2/26 Wine Tasting

 Mars & Venus 
Sauvignon Blanc 2013
La Mancha, Spain
Regular Price $10
Sale $5.95

My Review: Light, golden color with a citrus scent.  Thought this wine was a bit hot and hard to drink but I could taste a bit of apple and some sort of berry or plum.  This wine was not paired with food 

Takutai
Pinot Gris 2009
Nelson, New Zealand
Regular Price $21
Sale $6.95

My Review: More of a rich golden color with aromas of spices and pear.  Definitely a full bodied wine which I thought to be a bit bitter and left a this after taste in my mouth that wasn't very enjoyable.  Didn't like this wine very much.  This wine was not paired with food.

Yellowtail Reserve 
Merlot 2010
South Eastern, Australia
Regular Price $12
Sale $6.95

My Review: Rich maroon, dark brown hugh with aromas of spice, cherries and wood.  As soon as I smelled this wine I could tell it was going to be heavy and rich.  Flavors were somewhat earthy but fruity at the same time.  Didn't like this wine as much as I thought I would.  This wine was not paired with food.

Crane Lake 
Petite Sirah 2013
California, USA
Price $5.95

My Review: Maroon, red color with a touch of pink.  Smelled of a touch of cream and butter mixed with blackberries.  Tasted different berries, a little chocolate and had the after taste of tannins left in my mouth.  This contributed to why I didn't think this wine went down smooth.  This wine was not paired with food. 

Crane Lake
Riesling 2013
California, USA
Price $5.95

My Review: Light pink, rose color.  Aromas of butter and citrus came up.  Main component of this wine had to be honey or nectarine because it was very sweet.  Also, wasn't a huge fan of this wine because of how sweet I thought it was.  Maybe if it were a bit more acidic I would have liked it more but the tasting reminded me of medicine.  This wine was not paired with food.   

Wine & Cheese Pairing #1

TGIT - Thank God It's Thursday!  

 My roommates and I decided it was a definite wine night so we broke out two new bottles, bought some cheese, and tuned into our much loved TV shows.  Both of these wines were paired with tomato basil goat cheese and brie.  In addition, we had sharp yellow cheddar and white cheddar off to the side.  I do have to say I noticed a HUGE difference when pairing the

 cheese with our first wine we tried.

Coastal Estates Chardonnay, 

Beaulieu Vineyard, 2013 California.  

First off, this wine had 13.5% alcohol and boy did I notice that! It wasn't too strong on the nose but after constantly swirling the wine, scents of pineapple, citrus, and butter arose.  Also, I could smell the alcohol.  I'm not going to lie, trying this wine was very difficult.  Although I was able to taste some of the fruity flavors, I found the wine to be acidic and hot, two overpowering components that didn't allow the wine to be enjoyable.  After eating a bit of the goat cheese then taking a sip of wine, I noticed that the creaminess of the cheese dulled the alcohol component of the wine.  The cheese brought out more of the citrus flavors and it was a great pairing.  If I were to drink this wine again I would have to definitely eat something with it to really enjoy it. 

Now, I'm not a huge fan of reds but this was absolutely phenomenal.

 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2012. 

I stumbled upon this particular wine after Thursday's wine tasting at the Vintage Cellar.  I went up to the counter and said, "What affordable cab savs do you recommend for a broke college student?"  The lady led me right to this one and explained to me that this region in Washington, the Columbia Valley, produced great red varietals especially Cabernet Sauvignon.  I bought it and now I'm here, explaining to you all how life changing this red wine was.  This has to be my new "go-to" red wine.  Now, we tried pairing it with cheese but something about having cheese with this wine just didn't mesh well.  Similar to the Chardonnay I was talking about above, this wine also had 13.5% alcohol but I could barely tell.  The flavors definitely overpowered the heat.

We traded in our cheese for DARK CHOCOLATE and it was #amazing.

 So, about this wine... 

Color: Dark pink, magenta in the light

Smell: blackberries, vanilla, chocolate, smooth

Taste: As I drank this wine the texture of it stood out right away.  It was tart but a good kind of tart with hints of vanilla, black current, woody flavors.  When I swallowed the wine I could taste this distinct flavor then it would go away so fast and go down so smooth.  This was a wine that I really enjoyed and liked because it didn't leave this bitter after taste in my mouth that I would cringe at.  Even if you're not into red wines, you need to try this wine!

First Blog #letsgo

Let me just throw this out there, I'm extremely new to wine.  Yes, sometimes I'll have a glass but I have absolute no idea what I am drinking other than the fact it's red or white.  After an experience I had with box wine, it's hard to really enjoy it but this is why I'm taking the class.  I want to be that person who really understands why a red is red and a white is white, why one is sweeter than the other, where does that rose color come from? I want to know these things.  I want to learn how to smell oak, pear, lime, creamy, soapy or whatever scent that people get out of wines after they stick their nose into the glass and take a big whif.  

I do know this though... I like dryer wines, nothing sweet at all...no thank you moscato, unless you are sparkling I will not drink you.  After the past few weeks, I realized I really LOVE Pinot Grigio.  I have made it a point though to really go out of my comfort zone and grab a bottle, any bottle, sometimes bottles t I have been trying at wine tastings or some that Gary V. has recommended on the videos.  Like the D'arenberg The Hermit Crab "real wine alert" one that Gary V. recommended, I liked that...a lot.  My roommates and I decided to drink a glass of it while we watched our favorite Thursday night shows on ABC, aka Grey's Anatomy and Scandal.  We're trying to make it a point to try new wines and save the bottles (I mean why not right).  I hope to get to the point where I enjoy a wine enough to continuously want it. I want to be that girl her family asks for wine advice at the restaurant!