Tasting - Columbia Valley Riesling

Name: Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling
Variety:  Riesling
Region: Columbia Valley
State: Washington
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $10

Winery Review: "The wine offers crisp apple aromas and flavors with subtle mineral notes. This is our "everyday Riesling" that is a pleasure to drink and easy to match with a variety of foods."

My Review: Me and a friend decided to have this Riesling while we watched the wine movie for this week, and we wanted to get close to the suggestion. We went for a Riesling that was a little less sweet, but not totally on the dry side. I thought it was a pretty good wine, and a good first impression on Riesling. It had a light body with a high acidity that balanced pretty well with the sugars. When thinking about the aroma, it had the same fruity nose that I remember from a Sauvignon Blanc that had a few weeks prior. It didn't taste much like that wine as it incorporated pear and citrus flavors along with earthy characteristics that resembled soil. This was a very refreshing and easy to drink wine that has left me looking into getting another Riesling down the road.

Tasting - Owl's Leap

Name: Owl's Leap Chambourcin
Variety: Chambourcin
Region: Shawnee Hills
State: Illinois
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: It was a gift! (Finding the price is difficult due to the winery's website not telling me...) It might be $15.99

Winery Review: 

I looked hard to find the winery review or any other in depth review and I was not coming up with much. The winery's website doesn't have much information on their wines because it looks like that part of the site is down. This is what was on the bottle, "Owl's Leap is a wonderfully full bodied, dry red wine that expresses the spiciness of Chambourcin grapes and oak barrel aged for a full year."

My Review:
This was my first try of my hometown local wine from southern Illinois in the Shawnee Hills AVA. It was a gift from back home, along with a few other local wines that will have reviews coming, and it was my first try of a hybrid. Lots of the wines there are produced with hybrids and Chambourcin seems to be one of the more popular varieties there. With this, it was fairly different and really good when compared to European varietals. The aroma was the first thing that jumped out as different. It had a sort of spicy, peppery combination with maybe tobacco. It was definitely full bodied and had a unique mouthfeel that I hadn't seen before. In the palate, cherries predominated with leathery flavors and spiciness. Despite it being different from the other wines I've tried, I really liked it. I had to stop myself from having more because I knew it would be a while before I could get my hands on more of it. Here's to hoping the other hybrids live up to this new expectation.

Tasting - Frescobaldi Tuscan Blend

Name: Remole Toscana

Variety: Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon 

Region: Tuscany

Country: Italy

Year: 2017

Price: $8.99

 

Winery Review: "Remole 2017 has a deep, brilliant and intense violet-red color. The nose reveals decisive cherry and raspberry aromas, followed by spicy hints of black pepper. Its main characteristic is its pleasantness, which combines elegance with balance and a pronounced softness."

My Review: I had this at an Italian restaurant with a few friends. It had good fruit flavors with hints of spice as well. There was a mild tannic structure with a good finish. The best part of the wine was how it paired with my main dish. I had a sausage penne in vodka sauce and the two matched very well. The fats of the sausage and thickness of sauce brought out more of the fruit flavors and some spicy notes from the wine. The higher amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon was interesting and I would try this again, as well as trying other Tuscan blends. 

Tasting - Alamos Malbec

Name: Alamos Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2018
Price: $10

 

Winery Review: "Our flagship wine, the rich and flavorful Argentinian Malbec thrives in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, where our unique growing conditions give our Malbec incredibly concentrated fruit flavors of plum and blackberry."

My Review: This wine started off with raspberry and vegetal aromas which moved into blackberry, cherry and vanilla on the palate. The cherry expressed itself later into the finish which was long in itself. It had a light body with light tannins and because of this, it was very easy to drink. I didn't have it with any food and I don't think that it demands food at all either.

Tasting - Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2018
Price: $11.98

 

Winery Review:
"Fresh, crisp and clean with zesty flavors of ripe tropical fruits, especially passionfruit and pineapple with subtle hints of green herbs. The wine is intensely flavored with balanced mouthwatering acidity and a generous finish."

My Review:
It is very refreshing wine with a touch of sweetness, but not too much and way less than in other white wine varietals. The nose is full of pear aromas and smells like white grape juice but specifically like sparkling white grape juice. There is definitely a good amount of acidity and some earthy/herb flavors as well. Green apple and lemon may also be present in the taste. It has a very light body and a moderately long finish. Tannins are low and the acidity can be sharp at sometimes, but it is otherwise balanced decently. I didn't have it with any food, but maybe it would have helped cut down the acidity.

Tasting - The Federalist Red Blend

Name: The Federalist Honest Red Blend
Variety: 55% Merlot, 30% Zinfandel, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Northcoast
State: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $18.99

Winery Review: "One might say our Honest Red Blend has a rich, round mouth feel with lush black currant flavor and the subtlest hint of North Coast, California spice"

My Review: This was a pretty good red wine with a few of the characteristics from each different variety. Overall, it was well balanced and has a medium tannic component with a good body. There is raspberry both on the nose and palate with a vanilla flavor as well. It didn't have an extremely short or long finish, but it was very satisfying. I didn't have it with any food.

Tasting - Leese Fitch Pinot Noir

Name: Leese-Fitch Pinot Noir
Variety: 82% Pinot Noir, 10% Barbera, 5% Valdigue, 3% Zinfandel
Region: Multiple
State: California
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $12

Winery Review: Balanced with just the right amount of acidity and fruit, this Pinot Noir boasts alluring aromas of crushed pomegranate, fresh cherry, graham cracker and thyme. Flavors on the palate showcase sweetened cranberry, tart raspberry, vanilla cream and hints of blood orange. The finish is intriguing and complex with herbal notes framed by nutmeg and vanilla.

My Review: This was a pretty characteristic Pinot Noir with a light body and mild tannins. The aromas were fruity with notes of strawberry, raspberry, and possibly pomegranate. There was a cherry flavor when tasting with hints of vanilla and chocolate in the finish. It was slightly acidic but was balanced well against the fruity flavor. I really enjoyed this and would certainly try it again. I also didn't have any food with it.

Tasting - Veuve Clicquot Champagne

Name: Veuve Yellow Label Brut Champagne
Variety: 50-55% Pinot Noir, 15-25% Meunier, 28-33% Chardonnay
Region: Champagne
Country: France
Year: I couldn't find this on the bottle :(
Price: $60

Winery Review: "Tasted blind. Pale straw gold. Light, complex nose. Good savour. Some smokiness. Really neat and tight. Lots of potential. Some appley acidity and really clean on the end. Very complex on the end. Full of vitality."

My Review: This champagne was opened for my roommates birthday and I was lucky enough to have a taste. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough glasses for everyone so some of us ended up drinking out of regular ole drinking glasses. That bubbles just didn't look as good from it, but they were still oh so pretty. I'm not usually a fan of sparkling wines, but this one was good. It had a fair amount of acidity and was on the drier side. The taste did have apples in it which was slightly hidden behind the acidity. It's a nice wine to have for a celebration, but I wouldn't call it a classic drinking wine even though it was very good.

Tasting - Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 7% Petite Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Region: Napa
State: California
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $25

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Winery Review: "What can we say about our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon? It’s sumptuous, lush, and full-bodied with flavors of juicy blackberry and cherry fruit, creamy milk chocolate, and dusty notes all tied together with a toasty oak finish that in a word is...lingering. Educated Guess fills all the requirements that a serious cabernet lover is looking for while remaining fun, approachable, and food-friendly!

My Review: Although this was not my first drink of a Cabernet Sauvignon, it was my first time actually tasting and appreciating it. Before I would shy away from the tannins and boy did this have tannins. It was easily the most tannic wine that I've had in these few weeks, however, I actually like the taste. There was either a blueberry or raspberry flavor that balanced out the tannins. For the body, it seemed slightly light, and it did have a good finish. Maybe it's time I dived into more Cab Savs.

Tasting - Matchbook Tempranillo

Name: Matchbook
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Dunnigan Hills
State: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $15.19

Winery Review:
"This is a substantial wine with a spicy, lightly herbal aroma and lots of fruit flavors that spread across the palate. It is medium to full-bodied, has a smooth texture and a good dose of raspberry-like acidity that keeps it fresh."

My Review:
I really liked this New World Tempranillo, but I don't have anything to base it off of yet. It was definitely different than most of the other reds I had tasted, but it was similar to the Malbec, in my opinion. It had a light body with a "5 second finish", which is probably on the shorter side, but my comparisons aren't quite there yet. Raspberry and spice flavors were throughout and present in the finish. I thought it was balanced pretty well, but had a little bit of extra acidity. Next I look forward to a Tempranillo from Rioja, hopefully.

Tasting - Cavit Pinot Grigio

Name: Cavit
Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Delle Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2017
Price: $7 (Half bottle)

Winery Review:
"Straw color. Fruity aromas and flavors of peach in cream and spiced melon with a supple, crisp, fruity light-to-medium body and a breezy finish with notes of almond skin with fine, crunchy, fruit tannins and no oak flavor. A crisp and easy pinot grigio that is sure to please."

My Review:
This was a very refreshing wine due to it's light body and high sugar content. It had a distinct pear flavor, but it was very light. I would say that it has a medium finish with a good acid/sugar balance. Because it was so light and refreshing, I could see it being very good on a hot day. However, for a night in I might not reach for this bottle. It would definitely be better in certain situations.
I didn't have it with any food.

Tasting - Valdivieso Cabernet Franc

Name: Valdivieso
Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc
Region: Valle Sagrada Familia
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $25

Winery Review:
"Leafy, herbal aromas of eucalyptus, olive and juniper are big players on the nose of this firmly balanced Cabernet Franc. Spicy, herbal berry flavors are fully oaked and chocolaty. On the finish, this is blackened and tannic, with fleshy black-fruit leftovers and a dusting of oaky cocoa. Drink through 2023."

My Review:
I liked the Cabernet Franc and it was slightly surprising to me when I first tasted it. The wine had a much lighter body and tannins than I thought there would be. However, it still had a good balance between the tannins and the sugar content. Flavor-wise, it had a blackberry flavor and had a small bit of oak flavor. It was slightly spicy with a medium finish that stayed on the tongue with the spices. I had a burger with it, and while it didn't pair poorly with it, it wasn't a game changing experience.

Tasting - Areyna Malbec

Name: Areyna
Variety: 100% Malbec
Region: Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2017
Price: $17

Winery Review:
"Aromas of raspberries and ripe red fruits. The mouth feel shows good concentration and structure, with a soft texture and sweet, round tannins. The wine has a long, lingering finish with fresh, lively acidity."


My Review:

This was a really good Malbec that I had two nights this week. On the first night, I didn't take notes but I remember saying out loud that it was very good and I loved it. On the second night, my nose was a little bit stuffed up so it was harder to get the flavors right. It was very fruit heavy with an emphasis on berries and maybe blackberry. At first taste it had some sugar but then became more dry. The finish was long and was generally smooth without any spiciness or sharpness. I didn't have it with any food, but I would definitely have it again, but maybe with a clear nose.

Tasting - Kendall Jackson Chardonnay

Name: Kendall Jackson Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $18

Winery Review: “Beautifully integrated tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango and papaya, with citrus notes that explode in your mouth. These flavors delicately intertwine with aromas of vanilla and honey to create depth and balance throughout. A hint of toasted oak and butter rounds out the long, lingering finish.”

My Review: This is my first white wine tasting and I wanted a dry but not too dry wine. This was a little sweet, but it started to grow on me and I like it now. It was extremely fruity with a mix of fruit types from berry to tree fruits to citrus. If my palate isn't lying to me, I tasted apples, grapefruit and pineapple from the wine. It has a smooth finish which actually does last long like the review (which I figured out right before I typed up this review when I went back for another sip).

I didn't try this with any food.

Tasting - E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone

Name: E. Guigal Southern Rhone Cotes du Rhone Red
Variety: 50% Syrah, 45% Grenache, 5% Mourvdre
Region: Southern Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $11 (half bottle)

Winery Review: "In this wine, almost equal proportions of Grenache and Syrah yield a steady balance between plush, easy black fruit and darker notes of peppery herb and granite. Fleshy and full bodied yet bright with acidity, it's an appealing wine marked by delicate touches of dark chocolate, bramble and sweet spice."

My Review: So I went to buy a bottle of wine, but I was only drinking wine for myself and had just learned about the different wine sizes so I got this interesting half bottle. There was a lot of fruit flavor, specifically berries and even more specifically, blackberries. I thought there was a little bit of cherry in it and thought the taste was similar to cherry cordial. It was a dry wine and drier than the Pinot Noir from last week. It was also sharp at the end of its taste. My friend also tried it and got some cacao from the wine. I guess I paired it with some beef and olives. It was good with the beef, but was very not good with the olives which was interesting to me.  I thought it was a pretty good wine, but I'm not sure if I would get it again because of the dryness.

Tasting - Game of Thrones Pinot Noir

For my first wine tasting of the semester, I had a lovely pinot noir from Westeros. Well not really of course, but it was the Game of Thrones Pinot Noir. However, it was actually from Willamette Valley in Oregon. It was a 2017 vintage and costed around $20 dollars. My friend and I were scouring for a wine to try and we were watching Thrones before we left the house, so when we saw this it was an instant purchase.

Name: Game of Thrones Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $20

Winery review: "This Pinot Noir is elegant, well-built and bursting with brilliant, ripe, rich fruit flavors and aromas. It is fruit focused with subtle tones of earthiness, vanilla, spice and toasted oak in the background. There is a long, smooth inviting finish; tannins are present and well blended."

My Review: This is my first time actually discussing the taste and flavors of a specific wine so bear with me. It was a lighter red wine that didn't have much of the usual dryness or bitterness of other reds, in my opinion. It was incredibly fruity with each sip and I caught a slight hint of apple when I first had any sip. There may have been some citrus in it, but there was a heavy amount of berry flavors present. Maybe I'm just not good at noticing it yet, but I didn't gather any woody or earthy flavors. There also was a small taste of a yogurt taste, but not in a fouled way. Overall, I enjoyed the wine and was pleasantly surprised that a TV show themed wine wouldn't be terrible.

Initially I didn't have it with food, but then it actually got paired with a hamburger, but the flavors didn't really affect each other.