Tasting Once Upon A Vine Sauvignon Blanc

Once Upon A Vine Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Once Upon A Vine

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2011

Price: $10.69

Wine Review: "Interesting. Sweet flavours of peach and other stone fruit but still predominantly dry." (Written by Jenna Seaford for the 2011 vintage, vivino.com)

My review:  I was able to readily smell apples coming through on the nose, but I don't have the skills to pick up on much else.  It was sour and hung on to the mid palette before relaxing and left a bitter taste afterwards.  I wasn't super into it, but the bottle is certainly pretty.

Food: I had cheddar cheese and black pepper triscuits with this wine.

Wine and Food Pairing 1

          I had the idea to try and do this attempt at home and on a budget because I have a pretty hectic schedule and it is easier to make some items beforehand in pockets of free time.  I did this assignment with my fiancé so we could have a nice dinner in with wine.  We decided to have a caesar salad, flatbread pizza, and mini cherry cheesecakes.

Shine Riesling and caesar salad

          The first course wine was pretty good; I remembered reading that Rieslings pair well with caesar salad.  This Riesling was something I would likely rate a 3-4.  I would consider buying it again, but if someone were serving it, I wouldn't turn it down.  The wine cost $9.59, so I don't know if it was completely worth it on a college budget, but it wasn't the worst.  As for how it paired with this course, I am not sure.  I didn't feel like anything super special was brought out in the salad by the wine, or vice versa.  But it did feel pretty cool to have a meal in courses and pop open a bottle of wine each time we got out more food.

Wine and salad and Netflix for our date night in!

Pop Crush Red Blend and pizza

          Next up, we had flatbread pizzas (topped with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and pineapple) paired with a red blend.  This bottle of wine cost $8.49, so not too terrible.  We did some research, and pizza is supposed to pair well with reds, specifically Chianti.  I chose this red blend mostly because of the label.  This wine was terrible by itself and worse with pizza.  I tried to combine the tastes of the two in my mouth and I was actually thinking, "Why am I ruining this good pizza with this unfortunate wine...?"  It really goes to show that I am not a red person.  I've tried, really I have.  Before the class is through, I will probably have a few more.  And I probably won't like them.  But, I'll try anything once.

Burgáns Albariño and cherry cheesecake

          I had never even heard of this wine until I read about it in this class.  Nothing really told me that this would pair well with the cheesecake, but it didn't end up being a bad combination.  It was kind of a high price for me at $12.99, but it was a really sweet wine that ended up going well with the sweet dessert.  We ended up leaving this bottle open and finishing it as we watched shows together and got ready for bed.  

          This assignment made for a nice date in and was flexible with our busy schedule.  It was an assignment I'd like to do again, and then do again after the class ends just because I want to.

          Oh-- and one last thing-- we bought a wine rack this week.  So I guess I at least learned something in this class; enough to want to keep exploring this world of wine.

Winery Visit Adventure Day: White Barrel and Chateau Morissette

          Today, I went with two ladies from work to two wineries very near Blacksburg.  We were planning on visiting Chateau Morissette and as we chatted about our plans to the waitress at lunch, she recommended we try White Barrel.  So, we went winery crazy and did two in one day!

          After lunch, we headed to White Barrel, a winery in Christiansburg that has been open to the public since 2011.  They currently have around 11,000 vines on the property and they are just a really quaint little place hidden in the farm areas of Christiansburg.

A view of the vines on the property

Where the tastings take place

          It was also surprisingly less expensive than I would have expected-- we got eight tastings for five dollars.  The woman who served the wine and gave us the tasting was very friendly and eager to answer questions, which made the experience that much better.

We tasted the Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, 704, and 101 from the whites selection

From the reds, we had everything on the list except for the Cab Franc Reserve.

          I left with a bottle of the 101, an apple wine that was not too sweet and was overall refreshing and fruity.  I really could see enjoying it in the fall when the leaves are changing and the weather is just the slightest bit cold; it would pair so well with a warm cinnamon roll or vanilla ice cream, almost as though it were apple pie instead of wine.  I didn't love any of the reds, and the other whites were either just okay or they were rather plain; I was not thoroughly impressed with anything else enough to buy it.  I would absolutely go and visit again because it was fun and overall a lovely place.

Cozy seating area, perfect for today's dreary weather.

          After sitting with a glass and talking for a bit, we moved on and headed towards Chateau Morissette.  This place was hidden on back roads in Floyd, and it was even more beautiful than I was expecting.

This photo doesn't do it justice.

          I love the story behind this winery and their integration of dogs!  Here, we tasted eleven wines, one is not featured on the list shown below.

List of wines we tasted.

          I left this winery with two bottles, both were the white Muscadine, something I'd never heard of before.  This wine was sweet without being sickly sweet, and I don't think it was just good because it was the wine on sale, I promise.  This winery was more formal than White Barrel, and it had a nice autumn feel to it, where the other winery seemed more like a good wine to visit in spring, especially with today's weather.  This winery had an apple wine as well, but it made me happy that I got the apple wine at the first place.  Morissette's apple wine was sickly sweet and not as good as what I had already purchased.

Behind the bar in Chateau Morissette.

          Both of these wineries are places I would return in the future for fun; they were both very impressive in their own ways.  It was also fun to make a girls' day of it and visit the wineries with friends!

All of us at Chateau Morissette (I'm on the left!)

Tasting Broadbent Vinho Verde

Broadbent Vinho Verde

Name: Broadbent

Variety: Vinho Verde

Region: Decreto-Lei 94

Country: Portugal

Year: 2012

Price: $8.69

Wine Review: "This white shows floral fruit, lime, and green freshness on the nose and palate. Overall, it's lightly fizzy and possessed of zippy acidity; you'll want to have a plate of shellfish on hand when you open this wine." (astorwines.com)

My Review: This wine was very light in color, more so than I was expecting.  The smell was minimal and, upon tasting, the same was true of the flavor.  It reminded me of Perrier with it's slight carbonation aspect and lack of any real flavor.  I would rate this a 2-3, giving it the possibility to be recommended to a friend or be revisited at a party where it could be served.

Food: I had this wine with parmesan cheese and garlic cheddar cheese and crackers.

Tasting Frisk Riesling

Frisk Riesling

Name: Frisk

Variety: Riesling

Region: Victoria

Country: Australia

Year: 2014

Price: $11.29

Wine Review: It's back, the sweetly effervescent Riesling from Down Under that's an over-the-top hit. From Frisk: "This zippy Riesling is floral and weighted, with notes of lime sorbet, rose petals and a hint of fennel. With its racy verve, subtle complexity and just a tinge of sweetness, it’s a perfect companion for both sweet and spicy dishes...or simply on its own. Refreshingly complex on the palate, it will make you wonder how you emptied your glass so quickly - and have you reaching for another." (klwines.com)

My Review: The wine smelled really sweet, but did not have a lot else going on.  There was more heat than I was expecting, and it was generic until the extra sweet finish.  It had some bubbles when we poured it, and it almost seemed a tad carbonated.  I would rate this a 3-4; I would drink it if it were served at a party, and would maybe purchase it myself.

Food: I had this wine with parmesan cheese and garlic cheddar cheese and crackers.

Tasting Gallo Family Cabernet Sauvignon

Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Gallo

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: Not listed

Price: $1.50

Wine Review: "With this new line, Gallo once agin strives to redefine itself, with positive results. Bearing Gina Gallo's signature, it's a fine Cabernet, soft, dry and complex, with flavors of blackberry, black currand and cedar. The structure is all about Napa Valley, showing ripe, smooth tannins and a good bite of acidity. Rally a superior Cab, one to drink now and over the next 6 years." (Wine Enthusiast)

My review: I stepped out of my comfort zone here, because I still cannot seem to wrap my head around reds, but the price was low enough that I felt it was okay to give it a shot.  It actually smelled quite good; there was an overpowering cherry smell with other general fruit smell going on as well.  The worst part about this wine was the way it coated the inside of the mouth unpleasantly.  It had no strong flavors, just this uncomfortable coating aspect on the palate. 

Food: I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting Gallo Family White Zinfandel

Gallo White Zinfandel

Name: Gallo

Variety: White Zinfandel

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: Not listed

Price: $1.50

Wine Review: An anonymous user on reviews.danmurphy.com.au writes, "After searching for rosé i came across this bottle.  Unsure what it is as i never heard of zindafel and plus it is from California."  There were better reviews, but this one felt right.  Note this curious spelling of 'Zinfandel'.

My review: This wine was overall unpleasant.  It had no smell and, initially, no taste.  The finish on this wine is the wild part-- it was bitter and sour and just tasted gross.  I get that this wine is very cheap, but this was a really sad example of a white zin.

Food: I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting Gallo Family Moscato

Gallo Moscato

Name: Gallo 

Variety: Moscato

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: Not listed

Price: $1.50

Wine Review: "Before trying the Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato, I chilled it. White wines are so refreshing when chilled. Then I uncorked it with dinner over the weekend, having a glass with a pasta I’d made. To be perfectly honest, the sweet Moscata didn’t work well with that meal, which seemed to emphasize the sweet too much. For me, this isn’t a wine to have with dinner. However, according to the information I was given, Gallo says that this can work with spicy meals. All of this is not to say I didn’t enjoy it. I did. Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato is a nice wine. I’ve since had it a few more times, and really appreciate the soft crispness and sweet undertones. This will be a great wine for this summer to have after dinner or with small plates before dinner. It’s particularly good served with cheese and crackers and the like." (sarahscucinabella.com)

My review: This wine started out lame; the smell was a let down.  It kind of smelled like fake fruit and old, cheap alcohol rolled into one.  I'd say it isn't the worst thing I've ever had to drink by far, but I don't know that I would seek it out again and spend money on it.  It wasn't overly sweet or strong, the wine was mainly plain and easily drinkable.

Food: I did not have this wine with food.

Wine and Cheese Tasting 2

          I chose to do the second wine and cheese assignment at home with my family over spring break so that my parents could get some insight into what I do for this class (and why they are paying for so much wine as opposed to textbooks this semester).  Each person involved chose a wine and a cheese for tasting.

Dad: Lancer's Rosé with Jarlsberg

Mom: Voga Pinot Grigio with Cheddar

My fiancé and me: Simply Naked Chardonnay (my choice) and Parmesan (his choice)

Top left: Cheddar, Top right: Jarlsberg
Bottom: Parmesan

Simply Naked Chardonnay

          We started out tasting the wine that I chose: the Chardonnay.  The wine smelled very sweet right when we opened it and the smell of apple was rather prevalent.  It tasted plain and didn't have much going on.  It had a taste when I first had a sip, but it didn't do anything on the mid-palette or on the finish.  With the parmesan, the wine did not change much, but the parmesan flavor was highly amplified.  The cheddar was a really poor pairing with the Chardonnay and made for a sour taste.  The jarlsberg only slightly made the wine more flavorful, with small hints of fruit flavors coming through.

Voga Italia

          My mom's requirement when I went to buy wine was that I get a Pinot Grigio, which is the wine that my parents prefer.  The smell of this one was plain and didn't have a lot going for it and tasted like it had a high alcohol volume, despite the percent being lower than the previous wine.  Similar to the Chardonnay, it seemed plain and had no distinctive mid-palette or finishing tastes.  With the parmesan, it may have strengthened some fruity flavors, but not by much.  The second cheese, the cheddar, tasted stronger with this one and was certainly more tangy.  With this wine, the cheese that did not pair well at all was the jarlsberg.  It was very sour and made the wine taste disappointing.

Lancer's Rosé

          This wine was my dad's choice, and he said that he picked this one because his parents used to drink it with dinner years ago.  It had a very strong smell that lingered in the nose.  It did not really smell like anything in particular, it was just overpowering.  It was really interesting to drink because it had the slightest hint of carbonation going on.  I think it would have tasted better if it were fully carbonated.  This wine, strangely enough, was lacking on the mid-palette and finish like the other two.  My mom said, "This would be good in spaghetti sauce," like the cook she is.  With the parmesan, the carbonation aspect was strengthened strangely enough.  It also was less acidic.  The cheddar, like the first wine, was a terrible pair for this wine.  Very sour and unfortunate.  The jarlsberg added nothing additional and had little to no change with the wine.

Family Project!

          Overall, this was a fun assignment to do with my family.  I was able to teach them some of the things I've learned about glass size and decanting, and discuss their tastes as well as my own.  I enjoyed hearing the back story about my dad's choice in wine.  My parents expressed interest in doing the "fun parts" of this class, otherwise, they just want another excuse to try different wines.  I told them I could include them in some tastings over spring break and I would worry about the blogging while they enjoy the wine.

Tasting Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Name: Grand Cru

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $6.95

Wine Review: A rich red wine, hearty in nature and smooth in flavor from RJS Craft Winemaking Grand Cru collection. The soft texture and dark color complement the flavors of berry fruit, with a subtle raspberry undertone. (midwest supplies.com)

My Review: I wasn’t super into this wine, especially after I first smelled it.  It had a mild nail polish remover smell to it and no other strong smells came through to counter that.  Upon drinking it, the wine immediately coated the palette and felt sort of syrupy in texture.  This one had to be my least favorite of the wines for this week and I would probably rate this as a 1; I don’t see myself recommending this wine to anyone.

Food: I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting Doña Sol Red Blend

Doña Sol Red Blend

Name: Doña Sol

Variety: Red Blend

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: Not listed

Price: $6.95

Wine Review: Shiraz has a unique jammy fruit character that is well represented in our Sweet Red. Both on the nose and on the palate, jammy fruit, like strawberries, entices the senses to enjoy this wine with family and friends. (liquorliquidators.com)

My Review: This wine really surprised me—it smelled a lot like various berries and this flavor came through powerfully as well.  It was super drinkable and was easily the best red I have ever had.  As the label suggests, it was sweet, but I was overall very pleased.  This is a wine I would consider buying again and I would love to explore the foods that it pairs well with.

Food: I did not have this wine with food.