Tasting - Zonin Primo Amore Moscato

•Name: Zonin Primo Amore Moscato
•Variety: Muscat Blanc A Petits Grains
•Region: Apulia
•Country: Italy
•Year: 2011
•Price: $7.95
•Critic Review: This refreshing and fruit Moscato wine comes from the warm Southern vineyards of Puglia. Primo Amore, or first love, expresses the joy of discovery experienced when a wine drinker first encounters the sweetness and enticing fragrance of the delicate wine.
My Review: This wine definitely had a strong sweet smell to it. After tasting it, I distinctly tasted pears and honey. This wine was a lot sweeter than the wines I'm used to having, but I did enjoy the slight fizz to it.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Mars and Venus Chardonnay

•Name: Mars and Venus Chardonnay
•Variety: Chardonnay
•Region: Central Valley
•Country: Chile
•Year: 2011
•Price: $5.95
•Critic Review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple.  Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping.
My Review: I smelled a slight buttery smell but after tasting it, I just tasted a tartness. I did not taste the apples or crispness over this overwhelming tartness I could not stop tasting. This is not a wine I could see myself enjoying anytime soon.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

•Name: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau
•Variety: 100% Gamay
•Region: Beaujolais
•Country: France
•Year: 2012
•Price: $3.95
•Critic Review: Bright and tangy, offering a classic banana note on the nose, with flavors of raspberry, wild strawberry and light spice. Modest finish.
My Review: I could not find a distinct smell from this wine but it was very acidic tasting. The wine also ended with a very peppery taste I did not find any raspberry or strawberry and especially not any banana.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Finca del Castillo Tempranillo

•Name: Finca del Castillo
Tempranillo 
•Variety: 100% Temperanillo
•Region: La Mancha
•Country: Spain
•Year: 2011
•Price: $4.95
•Critic Review: Rooty, spicy and baked on the nose, with aromas that lean towards
raisin. The palate is more gritty and acidic, with raisin, cola, and spice flavors. Darkens up on the finish, which is long and peppery,with adequate juiciness and a final note of tomato.
My Review: This wine smelled spicy and tasted acidic. I also seemed to notice that it was a little sour tasting to me. I did not note any raisin or cola tastes, but I could see how tomato would have been used to describe the acidity. I really did not prefer the sour like taste so I probably would not drink this wine again. 
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - La Cappuccina Soave

•Name: La Cappuccina Soave
•Variety: 100% Garganega
•Region: Veneto
•Country: Italy
•Year: 2011
•Price: $7.95
•Critic Review: Bright straw yellow in color. Delicate on the nose, with notes of flowers and almonds. Dry, well-structured and delicately fruity, with hints of bitter almonds on the finish that is typical of Garganega-based wines.
My Review: This wine smelled very sweet and floral, but surprisingly tasted acidic and a little dry. I didn't taste the almonds or much of the fruitiness, but overall I did enjoy this wine.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Montes Aplpha Syrah

•Name: Montes Alpha Syrah
•Variety: Syrah
•Region:Valle Central
•Country: Chile
•Year: 2009
•Price: $7.95
•Critic Review: Blackberry and cola aromas are cool and collected. The palate has weight and texture to accompany berry, mint, herb and peppery flavors. Turns more herbal and roasted as it unwinds. Pepper and spice lead the finish.
My Review: I didn't smell anything in particular when I smelled this wine. I tasted the fruitiness at first then the peppery taste to finish. I did not find any traces of mint or herb. I liked this wine overall, but none of the flavors seemed too distinct.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Opera Prima Sweet Red

•Name: Opera Prima Sweet Red
•Variety: 50% Tempranillo, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
•Region: La Mancha
•Country: Spain
•Year: 2010
•Price: $4.95
•Critic Review: Doesn’t try to hide its warm-climate terroir, with a soft texture framing jammy-sweet black raspberry, cherry, red currant, root beer and sweet tea. Drink now.
My Review: I definitely tasted the sweetness of this wine. It was hard for me to find specific fruits that I tasted, all that I tasted was how sweet it was. Looking back at the critic review, the sweet tea part makes a lot of sense. I was suprised to find out that this was 50% Cabernet Sauvignon because I definitely did not taste that.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde

•Name: Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde
•Variety: 80% Loureiro, 20% Trajadura
•Region: Vinho Verde
•Country: Portugal
•Year: 2010
•Price: $4.95
•Critic Review: Pale golden silver color. Bright floral aromas of peaches, raspberry and honeysuckle with a soft, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a crisp, tart citrus and talc accented finish. A delightful sipper that is sure to please. 
•My Review: I felt that this wine was a sweet but not too sweet. There is definitely a good amount of acidity that I tasted but the dryness of it helped balance that acidity and sweetness. I liked this wine the most out of the wines at this tasting.
There was no food consumed while tasting this wine.

Tasting - Coreto Tinto

•Name: Coreto Tinto
•Variety: Tinto
•Region: Lisboa
•Country: Portugal
•Year: 2010
•Price: $6.95
•Critic Review: Despite its light touch, this is fruity and full, with its blackberry fruit dominating the warm spice note and acidity. Soft tannins keep the wine together.
My Review: I definitely tasted the spice in this wine. I also noted that there was a bit of a woody or smoky taste which I attributed to the spice. I also felt like this wine was very clean tasting, it didn't seem to leave too  much taste in my mouth which was surprising to me since the flavors were so strong.
I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting - Maipe Sauvignon Blanc

•Name: Maipe Sauvignon Blanc
•Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
•Region: Cuyo
•Country: Argentina
•Year: 2011
•Price: $7.95
•Critic Review: Yellow Color with green hints. Expressive wine, fresh, very aromatic. This Sauvignon Blanc displays grapefruit flavors, with hints of melon and honey. It finishes with braceing acidity and fresh mouth feels that make it a terrific aperitif and an excellent accompaniment to virtually all seafood, especially shellfish.
•My Review: I felt that this wine was a drier white, not too sweet which is why I think that the critic said it would pair well with seafood. I did not taste the melon or the honey, but I did taste the grapefruit. Overall I found this wine a great balance of acidity and perfect amount of dryness.
There was no food eaten with this wine.

Wine Experiences of my Past

In the past, I have tried a variety of wine. Most of the wines I have tried have been red, mostly due to the fact that my family tends to only drink red wines. At first, I was not a huge fan of wine mostly due to the fact that I had not had much alcohol before that, but the first wine I grew to like was Merlot. I tried many different Merlots but didn't branch out on any other types of wine.

 Eventually, I decided to try other types of wine and first tried Cabernet Savignon and I really enjoyed this type as well. After having a success with another type of wine, I tried a few other reds including Granache, Shiraz, and Pinot Noir. Some were hits while others were definitely not for me and after noticing this I started to look at the labels to see what flavors the description included. After doing this I found that I was drawn to flavors similar to cherry flavors and I did not usually like wines that had "musky" to describe it.

After discovering this I was much more open to try new wines and went on my first tasting. After tasting a whole new variety of wines, including white wines, I found I did not enjoy wines that are too sweet such as dessert wines or sweet white wines. After finding this out I have been trying a large variety of wines with descriptions I am familiar with. After this course, I hope to be able to be more familiar with what a wine should taste like before even reading the description.