Tasting - Butterfly Kiss Moscato

Name: Butterfly Kiss Moscato

Region/Country: Chile

Year: 2012

Price: $13-- Sale $5.95

Winery Review: Aromas of honeydew and apricot, gently kissed by orange blossom, candied pineapple and a hint of lime zest.

My Review: Wow, this was delicious!! After trying four types of wines that were all fairly bitter, it was quite a nice change on the pallet. This wine was very sweet, and although I usually do not prefer sweet wines, this one was very flavorful with a hint of flowery scent. The fruity taste mixed with flowery scent made this wine a very easy wine to drink. I almost bought it but decided to see what other wines we get to try next week! I would give this wine a 91! I tasted this on its own with no food. 

Tasting - Purple Paws Zinfandel

Name: Purple Paws Zinfandel

Region/Country: Lodi, California

Year: 2012

Price: $15-- Sale $7.95

Winery Review: It smells like ripe boysenberries and cherries, and tastes generous and broad without being too full bodied. It finishes with more fruit notes and those who love a little spice and smooth tannins will be happy.

My Review: The clear, strong scent of some kind of berries kicked in as soon as I sniffed it prior to drinking it. It was fairly strong in flavor and it made me salivate afterwards. The woman working there told me that that means it has high acidity. The berry-like flavor was obvious in the mouth as well. I would give this wine a 90. I tasted this on its own with no food. 

Tasting - Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon 

Region/Country: Lodi, California 

Year: Non Vintage 

Price: $15-- Sale $7.95

Winery Review: If a Cabernet can be smooth and creamy, this one is. It offers plenty of fruit flavor, smooth tannins that coat the mouth in a good way, plus a plush texture that keeps it from being even a bit harsh. With light body, a soft mouthfeel and lingering finish, there’s much to like.

My Review: It had a very nice fruity smell but it was not quite the same once it was in the mouth. It was very peppery and although it was smooth to an extent, my mouth felt very much dry afterwards. This is not what I had expected after reading the winery review. I would give this wine an 83. I tasted this on its own with no food. 

Tasting - Rosemount Chardonnay

Name: Rosemount Chardonnay

Region/Country: South Australia 

Year: 2013

Price: $10-- Sale $5.95

Winery Review: This world-renowned wine shows peachy tropical fruit and melon characters on the nose, with a hint of citrus freshness and judicious use of oak. The palate is generous and soft with full, ripe tropical flavors folded into a creamy backdrop that is beautifully structured with a long satisfying finish.

My Review: This wine was definitely stronger than the Sauvignon Blanc (La Lejania, Chile 2015) that I tasted immediately prior to this one. There was a kick on the tongue as soon as it entered the mouth. Although I tasted some kind of fruity flavor, it was fairly bitter. I would give this wine an 85. I tasted this on its own with no food. 

Tasting - La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc

Name: La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc 

Region/Country: Central Valley, Chile

Year: 2015

Price: $10-- Sale $6.95

Winery Review: A light, refreshing, balanced sparkling wine with fruit flavors and aromas of citrus, pear and peaches, followed by a nuance of spice. Enjoy this sparkling wine as an aperitif, or with salads and spicy dishes, especially those using citrus fruit. For dessert this wine pairs well with fresh berries or a fruit tart.

My Review: The citrusy smell, perhaps a hint of orange was obvious as soon as I gave it a good sniff! It was fairly smooth in texture, not too dry and the fruity taste made it drinkable without having to squint eyes when swallowing. Various types of fruity flavor balance out the tannin and make it an easy wine to drink. I would give this wine an 87. I tasted this on its own with no food. 

How it All Began...

The first vivid memories I have with my encounters with wine was in Europe. I was seven years old. My family went on a summer vacation to France and Germany and there, we saw vineyards all along the country sides as we drove by, particularly in France. Since my sister and I lived in   Japan up until that point in life, we had never seen such huge fields with grapes. We learned then that these grapes were grown to produce wine. Of course we were too young to drink at the time, but we saw our parents drinking during meals and they told us some descriptions of each wine. On that same trip, we stayed at a bed and breakfast in Germany, where they had a cellar and the owners gave us a tour! 

My parents usually don't have wine stocked up at home. They typically drink wine only on special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, special ceremonies, vacations, etc. On the other hand, my boyfriend's parents have a variety of wine selections stocked up at home. Every time I am invited over for dinner, they offer me wine options that pair well with the appetizer and the dinner. This is probably how my love for wine developed. I think drinking wine is classy and because wine is said to be healthy, I don't feel bad drinking it. Of course if you drink it excessively, it's not good for you, but if you know how to drink right; pairing with food and drinking with the people you love, drinking wine is a wonderful experience--well so I think anyway. 

Wine is my favorite out of all the alcoholic beverages. However, I don't quite know any details about each type of wine or what kind of food pairs nicely with what. I just know that chicken and seafood go well with white and steak goes well with red. I hope that by taking this class and frequently going to wine tastings, I'll get a better understanding on pairing, tasting, and wine overall. Of course with a college budget, I cannot afford pricey bottles of wine but this course will help me greatly in the future for sure. I currently prefer white over red because I have not tried or been exposed to red wine that I absolutely love. I hope that by the end of this semester, I'll have a list of red wine that I love. Maybe I'll end up liking red more than white!! Right now, I like Chardonnay the best because it's not too sweet like Moscato or Riesling but it's also not too dry either. I'm looking forward to learning and exploring the world of wine!!!