Tasting - Weinkeller Erbach Flonheimer Adelberg Sylvaner

Name: Weinkeller Erbach Flonheimer Adelberg Sylvaner
Variety: 100% Sylvaner
Region: Rheinhessen
Country: Germany
Year: 2010
Price: $18 (Sale - $4.95)

Winery Review: “The fruity, mouthwatering wine has a nice acidity-sugar balance and comes from the so called 'Rheinhessen-Switzerland', the heartland of Rheinhessen. It has a floral bouquet and is full of lemon zest, hint of passion fruit, and smells like yellow fruit, lemon-grass and green tea, all wrapped around a pleasant creaminess and a semi-dry profile. The finish is zippy and refreshing. Perfect for party on the deck as it comes in a liter bottle!”

My  Review: The smell was horrific to me. It seemed as if I was sticking my nose into a rotten mildew bucket. However, the taste was very delightful. The residual sugar truly made this wine pleasing to my palate. I enjoy sweet wines and this is the closest that I have gotten in a white wine without it being a dessert wine. I sensed hints of lemon, but not enough to be squeezed fully, and sweet melons.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Delaroche Cotes du Rhone

Name: Delaroche Cotes du Rhone
Variety: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2011 
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: "This semi-opaque ruby, custom cuvée of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre is made specifically for Fran Kysela. It exhibits very fresh, ripe dark red fruit with very good palate weight and depth and ends with rich fruit notes. Made from organically grown grapes. Incredible value!" - I-WineReview (December 2013), 90 pts.


My  Review: The color was of a burgundy nature, much different than other red wines I have tried before. The tannins truly showed through when I tasted this wine though. The other white wines that I tasted did not have as much of an acidic, pepper flavor as this one showed.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Maipe Torrontes

Name: Maipe Torrontes
Variety: 100% Torrontes
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body.  Well balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish. Best enjoyed in its youth either by itself, or as a wonderful partner with smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, seafood and a great partner for spicy food as well.
 
My  Review: The smell was extremely sweet. It was as if I was running near trees of honeysuckle. Pear also struck my nose. The taste was much different than the aroma, much more acidic and bitter but those feelings diminished finishing with a smooth mid-palate and aftertaste.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Cortenova Pinot Grigio

Name: Cortenova Pinot Grigio
Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the finish. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi,spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine. Perfect also as an aperitif.

My  Review: This wine had a smooth aroma with a hint of citrus. When I tasted the wine, I felt the initial blast of flavor but I was pleased by the smooth mid-palate. The aftertaste didn't have too much of a bite but I could really taste the oak flavors come out.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Oak Leaf White Zinfandel

Name: Oak Leaf White Zinfandel
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $3.79

Winery Review: This refreshing, fruit-forward White Zinfandel has aromas of ripe strawberries and raspberries with the perfect touch of sweetness.


My  Review: For $3.79, this wine has a lighthearted, sweet aroma. I picked up a touch of sour apple with strawberries blended in. The taste is wildly smooth but the mid-palate has a little bite. I could taste the strawberries more as I swallowed. Overall, full but light.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Terre Rouge Enigma

Name: Terre Rouge Enigma
Variety: 44% Marsanne, 29% Viognier, 27% Roussanne
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $32 --> $19.95

Winery Review: Aromas suggest wildflower honey and acacia blossom with hints of tangerine and papaya. Flavors are creamy with peach, apple, and quince sensations competing for your taste buds. The finish is crisp with classic white Rhone stone (peach) fruit pit flavors intermingled with mineral tones from this rocky site. Enjoyable young, the wine also gains great completely with bottle age. Spent some time in oak.

My  Review: The aroma was of a powerful grape and fruits flavor. The taste was much dryer than the smell. I enjoyed this the most out of all the white I tried throughout my visit but still could feel my jaw clench with the dry and sour after bite. Overall a great wine for the price but you can tell that many different flavors are blended to create this wine.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Ch la Courdraie Bordeaux Blanc

Name: Ch la Courdraie Bordeaux Blanc
Variety: 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon, 25% Muscadelle
Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $10.95

Winery Review: Fruity and floral bouquet with flavors of honeysuckle and citrus fruit. Fresh and aromatic. Lovely balance which makes it perfect with or without food.

My  Review: I could not help but focus on the very sour bite that the wine produced. With the first taste, I could feel my jaw tighten and clench. When I sniffed, I could tell that there were acidic fruits combined with a floral aroma. I however did not taste the honeysuckle that they explained in their review. Not one of my favorites.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - El Sierro White

Name: El Sierro White
Variety: Macabeo/Chardonnay
Region: Velincia
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Pale straw colour. Clean fresh nose. Abundant fruit, crisp dry finish.

My  Review: When I smelled this wine, it was as if I was smelling roses. I could almost taste the floral aroma in the back of my throat. It also had a strong fruity smell but with a sweet after effect. It's taste was much dryer than the smell let on and the after taste was extremely crisp.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Lucky Duck Moscato Chile

Name: Lucky Duck Moscato Chile
Variety: 100% Moscato
Region: Chile
Country: Chile
Year: 2013
Price: $3.97

Winery Review: Great body and is not as potent as other Moscato wines. Very fruity flavors of sweet peaches and honeydew. This wine pairs well with cheeses and also spicy Asian cuisine. I found it very difficult to find reviews for this particular wine.

My  Review: Very spicy! When I sniffed the wine, I first smelt strong floral aromas but with a bite of sour fruits. I didn't smell the peaches as they explained in the review above. However, when I slurped the wine my mouth was lit on fire. It tasted as if there was a hot pepper sitting in the glass. I am not sure whether I like that kick when I am expecting a sweet wine. Overall, very flavorful.

I tried this wine without any food.

Tasting - Oak Leaf Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Oak Leaf Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc American
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Livermore & Ripon, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: Under $5 depending on the store

Winery Review: Medium-bodied, zesty Sauvignon Blanc that has many fruity flavors such as fresh melon and lemon. Also, it would pair well with seafood pasta.

My  Review: Great Sauvignon Blanc for the price!! The fruit flavors have a strong aroma and also pack a mean punch with a crisp finish. I could also taste floral on my palate. It had more of a bitter after taste than I was expecting, but I would certainly buy it again.

I tried this wine with a chicken dinner that I prepared.

My Wine History

When I was younger, I always saw my mother pour herself a glass of wine with dinner and other special occasions. Of course, I asked if I could try the wine at a young age, but inevitably I thought that it was disgusting. But when I turned 21, wine was the first type of alcohol that I bought and I have tried to teach myself as much as I can about the product since then.

The first type of wine that I bought and enjoyed was a dessert wine, Moscato. For months I would buy one bottle per week and sip on it each night after dinner. When I moved to Nashville, TN last fall, I lived with a wine connoisseur and she tried to slowly introduce me to more dry types of wine. The first white wine that I enjoyed was Sauvignon Blanc and the first red was Cabernet Sauvignon. I was uncertain as to what the Sauvignon really meant, but that is something that I hope to learn in this class.

I personally still enjoy Moscato wine after a large meal as a substitute for dessert or cookies, but the others I have noticed compliment my dinner much better. I like red wines when I am eating Italian meals and white wines goes well with red meats. However, I do not care for extremely dry wines and I typically will steer clear from those if someone gives me warning.

In this class, I hope to learn more about food pairing. My boyfriend and I both enjoy drinking wine and cooking dinner together at the end of each day and I would like to start choosing more appropriate wines. I do not care much about the regions or history, but I can understand why it is important. However, I like to learn things in my classes that I can put to use in every day situations. I am certainly looking forward to this class!