Tasting - “Mirassou Monterey County Riesling”

Mirassou Monterey County Riesling label

Name: Mirassou Winery Monterey County California Riesling

Variety: 100% Riesling

Region: Monterey County, California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $7.99

Unfortunately, I searched for a review on the 2012 Riesling and could not find a reputable one, so I had to settle for what Mirassou currently has on their website about their 2010 Riesling. It has the same characteristics listed as on the 2012 label, so it may just be a typo online.

Winery Review: Our 2010 Mirassou California Riesling is soft and approachable with fruit-forward aromas and flavors of peach, apple, and citrus notes. As a result of the naturally firm acid levels, this wine is crisp and delicately structured and pairs beautifully with richly sauced poultry or seafood. Because of its inherent sweetness, it also pairs beautifully with desserts that have both rich and fruity elements.

As you can see in the bottom photo, I poured myself a tasting portion (I eyeballed the amount) and left room for swirling. We learned in class last week that you swirl the wine in order to coat the glass, warm the wine, and release the aroma. It's notable to point out that my glasses are stemless, but still have the traditional shape. I quite like them, but they wouldn't be ideal for white wine if you had to hold the glass the entire time, because your hand would warm the wine and whites are better chilled!

My Review: I thought it was tasty for the price, but not something I would buy again. First, I swirled the wine and then I sniffed. It has a very fruity, fresh scent with hints of lemon and spice. When I tasted the wine, my initial thought was that it wasn't sweet, which I found odd for a Riesling. Then I realized it is sweet at first, but overwhelmed by a slightly sour tang that lingers. I also tasted bright citrus and green apple flavors.

Since Riesling can often be paired with desserts, I decided to have a bite of chocolate and finish off my glass. I was hoping to taste something different and I did, but only slightly. In my opinion, pairing it with the chocolate lessened the sour note at the end and made it much more enjoyable afterwards.

My glass of Mirassou Riesling

My Life & Wine Thus Far

Hello, fellow wine lovers! This is my first official post on my new Wine Blog for my Geography of Wine class at Virginia Tech. I will hopefully be posting about wine tastings, dinner pairings, vineyards, films about wine, and other delicious topics. For now, I will give you a short introduction into my relationship with wine so far and what I hope to experience with this opportunity.

My first significant wine experience was in Italy in 2010. My family and a couple others went to Italy for 2 weeks the summer after my high school graduation. I tried a few wines, none particularly to my liking, but quickly realized that I preferred white to red.

In college I would occasionally drink white wine, but not enough to become picky about types, especially when money is scarce. But last spring, I spent a semester abroad in Lugano, Switzerland through Tech's Marketing program and found some favorites. I do not enjoy the taste of beer, so I have always searched for other options, including hard cider and wine, many of which were easily available in Europe. Which is a good thing, because cocktails were absurdly expensive in most countries, especially Switzerland (because everything is expensive there). Since then, I have become fond of Riesling and sweeter wines like Moscato. I also enjoyed wine spritzers or mixed drinks with Prosecco, like Sangria, Bellini, Aperol Spritz and a drink in Spain called Tinto de Verano (Summer Red Wine). My options in Europe were numerous and I tried to take advantage of trying new things. Now that I'm back in America, there are certain drinks I miss, like special cocktails and especially hard cider brands.

As for the class itself, I'm looking forward to learning more about wine and why I prefer certain types over others. I'd also like to understand how they are named, what is in different types, what countries/regions are known for, and how to describe a wine without sounding like a fool. My best friend back home and I love to relax with a bottle of wine or go to happy hours around Richmond, VA so maybe I'll be able to order more confidently in the future. She's also looking forward to hearing what I've learned because she likes red and I like white. I don't think JMU offers a class like this one so she's missing out! Hopefully, I'll learn a whole lot and get to show off a little with my friends!

photo source: http://www.idahoconservation.org/images/misc/iStock_000004403602Large.jpg/image