Tasting - Baci Dolci

Name: Baci Dolci "Sweet Kiss"

Variety: Marzemino, Merlot

Region: Colli Euganei

Country: Italy

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: Regular $15 Sale $9.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A blend of 50% Marzemino 50% Merlot. A delicate, slightly frizzante wine with an intense ruby red color. Fresh strawberry & black cherry aromas with hints of roses. Cherry pie flavors, medium-full bodied with refreshing sparkle to balance the semi-sweet balance." Vintage Cellar

My review: This wine had aromas of sweet strawberries, mixed berries, and a sweet "teenager" perfume you might find at a preteen's favorite clothing store. This wine was sweet. Mega sweet. Sweetest wine I've ever tasted, more than moscato, more than those cherry juice wines. Whoa. It was like a torte with strawberry compote and sweet like candy with powdered sugar on top. How crazy! If you are a sweets person, this is the wine for you. Dessert is served.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Oasis del Cuyo Malbec

Name: Oasis del Cuyo
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: Regular $12 Sale $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Deep ruby color. Appealing red fruit nose with hints of tobacco. Medium bodied with a smooth and lush mouth-feel. Finishes dry with lasting flavors. Excellent choice for a young and fruity everyday wine. Enjoy as an aperitif or with meats and pasta dishes." Vintage Cellar

My review: This was a really interesting smelling wine. It has a "wet basement" component to it along with what I actually thought was the slightest smell of bourbon, as if it had been aged in old bourbon barrels for a small amount of time. Maybe after hitting most of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail a few weeks ago I can just pick up that aroma much more easily. It's interesting that after smelling something specific like that time after time you can actually begin picking it up in other places, especially with wines! This wine tasted extremely dry and young, probably one of the more dry wines I've ever tried. It was peppery with blackberry and cedar box flavors. I was curious as to what tobacco even tasted like because I don't know, but there was an extra flavor in there that I was guessing was tobacco from just kind of guessing around. Very interesting wine-I'd like to try it with a meat dish, that's for sure. Too strong for just sipping for me!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Terranoble Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Terranoble

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Central Valley

Country: Chile

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "This Cabernet Sauvignon offers an intense and deep color and lovely aromas of red fruit, pepper, and tobacco. It has smooth tannins, freshness, and rich fruit, which gives the wine a good balance. Pair with barbecued beef ribs, grilled sea bass, or spaghetti alla Bolognese." Vintage Cellar

My review: This had that "butter, copper, dark mixed berry" smell to it like any good Cabernet Sauvignon to me,  guess. I feel like I ought to come up with a specific word for that so other people can relate to this smell with me. It's a mixture of aromas that comes up way to often for it not to have its own name! In addition it had a bit of a wet stone smell as well. It tasted dry and light and had flavors of plums, matches, and charcoal. I agree that this would be great with barbecued ribs or brisket or something and would really like to try it with that. I don't think sipping Cabs without food really does them any justice, but maybe that's just me.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Terranoble Chardonnay

Name: Terranoble
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2015
Price: $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "This Chardonnay offers a wine with an attractive color and lovely aromas, such as ripe pear and pineapple, mixed with butter and vanilla notes. It is a fresh style of white wine, with medium persistence in mouth. Ideal as an aperitif." Vintage Cellar

My review: I have a very specific bouquet description for this wine: raw chicken on a backyard deck. You know the smell of nice deck boards? Not quite "oakiness", but something else...but a very distinct  raw chicken smell in there as well. It had a straw/wheat component as well and held that into the wine's flavor profile as well. This was a medium-bodied wine that was slightly dry and acidic. A very interesting take on chardonnay that differs so much from the typical California Chardonnays! It was interesting and would have tasted great with food.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA without food.

Tasting - Santola Vinho Verde

Name: Santola

Variety: Loureiro and Pederna

Region: Vinho Verde

Country: Portugal

Year: Non-vintage/N/A

Price: $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Soft and creamy, although with just the right Vinho Verde bite, this is a crisp and clean wine, boasting light pear and pink grapefruit flavors. Off dry and very fresh." Vintage Cellar

My review: This wine had aromas of tropical fruit, grapefruit, sour apple, and other subtle citrus notes like orange and lemon. This was a semi-sweet wine that was medium-bodied and very drinkable/sippable for a summer day. It had a sour tang, but it wasn't acidic enough to make that a huge problem at all, it was pretty nice! The greatest taste notes I got out of this wine were the tropical fruit notes as well as sour apple. I would definitely recommend this wine and would try it again!

This wine was tasted at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano Moscato

Name: Lost Vineyards

Variety: Spumante

Region: Piedmont

Country: Italy

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Pale color. Confected, fruity aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle, pear tartlet, and honeydew melon with a satiny, shy, spritzy, moderately sweet light-to-medium body and a sleek, fast yellow apple, candied pear, honeycomb, and sweet papaya finish with no tannins and no oak. Simple and approachable with sweet apple, melon, and candied pear on a framework of gentle, delightful bubbles." Vintage Cellar

My review: The color was so fun and pink! And it was bubbly! I was expecting something really fun and sweet and that was what I was in the mood for. This should be sweet right? Wow, no. That was...crappy department store dressing room. Yeah, I'm bringing up that aroma description again like I did with a past Riesling. It's so weirdly specific. Interesting. That and mushrooms. I seriously love the bubbles and the chill in this wine, but wow, it just didn't go together. I don't usually was "sparkling", sweet mushrooms. It was just odd to me. It was extremely vegetal in a sweet wine. Like a big old mixture of spinach and mushrooms that got a bit too much sugar put into it. Probably wouldn't recommend this one, but it didn't make me miserable or anything. The combination was just weird.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Jip Jip Rocks
Variety: Shraz and Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Padthaway
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Price: Regular $19 Sale $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "This red wine is a well above average effort with lots of flavor as well as Australia's so easily obtainable, lush fruit. The 2013 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (55% and 45% respectively) exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with a layered, peppery, berry fruit-scented nose revealing licorice and meaty notes. From a much lighter vintage, it is a supple, easygoing red to enjoy now and over the next several years. 87 points." Robert Parker

My review: First off, the name of this wine is awesome. Second off the color of this wine is mega dark and looks great! So...to the aroma. Animal farm. This was straight animal farm and was stenchy like wet goats. It was pretty weird and made me say "whoa!" out loud because I definitely didn't expect that! That same taste was coming through with the taste along with some oranges and petroleum thrown in there. I don't think I'm used to this as much as I thought...maybe this is somethingI will come to like but the animal stench was just so strong I'm not sure I could get past it. Unless of course you served this with some beef or lamb. Then it might be as awesome as the Jip Jip name!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Alta Luna Pinot Noir

Name: Alta Luna

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Vigneti delle Dolomiti

Country: Italy

Price: Regular $20 Sale $9.95

Year: 2011

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "On the nose cherry, plum, and berry aromas mingle with notes of spice and tobacco. On the palate soft, supple tannins and refreshing acidity are beautifully balanced by ripe cherry fruit flavors on the finish which is dry, harmonious and elegant." Vintage Cellar 

My review: A very drinkable wine! It had a woody taste to it, but it wasn't quite oak. Cedar probably. There were some berries in the bouquet as well. This wine had excellent structure and a good balance of acidity, tannins, and sweetness. Something interesting in this wine that I hadn't experienced before was a slight "ting" it gave me in the back of my mouth after it went down. Not quite sour, but more of an after"feel" as opposed to an aftertaste. I would recommend this wine, I thought it was a great Pinot!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - El Cortijillo Verdejo

Name: El Cortijillo

Variety: Verdejo

Region: La Monacha

Country: Spain

Price: $5.95

Year: 2014

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper. 90 points." Beverage Testing Institute

My review: The aromas of this wine spoke of sweet tropical fruit like guavas with a hint of light white grape juice as well. A medium mouth feel that's fairly acidic and sweet gave it a good tang. It had a citrus thing going on as well, but might be a little bit of what the institute described as "snappy" lime, possibly with a bit of grapefruit. There was some sort of spice on the back end as well, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was, it wasn't black pepper, but it was there! I really enjoyed this wine and bought myself a bottle. A 90 point wine at 6 bucks? What a steal!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Trattoria Pinot Grigio

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A Venetian favorite! It is crisp and dry, rich and spicy with hints of peach and honey...perfect with salads, pasta, chicken, and fish! Musaragna is an organic wine estate near Venice, Italy." Vintage Cellar

My review: For a wine I consider extremely New World, I would have to say there were some interesting Old World elements to this Pinot Grigio that were really interesting! There was definitely a fruit forward element of peaches and honeysuckle, but there was definitely some element of stenchiness as well. It was a bit like a wet towel along with mushrooms and asparagus. The taste of this wine was also pretty vegetal, had great structure, and a clean acidic taste. I'm getting used to the idea of Old World wines and I'm starting to like them a bit more, but I guess trying it without food is still strange! It would have been fabulous with some grilled chicken or a hardy fish.

This wine was tasted without food at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Tasting - Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Name: Fetzer

Variety: Gewurztraminer

Region: Monterey County, California

Country: United States

Year: 2014

Price: Regular $12 Sale $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle, and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly. 87 points." Wine Enthusiast

My review: Oh no. A Gewurztraminer. If any of you actually took the time out to read my previous experience with Gewurztraminer and had a good laugh at my expense, you'd know that I would be very cautious about the next one. But then again, I tried Crane Lake's other 3 wines and hated them too, so hopefully it's just the winery. Thankfully, I was correct. This was surprisingly good! Turns out I hate Crane Lake, not Gewurztraminer. I would like to take a second to time out and apologize to the grape. Sorry, G. Anyways. This wine in particular had a floral and tropical fruit smell which I really enjoyed. The taste of was wine had some acidity to it which is great. This really avoids that flabby taste in the last Gewurztraminer I had. The taste of passion fruit was there and it wasn't rotten this time. It was good. It was sweet like apple juice with a bit of dryness to it just enough to make it a wine and not a juice. I thought this was great and have changed my mind about the G-word.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe

Variety: 100% Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2015

Price: Regular $12 Sale $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "The 2015 Maipe Malbec is another 100% Malbec, with a deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty, blackcurrant, and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It is delicious, soft, and round. 87 points." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (March 2016), Excellent Wine Values for Under $25

My review: A powerful bouquet of buttered toast hit me alongside an equally potent blackberry jam aroma. This would make an excellent breakfast! And also reminds me a bit of grape flavored gummies or fruit leather, so basically that jammy component. I don't typically like the "jammy taste" of wine, but this one actually surprised me by not showing that in the mouth feel at all, which I am thankful for just staying in the aroma. The taste had more of an old school style to it that the aroma, which balanced the wine out in a cool way. It had a match stick component alongside charcoal. It would have been excellent with some barbecue! It was a very summer/fall evening kind of drink that is good for cool evenings around the grill or bonfire. A bit dry and had some subtle cranberry aspects to it as well. I really enjoyed this wine and would recommend it.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau

Name: Manoir Du Carra

Variety: Gamay

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Year: 2014

Price: Regular $12 Sale $4.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A pretty floral wine, with a rose petal note underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish." Vintage Cellar

My review: My classic combination smell of butter, copper, and oak, but not very strong. Had a strawberry and plum aroma, but no dark berries or anything of that sort (like blackberries, mixed berries, or any of that). There was a subtle floral hint to it that made the wine smell kind of pretty. I just noticed that my description actually lines up with the review for once, so that is something. The flavor had a great balance of sweetness and dryness and was medium-bodied. Although there was no mixed berry aroma, that's a majority of what I got in the flavor profile, along with that pomegranate

they spoke of. Oak is definitely present in this wine, but not overpowering and no oak monster. I really liked this wine as well and actually purchased it because the price was so great!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Mapreco Vinho Verde

Name: Mapreco

Variety: Alvarinho, Arinto, Loureiro, and Trajadura (Rose)

Region: Vinho Verde

Country: Portugal

Year: 2015

Price: Regular $10 Sale $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rose made from the traditional Vinho Verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of strawberry, cherry, and berries. A delightful twist on the original." Vintage Cellar

My Review: So this is going to sound...funky. The first word that popped into my head when I smelled this wine was "snakes." Don't ask me why. I don't believe I've ever picked one up and smelled it before. So this may have possibly been the smell of a snake skin purse, but I had a friend back me up and say, "No this actually smells like the amphibian and reptile section of a zoo, but in a good way." In a good way indeed. This was like a wet leather amphibian kind of smell, I suppose, but it was backed up by some magnificent aromas of strawberries and cream and french vanilla coffee creamer. OH yum. The tastes were a mixture of sweet on the start and sour on the back end. It was a light bodied wine with a raspberry and grapefruit taste. I loved this wine a lot and I would definitely recommend it!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Mars & Venus Chardonnay

Name: Mars and Venus

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: La Mancha

Country: Spain

Year: 2014

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably overdelivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple. Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weekend sipping." Vintage Cellar

My Review: Unlike what the review said, I actually did smell and taste the oak, but it wasn't overpowering at all and maybe that's what the description was trying to get at here. There were aromas of butter and apples with a hint of ginger spiciness to it. The taste was actually pretty sour, like a grape-flavored candy such as a Warhead on the back end, but it hit like a cart load of apples. I actually found this fairly enjoyable although I'd have to get used to the sour component! 

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Beringer Chenin Blanc

Name: Beringer
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A fresh green-apple aroma and vivid citrus and crisp apple flavors are supported by vibrant acidity in this medium-bodied wine. The texture is smooth but crisp, making lots of good food pairings come to mind, from pre-meal cheese, to salads, seafood, and veggie pastas." Vintage Cellar

My review: A bit of ginger and rotten mango or cantaloupe smell going on here. I wasn't really sure what was going on and I surely didn't get the "crispness" from this wine at all. It smelled pretty bad to be. Upon tasting it it honestly just lacked acidity, was too sweet, and felt flabby in my mouth. It had a flat soda taste, to be honest. Like it was a week old or something, I hope this particular bottle wasn't spoiled, making my tasting notes irrelevant, but this was just not good compared to all the wonderful wines that came before it!

This wine was tasted without food at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Tasting - Carraia

Name: Carraia

Variety: Aglianico

Region: Campagna

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: Regular $15 Sale $9.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Produced in the Campania region of Italy, this Aglianico has delicious black fruit flavors with hints of licorice, volcanic soil, and tar notes. Classic in nature, yet in a lighter, more crowd-pleasing style, the Carraia is made of the ancient Aglianico grape. This black grape originated in Greece and today is widely grown in Basilicata and Campania." Vintage Cellar

My review: The aromas of this wine were definitely more old world in its style. It had a dirt and mushrooms smell, maybe more specifically forest floor or something pithy and fibrous. It was a bit stenchy, but that's something I feel I will come to appreciate over time instead of leaning toward all those fruit flavors. I find it interesting and yet I'm never sure I was to drink it right away, but it is getting more easy with time and I'm actually starting to find it fun to smell. There was definitely something else there too and I'm guessing Vintage Cellar's description of "tar" might have been it. I just couldn't put my finger on it. The taste was dry and had a bit of a sour cherry flavor to it as well as an earthy wild berry taste (like the ones that are actually wild, not the produced ones that say they're wild). Wouldn't say it's my favorite, but I could see it going extremely well with some good food!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Siema Vino Rosso

Name: Siema

Variety: Colcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo (Vino Rosso)

Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: Non-Vintage
Price: Regular $10 Sale $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Intense ruby red with soft garnet nuances in the glass, the Rosso is intriguingly fresh, fruity, and spicy on the nose. Perfectly round and balanced, the wine is particularly soft and dry. Pair with simple dishes like fresh cheese, ham, salami, or pizza for a divine culinary experience." Vintage Cellar

My review: The butter train hit my nose immediately with this wine, but I don't mind it. I like the butter train because it had some passengers. It was accompanied by rounded vanillas and cream, but also had the intense flavors of mixed berries (and no copper smell that I accompany these types with!) The flavor on the mouth was a bit more cherry and spicy with some oak and was only a bit dry. Overall I really liked this wine and found it to be my style. It was a red that can be had young and even by itself. I was tempted to buy this and had to tell myself to save my money. I really would like to have this one again, though.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg,Virginia without food.

Tasting - Dom de la Foret

Name: Dom de la Foret

Variety: Grenache Cinsault (50% Grenache, 50% Cinsault)-Rose de Mediterranee

Region: Provence

Country: France

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: Regular $13 Sale $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A stony, pure style, with a warm paving stone note framing the dried cherry and rose water notes. The long watermelon rind-inflected finish is finely tuned. Show length and cut, staying lacy in feel." The Vintage Cellar

My Review: The nose on this wine was definitely less sharp than the Cortese wine, it was fruity but more peachy or mango than anything citrus. It reminded me of an orange creamsicle or even a light tropical body mist without the chemical component of it. A very likeable smell! The mouth feel was medium bodied and had a good amount of acidity, making for great structure overall. It was semi-sweet but not overpowering with a lot of those peachy flavors coming through. The flavor actually reminded me of some of those sucking candies, just not as sweet. It was a great wine and I would definitely like to try this one again in the future to sip on in the summer by a pool.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Bricco dei Tatti

 Name: Bricco dei Tati
Variety: Cortese
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: Regular $10 Sale $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Great Value! Treat this terrific little white like a red: Don't chill it too much, then let it open for a half-hour to develop its enticing tropical fruit flavors. It's dry, but the fruit gives an appealing illusion of sweetness. Great as an aperitif or with light seafood dishes." The Washington Post

My Review: That aroma was delectable. Something like raspberries and strawberries mixed together in a blend with powdered sugar on top. There was a bit of citrus in the nose as well, particularly grapefruit juice. The taste was a bit acidic, lemony in the flavor, but sweet as well. Not quite like a sparkling lemonade or anything, but very delicious! A bit of a full sour after taste, light on the tongue, very nice. I would definitely purchase in the future although I did not purchase anything today.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Riesling

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: Riesling

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/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. This wine is an excellent aperitif, yet it pairs well with a number of different foods. Try it with New England clam chowder, smoked salmon, Chinese chicken salad, roasted duck, or scallops in a cream sauce." Vine Republic

My Review: Crane Lake, I haven't met a wine that I have liked from you yet. Please take the hint and leave. This is pretty much all I want to say, but I will expand. The aromas were nothing more than pool water and the taste of the wine was way too sweet (and not in a good way, because I really like sweet Rieslings, usually). Honestly, this was just like rotten passion fruit or melon. It was some thicker tropical fruit that got left in the refrigerator too long and went mushy and flat. Oh, and the wine even established that nice creamy texture that a rotten tropical fruit might have as well. I figured, hey this is a Riesling, how bad can this one be? So gross! Honestly, these Crane Lake wines just haven't been good quality at all, sorry to say.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA without food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Shiraz

Name: Crane Lake

Variety: Shiraz

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $5.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Beautiful ruby appearance, with blackberry and pepper notes. Tannins and fruit marry well for a soft finish. This wine pairs well with sharp cheddar cheese and hazelnuts. Also try it along with roast lamb at Easter time, veal marsala, or grilled salmon." Vintage Cellar

My Review: So we meet again, Crane Lake. It seems like the Vintage Cellar really likes pushing Crane Lake wines, I see them so often, and I usually brace myself instead of getting giddy about it or anything. This wine had aromas of...stench. I mean, it had great forest floor notes and black pepper and stones, but there was also something like, oh I don't know, dirty laundry or sweaty socks or something, which was a bit of a turn off on the nose. The taste of the wine was dry and light. It wasn't too terrible, but I didn't see anything too qualifying with it. It definitely needed to be had with food too, so I guess I could reassess then, but as a stand alone I would pass. It may actually just be a bit old world for drinking alone.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA without food.

Tasting - Georges Duboef Nouveau

Name: Georges Duboeuf

Variety: Nouveau

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Year: 2015

Price: Regular $12 Sale $5.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: " George Duboeuf is THE king of Beaujolais. His wines are full of pop, charm, and great flavor and his Beaujolais Nouveau is no exception. A cornucopia of expressive fruit wrapped in an almost-bubblegum-like frame; is is the flagship Nouveau." Vintage Cellar

My Review: Let's talk about the wine label. Whoa. Talk about bold and crazy. My first thought toward something like this was that it'd taste cheap and fall flat of any expectations I had. Consider me wrong, friends. Don't judge a wine by its label, I suppose. This red was fantastic. The aromas of this wine were decadent. It smelled of cherry pie filling and mixed berries. I wanted a flaky crust to pop up next to me so I could pour this all over it. Of course sometimes with smells like these you end up getting super sweet bubbly moscato-type wines. Again, I was proven wrong. This wine was dry. It actually shocked me a bit because I wasn't expecting it at all. It had a medium mouthfeel and retained some of those berry flavors without being sweet. This would have been an awesome wine with a steak dinner or something, to be honest! (Just hide the bottle if the establishment is a bit fancy, of course.) What a crazy experience this wine gave me. Pure greatness, I really want to go back and buy this one!

This wine was tasted at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA without food.

Tasting - Maipe Torrontes

Name: Maipe Chakana Wines

Variety: Torrontes

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2014

Price: Regular $14 Sale $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "The wine has a spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon, and hints of jasmine and rose petals. On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well-balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish." Vintage Cellar

My Review: I was told before tasting this wine that this particular grape only grows in this region of Argentina and nowhere else in the world, so of course that made it seem super special and exciting and I was ready to try something new here! The aromas were unique, for sure. It exploded like a botanical garden. I definitely took take out the jasmine mentioned in the wine shop review, but it also had a slight beer smell. Not sure where that came from, not overly powerful, but something that was subtle in my mind. Interestingly enough there was almost no acidity to this wine and was very smooth and medium bodied. I wasn't a huge fan of the explosion of violets and honeysuckle and jasmine in my mouth, but that's a preference thing. I don't like the taste of floral, although some other people might. I would pass, personally, but may recommend it still to someone who I think might like this style.

This wine was tasted as Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA without food.

Tasting - Tonnino Pinot Grigio

Name: Tonnino

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: Regular $14 Sale $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Tonnino's exotic example of Pinot Grigio has a straw to pale gold color. It is fresh and clean on the nose with fruity notes of pear, green apple, and white peaches. The palate is true to the nose with a fresh acidity, coriander and lime notes followed by a crisp finish. This wine pairs well with youthful apertifs, clams or mussels, pastas, and risotto dishes." Vintage Cellar

My Review: The aromas of this wine are fairly light on the nose. Clean and citrus are the first impressionable words that come to mind. The followup aromas include some pear and melon, but nothing too strong. The taste was acidic, fresh and  semi-sweet, but was actually a little heavy on the mouth feel. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of flavor, there just wasn't really anything there and fell a bit short, but I wouldn't call this a bad wine at all, if it was served I would definitely drink it again!

This wine was tasted at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA without food.

Second Wine Dinner-Foxridge Fun

I was so excited to get to try one of the dinners established for this class around the New River Valley with their exquisite food and wine pairings that go together perfectly, but alas I am on a budget and I was invited to a wine dinner with a few friends in the class at our lovely Foxridge apartments. Quite the classy establishment. Fun adventures await nonetheless, so read on!

Our dinner consisted of a three course meal on March 20th with three separate wines to go together with them. Let us begin!

Course 1

 

Fruit Salad consisting of strawberries, grapes, bananas, mandarin oranges,  pineapple chunks, and vanilla pudding mix. 

Name: Duck Commander 'Wood Duck'
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa Valley, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $8.99
Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Our Chardonnay offers rich tropical fruit aromas with hints of lemon and crisp apple laced around the complex nose. The palate is vibrant and full of pear, melon, and apple pie with a silky, creamy finish." Duck Commander Wines

My Review: My friend loves Duck Dynasty. She owns all the seasons on DVD, so of course this wine struck her attention right away. It was hope that this would be a good one! The aroma right away came across as heavy oak, tree, a bit of apricot and plum. But holy smokes, for real...the OAK MONSTER was here. I usually like the oak taste as a preference, although that may bother some people, but even the smell of oak was obvious. Upon tasting this wine, I got sharp acidity, a light mouth feel, some apple but mostly a burnt wood flavor. You can tell these barrels had been toasted a bit. Interesting to me, but my first thought was the infamous oak monster that Gary V mentions on Wine Library TV all the time. So I had to make the arms and growl a bit. And of course the first response was to get a picture of me doing so. Embarrassing as the picture is, I find it necessary. This was straight up oak, guys! Great fruit flavors though. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit!

 

The Oak Monster really showed itself in this one!

My review with the fruit salad: It made the wine itself taste a little sweeter and I thought that was good, but it actually took away any of the fruit flavor it had before and left just oak behind. I'm sad we chose something to pair it with that would actually decrease the fruit flavors and enhance the oak, but that is what happened. I'd say no to this pairing, but yes to the wine in general. Maybe try it with vanilla cake next time? Yum!

Course 2 

 

Cheesy broccoli and rice casserole with Italian breadcrumbs and (oops) too much pepper

 

Name: Principe Siciliano

Variety: White blend with 60% Cataratto, 20% Inzolia, and 20% Grillo

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: Non-Vintage

Price: $3.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "This opens with aromas of tropical fruit and apricot. The rich palate is loaded with golden apple and yellow peach flavors that are accented by notes of citrus and pear."

My Review:  The first thought that popped into my mind when I smelled this wine was wet sheep. I don't even know what wet sheep smells like so I rethought about what I was smelling. I just knew it drew me back a little bit and I didn't expect the Old World "Stenchy" type of wine stuff. After thinking for a second I narrowed it down more to mushrooms, a little but of rubbing alcohol, and other vegetal aspects. It kind of made me want to gag. It was a bit vegetal and sour when I drank it with a bit of lime on the aftertaste. It was very complex and interesting. I don't think I like it very much by itself. I would probably pass this one.

My Review with the Casserole: OH MY GOSH. My mind was just blown. I've never had an experience with a food actually enhancing a wine. Most of the time it just tasted separate to me, which is super frustrating to be honest. This is probably because I was trying them with new world table wines which really don't change much with food and aren't really meant to go with food. Let me tell you folks, this wine was meant for food. I seriously thought I didn't like this wine and then I had it with something as simple as broccoli casserole and it rocked my world (mostly because I noticed a transformation for the first time, not that it made the wine perfect). It went really well together, though! It took some of the sour out of the wine, possibly because of the cheese in the wine. It definitely enhanced the flavor of the broccoli which I thought was cool (like house spices enhance food, but with wine). It was the strangest thing. I finally get what wine snobs are talking about now when they say certain wines need to go with food. This is definitely one of those wines! Excellent.

 

Course 3

Digornio 3-meat pizza with pepperoni, beef, and sausage

 

 

Name: Le Borgate

Variety: Merlot

Region: Lazio

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "This wine has dark red color with purplish shades. On the nose has an intense fruity, blackberry, and clove smell. The taste is soft, structured, and velvety." Lake Liquor

My Review: Smells light, like a bright summer day, but it honestly doesn't smell much like anything else other than water and alcohol. Tastes dry and hot, but is acidic and smooth. I'm not sure I have words for this wine. It tastes cheap. Not much to the flavor. Like a grape skin fell in the dirt? That's the only thing I could come up with, and all of us at the table agreed. Not much to this wine. Probably one of those cheap wines people buy to get drunk off of. Shame on them, I'm looking for quality, here! What do I expect, though? These are really inexpensive wines (and were free for me, I brought the fruit salad!). It's like Jesus was turning water into wine but just stopped halfway. Like, why is this still mostly water? Makes me sad.

My Review with Pizza: Nope. Nothing changed. But how can you enhance a wine that is just water and alcohol anyways? This wine was made halfway and was thrown together, so there just wasn't much to change. Sad Heather again. At least I enjoyed some pizza, so that's a plus.

Tasting - Peter Mertes Sweet Red Dornfelder

Name: Peter Mertes Sweet Red

Variety: Dornfelder

Region: Mosel

Country: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: Regular-$12 Sale-$6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "The trademark German red grape varietal Dornfelder has a lovely purity of soft red berry fruit. Integrated soft tannins combined with forward fruit flavors make for a perfectly balanced everyday sipping wine. Great with grilled red meat, sausage, and chicken, Best served slightly chilled." Vintage Cellar

My Review: This wine didn't have much of an aroma to it like some of the previous wines of today's tasting had, but it was a nice subtlety. If I were to pull anything out of it it would be something like cherries, cherry pie, marshmallows, or something of that sort. This wine, as stated straight on the bottle in bold letters, was very sweet, but not overpowerfully so, and I really enjoyed this! There was very little alcohol taste in it and the only reason I could tell that this was a wine and not straight cherry juice cocktail (if that's a thing, of course) was that there was a bit of tannic structure to it, which made it tart like an actual cherry, which I thought was pretty unique! I sometimes bash sweet wines even though I secretly love them, but I'll give this one an applause. I really enjoyed the taste even if there was no prominent bouquet. Nice job Peter Mertes, I don't think I've had a wine from them I haven't even slightly disliked yet (can they beat my love for California's Dark Horse? Probably!) Would definitely buy again as a nice table wine.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Castello Sonnino

Name: Castello Sonnino

Variety: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano, and Malvasia del Chiani

Region: Chinati

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: Regular-$15 Sale-$8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano, and Malvasia del Chianti. Rich and modern with a dark, saturated color and aromas of graham cracker and lemon rind. A juicy palate packed with plum and raspberry is carried by a creamy texture that's rather toasty in terms of flavor. The finish is round, full, and chocolaty.

My Review: Smells extremely alcoholic. And medicine-like. NyQuil to be exact. Very interesting. Not really sure I'm liking it so far. Beyond this medicine smell I actually smell a large piece of lumber or sawdust or something like that. I just got through pruning and cutting branches off a lot of trees before this tasting, so the smell was definitely there and recognizable beyond the medicine smell. The flavor was maybe raspberry or blackberry (hey I finally agree with the review today!) and was very dry with a light mouthfeel. It wasn't too terrible actually. I expected worse with the smell and expected a bit of heat, but I didn't really get that with this wine so that's good. Probably wouldn't purchase, but I don't think I would refuse it if it were given to me for free either.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Bolla Bardolino

Name: Bolla

Variety: 60% Corvina, 30% Rondinella, and 10% Molinara

Region: Bardolino

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: Regular-$18 Sale-$6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A blend of 60% Corvina, 30% Rondinella, 10% Molinara this bright ruby red wine has hints of black cherry on the nose. It is soft and fruit-forward, with black-fruit flavors followed by a bright and fresh finish. Serve it as the Italians do-young and lightly chilled. Pairs perfectly with fleshy fish, beef, lamb, red-sauced pastas and pizza." Vintage Cellar

My Review: This wine had an interesting color. It was a light red with a slight yellow tint around the edges which I thought actually looked pretty cool. Let me tell you friends, this was definition of a nose bomb. It was like a summer day at a drive in movie theater. There was buttered popcorn, hot dogs on a grill, the works. This is what I got. Who are you going to believe a wine review or me? Com on, at least I'm being real here. It was kind of awesome. I liked the feel, it was a bit dry and had quite a tannic structure to it, but wasn't overly young or anything. It was enjoyable and berrylike until about 30 seconds after I drank it when a weird metallic taste came into my mouth. That bummed me out. I liked it until the aftertaste came. Too bad, I may have bought it otherwise.

I tasted this wine at Vintage Cellar in Blacksurg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Berganorio Orvieto

Name: Tenuta le Velette

Variety: 30% Trebbiano, 30% Grechetto, 20% Malvasia, 15% Verdello, and 5% Drupeggio

Region: Orvieto

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: Regular-$18 Sale-$9.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "The Berganorio Orvieto is a subtle wine with a bright palate. It shows white flowers on the nose and light citrus notes in the mouth. Its neutral character means it can accompany a wide range of foods. A blend of 30% Trebbiano, 30% Grechetto, 20% Malvasia, 15% Verdello, and 5% Drupeggio. The estate has 103 hectares on the hill opposite the hill town of Orvieto. 88 Points." i-winereview

My Review: I loved the aromatics of this wine so so much! It was like a salted caramel pretzel mix with a very subtle buttery sugar smell. That's so far from what the review said about white flowers, but it is what it is. The taste of this wine was also pretty powerful and bitter in a not so zingy way. It was very acidic, but not what I would call sharp. More like bitter. It was a bit spicy like a mixture of cloves and cinnamon stick and had a bit of heat on the back end. Loved the smell, the taste wasn't really for me, so I probably wouldn't purchase this wine in the future.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Aveleda Praia

Name: Praia

Variety: 40% Arinto, 30% Loureiro, 20% Trajadura, and 10% Azal

Region: Vinho Verde-Aveleda

Country: Portugal

Year: 2013

Price: Regular-$10 Sale-$8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "A blend of 40% Arinto, 30% Loureiro, 20% Trajadura, and 10% Azal. Full of fruit, a lasting peach flavor targeted with laserlike acidity through the finish. It has the bite of salty ocea air and a lot of zing. For langoustines. 92 points." -Wine & Spirits

My Review: This wine had a bouquet of fresh citrus fruits, especially lemon and a pool/chlorine smell that wasn't too bad, but gave it a "fresh" bouquet. Beneath this exterior I could definitely pick up an aroma of apricots. The feel of this wine in the mouth sure was zingy to say the least! It made my mouth pucker a bit and reminded me of those sour punch straws I use to eat as a kid-almost exclusively like that! Very acidic, but very light. I thought it was interesting, but very powerful and took me by surprise! I would probably give this wine a go again.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Dona Sol Sweet Red

Name: Dona Sol Sweet Red

Variety: Shiraz, Petite Syrah, & Symphony

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: Unknown-Non-Vintage?

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Shiraz has a unique jammy fruit character that is well represented in the Sweet Red. Both in the nose and on the palate, jammy fruit, like strawberries, cherry pie and red licorice, entices the senses and pair well with cheeses and desserts." Vintage Cellar

My Review: Interesting smell that is very unique to this Sweet Red wine. A bit like pure almonds, strawberry, specifically the leaf of strawberries. I was excited to try this! Upon tasting this I was kind of taken back. This was way sweet. Not the kind of sweet that belongs to the wine, but like extra sugar was added in right before putting it on the shelf. It just didn't work together. The wine was dry, but overly sweet. Very weird. Not sure in what situation I would want this wine. It seriously was like someone stuck a Kool-Aid packet into a red wine. I just didn't get it I guess.

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Velvet Crush Red Blend

Name: Velvet Crush

Variety: Merlot, Caernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah red blend

Region: Central Coast

Country: United States

Year: 2012

Price: Regular-$18 Sale-$6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Velvety smooth texture just like its name. Soft tannins and lush dark fruit character. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah ring the backbone and character, while the Merlot balances out the blend for a soft, smooth texture." Vintage Cellar

My Review: This wine smelled fairly light with a berry and spice aroma. The wine itself tasted dry and had a very rounded, "smooth" mouthfeel. Probably the Merlot. The one time I had Merlot before it tasted like jelly, but this was a bit more hardened than that which I liked. There was a slight chocolate taste, possibly chocolate covered berries. Not bad, I liked this wine and actually purchased it!

This wine was tasted at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Name: Grand Cru Vineyards

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Orange County, California

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "This ruby-colored wine has aromas of raspberry, cherry, and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with Brie, goat cheese, and smoked salmon. Lamb shanks and pork tenderloin are favorite main dishes to pair with this wine." Vintage Cellar

My Review: Well, here it is again. That cherry, berry, copper smell with a tad bit of vanilla and butter. I still don't know if I like this. It's kind of weird to me, but it has been distinct in so many of the wine aromas I've tried. Sometimes they end up tasting alright, sometimes not. I wasn't a big fan of this one, though. I'm pretty sure there was a great berry flavor in there and was nice and dry but, good golly, it was hidden by a ton of burnt matchstick flavor. I'd say pass on this one. It was drinkable, but not a favorite. 

This wine was tasted at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Prime Brume

Name: Prime Brume

Variety: Garganega

Region: Soave

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: Regular-$11 Sale-$6.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Pale color. Fruity, floral, minerally inviting aromas of passion fruit, white grapefruit, spice poached pear, and papaya with a lean, racy, one-dry medium body and a smooth, complex, long lemon, passion fruit, raw hazelnut, and wet stones finish with no tanins and light oak. From the tantalizing nose full of exotic fruit, citrus and minerality thru to the long, crisp, finish, this Soave can seamlessly go from cocktail hour to vibrantly flavored dishes." Tastings.com

My Review: I have so many mixed feelings about this wine! The smell was out of this world. It was like I stepped into Jamba Juice and ordered a strawberry-banana-blueberry smoothie. It had a great  sweet table wine taste to it, a tad bit acidic with a taste of pears, but not overpowerful in how sweet it was at all. It was complex, but I have to admit there was a slight burn it made in the aftertaste. Like lemons...yeah definitely lemons. Maybe it would be good with chicken or pork. I want to like this so much but I would definitely have to e in the mood to want something sour that puts a ting in my mouth a bit. Other than that-fantastic wine!

This wine was tasted at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

Tasting - Quitas Melgaco Blue

Name: Quintas Melgaco Blue

Variety: Vinho Verde

Region: Unknown

Country: Portugal

Year: 2013

Price: Regular-$10 Sale-$5.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: "Refreshingly crisp white wine from Portugal--Vinho Verde is soft, light, and refreshing, and is uncompromising and ideal wine for everyday pleasure. Its bright color and pineapple aromas are followed y citrus notes. The palate is clean and fresh. Vinho Verde is an excellent accompaniment to fish and shellfish, white meats, and salads." Vintage Cellar

My Review: I thought this wine was great! The first notes I got from this wine were floral followed by some light fruit notes of pineapple and crisp apple. Very light smelling and summery, which I enjoy. Upon tasting this wine I got some tropical notes and even a nice buttery round finish, which I didn't expect, but I personally really enjoy and thought it gave this light wine a bit more weight on the finish. I actually decided to buy this wine as it was one of my favorite whites on the tasting list!

This wine was tasted at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, Virginia without food.

A Stay At Home Wine Dinner Experience

Hello Friends!

On February 27 a few friends and I decided to host our own wine dinner. We each thought it would be a fun idea to all pitch in one wine and a cheese or dinner dish. There were four different wines that we decided to try. After reading a bit about the differences between oaked and unoaked Chardonnay, we wanted to give the comparison a try. We also wanted to see how great of a difference there is between a dry and sweet Riesling. We tried all of these wines with and without different types of food and found some interesting results!

Our Food Pairings:

French Camembert Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Chicken Pot Pie

Now onto the tastings!

Wine 1
Name: Dark Horse
Variety: Chardonnay (oaked)
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95

Reviews:
- Without food: This wine has a very strong scent, a little hot even (it has 13.5% alcohol content) with scents of oak, what seemed to me like spicy brown sugared pears-the caramelized kinds that melt in your mouth if you know what I mean. Upon tasting this wine, I got high acidity, a heavy mouthfeel, oak, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon, and some other type of hotter spice. This was very complex and by far my favorite wine of the night! I am one of those people who really enjoy the buttery creamy oak taste! It's all about what the drinker desires!
-With French Camembert: Very interesting, I thought the milky, smooth consistency really paired well with this cheese and brought out a lot of great smooth texture to the wine and calmed down the acidity a bit!
- With Parmesan: This really enhanced the flavors more than the texture and though it also paired very well with the Chardonnay. It was a great choice and brought a great mix of flavors. It wasn't really something I could explain, but the flavors seemed to go together well.
- With Chicken Pot Pie: This perplexed me a bit, but I honestly thought the wine enhanced the chicken pot pie more than the chicken pot pie enhanced the wine. I thought the way the chicken soaked in the wine was great and the way it made the flaky crust seem almost more buttery was cool to experience.

Wine 2

Name: Breaux Vineyards Madeleine's

Variety: Chardonnay (unoaked; stainless steel barrels)

Region: Northern Virginia

Country: United States

Year: 2013

Price: $19

Reviews:

- Without Food: This wine was a lot lighter than the last time, and although it was a bit more tight with the aroma, you could tell the wine had a lot more light and clean fruitiness to it, almost like a Sauvignon Blanc than a Chardonnay. It had a nose of clean ripe pear, but also smelled a bit hot like the previous Chardonnay. This one actually had more alcohol content than the previous one, at 14% alcohol content. Upon tasting this wine, I could actually find a solid fruit taste that was sharp, like a grapefruit and the taste itself paired well with that flavor by being really acidic.

- With French Camembert: Honestly, this cheese did nothing for the wine. It was pretty disjointed and I couldn't tell that there were any enhancements at all, except maybe a decrease in the amount of heat that came through.

- With Parmesan: Unfortunately, this may have been an altogether bad combination. I felt like the parmesan got stepped on by the wine and crumbled it up and erased any taste that was there. I'm not sure it did anything to help. It made it more dry if anything.

- With Chicken Pot Pie: I seriously tried to hard to make this work. I didn't get anything out of it, really. This frustrates me to my core. I'm not sure if I'm just not "getting" how I'm supposed to find enhancements in the wine with these pairings or if it's just the pairings themselves. I'm just being honest here.

Wine 3

Name: Dry Dr. Loosen Bros

Variety: Riesling

Region: Mosul

Country: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: $9.99

Reviews:

- Without Food: A very interesting smell. It had a bit of a chlorinated pool smell to it, in my opinion, with a hint of lemon-lime (like a Sprite or 7-Up) and a mix of floral aromas in between. Not sure if interesting is good or bad, but I thought it was pretty cool. The feel of this wine was a little dry, but light and sweeter than I expected. Upon tasting this wine, I got notes of grapefruit and lime and then the most specific aftertaste I think I've ever described about a wine before. It was specifically a department store dressing room. Not a nice departments store either. Those cheap ones with the carpet and squeaky doors. The aftertaste somehow reminded me of that smell and/or experience. So crazy. The rest of the table thought I was crazy too. I'm really not trying to be a wine snob, that's just what I got!

- With French Camembert: This is again a bit opposite, but I thought the wine brought out flavors of the cheese and not vice versa. I thought this wine in particular brought out a sharpness in the cheese that wasn't quite there before.

- With Parmesan: Thank you, Parmesan. You went pretty well with this one. You actually took away that weird department store aftertaste and the cheese is what lingered instead.

- With Chicken Pot Pie: I thought it was okay with this. There wasn't anything too specific I could bring out of it, but thought that it also took away that aftertaste and made the wine itself more enjoyable.

Wine 4

Name: Dr. Loosen Bros

Variety: Riesling

Region: Mosul

Country: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: $9.99

Reviews:

- Without Food: Smells like possibly subtle tropical fruit, but honestly there wasn't much of anything else as far as smells went. I have never had a Riesling that wasn't considered "dry" before (and I honestly think dry Rieslings aren't that try), so I was wondering how sweet this would actually be. And it was. VERY sweet. This is clearly a dessert wine and was delicious as one. It tasted like white grape juice with a little bit more character. I thought Rieslings were acidic, but this one was not at all and reminded me of a White Zinfindel if anything!

- With French Camembert: Super disjointed and doesn't go together well at all and doesn't alter the taste of the wine any. It simply overpowered the cheese.

- With Parmesan: Same as above.

- With Chicken Pot Pie: Same as above, however, I did enjoy sipping this in between bites for some reason. It broke up the heavy carby feel, even though it didn't "complement" it at all.

Wine Selfie! Cheese!