Tasting - Doukenie, Hope's Legacy Dessert Wine

Name: Doukenie - Hope's Legacy Dessert Wine

Variety: 70% Red Wine, 30% Raspberry Wine
Region: Virginia
Country: US
Year: 2013
Price: $24.00

Winery Review: This blend of fresh raspberry wine and rich, aged red wine creates a remarkable blend that is both sweet and grand - a reflection of the wine's namesake and Doukenie's daughter, Hope Bazaco.

My Review: On the nose, I smelled blackberries and chocolates. The first sip was sweet as candy, and the midpalate was juicy, with hints of deep currants and spices. The aftertaste was smooth, but this wine too rich to have more that one glass of. I did not pair this dessert wine with any food.

Tasting - 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Washington
Country: US
Year: 2012
Price: $12.00

Winery Review: The 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon features aromas of blueberries and black currants with subtle hints of dried herbs and spice. Dark stone fruit flavors are complemented by a touch of cocoa and accentuated by fine, velvety tannins.

My Review: I've probably had this wine 20 times before with my parents, (maybe not this vintage) and they buy it by the dozen, but this was the first time I've actually tasted it.. so here goes:
I smelled raspberries on the nose, and the first sip was almost medicine-y like Benadryl and cranberry-like. The midpalate had strong flavors of red fruits and cleaning supplies, and the aftertaste hinted of cherries. I had crispy chicken breast with this wine, and looking back, my descriptions don't sound appealing at all, but it was quite enjoyable haha.

Tasting - Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo

Name: Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo

Variety: 60% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: San Pietro in Cariano
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $15.99

Winery Review: This blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a single-vineyard site called Rompicollo, which benefits from a Southern exposure, ample sunlight, and a volcanic soil rich in tufo rock. Offering an intense bouquet of ripe red cherries and other mature red fruits, the wine is well-balanced with good structure and length.

My Review: On the nose, I could definitely cranberries. The first sip brought hints of raisins and plums, and the midpalate was a contrast of pears and sundried tomatos. The aftertaste was hot with orangy/citrus flavors, and the overall experience was enjoyable, but probably would have been enhanced by meats or cheeses.

Tasting - Kikusui Junmai Daiginjo (Sake)

Name: Kikusui Junmai Daiginjo
Variety: Junmai Daiginjo Sake
Country: Japan
Year: ?
Price: $27.99

Winery Review: Gracious fruity aromais the key offering of Kikusui Junmai Daiginjo. It flows silky smooth, with a hint of green apple. Best paired with light Sashimi such as white fish and Amaebi. Perfect as a gift to show your gratitude to someone special. Type: Junmai Daiginjo. Taste: Clean and dry. Serving suggestions: Best served chilled. Also good at room temperature. Alcohol content 15%.

My Review: I had this sake at room temperature, and it was actually a gift my roommate received and shared. At first whiff, this drink smelled like candy and peaches. I took a sip and could only think of cactus juice, or a nectar of some type. I had no idea how to properly drink sake, so I took it like a normal table wine. In the midpalate, the sake was bittersweet, and made my mouth pucker a little, but was not overbearing and definitely wasn't as strong as I had imagined sake to be. The aftertaste was ironically grapelike, and left a warm glow in my mouth. I did not consume this wonderful drink with food, but it did make me want sushi.

Tasting - Dragani Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

Name: Dragani Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
Variety: 100% Montepulciano
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $5.99


Winery Review: Ruby red & purple hints; ripe fruit aroma, black cherry & plum with a touch of coffee; full flavour tannin and medium length finish.

My Review: When I sniffed this wine, I smelled pepper and black tea, with a faint bit of plum flavors in the back. The first sip was actually a disappointment, as the wine tasted pale and watery on my tongue. The midpalate tasted bitter like sourdough bread, and the aftertaste was acidic like vinegar. This wine was not reminiscent of the Italian wine I tried in Rome, but like watered down, spoiled grape juice, and I didn't even try it with food. I'll have to try another Montepulciano sometime...

Tasting - Barefoot Impression Red Blend

Name: Barefoot Pinot Noir

Variety: Red Blend
Region: Modesto, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $10.49 (1.5L)

Winery Review: Impression Red Blend has delicious flavors of blackberry and currant, layered with aromas of chocolate and spice.

My Review: On the nose, I got a whole bouquet of fruits and flowers, and the first sip honed in on raspberries and lavender. The midpalate was bold and dry, and reminded me of Valentine's Day sweets, leading into a chewy, peppery aftertaste. I tried the wine without food.

Tasting - Barefoot Pinot Noir

Name: Barefoot Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Modesto, California
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $10.49 (1.5L)

Winery Review: Barefoot Pinot Noir is all about the S’s: silky, smooth and spicy! Dark cherry and wild raspberry flavors get their groove on next to a brown spice aroma.

My Review: Compared to the Rex Goliath, this Pinot was much more enjoyable. On the nose, I smelled dark fruits and berries, and the first sip reminded me of pancakes for some reason. The midpalate was warm and spicy, and the aftertaste left me with hints of cranberry. I shared this bottle without any food.

Tasting - Chateau Morrisette Cherry Wine

Name: Chateau Morrisette Cherry Wine

Variety: 100% Cherry wine
Region: Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Country: United States
Year: Unlisted
Price: $7.99

Winery Review: Made with plump, juicy cherries. Sweet and rich. Smooth with crisp finish. Serve cool, pairs with Asain cuisine, duck, or chocolate.

My Review: This was an interesting one. On the nose, I certainly got cherries, but also caramel, nectar-y aromas. The first sip was sickeningly sweet yet dark, and the midpalate brought some heat to tame the sugars in this wine. The aftertaste was jammy, and while I didn't have any food with this wine, I felt it would have tasted better paired with cheesecake or some other dessert.

Tasting - Rex Goliath Pinot Noir

Alright, many of this week's were bottles I had already purchased or been given before starting this blog, so I'm going to run through them before I start making educated purchases. Here goes...

Name: Rex Goliath Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: Unlisted
Price: $4.99

Winery Review: Lush and velvety, our Pinot is an iron fist in a velvet glove - firm but with a silky elegance.

My Review: Okay. This wine tastes like wine; not many fruits, or tannins, or anything special. On the nose, it smelled like herbs or cut grass, and the first sip tasted faintly like chemicals. The midpalate was easy, but almost sour, and it left an unpleasant aftertaste. I tried this wine without food.

Tasting - That Stuff Tony Makes, Green Apple Riesling

Name: That Stuff Tony Makes, Green Apple Riesling

Variety: 75% Riesling, 25% Green Apple
Region: Maryland
Country: US
Year: 2013
Price: $13.00

Winery Review: All the fruit flavors of a Green apple, slightly tart but yet just sweet enough to be very refreshing. Store in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight.

My Review: This wine was a fun one, and was a gift to me, so I figured I'd try it out for this class. On the nose, they didn't lie because it smelled like a sour apple jolly rancher. The first sip, however, brought relief, as the light sweetness of a riesling showed through. The midpalate was fruity and honeyed, and the apple brought a pleasant tartness to the aftertaste. I tried this wine without food, but honestly don't know what would have paired with it anyways.

Tasting - Batton Hollow Chardonel

Name: Batton Hollow Chardonel

Variety: Unlisted
Region: California
Country: US
Year: 2014
Price: ??

Winery Reveiw: This unusual grape variety is thought to be a cross between Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc with characteristics of both. Pairs with pork, chicken, or seafoods. Serve chilled.

Okay, a little backstory... I was in WV for a funeral in my family, so many extended relatives were also there, and this bottle was sitting on the counter of shared wines. I'd never seen it before, so I thought, "why not" and poured a glass. After my tastings, I really enjoyed the wine, and asked who'd brought it, only to find it is actually produced by my cousin's family's own local winery in Lost Creek, West Virginia. So after talking with this cousin, scheduling a tentative trip to the winery, and doing some online research at their website, I've found they've only just started making wine within the past year, and this is the first vintage to be produced at Batton Hollow. In fact, the operations are much smaller than the other wineries I've previously visited, with a total bottling of about 5000 in 2014... so needless to say I'm very excited and intrigued to see how a small-scale winery functions, and if all goes well, might be bringing some cases back from West Virginia. Now onto the Chardonel!

My Review: On the nose, it literally smelled like white grape juice. The first sip felt almost buttery, and progressed to a midpalate full of sugary flavors and a zesty lemon twinge. The aftertaste was just as sweet, and felt velvety with hints of vanilly. I sadly only got the last glass of the bottle, but easily and happily could have downed a few more. I'm excited to try the other 6 varieties available, and maybe a sneak peak at some of the seasonal blends they're cooking up as well!

Tasting - Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Unlisted
Region: California
Country: US
Year: 2012
Price: $6.99

Winery Review: Experience our interpretation of Cabernet Sauvignon, a flavor-packed glassful of blackberry, cassis, and a lick of baking spice that nearly busts out of its velvet cage with backbone and structure.

My Review: I had this wine the second night of the weekend, and tasted it during dinner of both veal and lasagna to compliment it. On the nose, this wine sure smelled fruity, and on the first sip, I felt a strong taste of dark fruits that I could only describe as "sharp" (in a good way). In the midpalate, I felt this wine as hot and sticky, with the dark fruits turning into more of a marmalade. The aftertaste felt almost wintery, with a hint of spices, as if I should be sipping it next to a warm fire. The veal was improved when paired with this wine, but even moreso, I loved the mix of marinara and cabernet with the lasagna.

Tasting - Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: 94% Cabernet, 4% Merlot and 2% Syrah
Region: California
Country: US
Year: 2012
Price: $15.00

Winery Review: Columbia Crest H3 wines were created to celebrate the winery's rich heritage in the Horse Heaven Hills as well as its innovative winemaking and viticulture practices. Our bold Cabernet Sauvignon delivers aromas of dark fruits and currants with a balance of earthy and deep berry flavors and a cocoa finish.

My Review: This one seemed to have an impressive bottle, which obviously means it was going to be good, and the wine mostly lived up to those expectations. I smelled a deep, murky fruit on the nose, and the first sip confirmed a dark plum-like taste with an essence of vanilla. The midpalate felt a little light, which was the opposite of the Gnarly Head, and was almost watery on the mouthfeel. The aftertaste was pleasant glow, and this one was enjoyable with both the creamy swiss and the colby jack cheeses as they are both a little more mild. I think this wine would have been more interesting decanted, but I've yet to decant a wine, so who knows....

Tasting - Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon

This past weekend I was with my family at a relatives' house in Charles Town, WV, so I decided to take advantage of the wine-aholics around me and get some tastings in. The first two cabs were also paired with three different cheeses: a fresh colby jack, a white cheddar infused with carmelized onions, and creamy swiss mixed with garlic and herbs. Here we go...

Name: Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Unlisted
Region: California
Country: US
Year: 2013
Price: $11.99

Winery Review: Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon embodies bold. It’s rich, fruit-driven, and dense, with a juicy core of dark fruit. Our winemakers carefully select grapes from California’s finest growing regions, choosing only the best fruit. Some say that Cabernet is the king of wines and our bold Gnarly Head Cabernet proudly wears the crown

My Review: On the nose, I could sense hints of cherry and smoke, and the first sip confirmed a fruity tartness, similar to a baked cherry pie. In the midpalate, I tasted and oak/smokey flavor, and the wine felt very grippy and strong in my mouth. The aftertaste left a heated, dry feeling on my tongue, and my favorite cheese pairing was the white cheddar as it seemed to bring out more of the dark, fruity flavors in the cab.

Tasting - Walmart's Best (Oak Leaf)

Alright, so if the title didn't give it away, I'm unashamedly using the bottle of Walmart wine I had lying around as my first tasting of the season:

Name: Oak Leaf White Zinfandel
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: US
Price: $2.97

Winery Review: This refreshing, fruit-forward White Zinfandel has aromas of ripe strawberries and raspberries with the perfect touch of sweetness. Pair with Baked Brie.

My Review: I'll admit, I've had Oak Leaf a few times during my college career, but this was the first time I can say I've smelled it before gulping it down. On the nose, this wine indeed smelled fruity, and from first sip to aftertaste, I can say it felt refreshing and sweet without much heat or tannins on the mouthfeel. Overall, I enjoyed this variety, and will likely be trying the whole rainbow of Oak Leaf wines over the semester, simply out of cheapness. I did not pair this wine with food, by the way.