De Bortoli Shiraz Family Selection

Wednesday, January 30, 2014

Name: De Bortoli Family Selection

Variety: Shiraz (13.5% alcohol)

Region: South Eastern Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2012

Price: $9

My Review: After the first swirl, it appears like this wine is very full bodied by the legs. However, the color is not as deep as most other rich wines. The aroma of this wine reminds of sweet cherry with a hint of wood. The texture of this wine is very sour and adheres to the inside of my mouth. This wine tastes exactly as it smells.           

Winery Review: Light red-purple; cleverly made by a skilled wine making team which has invested the wine with an extra dimension of texture to the light-bodied plum and cherry fruit, a whisper of oak and a juicy finish.

I did not drink this with food

I would consider drinking this again

Pietra Santa Twin Terraces Cardonnay-Pinot Gris

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Name: Pietra Santa Twin Terraces

Variety: 62% Chardonnay 38% Pinot Gris (13.5% alcohol)

Region: Cienega Valley

Country: United States

Year: 2009

Price: $14

My Review: This wine has a strong citrus aroma, mostly white grape with some lemon. It tastes like citrus while drinking, but has a slight vanilla aftertaste. This is a very smooth white wine that is light and easy to drink.             

Winery Review: This wine is made from grapes grown in the terraced vineyards on our estate where the vines receive early morning sun, afternoon shade and cooling maritime breezes that allow for slow ripening, vibrant flavors and balanced acidity. The marriage of the two grapes yields a slight floral bouquet and interesting layers of tropical fruit and subtle vanilla. This well-balanced wine has lovely acidity that makes it especially refreshing and leaves lingering notes of citrus on the back palate. It is ideal as an aperitif, especially on a sunny afternoon, or served with a light white fish. -Try Filet Sole pan seared Piccata style.

I did not drink this with food

I would consider drinking this again

Villa Pozzi Pinot Grigiot

 Saturday, January 25, 2014

Name: Villa Pozzi

Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio (12.5% alcohol)

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $8

My Review: The aroma of this wine reminds me of apple and white grapes. After tasting it, there seems to be a very slight carbonation and an unexpected floral taste. It also has a slight tingling effect when I drink it.          

Winery Review: When you open a bottle of Villa Pozzi, it's like taking a trip to a warm, cozy Italian villa nested in a small Sicilian town far, far away from the busy everyday. It's a leisurely escape from the world outside and a journey of taste that makes any day feel special. With Villa Pozzi, you're always just a sip away from Sicily.

I did not drink this with food

I would probably not drink this again

Hacienda DL Plata Zagal Cabernet Sanvignon

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Name: Hacienda DL Plata Zagal

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sanvignon (20% alcohol)

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2009

Price: $15

My Review: This wine has a cherry aroma, and it is very similar to the merlot umbria. It has a much drier, more aggressive flavor due to its alcohol content. It has a very parching effect.            

Winery Review: In our vineyard, seasoned and mature vines brought forth through intense sun and cool nights give life to the Zagales, young wines with strong and intense personalities and flavors that create a delightful paradox between youth and maturity...a unique wisdom inviting you to purely enjoy.

I did not drink this with food

I would consider drinking this again

Falesco Merlot Umbria

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Name: Falesco

Variety: 100% Merlot Umbria (13.5% alcohol)

Region: Monteccio

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $15

My Review: This wine has a berry flavor with a hint of wood. It was a very smooth wine with little or no burn. To me, this wine is light and would not be filling in large quantities. It is very soft with very consistent texture.

Winery Review: Falesco wines mirror my philosophy of striking a balance between traditional and contemporary wine making styles. The picturesque setting and exposure of the hillside Umbrian vineyards, with perfectly draining volcanic soil, provide ideal ripening conditions. Falesco Merlot (100%) is rich in color and texture with dark fruit aromas that follow through to a silky, soft palate with spicy notes and a well balanced, lingering finish. It is a perfect accompaniment to lamb, red meats, grilled or with sauces, hearty pasta dishes, and aged cheeses.

I did not drink this with food

I would definitely drink this again

Introduction - My Wine Tasting Experience

     At this point in my life I have not tried wine more than a handful of times.  I have been more of a beer and whiskey person.  On the few occasions that I have tried wine I have had mixed feelings about it.  The first time I tried wine I was about 10 years old and I had a sip of it in church.  I had never tasted alcohol before and the taste disgusted me.  Over the next few years I occasionally had a sip of wine in church or from my family at Christmas or New Year's.  Despite not having liked wine at first, I wanted to try it again because I knew there many people who did like it, and I wanted to discover what I was missing.
     I did not really drink that much before college started, but once I got to college I began drinking on a more regular basis with my friends.  At first I only liked to drink beer and mixed drinks.  As I got more used to drinking I also began occasionally drinking shots of liquor.  Because of the settings in which a typical guy drinks while being under 21, I did not have many chances to drink wine.  Now that I am older, have required more of a taste for alcohol, and will soon be a part of the professional world, I want to know more about the type of alcohol that I have had the least experience with, wine.
     I know that it will take years of drinking wine before I'm an expert at it, but I feel like this class will provide me with a solid educational background on all different aspects of the wine drinking experience.  What I want to learn most in this class is the proper way to consume wine in a professional setting or at a nice restaurant including what types of wine go with different foods.  I also want to learn about the different types of wine, where they come from, and maybe a brief history of the production of wine.  I am looking forward to this class very much!