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.

Mionetto Prosecco

Mionetto Prosecco

Variety: 100% Glera Prosecco

Region/Country: Veneto, Italy

Year: not listed

Price: $13.99 from Target

Online Review: “At this price, it's hard to find a better value. The nose is filled with minerals and calm pear fruit while the the palate is refreshing with a slight saline quality that balances the mild yet expressive fruit. This is good one to have around at all times” Keith Beavers https://vinepair.com/review/mionetto-prosecco-di-treviso-brut-2/

Tasting Notes: acidic, creamy, light, crisp, apple (155)

My review: I believe I’ve had this Prosecco before when I was in Italy. It's really good and easy to drink 9/10

I did not have this wine with food. 

Journey and Discovery Rose

Journey and Discovery Rose

Variety: syrah, grenache blanc, cinsault

Region/Country: France, no specific region given but all the grapes are from the Rhône Valley

Year: not listed

Price: $3.99 from Target

Online Review: “ 2/5 Terrible… but my fault, was also $3.99). Terrible taste… but what could I expect for $3.99” -LuckyLuck1225 from Target app https://www.target.com/p/journey-38-discovery-ros-233-vin-de-france-375ml-bottle/-/A-83827714

Tasting Notes: tannic, acidic, dry, musty, lemon (100, 119, 172-3)

My review: very light, tastes like almost nothing but feels bad in my mouth 2/10

I did not have this wine with food.

 

Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc

Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region/Country: Marlborough, New Zealand

Year: 2021

Price: $9.99 from Target

Online Review: 3.5/5 Keep the price in mind. Absolute bargain. Crisp. Citrus galore. Fades with just a little grapefruit. Decent body so holds it’s own with food. https://www.vivino.com/US/en/cupcake-sauvignon-blanc/w/99565?year=2021

Tasting Notes: cat pee, lemon, grass, acidic, dry (165-166)

My review: I did not think the cat pee thing would be true, but unfortunately it is. The pee taste is very overpowering. I will not buy this wine again. 2/10

I did not have this wine with food.

Winking Owl Merlot

Winking Owl Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region/Country: California, USA

Year: 2015

Price: $2.95 from Aldi

Online Review: 3/5 Cherry and strawberries with a clear hint of vanilla and oak. Mellow tannins and medium acidity. Drinkable but bottle label is very suspect - too many details unspecified https://www.vivino.com/US/en/winking-owl-merlot/w/1144178 

Tasting Notes: Full-bodied, vanilla, black cherry, sweet. (131-132)

My review: This is probably my favorite red wine I've had, but I still prefer whites. It is pretty fruity and sweet. It is very smooth and easy to drink. 8/10

I did not have this wine with food.

Grande Alberone Moscato

Grande Alberone Moscato

Variety: Moscato

Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy

Year: not listed

Price: $9.99 from Aldi

Online Review: Lori Harris: "Sweet but not overly so. Fine bubbles, light yellow to clear in the glass. Dry fruit on the finish. Shortbread flavors. Lovely wine for the price and a gorgeous bottle. 4.1/5" https://www.vivino.com/US/en/grande-alberone-moscato-spumante-dolce/w/7819939 

Tasting Notes: white peach, honeydew. sweet, low alcohol, creamy (pg 138-9).

My review: I enjoyed this wine, though it is very sweet. It balances the sweetness with fairly high acid. It is very light and fresh. 8/10

I did not have this wine with food.

Portugal Red Blend

Journey & Discovery Red Blend

Variety: Red Blend (Aragonês (aka Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional, and Castelão), no percentages given

Region/Country: Santo Isidro de Pegöes, Portugal

Year: not listed

Price: $3.99 from Target

Tasting Notes From the Website: "She’s a classic blend of three Portuguese grapes: Touriga Nacional, Castelão, and Aragonês. Together they create a bouquet bursting with blackberry, blueberry, plum, cocoa, and a touch of nutmeg. Dry, singing with dark fruit, and possibly too easy to drink, this wine is a match made in heaven for heavy stews, barbecued lamb, or burger night." (https://www.journeyanddiscovery.com/red-blend) 

Tasting notes: Notes of cocoa and blackberry (pg 176), all three varieties say they are high in tannins and acid, with no sweetness (pg 92, 175, 178). It is medium ruby in color.

My review: This wine smelled good, but tasted gross. It was very acidic and tannic, but not sweet all. The combination made my throat hurt and made me cough. Even an hour later, I can still taste the tannins on my tongue and my stomach hurts. 1/10

I did not have this wine with food