Tasting - "Butterfly Kiss Moscato"

Name: Butterfly Kiss
Variety: Moscato
Region: Chile
Country: Chile
Year: 2012
Sale Price: $5.95
Regular Price: $ 13

Shop Review:
Aromas of honeydew and apricot, gently kissed by orange blossom, candied pineapple and a hint of lime zest









My Review:
This wine was one of my favorites that I tasted this week.  I attribute this feeling to the fact that the wine tasted so sweet that it did not taste like my idea of traditional wine.  It was very sweet and fruity.  I found it difficult to place what fruit I was tasting, but it was almost like a sweet granny smith apple.  I did not taste this wine with food, but I would be interested in having it again, in which case I would try it with a meal.

Tasting - "Purple Paws Zinfadel"

Name: Purple Paws
Variety: Zinfadel
Region: Lodi California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Sale Price: $7.95
Regular Price: $15

Shop review:
It smells like ripe boysenberries and cherries, and tastes generous and broad without being too full bodied. It finishes with more fruit notes and those who love a little spice and smooth tannins will be happy.






My review:
This wine was sampled without a food pairing,  It was the second Purple Paws red wine I had tasted that day, but this one had much more of a grape smell to it.  Whereas the Cabernet Sauvignon had a smokey flavor to it, much like a barbecue, this wine had more of a campfire smokey taste.  There was also a hint of pepper in the flavor.

Tasting - "Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon"

Name: Purple Paws
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Non Vintage
Region: Lodi California
Country: USA
Year: Non Vintage
Sale Price: $7.95
Regular Price: $15

Shop Review:
If a Cabernet can be smooth and creamy, this one is. It offers plenty of fruit flavor, smooth tannins that coat the mouth in a good way, plus a plush texture that keeps it from being even a bit harsh. With light body, a soft mouth feel and lingering finish, there’s much to like.





My review:
At first smell, this wine did not have as much fruit to it as other wines I have sampled.  It was a savory wine that had smokey undertones.  The wine was dryer than the other wines that I sampled at the Vintage Cellar this week, but that was most likely due to the fact that it was a red wine, since reds are naturally drier than whites.  This wine was not tasted with food.

Tasting - "Rosemount Chardonnay"

Name: Rosemount
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Sale Price: $5.95
Regular Price: $10

Shop Review: 
This world-renowned wine shows peachy tropical fruit and melon characters on the nose, with a hint of citrus freshness and judicious use of oak. The palate is generous and soft with full, ripe tropical flavors folded into a creamy backdrop that is beautifully structured with a long satisfying finish.

My Review:
This wine had a gentle flavor and aroma, and a very smooth consistency.  It is significantly more buttery than the La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc in my previous review, which I enjoyed.  I did not taste this wine with food either, but there was significantly less acidity/bitterness than in the previous wine, so if given the choice between this and the La Lejania, I would prefer to pick this one up off the shelf.

Tasting - "La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc"

Name: La Lejania
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Central Valley

Country: Chille

Year: 2015

Sale Price: $6.95

Regular Price: $10

Shop Review:

Aromas of green apple and citrus are as classic as it gets for Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. This is straightforward but enjoyable, with modest minerality. Flavors of citrus and gooseberry carry over onto a refreshing finish.

My review:

This wine had a fruity aroma that reminded me of pears.  It had a strong acid/bitter taste, that may have been mellowed out by food, but it was not sampled with food.  There was a faint butter flavor, that I enjoyed.  I would like to taste more wines with this buttery flavor, and if the acid/bitter flavor goes along with that, I think I would try pairing it with food.

Tasting - "Picpoul de Pinet "HB"

Name: Les Costieres de Pomerols Picpoul de Pinet "HB"
Variety: Piquepoul Blanc
Region: Languedoc
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $12.50

Liner & Elsen Wine Merchants review: 
This is the granddaddy that literally established Picpoul as a staple for lovers of crisp, dry, seafood-friendly white wines. Picpoul, or “lip stinger” in local dialect, is often called the Muscadet of the South. A Chablis-like green-gold in color, the Picpoul casts aromatic notes of key lime juice, white grapefruit, Bartlett pear and flinty minerals from the glass. The wine’s wonderfully juicy palate conveys suggestions of ginger, lemongrass, crisp fennel and stony soil. Clean and super-refreshing on the finish, the HB Picpoul begs you to pair it now and over the coming year with delicate white-fleshed fish dishes, grilled and sauteed zucchini, calamari, periwinkles and oysters.

My review:
This wine has a strong smell, and a strong taste to match. There was a light taste when I initially took a sip, but after mentally analyzing the wine, by the time I swallowed it, there was a very very strong citrus taste. There was also a yeasty aftertaste. This wine was much too strong for my liking, but I did not taste it in combination with any food. Tasting this wine with fatty food may have positively impacted the boldness and acidity of the flavors.

Tasting - "Sonnet 98"

Name: Attimo Winery Sonnet 98
Variety: Vidal Blanc
Region: Virginia
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $16.99

Shop review:
This Vidal, with its floral bouquet and vanilla undertones brings to mind crisp spring mornings and the first spring flowers bursting forth to find the sun.








My review:
Unfortunately, this wine smells like nail polish remover (which was a bit of a turn off) and is pale yellow in color. It also tastes like Granny Smith apples, and its legs are thick. The flavor is almost nonexistent at the beginning, but thickens and developes the longer it stayed in my mouth. No food was harmed in the making of this review.

Tasting - "Sofia Mini"

Name: Sofia Mini
Variety: Blanc de Blancs
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: Unknown
Price: $3.99

Shop review:
Sofia Mini is a single-serving of our effervescent Sofia Blanc de Blancs, tasting of fresh juicy pears, summer melon and honeysuckle. Zesty, refreshing, cool and fun, each dazzling pink can comes with its own straw for sipping, so you can take it anywhere—anytime you feel like sparkling.





My review:
I was initially drawn to this wine for the bendy straw. Upon further inspection, the wine smelled a bit like blue cheese, but the smell was less noticeable if the straw was used. Due to the expandable nature of the straw, there was an air leak which helped the wine to airrate on its way to my mouth. When swirled, the legs pull away slowly, and when drank, there was an extremely strong bitter taste. The wine was tasted sans food.

Tasting - "Moscato D'asti"

Name: Bella Bolle' Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: Asti
Country: Italy
Year: 2011
Price: $8.99

Shop review:
The delicately sweet style of Bella Bolle's Moscato D'Asti is deliciously fruity with flavors of citrus and melon. Enjoy well chilled with fresh fruits, spicy cuisine, a variety of desserts or simply savor it on its own. Salut!







My review:
This wine is pale yellow and has a strong scent that is flowery, yet also yeasty. The smell makes me think of a fruit cake recipe that called for too much yeast. There is a hint of fruit that is reminiscent of cantaloupe. When the wine is swirled, the legs pull away smoothly. I did not eat anything in the process of tasting this wine.

Tasting - "Escher Haus Liebfraumilch"

Name: Escher Haus
Variety: Liebfraumilch
Region: Rheinhessen
Country: Germany
Year: 2014
Price: $5.99 (on sale)

Shop review:
Heir to the vineyards of his "Opa", Anton Escher tended to his vines as his grandfather had many years before. The vines of Rheinhessen Germany flourish in the warm, sunny, mineral-enriched soils. Proud of his heritage, Escher grew his grapes to match; slightly sweet with a bright character. Ripe fruit flavors and aromas of peaches and pears round out this traditional German Liebfaumilch.



My review:
At first glance, the wine is a pale yellow and while swooshing the wine, I noticed that the legs pulled away in a staggered manner, which gave the impression that the wine was thin. At first smell, I noticed a fruity aroma. Upon tasting, the fruity taste became more sour and reminded me of tart Granny Smith Apples. The taste was light and crisp, and uninfluenced by food (i.e. I did not eat during this tasting).

What is this "wine" you speak of?

<Begin wine-related experiences>

...

For my 21st birthday, my sister and brother-in-law took me to a winery and we did a tasting.

...

Sometimes, my boyfriend buys a bottle of wine to go with dinner and I have a sip from his glass.

...

</End wine-related experiences>


To elaborate on the obvious, I have little to no experience with wine.  I'll occasionally drink a hard cider with a meal, but it is rare that I actually finish it.  The sweeter the drink, the more I enjoy it (i.e. the less I dislike it).  From what people have told me, the faces I make when I take a sip of wine indicate that I like white wine more than red wine, and I strongly dislike red wine.  I believe that my dislike has something to do with the dryness of red wine, but that may be because "dry" is such a new taste and sensation to me, so my feelings may change over time given more exposure.

I assume that much like any other topic, the more I learn about wine, the more I will learn to appreciate different wines, even if I don't actually like them.

My main motivation for enrolling in this course is due to the fact that I need to learn something - anything - about wine, so that I can be a classy young business woman upon graduating this spring.  For example, I want to be able to contribute to a discussion among my colleagues about what bottle of wine should be purchased with dinner on the company dime.

By the end of the semester, I want to speak "wine" fluently.