Saturday Wine Tasting

Another Saturday; another day of wine tasting at Vintage Cellar. This week were 8 wines and I honestly wasn't amazed by any of them. But here are a few of the ones I tasted:

Wine: Chateau de Valcombe Costieres de Nimes Rose
Variety: Syrah, Granache blend
Region: Costieres de Nimes
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $10.95
Reveiw: From a 300 year old family estate this wine is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache. It shows amazing strawberry and raspberry aromas. On the palate red berry flavors, combine with freshness and softness.
My Review: It had a very strong berry aroma. The palate was mostly a tart strawberry flavor. It tasted like the some of the strawberry I've been eating recently that aren't quite ripe. Overall, it was smooth; one of those wines that would go well with spicy food or to sip by itself in the summer.

Wine: Dom Seguinot Bordet Chablis Veillles Vignes
Variety: Chablis
Region: Burgundy
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $20.95
Reveiw: Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. The nose is copious, fresh and expressive. It illustrates its maturity with bright colors, sparkling yellows and shining gold. The taste again reveals its powerful nature, rich, charming and elegant. A harmonious combination of powerful richness and tender vivacity. The long, so obviously mineral finish is a perfect illustration of the wine's serious yet charming character.
My Review: Their review is some overloaded BS. The color is accurate. It was a nice pale golden yellow, hints of a greenish tint. It had a florally pear aroma to it but the palate was most like lemon zest with hints of fruit, such as pear or apple. I had a distinctive citrus bite to it the more you drank. It was definitely very different from the first wine that was tasted.


Wine: Clendenen Tocai Friulano
Variety: tocai friulano
Region: Santa Mana, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Price: $27 but marked down to $11.95
Reveiw: 88 pts by Stephen Tanzer; Bright yellow. High pitched aromas of lemon zest, white flowers and spices. Sappy, floral-accented citrus and pear flavors show a elegant velvety quality on the back half. Dry and grown-up style, with a slight firm edge to the finish.
My Review: If I had to pick a white wine out of the three tasted, this would be the one that I'd be most likely to drink. The description of "dry and grown-up style" describes it perfectly. The aroma was heavy on the spice flavors as well as on the palate. The palate was a bitey pear with spices and a hint of citrus. A nice medium bodied dry white wine.

Wine: Maison Gonnet La Jeannette Ventoux
Variety:
Region: Ventoux
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $11.95
Reveiw: 88pts by Robert Parker; Offering up loads of crushed flowers, exotic spice, leather and minty notes, the 2012 Ventoux Jeannette is a big, nicely textured effort that has sweet tannin and a charming, delicious profile. Drink it over the coming couple of years. Drink now-2017.
My Review: On the nose was a distinctive cherry spice aroma mixed with leather which eluded to a certain degree of mystery. It had the cherry/spice/leather flavors on the palate, but it had a very acidic bite that overpowered any other flavors.

Wine: Maison Gonnet Cotes du Rhone Village
Variety:  Syrah
Region: Cotes du Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $14.95
Reveiw: From the Gonnets of Font de Michelle in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this is the family's Village wine from an estate in the southern part of the Cotes du Rhone. The medium-bodied raspberry fruit is accented by hints of cracked pepper, dried spices and leather. It's supple enough to drink now and over the next 4-5 years.
My Review: The aroma was nothing different from any typical red wine with berry and pepper on the nose. The taste was a spicy berry (maybe raspberry or cherry) and it had a slight tannic peppery finish. A medium bodied that would probably be great with a steak!

Wine: Domaine Belle Crozes Hermitage Les Pierrelles
Variety: Syrah
Region: Crozes Hermitage
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $35 marked down to $18.95
Reveiw: Nice weight for the vintage, thanks to an upfront layer of bacony toast, but there's good black cherry and currant fruit, a tangy mineral note and fine-grained tannins to round it all out as well.
My Review: It surprising how this wine was so much different from the last. A much more prominent fruit flavor, not just on the palate, but on the nose too. Black cherry aromas turned into a dry black cherry flavor on the palate. A medium bodied wine that went down smooth.

Wine and Cheese Party

I decided to throw a wine and cheese party with my friends even though I am the only one in the wine class.

The spread!

There were 8 different cheeses: sharp cheddar, mozzarella, brie, Gouda,  Jarlsberg, dill and herb cheddar, and two different types of herbed goat cheese. We had 7 different wines. A Merlot, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, pink muscato (yuck!), and a Riesling. The reviews for the wine and cheese are below

Wine: Monkey Bay

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region:
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2013
Review: Monkey Bar Wine is distinctively New Zealand - clean, fresh and easy drinking. Lovely tropical fruit flavors make it a great wine with chicken and seafood dishes or just to drink on its own.
My Review: The aroma was a very grassy, earthy, herbal type smell. It translated to a lemon grass taste, very smooth on the palate.
Cheese Review: Jarlsberg; very swiss-like. It make the wine taste creamy instead of the smooth sharp lemongrass flavor.

Wine: Giocato
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Primorska
Country: Slovenia
Year: 2012
Review: This Pinot Grigio is made from grapes hand-selected from some of the best sites along the Italian border in Slovenia. It is bright and crisp, with aromas of delicious green apple, acacia flower, and almonds. Ready to enjoy now.
My Review: The aroma was like an typical pinot grigio, crisp fruit and slightly floral. The palate was full of soft fruit, crispness with a short finish. A nice wine to drink in the summertime.
Cheese Review: brie; brie is a creamy, soft cheese this one helped tone down the citrus bite in the pinot grigio. And it also tasted very good on crackers!


Wine: The Path
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Napa, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Review: The Path 2012 Pinot Noir exhibits powerful aromas of strawberry, dried plum and clove. There is a wonderful note of vanilla from the ten months of 100% French oak aging. Juicy, penetrating sweetened cranberry and red cherry preserve flavors are framed by a touch of toasted marshmallow. Moderate acidity carries through the entire palate, forming a nice structure with well-integrated tannins. This wine finishes with endless, palate-saturating fruit, making it an instant crowd-pleaser. Pair with butternut squash soup on a cold night or a mushroom and arugula pesto pizza for lighter fare.
My Review: I found this wine about a year ago in Wegmans on the $6 wine shelf. Best find ever! This Pinot Noir, has the slightest hint of spice on the nose with a full fruit aroma. On the palate it is smooth with an explosion of berry flavors, slight tannins through the finish. Overall a well rounded wine for $6.
Cheese Review: smoked Gouda; this Gouda cheese was almost like eating something that fell directly into a fire. It is almost too smokey. I think the wine actually made the cheese taste better, not the other way around. I know in the picture it shows mozzarella cheese, which tasted good with anything, cause heck, its mozzarella, who doesn't love mozzarella.

Wine: Vino Tinto, La Noche
Variety: Malbec
Region: San Juan
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Review: Deep red with violet tones. High intensity. Very aromatic wine with a good balance of depth and strength. Notes of dark fruits like black cherry, black berry and plums, with an elegant hint of smoke, vanilla and chocolate. This is a full bodied wine with very pleasant dark fruit flavors of black cherries and berries. On the palate it is ample, rich with a long finish and delicate soft tannins that keep it interesting. The finish is soft and elegant.
My Review: a very deep plum and blackberry aroma which translated into the palate. The palate had that berry flavor mixed with a touch of spice, very very soft and round. Amazing by itself; delicious with the herbed cheese.  This happened to be at Vintage Cellar the day I decided to have my wine and cheese party and being the wino I am, I went to a wine tasting and absolutely loved this wine. It was $12; I considered it a steal. Probably one of the best Malbec's that I've had within the past year or two.
Cheese Review: garlic and dill cheddar cheese; the cheese itself was nothing too special. Garlic-y, some dill, a hard cheddar. It did taste pretty damn good with the wine. It added a new dimension to the wine.

Wine: Thorn-Clarke, Terra Barossa
Variety: Merlot
Region: Barossa
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Review: Medium red in colour. The nose is lifted with attractive spice and mint. The palate is medium weight but full flavoured with sweet plum and cherry fruits. The ripe tannins are typical of Merlot, being soft and slightly chalky and are well integrated. There wine finishes with amazing length of fruit cake and dark chocolate.
My Review: A medium bodied, blackberry, mellow merlot. A definite berry aroma mixed with almost a chocolate-spice smell, and a slight tannic finish.
Cheese Review: sharp cheddar; a nice cheddar that mellows out the tannins of the wine. I think it was a very good pairing with the Merlot.

the aftermath

It was a good time had by all. Not everyone that was there was a wine expert, but they all found a wine they enjoyed. Surprisingly, the wine that was left was the  Merlot, and not surprisingly, was the Sauvignon Blanc and the sickly sweet rose/pink crap. Also, a majority of the wine glasses were courtesy of Chateau Morrisette (aka, me paying $8 every single time I've gone, so like $40 worth of tastings)

everyone enjoying their wine

Maryland Wine Tasting

So I went to Maryland for the weekend to visit some friends from my undergrad years and I found myself on a Friday night in middle of nowhere southern Md with nothing to do and the friend who I was staying with suggested we go to this "winery". I put winery in quotes because it is actually a co-op winery in southern Md that is fairly new (2009 to be exact). It's called the Port of Leonardtown Winery; their website is www.portofleonardtownwinery.com. I will admit, I was a little hesitant at first about these wines, expecting that they wouldn't be that great, but honestly, they were pretty darn good. Because this is southern Md, close to lots of bodies of water (Breton Bay, Pax River, etc) and Maryland is known for their seafood (yum...blue crabs!), most of these wines were light, sweet, and simple, perfect for seafood; or they make good summer sipping wines on your boat (if you're lucky enough to have one). Here are the ones I tasted:

Wine:Vidal Blanc
Variety:Vidal Blanc
Region: Charles County, and St. Mary's County, Md
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $13.99
Review from Winery: Made from one of Maryland’s most popular grapes, our Vidal Blanc is stainless steel fermented to produce soft fruit nuances.  Ideal for your Thanksgiving turkey or Chesapeake Bay oysters, this refreshing white wine also pairs well with lighter pork dishes, salads, & a multitude of seafood.  It won Bronze at the 2013 Maryland Governors Cup Competition. 
My Review: I thought it had a very floral aroma; soft, but not crisp on the palate, almost honeysuckle-esque. It was sweeter than I would have liked, but overall, an easy to drink summer wine.
 

Wine: Captain's Table
Variety:Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc
Region: southern Md
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $17.99
Review from Winery: Oak aged for 9 months, Captains Table is a harmonious red wine blend possessing rich deep color that hints at the fruity complexity balanced with the earthy smoky notes from our barrels.  Ideal with grilled meats or barbecue, our red blend also pairs nicely with most hard cheeses, venison, lamb, or beef.  This beautiful red blend has won Gold medals at both the 2013 Maryland Winemasters Choice & Maryland Governor’s Cup as well as Silver at the 2013 Tasters Guild International & Bronze at the 2013 International Eastern Wine Competition. The wine is composed of 72% Chambourcin, 24% Cabernet Franc, & 4% Concord. Aged in American Oak for 16 months
My Review:  A very bold cherry fruit aroma, some pepper, which all translated into the palate. It had a slight smokiness to it. A short finish with a hint of tannins. Not the best of the reds, but not bad either.


 
Wine: Chambourcin
Variety:Chambourcin
Region: Calvert County, St. Mary's County, the Eastern Shore, Md
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $15.99
Review from Winery: Rapidly becoming a Maryland favorite, our Chambourcin has found many fans from both dry & sweet wine connoisseurs.  Rich & fruity with a subtle sweetness, this particular red wine is easy to sip by the glass, pairs beautifully with everyday food such as hotdogs & BBQ to more gourmet fare of Linguica sausages, portabella mushrooms, or chocolates.  It has won a Silver medal at the 2013 International Eastern Wine Competition, & Bronze medals at the 2013 Fingerlakes International Competition & Maryland Governors Cup. The wine grapes are from  48% Calvert County, 38% St. Marys County, & 14% Maryland Eastern shore. The varietal composition is 79% Chambourcin, 14% Merlot, 7% Barbera. Aged 9 months in American oak
My Review: This wine is a very fruit forward wine, from the nose to the palate, lots of fruit. Raspberries are prevalent on the nose, and even on the palate. A solid medium bodied wine with a slight tannic finish. I actually preferred their 2010 Chambourcin Reserve better, but ended up buying a glass of this, then buying a bottle of it to take home.

Wine:Chambourcin Reserve
Variety: Chambourcin
Region: St. Mary's County, Calvert County, Md
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $25.99
Review from Winery: A refined expression of Chambourcin created by 18 months of oak aging distinguishes it from our traditional Chambourcin.  Possessing a deep garnet color, herbal aromas along with lavender and spice precede the full bodied yet silky elegance of our dry red wine.  This polished red pairs well with lamb, venison, prime rib, pheasant, & Mediterranean fare.  It has won a Gold medal from the 2013 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and a Silver Medal from the International Eastern Wine Competition(IEWC), the 2013 Tasters Guild International Competition, & the 2013 Maryland Governors Cup. The wine grapes are from St Mary’s & Calvert counties. The varietal composition is 80% Chambourcin, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 1% Norton. Aged in American oak for 18 months.
My Review: As I stated above, I enjoyed this Chambourcin reserve much more than the 2012 version. It had more overall smokiness to it in both the aroma and taste, as well as the same fruit flavors as the 2012 Chambourcin. The finish had a slight spice flavor that was balanced nicely with tannins. This is a very well balanced wine in terms of fruit, smoke/spice, and tannins. 



Wine: Merlot

Variety: Merlot, Lemberger, Concord
Region: Maryland
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: on closeout for $7.99
Review from Winery: A Dry Red Wine. Soft red wine. Serve with burgers, pork chops, or Mediterranean veggie dishes. Pairs with Gouda and Gruyere cheese. The wine grapes are from; Maryland. The varietal composition is;  Merlot, Lemberger, Concord. Aged in American Oak (16 months).
My Review: I got lucky in that I pretty much got to do a vertical tasting (albeit, I didn't have two glasses and couldn't go back and forth between the two vintages) with the 2009 and the 2010 vintage of the Merlot. The 2009 Merlot had a cherry, vanilla aroma. The palate wasn't anything too crazy, berry flavors, very round, with a short dry finish. It was ok.

Wine:Merlot
Variety:Merlot
Region: Maryland
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $16.99
Review from Winery: Reminiscent of a right bank Bordeaux, our Maryland Merlot was made in the Old World style. It is fuller bodied than our previous Merlot with a nose of herbs, leather, & dried fruits. Nicely balanced to pair with many foods, we suggest roast pork, pepper steak, ratatouille or other vegetarian fare. 
My Review: The 2010 Merlot, which was just released that week (according to the girl who was pouring the tasting), and it had this very berry, smoky, almost charcoal aroma. The palate consisted of a tannic structure with hints of spice and fruit, medium bodied; pretty good to be honest. I could see it being paired well with a steak, while the 2009 vintage would go with almost anything.

Thursday Wine Tasting

So instead of studying for a test, I decide to go wine tasting. But that wasn't my only reason for going to the Thursday wine tasting, that I usually don't care for. I am unable to make the Saturday wine tasting, so Thursday it is. I'm closing in on my points needed to pass this class. Anyways, wine:

Wine: Santa Julia
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: ?
Price: $8.95
Review: Light and clean, which compared to other Argentine Pinot Grigios is not something to dismiss. Feels solid and punchy, with orange and mango flavors. Has a nice overall clarity and balance, with a citrusy finish.
My Review: Off the bat, the smell of citrus is on the nose. Tasted crisp, almost tin-y on the palate. Citrus flavors that came off as a soft acid. A short finish that was refreshing. A wine that I would like to relax with in the summer, if it didn't have the metallic flavor.



Wine: Gougenheim

Variety: Torrontes
Region: La Rioja
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $9.95
Review: The 2012 Torrontes comes from Chilecito in La Rioja. It has a light floral nose with touches of lemon peel and nectarine. The palate is crisp and taut, showing far more vivacity and fruit that the nose implied, finishing with a flourish of apricot and white peach. Drink now.
My Review: Again, another refreshing wine that is perfect for summer. Floral aroma with hints of citrus. The palate consists of a crisp orange juice mixed with mellow fruit to give it a smooth feel. Quite refreshing.

Wine: Santa Julia
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $8.95
Review: The nose is full of mellow raspberry and cherry, while the palate is fleshy and round, with blackberry and a touch of raisin. Plump, not edgy, and ready to drink, with coffee and mocha notes on the finish.
My Review: A definite fruit/berry aroma that carried over to the palate. The palate had a tangy berry with a hint of spice. It finished sort of flat with just a touch of tannins. I was hoping to taste the coffee and/or mocha, but I must have missed it.

Wine: Weinert
Variety: Carascal
Region: Lujan de Cuyo
Country: Argentina
Year: 2008
Price: $13.95
Review: Aged for two years in cask, the 2008 Carascal is a blend of 40% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. It has a rustic blackberry, scorched earth and leather-scented bouquet with touches of pressed flowers. The palate is well-balanced with crisp tannins, expressive black tarry fruit and a Bourdeaux-like finish. Drink now-2016.
My Review: Immediately on the nose is a bold cherry/ fruit aroma, a slight musky/leather/earth smell. Taste wise, it has some tart fruits and a subtle yet noticeable tannic structure, and has a long-ish fnish.

Wine: Bellafina
Variety: Pink Moscato
Region: Veneto, Puglia, Campania
Country: Italy
Year:?
Price: $9.95
Review: A blend of Moscato and Rabosos grapes it has a pale rose color, notes of red berries (strawberry and raspberry), with the characteristic and fragrat bouquet and palate that is typical of the Moscato grape.
My Review: Strawberry Kool-Aid on steroids. Smells like strawberries, tastes like strawberries and other fruits for a fruit punch taste. I wasn't really expecting the carbonation, but a few bubbles doesn't hurt. Moscatos aren't my go to wine, unless I feel like being girly and want to drink alcoholic fruit punch and get 3x's my daily dose of sugar in one sip.

Wine Tasting with Dan the Great at VC

Saturday wine tasting at Vintage Cellar! It was a double wine tasting this past Saturday, but honestly only the first tasting I did with Dan "the Great" was worth it. One thing to note, I failed to write down the years of the wine but they were between 2009-1013.

Wine: Picket Fence
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Russian River Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2012?
Price: $14.95
Review: Citrus blossom, hints of ripe stone fruit, creme brulee, and a bright balance acidity. I imagine this rich Chardonnay paired with a lobster risotto garnished with slivers of citrus peel, thyme and white pepper. Or a simple roast chicken, coated with herbes de Provence, sea salt and a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg instead of black pepper.
My Review: While I typically don't like chardonnay's due to the buttery flavor, this one was different. It had a soft citrus taste with a slight acid bite. I could taste some pepper, but it was ever so slight and blended with the acidity of the wine.

Wine: Casas del Bosque

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Casablanca Valley
Country: Chile
Year: ?
Price: $12.95
Review: 90pts, Steven Tanzer; Gorgeous nose, pungent and complex with layers of aromas that transfer into the palate. Notes of gooseberry, key lime and herbs and jalapeno pepper hints give way to grapefruit and more tropical fruit richness, followed up with a touch of minerality. The palate gushes with pink grapefruit, guava and a sweet, tart interplay that is fresh and vibrant. This has exceptional length and for the price this is a screamer. It is reported that Casa de Bosque makes one of Casablanca's best Sauvignon Blanc (actually Chile's best) and supplies Sauvignon Blanc grapes to some well known wineries with big names who know this to be true. Exceptional value, this wine has great purity and vibrancy that gushes with crisp fruit, with a finish you could keep time with.
My Review: On the nose I smelled honeysuckle and a slight citrus aroma. A defined grapefruit and jalapeno flavor was on the palate. A very interesting wine that would probably taste really good with fish tacos or something similar.


                                                                Wine: Picket Fence

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Russian River Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $17.95
Review: 92 pts, Wilfred Wong, BevMo; Aromas of brandy-macerate red cherries, bay laurel, duck fat, forest floor, toasty baking spices and warm vanilla. The chewy red and black fruits come through in the mouth with layers of fine tannins and just a whisper of smoldering French oak. A delicious finish ends this wine on a lush note of creme brulee topped with plum compote.
My Review: I really like Pinot Noirs, but this one disappointed me. The aroma was just slightly fruity, and it was a bland peppery berry on the palate. The finish was a fairly short dry finish with not much to it.



Wine: Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone Les Vielles Vignes

Variety: Granache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Region: Cotes du Rhone
Country: France
Year: ? 2010?
Price: $15.95
Review: Old Grenache vines 60%, Syrah 20%, Mourvedre 10%, various others (Cinsault, Cournoise, Carignan) 10%. The average age of the vines is 40+ years. The old vines give great depth and density to the wine. Older vines produce less fruit, the flavors coming through the grapes are concentrated into those fewer clusters. Then nose is of plump, dark fruit; ripe black cherry and blackberry as well as bit of mint. The palate is full of lovely berry fruits, lush ripe strawberry, black raspberry and black currants and undertones of wild herbs, like a basket of freshly picked forest berries and herbs. Those lush flavor and herbal notes make this a nice partner for a cozy crock of French Onion Soup.
My Review: This wine is a cocktail of fruity, berry and herbs. The best way to describe it is to compare it to a beer that has been brewed with herbs and berries. That type of herbal flavor with berry juice without the yeast flavor in the beer. On the nose it is definitely dark fruit and berry, but the taste is just a mixture of herbs and fruit. The finish is not too long, not too short, tannic, but enjoyable.

Wine: Burgess
Variety: Syrah
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $19.95
Review: Inviting color of dark purple garnet lead your nose to very pretty aromas and flavors of plum, blackberry, and spice. A rich, round mouthfeel and long, smooth finish confirm why we love Syrah so much.
My Review: This was a pleasant Syrah. Full, medium bodied wine. A smooth finish with plum all the way through. I liked it quite a bit.





Wine: Santa Duc Gigondas
Variety: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $43.95
Review: 91 pts, Wine Advocate; One of the more seductive wines in this sensual vintage. Although it is not as big as the two preceding vintages, it is an attractive blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and the rest Syrah and Cinsault. Aged completely in foudre, it exhibits lots of blueberry, blackberry and kirsch fruit intermixed with hints of crushed rocks and spring flowers. This medium to full-bodied, soft Gigondas is ideal for drinking during its first 6-10 years of life.
My Review: Very fruit forward wine, with a mixture of blackberry and blueberry. A very round bodied wine, smooth with a slight hint of tannins.

Wine: Mandred Breit Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett
Variety: Riesling
Region: Piesport,
Country: Germany
Year: ?
Price: $14.95
Review: No actual review-just a long history of the Breit family
My Review: There really is no need for a professional review. This wine is sweet! It almost had a slight metallic taste to it, but just plain sweet. If I read the right info on their website (which of course is in German) the residual sugar is something like 41.2grams/liter. And it only costs 5.5 euros.

Mid-week Wine Tasting

One of the great things about being in Blacksburg is Vintage Cellar. I swear, that place exposes me to so many different types of wine and beer, that I probably would have never tried.  One of the beauties of having older friends when I freshly turned 21 was knowing that VC existed. I have been on their list-serve for about 4 years and it is absolutely wonderful when I am in town and terribly hard when I'm not anywhere near the 'burg and they have closeouts or specialty tastings. Today was a specialty tasting with a guy named Adam Webb who works at a winery in Napa Valley, California. It's always nice to talk to someone with a direct connection to the winery, who has firsthand knowledge of what goes into making these wines. He had brought with him 5 wines to sample and all where pretty darn good.

Name: Cochon Pape Rocks GSM

Variety: blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, and Cinsault
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $21.95
Review: A California take on a Chateauneuf du Pape blend of Grenach, Syrah, Mouvedre, and Cinsault. Intense ruby, purple color with vibrant aromas of wild raspberry, mulberry, kirsch liquor, lavender and cocoa with hints of licorice, white pepper, olive, toast and crushed stone. Rich, full and velvety textured, displaying layers of fruit and glycerol concentration that are both seductive, with a remarkable complexity while maintaining a balance elegance. The opulent flavors persist on the palate, finishing supple and rounded with silky tannins and an undeniable crushed rock minerality.
My Review: All the wines I tasted today had a very deep purple/ruby color to them. This one was no different. It was all berry on the nose. On the palate it was a sweet berry flavor interlaced between some tannic structure, slight spice, but not your normal peppery type spice. It did have a velvety texture, as did other wines I tasted today, but this one was like a soil profile (sorry, its the geotechnical engineer coming out it me) with texture and seams of a toned down fruit coming through. Overall, I liked it.

Name: Odisea Veritable Quandry

Variety: Syrah, Grenache, Graciano, Carignane, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2009? 2010?
Price: $17.95
Review: A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Graciano, Carignane, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo. Displays a deep garnet purple color. Aromas of bright raspberry, ripe plums and blacks cherries jump from the glass touched off with hints of vanilla cream, toast and savory spices. The flavors follow the aromas with red and black fruits intermingling on the palate, bright and juicy with a balance of acidity that keeps the wine lively and super drinkable. Medium to full bodied showing lots of texture and mouth-feel that comes across smooth and velvety on the plush finish.
My Review: It was definitely an interesting blend of grapes. Each one brought something different to the table which you could taste at different times. The aroma had raspberry, some vanilla, a little spice. The palate got interesting quickly. What stood out to me was about mid-palate there was a slight spiciness and acidity which changed into a slightly tannic finish. It was definitely a medium bodied wine with a velvety texture. I enjoyed this wine, even though it came across as complex, I felt like each sip different flavors came out. The guy pouring even said that this wine is a good everyday wine that can go with many different types of food, and I whole-heartily agree.

Name: Cochon Petite Cochon Rouge

right label, wrong year

Variety: Syrah, Viogner
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $21.95
Review: A California take on a Cote Roite this is a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viogner. Shows a deep brooding purple color, beginning with aromas of blacks raspberry, black cherry and briary blackberr fruit touched off with hints of white pepper, mocha, mineral, smoke and savory spices. The flavors match the aromas and are dense, concentrated with medium to full bodied richness. The wine is surprisingly soft and supple textured and the finish is long and persistent with fine-grained, powdery tannins.
My Review: After hearing a length explanation of how this wine is made, they harvest the viogner first, freeze the de-stemmed grapes, then add them to the fermentation tanks when the syrah is harvested so they ferment and combine to be one, I was looking forward to this wine. It is very dark in color considering there is white grapes mixed in this it. It had a bright fruit aroma, of strawberry/raspberry that smelled so appealing. Taste wise, it had the fruit but what really stood out was the tannic long finish. It's a medium body wine that has a soft texture to it, that coats your mouth long after you swallowed.

Name: Gardienne des Vignes St Helena Zinfandel

Variety: Zinfandel
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $34.95
Review: The 2011 Gardienne des Vignes Helena Zinfandel displays a beautiful vibrant, ruby purple color. The wine features spicy black raspberry, blueberry, and bramble fruit framed by hints of vanilla, cream, white pepper, cedar and toast. Intensely flavored, and brightly fruited, showing medium body and a rich texture with a racy acidity that carries the wine from the mid palate through the lengthy finish. The soul of the wine, which is clearly centered and focused on the purity of the fruit shines through.
My Review: This Zin smelled like one of my aunt's homemade jelly on toast but toned down to half the intensity. On the palate, it was a soft fruit, medium body, went down easy. Mid palate there was some acidity, which probably is what tones down the jammyness of the fruit, but it was one of my favorites.

Name: Odisea The Temp Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Napa Valley, CA
Country: USA
Year: 2010?
Price: $19.95
Review: Deep purple in color offering an intriguing, complex nose of rich ripe fruits, black cherry, plum and blackberry liqueur with touches of grilled bread, savory spices, vanilla and toasty oak. The forward fruit flavors match the aromatics with black cherry and ripe berries taking the lead, medium to full body with a mouth coating texture that is smooth, sensuous and velvety on the palate. The layers of sweet fruit, toast and spice flavor have a depth and complexity that persists through the length finish.
My Review: This was the only wine out of the five tasted that was aged in American Oak, which is evident based off what you taste. It has an aroma of black cherry, almost like black cherry soda without the carbonation. Definitely had hints of vanilla and a toasty wood smell. It tasted like a smooth dark sweet black cherry. The finish was long and dry with a hint of spice, which made it pleasant.

Wine Tasting at Vintage Cellar, 3/15/14

One of the joys of Blacksburg when there are no students around, is that there are no students around. Everything is less crowded; streets, restaurants, bars, stores (including Vintage Cellar!). I got back from my spring break early and decided to go to a Saturday wine tasting at Vintage Cellar. They had a good selection of wines but not a lot of tasting sheets available (even though there were 5 people tasting when I went). So while I tasted 6 or 7 wines, there were only 3 that really stood out to me that I remember.


Name: Manos Negras
Variety: Torrontes
Region:San Jaun
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $15 marked down to $5.95
Review: Blended with 5% Viognier; fragrant with restraint, lively acidity, citrus notes add complexity
My Review: Wow! The guy at Vintage Cellar says this wine would be nothing like you smelled/tasted before, and he was right. It's aroma was like a spicy, citrus, and something else I can't identify combined. And it tasted the same way. I'm not sure I would be willing to sit down and drink a whole bottle, but a glass of it would be like some profound thought that makes you sit and contemplate for a while.



Name: Bouchaine bouche de beurre

Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa, California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $50 marked down to $24.95
Review:The 2009 Bouchaine Bouche de Beurre Chardonnay from their Estate vineyard is a classic crowd pleaser with all the glory of the rich, buttery California Chardonnay but stylishly balanced with bright Carneros texture and acidity. It belies the cloying opulence so frequently associated with this style of Chardonnay. Bouche de Beurre pairs superbly with any rich cuisine accented with cream or butter, but also offers sufficient restraint to serve with well-seasoned sauteed shellfish or flavorfully-accented roasted poultry.
My Review: It was like eating melted butter. Seriously, it was. For a Chardonnay that is meant to be made in that style, it was very well done. Smooth, buttery, a slight crispness that I just assumed is the alcohol cutting through (or so I hope, so it really isn't just pure butter). Not something I could drink more than a sip or two, but for those who like that style, it would be excellent to them.


Name: Rubus

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa, California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $100 marked down to $24.95
Review:  Its long finish displays full matrue flavors of blackberry, currant and chocolate with just a hint of toasty oak and black cherry. The tannins are refined and polished, allowing the fruit to be the focus. Serve this Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with a variety of bold preparations ranging from Osso Bucco to grilled red meats and cheeses.
My Review: Oh. My. Gosh. Amazing. It smells delicious. Like a fruity velvet pudding or cake or just amazing. The taste was succulent. It was full, fruity, but not a sweet fruit. Slight tannins, but just enough to give the wine a roundness. It was probably the best wine I have had in a long time. I wish I could have bought a few bottles of it, but being a poor college student, my budget doesn't really lend me to be extravagant.