Tasting - "Lost Vineyards Spumante"

Name - Lost Vineyards Spumante
Variety - Spumante Italiano Moscato
Region - Piedmont
Country - Italy
Year - Non Vintage
Price - $7.00

Wine Store Review -
Pale color. Confected, fruity aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle, pear tartlet, and honeydew melon with a satiny, shy, spritzy, moderately sweet light-to-medium body and a sleep, fast yellow apple, candied pear, honeycomb, and sweet papaya finish with no tannins and no oak. Simple and approachable with sweet apple, melon, and candied pear on a framework of gently, delightful bubbles.

My Review - This wine had rich scents of honeydew, strawberries and cantaloupe. It almost smelled like the juice in a fruit cup. It tasted like sweet, cherry gummies and candy. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Cabernet"

Name - Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Cabernet
Variety - Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon
Region - Padthaway
Country - Australia
Year - 2013
Price - $19.00

Wine Critic Review - Robert Parker - 87 points
This red wine is a well above average effort with lots of flavor, as well as Australia's so easily obtainable, lush fruit. The 2013 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (55% and 45%, respectively) exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with a layered, peppery, berry fruit-scented nose revealing licorice and meaty notes. From a much lighter vintage, it's a supple, easygoing red to enjoy now and over the next several years.

My Review - I smelled cherries, dark berries and a pepper/licorice hint at the end. It also had a deep earthiness smell to it too. I thought it tasted like pepper with a strong spicy palate, followed by an enjoyable tang which left a really good finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Cavit Alta Luna Pinot Noir"

Name - Cavit Alta Luna Pinot Noir
Variety - Pinot Noir
Region - Vigneti Delle Dolomiti
Country - Italy
Year - 2011
Price - $20.00

Wine Store Review -
On the nose, cherry, plum, and berry aromas mingle with notes of spice and tobacco. On the palate, soft, supple tannins and refreshing acidity are beautifully balanced by ripe cherry fruit flavors on the finish - which is dry, harmonious, and elegant.

My Review - I thought this wine smelled like rich, dark cherries covered in smooth milk chocolate. It had a plum hint as well, with a trace of spiced tobacco. I thought it tasted very tangy actually with hints of dried cherries and blackberries. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "El Cortijillo Verdejo"

Name - El Cortijillo Verdejo
Variety - Verdejo
Region - La Monacha
Country - Spain
Year - 2014
Price - $6.00

Wine Critic Review - Beverage Tasting Institute - 90 points
Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins, and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper.

My Review - This wine smelled like honey and lime with a sweet apple hint. I thought it tasted very similar - like a sweet apple pie, more fall fruits than tropical fruits on the palate and nose. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Trattoria Busa Alla Torre"

Name - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre
Variety - Pinot Grigio
Region - Veneto
Country - Italy
Year - 2014
Price - $8.00

Wine Critic Review -
A Venetian favorite! It is crisp and dry, rich and spicy, with hints of peach and honey; perfect with salads, pasta, chicken, and fish. Musaragno is an organic wine estate near Venice, Italy.

My Review - This wine's scent reminded me of a sweet granny smith apple with a hint of honeydew and peach. It was very tarte to taste but had a dry quality on the palate. It also tasted like a granny smith apple, similar to it's smell.  I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Fetzer Gewurztraminer 2014"

Name - Fetzer Gewurztraminer 2014
Variety - Gewurztraminer
Region - California
Country - Unites States
Year - 2014
Price - $12.00, Sale - $8.95

Wine Critic Review - Wine Enthusiast - 87 points
A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly.

My Review - I smelled peaches, orange blossom, honeysuckle, strawberry and almost like the scent of a rose garden. I thought this wine had a very sweet start but a nice surprise with a punch on the mid-palate then an easy, sweet finish. I thought it tasted like sweet apples, roses, melon and almost like a fruit gummy. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Maipe Malbec 2015"

Name - Maipe Malbec 2015
Variety - Malbec
Region - Mendoza
Country - Argentina
Year - 2015
Price - $12.00, Sale - $6.95

Wine Critic Review - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 87 points
"The 2015 Maipe Malbec is another 100% Malbec, with a deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty, blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It is delicious, soft and round."

My Review - This wine's scent immediately reminded me of the smell of yogurt for some reason. I thought it also smelled earthy, like dirt and greens on the forest floor. It also smelled like plums and deep, dark fruit. I thought it tasted very bitter and made my mouth dry. I definitely tasted a spicy plum and blackberry as well. It had a strange after taste and a very quick finish for a red this complex. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay 2014"

Name - Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay 2014
Variety - Beaujolais Nouveau
Region - Beaujolais
Country - France
Year - 2014
Price - $12.00, Sale - $4.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
A pretty, floral wine, with a rose petal note underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish.

My Review - This wine smelled like plums, pomegranate, apricots, black currant, and blackberry with a hint of spicy black pepper. I thought it tasted like blackberry jam topped with cracked black pepper. I thought it had a good, lingering finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Mapreco Vinho Verde D.O.C. Rose 2015"

Name - Mapreco Vinho Verde D.O.C. Rose 2015
Variety - Vinho Verde
Region - Vinho Verde - Treizadura, Loureiro, Arinto, Touriga Nacional
Country - Portugal
Year - 2015
Price - $10.00, Sale - $7.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rose made from the traditional vinho verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of strawberry, cherry and berries. A delightful twist on the original.

My Review - I thought the color of this wine was just beautiful, it was a faint orange/pink. It smelled like cherry, orange blossom, melon and cantaloupe. I loved the fizzy texture of this wine on the palate. I thought it tasted like a watered down orange juice, peaches and white grape juice. I did not try this wine with food.

Tasting - "Mars & Venus Chardonnay 2014"

Name - Mars & Venus Chardonnay
Variety - Chardonnay
Region - La Mancha
Country - Spain
Year - 2014
Price - $5.95

Wine Store Review - Vintage Cellar
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 - This wine smelled like sweet citrus and grapefruit. It almost smelled like nail polish remover. It also had a lemon/orange juice acidic scent too. I thought it tasted very acidic and tangy on the start with an orange peel flavor. So it tasted very much like the smell and finished off with a sweet flower-like finish. I did not try this wine with food.

Wine Dinner - Palisades (Germany & Austria)

This Wednesday at the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, Virginia, the "Wines Around The World" theme was Germany and Austria. The dinner included three white wines paired with an entree and two sides. 

Front View of the Palisades Restaurant

I went with two of my closest friends who are also taking the class. We were the first people there for the 4:30 seating and really enjoyed the setting and how beautiful the interior of the building was designed.

Interior View of the Palisades Restaurant

"Wines Around The World" Menu 

Meal Presentation

 The wines and dishes are as follows: (from left to right) Wines: Dr. Loosen Riesling 2014, Shine Gewurztraminer 2013, and Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner 2013. (counter clockwise) Food: Kasespaetzel (Cheesy handmade spaetzle noodles with grated cheese & butter), Rohe Kartoffelknodel (Classic Potato dumplitngs), and Schnitzel (Thin fried pork cutlet topped with Lemon).

Dr. Loosen Riesling, 2014

The first wine was the Dr. Loosen Riesling. This wine smelled like pear and sweet grapefruit with a hint of lilac. It tasted exactly like a sweet apple juice or cider with the spring flowers mixed in. I love how it basically tasted how it smelled and was refreshingly sweet. After tasting the Kasespaetzel, I noticed the wine became more tangy, but the onion definitely helped to add to the sweetness on the finish. The cheese paired well with the sweetness as well. This was definitely my favorite wine of the night.

Shine Gewurztraminer 2013

The second wine was the Shine Gewurztraminer. This wine smelled like white grape juice, roses and orange peel. I thought it tasted like tangy grape juice with a hint of lemon zest. This wine was definitely thicker textured on the palate and had a more buttery, chardonnay feel. It definitely had citrus flavor hints. After tasting the Rohe Kartoffelknodel, I noticed they brought out the sweet flower flavors in the wine and not so much the citrus, it actually calmed down the citrus tones. I liked the balance the wine now has of citrus and sweet because of the food. The thickness of the potato dumplings also complimented the thickness of the wine. 

Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner 2013

 The third and final wine was the Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner. This wine smelled like sweet apples, peach and roasted almonds. It tasted somewhat like a pinot grigio. It was sort of bitter but didn't linger very long like I thought it would. I thought it was refreshing but also spicy. It had a slight bitterness that reminded me of biting into a lemon peel, but overall this wine did not have much flavor on the palate. After tasting the Schnitzel, I noticed that the saltiness of the pork toned down the spice and bite of the wine but the lemon flavor on the pork really complimented the tart lemon of the wine. Overall, this was my favorite pairing. 

Overall, this was a very cool experience. I loved the location, the atmosphere and definitely loved the wines. I now understand why German Rieslings are the best of the best!