Tasting - "Alvaro Domecq, S.L. Aranda Cream Sherry"

Name: Alvaro Domecq, S.L. Aranda Cream Sherry
Variety: Palomino and Pedro Ximénez
Region: Cadiz
Country: Spain
Year: Not Stated
Price: $15.95

Winery Review: "Mahogany colour. Very intense aroma. Velvety on the palate with nuances. Full bodied and long finish."

My Review: Sherry isn't really my thing, especially because it leans towards very sweet and very hot (alcohol-wise). This particular Sherry had strong maple syrup scents and flavors, along with some toffee notes on the tongue. On a side note, I really enjoy how Domecq describes the color, like "mahogany". I tried to describe it as a reddish caramel, but mahogany is spot on.

Tasting - "Plungerhead Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon"

Name: Plungerhead Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Region: Lodi, California
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $14.95

Winery Review: "The inaugural 2011 Plungerhead Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon is dark ruby in color with aromas of blackberry, plum. Flavors of cranberry and chocolate and finishing with notes of vanilla and hints of mint."

My Review: This Cab surprised me. I didn't particularly like it, but I'd never had a wine like it. The nose wasn't anything spectacular, just some cherry and cranberry scents, but the flavor profile was really exciting! There was a strong mint and fresh eucalyptus taste with some acidic backbone. I was quite fascinated by this Cab even if I didn't like it much. Plus look how goofy the label is!

Tasting - "Foxglove Paso Robles Zinfandel"

Name: Foxglove Paso Robles Zinfandel
Variety: Zinfandel (6% Petite Sirah)
Region: Central Coast, California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $15.95

Critic Review: "A delicious, classic Zinfandel, it offers up peppery, briery, wild berry fruit intermixed with damp earth and spice characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, delicious, and soft with enough acidity for cleanliness and delineation, it should be drunk over the next 2-3 years." -Robert Parker

My Review: Interestingly enough, Parker gave this wine 90pts, but I hated it. The smell was interesting with strong grape and some cherry and tomato scents, but it was so bitter on the tongue that I made a face. And it wasn't a cute face, I assure you. I think it would need a couple more years for me to even consider trying it again. Maybe with time or some really good cheese it could be smoother...

Tasting - "Patricia Green Cellars Lia's Vineyard Pinot Noir"

Name: Patricia Green Cellars Lia's Vineyard Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Chehalem Mountain, Oregon
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $37.95

Winery Review: "We settled on a mix that we feel brings in the rich elements of the volcanic soil and the minerality of the marine soil, and receives an aromatic and structural lift from the whole cluster fermentations. At present the red fruit and floral elements dominate the nose and the darker tones reside in the midpalate and finish. This walks a nice line between supple femininity and a darker, brooding character. This is a fun and interesting wine that should please a wide range of palates."

My Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this Pinot! I'm not a huge red fan, as I've stated before, but this was quite smooth with an interesting aftertaste. My friend tried it before me and really didn't like the aftertaste, but when I had it, I found it kind of zingy with a nice bite. The floral scent also carried over into the flavor profile as well.

Tasting - "Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rose"

Name: Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rose
Variety: 50% Grenache, 30% Carignan, 20% Syrah
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $10.95

Winery Review: "This delightful salmon-pink wine is produced using the traditional saignée process. After macerating on the skins for approximately 10 hours, the juice is then pumped off and fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Aromatics of strawberries and crushed red fruit leap from the glass. In the mouth, it is fresh with excellent acidity, some mineral components and good length. Very food friendly, it is a great companion to just about anything you want to throw at it."

My Review: This Rose was dryer than most I've had, which was good because too much sweetness could have overwhelmed it. Both the scent and taste were very floral and a bit fruity. It also had a pleasantly full body, more than any of the last few wines I reviewed.

Tasting - "Foxglove Chardonnay"

Name: Foxglove Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Coast, California
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $15.95

Winery Review: "Foxglove Chardonnay always represents a great value. With this wine you have the richness of fruit from California's Central Coast giving you tropical notes. However, the wine is bottled without going through malolactic fermentation and has no oak on it so it maintains a very clean profile. Great on it's own or with food it's a very versatile Chardonnay."

My Review: I appreciated that this Chardonnay was unoaked, which I prefer. It had a strong petrol or gasoline scent, like a lot of Chardonnays, but very little on the palate. In fact, this Foxglove had some lovely orange peel and citrus notes that gave it a surprising freshness.

Tasting - "Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Blanc"

Name: Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Blanc

Variety: 50% Grenache Blanc, 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Terret Blanc
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $9.95

Winery Review: "A Grenache Blanc blend, this shows a limpid, straw-yellow colour, with a delicate, pretty nose of acacia and pear and a mid-weight, harmonious palate of lemon, dill and green olive."

My Review: This Moulin de Gassac had a very similar smell to your basic Sauvignon Blanc. It had a fresh, grassy scent and a sweet aftertaste. The mineral flavors and citrus and melon scents were more subtle, but nice.

Tasting - "Sweet Pea Apple Wine"

Name: Sweet Pea Apple Wine (with natural peach flavor)
Variety: Washington Apples
Region: Washington
Country: USA
Year: Not Stated
Price: $8

Winery Tasting Notes: "Two parts real Washington grown apples, one part natural peach essence, a dash of artful blending and a pinch of domestic charm - you havent been this happy since your first easy bake oven. One glass will send you right back to grandmas kitchen and the sweet smell of homemade apple pie. Pleasing as peach cobbler and refreshing as a cool glass of Riesling on a warm summer evening, Sweet Pea is ripe with golden delicious apple flavors, hints of peachy sweetness and a crisp, clean finish. Who says housewives have to be desperate?
Juicy, ripe apples fill the nose and palate with hints of fresh peaches. The sweetness is balanced with the crisp and clean finish. This festive wine is ready to be chilled and enjoyed right away."

My Review: At first I really liked this wine, the smell was incredible, like cotton candy and peaches! It tasted pretty good at first, very complex with tart green apple flavors and sweet citrus notes, but then only the puckering mouth feel was left. It had an artificially sweet taste, kind of like a green apple jolly rancher that only became sour the longer I drank. I haven't decided if the taste changing is because of my palate or the wine warming a bit, but either way it was disappointing, because I originally liked it. I think the taste just flops back and forth for me between tart and sweet so I cannot make up my mind.

Tasting - "Amberhill Secret Blend White Wine"

Name: Amberhill Secret Blend White Wine
Variety: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato
Region: St. Helena, California
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $9

Winery Review: "This bright white wine is reminicent of a warm, breezy summer evening sharing oysters on the half shell and a good laugh with close friends. It’s made up of integrated flavors of peach, melon, citrus and a finish that awakens the appetite. There are hints of vanilla spice, honeysuckle, and lemon zest that come together with a crisp and refershing finish."

My Review: I wasn't crazy about this wine, but it wasn't exactly bad. It had a very alcoholic smell for a white blend (13.5% alc) with some grapefruit and lemongrass hints, giving it some freshness but not enough to balance it. The taste was very citrus-y and floral, but had a surprisingly dry finish. I think more sugar would have helped this wine a lot.

Cheese & Wine Pairing at Home

Over Spring Break, my friend and I decided to buy a few wines from Whole Foods and some cheese from Kroger (cuz I gotta budget somewhere) and pair them according to Professor Boyer's "Drink This Now!" guidebook. We went to her house and her mother also joined us, which was great because they wanted to learn more about wine and I could teach them a few things! The first photo is our spread. We had a few options to choose from (we bought 7) and some of the pictures feature the Gewurztraminer on the far left, but we decided to only try 4 wines for the time being and 6 cheeses. The wines (in our drinking order) were Les Dauphins Red Blend, Globerati Cabernet Sauvignon, Indaba Sauvignon Blanc, and Protea Chenin Blanc. I tried to stick to the $9-12 range, except for the Protea (which was closer to $17), but the bottle was too good to pass up. Our cheeses were Havarti, Manchego, Camembert, Cheddar, Gruyere, and Provolone.

For our first wine, Les Dauphins, I explained the reasoning behind swirling the glass to warm the wine/increase the surface area reached and release the aromas and the shape most wine glasses have to concentrate those smells. We also analyzed the "legs" on the glasses due to sugar and alcohol content. Also known as "tears", Les Dauphins' were particularly fun to watch and my friend wanted to show off her manicure in a photo. As for the wine itself, it had a nice black cherry smell and taste and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not fond of reds, but this one might even be good enough to buy again! Since the bottle didn't actually list what the "blend" was, I made some educated guesses about which cheeses might work well with it. I chose Camembert and Cheddar. My friend preferred Camembert with almost every wine, but I felt that it didn't help the Dauphins acid and only gave it an artificially sweet aftertaste. The cheddar however, helped smooth out the body and left just enough dryness from the tannins.

       

Our second pick was the Globerati Cab Sauvignon and my companions were very happy with it. I didn't mind it, but as I stated before, I'm not much of a red fan. The smell was very interesting with heavy grape, pepper and a bit of tobacco scents. The flavor profile also had a lot of black pepper and a good body with some heat to it. We paired the Camembert, Cheddar, Provolone, and Manchego with it. The Camembert honestly had very little affect on my palate, but the Cheddar had a lovely creamy, sweet finish. The Provolone cheese was too strong for my tastes, but paired with the Cab it was ridiculously pungent! Lastly, the Manchego left a salty end that wasn't unpleasant, but didn't seem to complement the wine.

Our first white was the Indaba Sauvignon Blanc that smelled like pear and grass and had lemon flavors on the tongue. I paired the Gruyere and Cheddar with it, neither of which were particularly complementary. The Gruyere brought out a strong saltiness and the Cheddar drew attention to the acidity and burning sensation of the wine. By itself the wine wasn't that exciting, but it was better than with the cheeses I picked...

Last and maybe least unfortunately, was the Protea Chenin Blanc with a higher price point than the others. While shopping at Whole Foods, the gentleman that works there noticed it in my cart and commented that it was a good one and very popular. It's possible I'd built it up and put it last, hoping that I would love it and it just wasn't up to my expectations, but that doesn't mean it's a bad wine. It had a fantastic nose; lush grapefruit and greenery, but the taste wasn't as exciting. It had a stronger citrus lemon/lime flavor and high acidity than I expected. I tried it with the Provolone, which again was way too strong and unappealing, but also with the Havarti. Havarti will probably go with just about anything and it was certainly better than the Provolone, but it didn't enhance this wine. On a side note, the bottle was beautiful and the name Protea is South Africa's national flower. And here's a picture of me pouring it!

Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience, mostly because of the company, but also because I got to try something new! I think we all had a good time and found something we liked. Hopefully I taught them a few things and they weren't too bored as I documented, analyzed, and dissected everything... Anyways, I actually liked a red wine the best of the bunch. Les Dauphins won me over, at least a little bit.

Tasting - "Shaw Family Vintners SteepleJack Moscato"

Name: Shaw Family Vintners SteepleJack Moscato

Variety: Moscato (85% Gordo, 15% Chardonnay)

Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2012

Price: $8.99

Winery Review: "Confectionary notes with a hint of musk lifesavers dominate this wine. Sweet and petite, with a rush of fizz, ensuring a refreshing clean finish."

My Review: I don't usually go for Moscato, mostly because it's sweet enough to be a dessert, but I decided to give this one a chance. SteepleJack has a lovely golden color with hints of green and a little bit of spritz. The nose has heavy Chardonnay notes, but there is also some green apple, flinty, peach bits as well. The flavor profile is incredibly floral. I've never had a wine where I could pinpoint specific flowers, but I was excited to discover with this one I could. Honeysuckle stood out more than anything else, but I also tasted a bit of jasmine, peach, and orange peel. At first I wasn't sure how complex it was, the finish was not very strong, but the more I sipped, the more I could sense the levels. It had a decent body, not as nice as my last review of "Gnarly Head", but it has a wonderful tingly essence to it that makes it exciting on the tongue. Overall, this was much too sweet to drink a lot of. I think sipping for dessert would be alright, but I probably wouldn't buy another whole bottle.

Tasting - "Gnarly Head Authentic White"

Name: Gnarly Head Authentic White
Variety: Riesling, Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc, & Viognier
Region: Lodi & Monterey, California
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $8.99

Winery Review: "Authentic White is a gnarly blend of tasty white varietals including Riesling, Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. It is lush and juicy on the palate with aromas of pear, green apple and honeysuckle and flavors of melon, nectarine and crisp lemon zest finish. Authentically delicious, Gnarly Head Authentic White is a great food wine! Serve with spicy Asian cuisine, soft cheeses and salads."

My Review: My decision to purchase Gnarly Head had a lot to do with the bottle and name, but also the fact that it was a blend of different whites. When I opened it, I could smell how crisp and sweet it was, giving me hope! The bouquet overall was fresh, like seashells, with citrus and diesel hints. My first couple of sips, I mostly noticed the mouth feel and how full the wine seemed. It has a good balance of sweetness with floral tones and a tart finish that lasts, probably because of the heavy lemon and tangerine/nectarine flavors. On a side note, I observed the legs on the glass from the residual sugar and how strong they seemed, backing up the sweetness I could smell and taste.
I quite enjoyed this wine and would probably recommend it to a friend. I try to avoid buying the same wine twice, but if I were hard pressed to find one I liked in a short amount of time, this one would do just fine.