Tasting - Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz

Name: Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: South Eastern Australia
Country: Australia
Year: Non-vintage
Price: $9.95
Wine Review: A relatively light, fresh style of sparkling Shiraz, with berries and hints of chocolate picking up just a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish.
My Review: This wine had a medium red color. You could see some bubbles but not as much as I would have expected from a sparkling wine. It had a fruity smell with hints of chocolate. This wine had a slightly berry taste. It was also much drier than I expected. I thought this was a good wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- Tres Ojos Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95
Wine Review: The wine has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice, and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinary good quality. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. Enjoy with sausages, roasted meats, aged cheeses etc.
My Review: This wine had a medium red color. It had a peppery smell that had hints of raspberries. This wine had a peppery taste with some slight hints of fruit. It was a very dry wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting -Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence

Name: Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence
Variety: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95
Wine Review: Bright salmon pink; typical of the fresh but warm Provence style. Refined and complex on the nose, with summer fruit and floral notes. Dry and crisp, with a delicate flavor and full texture.
My Review: This wine had a light pink color. It had a very floral and fruity scent. This wine also had a floraly taste and was kinda sour. I did not like this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Canyon Road Chardonnay

Name: Canyon Road Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95
Wine Review: Medium-bodied wine with notes of crisp apple and ripe citrus fruit with a hint of cinnamon spice. Delicious complement to grilled chicken, lighter pasta dishes or mild cheeses.
My Review: This wine had a light color. It had a very good nose that smelled of apples. This wine tasted like apple cinnamon. It was also very dry. I liked this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Montebuena

Name: Montebuena
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95
Wine Review: Ripe cherry and blackcurrant on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and grip. Still on the young side but this wine drinks very well with an hour or so of decanting; it's an excellent value for Rioja
My Review: This wine had a medium red color. It smelled like cherries with a hint of black currant. It had a very peppery taste, almost too peppery. There were slight hints of cherries in the taste. I thought this wine was ok.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Potluck Sweet Malbec

Name: Potluck Sweet Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95
Wine Review: Deep red brilliant with violet hints. Complex, fruity, and predominant red fruits. Easy to drink, round with persistent sweetness, very well balanced with sweet tannins.
My Review: This wine had a dark red color. It had a very sweet and fruity smell as well as a floral smell. This wine had a very fruity taste. It was drier than it smelled. This wine was not my favorite but I did enjoy it.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Domaine de Grange de Payan

Name: Domaine de Grange de Payan
Variety: Grenache
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $8.95
Wine Review: Intensely spicy and precise, with lively red berry flavors and a hint of black pepper. The Grenache, which makes up the majority of the wine, is deeper and more powerful, offering cherry and black raspberry qualities lifted by zesty minerality.
My Review: Dark red color with a oaky smell. It had a cherry flavor with a slightly jammy taste. It also had a peppery and oaky flavor. I liked this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Tinto Figaro

Name: Tinto Figaro
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95
Wine Review: Figaro is 100% Garnacha, made from a selection of the best grapes grown in the oldest vineyards. While not truly an "oaked wine", a short stay in oak barrels provides a nice spicy flavor boost. Bright violet. Dark berry and cherry aromas show a jammy aspect. Supple and gently sweet, with good lift to its black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. Smooth and broad on the finish, leaving behind a hint of spiciness. Extremely easy to drink and an excellent value.
My Review: This wine was a dark red color. It had an oaky and cherry smell. It had a very peppery, spicy flavor as well as a cherry flavor. It was very smooth and easy to drink. I enjoyed this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Maipe Malbec Rose

Name: Maipe Malbec Rose
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95
Wine Review: Intense pink color with violent hints. Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors, balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish. Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes.
My Review: This wine had a light pink color. It had a very fruity smell. It tasted like strawberries and cherries. This wine was dry and slightly acidic. It was very easy to drink. I liked this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Cortenova Pinot Grigio

Name: Cortenova Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95
Wine 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 aftertaste. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine. Perfect also as an aperitif.
My Review: This Pinot Grigio had a very light color to it. It had a floral and fruity scent. The wine was dry with a lightly fruity taste. I could taste the almonds in the aftertaste. I enjoyed this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Dogajolo Toscano

Name: Dogajolo Toscano
Variety: 40% Chardonnay 30% Grechetto 30% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $16.99
Wine Review: Pleasantly fruity, elegantly aromatic, it shows good body and agreeable acidity. It's fresh, harmonious taste makes it wonderful as an aperitif as well as a great match with seafood dishes, salads, and white meats.
My Review: The wine had a light color. It had a fruity smell. This wine had a fruity taste to it as well. It was a very light and refreshing wine. It was dry and slightly acidic. I really liked this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Peter Lehmann Portrait Shiraz

Name: Peter Lehmann Portrait Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $13.99
Wine Review: Deep red/black color with a rich bouquet of chocolate and black forest fruits. This is a full-bodied wine with soft velvet tannins, a long finish. Drinking beautifully now and will cellar for 5-10 years.
My Review: This wine had a dark red color. It had a peppery and cherry smell. It also had a very peppery taste with a slight cherry taste. I thought this was a good wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Maddalena Zinfandel

Name: Maddalena Zinfandel
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: Paso Robles, California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $16.99
Wine Review: This Zinfandel is from Paso Robles. It is rich with silky texture and soft tannins.
My Review: This wine had a dark color. It had a cherry smell. The zinfandel was slightly peppery and had a cherry flavor. You could feel the peppery flavor on the back of your throat. It had a very smooth finish. I thought this wine was excellent. 
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Sauvignon Republic

Name: Sauvignon Republic
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2012
Price: $7.99
Wine Review: A windswept terror of hills and dry gravelly-clay riverbeds produces crisp tropical sauvignon with gooseberry notes, herbal grassiness, and restrained minerality. Juicy flavors, crisp acidity and long finish pair well with sea foods of all kinds. The perfect wine with Sushi!
My Review: This wine had a very light color. It had a very heavy grapefruit smell. This wine also had a very strong grapefruit taste. It was dry and slightly acidic. It was a very refreshing wine. I really liked it.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Garnacha de Fuego

Name: Garnacha de Fuego
Variety: Grenache
Region: Catalayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $9.99
Wine Review: On the nose, this wine shows ripe black fruits: black raspberry and prune, with a touch of eucalyptus, pepper, and a smidgeon of earth. The palate offers a silky smooth texture, warm black raspberry, black cherry, and plum, with a touch of spice. Acidity and tannins are medium, appropriate for food but not so high that they're overbearing when this wine is drunk by itself.
My Review: This wine had a very very dark red color. I did not get very much on the nose when I smelled it. It had a very spicy taste. The wine was very smooth. I really did not care for this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Dinner - at Home with the Family!

I had a wine and food pairing dinner at my house with my parents, boyfriend Brad, my Aunt Carla, my Aunt Kelsie, and my Uncle one day over spring break. It was fairly easy to convince my family to join in since they never turn down a reason to try wine or food. My brother Chris, who is 20, just joined in for the meal. 

For our appetizer  I served a baked brie with a four fruit jam consisting of red currents, strawberries, raspberries, and cherries with the Opera Prima Pink Moscato. I thought this would work well since the moscato was semi-sweet and so was the brie.

Baked Brie and Pink Moscato Appetizer 

Me pouring wine for out appetizer

Opera Prima Pink Moscato Tasting Notes: This fine sparkling presents an intense aroma of fresh berries and tropical fruits with hints of white flavor petals. Delicate bubbles caress the palate offering a silky and pleasant sweetness well balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. Ideal on its own, as an aperitif or with all types of sweets and desserts.

Opera Prima Pink Moscato

Carla (left) and Kelsie (right) enjoying their appetizer

The Opera Prima had a very sweet and fruity smell. I could detect the scent of grapefruit when I smelled it. It was not as sweet as it smelled which was a pleasant surprise. It had a delightful grapefruit flavor. When tasted with the brie, the moscato tasted drier than on its own. Everyone was pleased with how well the moscato and the brie paired together.

Stuffed Shells and Bucatini Red Blend

For dinner, we had spinach and turkey sausage stuffed shells with a salad. The stuffed shells had ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, spinach, diced tomatoes, diced rotel tomatoes (I ran out of regular tomatoes but it actually gave it a pretty good kick), garlic, and turkey sausage. I was torn between two reds to try so I decided to do both and see which one paired better. The two wines we had were the Gamela Malbec Reserva and the Bucatini Red Blend. We decided to try the Bucatini Red Blend first.

Bucatini Red Blend

Bucatini Red Blend Tasting Notes: An ideal companion to pasta or pizza. Bucatini's rich fruit, complex flavors, and peppery spice are a perfect match to pasta dishes, from Fettuccine Alfredo to Bucatini alla Carbonara. A pasta musta!

My parents enjoying their wine and dinner

I decided to pair the Bucatini with dinner since it was a wine made to go with pasta. The Bucatini had a cherry smell along with a rooty smell. It was a dark red color. It had a very peppery and cherry taste. The food really brought out the peppery taste in the wine. The fruity taste helped mask some of the spice from the rotel tomatoes. Overall it paired well with the stuffed shells. 

Gamela Malbec Reserva Tasting Notes: Bramble, leather, and cheese aromas crouwd out the wine's fruit notes, while black cherry and plum flavors are regular. Standard mouthfeel and mildly racy finish fail to elevate things.

Gamela Malbec Reserva

Jeff and Chris enjoying dinner

The Gamela Malbec Reserva had a very dark red color and a very rooty and slightly fruity smell. It had a fruity taste. The wine also had a very full body and was very smooth. It had a peppery finish. The food brought out even more of the fruity flavors. The food also brought out some more of the peppery flavors. It went very well with the stuffed shells.

Brad and I enjoying the wine and dinner

After trying both wines with dinner, we went around the table and said which wine we preferred with dinner. The Gamela Malbec Reserva was the overall favorite with the Bucatini Red Blend only receiving one vote which came from my dad.

For dessert, I served a chocolate banana soft serve with raspberries and the Sanctuary Vineyards Blackberry Wine. I thought this wine would go good with the dessert since chocolate and fruit always pair well together. The tasting notes for the blackberry wine were not on the Sanctuary Vineyards website and I was unable to located them anywhere else.

Blackberry Wine

Our Dessert

The blackberry wine had a super sweet smell. It was a fruity smell but also smelled a lot like raisins. It tasted exactly like blackberries with a hint of grape juice. It was very sweet. The chocolate banana soft serve dried out the wine. It also enhanced the blackberry flavor which went really well with the chocolate. This wine paired really well with the dessert.

My parents and I enjoying our blackberry wine

All of the food paired really well with the wines. It was neat to see how much food can change the wine tastes. It was a very good learning experience. I look forward to exploring more wine and food pairings in the future!

My dad and his two sisters and his wine hat!

Tasting - Bucatini Red Blend

Name: Bucatini Red Blend
Variety: Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2008
Price: $12.99
Wine Review: An ideal companion to pasta or pizza. Bucatini's rich fruit, complex flavors, and peppery spice are a perfect match to pasta dishes, from Fettuccine Alfredo to Bucatini alla Carbonara. A pasta musta!
My Review: This blend had a dark color. It had a cherry smell. It also had a very tannicy and dry taste to it. The wine had a fruity and peppery taste. I thought this was a very good wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Colby Red

Name: Colby Red
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $13.99
Wine Review: The 2010 Colby Red wine, a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot, is a deep crimson color. Aromas of ripe red cherries, raspberries and star anise jump from the glass. The wine is generous on the palate with a rich mouthfeel complimented by well-integrated tannins and bold flavors of red berry and hints of clove spice. The finish is smooth with slight, toasty vanillin character which lingers and is achieved from oak aging. Easy to drink and enjoy, this wine is a crowd pleaser.
My Review: This Red Blend had a very dark color. It also had a very fruity smell. The wine had a very fruity taste. The fruits from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape were very evident. I could also taste some cherry flavor. This wine was very dry and smooth and did not have a big tannic structure. I thought this was a pretty good wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Oraison Cote de Rhone

Name: Oraison Cote de Rhone
Variety: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $12.99
Wine Review: This blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre is plump and charming, filled with cherry fruit and just a hint of spice. It;s clean and correct, a fine option for everyday drinking.
My Review: This wine had a dark color to it. It had a cherry smell. The wine had a very strong peppery taste. There were also slight hints of fruit in the taste. This wine was very smooth and light with a low tannic structure. I liked this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Ponga Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Ponga Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2011
Price: $10.99
Wine Review: Ponga Sauvignon Blanc comes from vineyards in Marlborough, New Zealand's most celebrated wine region. This fragrant wine exhibits flavors of nectarine, lime and  grapefruit. Mineral and floral nuances accent the finish. It is delicious with seafood, chicken or on it's own as a mouthwatering aperitif. 
My Review: This wine had a light color. It had a very fruity smell. The Sauvignon Blanc was dry and crisp upon drinking. It had a light, fruity taste. I really enjoyed this wine.
Food: I did not taste this wine with food.