Wine Tasting: Tessellae Old Vines

Name: Tessellae Old Vines

Variety: 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre

Region: Rousillon, France

Country:  France

Year: 2018

Price:$17

Online Review: 

Clean. Medium rubi. Youthful, red and black fruits. Medium acidity, Medium tannins and high alcohol. enjoyed this wine at home.

Folly Review: 

Pg.228 Languedoc-Roussillon- This wine is from the Côtes du Roussillon region where they are often dessert wines made with Muscat Blanc and Grenache. 

Pg 156 Rhône blend- This wine consists of a Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvédre blend. This wine is typically low in sweetness but high in tannin acidity and alcohol. Flavor notes that are usually found in this wine and were defiantly in the Tessellae are notes of blackberry and baking spices with maybe some lavender. 

My Review: 

I thought this was wine was full bodied. It felt like almost water in my mouth. There was light takin with notes of blueberries and pepper. The alcohol was very apparent as well as the acidity.

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Domain Lafage Côté Est

 Name: Côté Est

Variety: 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 20% 

Roussanne 

Region: Roussillon, France

Country:  France

Year: 2020

Price: $13

Online Review: 

This bottle is beautiful inside and out! It's medium bodied with flavors of peach and orange blossom - just the juicy and refreshing white you're looking for!

  

Folly Review: 

Pg.228 Languedoc-Roussillon- According to Folly Côtes du Roussillon is known for dessert wines made with Muscat Blanc and Grenache. 

Pg.119 Grenache Blanc- Folly describes this grape as one of low tannins and sweetness but high in alcohol. Honey suckle, lemon zest, and pear were listed as flavor notes that were definitely present in this wine. 

My Review: 

I thought this wine was not very sweet and the alcohol was very present. I could taste some of the honey suckle and pear and some of the tartness of the plum and lemon zest. The wine was not my favorite but we also did not have it cold like Folly recommends. Perhaps the experience could                                       have been different with that change. 

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Wine and Cheese Tasting #1

 We had a few friends over for wine and cheese night. Not all were in the class, they just wanted to experience the different cheeses and wines we had picked out for the evening event. We had four wines: 

- Yosemite Road Moscato

- Liquid Lighter Sauvignon Blanc

- Terra Sangue Di Guida 

- Miguel Torress Cordillera de los Andes 

I have already done Miguel Torress Cordillera de los Andes for a wine blog so it will not be included in this post.

 We paired these wines with three different types of salami, some crackers and four cheeses: 

- Stilton 

- Manchego 

- Brie

- Fromage d'Affinois

 

We started with the white wine Liquid Light Sauvignon Blanc as it is best to start with white wine first. The wine is from Washington state. Trying the wine by itself it felt light but less sweet than other white wines I've had in the past. It almost felt like it was sparkling. It was citrusy but not overpoweringly fruity. Trying it with the manchego left the buttery texture of the chese, but I do feel like the cheese slightly overpowered the wine. On the other hand, the d'Affinois was completely overpowered by the wine leaving the cheese with no taste. I did not try it with the brie, but the best pairing was this wine with the stilton blue cheese. The tartness of the cheese mixed with the tartness of the wine left a very balanced taste between the two. 

Next we tried the Terra Sangue Di Guida. A red wine that is a favorite of one of our guests. It was one of the sweeter wines I've ever had. Many of us described it like drinking juice, the taste of grape and fruits was very prominent. (I did not add the Miguel Torress Cordillera de los Andes wine in this blog but it was tried right before this wine. The stark difference in sweetness made this one taste even more sweet.) I felt that the stilton blue cheese paired fairly well with the wine. The sweetness of the wine and tartness of the cheese brought out the best in each other. I also thought the manchego paired well with the wine as it brought out the butteryness of the cheese. Same with the manchego, the wine left the fatty taste of the cheese. All in all out of all the wines this wine worked best with all the cheeses.

Lastly we had the Yosemite Moscato Road. This was a favorite among our guests, and personally one of my favorite wines from the night. Just smelling it there were notes of apples and honey suckle. It was much sweeter than the other white wine we had that night, and maybe sweeter than other white wines I've had in general. The wine was very floral and almost smelled like perfumes. As for the cheeses it brought out the buttery flavor of the brie and the d'Affinois. All of the cheeses tasted good with the wine but I would not say any of them paired especially well. 

This was a very fun experience. I have never been that big of a fan of cheese but really taking time to take notes and discuss how the flavors interacted with a group of people showed how delicious this mix could be. I understand more about how wine can bring out the good and cheese, I even enjoyed blue cheese for the first time just because it paired so well with the sauvignon blanc. I can't wait to taste more cheese and more wine throughout this semester. 

Wine Tasting: Les Vignerons Du Castelas Côtes du Rhône

 Name: Les Vignerons du Castles Côtes du Rhône

Variety: 60% Syrah, 40% Grenache

Region: Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley)

Country:  France

Year: 2017

Price: $17

Online Review: 

A sunny blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache, this fleshy, full-bodied wine offers loads of luscious blackberry and plum flavors marked by savory notes of char, smoke and anise. It's unabashedly fruit forward but maintains a nice edge of minerality. The tannins are ripe and pleasantly drying.

Folly Review: 

pg.232 Rhône Valley- Wine Folly describes Syrah wines from this region as bold with high tannin. I did not think that tannin was very high in this drink but of course it was a variety of Syrah and Grenache. It also described it with plum. It also notes that that blends with Grenache might have a fruity yet rustic red blend. 

Pg. 117 Grenache- Grenache is described as low in sweetness but high in alcohol and low to mid in tannin and acidity with a fairly full body. Some flavors that are mentioned are grilled plum, stewed strawberry, leather, dried herbs, and blood orange. 

My Review: 

This wine felt very silky as I swallowed it. It was definitely fruity but not overly sweet. It did not feel like it took over the whole wine. I definitely feel the taste of dark fruits like plum. There was the presence of the rustic red that was very strong in the wine like Wine Folly suggests. 

I did not pair this wine with food. 

Wine Tasting: Choco Vine Dutch Chocolate

Name: Choco Vine

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Limburg

Country:  Netherlands

Year: 2021

Price: $12.99

Online Review: 

Holland- ChocoVine subtly combines fine French Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with rich chocolate and cream from Holland. Paired together to create a decadent, silky smooth drink, ChocoVine can be served on the rocks or as the main ingredient to an array of sinful cocktails.

Folly Review: 

pg.88 Cabernet Sauvignon- According to Wine Folly, cedar and baking spices are common in a Cabernet Sauvignon. This make sense why this wine would be paired with chocolate. It is considered a wine with full body which I think the chocolate added to it and very low on sweet which feel was different with the chocolate added. 

My Review: 

This wine obviously had heavy flavoring of chocolate as it was mixed with dutch chocolate. I tried it with Oreos which took away all the flavor and just left the wine tasting like super alcohol. The wine was super sweet with the chocolate and tasted like chocolate milk. It was very creamy with the chocolate but left a taste of redline and alcohol as an after taste. I think I liked it more than other people in the group but I definitely not my favorite. I don't feel like chocolate is my favorite pairing with alcohol. 

Wine Tasting: Arca Nova Vinho Verde

Name: Arca Nova Vinho Verde

Variety: blend of Luoureiro 50% Arinto 40% and Trajadura 10%

Region: Valongo

Country: Portugal

Year: 2020

Price: $11

Online Review: 

Clarity: Absolutely clean, no sediment. There is some spritz to this. Hue: Pale straw with a light gold rim Nose: green apples is the dominant with notes of honey and white pear Body: Light(+) Palate: soft minerals with a nice tartness of the green apples and nice balance of the acidity. Acidity: Medium(+) Finish: nice crisp medium finish, with still that green apple and some lemon zest, making me drool at the mouth. 

Folly Review: 

pg. 184 Vinho Verde- Wine Folly considers this wine high acidity, which I think definitely stood out. It also considers the wine limey and lemony as well as hints of pink grapefruit and white blossom. I think the acidity really stood out from the lime and lemon. They also describe spritz in it, which I also sensed. 

My Review: 

This wine to me was very similar to the Cupcake Prosecco, though others in my group disagreed. I noted the mineral immediately, with a sparky feeling in the mouth. I again sensed the tart and acidic flavor. I thought it felt fairly light and smooth down the throat. I also paired this wine with asian food which I think really balanced out tastes. 

Wine Tasting: Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco

 Name: Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco

Variety: Glara

Region: Vidor

Country: Italy

Year: 2021

Price: $12.99

Online Review: 

When I think of celebrations (as far as wine goes) I think of something slightly fruity, not too sweet, and bubbly. If you feel the same way I do, you'll love this prosecco! It tastes more expensive than it is. It comes in a nice heavy bottle. The packaging is whimsical/charming. In my opinion, the perfect holiday drink!

Folly Review: 

pg. 155 Prosecco general- Wine Folly describes Prosecco's usually as sweet and acidic with honey dew and green apple, which I definitely sensed. It also includes pear and lager. Wine Folly recommends to pair the wine with spicy asian food, which I'm curious to find out how it would bring out the flavors. It does describe this specific Prosecco as the lowest quality, but I still thought it was tasty. 

My Review: 

I thought this wine was on the sweeter side. It was fruity and bubbly and left a nice flavor in the mouth. I sense a tart and acidic flavor and like Wine Folly mentions, I taste a mix of the melon and green apple. This wine reminded me apple ciders. 

I did not pair this wine with any food.