Week 9 Wine Tasting

Another week, another wine (or 5...)

Wine #1: San Elias

San Elias, Carmenere, Chile, 2010, $5.95

Smell: Woody and spicy, kind of like cedar shakes on a beach house, or cigarette ashes, but not in quite as disgusting a way as that sounds.

Taste: Very smooth, then dry and a bit tart, then the peppery spiciness comes in, and then woody. Not woody in a creamy toasty way, but in a tree bark or freshly cut pine sort of way.

Established Review: "Beautiful red fruit aromas. Supple and round in the mouth, the wine pairs well with full flavored cheeses and lamb." Vintage Cellar

Wine #2: Col Des Vents

Col Des Vents, Blend (Carignan, Grenache, Syrah), Corbieres, France, 2009, $7.95

Smell: Sweet, plum/prune, blackberry

Taste: Very light, then dry. Spicy with a hot finish. Didn't get a whole lot of flavor at the beginning

Established Review: "Brambly berry, cherry and raspberry, spices, black pepper…all are present in this authentic French country wine." Vintage Cellar

Wine #3: Peter Mertes

Peter Mertes, Liebfraumilch (Muller-thurgau grapes), Germany, 2009, $5.95

Smell: Sweet, dates and apples

Taste: Crisp, fresh, sweet, honey, and apple. Very yummy!

Established Review: "Leibfraumilch is a soft, delicate wine of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate districts. The original wine was named after the Leibfraumilch monastery in Worms, where the monks were the first wine growers and produced an unusually pleasing wine. Wines of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate are noted for their aroma, well balanced harmony, and fragrance." Vintage Cellar

Wine #4: Peter Mertes Platinum

Peter Mertes, Riesling, Germany, 2010, $6.95

Smell: Light, a little citrus, and some apple

Taste: Crisp, tart apple, smooth, with a little tang at the end. Ended up getting this wine when the one above was sold out. Pretty good, less sweet (although still a pretty sweet wine) than the Liebfraumilch

Established Review: "A sweeter wine with a little more body, but still has just enough acidity to create a perfectly balanced wine." vinopedia.com

Wine #5: Three Rivers Winery

Three Rivers Winery, Merlot, Walla Walla, Washington, 2006, $8.00

Smell: Cherry, a little light wood, like pine

Taste: Tart, black cherry. Some spice, a little heat, then dry and tannic

Established Review: "Smooth and round, with a nice minty aura to the black cherry and dried currant flavors, persisting on the lively finish." wespeakwine.com

Week 8 Wine Tasting

More time, more wine, so let's get to it!

Wine #1: Torrent Bay

Torrent Bay, Chardonnay, Nelson, New Zealand, 2009, $6.95

Smell: Beer and cheese, a hint of stinky feet, and pre-packaged lunchmeat. For me, not the most appealing smell in terms of something to drink...or at all, for that matter.

Taste: Tart and then a little cheesy. At the very end, it was a very little bit smokey. Overall, not my cup of tea.

Established Review: "Fleshy, melony aromas cuddle some fresh oak. The palate has decent acidity so there’s freshness along with weight, resiny oak flavors, lemon and green apple." Vintage Cellar (side note: clearly, I'm getting some different smells and flavors!)

Wine #2: Lost Vineyards

Lost Vineyards, Vinho de Mesa Tinto, Portugal, no vintage, $3.95

Smell: Cranberry juice cocktail, raspberry, strawberry, and a bit of pepper

Taste: VERY peppery, a little woody. Not really getting much of the fruit that I smelled

Established Review: "Pours a light garnet color with a nice crisp zest, with aromas of cranberries and orange peel on the nose. Drinks smooth with a briary of mild cherries, wild strawberries and raspberries along with a note of rhubarb. Pairs particularly well with wild game and heavy fish such as salmon." Vintage Cellar

Wine #3: Ebano

Ebano, Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 2007, $7.95

Smell: Definitely smell the alcohol, but after that, a little plum

Taste: Light and tart. Bitter towards the back of my mouth. Pretty dry.

Established Review: "The 2007 Ebano 6 is 100% Tempranillo aged 4 months in French oak. Dark ruby red in color, it displays a pleasant bouquet of cedar, spice box, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium- to full bodied on the palate with savory flavors and plenty of spice, this racy, vibrant Tempranillo has enough structure to drink well over the next 5-6 years and is a very good value." Robert Parker via Vintage Cellar

Wine #4: Zonin

Zonin, Pinot Grigio, Italy, 2009, $5.95

Smell: Honeysuckle, pear, and apple

Taste: Tart apple, creamy and a hint of toast at the end. Very delicious! Plus, at that price for that size bottle, it would have had to have been pretty sub-par for me to not get it!

Established Review: "Delicately fruity bouquet, with outstanding finesse and marked hints of almond blossom and peaches. Elegant, soft and well structured fruit on the palate, with remarkable freshness and a clean, persistent aftertaste." Vintage Cellar

Wine #5: Estrella

Estrella, Chardonnay, Napa, California, 2010, $5.95

Smell: Pear, fruity, peach, and floral

Taste: Tart at the beginning, then very oaky and buttery. I can definitely see the difference between the oaked California Chardonnay and the "naked" Chardonnay. I don't know that I have a strong preference for one over another, I suppose it would depend on the situation. Overall, though, I liked this one!

Established Review: "Intensely flavored and balanced with layers of vanilla, butter and pear, followed by apple, banana and oak." Vintage Cellar

Week 7 Wine Tasting

I think, or rather hope, that I'm getting better at tasting wine. I feel like I'm better able to detect different flavors and nuances, even if they're not what everyone else smells/tastes. What I'm most excited about, though, is that I'm now enjoying wine in a new way. Hopefully I can continue to improve my palate! Alrighty, on to the wines!

Wine #1: Resonata

Resonata, Nero D'Avola, Sicily, Italy, 2010, $6.95

Smell: Some dark fruit at the beginning, like plums and cherries, and then an oakiness (is that a word? We'll pretend that it is)

Taste: Buttery, oaky, toast, but tart at the same time. There was some heat at the end. I like parts of this, but not others, so I'm not sure what I feel about it.

Established Review: "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." Vintage Cellar

Wine #2: Don Ramon

Don Ramon, Tinto (75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo), Spain, 2008, $7.95

Smell: Very fruity, but light. I got cherry and blackberry.

Taste: It was initially very sweet, then tart, and then hot. Somewhere in there I tasted cranberry.

Established Review: "Ruby red in color, with creamy aromas of earth and cherry. Flavor turns toward deeper and darker black cherry and raspberry on a medium framework. A subtle earthiness underneath the bright fruit adds some depth and complexity." Vintage Cellar




Wine #3: Heinz Eifel

Heinz Eifel "Shine", Riesling, Germany, 2010, $8.95

Smell: There was a mineral smell to it, kind of like a rock, maybe one with some moss on it. And there was a hint of raspberry.

Taste: Still mineral, but also tangy. It was sweet at first, like peaches and cranberries.

Established Review: "Flint and mineral notes accent pineapple and lime aromas, while on the palate, the wine shows plenty of ripe, citrusy fruit flavors. Tangy acids on the long finish provide balance." Vintage Cellar




Wine #4: Muscanti

Muscanti Brut, Muscanti, Girona, Spain, no vintage, $7.95

Smell: Lemon and apple, and I thought I got a small hint of banana, but I couldn't find the smell again when I tried

Taste: Very crisp, lemon and sour apple, and a bit bubbly

Established Review: "Lemon blossoms, green apple, toast and honeydew melon are front and center in this crisp refreshing Spanish Sparkler. Silky supple with lingering flavors, yet a tingle of citric acid on the finish." Vintage Cellar

Wine #5: Spanish Vines

Spanish Vines, Sauvignon Blanc, Spain, 2009, $4.95

Smell: Sweetness, some banana, and grass. The alcohol-y smell was also apparent

Taste: Light with some grapefruit and minerality. Very smooth, creamy finish

Established Review: "Apple and floral notes and then an almost buttery palate with baked apple and citrus flavors." Wine Enthusiast via Vintage Cellar

Week 6 Wine Tasting

For whatever reason, I'm not in a super blog-y mood right now, so this post will probably be even more boring than usual. Sorry to the TA who has to read this! Well, here goes...

Wine #1: Coreto

Coreto, Tinto, Lisboa Region, Portugal, 2008, $6.95

Smell: Black cherry, plum, brandy, and the fruit in fruit cakes, whatever that is called.

Taste: Some cherry, some plum, and it was a little bitter for my taste.

Established Review: "This red from the Coreto range has loads of dark berry fruit with a hint of new oak creating a soft, velvet structure that makes it very

easy to drink. Red currant and juicy acidity." Vintage Cellar

Wine #2: Charles Thomas

Charles Thomas, Cotes-du-Rhone, Rhone, France, 2009, $8.95

Smell: Lighter than I was anticipating based on the color and reputation of a Cotes-du-Rhone. I smelled some caramel and strawberry.

Taste: Soft but very dry and tannic. A little pepper-y at the end.

Established Review: "A blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. Well made, with loads of berry fruit and a heady, meaty, peppery nose with a hint of Provencal herbs, the wine is fresh, lively, and best drunk over the next 2 years." Wine Advocate

Wine #3: Lost Vineyards

Lost Vineyards, Spumante, Italy, no vintage, $4.95

Smell: Peaches, melon, and jasmine

Taste: Very bubbly and light, zingy, not as syrup-y sweet as I imagined, though still sweet. Green apple flavors, very delicious!

Established Review: "Pale silvery straw color. Floral aromas of apples, peaches, and potpourri follow through on a round, frothy entry to a fruity medium bodied sweet wine with good depth and tangy peach fruit and a breezy, harmonious green apple kissed finish." Vintage Cellar

Wine #4: Santola

Santola, Vinho Verde, Portugal, 2009, $7.95

Smell: Pear and lemongrass. Interesting combination.

Taste: Very light, a little grapefruit and other citrus.

Established Review: "Soft and creamy, although with just the right Vinho Verde bite, this is a crisp and clean wine, boasting light pear and pink grapefruit flavors. Off dry and very fresh." Vintage Cellar

Wine #5: Protocolo

Protocolo, Blanc, Spain, 2010, $6.95

Smell: Sweeter, lemon-y scent. I got a hint of what I thought was watermelon at one point in time, but I wasn't able to get it again. Does this work like science? Is it only valid if it's repeatable?

Taste: Stronger and more tart than I was anticipating based on the scent. Also tasted a tiny bit grassy.

Established Review: "Greenish gold. Subtle aromas of mint, lemon and orange, with a hint of honeysuckle. Dry, understated and focused, offering clean citrus and melon flavors and slow-building sweetness. Finishes dry and brisk, with an echo of lemon." Stephan Tanzer