Tasting-Silk

This wine is a wine from the Belle Meade Winery in Nashville, Tennessee.  It is made from Concord grapes.  Yes, you heard correctly, concord grapes.  This wine is another American wine, truly.  The vintage of the one I tasted was 2010.  You can buy it online or at the winery for $19.50.  Silk is quite a sweet wine obviously.  It is not complex at all.  It just tastes like concord grape juice, the happy version.  I don't think that is a bad thing at all though.  I actually liked this wine.  It was sweet with a bite or crispness to it.  I thought that was rather refreshing.  I didn't have food with this wine and I probably wouldn't.  I would probably just have this as a dessert wine, meaning it would be my dessert.  The winery's review on this wine stated that it is Americas original dessert wine.  They said it was robust and semi-sweet.  I don't think that it is semi-sweet, I think it is full on sweet.  This is another wine that would be great chilled in the summer.  I would be very happy to just have a bottle of this relaxing on the porch.  I actually imagine myself drinking this on the 4th of July watching fireworks and enjoying with friends.  I am a visual person and if I associate something with a good thought such as this then I like it so needless to say I enjoyed this wine.  It was my first wine made from Concord grapes.

Tasting-Red Muscadine

This wine is made from Muscadine grapes.  The one I tasted was a 2010 vintage.  It is from the Belle Meade Winery in Nashville, Tennessee.  It really truly is an American wine.  Muscadine is considered the "American grape".  This was by far my favorite wine at the tasting I believe.  It can be bought from the winery (which I did) or online for $19.50.  This wine was delicious.  It just is simply a sweet delightful wine.  Oddly enough it did have a sort of dry finish to it.  The aromas are notes of the melony, plum type.  It reminded me of the grapes I would go pick out in my grandmothers back yard and enjoy on a hot day.  This might be why I thought this wine was so good.  It was sweet with that true "grape" flavor.  When you think of the standard grape flavor of America, this is it.  I believe this would just be a great summer wine just to have relaxing, but I don't know if I could share it with friends.  The winery reviews this wine as a traditional Tennessee wine and it is best chilled on the porch in the summer...heaven!  I completely agree with that statement obviously.  This wine I would not recommend if you are looking for something with complex flavor, but I would if you are wanting a fun summer drink with friends.  I do believe this wine would be nice with some bread and oil dippings, or some appetizers.  I believe this wine is a carby wine that should be the wine you have when you are ready to splurge on some carbs, or like I said just by itself.

Tasting-Iroquois Red

This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon variety.  The vintage I tasted was 2010.  This wine is from Nashville, Tennessee from the Belle Meade Winery.  It is an American wine.  It can be bought online or at the winery for $25.  It is barrel aged for 2 years in French Oak barrels.  It was a really good Cabernet Sauvignon for my taste.  It was not too bold and slightly sweet.  Its aromas were oak and of dark fruits such as plum.  I'm working my way through wines trying to adapt my palate to tannins and this wine really didn't have that overpowering tannin taste, which was really nice.  It was very smooth.  The winery says that it is a medium-bodied wine with good balance.  They said it was soft on tannins and sweet with black fruits with an earthy finish.  I agree with this review.  I didn't have any foods with this but I think this wine would go nicely with a steak or some grilled vegetables.  With that earthy taste it would pull the grilled charring flavors from anything from the grill so I think that would be nice.  I could imagine having a nice meal outside from the grill during the summer on a cool night.  That image is very enticing.  I would recommend this wine because it is not an overpowering Cabernet, but if you like big bold flavors, I'm not sure this wine would be for you.

Tasting-Blackberry

This wine is the Blackberry wine from the Belle Meade Winery.  It is located in Nashville, Tennessee, which is an American wine.  It can be bought online or at the winery for $19.50.  It is made from fresh blackberries.  I had never had a wine made from any other type of fruits than grapes before, but I have to say I am a fan.  A little background on this wine is that on the Belle Meade Plantation they used to make homemade wine from blackberries in a mason jar, so they are continuing the tradition.  Of course, they no longer make it in a mason jar, but it does make you understand and feel something different about the wine.  The vintage of the wine I tasted was 2010.  All I can say about this wine is, it is really not complex, but that is most definitely not a bad thing.  The aromas were of blackberries and so was the taste.  This was not a disappointment though because it was sweet and also crisp and refreshing all at one time.  This was one of my favorite wines I tasted at the winery.  It was just so different and delicious.  The winery says this wine is a semi-sweet wine with pronounced berry flavors.  They say cheeses, red meat, and pork would be nice with this wine.  I feel like anything you ate with this would need to have a bold flavor so as to not be overpowered by the wine.  The wine is very flavorful so you would need a sharp cheese and very flavorful meat.  I highly recommend trying this wine out.  I know that I could not resist buying a bottle of this wine.

Tasting-Carriage House White

This wine is interestingly enough created with Vidal Blanc grapes. Its vintage was a 2010.  You can buy it online or at the Belle Meade Winery for $19.50.  It is made in Nashville, Tennessee by the Belle Meade Winery.  Obviously it is an American wine.  The aromas I detected from this wine were overwhelmingly citric with a after-note of floral.  On the palate the wine is pretty dry, but remains crisp and fruity.  It would be a great wine for a hot summer day because of that crispness I believe.  I really think that this wine would be nice with white meats and cheese.  I think that a sharp type of cheese would be spectacular with this.  The winery says that this wine has apple pie and citrus aromas.  They state that this is a semi-dry wine that would go along wonderfully with seafood.   I agree that it would be nice with seafood.  I can imagine drinking this with a nice shrimp dish.  That would be delightful.  I do recommend this wine and others from this winery. I looked up some reviews online for this wine and how well it was liked and I did not see anything negative about it.  It is just a very nice table wine.

Winery visit-Belle Meade Plantation Winery

While visiting the Brentwood, Tennessee area we stumbled upon a plantation called the Belle Meade Plantation located in Nashville.  We decided to take a tour of the mansion and plantation.  After our guided tour was done in the mansion the guide told us that there was also a winery in the back of the mansion.  What could be better than that??  It was a surprise winery visit, and that made it even better!  We walked to the back and had a delicious wine tasting.  These were really the first "sweet" wines that I had ever had.  I thought they were very different than anything I had ever tried.  I can still taste that Red Muscadine wine.  It was so refreshing and delightful.  It was sweet and delicious.  As we all know Muscadine is a true American grape and there are still plenty of Muscadine vine that grow there at the plantation along the fence line.  We also had the Blackberry wine and the Carriage House White wine.  I did not have a wine from this winery that was bad.  It was truly a neat experience.  In fact I came home with a few bottles.  They cost around $20 each, but at the winery they have a special where if you buy a certain amount you get them for a better deal.
This winery's ideal is to recreate what was one the "premier thoroughbred racing and breeding farm in the south for over a century".  They stated that this was the center for hospitality in the 1800s.  While being hospitable they would always provide homemade wines that were made from the domestic, but also the wild, grapevines within the 5,400 acres they owned.  By starting this winery here at the Belle Meade Plantation they are trying to continue the tradition of hospitality provided more than a century ago.  Nothing is better than learning a little bit of history about the place and then getting to enjoy a beverage that probably many guests got to indulge in, in the 1800s.  I would highly recommend visiting this winery.  It is definitely a different experience from your "everyday winery".  It is just a very unique experience.  I will always remember visiting this plantation and winery.  This was one of the best things we have ever "stumbled upon". The old timey feel of the place truly just takes you back to a time when things were not as hustle and bustle.  You can sit and relax with "homemade" wine on their porches of stone buildings or anywhere around the large mansion.  They have a really good thing going with making the winery a part of the plantation and tour because it really makes you feel a part of the past obviously.

However if you are unable to visit the winery, you can still purchase the wine (which I highly recommend).  The wine itself is just as unique as the winery.  It honestly was different, in a good way, from most wine I have tasted before.

Grape Varietal-Marsanne

This is the Marsanne grape variety.  It is a white wine grape

with gold, green, and brown hues.  It is a relatively new

grape when considering varietal.  It does have great

popularity in the Rhone Valley though.  It is the most popular

white wine grape in Northern Rhone Valley.    It has helped

to increase the popularity of the "Rhone Style" wine in

California and the United States in a general sense.  Its skin

is said to be sort of like a peach, semi-thick.  To me this

grape looks like those grapes you can get as decoration that

are made of rubber and are hollowed.  This is beside the

point though.  This grape is delicate, as you may say, to

produce.  If it is in a climate that is too hot then it can over-

ripen and if turned into wine can make the wine very "flabby".  This grape is highly susceptible to

molds and other disease that grape varieties are in danger of.    On the other hand, if the climate is too

cool then the grape does not fully ripen and you get a very bland tasteless wine.    That

being said, most harvesters try and harvest the grapes before they are fully ripened.  It's place of

origin is in France.  It began in the region known as the Northern Rhone Valley in a town called

Marsanne.  This grape is unique in that it has a nutty taste to it as a grape and also an orange type

flavor.  It is moderate in acidity and has a mid-palate richness to it.  It grows best in a granite soil

base, which is what the Northern Rhone Valley provides for this gentle grape.  This grape obviously

grows there still and has found its way to growing extensively in California as well as Washington.  It

also has found a "natural" home in Australia dating back even a century ago.  As this grapes vines age

(up to 15 years) their flavoring becomes more nutty and deeper.  These are the flavorings that they

add to wine.  They are known for giving depth to wine and richness.

    In the map above Marsanne is highlighted in red so that it is clear where Marsanne is located.

This grape when used to make wine can transform into a more honeysuckle and melon taste.  In

weight structure the Marsanne is similar to a Chardonnay.  Yet, much of the time because of

the fragility of this grape and its flavorings, it is not usually alone.  Most of the time this grape variety

is blended with others to make a full bodied wine.  Roussanne is the most common variety to be

blended with Marsanne.  The Marsanne settles down the acidity of the Roussanne and they make a

nice blend together, instead of the bland Marsanne all by itself.  Alone it has a waxy and oily type

feel, and tastes of almond paste.  It has citric notes along with a floral and melon note.  In its finish

you may have the sensations of the oaky, vanilla, or toast type.  It is versatile in the fact that it can be

a dry wine or a sweet wine.  That being said, since Marsanne has a low acidic content it is best to be

consumed young.  Obviously from the descriptions Marsanne can be a heavy wine.  This is why most

are blended with an acidic grape variety.  This is needed to cut through the dense content of

Marsanne wine.

There is one wine called Tahbilk Marsanne.  This vineyard still produces Marsannes dating back to

1927 vines.  They state that this wine they have made is very versatile and can pair very well with

food.  They state that it has a lot of complexity.  This particular wine has won 19 trophies, 79 gold,

109 silver, and 277 bronze medals awarded since 1992.

   You can buy this wine online for around $13 with

a 2012 vintage.  Note: remember to drink in a

sooner than later amount of time because of the

low acidity in this wine.  It has a 12.5% alcohol

content.


As for the blended variety of Marsanne-Roussanne,

they are different in that you can age them for up to

ten years.  The Roussanne allows for the Marsanne

to stay delectable for a little while longer.

Under  Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) regulations

the red wines of Hermitage are allowed to have up to 15%

of Marsanne in them.  The Marsanne wines can be oak aged to provide more body to the wine.  It is important to

know that some Marsanne wines can have a very high alcohol content.  This wine is known to be delicate and

with exciting flavor.  I know I want a bottle as we speak.  This blend is most popular in Hermitage.  The top

producers in Hermitage are JL Chave and Chapoutier.  For those living in the United States, you may be I

interested in knowing that in California the top wineries having the most success with Marsanne are Tablas Creek

and Sine Qua Non.  The Sine Qua Non winery has also produced a non-traditional blend that also included a

blend of Chardonnay.  Still, after finding all the producers of Marsanne in the world, France is still the strongest

leader in producing the most Marsanne viticulture.  There are common synonyms for the Marsanne grape are

Avilleran, Champagne Piacentina, Ermitage, Grosse Roussette, Hermitage, Johannisberg, Marsan

Belyi, Marsanne Blanche, Metternich, Rhin, Rousseau, Roussette de Sainte-Peray, Roussette Grosse,

Seme du Rhin, White Hermitage, Zrmitazh.  If you are interested in trying this grape varietal then just

look for the Marsanne name or any of the other synonyms. 
Lets give this wine a try.  Especially if it is going to be as inexpensive as this wine here.  

References

Marsanne Wine Grape. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2012, from Wine-Searcher website: 

     http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-268-marsanne

Marsanne. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wineaccess website: http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/marsanne

Lamar, J. (n.d.). Marsanne. Retrieved from Professional Friends of Wine website: 
     http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/marsanne.htm

Winery Visit-West Wind Farm Vineyard and Winery

I would first of all like to apologize for the picture that is sideways and refuses in any way to rotate.  That being said, this is a picture of me and my mother at the West Wind Farm Vineyard and Winery.  It is a very nice place located in Max Meadows, Virginia.  This was the first vineyard I have ever been to, while able to drink, and the second winery.  They have a nice assortment of wines and for prices that won't break a budget.  The day that I went we walked the grounds and looked at the vines of the grapes.  These were not in season at this time so they were not lush with the fruit at the time.
This vineyard was planted in 2003. They have roots dated back nearly a century ago though.  They have dances and events here at the winery frequently and do tastings anytime they are open.  It is free for tasting any 3 wines and then 3+ or all of them is just $5.  To taste all and keep the glass it is just $7 and for just the glass it's $3.  We tasted the wines then got a glass to have with our lunch.  We sat down at the table and got an assortment of foods to share and have with our wine.  I had the Galena Creek Blackberry wine which was delicious.  We paired this with their cheese board, and also they had a seafood soup that was crab, which was also delicious.  Then we shared a chicken casserole type dish that was sort of like chicken pot pie.  All of these things paired well with my wine.  I truly enjoyed this experience.

They have a nice assortment of wines from white, red, and sweet.  The wines they provide are Galena Creek White, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Galena Creek Red, Cambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Heritage Reserve, Galena Creek Blackberry, Galena Creek Peach, New River White, and the New River Red.
At the vineyard they say that their elevation, cool nights, well-draining rocky soil and other factors go far in making our vineyard unique and in generating a distinct, high-quality crop of grapes.  They have a shorter growing season though, particularly in mid-May frosts and early October freezes come.  They never have their wine manufactured, they always make it in small batches.  Doing this makes the wine unique and quality each vintage and batch.  Something else unique about this vineyard is that when they have a batch that they think is particularly good they specialize it and make it their limited release wine.  They have a small homey, local atmosphere.  I would recommend visiting this winery and trying some of their unique wines.

I was able to find a picture online of the vines when they are in season.  This is the vineyard along with a man making a batch of wine.

Grape Varietal-Grenache

The Grenache grape variety is one

of the most widely planted red wine

grape  varieties in the world.  It is

one that ripens pretty late and needs

hot and dry conditions.  This is the

type conditions you get in Spain, the

South of France, and also in

California's San Joaquin Valley,

Australia, . It has a spicy flavoring to it and provides a high amount of alcohol.  This grape much of

the time lacks color and tannin so it is blended with other grape varieties to make up for that.  The

most common blend for this grape is the Syrah.  This is the blend most used by Australia.  In fact this

grape was one of the very first grapes introduced to Australia and became its most popular grape

varieties in the red grape category to be planted.

The grape variety has certain traits of flavors it usually portrays.  The flavors are cherries, raspberries,

and spiciness.  Its winemaking flavors are stated as concentrations and extractions.  Even though

there are plenty of places that plant this grape variety, the places it grows best are Rhone Valley,

France, and Spain.  In Kevin Zraly's book they show that Cotes du Rhone, Languedoc/Roussillon,

and Provence regions grow this variety as a major grape variety.  The Rhone valley is highly known

for their Grenache variety.  In south Australia the two valleys that grow this grape variety the most

are Barossa Valley and the McLaren Vale.  These regions also grow the Shiraz variety grapes.  These

regions are located in South Australia, which is one of the few regions of the world that has never

been affected by phylloxera.

This grape is one of the most important grapes in

Chateauneuf du Pape.  This wine is a prestigious

wine.  The alcohol content in these wines mostly

stays between 13 and 15%.  They do not use

small oak barrels with this wine because of the

Grenache. It is prone to oxidation in porous

wood barrels.


Grenache is a grape variety with an alternate crop.  It can have 8 to 10 per acre one year and 14 to 16

tons per acre the next.  They can yield fleshy heavy vines and then age rapidly.  They become Tawny

with age.  This grape yet still makes its wines more distinctive and identifiable than any other

because of its particular aromas and flavors.  They have thin skin and ripen late in the growing

season, hence the long hot dry growing season.  Now even China, Mexico, and Israel are cultivating

this grape. This grapes popularity continues to grow as the popularity of wine keeps expanding.  I did

some research on sales of the Grenache wine.  Most of he variety was coming from Spain.  They all

pretty much remained under $20 and many of them were actually under $10.   The Grenache from

Australia remained more on the pricey side.  The ones from McLaren Vale were pretty pricey.  One

was $110, but was on sale for $69.99 on wine.com.  There was a wine from Sine Qua Non vineyard

in California that had a 2008 vintage.  This particular wine was priced at $615.  It was called The

Duel.  There was another from the same vineyard and it was called The Line of the same vintage and

it was priced at $275.  The Line is barrel aged for 20 months and it is 87.5% Grenache, 11% Syrah,

and 1.5% Viognier.  It is stated as tight because in 2008 there was a lot of frost on the vineyards.  The

Duel on the other hand has extreme depth, extraordinary richness, and power.  It is 82% Grenache,

14% Syrah, 2% Viognier, and 1% Roussanne.  A portion of the Grenache in this wine is fermented

using whole clusters.  If you are interested in looking at these wines or purchasing them they are for

sale at wine.com.  There are so many choices on this website, and many of them are on sale which is

nice.  The Grenache from Spain may be something nice to start on because they will not knock a

huge hole in your wallet.  If you however make a ton of money or choose to purchase this $615 bottle

of wine, please let me know how it is!

Here is the wine.com link to the Grenache wine pages.  If you have never ordered from there before

you get shipping for 1 cent if you spend $49 or more.   

http://www.wine.com/v6/Grenache/wine/list.aspx?N=7155+124+10080&state=VA

References

Zraly, K. (2011). Windows on the world complete wine course. New York, NY: Sterling Epicure

Grenache Wine. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2012, from Wine-Searcher website: 
     http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-202-grenache-garnacha

Tasting-Charles Shaw Pinot Grigio

As many people know Charles Shaw wines are at the price of $1.99, also referred to as "2 Buck Chuck".  The price over time, much like other things, has risen, but in California, where 2 Buck Chuck is from, the price remains at $1.99.  In Virginia the price is $3.29 though.  The vintage is 2011.  This wine has a floral nose with hints of fruity undertone.  It doesn't really have a continuing finish. I much more prefer other Charles Shaw wines than this one.  It is nothing extremely special, but it is pretty good for the price.  There are a lot of lemony notes to this wine both to the nose and also the palate.  It isn't really complex.  The reviews online are pretty complimentary comparing the taste to the price.  I feel if it were more expensive though people would not be as intrigued by this wine. It would still pair nicely with a salty cheese.  Overall not a bad wine, but I would recommend trying one of Charles Shaw's other wines.

Tasting-Caprice de Bastor-Lamontagne

This wine is a Sauternes, which also indicated the region in France that it is from.  It is a blend of Sauvignon and Semillion in equal parts.  It is a product of France, but it is imported to the United States by D.S. Trading Company in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Its vintage is 2004.  In the Vintage Cellar this wine usually sells for $30 but I was able to pick up the bottle on sale for $9.95, and I am so glad that I did.  This wine is delicious.  I have to tell you it starts out with a sweet woody  feel then it hits you with an acidic finish that is out of this world.  It would be a lovely dessert wine or even just a complimentary wine to a nice fish or chicken.  This wine is rich with flavor and accents.  Its nose was not really indicating that is was a very sweet wine.  It more was a fruity tart smell.  I was very pleased with this wine.  It has also been barrel aged which I felt gave it unique characteristics.  Its reviews are pretty high and they say it is good on its own or even with foods as well.  This wine is highly recommended by me and others as well.

Tasting-Galena Creek Red

This is a wine provided by the West Wind Farm Vineyard and Winery.  It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chambourcin.  It was a 2010 vintage. It costs $19 for the bottle, $205.20 for the case, and $7 for a glass.  It is from Max Meadows, Virginia.  This particular wine is one that I expected to have notes of woodiness, but I was pleasantly surprised by what it truly brought to the taste buds.  It was most definitely a fruit-forward wine.  It wasn't so much a dark berry wine that I would have also expected, but it was more of a red berry wine.  It was acidic but was well balanced. It had bold flavoring. I would recommend this wine to most.  Now it is not a sweet wine as you may think with the descriptions of fruit, but it has a light tannic structure somewhat.  The winery describes this wine as a fruit-forward wine that exhibits notes of berries and cherries.  I believe this wine would surely be nice with cheese and bread with maybe some oils for dipping. Also, it might be nice with a nice light soup that was cream based, this would cut nicely through that cream with a hint of acidity.

Tasting-Mars and Venus Merlot

This is a Merlot red blend called Mars and Venus.  It is from Chile. This was from the year 2011.  Its price is around $9 average in the United States.  This wine would not be recommended for an entry level wine drinker.  It is a very tannic wine that has very bold flavor.  It has cedar flavoring which also remains in the nose.  The nose also has hints of fruitiness, but it really overpowered by the woodiness.  It has a smooth finish. I had this particular wine with  manicotti. It was very nice with this particular pasta dish.  The review for this wine is that it is a great bargain for the price.  You get a rich full bodied wine that is full of fruit and woody notes. I agree that this is a very classical tasting wine that really pairs nicely with pastas.

Tasting-Galena Creek Blackberry

This particular wine was from the West Wind Farm Vineyard and Winery in Max Meadows, Va.  It is a Pinot Gris.  A bottle of this wine sells for $17.00, a glass $6, and a case is $183.60.  I had the 2012 version of this wine, but bought a glass so I did not get a chance to take a picture of the bottle. It looked just like this, but with a 2012 on it. This was a very pleasant tasting wine that was light and fruity with hints of sugary endings.  The winery describes this wine as a wine with notes of apricot and stone fruit and that it has a hint of residual sugar that balances the acidity pleasantly and increases its appeal to most any palate.  Truly even a beginner could drink this wine because it is not too strong and has a very nice balance of acidity and sweetness.  I would highly recommend this wine to most anyone, especially entry level wine drinkers.

Grape Varietal-Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is a black skinned red grape

variety.  Its name is derived from the word

nebbia which means "fog".  They have two

beliefs about the meaning behind this

naming.  One is that in late October, an

intense fog sets in the Langhe region where

lots of Nebbiolo vineyards are located or

they say that there is a milky fog-like

substance that forms on the skin of the

berries when they are ripened and ready to

be picked.  It has been cultivated since the

14th century in Valtellina, an east-west

valley in the Lombardy region, at the foot of the Alps. This is a very full bodied grape that has a deep

color.  When it is made into wine it actually portrays a lighter color and as it ages has orange hues

around the edges.  This grape variety is resistant to botrytis, but has little to no resistance to

phylloxera which ran rampid in 1860, reducing the crop of this particular grape variety.

Nebbiolo is a difficult grape to grow.  It is only grown well in one particular part of the world, and

that is, in the Piedmont region in Italy.  There have been attempts to reproduce this luscious grape

variety in many places, but none have been successful.  This grape is very sensitive in that its  body,

color, tannin, acidity, aroma, and flavor complexity can change due to a change in climate or

geography that is why nobody has been able to reproduce a high quality Nebbiolo, but Argentina has

come the closest out of Australia, California, New Zealand, South America, and South Africa.  They

say that this grape is harder to reproduce than a fine Pinot Noir.

The flavors of the grape have been concluded to be, plum, raspberry, truffle, and acidity.  After it is

made into wine it gives off the flavors of strong tea, nutmeg, and gamey, which are a little

unexpected, "different" type flavors.

Nebbiolo, in the Piedmont region, is made into the "heavyweight" wine.  They are Denominazione di

Origine Controllata e Garatita (DOCG).  These DOCG wines are Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, and

Ghemme.  Barolo and Barbaresco are considered to be the best wines produced in this region with the

Nebbiolo grape.  Both have a minimum alcohol content of 12.5%.  Barolo has more body and is more

complex in flavor, and it must be aged at least three years (one in wood).  Riserva is five years of

aging.  Barbaresco is lighter and sometimes has less body than Barolo.  It is seen as fine and elegant.

 It requires two years of aging (one in wood).  Riserva is four years of aging.  After the harvest has

been in Barbaresco they may send it over to Roero, which is an area across the Tanaro river.  There

they add white Arneis to it to soften its tannic edges, which indeed leads to the Arneis variety.

There are many food pairings for this particular grape when made into wine.  They consist of in

Europe, they like to pair them with linguine topped with shaved white truffle and also braised lamb

with truffles.  This has explanation behind the fact that one of the dominant flavors of Nebbiolo as

wine is truffle.  These pairings would be complimentary of one another.  In Asia they like to pair this

with mushroom balinese smoked duck.  This would also be complimentary of the truffle essence.  In

the Americas they sometimes pair this wine delicately with chilean beef and sweetcorn casserole, and

ham hock and black-eyed peas.  There are also much more "normal" pairings as well.  It is interesting

thinking about the meals of seperate countries being able to be paired with this type of grape varietal

as a wine.

This grape may not be the most planted grape due to its fragileness, but it has made some of the most

age-worthy and distinctive wines of the region.  The lower side of the Alps are the preferred area

in which this variety chooses to grow.  It is a rare variety, but it distinguishes itself well. 

This wine is more on the pricey side.  Nebbiolo blends do not seem to have many wines under $30.  I

was searching on wine.com and many of the Nebbiolo wines were on sale, but they still were not

under $30.  By shopping for this wine you can tell it grows mainly or most successfully in Piedmont,

Italy.  On wine.com every wine they were selling was from Piedmont.  The prices ranged from $33 to

$245 on this site.  They had more wine in the hundred dollar price range than any other wine I have

researched so far.  I do no know whether to tell you if you find a cheap Nebbiolo to buy it or

not.  Sometimes cheap is a really good thing because you get a really good wine for hardly

nothing, but then there is also the chance, "there is a reason it is cheap".  Good luck and fantastic

tastings!  

References

Nebbiolo. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wineaccess website: http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/nebbiolo

Nebbiolo Wine. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2013, from Wine-Searcher website: 
     http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-316-nebbiolo

Zraly, K. (2011). Windows on the world: Complete wine course. New York, NY: Sterling Epicure.

Tasting-HRM Rex-Goliath Pinot Noir

This wine is called Rex-Goliath and it is a Pinot Noir. It is from Madera, California. This wine did not have a vintage label oddly. Its cost is $5.75. It is rated top in the under $15 category wines in the United States. For a wine that costs so little it does pack a large flavor. This is honestly a pretty good wine. Its nose is deep with cherry and musky aromas. Its taste is velvety yet it leaves a tingle on your tongue after. It is much like many other Pinots, but I will say that I have had a much more expensive Pinot Noir that didn't taste as good. For the price you are getting a good wine. Most reviews that I found because I was not provided with one said that this wine was a good wine, especially considering the price. Rex-Goliath packed a heavy punch as a 47 pound rooster and so does the wine named after him. This is most definitely worth the money.

Tasting-Gabbiano Chianti

This wine is called Gabbiano. It is a Chianti with a vintage of 2011. It  is from the Tuscany wine region of Italy. It is made from sangiovese grapes. It's cost stays around $10 in most places. It is a bold and beautiful wine. It has beautiful color as well as flavor. The nose of the wine has cherry, citric, and oaky aromas. This follows along with an abundance of flavors. Its taste is oaky, bready, cherry, musky, and woody all at one time. It tingles on the palate just enough to tingle your taste buds. This wine is delicious. My father is not a wine drinker, but when I purchased this wine and made him try he had to have more than one glass. Many reviews I have found have been saying similar things to mine. There is a lot of lovers of this wine. I was not provided with a concrete review so I sought out my own. DELICIOUS!

Tasting-Charles Shaw Chardonnay

This wine is called Charles Shaw. This particular one is a Chardonnay with a vintage of 2010, made with the Chardonnay grape. It is from the Napa Valley in California. It's cost varies. This wine in Virginia costs $3.29, in California it is still at its original price of $1.99, and most other states other than Ohio it is $2.99, but Ohio is $3.79. You may have heard of this brand dubbed "Two Buck Chuck". I believe this is an excellent Chardonnay. It has aromas of floral hints and with a bitter essence of oak to the nose. The taste is very smooth and inviting. It has a nice body and isn't too bitter as some Chardonnays can be in my opinion. It's really a very drinkable wine that is settled well on the palate. The light oaky hints make it just perfect. For the price as well, you can not beat it. Many wine reviews on the web stated that this wine is comparable to a $200 bottle of wine. They say that Charles Shaw wines are just so drinkable and delightful, and I have to agree. This is a very good Chardonnay. Cheers!!

Tasting-Laya Spanish Red Blend

This wine is Laya Spanish Red Blend. Its vintage is 2010. It is made  from 70% Garnacha and 30% Monstrell. It is from Almansa, Spain. It costs around $7. They did not specify in the Gourmet Pantry and I could not find it to find out the definite cost. I did however find it on the web, each time around $7. This wine threw me off a bit. Its aroma is that of a fruity nature. I picked up on rasberry, cherry, and lemony hints. So, I expected to taste these aromas as well. When I tasted the wine it was extremely woody. It had a very leathery taste that made it seem like a more rustic type wine. It made my palate tingle. I enjoyed the experience, but this wine may be a little too much for me. As my wine palate extends, I may come back to this wine again. It's just a very strong taste. It is very bold. Many of the reviews I have read said that this wine is an easy drinking wine, and that they love the woody flavoring. The Gourmet Pantry did not provide me with a review so I searched on my own. Most of what I can tell people really like this wine, particularly for the price. If you like French Oak flavored wine, then this wine is for you.

Tasting-The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc

This wine is called The Crossings. Its vintage is 2011. It costs $16.99 at the Gourmet Kitchen. It is a Sauvignon Blanc. It is from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, in what is called the Awatere Valley. In this wine I detected hints of melon as well as apple. It had a very floral aroma with along with taste. The wine was a bit bitter in a refreshing way. Its acidity really makes it stand out when chilled. This makes it have a very ripe flavor. There was no review given by the Gourmet Kitchen, but on the web I found plenty of reviews stating that it is a nice refresher. If you like acidity and brightness to your wine then you will like this wine. They state that you can really detect the grapefruit in it. This is something that I didn't think that I picked up on until now. I am not a huge fan of grapefruit because of its bitterness, but now I see why I thought the wine was bitter. Unknowingly I picked up on the grapefruit. This is a nice wine. It really seems to me like it is a palate cleanser. If you like potent wines this wine is for you.

Tasting-Allegrini Renacer Enamore

This wine is called Allegrini Renacer Enamer. It was another 2009. It costs $29.95 at the Vintage Cellar.It is a blend of Malbec (60%), Cabernet Franc (20-25%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), with minor proportions of Syrah and Bonarda. This is actually a Bordeaux blend typically. It is from the Mendoza region of Argentina. This was another first for me. I had never had this type of wine before. Its smell was very full. It had aromas of fruit, sweetness, floral, spice, and plum. Its taste was just as full. It is a smooth wine that isn't that bitter. It has a hint of sweetness. It also is sort of spicy. I had never had a wine that was sweet and spicy. The Vintage Cellar review said that is is a ripe, concentrated red, with nauances of cocoa, sweet spice and licorice accenting a core of jammy blackberry, raspberry and plum skin notes, which linger through the long, savory finish. I didn't really pick up on the fruit in the taste but in the aromas I did. I enjoyed this wine because it was different. It has a lot of flavor, but it wasn't too strong. Very nice finish on it as well.

Tasting-Ksana Bonarda

This wine was a type that I had not tried before. Bonarda is made up of 4 different types of varieties of red grapes, 3 from northern Italy and one from Argentina. Mendoza is the region that this wine is produced, and it is the largest wine region in Argentina. It was a 2009 vintage. At the Vintage Cellar it costs $12.95. It is an interesting wine. It has a scent of fruity, floral, berry. Its taste it bitter and has a bite. It is a wine that will almost "wake you up". For me it seemed sort of like a strong instant flavor. It is dry and tingles on the tongue. I don't know if I loved this wine right away. It is possible that it will grow on me though. The Vintage Cellar said this wine is floral and lightly jammy, with berry aromas and a savory note or two. To the uninitiated, this is a great introduction to Bonarda.  I will try this again one day so that it may grow on me. I'll be more prepared for it next time.

Tasting-Takutai Pinot Noir

The variety of this wine is pinot noir a red grape of Burgandy. It is from the Nelson region which is in the South Island of New Zealand. When I sniffed the wine I got hints of floral, cherry, and rasberry. It was full of potency. The taste was even stronger. It had a smooth taste with a spiciness to it. Undertones of woody smokiness stood out to me. It made my tongue tingle even though it was a rather dry wine. This wine was full of flavor, but I warn you, if you are not into full bodied wines, this wine is not for you. This wine has no real sweetness to it. It is a 2009 vintage that seems that it has aged nicely. I love Pinot Noirs so this wine was right up my alley. I usually have this with food, but I did not in this case. The Vintage Cellar says that this wine exhibits soft fruit tannins, delicate structure, and a good balance. They said it was a highly likable, flavor packed wine for consumers new to the delights of the Pinot grape. I would agree with this statement. If you are not too "hot" on bold flavors then this is not for you, but this wine could ween you into liking Pinot Noir. It's sort of like the "bold coffee" of the wine world. At the vintage cellar this wine costs $14.95.

Tasting-Takutai Riesling

Takutai Riesling is made of the Riesling grape variety which is a light-skinned, aromatic grape. This particular wine came from the Nelson wine region, which is located in the South Island of New Zealand. It's year was 2009. I really enjoyed this wine. One reason may be because I enjoy sweet wines. This wine has a sweet feel yet a floral one. It had it's acidity as well even being sweet. It is a very refreshing wine that I think would be very enjoyable in the summer. This wine would probably be good anytime, but I can just picture myself out on the back porch, enjoying a nice chilled glass of this while listening to birds chirping and the water in the pond running. It is that sort of wine that makes you have happy thoughts. I really enjoyed it. The Vintage Cellar describes this wine as a wine that tickles your palate and makes you ask for more. They said that the sweet entry is balanced by a bright acidity and retained spritziness. They said the wine is lovely and refreshing. I would agree with them. It is delicious and they seem to be enthusiastic about this wine, so that is always a good sign as well. I did not have food with this wine. I tasted it on its own. Goes just fine on its own, but I am sure it would be paired nicely with many foods. This could be a nice desert to the end of your meal even. At the Vintage Cellar this wine costs $14.95.

Tasting-Takutai Sauvignon Blanc

This is a white wine, of the white grape variety sauvignon blanc, that doesn't seem overly acidic.  It is fruity with combinations of lemon, pear, and apple flavors and I could smell the pears coming through in the scent of the wine. As you breathe in after tasting the wine you can detect some herbiness to it as well. It was very refreshing. I believe that it would pair up nicely with some rather salty cheeses and also bread, along with shrimp or another type of seafood, and salads. I did not have any food with this wine though. This was made in Marlborough, in the south island of New Zealand. The year of the wine was 2011. The review of the Vintage Cellar is that it is a juicy and vibrant white, that it delivers spiced pears and apple flavors that have a mouthwatering lemony note. That shades of herb and fresh-cut grass chime in at the finish. To drink now! I on the other hand didn't really detect the "grassy" finish. The herbs were subtle and not overpowering which left you with a nice, fresh taste in your mouth. The cost of this product at the Vintage Cellar was $14.95.

Tasting-Black Opal Shiraz

This wine is called Black Opal Shiraz. It is from vineyards found in South Eastern Australia along the Limestone Coast, at Langhorne Creek and in the infamous Barossa Valley. Its year is 2011. At the vintage cellar this wine costs $5.95.
Vintage Cellar review:
They said Black Opal Shiraz is rich red in the
glass. Aromas of blackberry, pepper and spice followed with rich plum flavors round out the palate. Soft tannins give structure to the fruit-driven palate.
My review:
This wine was definitely one that you would have to be a wine drinker who has expanded their palate to really be able to enjoy it. It is a strong scented wine. You can smell hints of cherry and a woody or cedar essence. Its a deep smell that truly tingles your nose. The taste has a tingle as well on your palate. It has a rather woody, spicy, and dry taste. I also was getting a rather leathery taste as well. Paired with food that would settle or cut the strength down of the pure spiciness I would say that this wine would be really good with meat or cheeses. This wine would be something I would have to be in the mood for but it is tasty if you like stronger read wines.

Tasting-Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay/Semillon

This wine is called Wine Men of Gotham Chardonnay/Semillon. It is of the Chardonnay and Semillon grape varieties, 80% chardonnay and 20% semillion. It is an Australian wine from the south Australian region. This wine's particular year is 2008. It is priced at $5.95 at the Vintage Cellar. 
The Vintage Cellar review:
They say that it gives a moderate intensity of melon, guava, apricot, and butterscotch aromas. They saythat the medium bodied palate provides attractive acidity along with plenty of tropical fruit flavors and a medium-long finish.
My review:
As sweet as this wine sounds I didn't taste the sweetness I expected. The smell however was sweet and fruity with floral-like essences. The taste though was rather bitter. It did have a citrus bite. I found it to be rather sour almost. It had a fizzy essence on the tongue even with not being a "sparkling" wine per-say. With that fizz came a type of burn almost like spice. I have to say that I am not the largest fan of this wine, but maybe if I were to pair it with some sort of food, then I would be much better off and enjoy the wine with it being less bitter. 

Tasting-Sokol Blosser Meditrina

This wine is the Sokol Blosser Meditrina. It does not have a year that is verified. It is produced in the United States, in Oregon specifically. It is a non-varietal red blend of pinot noir, syrah, and zinfandel. Its price at the Vintage Cellar is $7.95.
Vintage Cellar's review:
The taste is lush and velvety with notes of raspberry and cherry. They say that it pairs well with anything off the grill and also with pasta.
My review:
The wine had scents of flower and raspberry. It was much more of a smooth wine with a powerful vibrancy of flavors when observing the taste. It was more of a smooth taste than some red wines. It did not have an overpowering smoky bite. It did have some bite to it, but not overwhelmingly so. This may be attributed to the blend aspect. I am a fan of pinot noir so this may be the reasoning for me to think it did not have a strong spicy taste. This wine was not bad. It was not my favorite by far. If you are looking for a wine that won't break the bank to pair with your pastas or grilling attire then this would not be a bad choice.

Tasting-Opera Prima Pink Moscato

This wine is a sparkling wine from Spain. It is called the Opera Prima Pink Moscato. The variety is of 97% muscat and 3% tempranillo. It is one that has no vintage (or year). It is priced at $5.95 at the Vintage Cellar.
Vintage Cellar Review:
They say that this is a sparkling wine with a aromas of fresh berries and tropical fruits with hints of white flavor petals. This is a balance between silky sparkling sweetness, with a crisp and refreshing finish. They state that is is fine on its own or with any type of sweets or desserts.
My Review:
This wine is not just simply sweet, it has texture. It scent is very floral with hits of cherry and strawberry. It is such a fruity light and delicate scented wine. When the wine first touches your tongue it fizzes into a palate full of flavor. Its taste is somewhat of a grapefruit taste. It has a little bite to it but then there are all these flavors of sweetness and fruitiness. This wine would pair well with desserts yes, but I also believe this wine would be very good with breads and also salty cheeses. A little sweetness added to the saltiness of the cheeses and the carby bread would be very lovely. This is a very tasty wine in which I would highly recommend especially for this price.

Tasting-Beringer Riesling

This wine is the Beringer Riesling. It is from California in the Nappa Valley, and its year is 2009. The wine is 85% riesling and 15% muscat. At the Vintage Cellar this wine is priced at $5.95. The Vintage Cellar reviews this wine as the perfect balance between honeysuckle and bright peach flavoring. They call it the perfect wine for light fare such as appetizers  or just sharing with friends.
My review:
This wine is clear in color but is "colorful" in taste.
It has a smooth taste that doesn't tingle on your tongue as some wines do. This wine does have a bit of a bite to it in an acidic way. It is a rather dry wine with a citrus, lemony feel to it. It has a rind type taste finish. This would be a lovely wine, chilled, for the summer, and relaxing with friends outside enjoying the warm, well hopefully warm weather. This would be a wonderful wine to have with a sharp cheese because I feel they would balance out each others' strong potent flavors. I did enjoy this wine and for the price it is really a nice choice. If you are looking for sweetness though, you will not find it with this wine.

Personal Experiences with Wine

     I am a long time lover of wine. It is my favorite type of alcohol. I find it classy and satisfying to the taste-buds which is very lacking in other types of alcohols in my opinion. I have watched many individuals in my life enjoy a glass of wine every now and then, and at that time I was very naive about the subject. I did not understand how many varieties there actually were. I just saw white and red so I assumed they all tasted the same between the two. This, I now know is not the case. There are so many varieties and even that of the same category of wine tastes differently based on grapes, process, and location.

    As much as I admire and love wine, I have not had that many experiences with it. I was almost afraid to try different wines. I usually was sticking to Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon because that was what I was used to. I was afraid to expand. I not too long ago started drinking Pinot Grigio which I feel now is quite amazing! I am now working on expanding my horizons even more. 

   I have been exposed to many business conferences, and now I am going into the same field for my career that I was exposed to then. My job will require that I am able to pick out an optimal wine and be knowledgeable of the subject. Of course that is not the main point of my job, but it will come in handy to know. The individuals that have the position that I want are always the ones picking out the wine for the tables. This is something I have always admired. I am excited to explore this mystical magical elixir.