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 ...