Dinner #3 - 4/25

Appetizer Wine
Name: Chateau Morrisette Cabernet Franc
Year: 2011
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Price: $12 at Kroger
Region: Virginia
Country: United States
Food: Fontina cheese (Swedish style)
Critic Review: couldn’t find one
Bottle Description: Medium bodied, deep fruit flavors, mild spice, oak aged. Ideal steak wine.
My notes: This wine had a deep red color and smelled of cherries and plums. It had a dry taste with hints of pepper and a little fruit. I chose to have Fontina cheese with this wine after reading it was a good pairing from Drink This Now! After eating the cheese I noticed that it became more acidic, but not overwhelmingly so. The added acidity enhanced the pepper and gave the wine a whole different taste. I really like the wine with the cheese and eating the cheese alone was definitely not as enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Dinner Wine

Name: Domaine Du Tarquet Sauvignon Blanc

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Price: $11 at Kroger

Region: Gascogny

Country: France

Food:  pasta with a rose cream sauce, tomatoes, and shrimp with a side of salad

Bottle Description: Gascony’s mild climate offers this grape variety a new range of aromas. A distinctive bouquet with fine intense floral notes, some minerality, and the underlying suggestion of ripe grapes. Fresh and refined with an attractive intensity. A fine expression of Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is a delight. Quality grapes and a winemaker’s expert touch combined to reach new heights.

My Notes: This wine had a light color and a citrus and grassy smell. It tasted herbal and almost light an acidic green tea. With the pasta, there was more acidity and it tasted much sweeter. The herbal taste of the wine was gone as soon as I started eating. For this wine I liked it both ways with or without food, but it definitely complemented the shrimp and pasta very well.

 Dessert Wine

Name: Cline Viognier

Year: 2012
Varietal: Viognier
Price: $12 at Kroger
Region: North Coast California
Country: United States
Food: Strawberry sorbet and fresh strawberries
Critic Review: Cline’s Viognier is loaded with pineapple, peach, and apricot flavors combined by floral and citrus notes. Perfect as an apricot with camembert, this wine also pairs exceptionally well with curried shrimp or Asian fusion cuisine. Serve lightly chilled.
My Notes: This wine had a light color and smelled of peaches. It tasted slightly dry and sweet like peaches. With the sorbet and strawberries, this wine tasted less sweet and drier. I felt that even though the back description said it would go well with curry or Asian food, it went wonderfully with a sweeter dessert. The dessert balanced it and made it a lot easier and smoother to drink.

 

 

 

Tasting- Reserve Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône

•Name:  Reserve Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône

•Variety:  70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault

•Region: Rhône Valley

•Country: France

•Year: 2010

•Price: 14.95/ 750mL

•Critic Review:As for their other values, the 2010 Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Reserve (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault) displays loads of ripe flavors. It is very concentrated for a Cotes du Rhone, and is actually an amazing wine. Classic garrigue, black cherry liqueur, lavender, licorice and spice box are all present in this full-bodied, intense, and rich Cotes du Rhone. This is a sensational effort to drink over the next 4-5 years, although it might last even longer.

My Review: This wine had a dark color and a smokey smell with hints of tart cherries. It tastes juicy, peppery, and of tart cherries. I liked this wine just because it wasn't overwhelming in any of the flavors it had.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Lobetia Tempranillo

•Name:  Lobetia Tempranillo

•Variety:  Tempranillo

•Region: La Mancha

•Country: Spain

•Year: 2011

•Price: $9.95

•Critic Review:Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. It shows a nice cherry color with a violet shade because of its youth. Red berries and cherries on the nose. On the palate it is fresh, slightly astringent, and harmonious with a long finish

My Review: This wine also had a purple and red color and smelled peppery and like plums. It tasted very tart with a little pepper which was mostly noticeable in the aftertaste. I did not particularily like this wine just because that tartness threw me off.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Lobetia Chardonnay

•Name:  Lobetia Chardonnay

•Variety:  Chardonnay

•Region: La Mancha

•Country: Spain

•Year: 2011

•Price: $9.95

•Critic Review:Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. Clean, bright color with a greenish-yellow tone. On the nose, exotic fruits like pineapple. Full flavored, fresh, with good acidity in the mouth, it finishes with tropical fruits.

My Review: This wine also had a light color and a buttery, floral, and sweet smell. I thought it tasted slightly tart and acidic. I did not taste the pineapple or tropical fruits, but it was hard for me to pinpoint exactly what it tasted like. I was not a huge fan of this wine.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

•Name:  Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

•Variety:  Pinot Griogio

•Region:Veneto

•Country: Italy

•Year:NV

•Price: $7.95

•Critic Review: Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This is their house white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. Great value Grigio! Drink now.

My Review: This wine had a really light color and a floral smell. I also noted some melon in the smell. It tasted juicy and had hints of melon. I'm not sure what fennel tastes like, but all I tasted was melon. I liked this wine.
No food was eaten with this tasting.

Wine Dinner #2 - 4/18

Appetizer Wine

Name: Brassfield Estate Pinot Grigio

Year: 2011

Varietal: Pinot Grigio

Price: $5 a glass at Zeppolli’s

Region: California

Country: United States

Food: Steamed Mussels and olive bread

Critic Review: The 2011 Pinot Grigio brims with aromas of Fuji apple and ripe honeydew melon. It is medium bodied, but possesses bright acidity and a long and elegant finish. The wine is crisp and clean in the mouth, layered with flavors of lemon and lime and textured and viscous in its pallette weight. It’s a wine that delights and keeps on giving. This wine is the perfect accompaniment for an afternoon by the pool as well as alongside a bowl of penne with grilled shrimp, heirloom tomatoes, lemon zest and mint. (http://www.brassfieldestate.com/wines/2011_Pinot_Grigio_Estate_Wines_Pinot_Grigio)    

My notes: This wine had a light color and smelled slightly grassy. It had a nice taste with a little acidity kick at the end, but no major flavors. After having the bread, it seemed to get sweeter. After having the seafood it got more acidic and sweet like pears.

                                                 

  Dinner Wine

Name: Riven Rock Cabernet Sauvignon

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Price: $12.99 at Zeppolli’s

Region: California

Country: United States

Food:  Tour of Italy (lasagna, chicken parmagiana, and spaghetti)

Critic Review: could not find one from this vintage.

My Notes: This wine had a dark color and had a light smell of cherries. It tasted smooth with a dry aftertaste with hints of plum. It didn’t seem to have that large of a body or an overwhelming amount of flavors. With the various pastas it seemed to blend and just tasted like water or a light fruit juice. I am not sure if this wine just didn’t have the vintage it needed but I thought it would have been a lot better if the flavors were more prominent.  

                                     


Dessert Wine

Name: Copper Ridge White Zinfandel

Year: no vintage

Varietal: Chenin Blanc

Price: $5 a glass at Zeppolli’s

Region: California

Country: United States

Food: Blackberry and Raspberry Tart

Critic Review: Delicate strawberry bouquet, with a crisp finish. Light-bodied. (http://www.snooth.com)

   

My Notes: This wine had a light pink color and smelled floral with hints of watermelon and strawberries. It also tasted like strawberries and was very fruity. After eating the tart I noticed that the wine tasted less overwhelmingly sweet. It also went really well with the blackberries and raspberries because the tartness of the fruit balanced the sweetness of the wine.