Making the Best out of Senior Year

Hello there to everyone who is following me or even just glancing at this page every once in a while!  I have been pretty darn adventurous in the last week.  This past Sunday I competed at a freestyle skiing competition up at Snowshoe, WV.  I actually managed to come in first place!!!  With that came a free pair of skis, goggles and $250 to now spend the proper way, ON WINE.   Then reality came hauling back.  I had three tests on Monday and Tuesday all of which went pretty bad but hopefully everyone else did just as badly so maybe I will feel better.  But Monday was my birthday so even though I couldn’t do anything it was an ok day?! 

I would like to tell you about a little experiment I did on Tuesday night (not on purpose actually).  So I was drinking this Beringer Riesling which I gave a pretty good review to.  Now I was snacking on some pretzels before I started drinking this and holy crap!  Did it taste like pure sugar water or what??  I was shocked and almost turned off the bottle of wine it was so sweet.  But me being a poor college kid, I went ahead and kept drinking. Well I had then walked away and started to eat some chocolate covered raisins.  I poured myself another glass and the wine did a complete 360.  It was dry with beautiful flavors coming out and it was shocking because now I loved the wine.  To me it was amazing that something as simple as that could make such a big different. Now I know how important food pairing is with wine!

Finally piece of information before I let you scroll down and see what I have tasted this week… I have a very burnt tongue that I used to taste the wine and so I can’t promise these reviews are going to be accurate to even my standards.  I made some wonderful homemade chicken noodle soup last night for my Honey who is sick as a dog.  And I was so excited to try it that my tongue got the worst of it!  Now the soup was fantastic but my tongue definitely doesn’t like me right now.

Now read on and just for your viewing pleasure only, I hope your wine rack looks like mine (I know you wish you had a ski rack) J

~R.V.

Tasting - Monte Aman Tempranillo

Name: Monte Aman

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: Arlanza

Country: Spain

Year: 2009

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Fermentation of selected grapes in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature. Aging in American oak casks for 5 months followed by 3 months in the bottle before being released in the market. Inky ruby. Ripe cherry and plum on the nose. Smooth and fleshy, with deep dark fruit flavors complicated by bitter chocolate and anise. A spicy quality adds lift and focus to the weighty fruit. Offers an appealing mix of power and energy and drinks very well right now.

My Review: MMMMMMM, Tempranillo, how I love this grape!  I started with a smell of this and the first thing I notice is that there was NO spice.  Not even a hint which is something I am usually really good at catching (which I hope meant it wasn’t in there).  It all has some nice cherry hints on the nose which was very predictable but nice.  The taste of this wine totally caught me off guard when I first tried it.  WOAH Chocolate!  It literally hit the tongue and I thought I was tasting a chocolate wine.  It really caught me off guard it was that awkward chocolate and alcohol mix.  Now as I tasted it a few more times, the chocolate did fade away and I got more cherry in it but the finish was all chocolate.  I was surprised, it did grow on me and I really enjoyed it.  This was actually the bottle I bought and for its price there was no way I was going to beat it!  I am interested if the next time I taste it will it still taste like chocolate?  And of course, I cannot wait to open it with some food because I think this wine will go great with any meal!

Food Review (link to when I actually open it)

Tasting - Cortenova Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Name: Cortenova

Variety: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity. Excellent with pasta dishes and red meats.

My Review: Before we get into the review, I did learn something about this type of grape.  This is the ‘work horse’ grape of Italy.  A lot of their wines have this grape but it is not going to scream complexity.  It is of decent quality but it is nowhere near a Chanti out of Italy.  With that in mind, I took a nice whiff of it and it wasn’t too boring.  It has a hint of spice on it but relatively light.  The taste portrayed even less spice but it was not bad at all.  It was definitely a medium-full body wine that sits on the tongue nicely as you drink it.  I didn’t mind it and it’s good bang for your buck but that is as far as I go.

Tasting - Maipe Chardonnay

Name: Maipe

Variety: Chardonnay (with a little Voignier mixed in)

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2012

Price: $7.965

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Brilliant yellow golden color with green hints. The wine is crisp and filled with white peach, pear, green apples flavors, toasty vanilla. Elegant and luscious wine, well balanced. Crisp and long finish. Pairs well with creamy soups, pork, veal, vegetables.

My Review: Now that I am getting more knowledge about wines, the first thing I asked was it aged in oak?  Only 30% of this was aged in oak which meant there would be hints but it wouldn’t knock you out with it flavors.  I was excited about this because too much oak in Chardonnay just turns me off  So on the smell I definitely got hints of the oak barrels but it doesn’t overwhelm.  It actually just tingles the nose enough to be enjoyable.  In the taste phase, the character from the oak comes through but only just slightly at the beginning.  It then fades off and leaves you with a light finish that is quite enjoyable.  I thought it sat nicely on the tongue and the best part of this wine is that it would be very enjoyable by itself (siting in a rocking chair watching the sun set).

Tasting - Villa d’Orvieto

Name: Villa d’Orvieto

Variety: Grechetto, Procanico, and Malvasia

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: It’s a blend of Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), and Malvasia. Fresh and crisp, it has a beautiful, floral bouquet. It is wonderful with appetizers, fish, chicken, and salads.

My Review: The first thing I noticed when this wine got poured was the fact that the color was almost opaque.  And the smell kind of reflected that.  It had a little sweeter smell than the sparkling wine but just a hint but that was all I could get.  There was no complexity only simplicity on the nose.  When I got into the taste I really couldn’t pick anything out.  It was light on the tongue, on the finish and it didn’t stay with me.  This might have been ok if I was drinking it on a warm summer’s day but it snowed this morning!  As I drank it I thought about how wonderful this would be with some cheese, crackers, maybe a pear or apple slices.  But that was the problem; this wine was so light that you would need to have it with food to give it a little more body and to maybe use it as a pallet cleanser between tastes.

Tasting - Dibon Cava Brut Reserve

Name: Dibon Cava Brut Reserve

Variety: Macabeo Xarel-lo Parellada

Region: Penedes (Barcelona)

Country: Spain

Year: Non-varietal

Price: $9.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Light gold with plenty of bubbles, this wine has aromas of apples and pears with pleasant floral notes. Crisp and light-bodied on the palate, stone fruit flavors are accompanied by a mild minerality and balanced acidity. A delicious sparkler for a great price!

My Review: So we started off this wine tasting wine with a nice good ol’ sparkling wine.  The smell of this wine was very light and airy and had hints of apple on the nose.  When I tasted it the floral notes started to come through.  Now as my pallet has developed I have noticed that I really don’t like floral tones in my wine!  With that being said, I was not too impressed.  I think it was a fine sparkling but it was a good introduction for my burnt tongue which is all I can say about it.

Tasting - Sean Minor

Name: Sean Minor

Variety: Red

Region: Napa Valley

Country: US

Year: 2009

Price: $13.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Our 2009 Napa Valley Red Wine is deep ruby in color and displays aromas of ripe blueberry, dark cherry, cassis and vanilla. On the palate, flavors of blueberries and dark cherry combined with hints of oak spices that coat the palate. The soft tannins and sweet oak balance lead to a long and lingering finish.

My Review: For a wine tasting, how do you get more enjoyable than a red from Napa? The smell had a nice spice but the overall it was a very even bouquet.  The taste of this had hints of cherry but surprisingly not a lot of spice.  It sat on the tongue for a good 30 seconds but it did not have strong tannins.  It tasted mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon but it is a mix of more than 6 grapes which were very well blended together.  It was a great California red that I would highly suggest to anyone looking for an easy to drink red!

Tasting - Ben Marco

Name: Ben Marco

Variety: Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2010

Price: $13.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: "The 2010 Malbec contains 10% Bonarda in its makeup and received the same elevage as the Cabernet. Lovely aromas of black cherry, spice box, tobacco, lavender, and earthy minerals inform the nose of a ripe, succulent, intensely flavored wine that offers outstanding value and is meant for drinking over the next 5-7 years." - 90 Pts Jay Miller - The Wine Advocate

My Review: Since you know how much I love Malbec, I was excited for this.  The smell had a nice spice to it but wasn’t too bad and the color was a gorgeous purple that was great to look at!  As for the taste, it has a hint of spice to it but wasn’t overpowering.  I couldn’t put a word to the taste but it was a very respectable Malbec and I would have loved to have eaten it with food!  Either pasta or a hardy soup would have been a great match!

Tasting - Balletto

Name: Balletto

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley

Country: California, US

Year: 2011

Price: $13.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: It's not often that tank-fermented Chardonnay delivers the depth and texture of Teresa's Unoaked Chardonnay. This rich and diverse wine has bright fruit aromas and a nicely balanced mouth feel. The complex bouquet includes key lime, lemon peel, peaches and apricots. And it certainly delivers upon drinking. The crisp tartness complements the wines natural viscosity and creates balance and elegance. Then, the lemon- lime flavors kick in for a long, citrusy finish that lasts several minutes and begs for the next sip. Taken altogether, the aromas and mouth feel create a distinct style of Chardonnay that is made to highlight the grape itself and not the oak and malolactic aromas found in Chardonnay fermented and aged in oak barrels. –Snooth.com

My Review: This was an un-oaked chardonnay which having just watched a TV library episode on it, I was quite excited to try it!  The first thing I noticed was that it did not smell like a chardonnay.  The distinct fullness that comes from the oaked barrels was missing and all I could smell was the bouquet of only the grapes.  It was a nice change and it smelled very refreshing.  The taste was very similar to the smell and was very light and refreshing.  I actually enjoyed this more than a normal Chardonnay just due to the fact that it was not bitter and not as full.  It was a good but the best was the experience of trying it!

Tasting - Serenity NOW!

Name: Serenity NOW!

Variety: White

Region: Clearlake Oak, CA

Country: US

Year: 2011

Price: $13.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: The 2011 vintage was marked by a cool wet spring, a long growing season and a very small crop. The 2011 Serenity is a distinctive proprietary blend that displays fruit forward aromas of citrus, honeysuckle, nectarine and with expressive minerality. The flavors are rich and deep showing white peach, passion fruit, and honeydew melon with a hint of lime. The wine is well-balanced, leaving a long, clean and well-textured finish, like summer in a glass.

My Review: When I first smelled this wine, I actually got a hint of cheese on the nose.  I don’t know where it came form but it smelled like a nice cheddar cheese freshly shredded!  It also had hints of a passion fruit on it after I got past the cheese smell of course.  The taste was very well balanced and not very bitter.  It was also extremely light and was just fine to drink.  Probably would have enjoyed this with a block of cheese!

Tasting - Talamonti

Name: Talamonti Trebbiano d’Arubzzo

Variety: White

Region: Lorento Apruitano

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $9.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Pale straw with light green hues. Intense bouquet of ripe apples, peaches. Refreshing ripe apple and peach notes end with a gentle acidity. A rich, full, round and persistent wine.

My Review: The smell of this wine was nice and light with some peach and apple hues.  When I tasted it, it was very easy to drink and was not too acidic.  It was not overly bitter and enjoyable but very light.

Tasting - Gabriella Chianti

Name: Gabriella Chianti

Variety: Chianti

Region: Chianti

Country: Italy

Year: 2008

Price: $7.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: This beautiful wine has the very deep red, almost purple, color that you would expect in a Chianti. The first thing you notice is the fruit, balanced by a bit of spice. It’s a good dry wine with a bold flavor.  Even with it’s boldness, this Chianti is velvety smooth.

My Review: So I absolutely LOVE Chianti, it has been my go-to wine since I started drinking and was really excited for this wine.  The color of this was very traditional Chianti, with a rustic maroon instead of the deep ruby red of most heavy red wines.  It had a nice spicy smell to it reflecting the majority of Chianti's.  The taste was very traditional Chianti and it was good.  Not spectacular but it finished strong on the tongue and brought back great memories!  I ended up not buying this only because I didn't want it to sit in my car for a couple of hours, otherwise I would have been all over this.

Tasting - Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

Name: Lavarini Valpolicella Classico

Variety: 65% Corvian Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 10% Molinara

Region: Tuscany

Country: Italy

Year:  2010

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review:  The red ruby color and the dry taste give this wine joviality and cordiality. It is fresh and fruity, with lovely strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors, with nice spice and a silky texture

My Review: Now we got into the wines I was looking forward to. I had never heard of any of these grapes but I figured sine it was from Italy it had to be pretty good.  From the nice deep red color and the nice spicy smell from it I was looking forward to the taste.  It was very smooth and nice taste with a slight spice to it.  It sat lightly on the tongue for maybe 30 seconds but had very light tannins.  I think this would go very well with a pasta sauce with a lean meat but not a heavy meat and marinara sauce for it would be overtaken.  It you are looking for an intro red wine or just a great start to the night, what a great place to start!

Tasting - Dom De Mirail Cabernet/Merlot Rose

Name: Dom De Mirail Cabernet/Merlot Rose

Variety: Cabernet and Merlot

Region: Cotes de Gascogne

Country: France

Year: 2011

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: There is a fresh, crisp character to this light rosé. It is eye-watering in its refreshing character, with balancing acidity, smoothing out the edges with a touch of caramel.

My Review: Hmmmm Rose... yes I know what everyone is thinking (because I was too), 'who but novice drinkers and old people drink rose?'.  Well I will say I was very impressed by this Rose.  It was not sweet at all because it was made from only red grapes.  It was medium body with a slightly bitter taste.  It's finish was very light but I enjoyed it.  The taste was very refreshing but contained more flavor than a normal white wine.  I think it was a good wine but nothing to write home about.

Tasting - Norton Torrontés

Name: Norton Torrontés

Variety: Torrontés

Region: Mendoz

Country: Argentina

Year: 2011

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Greenish yellow with hints of gold, this Torrontés has intense aromas of white peach, rose petal, and jasmine. Norton Torrontés 2011 is pleasant and well balanced on the palate.

My Review: I have not had too many Torrantés in my lifetime and was looking forward to having a little different white.  The smell was very light with a nice balance of floral and fruit.  The taste was even more balanced with a hint of acidity on the finish.  It was very refreshing and light but it just seemed a little off for me.  Since I am not a fan of floral in wine, I think it set me off slightly but since it was not too strong I still enjoyed it.  It would be very nice on a summer day while sitting on the front porch listening to the birds and breeze all around you (I hope that painted a nice image in your mind!).

Tasting - Dibon Cava

Name: Dibon Cava

Variety: Xarel-lo, Parellada and Macabeo

Region: Around Barcelona

Country: Spain

Year: Non-Varietal

Price: $9.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: The nose offers regal yeast and richness, while the palate has complexity to prop up apple, citrus and grapefruit flavors. Solid from front to back, with health and freshness

My Review: So this was not actually a wine (unfortunately) it is a nice sparkling wine (aka in 'Merica we call that Champagne).  It has a nice refreshing smell it and of course very good looking bubbles.  As for the taste, it is a very nice brut (so dry) but would go great in a mimosa   I am not a champagne person so it wasn't my favorite but if you are just looking for a light drink, this would be good.

Tasting - Opera Prima Pink Moscato

Name:  Opera Prima Pink Moscato

Variety: Moscato and Tempranillo

Region: N/A

Country: Spain

Year: Non-Varietal

Price: $5.96

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: This fine sparkling presents and intense aroma of fresh berries and tropical fruits with hints of white flavor petals. Delicate bubbles caress the palate offering a silky and pleasant sweetness well balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. Ideal on it own, as an aperitif or with all types of sweets and desserts

My Review: Since I am a huge fan of Tempranillo, I was quite excited for this wine.  It is only about 2% Tempranillo but I was hoping that it would give it a different flavor and not just the different color.  So on the smell, the first thing I picked out was soap.  While this is the first thing that came to mind, I am assuming that I was smelling the floral accents in it and just associating it with soap.  That was definitely a new smell for me.  Then I tasted it, and I really did not like it at all.  The floral smell came through in the taste and I just couldn't get into it.  It wasn't overly sweet and the Tempranillo added some different flavors but it didn't do it for me.  I think if I had it has a dessert wine or aperitif then maybe it would grow on me but overall I was not impressed.

Tasting - Black Opal

Name: Black Opal

Variety: Shiraz

Region: South Eastern Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2011

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: The Black Opal wines are sourced from vineyards found in South Australia along the Limestone Coast, at Langhorne Creek and in the infamous Barossa Valley. Black Opal Shiraz is rich red in the glass. Aromas of blackberry, pepper and spice followed with rich plum flavors round out the palate. Soft tannins give structure to the fruit-driven palate.

My Review: I am not a huge fan of Shiraz so I was interested in this wine but not too excited by it.  It has a Shiraz smell with spices and pepper.  I will say that those smells were not overpowering but lingered on your nose at the end.  The taste was definitely spice with a very strong finish, 45 second to a minute.  You could taste the tannins within the wine but it was not too strong.  It is definitely a full body Shiraz but doesn't quite have the bit of most.  I enjoyed this wine for its full body but it was just not my style.

Tasting - Sokol Blosser Meditrina

Name: Sokol Blosser Meditrina

Variety: Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zin

Region: Oregon

Country: US

Year: Non-Varietal

Price: $7.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: It’s created from the finest Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel. The taste is lush and velvety with expressive notes of raspberry and cherry. It pairs nicely with pasta and anything off the grill.

My Review: First off, look at the label!  Isn't that quite fun?  I would have definitely bought it just for the label but let's get to the important stuff, the taste.  The first thing I notice was the raspberries.  I was very proud of myself for actually being able to pick that out!  But once I smelled that, it was pretty much all I could smell.  When I tasted it, obviously I could taste the raspberries which almost made this taste sweet.  It was a very light red that I think would go well with a light pasta or chicken dish.  It has a short finish, maybe 15 seconds, but it would be a nice starting wine for a nice evening.

Tasting - Wine Men of Gotham

 Name: Wine Men of Gotham

Variety: Chardonnay/Semillion

Region: South Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2008

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: Gotham’s 2008 Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay Semillon is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Semillon. It gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot and butterscotch aromas. The medium bodied palate provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish

My Review: The smell of this wine was very light with a fresh but not acidic touch to it.  For some reason, I got some earthy tones when I smelled it but I don't know if that's accurate.  When I tasted this wine, it was VERY light.  Didn't have much flavor too it and it was almost boring.  The finish was probably the best part with the few flavors sitting on your tongue for at least 30 seconds.  I think it would have tasted really good in a wine spritzer but don't hate me for that comment.  Overall it was okay but I wouldn't suggest it, not even for Batman.

Tasting - Beringer Reisling

Name: Beringer Reisling

Variety: Reisling

Region: California

Country: US

Year: 2009

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/Winery Review: This wine is the perfect balance of honeysuckle and bright peach flavors. A perfect complement to light fare, appetizers, or just sharing with friends

My Review: So funny enough, I actually bought this wine before this wine tasting so I was hoping that I made a good buy!  The smell of this wine had a nice fruity bouquet.   It obviously smelled slightly sweet but wasn't overpowering.  When I tasted it, I got small hints of peach and had a nice fullness to it.  It was a nice white with not a strong finish, only lasted about 15 seconds.  Overall, I really enjoyed this wine of the tasting the best.

Food Tasting Link

Running - Sometimes it's not all its cracked up to be (but skiing is)

Ya know, sometimes running isn't all glorious.  Sometime you go out on a beautiful day and realize it is much colder than you thought.  Then your watch that you live by dies a 1/4 way into the run.  Then you make it about half way and realize you are starving.  Oh and then you when you turn the corner to finally head back to start, you are running into the wind and in the shade so you really start to get cold.  So you suffer through it and then when you get back home you are just happy to have not broken anything!  Yup, that was my experience this week so the stats below are going to be a little, well, incorrect.  Sorry about that...
Dist: 1.35 mi
Pace: 10:15
Avg Hr: 155
Calories: 117
Route: Apartment to 460 (what my watch recorded...)

In other news, there are 99 days until graduation!!  Celebrated last night with some roller skating and movies with popcorn.  Also, this past Monday I compete in a ski race in WV that I took second in!  Which meant I got free goggles (much needed), comp lift ticket, and a hat.  I also managed to get myself a free pair of North Face hiking boots out of the deal.  Not a bad deal for $60 spent to enter the competition.  Even though my running was on the weak side, I would crack this up to be a wonderful week :)

Get out there and run (or ski if you would like)!

~R.V.