Tasting - Bay Bridge Chardonnay

Name: Bay Bridge Vineyard Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Livermore & Ripon, California
Country: USA
Year: No price on the bottle
Price: $3.00

Winery Review: "For an inexpensive wine, this one is great...It has a rich buttery flavor and is much better than equally prices Two-Buck Chuck at Trader Joe's. If you were at a wine-tasting venue and sampled this, you would say it is much more expensive."
- donna302 (10/11/2010) 

My Review: Tried the swirl and sniff, and my first impression was the smell of pear. It did not smell like a sweet wine. Upon tasting it, it was not as tarte as I expected. It is sweet and not bitter but not sweet like fruit. I think this wine would be good paired with steak. For the price, I have to agree, it is pretty good but I would not buy again.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Bay Bridge White Zinfandel

Name: Bay Bridge Winery White Zinfandel
Variety: Varietal White Zinfandel (from Zinfandel grape but processed to make it pink not red) 
Region: Livermore & Ripon, California
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $3.00

Winery Review: "Not bad for such a hot summer dinner, better chilled before drinking. Pale coral color, slight honey peach aromas, sweet and fruity taste, suitable for girls. Paired it with my dinner, roast squid with garlic. Cheers."
- J.W. (8/14/2018) https://www.vivino.com/bay-bridge-white-zinfandel/w/1672218?year=2014

My Review: The first time I tried this wine without swirling and let me tell you, it makes a difference. I still think it smells pungent but it tastes better with the molecules coating the glass. Overall, this wine is very floral, with medium-sweetness. I would probably not buy this again.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - White Zinfandel Moscato

Name: Beringer Main & Vine White Zinfandel Moscato 

Variety: Blended wine (85% White Zinfandel and 15% Moscato) 

Region: Sonoma, California 

Country: USA 

Year: No year on the bottle 

Price: $6.00 

Winery Review: "Distinctive raspberry perfume with lychee, tropical fruit and enticing floral notes. This wine has mouthwatering fruit flavors with a moderately sweet palate."
- Shop Review 

My Review: I was skeptical at first because it is a semi-dry wine but I think it is the perfect blend of dry and sweet. It is very smooth going down. I taste the tropical fruit and floral notes mentioned in the shop review but I do not taste the raspberry flavors. For a semi-sweet wine it is still enjoyable for someone who only likes sweet wines. I would purchase this again. 

I did not try this wine with food. 

Tasting - Carolo Rossi Moscato Sangria

Name: Carlo Rossi Moscato Sangria Wine Specialty Beverage
Variety: California Table Wine
Region: Modesto, California
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $4.00

Winery Review: "Our Moscato Sangria is smooth and delicious with tropical flavors and hints of summer fruits, Apple, orange, and peach combines perfectly with an ideal amount of refreshment and sweetness"
- Shop Review

My Review: Smells sweet with hints of peach. I think the peach is more overpowering and takes away from the apple taste but that is fine with me as I do not like apple flavored things. It is a light, sweet wine that reminds me of summer nights and barbecues. It is also not as dense as regular sangria. I would definitely buy again. 

I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Gallo Family Sweet Grape

Name: Gallo Family Vineyards Sweet Grape
Variety: Blended table wine
Region: Modesto, California
    -  This is a vinted wine though, so it was bottled in California and vinted in Australia, Argentina,            Spain 
Country: USA, Australia, Argentina, Spain
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $6.00

Winery Review: "Gorgeous Grape! Sweet Grape is deliciously sweet and slightly fizzy. Fruity and light-bodied with a hint of juicy concord grape. Sweet Grape is the perfect complement to your favorite meal, at parties, or as a sweet treated enjoyed on its own."
-Gallo Family Vineyards Review 

My Review: Smells delicious! I taste no alcohol whatsoever, it is exactly like grape juice. The only bad thing about this wine is how easy it is to drink. Be careful or before you know it, the bottle will be gone. There is also a slightly fizzy taste that makes it fun to drink. Definitely goes down smooth and will definitely be buying again.

I tasted this wine without food.

Tasting - Rex-Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Rex-Golaith The Legend Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Table wine 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Acampo, California (bottled)
Country: USA (product of Spain per bottle)
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $6.00

Winery Review: Our star grape, Cabernet Sauvignon, is the king of all reds. We think it's a perfect fit for His Royal Majesty. This is a hearty, yet smooth Cabernet Sauvignon. I love taking this wine to get-togethers with friends. It always seems to help inspire good conversation.
- Rex-Goliath Winemaker's Notes Review
This regal wine is ready to be paired with herb-roasted beef, leg of lamb, Brie, cheddar or chocolate.
- Also from the Rex-Goliath Website but for food pairings

My Review: The smell makes me a little skeptical because it smells very strong with a very prominent alcoholic smell. This wine is very tarte, there is not a hint of sweetness in it. The pepper spices seem to overpower the plum and blackberry taste. I feel like I need to brush my teeth after that wine as it is a very dark wine. I do not think I would enjoy or want to spend the money on this wine again.

I did not try this wine with food but I think I would have liked it better with Brie. And maybe some pretzels.

Tasting - Winking Owl Sweet Red

Name: Winking Owl Vineyards Sweet Red
Variety: Table wine red blend
Region: Modesto, California 
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $3.00

Winery Review: Medium-bodied red wine with a smooth well- rounded finish. Notes of ripe berries and red fruit with hints of blackberry and cherry add depth and richness. Pairs well with grilled or roasted dishes, rich red pasta sauce dishes and spicy foods.
- Aldi Shop Review

My Review: Immediately smells like a delicious grape juice that I could enjoy for any occasion. At first I was concerned because I am not a fan of red wine but this wine has stolen my heart. It is very easy going down as it tastes like fruit juice. There is a sweetness that leaves me wanting more. I could easily drink the whole bottle in one night. I taste the blackberry in this wine but not so much the cherry as mentioned above. I would definitely buy this wine again.

I did not try this wine with food. 

Tasting - Secco Peach Bellini

Name: Secco Peach Bellini wine specialty
Variety: Sparkling wine with peach flavor
Region: Danville, California
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $6.00

Winery Review: A delicious and fruity specialty made with carbonated wine and peach flavor. This unique delight suits perfect to your brunch or any other occassion.
- Taken from the bottle (1/26/2019) 

My Review: I instantly smell the peach aroma once the glass was poured. Upon the first sip I was instantly in love. The bubbly texture and the peach taste went down very smooth. Although this wine is carbonated it is not overpowering like McDonalds Sprite that brings tears. This sparkling, carbonated wine is perfect for any night out and as for brunch goes, it is so much better than a mimosa.

I did not try this wine with food and I do not think it needed to be paired with food.

Tasting - 14 Hands Pinot Grigio

Name: 14 Hands Winery Washington State Pinot Grigio

Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio 

Region: Paterson, Washington State

Country: USA 

Year: 2016

Price: $11.00

Winery Review: This crisp, refreshing Pinot Grigio has aromas of fresh melon and green apple that are followed on the palate by flavors of pear and honeysuckle. A great pairing with your favorite seafood. 

- Taken from the bottle (1/26/2019)

My Review: The smell is very overpowering and smells strongly of pears. Personally, I think it smells better than it tastes. There is a faint taste of pears and green apple but overall, I am not a fan of dry wines. This pinot grigio is sour and very tarte. I think I would have liked it better with a mexican or cheese dish. 

I did not taste this wine with food. 

Tasting - Christmas Mead

Name: Lyme Bay Winery, Christmas Mead
Variety: A rich honey Mead blended with festive spirits
Region: Shute, Axminster, Devon
Country: England
Year: 2014
Price: nine pounds

Winery review: Christmas Mead is a very special festive, rich honey wine. Blended with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, lemon and orange zest, it's a perfect accompaniment to sweet Christmas treats or strongly flavoured cheeses.

Wine critic: (award winning wine) "Fresh, alive and not cloying. Lovely gentle honey flavours and the right level of spice. Rich, pleasant mouthfeel and a light yet luxurious texture."
- Taken from the website lymebaywinery.co.uk (1/26/2019)

My review: Very different than the wines I usually drink as this one was a gift from England. I had a hard time with the first glass because the smell and the spices were overpowering. By the second glass I got used to the taste. I think the spices are stronger than the winery and critic mentioned above but overall very smooth. I will finish the bottle but I cannot say that I would buy it again if I got the opportunity.

I did not have food with this wine and I did heat it up on the stove top which in my opinion made it taste better than it would have chilled.

Getting Excited About Wine Time

My name is Jessica Chambers and I love wine. This is Bear and he also enjoys wine (plush toys). 

I grew up in a family where the adults always had wine on special occasions such as celebratory dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, etc. It was not unusual once I became a teenager for my grandparents to pour me a small glass at one of these special occasions because they were Irish and German, two countries where the legal drinking age is much less than 21. However, every experience I had with wine, I hated it. I thought all wine was bitter, red, and hard to drink because that is just the type of wine they had around for those occasions.  

Once I was able to explore wine on my own I quickly realized that not all wine tasted disgusting. I branched out in college and tried wines that were moscato, merlot, chardonnay, and many more. What I found was that my taste in wine closely resembles my sweet tooth for candy and chocolate. I love sweet wines (but not the hangover). However, I know nothing about what foods to eat to enhance my experience with other wines that are not so sweet. I am looking forward to pairing different foods with different wines. I also find it interesting, and a bit skeptical - so I am looking forward to being proved wrong, that wine tastes different out of different containers or drink glasses. 

Another thing I am excited for is wineries. I discovered my love for wineries, which are way better than breweries, my junior year in college. I went to Beliveau Winery in Blacksburg without being able to drink but for vendors and grape stomping. It was beautiful and such a peaceful place to relax, drink wine, and talk to close friends or family. Also the grape stomping was really fun. The environment is another thing that I love about wine and wineries. To me wine is more of a social drink that does not involve pressure, parties, or wasted nights. There is no shame in going to a winery on a Sunday and being able to make it to work on a Monday. 

I am super excited to learn things about wine that I never knew, visit wineries, and overall enhance my wine experience. Maybe I will even find a wine that is not so sweet that I fall in love with.