Tasting - Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone

Name - Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone

Variety - 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault

Region - Rhone Valley
Country - France
Year - 2010
Price - $14.95/750 mL - $38.95/3L

Shop review - As for their other values, the 2010 Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Reserve 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 was exciting because of the variety and price point but I don't think it was super great. The scent was spicy and a bit 'strong' but there were notes of berry in there as well. This full bodied wine tasted 
intricate with a variety of different flavors happening. The ones I could pick up on that were talked about in the shop review was the licorice, black cherry and a bit of spice.

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Lobetia Tempranillo

Name - Lobetia Tempranillo

Variety - Tempranillo

Region - La Mancha
Country - Spain
Year - 2011
Price - $9.95

Shop 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 - I very much appreciated that we had an organic and naturally grown wine. The scent on this wine was powerful. Very much berry, cherry happening. Still not sure about Tempranillo but I enjoyed the light berry on the tongue and a bit of spice and some earthy components. Good body on it as well. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Lobetia Chardonnay

Name - Lobetia Chardonnay

Variety - Chardonnay

Region - La Mancha
Country - Spain
Year - 2011
Price - $9.95

Shop 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 - I very much appreciated that we had an organic and naturally grown wine. The scent was very distinct and clear. The fruit scent of pineapple really came through on this one and also a bit of other citrus options. It also tasted a bit fruity as well, chardonnay is not my favorite and the acid level was interesting. Enjoyable.

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Name - Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Variety - Pinot Grigio

Region - Veneto
Country - Italy
Year - NV
Price - $7.95

Shop 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 light color, yellowy white wine. Scent of fruit evident on the nose and also the tang of acid. It tasted acidic as well with light tastes of fruity citrus.

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Dinner - Pairing Party with Friends

For the wine dinner blog post myself and two other friends in Geography of Wine got together to and each brought a dish and a paired wine.

Using my "7 half-turns" knowledge to open the sparkling wine

 

BALLATORE - Spumante Rosso

To start I brought the appetizer which was a cheese plate and to drink with the cheese course I brought a Sparkling Wine. This sparkling Spumante Rosso smelled very fruity and of course was effervescent.
The wine was tingly on the side pallet and had just a faint light flavor of raspberry and cherry. 

PepperJack, Gouda, Cheddar, Aged
Gouda & Goat Cheese (starting on left) 

It was interesting eating the variety of cheeses with the fruity-bubbly wine because each had a different effect on the appetizer experience. 

• The wine cuts the solid strong flavor of cheddar
• Brings out MORE of the flavor of the goat cheese
• The Gouda made the wine taste less good. Also since it was smoked cheese it brought a toasty flavor the drink that didn't necessarily mix well.
• The Aged Gouda improved the taste of the wine

Sniffy-sniff before eating the food - Note the decanter (vase)

Rosemont Estate - Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon.
Note the great label design, already a plus there

The second course was a delicious pasta dish made by my friend Shannon. The entree was a vegetable medley over angel-hair pasta and with feta cheese sprinkled in. To pair she chose a Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon from Rosemont Estate. This wine tasted and smelled of berry and chocolate. I really enjoyed the complexity of the flavors. It was medium bodied and a bit spicy. It had an interesting blend of charred chocolate and fruit (cassis).

Rosemont Shiraz-Cabernet with Pasta Dish

I thought that this wine tasted AMAZING with the food! Drinking the wine with food completely set it off. It LOVED it. It added a whole new layer to the experience. The wine was fruity and warm and tasted velvety. I would absolutely buy this for myself to have on hand for future dinner parties.

Peter Mertes - Riesling

The last wine was a Riesling to pair with our dessert. The Riesling is from German, Peter Mertes. The Riesling had an apple, pear and butter scent. It also had some acid on the nose. At first taste it was light and tangy and had a great finish and good swallow.

Riesling with Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The wine was paired with our dessert which was a Pineapple Upside-down cake. It seemed strange to pair a sugary Riesling with a very sugary and carmelized dessert but the combination was a great level of sweet and the acid of the wine helped to cut the sickly sweetness of the cake. 

Overall I was impressed both with my friends cooking and how drinking the wine with food really improved the experience and taste of both items. Since we have been drinking wine mostly at tastings I have not been fully appreciating the importance of the meal and wine combinations and opportunities. Also I was impressed with how much wine we could go through when drawing out a meal and really savoring everything. It was a great time and I feel like I got to further appreciate wine in a new way.

Tasting - Caprice de Bastor-Lamontagne

Name - Caprice de Bastor-Lamontagne

Variety - 60% Semillon, 36% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Muscadelle

Region - Sauternes
Country - France
Year - 2004
Price - $7.95

Shop review - Very clean, with lemon, mineral and honey aromas that follow through to a medium body. Shows vanilla, apple and melon flavors, with a medium finish. Lightly sweet.

My Review - This wine tasted very fruity and could smell the alcohol on it as well as peach and apricot. This tasted very tart and juicy. I thought it was quite sweet but at the same time it tasted like the fruit went a bit bad. Seemed like the wine was made from rotten apricot covered in honey. It had a nasty aftertaste, I did not like the Caprice at all.

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Torre Castillo Alegre

Name - Torre Castillo Alegre

Variety - 100% Monastrell

Region - Jumilla
Country - Spain
Year - 2010
Price - $9.95

Shop review - 4 months in new American oak barrels
Bright ruby-red. Dried cherry, pipe tobacco and rose aromas, with a hint of woodsmoke. Sweet and fleshy on the palate, with blackberry and cherry flavors complimented by licorice and a suggestion of dried herbs. The cherry a and smoke notes repeat on
the finish.

My Review - This red wine had a very very wooden scent with undertones of raspberry and vanilla. It smells like it would be good with chocolate. This wine  tasted very toasty, quite roasted. The wine had a wooden taste. It tasted like someone made juice out of wood that had been sitting with berries rubbed all in it. There was also a spice to the back of the throat and a campfire taste. This wine was not my favorite because it was so wintery and not right for the season I tasted it. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.