Tasting - Pebble

Name: Pebble 

Varietal: Viognier
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $18.00

Shop Review: "Coppery, lemon yellow in the glass. Medium-to-full bodied for the varietal. White flowers and stone fruit - nectarine hints - on the nose. Good structure, nice weight and mouthfeel. Big, balanced, and a best-buy for Viognier."

My Review: Smells floral and fruity. It is very plain and does not have much taste. It is a forgettable wine. It smells better than it tastes. I taste faint hints of peach but it is still not good.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Zapatazo

Name: Zapatazo Torrontes Famatina Valleys 

Varietal: Dry, light, white blend
Region: Argentina
Country: Argentina
Year: 2017
Price: $18.00

Shop Review: "Brilliant pale lemon-yellow in the glass. Nose of white flowers and stone fruits, peach fuzz, and ripe apricot. This wine tastes as it smells, plus a hint of minerality. Good acidity and feel, light bodied and crisp, with a lingering freshness." 

My Review: This is a very light, dry wine. It reminds me of crisp apples in the spring. I also taste pears in addition to the apples. It would be good paired with food because it left my mouth watering until the next wine I tried.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Giovina

Name: Giovina, Montepulciano d' Abruzzo 

Varietal: Dry Blend
Region: Italy but imported by Napa, California
Country: Italy
Year: 2017
Price: $18.00

Shop Review: "Inky purple-to-garnet hues in the glass. Aromas of smoke, earth, and hints of leather dominated by cherry-to-blackberry notes. A vibrant house red pour with some old-world character."

My Review: This wine smells very dry. Upon tasting it, it is very tart and would pair well with food. It is a wine that leaves me wanting food. It was hard finishing my glass. I did not like it.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Fissata

Name: Fissata 

Varietal: Sweet Blend
Region: New York
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $18.00

Shop Review: "Translucent, dark watermelon red in color, this release opens with floral, sweet-ish stone fruit over a raspberry-ish nose. A well-integrated palate of sweet fruity red berries and a nutty quality are repeated in the mouth. Gentle effervescence makes for an overall pleasing dessert wine experience."

My Review: This is an amazing wine. It is super sweet with watermelon and candy tastes, which I love and it does not taste like alcohol at all. It reminds me of juice. I could drink this wine forever. It is just perfect. 

I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Sweet Blush Wine Muscadine

Name: American Muscadine Sweet Blush Wine 

Varietal: 100% Muscadine
Region: Lexington, North Carolina
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $7.05 close out price

Shop Review: "Lush and balanced wine, recommended with fruit-based desserts. This wine has been increasingly popular over the past year and few stores in America still have this wine."

My Review: This wine is a weird combination. I taste the sweetness of the muscadine but there is a bitter tartness. I am not sure I like this wine. It has a weird aftertaste.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Dinner 2 Broke Edition

Dinner - West End and Turner food (cause were broke college kids) 

We chose west end and turner food because it is that point in the semester where we are all broke but still have campus money. I am looking forward to good campus food and an array of wines. 

 

Course One: Chicken Tenders paired with Yellow Tail Rose

Wine on it's own: Smells sweet and floral. This wine is not very sweet but it is not bitter either, it has a very good balance. I taste hints of peach but no other fruits. It is a dry wine. I am not sure that I would buy it again. 

Pairing notes: The wine paired well with the chicken. The faint acidity of the wine complimented the food making the chicken taste better. The wine made the breading of the chicken a perfect amount of saltiness. I do not think the wine overpowered the food nor did the food overpower the wine. The food made the wine more acidic but lighter. The wine was not too sweet for the food. 

 

Course Two: Chicken Bowl from Qdoba + chips paired with Beringer Main & Vine Red Crush-Red Blend 

Wine on it's own: This wine smells like cherries but strong. I expected this wine to be a big, bold wine. It is sweeter than I thought and I found it to be smooth. However, it is kind of bland which a balance of sweetness. The one thing I like is that it does not taste like alcohol. 

Pairing notes: I think the wine pairs well. I think the acidity of the wine compliments the spiciness of the food making it taste better. I think the wine dulled the spiciness down and made it more salty. I do not think the food overpowered the wine or the wine overpowered the food. I think the food does make the wine less sweet though. 

 

Course Three: Salted Caramel Cheesecake paired with Barefoot 100% Riesling 

Wine on it's own: This wine instantly refreshes you. It tastes like a crisp, summery drink but then the sweetness hits you. It is not overly sweet but not bitter. I taste strong hints of tangerine. I personally love this wine and would buy this again and again.   

Paring notes: This wine and food did not pair well. The acidity of the wine was enhanced by the cheesecake. The wine had no effect on the food but the food made the wine taste extremely bitter. The food overpowered the wine and the wine did nothing for the food. The cheesecake makes the wine bitter and taste like a dry rose. 

 

 

Tasting - La Cornada Tempranillo

Name: La Cornada Crianza 2015 Tempranillo
Varietal: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Valdepenas, Spain
Country: Spain
Year: 2015
Price: $5.00

Shop Review: "The Tempranillo Crianza has matured for a minimum of two years. Including 6 months in American oak barrels. A full-bodied dry wine with succulent flavors of black cherry and plum, complemented by nuances of clove and spice."

My Review: I tasted the hints of black cherry mentioned above however it was a very bitter wine. I could barely finish my glass. I am not sure if aging it more would help. It was not sweet at all.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Moiselle Sweet Red

Name: Moiselle Sweet Red
Varietal: A table blend
Region: Modesto, California
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $5.00

Shop Review: "Moiselle is a delightful wine for everyday occasions. Our sweet red showcases a refreshing sweetness with mouthwatering flavors of black cherry and raspberry." 

My Review: This wine was a perfect amount of sweetness. I tasted the hints of black cherry and raspberry that help cover up the alcohol making it enjoyable. I would buy this wine again.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Moiselle Sweet Rose

Name: Moiselle Sweet Rose
Varietal: A table blend
Region: Modesto, California
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $5.00

Shop Review: "Moiselle is a delightful wine for everyday occasions. Our sweet rose showcases a refreshing sweetness with mouthwatering hints of juicy cherry and watermelon."

My Review: I found this wine to be more tart than expected. It is called sweet rose but I did not find it as sweet as I would have liked. I also tasted hints of watermelon as mentioned above which makes this wine unique but not hints of cherry.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Chocolate Wine

Name: Rapidan River Chocolate
Varietal: Red wine and chocolate blend
Region: Leon, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $17.00

Shop Review: "The chocolate lover's wine! Smooth and luscious, this sweet red wine and chocolate blend with delight your senses."

My Review: Instantly smells like chocolate. I could not even taste the wine which is bad for wine lovers but I enjoyed this wine. It makes the perfect dessert.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Peach Wine

Name: Rapidan River Peach
Varietal: They did not make that clear
Region: Leon, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $17.00

Shop Review: "This light wine is redolent of fresh peaches. A lovely balance of sweetness and acidity."

My Review: It smells perfect and overwhelmingly peachy. I found it extremely sweet, in a bad way. And even though the peach was overpowering I could still taste the alcohol in it which I did not like either. It was 6% residual sugar.

I did not try this with food. 

Tasting - Semi Dry Riesling

Name: Rapidan River Semi Dry Riesling
Varietal: 100% Riesling
Region: Leon, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $17.00

Shop Review: "Round and creamy, highlighting notes of white flowers and stone fruits."

My Review: It smelled very crispy and light. It tasted very sweet and floral, not creamy at all to me. I tasted strong hints of apricot. It was very unique. I have not tasted a wine like it before.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Merlot-Cabernet Reserve

Name: Prince Michel Merlot-Cabernet Reserve
Varietal: 85% Merlot & 15% Cabernet
Region: Leon, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $28.00

Shop Review: "Dark fruit such as black currant and cherry prevail."

My Review: I found this wine to be very tart and dry. It was bitter and would be best with a steak dish. It left me wanting food. I would not buy it.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Dry Rose

Name: Prince Michel Dry Rose
Varietal: Was not made clear
Region: Leon, Virginia
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $28.00

Shop Review: "The obvious strawberry characteristics of the grape truly shine through in this light bodied Rose."

My Review: I thought this wine was very floral both in smell and taste. It was surprisingly sweet also. The dryness made it very crisp and almost refreshing. I loved it.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Pinot Grigio

Name: Prince Michel Pinot Grigio
Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Leon, Virginia 
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $28.00

Shop Review: "Classic Italian style with subtle hints of citrus and mineral: Refreshing with a clean finish."

My Review: I found this wine surprisingly pleasant. It was described as a dry wine with no residual sugar but I loved it because it was not bitter or pungent. It was smooth, floral, and easy to drink. I would buy it again.

I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - Irish Cream

Name: Declan's Irish Cream 
Varietal: Irish Cream and Red Wine
Region: Lewiston, Maine
Country: USA
Year: No year on the bottle
Price: $20.00

Shop Review: "For a true taste of Ireland without the travel, look no further than Declan's Irish Cream Wine Cocktail. Inspired by the bold yet tranquil beauty of the Emerald Isle, its rich flavors evoke images of the lush Irish countryside. Delightfully smooth and indulgently sweet. Declan's is easy to enjoy anywhere and anytime. Whether you take it in coffee or by itself, keep a bottle on your shelf."

My Review: This is my favorite out of all the wines I tried today. It does not taste like wine, it tastes sweet and like chocolate which is right up my alley. It hit the sweet spot but I also felt the burn which is good for some people and bad for others.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Minervois

Name: Hecht & Bannier Minervois
Varietal: Minervois
Region: Calatayud, Spain
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price:  $26.00

Shop Review: "Pureed raspberry, plum and spice flavors are lined with dusty tannins in this fresh, focused red. Hintos of milk chocolate add a touch of richness, with floral and spice notes lingering on the crisp finish. Drink now through 2019."

My Review: Smells like a sweeter red but without any sweetness. Tastes like a same old, same old wine. There is really nothing special about this wine. I would not buy it.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Sangiovese

Name: Crane Lake Sangiovese
Varietal: 100% Sangiovese
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Price:  $10.00

Shop Review: "Medium-garnet color; blackberry, plum and vanilla aromas; raspberry and cherry flavors; with supple tannins for a soft finish. This wine pairs well with fresh mozzarella and Brie cheeses. Also try it along with veal piccata, chicken parmesan or meat lasagna."

My Review: I smelled strong wiffs of alcohol and berries, none of the vanilla aromas mentioned above. It was very tart but smooth going down. I thought it was also too acidic and not sweet at all.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Cotes de Provence Seduction

Name: Ch des Muraires Seduction
Varietal: Blend of 35% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Vermentino, and 20% Carignana
Region: Provence, France
Country: France
Year: 2016
Price:  $26.00

Shop Review: "Lightly perfumed wine with a strong herbal element. It is a ripe finely structured wine, with great acidity and orange flavors. A style of wine that will be better for a few more months, it should be drunk from late 2017."

My Review: This wine was terrible. It is very bitter, very tart. It is not smooth going down and I am not a fan.

I did not try this with food.

Tasting - Trefilari Catarrato

Name: Antonello Cassara Trefilari Catarrato
Varietal: 100% Terfilari Catarrato
Region:  Sicily, Italy
Country: Italy
Year: 2016
Price: $15.00

Shop Review: "Aromas of mature orchard fruit, spring blossom and Herbs de Provence lead the nose. On the tangy palate, a hint of bay leaf accents honeydew melon and citrus. A saline note signals the close."

My Review: The initial smell was very floral. I tasted strong hints of pear. For a dry white wine, I actually liked it because it seems very well balanced. It is not overly sweet but not overly acidic.

I did not try this with food.