Tasting- Daniel Cellars Aurora Chocolate Raspberry Wine

Name: Daniel Cellars Aurora Chocolate Raspberry Wine

Variety: Blend, Red Wine

Region: Barboursville, Virginia

Country: United States

Year: Non-vintage

Price: $3.95 at Vintage Cellar, Frontline $18

Shop Review: Aurora is a sweet red wine that Daniel Cellars have added Chocolate and Raspberries too. Chocolate is the dominate aroma and flavor with Raspberry accents. This is a perfect wine for chocolate lovers. Best served ice cold with a friend.

My Review: Oh man! I loved this wine! Right away you can smell the chocolate with a subtle fruit underneath. This wine is sweet but isn’t overly sweet, I can definitely see it pairing well with a dessert type of food.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- Estrella Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Name: Estrella Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Sacramento County, California

Country: United States of America

Year: 2014

Price: $5.95 at Vintage Cellar, Frontline $17

Shop Review: Bright medium dark garnet color. Fruity, creamy, attractive aromas and flavors of berry and cherry custard pies, watermelon, and chocolate and floral honey with a silky, vibrant, fruity medium body and a smooth, interesting, medium-length spiced blueberries and cherries and vanilla custard finish with soft tannins and light oak. A very smooth, charming, and fruity cabernet crowd pleaser.

My Review: I really didn’t get a lot from this wine in terms of smell. I enjoyed this wine as it was dry but not overbearingly dry. The fruit and spice in this wine were really nicely paired and gave a really good flavor.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- Terra dei Savoia Dolcetto d’Alba 2011

Name: Terra dei Savoia Dolcetto d’Alba 2011

Variety: Dolcetto d’Alba

Region:Piedmont

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $6.95 at Vintage Cellar, Frontline $20

Shop Review: Violet, red berry and underbrush scents come together in this Dolcetto.  Its savory, juicy palate evokes crushed blackberry, cherry and a touch of toasted almond alongside lithe tannins.

My Review: On the nose this wine had a peppery smell with some fruit aroma. Again with fruit I almost expect some sweetness but that was definitely not the case with this wine as it was not sweet at all. I would consider this wine a dry red for sure.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- Terra Minei Treixadura Ribeiro 2015

Name: Terra Minei Treixadura Ribeiro 2015

Variety: Treixadura Ribeiro

Region: Ribeiro

Country: Spain

Year: 2015

Price: $6.95 at Vintage Cellar, Frontline $17

Shop Review: Firm and focused, this white supports the core of apple and pear flavors with flinty, steely and briny notes, accented with fresh herb and smoky details. Juicy acidity keeps this fresh and racy through the mineral finish.

My Review: This wine definitely had a strong smell, I couldn’t pinpoint any specific smells. This wine didn’t appeal to me as it was very dry and bitter. The bitterness mostly came from the flavor of spice in the wine.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting- J&P Matheus Piesporter Treppchen Sauvignon Blanc

Name: J&P Matheus Piesporter Treppchen Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Mosel

Country: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: $5.95 at Vintage Cellar, Frontline $17

Shop Review: The wine is freshly and lively with tropical fruits aromas, a hint of citrus and ripe vineyard peach flavors.  It has a multilayered structure with a refreshing acidity with mineral notes.

My Review: This wine had some pretty appealing fruity smells. From the smell I definitely expected a slightly sweet wine. Taste wise this wine did not seem super dry. It was lightly fruity and very tart in the finish, which I would contribute to the citrus. I didn’t hate this wine but I would definitely like to try it again to figure out its full flavors.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Personal Experience with WINE!

Life Motto: “Wine Not?"

I absolutely love wine! I have not yet at this point in my life met a wine that I do not like. My  very first experience with wine goes back to my first Confirmation in the Lutheran church. It’s almost comical to think that my sister and I would look forward to the tiny little sip they would pour and then  giggle that we were drinking alcohol as minors. Before turning 21 I would actually enjoy going to wineries with my parents to learn about wine as they were doing their tastings. Something about wine has just always really intrigued me. When I finally turned 21 it was free game. For my 21st birthday my Mom and Aunt set up a whole winery weekend in Charlottesville. We went to so many wineries and got to drink so much wine!

To this point I would consider myself a very open minded wine drinker, while I prefer  sweeter whites, I definitely don’t turn my nose up to drys or reds. I really like being able to    try wines before judging them about whether or not it’s something that I will enjoy, because  “wine not?." There have been times when wines have really surprised me and I have found a wine that I really do like. Since I am a true "townie", being born and raised in the NRV, I definitely have a love for our local wineries. Since I was a child, Chateau Morrissette has been a staple in my life from being a place for an awesome picnic and playing outside, to a place where my family will now go to enjoy their wine tastings and events. Having extended family throughout the South I have also become a true lover of the Muscadine variety wines Duplin Winery, which has a few different locations throughout North and South Carolina make some amazing wine that pairs really well with their pimento cheese dip.

Most of my wine tasting experiences have been at wineries and in a setting where     friends have suggested a certain type of wine. I honestly really enjoy sitting at home and     drinking a glass of wine in the evenings. When I go into a wine shop or somewhere that sells wine I’m still pretty uncomfortable picking out and trying something new. I hope that this class can help me build a confidence in being able to pick out and try new wines. I also very much agree with the comments about the linguistics of wine and being comfortable drinking and talking about wine with others. I feel like these skills will be so beneficial for my personal life, but also for my professional life. Being able to attend work lunch or dinner and knowing what I’m doing when ordering and talking about wine.