Wine Tasting - Thorn-Clarke James Goddard Shiraz

          

Name: Thorn-Clarke James Goddard Shiraz. 

Variety: Shiraz/Syrah. 

Region: Barossa, South Australia. 

Country: Australia. 

Year: 2018. 

Price: $14.99. 

Winery Review: Tommy Yakas states: "Black pepper and blackberry with notes of oak and a bit of mint. Unfiltered and a nice earthy texture as a result. Really solid value." Brian C. follows that up with: "Wow and for the price. Raspberry, cherry, blueberry, plum, pepper, jalapeno, leather, wet ash, crushed gravel, chocolate. Pretty tasty! #VintnersCatalyst." Finally, Gail Her adds: "Nice bold Napa Cab. Deep inky color. On the nose, cherries, plum, blackberries, mint, eucalyptus, & oak. Dark red & black fruit in the palate, vanilla, earthy, leather. Bold & dry, with balanced tannins & acidity. 13.8% ABV."

Wine Folly: (Page 376) Syrah: Additional Tasting Notes - "Few wines can meet the intensity of South Australian Shiraz. Historically, Barossa Valley grapes were used in fortified Port-style wines. Today, the 100-year-old vines make some of the most coveted Syrah in the world..."  

My Review: Adding onto the older side of wines that I've had for this course, we've now got Thorn-Clarke James Goddard Shiraz. With an oaky vanilla & blackberry beginning, this wine finishes with hints of leather, tobacco smoke, and back cherry. a hint of white chocolate lingers from start to finish but isn't exactly prominent until the very end when you leave the wine to linger a while longer. Some acai berry is noticeable but I'd say, like with any wine, you'd need a list of descriptors in order to get it - at least, I needed that. For a shiraz, it's almost bordering a port wine. However, it's acidity leaves that distinction drawn bright and clear. According to the winemakers, this bottle should age just fine in three to five years since its conception. Luckily for me, that timer is on the longer side at almost a year overdue. Thats more than a good enough reason to have cracked this one open tonight. 

Wine Tasting - Anciano No. 7 Reserva Rioja 2016

         

Name: Anciano No. 7 

Variety: Tempranillo. 

Region: Rioja. 

Country: Spain. 

Year: 2016. 

Price: $12.99. 

Winery Review: One Ursus Teddicus reviews this vintage as the following: "Medium ruby color. Moderately intense nose of black cherry, black currant, red plum, smoke, vanilla, and clove. Dry palate that is reflective of the nose with an additional note of balsamic; acidity is high. Medium bodied with pronounced, fine-grained tannins. Long finish with a long, tannic grip. Modest price and good value."

Wine Folly: (Page 380) Tempranillo - "Spain's top variety, made famous by the wines of Rioja, where wines are classified by how long they age in oak. Fine Tempranillo ages 20+ years but costs a little more... [Cherry, Dried Fig, Cedar, Tobacco, & Dill.]"  

My Review: This week, I broke my own rule in which I am reviewing two reds instead of my usual red and white mix. I also aimed for some more aged wines. These two took a little while to find, but I found them at a fair cost as well. I've had Anciano once before, but a more recent vintage rather than this 2016. With this being one of the older (nearly 10 years old) wines I've tasted, I finally understand why red's get better with age. It's almost as smooth as water with light tannins on the way down after a sip. Definitely fruity: blackberry, strawberry, and even some black cherry. It's quite sweet tasting although this variety isn't known to have all too much sugar overall. Otherwise, I'd say some hints of chocolate, slight earthy, cedar, and vanilla mixed in there as well. This is definitely a solid wine to break the ice with someone over dinner. Well done. 

Wine Tasting - Bell'Agio Chianti

        

Name: Bell'Agio Chianti. 

Variety: Sangiovese. 

Region: Chianti, Toscana, Central Italy. 

Country: Italy. 

Year: 2022. 

Price: $11.99. 

Winery Review: John Hayes says: "Light burgundy in color. Aromas of cranberry, orange peel, and black pepper Earthy flavors of leathery plum and tobacco. A little rough on the aftertaste." Liz Livecchi adds: "Lovely table wine! Has some notes of oak and cheery. Nothing too complex but a solid little wine."

Wine Folly: (Page 353) Sangiovese - "Sangiovese is Italy's most planted grape and the key variety in Tuscany's renowned Chianti. It's sensitive, tasting quite different depending on where it grows. The high acidity allows Sangiovese to match well with all manner of well-spiced foots. It's one of the few cines that will not get lost when paired with tomato sauce. [Cherry, Roasted Tomato, Sweet Balsamic, Oregano, & Espresso.]"  

My Review: Finishing my last slightly acidic beverage, let's now move onto a much drier side of the scale. Yes, I did buy this one for the bottle, but not for the reason you'd expect. I've been shopping at Kroger for weeks and every week I see this same exact bottle sitting there on the shelf. Eventually, I said "Why not?," picked this one off the shelf, and got to drinking. After tasting it for myself, reading the reviews, and the description of this variety in Wine Folly, I am simultaneously surprised and understanding. This wine is meant to be stored for anywhere between 5-25 years, yet I quite like it as is. It is exceptionally dry to me - either due to my lack of experience or due to its general flavor. It is balanced, however, due to its low acidity, and surprisingly rounded body (not relating to the body of the bottle, I swear). Some say the aftertaste is rough, yet I find it soothing after a sharply dry entry. This is the first time I've described a wine as such, but I find this one: smokey, hinted with chocolate, cherry-like and similar to aged red apples, definitely some blackberry in there and all of these (so far) of even parts. Top this all off with a coating of rose and slightly corky and you have yourself this one-of-a-kind chianti. I will be buying this variety again, no doubt. I am curious, though, as to what other regions in the world grow this grape since it is known to be sensitive to its environment. I might try this once again next week. 

Wine Tasting - Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc

       

Name: Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc. 

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc. 

Region: California. 

Country: United States. 

Year: 2023. 

Price: $6.99. 

Winery Review: Grant Tevault says: "Green apple and a hint of pear from start to finish. A little bit sweet with plenty of acid to squeeze your salivary glands." Stepehen Co adds: "My first Californian sauvignon blanc. A value one at that. Lighter than typical sauvignon blanc. Very drinkable cocktail wine. Drank at Chevening send off British Embassy Manila."

Wine Folly: (Page 578) Sauvignon Blanc - "A less-planted grape from the North Coast making high-quality wines with rich fruity flavors of white peach, orange blossom, and pink grapefruit - very unlike other Sauvignon. [For other blanc regions,] look to Sonoma and Mendocino, where cooler temperatures maintain acidity."  

My Review: Barefoot was a brand I haven't tried just yet and I thought I'd give it a go. For some odd reason it reminded me of Stella Rosa, so for the next wine I go for I'll be sure to choose a Stella Rosa zinfandel as well as a Barefoot moscato (if they are produced by both brands, of course). I would like to compare the two, but I digress. I am definitely picking up some sort of floral orange as well as heavy citrus takes of grapefruit and lemon, maybe even some peach and green/yellow apple. I'd dare to say a hint of melon is here as well as some Earthy flavors how cork smells. Last but not least, ever so slight hints of asparagus and black olives for sure. At 13% alcohol with a thin, yet strong, mouthfeel, it is definitely worth the price.

Wine Tasting - Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling

      

Name: Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling. 

Variety: Riesling. 

Region: Washington, Columbia Valley. 

Country: United States. 

Year: 2022. 

Price: $10.99. 

Winery Review: Jordan H. describes his experience with this wine as follows: "It’s quite nice. 8% abv and 73.3 g/L of sugar so it’s quite sweet. Tropical and candied fruits on the nose and some citrus and orange notes coming through. The palate with peach, orange, pineapple. Great food wine with spicy food obviously. Great cause you can have with food and kill the bottle with dessert and still not be drunk."

Wine Folly: (Page 590) Riesling - "Riesling was one of the first wines to become popular outside of Washington state. The variety does well in the cooler growing areas, including Naches Heights, Ancient Lakes, and Yakima Valley. More and more procedures are making dry styles similar to Alsace Riesling. [Meyer lemon, green melon, gala apple, honeycomb, lime.]"  

My Review: Pacific Rim isn't one of the brands I've heard of before, yet I did just recently take a deep dive into Riesling wines. Drink This Now by Professor Boyer and Zraly's material for this Geography of Wine course have taught me well. As the, I believe, third most productive wine state within the US, Washington has done very well for a bottle under $15.00. I paired it with an elbow pasta, cheese, and grilled chicken plate for dinner. At first, it didn't taste like wine at all - merely a sour grape juice. Pacific Rim did a nice job with this one. 

Wine Tasting - Chevalier du Grand Robert Bordeaux Clairet Dry Rosè

      

Name: Chevalier du Grand Robert Bordeaux Clairet Dry Rosè. 

Variety: Merlot. 

Region: Bordeaux Clairet. 

Country: France. 

Year: 2022. 

Price: $12.99. 

Winery Review: One Gyorgy describes this rose as such: "Never heard of it, bought it at grocery store. The deepest dark pink color I've seen on a rosé. Indeed, very dry, but still rather fruity with lots of cherries, strawberry, rhubarb and a hint of raspberry with lime and saline. Very easy to drink. Could be perfect for a pool party. I have the feeling that ladies would love it. Pretty darn good for the price."

Wine Folly: (Page 292) "Right Bank" Bordeaux - "The Bordeaux regions of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion on the northeast bank of the Dordogne River have pockets of rich, clay-based soils that are ideal for ripening Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Great examples have rich, cherry fruit flavors balanced with cedar, leather, and incense notes."  

My Review: Here we are back at it with the French! I wanted to try something from the Old-World side of the aisle. As the name dictates, this is definitely a dry one. It is very light on the mouthfeel, though, and not too acidic either. It feels very simple, but there is definitely more to unveil here. I don't have any snack to pair this with at the moment, but I would highly recommend some sort of light ice cream alongside this bottle. 

Wine Tasting - Manischewitz Concord Grape

     

Name: Manischewitz Concord Grape. 

Variety: Concord. 

Region: New York. 

Country: United States. 

Year: 2022. 

Price: $9.99. 

Winery Review: Chris Buddin summarizes most of the reviews as such: "As a wine, sugar water..." Another reviewer commented "Grape jam and alcohol, the Passover OG" which I personally found very amusing. James Thomashower actually agrees, stating: "I've always liked it. A classic for Passover, it also pairs well with a pastrami on rye. It's unpretentious, sweet, and delicious."

Wine Folly: (Page 28) Concord - "An American grape of the native Vitis labrusca species, from Concord, Massachusetts, it is the most planted grape in New York and used for juices and flavoring. There might be nothing better than a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of Concord grape wine. Together, they make a PB&J. - Grape, Plum Sauce, Musk, Potting Soil, and Cumin."  

My Review: This is, hands down, the second sweetest wine I've tasted for this class. Everything else is very well balances, but right off the bat it is very, very sweet. It holds a bloody red, borderline rose/purple tint to it while tasting very much like a cherry cola soda. All I can really say is that those reviews are extremely accurate. Try it for yourself. I guarantee you if you have never tried grape juice before in your life and then tried this wine, you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the alcoholic and commercially available types. 

Wine Tasting - 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Sauvignon Blanc Cali Blanc

    

Name: 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Sauvignon Blanc Cali Blanc. 

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc. 

Region: California. 

Country: United States. 

Year: 2021. 

Price: $10.99. 

Winery Review: Joshua Hazen had the following to say: "Pear and honey stand out the most for me. Slight acidity but a good clean minerality and a bit of passion fruit to give it a bit of a tropical sense at the end." Todd Griffith took a bit of a different stance on the wine with the following: "Finally, this gimmick label delivers something that's actually above barely drinkable. A serviceable Sauv Blanc with usual citrus notes and a pinch of vanilla." Finally, Kurt Gorrell mentions "Aromas of asparagus, green bell pepper, lemon, and kiwi, with flavors like of lemon, pineapple, and a hint of apricot. A little sweet for my taste, but appreciate the vegetal aromas."

Wine Folly: (Page 363) Additional Tasting Notes - North Coast, CA - "Cooler spots in Sonoma and Napa produce much riper styles of Sauvignon Blanc, which are often blended with Sémillon to make a white blend inspired by white Bordeaux. Some wines are aged in oak, much like Chardonnay."

My Review: I'm back at it again with another Snoop Dogg product. I've tried his rose, so the least I can do is even it out with one of his white wines. Today, we've got his Cali Blanc. Initially, I'm hit with a pungent, cool menthol aroma. It's clean yet lightly sharp to the nose with a woody, oaky & vanilla lean to it. It holds a very light, smooth, flowy body with an almost sour apple/lemon/lime citrus taste to it finished with a sweet alcoholic flush. After sipping the wine and then exhaling through your nose, it parallels the feeling of mint gum on a cool winter's afternoon. This is obviously my take on it, but I urge you to try it for yourself and see what you think about it, what memories it might bring back, or what memories you could make with this one. 

Wine Tasting - Apothic White

   

Name: Apothic White. 

Variety: Riesling & Chardonnay. 

Region: California. 

Country: United States. 

Year: 2022. 

Price: $9.99. 

Winery Review: One Bill Neugent summarizes most of the reviews in one fell swoop: "Medium-bodied, smooth, sweet, peach, pear, pineapple, honey, and oak, with good mouthfeel, fades with body and stone fruit and finishes with soft body and faint oak. Echoes of Pinot gris and Riesling makes this a great choice for American quaffers seeking a light, eager-to-please Summer drink. I think Apothic achieved its objectives."

Wine Folly: (Page 161) Chardonnay - "Yellow Apple, Starfruit, Pineapple, Vanilla, & Butter... pairs best with subtle spices and flavors... soft textures." (Page 56) Riesling - "Lime, Green Apple, Beeswax, Jasmine, Petroleum... ranging in style from bone-dry to very sweet."  

My Review: I've had Apothic Red before and decided to try the white. My first impression is that this white wine is very, very middle grounded. Its taste is almost plain to me. I'm getting ever so slight hints of citrus, light to medium tannins, a solid amount of alcohol at 12.0%, and almost a sour apple/lemon sensation. In all honesty, I can't swing this wine one way or another. Try it for yourself and let me know. 

Wine Tasting - Taylor Port

Name: Taylor Port. 

Variety: Concord. 

Region: New York. 

Country: United States. 

Year: 2024. 

Price: $9.99. 

Winery Review: Rob Swenson has some choice words about this one: "This translucent ruby colored port / sweet wine has a medium body and a medium finish on cherry cola. In the nose I get cherry, chocolate, caramel, and cola. I taste cherry, cola, chocolate. Low acid Low astringency Low complexity Smooth texture The port wasn't as complex as I would have hoped so it didn't pair well with anything I tried." 

Wine Folly: (Page 336) Port - "Black Plum, Dried Cherry, Chocolate, Raisin, Cinnamon... The most famous fortified wine of Portugal is a blend made in a range of styles including white rose, red, and tawny. Each style is unique, so try them all!" (Needless to say, I will!) This wine is also normally known for its high levels all around: alcohol content, body, sweetness, tannins, and acidity. 

My Review: I did NOT know this when I purchased the wine: Only the most exceptional quality of wine produced by Taylor Port is "declared" as a vintage wine. In all other circumstances, they leave the vintage off the label (See: Classic Vintage Port Wine - Taylor Fladgate.). Personally, I think it's a stupid rule, but to each their own. However, I will say their choice of color is beautiful with a crystal ruby red hue all around. I've noticed rose, menthol, black cherry, vanilla, oak, and caramel from this one's scent. Very well balanced at 18% alcohol, I would argue this is on right on par with Stella Rosa's wine selection. AND to make matters even better, this one is from my home state. I'll double down on my luck here and include the fact that this wine was recommended to me by a stranger I met during a quick chat about multivitamins. By sheer chance, I've found a wine I can appreciate and be proud of simultaneously.