Holly's Wine Blog

Name: Arrow Creek Variety: Merlot Year: 2014 Region: California Country: USA Price: $7.99 My Review:  This smooth merlot was a deep red color. Aromas of berry and vanilla on the nose, with tastes of blackberry as well.  I initially selected this wine based on its label, as I liked the arrows and John Muir quote on the bottom; but, I really enjoyed this wine! Winery Review: "Friendly aromas of Bing cherries lead into rich flavors of dark berries and a long, silky finish. The palate is dense, the tannins smooth and the flavors intense." -Arrow Point website. *This wine was tasted with pizza, and paired very nicely!

The wine selection: Mallee Point, Anakena, La Cappuccina For my second wine and cheese pairing, we tasted 3 wines and 3 cheeses. I had two bottles of wine that were given to me as a gift, so I teamed up with my friend Kevin to find a third bottle and some cheese that would go well with them. It was very helpful to find that there was a wine expert working at Kroger when we went in, and he was very helpful in suggesting wine and cheese pairings! He suggested that we try the Soave as our third wine, and we enjoyed it. The wines we tried are listed below: 1. Mallee Point Cabernet Sauvignon: This Australian red wine was very smooth. On the nose, strong aromas of blackberry were present, and the taste also had notes of berry flavors and subtle vanilla. 2. Anakena Chardonnay (2014): This white wine from Chile had an aroma of apples and melons, with a similar taste of honeydew, apples, and butter. 3. La Cappuccina Soave (2015): This Italian white wine had a citrusy, lemo...

Name: Crane Lake Variety: Riesling Year: Not Listed Price: $5.95 Region: California Country: USA My Review: This white wine had a floral smell, while the taste was fruity and sweet. Hints of mango and other melons like honeydew were present on the palate. Winery Review: "Pale golden color. Ripe and dried peaches on the nose. Minerals and dried peach flavors. Nicely balanced, leaning towards lime acidity." *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Viendos Real Rubio Variety: Tempanillo Graciano Year: 2010 Price $16 Region: Rioja Country: Spain My Review: The smell was rich with hints of fruit jelly. This wine was a darker color and fairly smooth with a slightly bitter taste and hints of pepper, blackberry, and oak. Winery Review: "Lightly baked berry aromas vie for attention with leather, spice and mild earth notes, and the result is disjointed. On the palate, this is tight as a drum initially, but more expansive as it unfolds. Cherry, plum, raspberry, vanilla and wood spice flavors finish pure, clean, and easy. This is a fine yet manageable Rioja that's not trying to hard." *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Barao de Figueira Variety: Tino Reserva Year: 2013 Region: Beira Country: Portugal Price: $7.95 My Review: The wine had a slightly sour smell, with a dry taste and hints of strawberry. On the palate, tannins were present. Winery Review: "From vineyards at 2000 feet elevation, this is a rich and spicy wine that has a pure streak of fruit freshness and a firmly tannic core. It is perfumed from Touriga Nacional in the blend, with red berry and black plum flavors coming through strongly along, balanced by acidity. It will be better from 2017." *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines Grenache Variety: Rose Year: 2014 Price: $10 Region: Aragon Country: Spain My Review: This light colored rose had a sweet and fruity smell with a bitter taste of apples. This wine was also smooth. Winery Review: "The garnacha de fuego Rose is a solid effort that has a light salmon color to go with notions of cherry blossom, orange peel and herbs de provence. Medium-bodied, supple, fresh easy-drinking, and an outstanding value" *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Villa Vitas Variety: Ribolla Gialla Year: 2014 Region: Venezie Country: Italy Price: $6.95 My Review: On the nose, this white wine had a floral smell. The taste was bitter and dry with hints of citrus fruits. Winery Review: "Shows more minerality, nice quince, white currant and citrus oil notes, a dry, refreshing mouthfeel and a fragrant bouquet." *This wine was tasted with no food.

Steak, Potatoes, and Salad Over Spring Break, my family and I decided to have a wine dinner at the house. We tasted three different red wines with our meal of steak, potato casserole, salad, and a brownie for dessert. A big thanks to Mom and Dad for cooking the delicious meal! All of the wines we tasted were red blends, and we started the night by tasting each wine without food to get a first impression of them individually. The three wines that we tried are shown below: The three wines that we tasted: Menage a Trois, Apothic Red, Unanime. Mom and Dad enjoying dinner Unanime 2013, Argentina, $24.99: This wine was a deep, dark purple/plum color. On the nose, this wine had a strong fruity smell. The taste was smooth with a dry after taste. It was slightly bitter and had hints of berry and dirt as well. I prefered this wine with the meat, while my Mom and Dad both thought this paired better with the potatoes. Overall, everyone agreed that this wine tasted much ...

Name: Primes Variety: Ruby Port Region: Oporto Country: Portugal Price: $9.95, $18 sale Winery Review: "Ruby color, red fruit aromas; pleasantly sweet and balanced taste. As the wines used to produce Prime's Ruby Port age, they gain smoothness and elegance while retaining their fruitiness, intensity and youthful ruby color. They are then blended together for balance and consistency." My Review: This red port had aromas of whiskey and rubbing alcohol with slight notes of berry. The taste was a bit harsh and extremely sweet with hints of raspberry as well. I did not prefer this wine. *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Lindeman's Variety: Bin 80 Cabernet Merlot Year: Magnum 2015 Region: Southeastern Country: Australia Price: $7.95, $18 Sale Winery Review: "Medium red in color with ruby hues. On the nose aromas of dark red berries, blackcurrants and ripe plums. While the palate is medium bodied, with dark red berries and a soft tannic finish." My Review: The smell of blackberries was present on the nose. The taste of t his red wine was not overly sweet or bitter, but had notes of berries present on the palate and a tannic aftertaste. *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Domaine du Poujol Variety: Coteaux du Languedoc Year: 2011 Region: Languedoc Country: France Price: $5.95, $13 Sale Winery Review: "Minerally and berry notes make for a savory blend of flavors in this fine-grained red. Dried berry fruit dominates, with accents of white pepper and dill seed. Delivers lively acidity on the finish. Drink now through 2018. My Review: This red smelled like dirt and minerals. The taste was also earthy, with some notes of pepper and very slight hints of berry. The taste also did not linger very long on the palate. I did not prefer this wine. *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Pazo de Monterrey Variety: Godello Year: 2014 Region: Monterrei Country: Spain Price: $5.95 Winery Review: "Clean, minerally, slightly green in aromatics and oh so approachable and nice. For an under-$15 white, this Godello from Monterrei excels with layered flavors of apple, minerals and natural spice. The finish is long and hints at fresh herbs like thyme and tarragon. Potentially superb with garlic shrimp or calamari over fresh greens." My Review: This wine smelled very fruity, I could specifically smell notes peaches and pineapple. The taste reminded me of a tart green apple, and the after-taste was particularly bitter. *This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Domiane de la Foret Rose de Mediterranee Variety: Greanche Cinsault Year: 2015 Region: Provence Country: France Price: $5.95 Winery Review: "In color, this is almost white. There is some attractive acidity and the soft wine will slip down easily with just a touch of red currant. The result is a lightly mineral wine that is refreshing and good for an aperitif. My Review: I thought this wine had a floral smell, but on the palate I tasted citrus fruits. This wasn't a very sweet wine, in fact I found it rather dry. The wine seemed a bit bland to me. *This wine was tasted with no food.

My friends and I celebrated Valentine’s Day a little late by having a wine dinner at our apartment. We cooked a lasagna as the main course with a Caesar salad on the side, and for dessert we had some delicious “monster” cookies that my mom sent me. We tasted three different wines throughout the night as well. In an effort to get a good mixture of different flavors and pairings, I chose white and red varieties to try. While I am the only one out of the four of us in the Geography of Wine class,  and it was interesting to get the others' perspectives on the wines and how the foods blended with their meals. The first wine that I tried was the Mallee Point Chardonnay, and this was my favorite wine of the night! This wine blended very nicely with both the salad, as well as the lasagna making it a great choice to have at the dinner table. The wine is from Australia, with a vintage year or 2015. On the nose, it had a fruity smell with elements of peaches and pineapples. The taste ...

Name:  Chateau Morrisette The Black Dog Variety: Red Blend (Chambourcin, Cabernet, Merlot)  Region:  Virginia Country : USA Price:  $10.99 My Review:  I enjoyed this wine. The smell was very fruity, and the berries stood out on the palate. This red was semi-sweet and slightly dry and very smooth.  Winery Review:  " Aroma: Fruity. Palate: Berries, subtle spices. Finish: Smooth. Off-dry, medium-bodied. Chambourcin, Cabernet, Merlot. " (From thedogs.com) *No year was listed for this wine. This wine was tasted with no food. 

Name:  Chateau Morrisette  Variety:  Chambourcin Region:  Virginia Year:  2014 Country : USA Price:  $24.99 My Review:  This red wine had a strong smell of berries. Raspberries and cranberries were prominent on the palate.The wine was smooth and slightly dry. I really enjoyed this wine, although I usually do not prefer red wines!  Winery Review:  " Aroma: Cranberries and olives, toasted oak. Palate: Raspberries, cranberries, with balances acidity. Finish: Smooth tannins, with a fruity finish." (From Chateau Morrisette) This wine was tasted with no food. 

Name:  Chateau Morrisette  Variety:  Viognier Region:  Virginia Year: 2015 Country : USA Price:  $33.99 My Review:  This white wine smelled like fruits and a touch of honeysuckle and herbs. The taste was rich, fruity, and bitter especially in the after-taste. Although this wine was not bad, I did not prefer the tartness in the aftertaste.  Winery Review:  " Our 2015 Viognier offers melon and apricot on the nose which is complimented by a rich palate reminiscent of honeysuckle and peaches. Best served between 50-55º F. " (From thedogs.com) This wine was tasted with no food. 

Name: Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue Variety: White Blend (Riesling, Traminette, Vidal Blanc) Region: Virginia Country : USA Price: $10.99 My Review: This white wine was very tasty. The smell was full of fruits, melon and citrus standing out specifically. The taste was semi-sweet, and the flavors of the melon and citrus was even more prominent to the palate. The wine was smooth and light bodied.  Of all of the wines that I tasted on this day, this was my favorite.  Winery Review: " This popular white wine is a semi-sweet Riesling-Traminette blend, using Vidal Blanc for added depth. Aromas of melons, citrus fruits, apricots, and delicate flowers highlight the soft finish of this soothing wine." (From thedogs.com) *No year was listed for this wine. This wine was tasted with no food. 

Name: Barefoot Variety: Pinot Grigio Year: Not Listed Region: California Country: USA Price: $6 My Review: I thought this wine was very refreshing, and slightly bitter. The wine smelled slightly fruity, although I was not able to detect exactly which fruits I was smelling. The taste had some apple and citrus flavor; the lime flavor particularly stood out. Overall, I enjoyed this wine and would purchase it again. Shop Review:"Barefoot Pinot Grigio is a light-bodied wine with a bright finish, perfect for the warm days of summer or enjoyed year-round. Tart green apple mixes it up with a white peach undertone. Floral blossoms and citrus aromas do the tango." (From Barefoot's website) This wine was tasted with no food.

     On Friday night my boyfriend, Tyler, and I visited Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company in Roseland, Virginia. This is their “Basecamp Brewpub” and while they don’t usually give public tours of their brewing facilities, we thought it would be a nice place to check out and eat dinner. Neither one of us could decide on what beer to order when we got there, so we both ordered a flight of the traditional Devils Backbone beers. Devils Backbone has two locations in Virginia. The Roseland location produces all of the experimental, seasonal beers, while the location in Lexington produces their traditional beers that go out to stores across the country. We each ordered a sandwich, and under the advice of our waitress started tasting our beers from least bitter to most bitter. Each beer on the menu was given an “IBU” value of the International Bitterness Unit. This was helpful as we navigated our 6 beer samplings. We tasted the following beers: The traditional flight of b...

Name: Crane Lake Variety: Gewurztraminer Year: 2015 Region: California Country: USA Price: $5.95 My Review: This was a light colored pink wine with a floral, sweet smell. The taste was very sweet and fruity; definitely an indulgent dessert wine. Shop Review: "This floral wine has notes of rose, peach, and apricot, with a smooth, lingering finish. This wine pairs well with both smoked Gouda and Munster cheeses. also try it along with roast pork, turkey, red snapper or sauteed abalone. This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: El Ganador Variety: Malbec Year: 2015 Region: Mendoza Country: Argentina Price: $7.95 My Review: I thought this wine smelled very similar to the Grand Cru that I tried right before it, but slightly less fruity. The wine had a bit of a floral taste and was bitterer as well. Shop Review: "Garnet color. Aromas of black cherry, plum jam, rich dark soil, and violet honey with lightly tannic, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling complex, medium-long black cherry, rich garden soil, crushed plum and cinnamon toast finish with medium tannins and moderate oak. Dense, dark and chewy with earthy complexity, balancing the luscious jammy fruit qualities of new world with earthy qualities of old world wines. This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Grand Cru Variety: Pinot Noir Year: 2014 Region: Califonria Country: USA Price: $5.95 My Review: This was the first red wine that we tasted of the day. The smell reminded me of licorice with hints of berry. The taste did not appeal to me very much as I thought it was very bitter and dry. It also had a peppery after-taste. Shop Review: "This ruby-colored wine ahs aromas of rasberrym cherry and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with appetizers and main courses. This wine goes well with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon, lamb shanks and pork tenderloin. This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Douglass Hill Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Year: 2014 Region: California Country: USA Price: $5.95 My Review: This was probably the most interesting, and my favorite of the wines that I tasted today. I thought this white had a sweet smell initially, and then the taste of vegetables. There were also subtle hints of fruity flavors in this semi-sweet wine. Shop Review: "This light, crisp Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of grapefruit, bell pepper, and asparagus. on the palate, hints of floral and honey are revealed to yield a well-balanced, refreshing wine. This wine was tasted with no food.

Name: Prime Brume Variety: Soave Year: 2015 Region: Soave Country: Italy Price: $6.95 My Review: This light- colored, white wine had a fruity, good smell. The taste was fairly dry and fruity as well. I tasted hints of pear and apple specifically. Shop Review: "Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme faiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fuity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors. This wine was tasted with no food.

On February 2, my roommate, Katelyn, and I sat down for a wine and cheese pairing to conclude a long Thursday. We went to Kroger and bought some wine and cheese, and then we tasted each of them. Although Katelyn is not in the class, it was interesting to also get her opinion on the wines and how they blended with each cheese. We had three cheese varieties, and three wines to taste. The cheese included a pepper jack, an extra sharp cheddar, and Colby jack. The wines were a Sauvignon Blanc, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Chardonnay. I thought it would be interesting to pair some very inexpensive wines with one that was a bit more pricy. Root 1: Sauvignon Blanc- Year: 2015 Region: Casablanca Valley, Chile Price: $9 (on sale) usually $18 My Review: I bought this bottle of wine last week from the Vintage Cellar. I did not know much about it, but I had tried Sauvignon Blanc before and enjoyed it so I figured I would give it a try. The white wine had a citrus fruit s...

On Saturday, January 28, 2017, I visited King Family Vineyard with my boyfriend, Tyler. King Family Vineyards is located in Crozet, Virginia on over 200 acres of land. In addition to the tasting room and vineyards, there are several houses on the property where the King Family lives, and there is a large polo field around the center of the property. Tyler and I standing in the Merlot vines Although I had been to one other wine tasting at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA, this was my first visit to a winery/vineyard. In addition to doing a wine tasting, we also took a bus tour of the entire vineyard and the winery facilities. Jason was our tour guide, and he drove us from the tasting room to the Merlot vines on the other side of the property. The vines were bare, but Jason told us about some of the characteristics of the plant. I found it very interesting that the vine was composed of a combination of an American and European species of vine in order to prevent disease. H...

N ame: Dona sol Variety:  Shiraz, Petite Syrah & Symphony Region: California Country:  USA Price:  $6.95 Shop Review:  "Shiraz has a unique jammy fruit character that is well represented in the Sweet Red. Both on the nose and on the palate, jammy fruit, like strawberries, cherry pie, and red licorice, entices the senses and pair well with cheeses and desserts.  My Review:  This red wine smelled sweet and slightly fruity. The taste was very sweet, and similar to strawberry or rasberry jelly. This wine was tasty, but I would not want to drink more than a glass as a dessert wine because of its intense sweetness.  This wine was tasted with no food. 

N ame: Avery Quinn Variety:  Zinfandel Region: Santa Rosa, California Country:  United States Year:   2013 Price:  $6.95 Shop Review:  "Lightly spicy aromas and rich, soothing fruit flavors make this an attractive, lovable and classically proportioned wine. Cherry and rasberry flavors rest on a lightly tannic but smooth texture, and linger on the finish."  My Review: This red had a fruity smell, but the taste was much spicier than I had initially anticipated. The wine also had a peppery taste that did not appeal to me.  This wine was tasted with no food. 

N ame:  Finca del Castillo Variety: Tempranillo Region:  La Mancha Country:  Spain Year:   2015 Price:  $4.95 Shop Review: "Vivid ruby. Spice-accented red and dark berry aromas show good clarity and a hint of fresh rose. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering lively currant and bitter cheryy flavors that become swetter with air. Clings with good tenacity on the energetic finish, which repeats the florarl note and shows no tannins." My Review:  This red wine had a tart smell with hints of cherry and rose. The taste was dry and tart, and it also seemed a little bland. Some slight fruitiness was present as well.  This wine was tasted with no food. 

N ame:  Pieter Cruythoff Variety:  Chenin Blanc Region:  Swartland Country:  South Africa Year:   2015 Price:  $4.95 Shop Review:  "A wonderful nose of bananas, oranges and melons jumps from the glass of this 100% Chenin Blanc, which is finished with a screw cap. Another great value from South Africa, this wine is medium-bodied, fresh, lively, and a terrific dry white to dirnk over the next year."  My Review:  This white wine did not smell as sweet as the El Cortijillo that I tasted first. The wine had a slightly spicy taste that lingered in the mouth, with a bit of dry, tartness.  This wine was tasted with no food. 

N ame: El Cortijillo Variety: Verdejo Region: La Mancha Country:  Spain Year:  2015 Price: $4.95 Shop Review: "Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical armoas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper." My Review: This white wine had a fruity, sweet smell. I detected hints of apple and pear on the pallette and found it to be somewhat dry- less sweet than I had initially expected based on the smell. The wine was smooth and probably my favorite tasting of the day!  This wine was tasted with no food.