Tasting - "Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Marlborough

Country: New Zealand

Year: 2014

Price: $10.99

Winery review: "Clean, fresh and easy drinking.  Lovely tropical fruit flavors."

My review: I thought this was a very good sauvignon blanc.  True to its description, it was very easy drinking with almost no finish but a very crisp, light taste.  I tasted this chilled, and found it had a strong pear nose and a very tart taste as soon as it hits the tongue.  A light, fruity palate lead to a very mild, slightly biter finish.  I would absolutely try this wine again, and would like to try other Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand as well.  

Tasting - "Dancing Bull Red Zinfandel"

Name: Dancing Bull Zinfandel

Variety: Red Zinfandel

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $8.99

Winery review: "Our zinfandel is bright, zesty and bursting with flavors of black cherry and raspberry with just the right amount of spice."

My review: Similar to the Kendall-Jackson red wine blend I tasted, this wine was not bad, but was a bit too spicy for my taste.  The nose gives way to strong cherry and berry flavors, with a bold fruity and spicy palate.  It had a medium finish with a kick of spice at the end.  I don't think I'll be trying it again, simply because I prefer fruit flavors to spicy ones in wine.

Tasting - "Candoni Pinot Noir"

Name: Candoni Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $8.99

Winery review: "Offers scents of red and black currants in combination with refined notes of vanilla.  It is a ruby-red color that resembles the lush shade of wild berries."

My review: I don't have much to say about this wine, it smelled and tasted very "winey" and I didn't get much cherry, currant or berry flavors out of it.  This definitely seemed like a 'cheap' wine that would probably be good for cooking with and not much else. 

Tasting - "Kendall-Jackson Summation Red Wine Blend"

Name: Kendall-Jackson Summation Red Wine Blend

Variety: 28% Zinfandel, 27% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache, 2% Petit Verdot.

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $11.99

Winery review: "This red wine blend offers intriguing flavors and aromas: roasted coffee, dark chocolate, pomegranate and black cherry intertwine to offer a multi-layered feel and sumptuous texture."

My review: This wine smells a lot like a Cabernet Sauvignon, with red fruit notes in the nose.  It tasted very tart with cherry and oaky flavors, as well as hints of spice.  The finish was not very strong at all.  This wasn't a bad wine by any means, but it was a little too oaky for my liking.  

Tasting - "Michael David Winery Chardonnay"

Name: Michael David Winery Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $16.99

Winery review: "A beautifully balanced wine with ripe tropical fruit and great, natural acid."

My review: This was a very good chardonnay.  The nose had a very fruity quality, and the taste was very crisp and light.  It didn't have much finish but I didn't really notice it due to the great, refreshing palate.  I would definitely try this again.

Tasting - "Warre's Warrior Porto"

Name: Warre's Warrior Port

Variety: Touriga Nacional

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

Year: 2013

Price: $18.99

Winery review: "Warrior is a rich and full-bodied Port and has been matured in our cellars to a mellow balance of wild red-fruit flavours, supported by spicy and elegant tannins with a long and satisfying finish."

My review: Following my review of the Alamos Red Blend which was one of my favorites so far, this is my least favorite wine that I've tried yet.  It was far too sweet and desserty.  It had a spicy nose with hints of berry, and a palate with plum notes but didn't taste acidic in the slightest, and had almost no finish.  I would like to try a Port again in the future, but will be staying away from this one for sure.

Tasting - "Alamos Red Blend"

Name: Alamos Red Blend

Variety: Malbec, Bonarda, Tempranillo

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2013

Price: $8.99

Winery review: "The Alamos Red Blend displays deep, ripe flavors of blackberry and plum with layers of brown spice."

My review: This has been one of my favorites so far.  It has a soft berry nose to start, then a very smooth velvety palate with subtle berry flavors.  The finish has surprising notes of spice, but overall it was a very soft, drinkable wine.

Tasting - "Gallo Family Merlot"

Name: Gallo Family Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $5.99

Winery review: "It blends flavors of black cherry, ripe plum and hints of oak for a velvety richness."

My review: This merlot has a strong fruity nose with a surprisingly smooth cherry palate which I really liked.  It has a very dry finish with some oaky, spicy notes.  This wine was very flavorful, and I would probably try it again.  

Tasting - "Rex-Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon"

Name: Rex-Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $5.89

Winery review: "Our hearty Cabernet is dark and intense - it's long on fruit and short on attitude."

My review: This wine has a very bold nose with a dry fruity palate.  The finish is strong and puckery.  As of right now I'm not as big a fan of Cabernet Sauvignon when it's very dry and strong-flavored, but as my palate becomes more refined I think I will begin to appreciate how dry a Cabernet like this can be. 

Tasting - "Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon"

Name: Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $8.99

Winery review: "Our Cabernet Sauvignon features aromas of strawberry, cherry and cola while identical flavors give way to a silky, soft palate that culminates in a long velvety finish."

My review: Strong, bold cherry nose.  Flavors give way to a very dry cherry and berry palate.  Has a long finish with not much bite to it, much softer and less bitter than other Cabernet Sauvignon I've tried.

Tasting - "Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon"

Name: Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $11.99

Winery review: "Our Cabernet Sauvignon offers rich blackberry flavors lined with cedar and spice notes."

My review: This cabernet sauvignon had a very rich berry nose right away, followed by strong berry flavors with oaky notes in the palate.  When the wine first hit my tongue it had a smooth texture to it, but then had a sharp finish.  I don't think I'll try this one again, it was far too dry for my liking and had too much berry flavoring.

Tasting - "Cupcake Vineyards Central Coast Pinot Noir"

Name: Cupcake Vineyards Central Coast Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $7.99

Winery review: "Aroma of cherries carries through the palate with a touch of red currants and a hint of spices.  It's reminiscent of a cherry cupcake with currant coulis."

My review: This was one of the more bold Pinot Noir's I've tried so far.  Immediately I sensed a very strong cherry nose, followed by a bold, tangy cherry taste with hints of cranberry.  Unlike others I've tried, this pinot noir didn't have a very strong finish.  It seemed that most of the flavor came out at the start of the tasting.  As ridiculous as it sounds, I was eating beef jerky when I tried this just as a separate snack, but it seemed to actually enhance the cherry flavors in the wine, so I would imagine that this wine would pair very well with any type of red meat.  

Tasting - "Woodbridge Lightly Oaked Chardonnay"

Name: Woodbridge Lightly Oaked Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $7.99

Winery review: "Displays delicate floral aromas complemented by crisp flavors of citrus and green apple."

My review: Even just after opening the bottle I was hit with a very strong green apple scent.  After pouring a glass, I also found floral tones in the nose.  Has a crisp, tart and dry pallet full of green apple flavor, with soft bitter finish.  I really liked this chardonnay, it was refreshing and crisp, I would definitely try it again.

Tasting - "Gnarly Head Merlot"

Name: Gnarly Head Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $7.99

Winery review: "Classic, supple and anything but shy - lush, velvety tannins frame rich black cherry, blackberry, ripe plum, sweet herbs and a hint of spice."

My review: Definitely has a rich fruity nose with plum and cherry scents.  Full of berry and plum flavors, very fruity all-around.  Had a medium tart finish.  Overall I thought this was pretty good, I liked it better than the last Merlot I tried since it was less oaky and more fruity.

Tasting - "Yellow Tail Shiraz"

Name: Yellow Tail Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz

Region: Yenda

Country: Australia

Year: 2014

Price: $5.99

Winery review: "It's approachable, fresh, flavorsome and has a personality all of its own."

My review: The bottle says mulberry and spice with smooth vanilla but I got none of that in this wine.  I got more of an apple scent in the nose with a berry pallet.  Definitely didn't like this wine, but what did I expect for 6 dollars? Won't be having it again.

Tasting - "The Williamsburg Winery Virginia Merlot"

Name: Williamsburg Winery Virginia Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $19.00

Winery review: "A complex well-balanced wine, aged primarily in French oak for 14 months, rich in fruit character with hints of cedar and spice."

My review: This is the first wine I've tasted where I've understood what "oaky" meant.  The nose and palette both have strong oaky qualities.  Unlike the winery description, I don't get a lot of rich fruit character.  Rather, the taste is slightly spicy and oaky, with a medium, spicy finish.

Tasting - "Fontana Candida Frascati"

Name: Fontana Candida Frascati

Variety: Malvasia

Region: Frascati

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $8.00

Winery review: "This wine has a delicate bouquet of wildflowers and fruit, a characteristic taste, fresh and distinctive, with just a hint of almond."

My review: I noticed a distinct pear scent in the nose.  This wine was chilled when I tried it, and was very refreshing and crisp, easy to drink.  It had a dry texture with floral tones.  I would try this wine again based solely on its crisp, refreshing qualities.

Tasting - "Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha"

Name: Borsao Tres Picos

Variety: Garnacha

Region: Borja

Country: Spain

Year: 2012

Price: 18.99

Winery review: "The grapes for this exceptional wine were harvested from old vine Garnacha vineyards that cling to rugged terrain on the slopes of the famous Moncayo mountain.  Low yields of less than two tons per acre produce a rich deeply colored and aromatic wine with concentrated flavors of blackberries, strawberries and nuances of leather, vanilla and plums."

My review: This wine has a strong cherry-scented nose with slight hints of vanilla.  The palette, however, is much different from the nose with a strong fruity, berry taste.  This is the first wine I've experienced where the smell and taste are noticeably different from each other.  The finish is sweet, strong and fruity.  I enjoyed this wine a lot and would definitely have it again. 

Tasting - "Redwood Creek California Malbec"

Name: Redwood Creek

Variety: Malbec

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2014

Price: $6.00

Winery review: "Plush flavors of dark fruit coupled with hints of maple and star anise give our Malbec a velvet finish."

My review: Right away I got a very sweet , light, cherry/possibly plum smell.  It has a rich fruity and sugary taste, and a surprisingly smooth finish.  The smell and flavor are soft and smooth, which must explain why it is described as having a velvet finish.  Not a big fan of this one, it was too sweet for me.  I'll try another Malbec in the future to see if that's a property of the grape or just this wine.  

Tasting - "Pinetti Notte Puglia Zinfandel"

Name: Pinetti Notte

Variety: Zinfandel (red)

Region: Puglia

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $6.00

Winery review: "The quintessential Zinfandel exhibits a velvety richness and depth of flavor.  Earthy aromas reveal bright cherry and blackberry with a subtle hint of white pepper."

My review: Very bold smell, I can definitely sense the cherry/fruity nose.  Flavor is fruity and dry, but has a smooth texture.  The finish is strong and seems slightly spicy, which must be the "subtle hint of white pepper."  Overall, it was good, but I would like to try a more expensive Zinfandel to compare the flavors and texture with this one.

Background

This blog will document my experience with wine tasting.  By trying a wide variety of wines, I hope to expand my ability to sense the many flavors present in a wine.  I've always thought that surely a small bit of wine tasting and reviews is made up, and there was no way a wine could have "blackberry notes with hints of eucalyptus."  However, even as I'm just starting out with wine tasting, I've been surprised in my capability of singling out different flavors.

Up to this point, I had always preferred the taste of white wine to red.  It always seemed much more refreshing and crisp, and less "winey" like red can be.  However, I began to try a glass of red wine with dinner every now and then, and the taste has begun to appeal to me much more.  Over the course of this semester, I hope to find a favorite type of red and white wine and be able to describe them accurately.  Right now, my favorite grape is a pinot noir, but there are still many others for me to try.  I will post my review of tastings for five different wines a week, and I expect that I will quickly be able to discern different notes and flavors in wine.