Tasting: Dark Horse Red Blend

Name: Dark Horse Red Blend
Variety: Red Blend
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: $15

Winery Review: The Dark Horse Big Red Blend has deep flavors of dark berry and black currant, supported by plush tannins, hints of dark roasted oak and a long finish. This Red Blend underwent alcoholic fermentation with hand chosen yeast to provide enhanced color, structure and fruit characteristics. A blend of Malbec, Rubired, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Merlot.

My Review: This wine was mostly Malbec and I could defiantly taste it. The color was a very dark red that almost seemed purple. The nose was not very strong but it had hints of red fruit. When I tasted it the main character I could pull from the wine was oak. I also tasted slight flavors of fruit.

I did not have this wine with food.

Tasting:Chateau Morrisette White Muscadine

Name: Chateau Morrisette White Muscadine
Variety: Muskadine 
Region:  Virginia 
Country: United States
Year: 2015
Price: $6

Winery Review:  Made from the favorite southern grape, Muscadine. This wine is sweet and easy drinking, has unique fruit flavors only found in Muscadine. Serve chilled with flavorful Southern fare like barbecue. Great as a summer sipper on the back porch, and definitely bring it to any pig pickin’!


My Review: I liked the red muscadine a lot more than this one. This wine had a very light color that was almost clear. As for the taste it was very sweet but had a weird aftertaste. I thought this wine was OK at best and I wouldn't buy it again. 

I did not have this wine with food

Zeppolis Wine Dinner

I went to the Zeppolis wine dinner this Wednesday with two of my friends. They had mostly french wines to taste and the main dish was chicken. The first time I went to Zeppolis there was about 20 people there and this time there was only five of us. I liked the smaller group because we went at our own pace and the people going over the wines really went into depth with us.

The food was pretty good but I wasn't overly impressed with anything. The chicken was the main dish. It was called Coq Au Vin, and it had a lot of glaze and mushrooms on it. It was alright but I wouldn't buy it again. The quiche was my favorite part of the dinner. There was nothing special about it but I just like quiche. The ratatouille wasn't good but it also was not bad. I liked the salad a lot too but a salad can only be so good.

Most of the wines we tasted this week were from France. I like the majority of them. 

The first wine I am going over is La Galope Sauvignon Blanc Cotes de Gascogne. This wine was very dry for a white and it had a nose of flowers and citrus. I thought this wine paired very well with my salad. I doubt I would go out of my way to drink this wine again. It had a price of $12 a bottle. 

The next wine was Terre du Sol 1733 Malbec. This wine is 14 dollars a bottle and had a violet or ruby color. The nose was not very pleasant and the main thing I could get out of it was acid. When I tasted it I was surprised at how smooth it was. There were no harsh flavors in this wine and I really enjoyed it. I would defiantly try this wine again. I liked how this wine went with my chicken.

The last wine I'm going over is Laurent Miquel Pere et Fils Syrah Grenache. It had a light red color and the price was $11. This wine smelled a lot like black berries. The taste sweet but slightly bitter and had an oaked taste. I liked this wine but it didn't overly impress me. 

Tasting: Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple

Name: Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple 
Variety: Fruit Wine
Region: Virginia 
Country:  United States
Year: 2015
Price: $12

Winery Review:  Our Apple Wine is made from crisp and juicy Virginia apples. Bursting with the vibrant fruitiness of just-picked apples, this wine is sweet and smooth, light bodied, with a clean crisp finish. 

My Review: This wine was very different from anything I had tried so far. It looked, smelled, and tasted a lot like apple juice. I liked this wine a lot but it was more like fruit juice than wine. 

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Gabbiano Chianti

Name: Gabbiano Chianti Classico 
Variety: Chianti 
Region: Tuskany
Country:  Italy 
Year: 2013
Price: $14

Winery Review:  Brilliant intense ruby color accented by a complexity of aromas including cherry, red berries and plum. Well-balanced palate full of ripe red fruit notes, highlighted by round, persistent tannins and a long, intense finish.

My Review: This is my favorite red wine. It's is noticeably oaked but not too overpowering. It's nose reminds me of berries and smells toasted. The taste is slightly sweet and a little bitter. The main flavor I could pull from it was butter. I would defiantly buy this wine again.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Chateau Morrisette Red Muscadine

Name: Chateau Morrisette Red Muscadine 
Variety: Red Muscadine 
Region: Virginia 
Country:  United States
Year: 2015
Price: $8

Winery Review:  Southern style sweet red wine from the south’s favorite grape variety. Fruity, distinctly Muscadine character. Serve cold. Pair spicy southern food. 

My Review: I liked this wine Okay. It was sweet but not too much. It had a light red color and smelled almost like sugar. The taste was slightly bitter with a fruity flavor. 

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Shaya Verdejo

Name: Shaya Verdejo
Variety: Verdejo
Region: Rueda
Country:  Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $15

Winery Review:  Toasted baking spices on the nose of nutmeg combined with spring flowers, marzipan, and pit fruits. With a bit of richness and complexity on the palate, the wine is well balanced.

My Review: This wine had a light golden color. The nose reminded me of new clothes. When I tasted it I was less than impressed. It was slightly sweet with a bitter hint. This waine was not that great and I would not buy it. 

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Beringer Red Moscato

Name: Beringer Red Moscato
Variety: Red Mocato
Region:  California
Country: United States 
Year: 2013
Price: $7

Winery Review:  This innovative blend is the perfect harmony of Moscato, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. It brings together the vivid aromas and flavors of the Moscato grape with the classic red berry characteristics of Zinfandel and ripe black cherry flavors of Petite Sirah.

My Review: A girl brought this wine to a party I was at Friday night and she let me review it. I liked it a lot but it seemed very sweet. If I was a little more sober I might have enjoyed this wine more. The nose was just grapes and the taste was very sweet. 

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Gallo Family Moscato

Name: Gallo Family Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region:  California 
Country: United States 
Year: 2015
Price: $10

Winery Review: Our delightful light-bodied and refreshing Moscato is bursting with delicious flavors of peach, honey, and ripe citrus.

My Review: This was just an average moscato. The color was a light yellow-green. It did not have much of a nose but I could catch a hint of citrus in the nose and the taste was fairly sweet. I liked the wine a decent bit but I would not buy it. 

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Laughing Owl Chardonnay

Name: Laughing Owl Chardonnay 
Variety: Chardonnay
Region:  Santa Barbara, California 
Country: United States 
Year: 2013
Price: $13

Winery Review:  This wine brings the flavors of butterscotch, toast, peach, and apple. It is recommended to serve chilled, but as I will say many times, drink wine the way you enjoy it. Laughing Owl Chardonnay is a Santa Barbara County, California wine.

My Review: This chardonnay had a very dark yellow color. The nose smelled like burnt wood and roasted peanuts. The taste was somewhat oakey and had a smooth buttery taste. I liked this chardonnay a lot more than most.  

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Villa Jolanda Moscato D'asti

Name: Villa Jolanda
Variety: Moscato D'asti
Region:  
Country: Italy 
Year: 2014
Price: $13

Winery Review:   Straw-yellow color wine with an intense and aromatic bouquet typical of the muscat grape, with hints of fruit and orange blossom. It has a sweet and balanced aromatic taste. The perfect accompaniment to small pastries, hazelnut cake and desserts in general. 


My Review:  This wine had a light gold color and the nose was not very strong and all I could catch was a smell of pears. Taste was very sweet and did not have a lot of flavors. I would have this wine again but it would need to be with dinner.


I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Allamand Malbec

Name: Allamand Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region:  Medoza
Country: Argentina 
Year: 2013
Price: $15

Winery Review:  This wine is the heart of Bodegas y Viñedos Luminis line of wines from the Valle de Uco region. It is a 100% malbec that comes from three different vineyards planted in Valle de Uco. Located at more than 3,000 ft above sea level, and being at the foot of the Andes range, the Valle de Uco region is the land of the most refined and elegant malbecs in Argentina. This is one of our "appellation” driven wines and through it, we at Bodegas y Viñedos Luminis are trying to capture what malbec from the Uco Valley is about: malbecs of deep purple color, lots of violets in the nose, and natural great acidity. 


My Review: I don't know if I do not like malbecs or if I just did not like this wine. The nose was not bad and I could catch hints of flowers but that was about it. The taste was very bitter and dry to me. I do not want to try this wine again.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Beringer Chardonnay

Name: Beringer Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $16

Winery Review: Bright tropical aromas and flavors are layered with hints of citrus and green apple. A medium, rounded mouthfeel is accented by a refreshing acidity and clean finish.

My Review: I liked this Chardonnay but not enough to go out and buy another bottle. When i checked the nose the first thing I could pull out was a citrus smell and after that I picked up hints of laundry detergent. The taste was sweet but not too sweet. I thought this was just an average Chardonnay.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Velvet Crush Red Blend

Name: Velvet Crush Red Blend
Variety: Red Blend 
Region: Central Coast
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $11

Winery Review:  Velvety smooth texture just like its name, soft tannins and lush dark fruit character, cabernet sauvignon and petite sirah bring backbone and character, while the merlot balances out the blend for a soft, smooth texture.


My Review:  This was a decent red. I count not find anything that I didn't like about it but I also didn't have anything that I really liked about it either. I could smell berries more than anything else in this wine and the sweetness was a little more than average on most of the reds I have had. I would probably try this wine again in the future.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Smithfield Plantation White Table Wine

Name: Smithfield Plantation White Table Wine
Variety: White Table Wine
Region:  Virginia 
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $15

Winery Review:  Could not find. 


My Review: This was just a below average white in my opinion. It was pretty sweet but lacked and good smells or flavor. I would drink a glass of this with dinner but otherwise I wouldn't care to have it again.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Akiyoshi Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Akiyoshi
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:  Clarksburg California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $11

Winery Review:  Classic Cabernet with a boatload of lush red fruit flavor rounded out by a hint of vanilla from some old oak aging. This Cabernet just screams for a sizzling slab of beef - you can turn a simple piece of meat into a carnivore's fine dining dream.


My Review: This is one red that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had a slight taste of butter but was not too much of a oaky taste. The nose was not very strong but it had a deep rich taste. I thought it had a smooth finish and i would love to drink this wine again.  

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Laurel

Name: Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Laurel
Variety: Sweet Table Wine
Region: Virginia   
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $9

Winery Review: A unique and refreshingly sweet dessert style wine made from native American grape varieties. Firm acidity balances the sweetness, producing a crisp finish with aromas of freshly picked grapes.

My Review: When I smelled this wine the first thing that came to my mind was grape juice. Not only does it smell like grape juice but it tastes just as sweet. I had trouble drinking a whole glass of the stuff because it was so sweet.

I had this wine with a pizza. I would say that this wine is better with food than without it.

Tasting: Castle Rock Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Castle Rock Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Mendocino, California  
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $13

Winery Review: This elegant, medium-bodied wine is crisp and refreshing, with aromas of grapefruit and pineapple, and flavors of lemon and peach on the palate. It ends with a sweet fruity finish and makes an ideal accompaniment for seafood, chicken, salads, and vegetarian dishes.

My Review: This white smelled most like citrus to me. As for the taste it sweet yet tart wine. I enjoyed this wine but not enough for me to want to buy it again.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Crane Lake Riesling

Name: Crane Lake Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Region: California  
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: 8.95

Winery Review: “This light-colored wine displays aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom; flavors include green apple and peach.  The finish is mildly sweet, crisp, and lingering.”

My Review: This was a pleasant and average white wine. The aromas reminded me of flowers and the taste was slightly sweet apple. I would drink this wine again in the future.

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Foxhollow Cellars Chardonnay

Name: Foxhollow Cellars Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California  
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: 5.95

Winery Review: “This Chardonnay’s aromas of tropical pineapple, crisp green apple and citrus are supported by underlying nuances of vanilla.  The finish is smooth and creamy yet balanced with enough acidity to accentuate the vibrant fruit flavors with a hint of orange blossoms.”

My Review: My first thought when trying this wine was it tasted very fruity and sweet. I almost thought this wine was too sweet but if I were having it with dinner I might have it again.  

I did not have this wine with food

Tasting: Foxhollow Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Foxhollow Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California  
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: 5.95

Winery Review: “Rich and supple with juicy plum, blackberry and chocolate flavors and a pleasant sense of sweetness backed up by good acidity and moderate tannins.  Offers early complexity and charm with real richness and depth.”

My Review: I liked this wine a great deal. It was a very pleasant red with a hint of sweetness and was not too bitter. I would defiantly drink this wine again in the future.

I did not have this wine with food