda also gave the wine a burn at the end and took away any hint of fruit that was there to begin with. After a few sips however, we did notice a slight floral taste in the wine that was brought out by the sourness of the cheese.
3. Parmesan: This cheese took away a lot of the sweetness in the wine; it takes away almost all of the flavor of the wine actually making it kind of just there and nothing special.  However, the wine helps dumb down the strong, sour flavor of the cheese. All in all we were pretty indifferent about this pairing.

Finally, we tried each of the three cheeses with the Merlot:
1. Tomato and Herb Goat Cheese: This cheese overpowered the flavor of the Merlot altogether making the wine taste very bland. After pairing, the wine left a really bitter, alcoholic aftertaste with none of the original sweetness coming through at all. Bad Pairing!
2. Haas Gouda: This cheese made the wine taste only alcoholic and bitter with no sweetness coming through, drying out our mouths quite a bit. There was a sour aftertaste that lingered and just did not seem to leave for a long time.
3. Parmesan: The cheese gave the wine a slight floral taste at the very beginning but the Parmesan still overpowered the flavor of the wine giving alcoholic and bitter tones to the wine. This pairing was not great but definitely better then the two previous pairings.
Note: We did not think Merlot paired well with any cheese at all; I wonder if Merlot is just not supposed to be paired with cheese or if maybe we just overlooked the cheeses that were meant to pair well.

And that concludes my second wine and cheese pairing. I really enjoyed getting to see another person's perspective on the tastings as it was quite different from the first and honestly pretty educational. I will definitely continue to do wine and cheese pairings while taking notes even if I can no longer receive points for it!

Tasting - "Opera Prima Pink Moscato"

Name: Opera Prima Pink Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $10

Wine Review: "A blend of Muscat 97% and Tempranillo 3%. This fine sparkling presents an intense aroma of fresh berries and tropical fruits with hints of white flower petals. Delicate bubbles caress the palate offering a silky and pleasant sweetness well balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. Ideal on its own, as an aperitif or with all types of sweets and desserts. Serve it very cold, between 7 and 9°."

My Review: I was expecting this wine to smell a lot sweeter than it does; the smell reminds me of funeral flowers. This wine tastes very sweet, almost like a Shirley Temple with a very sugary aftertaste. Pretty good but I don't think I could drink more than a glass.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Cortenova Primitivo"

Name: Cortenova Primitivo
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $10

Wine Review: "Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and velvety on the palate. Great balance and structure. 100% Zinfandel"

My Review: This wine smells really sweet like strawberries and slightly floral. Pretty good! This tastes a little like red licorice and has a sweet aftertaste. I feel like this wine would be better with dinner.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Riebeek Cellars Shiraz"

Name: Riebeek Cellars Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2013
Price: $12

Wine Review: "Often referred to as Shiraz Country, the Riebeek Valley is renowned for exceptional Shiraz wines. The Riebeek Shiraz is a lively rich wine, full bodied with a subdued smokiness on the nose and a pallet of ripe fruit and interesting spice."

My Review: This wine smells fruity and floral and has pretty strong alcoholic, bitter taste. The aftertaste leaves your mouth very dry. I am not a fan!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - " Petrucco Ribolla Gialla"

Name: Petrucco Ribolla Gialla
Variety: Ribolla
Region: Italy
Country: Italy
Year: 2009
Price: $21

Wine Review: "This well-priced Friulano would pair nicely with spicy Indian or Thai food thanks to the creaminess and richness of its mouthfeel. In addition, the wine offers a solid bouquet of peach and melon that would not compete with fragrant ingredients 100% Ribolla Gialla."

My Review: This wine smells fruity and also a little sweet. The taste is hot--full of alcohol--and pretty bitter. There is a slight burnt and heavy alcohol aftertaste.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Le Jade Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Le Jade
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Langeudoc
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $10

Wine Review: "Silvery straw color. Lively aromas and flavors of pineapple, yellow apple, melon, and Meyer lemon with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a tingling, complex, medium-long finish with notes of lemongrass, pear, and lemon with no tannins and no oak. Bright and crisp with layers of juicy pineapple, pear, lemongrass and ripe melon make this perfect for repeated sipping or enhancing fresh farm to table cookery."

My Review: This wine had a sour, grape juice smell which was also slightly floral. There was no sweetness in the taste which was a little fruity and slightly sour. This wine had a bitter aftertaste.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Wine and Cheese Pairing #1

While my parents came to visit, I was able to convince them to partake in this wine and cheese pairing with me. As I have previously mentioned, my parents are not big wine fans, so after much discussion we all came to a pretty consensual agreement on the following descriptions.

First, we tried each wine by itself so we would get an idea of how the wine tasted before being influenced by the cheese:

   First up, the 2014 FlipFlop Riesling had a sweet, floral, somewhat sour, fruity smell and a sweet, light taste with no hint of alcohol in the taste. There was a slightly alcoholic aftertaste but was mostly just sweet and left your mouth pretty fast. Overall, pretty good!

  Next up, the 2010 Frappato Heria had a perfume smell that reminded us of Welch's Crangrape juice. This wine was also slightly bitter on the nose. It had a slightly alcoholic taste with no sweetness whatsoever. This wine had a sour aftertaste and dried out our mouths quite a bit. Overall, this wine was not my favorite as there was not a whole lot of flavor.

 Finally, the 2014 Chateau de Buffavent Beaujolais Nouveau was almost completely opaque and very dark purple in color. This wine smelled like black cherries and had no alcohol nose. It had a light, no alcoholic taste and was sweeter than the previously tasted red wine but kind of bland when compared to the Riesling. This wine had a bitter aftertaste but overall was pretty good, although we all agreed it might be better with dinner rather than by itself.






Now on to the cheeses!

First we tasted each cheese with the Riesling:

1. Tomato Basil Goat Cheese: The cheese makes the flavors in this wine more intense--fruitier and sweeter. The lingering cheese flavor also gives the wine a somewhat bitter taste. The tomato in the cheese mixes with the aftertaste of the wine and makes it feel "summery". Overall a pretty good pairing!

2. Van Kaas Gouda: This cheese cancels out some of the sweetness in the wine and also takes away a lot of the aftertaste of the wine as the cheese aftertaste overpowers the wine. We can taste more of the fruit in the wine with the Gouda as it takes away the sweetness leaving more of the fruity flavors exposed. 

3. Mediterranean Parmesan: The Parmesan makes the wine taste sour and takes away the sweetness. The flavor of the cheese overpowers the wine altogether, cancelling out all of the flavor and leaving behind only the taste of alcohol. Great Parmesan, but not so great with Riesling. 

Next, we tasted each cheese with the Frappato Herea:

1. Tomato Basil Goat Cheese: This cheese makes the wine taste sour however brings out more flavors in the wine making it also taste less bland. With the cheese we can taste a hint of fruitiness in the aftertaste that was not there before. 

2. Van Kaas Gouda: Awesome! The cheese takes away the alcohol taste in the wine altogether, making it taste a little sweeter and slightly floral. 

3. Mediterranean Parmesan: The Parmesan overpowers the flavor in the wine leaving more of an alcoholic and sour aftertaste. We are getting way more of the alcohol to come through with the cheese--not a fan! 

And finally, we tasted each cheese with the Chateau de Buffavent Beaujolais Nouveau:

1. Tomato Basil Goat Cheese: This cheese makes the wine taste slightly sweeter and a little more fruity. It also makes the aftertaste linger which tastes like alcohol and slightly bitter. The tomato flavor in the cheese and the cherry flavor in the wine go well together; pretty good pairing. 

2. Van Kaas Gouda: With this pairing, the wine seems to overpower the flavor of the cheese. There isn't that much of a difference in the taste of the wine however we can taste a little less alcohol than before and more of a sour aftertaste. We are pretty indifferent about this pairing--the cheese doesn't add anything to the wine but also doesn't take anything away. 

3. Mediterranean Parmesan: The Parmesan takes away all of the alcohol taste leaving the wine tasting pretty bland as the cheese overpowers the wine flavor however, not as overpowering with this wine as it was with the other two. If you leave the cheese in your mouth when you take a sip of wine at the same time, the wine tastes a tiny bit sweet. The Parmesan is better paired with this wine than the others but still not great. 

And that concludes my first wine and cheese pairing. Overall a great experience; even though my parents complain about wine even they couldn't whine (get it?) about getting to try a few wines and cheeses! 

 

Tasting - "Coastal Vines White Zinfandel"

Name: Coastal Vines White Zinfandel
Variety: White Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: California, USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95

Wine Review: "This White Zinfandel has a beautiful pink salmon color and crisp acidity. The wine shows juicy fruit flavors of strawberry and cherry, with a tangy sweet finish. Pairs well with mild cheeses, crab cakes, and spicy Asian cuisine."

My Review: This wine kind of smells like lysol wipes, has a sweet, light taste, and a sugary aftertaste. Very very good!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Ilurce Tempranillo"

Name: Ilurce Tempranillo
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $14

Wine Review: "Dark purple. Zesty, youthfully medicinal aromas of dark berries, licorice and cracked pepper. Juicy and fresh, with smooth texture and sweet cherry and spice flavors framed by dusty tannins. Finishes with a suggestion of slightly roasted fruits and good clinging persistence. Delivers a lot of power and richness for the money."

My Review: This wine smells very sweet and very much like cherries. The flavor is pretty bland compared to the smell and there is not much alcohol taste. I think this wine would be great with steak.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "San Elias Carmenere"

Name: San Elias Carmenere
Variety: Carmenere
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2014
Price: $9

Wine Review: "This medium-bodied red offers roasted plum, kirsch, sage and game notes, with light tannins supporting the spicy finish."

My Review: This wine is a dark maroon color and smells sweet and fruity like strawberries. It has a light, dark cherry taste and a bitter, alcoholic aftertaste. Pretty good!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Reibeek Chenin Blanc"

Name: Reibeek Chenin Blanc
Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: Swartland
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $10

Wine Review: "Fresh kiwifruit, green apple and almond notes bounce along, showing a flash of plantain on the friendly finish. Drink now. "

My Review: This wine has a very floral smell and a kind of bland but tart, dry taste. I like it! I feel like this wine would taste great with salmon.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Santa Luz Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Santa Luz Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $11

Wine Review: "Like any good Sauvignon Blanc, this opens with oceanic aromas of citrus fruits, sea foam and minerality. In the mouth, it is juicy and stony, with washing acidity. Flavors of honeydew, lime and a nice grassiness finish firm, with good backbone. Drink this with salads, shellfish and ceviche."

My Review: This wine smells like Welch's white gape fruit but also slightly sour. The taste is light and there is a little alcohol taste coming through as well. This wine had a dry aftertaste. I am indifferent to this wine--not great but not bad.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Canyon Road Moscato"

Name: Canyon Road Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: California, USA
Year: 2013
Price: $12

Wine Review: "Floral, with tea rose and cherry blossom notes, this balanced Moscato shows flavors of ripe white cherry, candied plum and almond on the smooth finish."
 My Review: This wine had a very sugary, sweet, and fruity smell. The taste was also very sweet and had no bite of alcohol whatsoever and had a somewhat sticky aftertaste. Very good, but a little too sweet for me.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Resonata Nera D'Avola"

Name: Resonata Nera D'Avola
Variety: Nera D'Avola (Calabrese)
Region: Sicily
Country: Sicily, Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $14

Wine Review: "The grapes are soft pressed and the juice is placed in stainless steel along with the skins for a maceration of 8 to 10 days with daily pumping over of the juice to extract more color and sweet tannins. Dense ruby red with violet reflections. Lush and ripe bouquet full of mulberries, blackberries and spice. Harmonious and well balanced with good berry fruit in a spicy background. Excellent with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheeses."

My Review: This wine had a perfume like smell and tasted light and slightly alcoholic. This wine had a somewhat woody aftertaste and was interesting. Pretty good.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Canyon Road Pinot Noir"

Name: Canyon Road Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: California, USA
Year: 2013
Price: $12

Wine Review: "Rich, fruit forward cherry flavors, soft tannins, a medium body and a smooth velvety finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, salmon, and savory pork dishes."

My Review: Very good! This wine had a smoky, strawberry smell and a sweet, fruity aftertaste. I tasted no bite of alcohol in this wine.
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Maipe Torrontes"

Name: Maipe Torrontes
Variety: 100% Torrontes
Region: Mendoza
Country: Mendoza, Argentina
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Wine 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 fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish."

My Review: This wine had a sweet, floral smell and tasted pretty sweet, but not as sweet as it's smell. This wine had a slightly alcoholic aftertaste. Not bad!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Hugl Weine Gruner Veltliner"

Name: Hugl Weine Gruner Veltliner
Variety: 100% Gruner Veltliner
Region: Austria
Country: Austria
Year: 2013
Price: $14

Wine Review: "A fresh scent of green pears greets the nose. What follows comes in a light, crisp citrus vein, supported by a rounded mouthfeel. A refreshing wine for immediate drinking. -Anne Krebiehl, MW"

My Review: This wine had a sour, fruity smell and a very bitter taste. I didn't think this wine had very much flavor and had a pretty sour aftertaste. Not very good in my opinion!
I enjoyed this wine without food.

Tasting - "Aconga Bonarda-Merlot"

                                                 Name: Aconga Bonarda-Merlot

Variety: 80% Bonarda, 20% Merlot 

Region: Argentina 

Country: Argentina 

Year: 2014

Price: $6

Wine Review: "An ancient Incan word meaning "Stone Sentinel", Acongua is the highest mountain in the Americas, towering over Mendoza. It is the great mountain's name that inspired "Aconga", a symbol of grandeur and the celebration of a land steeped in history. Argentina, known as the land of the silver, embraces artisans well known for their unparalleled silver craftsmanship." -Aconga Winery Review

My Review: This wine is extremely dark in color; no light shines through when held up to the light. It has an alcoholic smell with hints of black cherry. This wine has a bland aftertaste, no bite of alcohol, tastes bitter, and leaves your mouth dry. I feel as though this wine would taste good with a steak dinner. I wasn't the biggest fan but I would buy this wine again to pair with dinner. 

I enjoyed this wine without food.