Tasting - Heinz Eifel Shine

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine

Variety: Gewürztraminer

Region of Origin: Rheinhessen

Country of Origin: Germany

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: ~$12

Winery Review: Light yellow, produced in an off-dry style with exotic aromas and flavors of lychee, rose petal, passion fruit and ginger.

Wine Folly: Treasured for its intense floral aromas, Gewürztraminer has thrived for centuries in Europe. Wines are best enjoyed in their youth when acidity is highest. 

The sweet floral aromatics and ginger-like spice paired with a fuller body make Gewürztraminer a great partner to Indian and Moroccan Cuisine.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of tropical fruit qualities, which I would relate to Lychee as many describe this type of wine. I also got some floral notes out of it along with something that smelled a little spicy. When tasting it has fruity qualities and the Lychee aspect is almost immediately recognizable. It also had some floral notes with spiciness there again. The wine was sweet though it wasn't sickly sweet, but rather a nice sweetness as it was a little dry. I don't get as much as the other grapefruit or tangerine qualities as described in the wine folly. It was overall nicely balanced and I would try this wine again especially with food due to its nice fruity and floral qualities.

I tasted this on its own and was not paired with anything.

Tasting - Catena Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Catena Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region of Origin: Mendoza, Argentina

Country of Origin: Argentina

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: ~$20

Winery Review: The Catena Cabernet Sauvignon shows a dark ruby color with violet tones. On the nose, it offers intense aromas of ripe raspberries and cassis with notes of pepper, clove, and a touch of cedar. On the palate, it is full-bodied and rich and displays layers of black currant and black raspberry with notes of cedar and oregano. This Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant wine with silky tannins that provide structure and a long and persistent finish

Wine Folly: The world’s most popular wine is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that originated in Bordeaux. Wines are concentrated and age-worthy. The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor.

Pair this Cabernet with red meats like steak or lamb, demi-glace sauces, or with Steak Frites for a simple bistro-style meal.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of fruitiness which I would relate to cherry. There is definitely a smell of something spicy like cinnamon or cloves. When tasting it has somewhat of a woody taste towards the end. The wine was tart and dry giving a mouth-puckery feel. I don't really get much of the graphite or black currant though I don't know what exactly black currant is really. The wine was dry but it had a good balance. I liked this wine with its nice balance and I would try this wine again.

I tasted this on its own and was not paired with anything.

DTN! - Lesson 1 Activity

My Friends and I Doing the Lesson

I recently did the Drink The Now: Lesson 1 with some friends at the Blacksburg Wine Lab. The objective is to taste red wine by itself and then see how cheese and meat affect the flavor of the wine when paired together. 

The Instructions Given for the Lesson

There was a set of instructions given to us there to follow. Step 1 is the main wine tasting. Step 2 is to try the wine with the cheese. Step 3 is finally to try the wine with the meat. 

The Wine Flight along with the Cheeses and Meat

Wine 1: Bocchino Barbera D'Asti

Variety: Barbera 

Region of Origin: Piemont

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: $40/bottle

1) On the first smell, the wine had a fruity smell, which I would relate to cherries. Apart from that, there were no other distinguishing smells. When tasting, it was quite hot and dry though not all the way dry as it seems like there was some residual sugar left. It was a little herbaceous on the backend with the fruity, cherry flavor still there. It was a light-to-medium-bodied wine. 

2) When I tried it with the El Trigal Manchego Cheese, it definitely helped soften the tannins down a little and additionally helped reduce the dryness of the wine. It definitely helps make the fruitiness much more pronounced and it definitely helps confirm its cherry that was the fruit being tasted earlier. It also did help make the nutty flavors within the cheese more pronounced also which was interesting. 

When tried along with the Eru Spreadable Gouda Cheese, it was a similar experience but this time it made things much more silky and light which was really nice. 

3) When I tried it with the Speck, it definitely had a weird sensation that I couldn't describe. The pairing brought out a nice pepperiness along with a leathery taste. The speck helped contrast out the slight bit of sweetness within the wine making things much more pronounced and stronger, which was nice and I like it.

Wine 2: Diaz Bayo Ribera del Duero

Variety: Tempranillo

Region of Origin: Castilla y Leon

Country of Origin: Spain

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: $44/bottle

1) On the first smell, the wine had a fruity smell but this time it was much more tropical to me with some earthy undertones. When tasting, it was dryer than the previous wine but not drastically drier. It definitely has a cherry taste but there is still something with tropical fruits I can't seem to pinpoint. Additionally, there is still the earthy undertone. This overall helped give the wine a nice balance with a medium body.

2) When I tried it with the El Trigal Manchego Cheese, it helped mellow things out greatly along with making the wine less dry. This brought out other fruity flavors that I can't seem to pinpoint but the best I can say is that it was some darker fruits. There are still tropical undertones but more pronounced now. It overall worked really well.

When tried along with the Eru Spreadable Gouda Cheese, it was a similar experience but this time it made things softer and silky again.

3) When I tried it with the Speck, it made things much drier but that wasn't a bad thing as it brought out the pepperiness again. There was also a much more pronounced earthiness, which was interesting.

Wine 3: Terres d'Avignon

Variety: Tempranillo

Region of Origin: Côtes-du-Rhône

Country of Origin: France

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $40/bottle

1) On the first smell, the wine was quite different compared to the others as it had more of a black fruit smell and the earthiness was much more pronounced this time. When tasting it was seen to be quite dry but it wasn't unpleasant. Additionally, the wine had some acid which was surprising. The black fruit again was quite prominent with the taste. 

2) When I tried it with the El Trigal Manchego Cheese, it made things much creamier and helped bring out the fruitiness within the wine. This again made things dryer but it wasn't unpleasant. Overall was an amazing pairing and I like this the most.

When tried along with the Eru Spreadable Gouda Cheese, it was a similar experience but this time the fruitiness was seen as much jammier and licorice was added into the mix of things.

3) When I tried it with the Speck, it was ever so slightly softer and it had a smokier taste to the wine. Additionally, it had the expected pepperiness that was seen with the others. 

The Wine Flight along with the Cheeses and Meat at Another Angle

Overall this lesson was quite interesting and it allows me to see how cheese and meat paired with some red wines. It was seen the cheese worked really well with the pairings, this is probably due to how the cheese has a higher fat content compared to the meat. This probably helped the wine in pairing with cheese overall. I would love to try this experiment with white wines now to see how brighter wines change how these different meats and cheeses taste. Cheers!

My Friend and I After the Flight

Tasting - Beliveau Farm Estate Reserve

Name: Beliveau Farm Estate Reserve

Variety: Merlot 100%

Region of Origin: Blacksburg, Virginia                                                                    

Country of Origin: United States

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: ~$25

Winery Review: One year in French oak gives this Merlot a creamy nose with traces of soft pepper. With traditional flavors of light red fruit, this wine is made for roast duck or lean cuts of beef.

Wine Folly: (Pg. 308) Merlot is loved for it’s boisterous black cherry flavors, supple tannins, and smoky or chocolaty finish. It’s often found in a Bordeaux blend with Cabernet Franc.

Merlot tastes great alongside roasted foods like pork shoulder, roasted mushrooms, or braised short ribs. Try complementing the fruit notes with chimichurri sauce!

My Review: The wine hits you with something fruity that can be related to some red fruit. It has a little bit of a creamy, woody smell with something floral but also spicy which could be related to a fresh green peppercorn. When tasting the wine, it has a creamy taste with the red fruit being prominent along with a slight bit of what seems like a floral green peppercorn at the back plus a little spice. The wine is a little but not too dry. There is a good balance in it between all the flavors.  I liked this wine a good bit with its red fruit taste plus the floral, spicy peppercorn along with its nice balance and I would try this wine again, especially with foods that would go well with the peppercorn taste.

I tasted this on its own and not paired with food.

Tasting - Beliveau Farm Sandy Ridge

Name: Beliveau Farm Sandy Ridge

Variety: Vidal Blanc 100%

Region of Origin: Blacksburg, Virginia                                                                    

Country of Origin: United States

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: ~$25

Winery Review: This unique batch of Vidal Blanc has savory notes of pistachio with underlying perceived sweetness of classic apple and caramel. Early harvesting results in a subtle nose and tasting profile. This picnic pairing is great with pork and sauerkraut as the weather warms.

Wine Folly: (Pg. 285) A late harvest sweet wine that can only be made when grapes naturally freeze in the vineyard. Popular varieties include Riesling, Vidal Blanc, and Cabernet Franc.

Ice wines are perfect with fruit tarts, cheesecake, ice cream, and soft and pungent cheeses such as Brie and Camember.

My Review: This hits you with a scent of fresh fruitiness quite similar to that of a freshly harvested green apple. There is a little hint of nuttiness on the backend of fruity smell which was quite surprising. When tasting it was bright, acidic, and sweet. I like how balanced the wine was with the acidity helping tone down the sweetness to a pleasant level. It also was quite refreshing when drinking and would be good on a nice summer day. I liked this wine as it had a nice fruitiness with the refreshing aspect of it along with its nice balance and I would try this wine again, especially with food.

I tasted this on its own and not paired with food.

Tasting - 19 Crimes

Name: 19 Crimes

Variety: Shiraz 86%, Merlot 7%, Cabernet 7%

Region of Origin: South Eastern Australia

Country of Origin: Australia

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: ~$20

Winery Review: Our red blend bears the same traits as those banished to Australia. Defiant by nature, bold in character. Always uncompromising. It's a taste you'll never forget.

Wine Folly: (Pg. 399) A rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhône Valley of France. It’s the most planted grape of Australia, where it’s called Shiraz. 

Darker meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with lamb shawarma, gyros, Asian five-spice pork, and Indian tandoori.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of fruitiness which I would say is some berry-like to blueberry as described by wine folly. There is definitely a slight smell of what seems like a cigarette which relates to tobacco as described by wine folly. When tasting it has taste like a cigarette towards the end and the blueberry taste is quite prominent in the taste. The wine has a pleasant sweet taste mixed with a dry taste of the wine and it results in it being quite balanced overall which is pleasant. I don't really get much of the milk chocolate or green peppercorn but I do get a little dark chocolate. I paired it with a little aged Gouda and it really helped bring out the fruity taste of the wine and I liked it. I liked this wine a good bit with its prominent blueberry taste along with its nice balance and I would try this wine again.

I tasted this on its own and also paired it with some aged Gouda.

Tasting - Yellow Tail Shiraz

Name: Yellow Tail Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz

Region of Origin: South Eastern Australia

Country of Origin: Australia

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: ~$7

Winery Review: Wine Spectator-South Eastern Australia- "This vibrant red shows juicy blackberry flavors and hints of spice, finishing with an open texture." The palate is perfectly balanced, with soft tannins and fine French oak, complemented by ripe fruit flavors.

Wine Folly: (Pg. 399) A rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhône Valley of France. It’s the most planted grape of Australia, where it’s called Shiraz. 

Darker meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with lamb shawarma, gyros, Asian five-spice pork, and Indian tandoori.

My Review: The wine is bright and hits you with a scent of fruitiness off the bat for which I would relate to some form of berry.  When tasting it has an aftertaste of something herbaceous and the berry taste is quite prominent in the taste. The wine is definitely a dry wine and it seems sweet though it isn't overly sickly sweet due to the dryness of the wine. I don't really get much of the area where milk chocolate or green peppercorn lie. I liked this wine with its prominent berry taste along with its simple sweet taste mixed with dry sensation and I would try this wine again.

I tasted this on its own and not paired with food.