Tasting- Zonin Primo Amore Moscato Paglia

Name: Zonin Primo Amore Moscato Paglia
Variety:100% Moscato Bianco.
Region: Puglia, Apulia
Country: Italy
Year: 2010
Price: $10.95

Winery review: On the nose subtle shadings of white stone, peach and honey make this a fresh, no-fuss wine that goes fantastic on a hot afternoon.  On the palate this delightfully sweet Moscato with flavors of pear and Golden Delicious apple backed by honey and stone fruit offers sweet texture and a fine point of acidity on the close that breaks through the rich sweetness.

My review: Amazing!  Starts with a very light fresh smell.  Then after the taste you get a sweet fruity flavor of apple and peach that finish with a bit of a bite.  By far my favorite so far, and will be my first purchase of wine!  Definitely will have this again!

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting- Finca del Castillo Tempranillo

Name: Finca del Castillo Tempranillo
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $4.95 (sale)

Winery review: Rooty, spicy and baked on the nose, with aromas that lean towards raisin.  The palate is more gritty and acidic, with raisin, cola, and spic flavors.  Darkens up on the finish, which is long and peppery, with adequate juiciness and a final note of tomato.

My review: Very sweet fruity smell initially but upon review a hint of nail polish?  Sweet flavor to start, like that of a acidic soda.  Finished off with a peppery flavor (that left my mouth a little sticky?).  Not bad, would consider trying it again at a later date when I up my palate.

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting- Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Name: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau
Variety: 100% Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2012
 Price: $3.95 (sale)

Winery review: Bright and tangy, offering a classic banana note on the nose, with flavors of raspberry, wild strawberry and light spice.  Modest finish.

My review: Very pungent smell of almost a sour flavor.  Upon tasting I got a mixture of berries with a very light aftertaste.  The taste itself was not sour at all which surprised me after the sniff.  Was not a big fan of this wine and would probably not try it again.

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting- Mars and Venus Chardonnay

Name: Mars and Venus Chardonnay
Variety: 100 % Chardonnay
Region: Central Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2011
Price: $5.95 (sale)

Winery review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag.  No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple.  Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping.

My review: The wine started with a very sweet aroma.  Upon tasting I got a sour apple taste with a few other fruits mixed in.  It was a little dry for my taste as of now.  I wouldn't mind trying this again after developing my palate some more.

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting- La Cappuccina Soave

 Name: La Cappuccina Soave
Variety: 100% Garganega
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95 (sale)

Winery review: Bright straw yellow in color.  Delicate on the nose, with nores of flowers and almonds.  Dry, well-structured and delicately fruity, with hints of bitter almonds on the finish that is typical of Garganega-based wines.

My review: This wine had a light pleasant scent that I could not place.  It tasted very dry and ended with a bitter taste.  This is one wine I'm not sure I'd try again due to it being so dry.

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting - Opera Prima Sweet Red

Name: Opera Prima Sweet Red
Variety: 50% Tempranillo, 50% Cabernet
Sauvignon
Region: Daimiel
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $4.95 (sale)

Winery review: Doesn't try to hide its warm-climate terroir, with a soft texture framing jammy-sweet black raspberry, cheery, red currant, root beer, and sweet tea.  Drink now.

My review: Probably my favorite of the day.  This wine had a very light and sweet flavor.  Definitely got hints of raspberry and cherry (yum!).  Not a very bold flavor but would definitely try this again!

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting - Montes Alpha Syrah

Name: Montes Alpha Syrah
Variety: 100% Syrah
Region: Rapel, Valle Central
Country: Chile
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95 (sale)

Winery review: Blackberry and cola aromas are cool and collected.  The palate has weight and texture to accompany berry, mint, herb, and peppery flavors.  Turns more herbal and roasted as it unwinds.  Pepper and spice lead the finish.

My review: This wine did not agree with me.  With such high ratings and the server saying its the best value, I had trouble even stomaching it.  It almost had an aroma of soda.  Upon tasting this wine, all I got was the pepper flavor leaving it hard to swallow for me.  I wish to try this again later after upping my tastes, as I feel I was not prepared for a red wine like this.




This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting - Coreto Tinto

Name: Coreto Tinto
Variety: Tinta Roriz, Castelao, Caladoc, Alicante Bouschet, Pinot Noir, Touriga Nacional
 Region: Estremadura
Country: Portugal
Year: 2010
 Price: $6.95

 Winery review: Despite its light touch, this is fruity and full, with its blackberry fruit dominating the warm spice note and acidity.  Soft tannins keep the wine together.

My review:  Fruity, almost sweet wine.  It was not heavy at all and went down pretty smooth.  I would like to try this again at a later date to fully appreciate its complexity.

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting - Maipe Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Maipe Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Mendoza, Cuyo
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95 (sale)

Winery review: Yellow color with green hints.  Expressive wine, fresh, very aromatic.  This Sauvignon Blanc displays grapefruit flavors, with hints of melon and honey.  It finishes with bracing acidity and fresh mouth feels that make it a terrific aperitif and an excellent accompaniment to virtually any seafood, especially shellfish.
My review: I was not a huge fan of this wine.  It was almost a sour fruity taste with a very smooth finish.  This is one that I would most likely not try again unless with seafood as mentioned above (because I am a huge fan of seafood). 

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

Tasting - Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde

Name: Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde
Variety: 80% Loureiro and 20% Trajadura
Region: Vinho Verde, Lima
Country: Portugal
Year: 2010
 Price: $4.95 (sale)

Winery review: Pale golden silver color. Bright floral aromas of peaches, raspberry and honeysuckle with a soft, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a crisp, tart citrus accented finish.  A delightful sipper that is sure to please.

My review: Not a bad start for a first wine tasting.  It did not have too strong of a wine flavor but had more of a light and smooth texture.  It was definitely a crisp tart flavor that left a good aftertaste.  I have to say that it wasn't bad and I would consider trying it again after I've tried a few others.

This wine was tasted on its own with no food.

So the Journey Begins!

     Hey blogging world!  My name is Ryan Stewart and this blog will be dedicated to my journey of learning more about wine through Geography of Wine with Professor Boyer this spring.  I have very little experience with wine thus far.  I have only had a few sips now and then during dinners with family. Therefore, I have very little idea of what I like and don't about wines.  I hope to be able to figure out a couple of good wines to start on and work my way up to better ones with time.
   
     The only saving grace of my lack of experience is the fact that my aunt makes her own wines and also works at a winery back home!  Her experience with wine was the driving force of me taking this class.  I feel that if I can learn about wines and even find a few "diamonds in the rough" as Professor Boyer keeps saying, I will be able to better connect with her.  With this experience and knowledge, I might even be able to recommend a few wines to her and have intelligent conversations with her over the holidays.

     In this class I hope to learn more about the overall production of wine.  How the plants are started, what kind of care they require, how to turn those plants into delicious wine, etc.  With that basis, I hope to then move on to pairings of wines and food.  This knowledge will help me to impress others with knowledge of tastes, as well as allow me to further enjoy dinners while also finally kicking my soda habit.  Finally through all of this, I hope to also find a few wines that I enjoy a good amount so that I may have those at my leisure.  This will be done through tastings, dinners, visits to wineries, and other activities which are enabled through the course.  So I hope that those of you reading my blog enjoy and possibly even join me in my quest to further my palette to wines!