Hwy 5 Merlot

Hwy 5 Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region/Country: California

Year: 2021

Price: $4.99 from Aldi

Online Review: "This was delicious. I admit, I liked the label (my guy loves motorcycles). I also read what notes were in there and it was perfect for my dinner. (Pork chops with apples and sauerkraut). It was rich and very tasty. Not too sweet, not overpowering. Paired very well with my dinner. It was cold (for Florida standards) and this warmed us up. A half of a glass did it for me, I am a lightweight with drinking, but I didn't get a headache like I do after drinking some reds. (Once again, only a half of a glass)" - MissInfo916 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4270083 

Tasting Notes: dark fruit, coats mouth, sweet, vanilla, full-bodied (pg 131-132)

My review: I really liked this merlot and I would probably purchase it again. I liked the sweetness and fruitiness.

Food: I had this wine with pasta with tomato sauce. It brought out some tannic characteristics in the wine that I didn't notice before. 

Vidal Ice Wine

 Vidal Ice Wine

Variety: Vidal

Region/Country: Niagara-On-The-Lake, Canada

Year: 2020

Price: $14.99 from Aldi

Online Review: "The taste was mostly tart pears, peaches, honey, apricots, and some subtle persimmon notes (but none of the tannins of course). It reminded me a little bit of Moscato with how heavily the pear shined through, but the syrupy texture was very nice. I was surprised how much acidity was present considering this has 198 grams per liter of sugar according to the label." - a_j_cruzer https://www.reddit.com/r/wine/comments/z3ywzk/tastingreview_the_equisite_collection_vidal/

Tasting Notes: lychee, very sweet, syrupy, viscous (pg 121)

My review: I enjoyed one glass of this wine, but I wouldn't be able to have a second because of how sweet it is. 6/10

I did not have this wine with food. 

Kirkland Signature Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio

Kirkland Signature Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio 

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region/Country: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Year: 2021

Price: $4.99 from Costco

Online Review: "Aromas of apple, pear, lime and cream on the nose. Lemon and pear on the front end of the palate. Lime and apple on the latter half. Light body, medium+ acidity. Crisp and refreshing, but entirely indistinct on the the palate. Can’t have it all for $4.99! Still a great value at this price point." -Max https://www.vivino.com/users/mox/reviews/252219221 

Tasting Notes: lemon, acidic, dry, floral, herbaceous, apple, ginger, light-bodied (pg 149)

My review: I liked this wine. It was a bit too acidic for my taste, but the flavors were very good. 8/10

I did not have this wine with food. 

La Vieille Ferme Rosé

La Vieille Ferme Rosé

Variety: Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah

Region/Country: France

Year: 2020

Price: $8.99

Online Review: "4/5 Excellent pale pink Rose from Provence- with light tones of fruit flower and citrus and nice fresh fruit. Really well Balanced and a nice finish." - John Kane  https://www.vivino.com/users/john-kane13/reviews/208412003

Tasting Notes: astringent, black tea, acidic, slightly fruity, floral, gravel (pg 100, 117-8, 172-3)

My review: I enjoyed this wine, though it's hard to pick out specific flavors. I imagine it would pair well with cheese, though I don't have any to try it with right now. 7/10

I did not have this wine with food.

Winking Owl White Zinfandel

Winking Owl White Zinfandel

Variety: Zinfandel

Region/Country: California

Year: not listed

Price: $2.95 from Aldi

Online Review: "2.8/5 Not too shabby. Another wine my fiance and I grabbed for a bbq. The nose is clean and fresh with, floral hints, tropical fruit, and candied fruit. Thin and acidic mouthfeel. Sourbelt candy, and raspberry on the palate. Finish is short, but crisp. Absolutely worth 3 dollars." -theherbalheart  https://www.vivino.com/US/en/winking-owl-white-zinfandel/w/1208636

Tasting Notes: sweet, strawberry, watermelon, slightly acidic, slightly tannic, low alcohol (pg 189-190)

My review: This wine has a sort of odd taste, but it is very sweet and balanced so I enjoyed it overall. 5/10

I did not have this wine with food.

Journey and Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon

Journey and Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region/Country: La Mancha, Spain

Year: 2020

Price: $3.99 from Target

Online Review: "Honestly, I had to dump it out. It was awful. It wasn’t enjoyable, tastes like spoiled grape juice. I’m a fairly regular red wine drinker and I drink all price points, but this was simply no good. 1/5" SCJANS https://www.target.com/p/journey-38-discovery-la-mancha-cabernet-sauvignon-375ml-bottle/-/A-83827711 

Tasting Notes: dark fruit, tannic acidic, dry, very thin body (pg 88-89)

My review: The balance is way off it is more acidic than it is tannic, which feels wrong. Very watery so it is still drinkable but not enjoyable. 3/10

I did not have this wine with food.

 

Drink This Now Lesson 1

Drink This Now Lesson 1

Cavaliere D'Oro Gabbiano Chianti Classico

Variety: Sangiovese

Region/Country: Tuscany, Italy

Year: 2019

Price: $10.99 at Kroger

Step One was to try the wine immediately after opening.

The wine was medium ruby with a slight brown tint. The wine smelled like cherries and a bit spicy. It tasted very tannic and dry, with dark fruit. It had a medium to full body. The wine was too tannic for my taste, so I hoped waiting the two hours would be helpful.

Step Two was to wait for two hours to let the wine open up and then taste it again. 

The cherry aromas were much stronger and fruitier. Like I had hoped, it was far less tannic than before. It had the same dark fruit and dry flavors, but I also noticed that it was creamy. The body seemed lighter than when we had first opened it and it was much easier to drink.

Step Three was to try the wine with cheese.

I got a block of parmesan cheese from Kroger. When trying it with the wine, it made the wine aromas a lot duller. The taste was less tannic, but more acidic and the body was lighter. I don't really like hard cheeses by themselves anyway and maybe I just didn't pair it well, but it made both the cheese and wine taste worse.

        

Step Four was to try the wine with food.

I had spicy chicken meatballs from Costco cooked in a pan with oil. Like the cheese, the wine aromas were duller than before. The taste was very acidic and tannic, as well as spicier. It seemed to have a lighter body than before.

Unfortunately, we forgot about step five and finished the bottle after we were done with the other steps. 

This lesson was interesting because while the food didn't drastically change the flavors, it did really change the experience of drinking the wine and how it felt in my mouth. It will be fun to try this with more wines and pairings of cheese and other foods.