Wine Tasting 12 - Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Name: Josh Cellars - Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Hopland, California
Country: USA
Vintage Year: 2022
Price: $13.99

Shop Review: On the bottle, it states that this is round and juicy, with flavors of blackberry, toasted hazelnut, and cinnamon.

Wine Folly Text: Cabernet Sauvignon has a strong body with high levels of tannins, with medium levels of acidity and alcohol. This wine contains flavors including black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, and graphite. It should be served in an oversized glass after being decanted for at least an hour. Recommended pairings include grilled meats and peppery sauces due to the wine's rich flavor and high tannin content (pg 88).

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most important variety on the North Coast of California, showing rich fruit and dusty minerality when grown in volcanic clay soils. The regions of Napa Valley, Clear Lake, and much of Sonoma make some of the highest-rated Cabernet in the world. The flavor profile includes black currant, black cherry, graphite, cigar box, and mint (pg. 292).

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷 (out of 5)

On the nose, this wine smells much more tannic-y than the cheap one I tried previously (peep wine tasting 11 to read about that monstrosity). I was able to pick out plum and cherry notes. This wine was more heavy, with strong flavors of blackberry and plum. The finish has strong notes of cinnamon and hazelnut which I really appreciated. 

Wine Tasting 11 - Winking Owl Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Name: Winking Owl - Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc!)
Region: California
Country: USA
Vintage Year: 2015
Price: $2.99

Shop Review: This wine has complex flavors of plums, berries, toasted oak, and a hint of vanilla. This bold red wine pairs well with pasta, roast beef, and steak.

Wine Folly Text: Cabernet Sauvignon has a strong body with high levels of tannins, with medium levels of acidity and alcohol. This wine contains flavors including black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, and graphite. It should be served in an oversized glass after being decanted for at least an hour. Recommended pairings include grilled meats, peppery sauces due to the wine's rich flavor and high tannin content (pg 88).

My Review: 🍷 (out of 5)

I never would have bought a $3 bottle of wine from Aldi myself, but this one was free courtesy of my mom. She bought it to cook with, although I usually avoid using cheap wine for cooking since it can affect the taste of the food. She chose it because it was inexpensive, and she doesn't drink red wine. Anyways, after pouring it into a glass I was able to smell cherry, plum, blackberry. I am not a fan of the taste... it doesn't have the right mouth feel (it;s almost like it is too thin). It is super sweet while being acidic and sour. I can note the oaky-finish. As my girl Sydney said, "It taste's like all of the bad parts of red wine." The flavors I am able to pick out are plum and sour cherry. I tried it with sharp cheddar cheese and that helped! It made the wine taste more like juice and less acidic. Overall not my favorite but it was alright. I am drinking this before trying a nice cab sav, so check out "Wine Tasting 12" to see my review on a hopefully better one!

Wine Tasting 10 - Cook's California Champagne

 

Name: Cook’s California Champagne Brut White Sparkling Wine
Variety: Not listed -> blend
Region: California
Country: USA
Vintage Year: NA
Price: $2.63 (187mL bottle from a 4-pack that costs $10.49)

Shop Review: California - Cook’s California Champagne Brut White Sparkling Wine is fruity and fresh. This medium-dry white wine features aromas and flavors of apple and pear balanced with toasty yeast notes and floral nuances. Suggested food pairings include seafood, salty snacks, and spicy food. Many comments suggest that this wine is perfect for mimosas.

Wine Folly Text: This wine comes from the Madera region of California, one of the noted inland valleys. The large scale wine producers are located here, including the world's largest, Gallo. Overall, the quality isn't high but there are some exceptions. This region is most known for zinfandel, peitite sirah, cabernet sauvignon, and muscat of Alexandria (pg 290).

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷 (out of 5)

This wine has strong scents of apple and pear. Upon drinking the wine, I could easily taste the dry, acidic juice with strong notes of apple, pear, and lemon. Not the best wine in the world but it was an alright wine to enjoy for the evening. [Note: I did the wine dinner activity with friends before this tasting] This was a very light wine that was easy to drink and tasted really good in the flute when it stayed cold.

Wine Tasting 9 - Shenandoah Valley Pink Moscato

 

Name: Pink Moscato
Variety: Muscat
Region: Bluestone Vineyard in Bridgewater, VA
Country: USA
Vintage Year: 2023
Price: $20.99

Shop Review: According to the bottle, this wine has big flavors of berries and honey framed by sweetness and acidity and is made of all estate-grown grapes. Their website further details that this wine has a classic Moscato character but is bursting with flavors of strawberry and kiwi. Slight effervescence gives a lift to the rich character of one of our sweetest wines.

Wine Folly Text: Shocker... the textbook didn't have much information about this specific wine as it isn't the most common (nor is it made in a common region). What I did find is that the last 3% of wines in the U.S. fall in 46 states, notably Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia, Texas, Colorado, Idaho, and Michigan (pg 284). On the U.S. map, it highlighted the Shenandoah Valley region in Virginia, noting that Virginia is known for it's bordeaux blend, chardonnay, andvioignier (pg 287).

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷🍷(out of 5)

This wine has a beautiful, clear orange color to it. I would like to note that my mom had already drank a good bit of the wine, as shown in the above picture, and it had been stored in the fridge with a screwtop lid to secure the wine properly. Once I got a glass, which my mom was not too happy about as this is her favorite wine, I was able to smell strong scents of strawberry and raspberry, as well as honey. Once I drank the wine, these berry flavors were strong, with a citrus acidity that balanced it so the wine wouldn't be overpowering in sweetness. I enjoyed the wine's strong honey vanilla finish greatly. Overall this was like a fancy caprisun with a yummy aftertaste, and I definitely understand why my mom likes this simple-flavored wine so much. 

Sip, Snack, Repeat: A College Wine Dinner Adventure

 

Introduction

What’s a better way to spend the last Sunday in February than with a three-course meal with the wine gang? The tipsy troops (Reagan, Sydney, Nate, Tyler, and myself) gathered at my apartment to enjoy an evening of good food and great wine. We selected three wines and used AI (and the Wine Folly text) to determine what we should make for some successful pairings!

 

The Wines

1. Debonair Pinot Grigio - California

Variety = Pinot Grigio
Region & Country = Mendocino County, California (U.S.)
Vintage Year = 2022
Price = $8.99
Specific Flavors = Breathtaking notes of citrus fruits and honeysuckle notes combined with a mouthwatering finish
Pairs Well With = Light foods, mushrooms, cured meat, pork, and spicy food
-        Hoped it would taste good with cheese and crackers
My Review = This wine had strong fruity scents, giving off the vibe of being tart and acidic. After tasting it, I found this wine to be very smooth, with a watery-mouth feel. The flavors I noted included grapefruit, apple, and citrus, with a light honey aftertaste.

2. Storyteller – Once Upon a Dream Merlot

Variety = Merlot
Region & Country = Sonoma, California
Vintage Year = 2022
Price = $13.99
Specific Flavors = Vibrant aromas of herbs, chocolate mint, menthol, and blueberry crumble with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a zesty dried boysenberry and brown spice finish and chewy tannins. Nice spicy flavors. Others mention cherries, currants, and smoky oak.
Pairs Well With = Beef, lamb, and veal
-        Hoped it would taste good with pizza and maybe the brownies?
My Review = We decanted this wine for about 30 minutes (Sydney is featured above pouring it in). After pouring it from the decanter, it smelt dry and fruity with spicy, menthol hints. It tasted very tannic with blackberry flavors. Overall this was a very acidic wine with a cherry flavors and a spicy finish.

3. Roscato Rossa Dolce – Sweet Red

Variety = Lagrein, Teroldego, Croatina
Region & Country = Lombardia, Italy
Vintage Year = NA
Price = $17.99
Specific Flavors = Aromatic notes of cherry, blackberry, and red raspberry as well as violet
Pairs Well With = Barbecue dishes, pasta in red and cream sauces, breaded cutlets and spicier fare, and even desserts
-        Hoped it would taste good with pizza and maybe the brownies?
My Review = On the nose this wine smelt like sweet grapes. It had strong berry aromas and I was able to sense the carbonation based on smell alone. Very similar to the grape welch's fruit snack gummy. Once I tasted it, I immediately tasted the raspberry, blackberry, and cherry flavors. This wine was SUPER sweet, low-key tasting more like fruit juice than alcohol.

 

The Dishes

1. Cheese & Crackers

We paired mozzarella and goat cheese with buttery crackers (mine were gluten-free), adding a drizzle of honey for extra flavor. The mild creaminess of the cheese balanced well with the wines.

2. Pepperoni Pizza

I made a homemade gluten-free pepperoni pizza from a trader joes dough. The tomato sauce, melted cheese, and salty pepperoni made this a comforting pairing.

3. Chocolate Brownies

We finished with rich, fudgy brownies (and shocker they were gluten-free), the perfect way to test how wine complements chocolate.

 

How Each Meal Paired with Wine

Cheese & Crackers Pairing

• Pinot Grigio: The flavors were emphasized, with the acidity cutting through the creamy mozzarella cheese. It tasted bad with the chili fig spread, as the spread was too sweet and made the wine taste dry and flavorless. It tasted best with the goat cheese as it made the wine taste less sour while enhancing the goat cheese flavor.

Pepperoni Pizza Pairing

• Merlot: The tomato sauce complimented the fruitiness of the merlot. The wine tasted less tannic while keeping its spicy finish. Overall I enjoyed the pizza with this wine!

Chocolate Brownies Pairing

• Roscato Rossa Dolce: The sweetness of the brownie removes most of the sweetness of the wine. It makes the raspberry and cherry flavors more pronounced. I really enjoyed this pairing as I was able to notice the flavors of the wine much more. The chocolatey richness of the brownies and the raspberry sweetness of the wine was a perfect way to end the night.

 

Final Thoughts

This wine dinner was a perfect way to start the week. Even on a college budget, we were able to experience what went well (and what didn't) while spending quality time as a group. I really enjoyed experimenting with flavors with the tipsy troops, and next time we hope to have a more fancy and planned-out dinner. 

Would we do this again? Absolutely... and next time, we might get even more adventurous with our choices!

Wine Tasting 8 - Giardino Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Rosé

 

Name: Pinot Grigio Soft Rosé Wine
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Giardino winery in Veneto
Country: Italy
Vintage Year: 2023
Price: $7.99

Shop Review: According to the bottle, this is a light and crisp wine with hints of apples, pears with tones of something more exotic. Well balanced, with a soft finish. It is well paired with fish, pasta, pizza, and salad, and it should be served chilled.

Wine Folly Text: Pino Grigio (aka Pinot Gris) is a pink grape mutation of the Pinot Noir that is most famous for its zesty white wines that range in style from dry to just plain sweet. Common flavor profiles include white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, and crushed gravel. The largest majority is grown in Italy, specifically the Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giula, and Trentino-Alto Adige regions. It is often served in a wine glass, cold, the average cost for quality is roughly $15, and has a cellaring ability of 1-5 years [pg 149].

The Veneto region is part of Northeastern Italy, in which you’ll find Prosecco, Lambrusco, Italy’s best Pinot Grigio, and the well-regarded red wines of Valpolicella. The regions of the Alto Adige and Friuli are famous for Pinot Grigio. In the alpine, Alto Adige, wines are more floral with piercing acidity. In Friuli, you’ll find them to offer peach and chalky flavor. This is a light wine with flavor profiles including lemon, white peach, crushed rocks, saline, and lemon zest [pg 256]. 

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷(out of 5)

Poured out of the bottle, this wine is a beautiful light peachy color and it produced bubbles slowly. From smell alone, the notes of apple and pear were easily noticeable. The taste was much more complex and different than I expected. It was very sour, and I may or may not have gaslit myself into tasting the gravel as mentioned above. The apple notes are strong in the finish. Sydney said it tasted like grapefruit, which I definitely picked up on after she said it aloud. We decided to eat a cookie and see how the flavor changed. After the cookie, the wine tasted very tangy and acidic... almost just like rubbing alcohol. So, I'd say they don't pair well together. I decided to make a quick white cheddar mac and cheese to see if I could bring some more flavor out of the wine. Now it tastes sweeter, with the acidity almost gone, bringing out the apple and pear flavors.

Wine Tasting 7 - Korbel California Champagne

 

Name: Korbel Brut - California Champagne
Variety: Blended composition - Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard, Pinot Noir
Region: Guerneville, Sonoma, California
Country: U.S.
Vintage Year: Not listed
Price: $17.99

Shop Review: America's favorite California champagne, Korbel Brut is refined, with a balanced, medium-dry finish. Enjoy with lively aromas of citrus and cinnamon leading to crisp flavors of orange, lime, vanilla, and a hint of strawberry. Enjoy with caviar, fried foods, salty snacks, and shellfish. 

Wine Folly Text: Champagne is a sparkling, acidic wine with flavors including citrus, yellow apple, cream, almond, and toast to name a few. It is often served in a flute glass at ice cold temperatures, and pairs well with anything that is salty or fried [pg 94]. This California Champagne is from the north coast, which is excellent for cooler-climate grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as sparkling wines [pg 290].

My Review: 🍷🍷(out of 5)

This champagne smelt like it would be a light, sweet wine with strong apple flavors. Sydney and I poured this bubbly, light yellow champagne into glass flutes, and we were ready to taste. My mouth quickly became dry after drinking the wine, as this is a brut. Flavors of apple, pear, and lemon remained after finishing my sip. We enjoyed this champagne while watching The Notebook for the first time with our roommates, which I believe elevated the experience. Overall this champagne was very bitter, but I would try it again with one of the suggested pairings to see if food would make a difference.

Sip Happens: A Grape Escape with Three Cheeses and Four Friends

 

To kick off the first weekend of February, our wine gang (Reagan, Sydney, Nate, Tyler, and I) decided to switch up our Saturday night routine and stay in for an evening of wine and cheese (although some of the group did decide to hit downtown after). We thought it would be a great idea to do 2 tastings and this pairing event on the same night, so we ended our Saturday night having split 5 bottles of wine, 4 cheeses, and some toasted baguettes with oil.

Here are the details on our spread:

The Alcohol (note: the group had two bottles of Chardonnay before these wines, to complete the weekly tasting assignment)    

• Wine 1 = Bell’Agio Chianti
• Wine 2 = Maipe Casir dos Santos Malbec
• Wine 3 = Barefoot Merlot

The Snacks

• Cheese 1 = Belgioioso Fontina: A light, sour, and soft cheese
• Cheese 2 = Murray’s Cheese – Brie: Soft, buttery, smooth cheese
• Cheese 3 = Cabot Creamery Vermont Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Cheese 4 = Castello Danablue – Blue Cheese (note: I hate blue cheese and therefore focused on cheeses 1-3 for this assignment)

-        Bread & Oil

• Toasted Trader Joe's gluten-free baguette (the gluten eaters had a regular one)
• Fattoria Montecchio extra virgin olive oil – Chianti Classico from Italy (w/ salt and pepper): a delicious oil I bought from a wine tour in Tuscany with my family

Now that we have been taking this course for about a month, we did ensure that we were following the sniff and swirl instructions from our lecture video. My girly Reagan can be seen sniffing her swirled red wine below.

ALSO, my home girl Sydney went thrifting the day before we did this pairing event, and she scored the coolest decanter set. We enjoyed goofing around with it and decided to decant the Barefoot Merlot for this event (and it decanted for almost 3 hours because it took us a hot second to finish the first two wines). Here you can see Nate mesmerized by the wine flowing into the decanter.

Now that I’ve covered the spread, let’s jump into how the wine and cheese truly paired together.

Wine #1: Bell’Agio Chianti

Variety of Grape = Sangiovese

Region & Country of Origin = Chianti, Italy

Vintage Year = 2022

Price = $15.99

Specific Flavors = Red fruit (cherry, raspberry, cranberry, Earthly (leather, mineral, & black fruit (plum, blackberry) notes

Pairs Well With = Beef, veal, and poultry

Wine Folly Notes = Chianti is a medium-bodied red wine, meaning that it pairs well with nutty hard, fruity umami, and dry-salty cheese. It tastes average with delicate, buttery cheese and is bad with salty, crumbly cheese [pg 60]. Therefore, according to the text, the wine should taste best with cheddar, average with the fontina, and bad with the brie.

My Review = By itself, this wine was dry, tannic, and oaky. Having had the two glasses of Chardonnay before this might have affected my overall taste of this wine. Overall a good wine, although I don’t understand its packaging. [2.5 / 5]

•          Pairing w/ Cheese 1 = The Fontina made this wine taste very smooth and sweet, removing the dryness altogether.
•        Pairing w/ Cheese 2 = Eating brie with this was a bad idea. It brought the wine immediately back to its dry state and had a horrible sour aftertaste.
•      Pairing w/ Cheese 3 = The cheddar tasted good after drinking the wine due to its nice saltiness.

Pairing Summary (best to worst) = Fontina (1) -> Cheddar (3) -> Brie (2)

Wine #2: Barefoot Merlot

Variety of Grape = Merlot

Region & Country of Origin = Modesto, California

Vintage Year = Not listed, so it is most likely a blend of wines

Price = $6.99

Specific Flavors = Boysenberry and chocolate, w/ hints of anise and tannins

Pairs Well With = Beef, poultry, red sauce pasta, cheeses and desserts

Wine Folly Notes = Barefoot merlot is a medium-bodied red wine, meaning that it pairs well with nutty hard, fruity umami, and dry-salty cheese. It tastes average with delicate, buttery cheese and is bad with salty, crumbly cheese [pg 60]. Therefore, according to the text, the wine should taste best with cheddar, average with the fontina, and bad with the brie.

My Review = On its own, this wine tasted strong, almost too sweet, with a strong plum flavor. This wine was not as dry as the Chianti we had had before, but having had this wine beforehand may have affected my taste. [1.5 / 5]

•          Pairing w/ Cheese 1 = The Fontina made this wine taste more acidic, dry, and bitter.
•          Pairing w/ Cheese 2 = Brie mixed with this is straight-up horrible. This cheese made it taste super sour, with the wine overpowering the brie.
•         Pairing w/ Cheese 3 = Sharp cheddar cheese is definitely the way to go. This cheese magnified the sweetness of the wine while making it taste smoother and more balanced.

Pairing Summary = Cheddar (3) -> Fontina (1) -> Brie (2)

Wine #3: Maipe Casir dos Santos Malbec

Variety of Grape = Malbec

Region & Country of Origin = Maipu Valley in Mendoza, Argentina

Vintage Year = 2019

Price = $8.99

Specific Flavors = Complex plum, fig, strawberry, spices, and floral aromas, w/ velvety/rounded tannins

Pairs Well With = Game, roasted red meats, pasta, or pizza

Wine Folly Notes = This Malbec is considered a full-bodied red wine, meaning that it pairs well with fruity, umami cheese. It tastes average with delicate, buttery, nutty, hard, and dry, salty umami cheese. Finally, it tastes bad with salty, crumbly and sour cheese [pg 60]. Therefore, according to the text, the wine should taste best with the cheddar and average with the fontina or the brie.

My Review = Although this wine decanted for quite some time, this tasted the strongest. It had a more bitter scent, and the overall taste was complex. I noted that this wine would probably taste really good with meat. (I’d also like to note that this was my fifth glass and the group was definitely feeling the wine by this point, so my judgment might have been slightly off)

•          Pairing w/ Cheese 1 = I felt neutral about this pairing, with the wine tasting slightly smoother.
•          Pairing w/ Cheese 2 = YUCKY! The brie made this wine taste extremely bitter.
•          Pairing w/ Cheese 3 = Great pairing, with the cheese accentuating the flavors in the wine while making it taste smoother.

Pairing Summary (best to worst) = Cheddar (3) -> Fontina (1) -> Brie (2)

As you can see, our group really enjoyed the decanting process and we look forward to using this in the future. The picture of Tyler below truly represents how we felt about the wine and decanting process (while also showing the vibe we all were feeling since this was our fifth wine).

Wine Tasting 6 - Quinta De Chocapalpha: Castelão

 

Name: Quinta De Chocapalpha - Castelão

Variety: Castelão

Region: Vinho Regional de Lisboa

Country: Portugal

Vintage Year: 2016

Price: $17.99

Shop Review: The winemaker, Sandra Tavares da Silva, notes that this wine has an intense red color, and it is a very fruity, elegant, and charming wine with amazing sweet and silky tannins. The aftertaste is long and very fresh. Additionally, a wine critic stated that “Old Vine Castelão has produced a rich wine that is full of dense black fruits. It has the typical juicy character of the grape, full of fruitiness to go with the concentrated structure of the wine.”

Wine Folly Text: Portugal is a treasure trove of unique wines and grape varieties that are not well known outside of the country. However, long ago, the country was at the leading edge of wine technology and can claim one of the world’s first demarcated wine regions. There are 77 common native varieties here, one of which is the Castelão. Lisboa, one of the many regions in Portugal, is known for white wines such as Arinto and Fernao Pires and red wines such as Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet. Ultimately, the climate changes drastically across Portugal, making a variety of wine styles. [pgs 264-265]

My Review: 0 (out of 5)
Sadly, this wine is getting a 0 out of 5, however, it is not the winery's fault. This was one of the weeks that my friend was supplying the wine for the tasting, and this wine came from their friend's family member's house. Long story short it was most likely not stored properly. When my friend tried to open the bottle, the cork was very difficult to remove. Eventually, he gave up trying to take out the cork, so I gave it a try and was able to successfully remove it, as seen above. However, if you look at the midsection of the cork you can see that it was disintegrating and breaking apart. This was the first sign that this wine was going to be bad.

The second sign came soon after when I decided to smell the cork. Now I paid attention to Boyer's lecture videos and remembered that he thought smelling a cork was super goofy... it is just supposed to smell like a cork. So, I put this cork up to my nose, and it smelled horribly strong of vinegar.

The third red flag came when we poured the wine into our glasses, swirled it around, and then inhaled it. The scent was overpoweringly vinegary, with a hint of off-fruity plum. Visually it looked as expected, a strong ruby-red color. 

The final sign that this wine was going to be bad occurred when we tasted the wine. Yes, we assumed it was bad, but maybe we were overthinking it. Alas, we decided to try it. The taste, straight-up acid. No flavor, just sour liquid. The worst part was the rancid taste it left in my mouth. After doing a quick google search I found that "Spoiled wine may develop a vinegar-like smell and taste due to the presence of acetic acid-producing bacteria." 

Needless to say, I only had a sip of this wine. I should try it again when it isn't spoiled, but I probably won't. This was my first, and hopefully, last, time drinking rotten wine. 

Wine Tasting 5 - Cooper's Hawk Almond Sparkling Wine

 

Name: Almond Sparkling Wine

Variety: The base of the wine is Blanc de blanc, so it is made of white grapes (most likely chardonnay)

Region: Woodridge, Illinois

Country: United States

Vintage Year: Not listed – blend

Price: $18.99

Shop Review: Cooper’s Hawk notes this wine has powerful aromas of almonds, biscotti cookies, lemon, baking spices, and maraschino cherry. They state it has a nutty and crisp personality, paired with appetizers and baked fruit desserts. Additionally, they note that almond essence is a powerful aroma and not only is it nutty, but it has beautiful fruit aromas that shine in our Sparkling Almond. 

Wine Folly Text: This wine was made in the Midwest, which Wine Folly notes is particularly known for their Norton, Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, and Chardonel [pg. 287]. This specific wine is not mentioned in the text, as it is not common. However, from examining the Wine Aroma Wheel, I determined that this wine focuses on tertiary aromas primarily from oxidation and aging. [pg. 31]

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷(out of 5)

I knew I would like this wine just from the sound of it. Upon opening this bottle, the scents of apple, almond, and maraschino cheery immediately hit my nose. After further dissecting the smell, I also was able to notice lemon and pair scents. Visually, this was a bubbly, light golden wine. I tasted it two different ways. First, I had it at room temperature (as my friend forgot to chill it). The flavors were very mild. In the beginning, it was citrusy and dry, with a pretty plain alcohol taste. Moments later the real flavors would hit, with the almond and cherry flavors being obvious and delicious. While my friends and I were drinking the wine, we chilled what was left. The chilled wine was significantly better. Right when the alcohol hit my tongue I immediately tasted the fruit flavors of apple and pear, and then those flavors would fade and the almond, cherry, and vanilla notes appeared. Overall loved this wine and will be drinking it again (chilled of course).

Wine Tasting 4 - Bonterra Chardonnay

 

Name: Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Hopland, Mendocino County, California

Country: United States
Vintage Year: 2022
Price: $10.99

Shop Review: As found on the bottle, “Bonterra believes in organic fruit farming to produce the purest, most flavorful fruit and ensure a healthy habitat for birds and wildlife surrounding our vineyards. Our chardonnay is filled with green apple, pear and citrus flavors with hints of toasted oak.”

Additionally, according to their website, this chardonnay is bright and creamy, featuring aromas of pear and green apple with an uplifted acidity and subtle toast on the finish. Under their tasting notes, they state: “The brilliant light green and golden straw hue hints at the depth of flavor that unfolds in the glass. Pleasing fruit aromas of pear, green apple, and citrus are framed by an enticing thread of flower blossom and spice. The palate is rich and creamy with uplifted acidity and subtle toast on the finish. This Chardonnay will continue to evolve for up to four years of additional cellaring."

Wine Folly Text: “Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes. It is made in a wide range of styles from sparkling Blanc de Blancs to ich, creamy white wines in aged oak. Specific flavors include yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter. Primary aromas include oak, red fruit, tropical fruit, tree fruit/melon, citrus, and flowers.” [pgs.96-97]

Additionally, this Chardonnay comes from Mendocino County, located on the north coast of California. “Chardonnay loves cooler growing areas and performs exceptionally well in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Southern Napa. This grape is also a popular choice for North Coast sparkling wines, which deliver apple and almond cream flavors. This is a full-body white, with flavors including baked pear, pineapple, butter, hazelnut, and caramel.” [pg.292]

My Review: 🍷🍷🍷🍷(out of 5)
This was a nice smooth chardonnay (and way better than the one that I did in the third wine tasting). When poured, it is a medium yellow color that has an apple aroma. Upon taste, the wine was buttery, oaky, and fruity. This wine left my mouth with a buttery aftertaste. I enjoyed this wine and appreciated it much more than the cheap one I had in the third tasting!

Wine Tasting 3 - Bay Bridge Vineyards Chardonnay

 

Name: Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Valley, California

Country: United States
Vintage Year: Not listed: Non-vintage, therefore it is a blend of vintages
Price: $3.99

Shop Review: As noted on Vivino’s website, “The first taste was tartness, almost like a lemon. It was very crisp and citrus-like, almost like a grapefruit. Overall, a very mellow fruit flavor.” People find that this wine to be bold, with oaky notes (butter, oak, and vanilla), tree fruit notes (apple, pear, and melon), as well as hints of yeasty notes (cream, cheese, and vanilla). Community reviews mention that it is a strong butter with a touch of fruit finish, that couldn’t be drank straight, with others mentioning it has strange banana notes.

Wine Folly Text: “Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes. It is made in a wide range of styles from sparkling Blanc de Blancs to ich, creamy white wines in aged oak. Specific flavors include yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter. Primary aromas include oak, red fruit, tropical fruit, tree fruit/melon, citrus, and flowers.” [pgs.96-97]

Additionally, this Chardonnay comes from Central Valley, an inland valley of California. “Chardonnay takes up the largest vineyard area in the Central Coast, most of which is average quality. Wines are often made in a rich, oaked style. This is a full-body white, with flavors including mango, lemon curd, white blossom, toasted almond, and crème brulee.” [pg. 294]

My Review: 🍷(out of 5)

This was definitely a cheap wine that is not very good, something you should serve when you can't taste it anymore... It came out of the bottle looking like a light, watery yellow. From smell it seemed to be tart with citrus notes. The wine tasted very tart, and the flavor was very plain. The moment it hit my tongue it tasted very bitter due to its' acidity. This was my first wine that left a strong yeasty taste that lasted long after finishing the drink.