Week 2, Wine Blog 2 (Pinetti Notte Zinfandel)

Jan 29, 2023    

The Wine: Pinetti Note Zinfandel

Varietal: Zinfandel | Region&Country: Puglia, Italy

Year: 2021 | Price: $5.99

• Tasting and aroma notes according to Vivino: cherry, red fruit, white pepper, leather, smoke, blackberry, oak (https://www.vivino.com/US/en/it-pinetti-notte-zinfandel/w/2589362)
• Primary flavors according to Wine Folly: Blackberry, strawberry, peach preserves, cinnamon, sweet tobacco, jammy fruit, smoky (https://winefolly.com/grapes/zinfandel/)
• Zinfandels tend to have an alcohol content on the higher end and are relatively dry

Man, this wine is nasty. Just straight up really bad, which is understandable for the price point, but I expected at least some redeeming qualities. Nope! I got a zinfandel on the recommendation of my dad, who said it would be good for someone who doesn't like reds (me). Maybe I should've invested a little more. It was more complex than the Shiraz, but somehow still worse. It had a very heavy nose-  sort of umami, like when a neighbor 3 doors down has their grill going (smoky, leathery almost). Sharp acidity and alcohol burn at first, but it also had an earthy tree bark taste to it, along with cooked fruit. No aromas lingered- it was a fleeting taste that I, unfortunately, had to take several extra sips of to pin down the flavors.

Similar to the Shiraz, I did not have this Zinfandel with food because it I don't like reds that much. Even if someone likes reds, I think this one would turn the food to ash in their mouths. It's that bad. I don't think any food pairing would make this wine seem better.

Verdict: PLONK 2- THE PLONKENING

Week 2, Wine Blog 1 (Yellow Tail Shiraz)

  Jan 29, 2023

The Wine: Yellow Tail Shiraz

Varietal: Shiraz | Region&Country: New South Wales, Australia

Year: 2021 | Price: $10.99

• Tasting notes according to the Yellow Tail website: "juicy red berries and hints of vanilla and spice" with aromas of "concentrated red cherry and plum, complemented by notes of vanilla, mocha and spice" (https://www.yellowtailwine.com/us/product/shiraz/)
• Primary flavors according to Wine Folly: Blackberry, black cherry, pipe tobacco, camphor, clove (https://winefolly.com/tips/tasting-challenge-australian-shiraz/)
• A Shiraz is like a sub-variety or twin to Syrah, which was brought to Australia from Europe and eventually given its new name, and has since become a classic variety for Australia

I think this is one of the last chances I'm giving red wine! I have tried to like it, but I find red wines to taste more alcoholic despite having the same content as a white. This wine was no exception. I found myself cringing after the first sip. The acidity and alcohol burn were the first things I noticed, followed by a tart flavor like sour cherries. On the exhale, it had aromas of vanilla and cardamom, but more along the lines of  "I have just swallowed a spoonful of vanilla extract and licked the bottom of a spice cabinet" than "mmm warm vanilla and a hint of spice". Overall, it did not seem that complex to me, (I don't have a decanter yet, maybe that would have helped.) and I did not get any of the fabled "mocha" aromas the Yellow Tail website mentioned. Shiraz/Syrah wines are supposed to be full bodied, but this one seemed pretty light and tart to me.

I didn't try this wine with any food, because I know myself, and I would not enjoy my food if I had to sip on red wine the whole time. I assume people who enjoy reds would like it with heavy or umami foods like steak to offset the sharpness of the wine. Maybe I need to find one that has less acidity to it.

Verdict: PLONK

Week 1, Wine Blog 2 (Prophecy Pinot Grigio)

 Jan 22, 2023

The Wine: Prophecy Pinot Grigio

Varietal: Pinot Grigio | Region&Country: Delle Venezie, Italy

Year: 2021 | Price: $10.99

• Tasting notes according to the Prophecy website are "light citrus, tropical fruit and mineral notes offer crisp, refreshment and are complemented by delicate floral aromas" (https://www.prophecywines.com/our-wines/pinot-grigio.html)
• Primary flavors according to Wine Folly: white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, crushed gravel (https://winefolly.com/grapes/pinot-gris/)
• Pinot Grigio is known for  known for zesty white wines, but can also be used for rosé
• Has medium-high acidity

Full disclosure, I partially bought this wine because I'm a sucker for a cool looking label. I'm not huge on dry wines, but I still gave this one a try. I tried to move past first impressions and really try to identify the flavors and aromas, but I still had a hard time pinning them down. I first noted a sour taste, like under-ripe stone fruit or lemons, and maybe a hint of peach. It was followed by a strange metallic taste, like someone slapped me with a roll of quarters before I took a sip. Not a huge fan of that. Reading "crushed gravel" in the Wine Folly taste notes gave me a laugh. Crushed gravel-mineral taste indeed!

I tried this wine with my dinner today- butternut squash soup. Verdict on the pairing: yuuuuck! Wine folly recommends Pinto Grigio with lighter things like white meat and seafood- they're definitely right. The tartness of the wine following the richness of the soup soiled the experience of both. It really highlighted just how dry and sour this wine is. Hopefully I'll get better at wine pairings soon.

Week 1, Wine Blog 1 (Risata Moscato d'Asti)

Jan 22, 2023

The Wine: Risata Moscato d'Asti

Varietal: Moscato Bianco di Canelli | Region&Country: Asti, Italy

Year: 2021 | Price: $12.99

• Tasting notes according to the Risata website are "juicy stone fruit, tart citrus, and floral honey flavors" (https://www.risatawines.com/wine/moscato-dasti/)
• According to Wine Folly: flavors and aromas of peaches, fresh grapes, orange blossoms, crisp Meyer lemons, pear, mandarin orange, and honeysuckle (https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/the-magic-of-moscato-dasti/)
• The half-sparkling nature of this wine (frizzante) allows the flavors to tingle on the tongue and make the wine seem just slightly sweet, even though it has a decent amount of sugar
• Should drink recent vintages- young and fresh

This wine is honestly a favorite so far. I took a shot in the dark buying it, since I know I enjoy Moscato but have only really bought bottom shelf bottles. The risk paid off! The light carbonation was very refreshing, and enhanced the flavors I experienced. Upon my first taste, I noted a heavy, sweet note like ripe peaches or plums, followed by bright hints of citrus. On the exhale, I noted aromas of something confectionary, almost like chocolate. After reading the Risata website and Wine Folly descriptions, honey is probably a better description for that tailing aroma. This was a delightful and refreshing sweet wine, and I will certainly buy it as gifts for friends or bring it to dinners.

I didn't have food with this wine, but if I did, I would pair it with something more acidic or sharp to contrast the sweetness of the wine. Having it without food made it so that after about half a glass, it was getting a little too sweet for me. Maybe a charcuterie board with olives and sharp cheeses. I think it would help bring out the flavors of both the food and the wine. Next time!  

My Wine Experience So Far

 

Hello, I'm Ellen!

I didn't really start liking wines until recently. My parents were never big wine drinkers, so I never got to sample things when I was younger to introduce my palate to the experience. Most of the times I've had wine recently, it's been for special occasions, big dinners, or holidays. I know a lot of people's parents walk them through the language of wine from a young age, but since mine aren't big drinkers and don't know the lingo, I never learned. I tend to scoff at wine snobs when I see them, and I think that a lot of the pomp surrounding wine is irritating

From this class, I would like to bring wine and wine culture to my level. Like I said, I hate the pomp and snobbishness that people tend to have- I think it makes drinking wine feel very inaccessible. I want to know how to speak their language so I can share my knowledge with friends and family. Hopefully, I can show them that drinking wine (that is, "good" wine,) isn't only reserved for fancy-pants rich people.

I love food and cooking, so I am also hoping that this class can also inform my knowledge of pairings. I've always been hesitant to try wine with food since there are so many wines I dislike. I want to broaden my horizons, and hopefully it will enhance the experience of both the food and the wine. I think the circumstances I have previously tried wine has informed my tastes a bit. I really enjoy sweet, fizzy, and refreshing wines that are served at special occasions like I mentioned. I don't enjoy drinks that have high alcohol contents, so I usually stick to the cheaper, sweeter stuff that has less alcohol. I don't have much experience with reds, but every red I've tasted so far has made my face pucker up! An early goal for me is finding my "gateway red" that might make me appreciate reds in general more. Maybe even learn to enjoy reds!