Tasting - Belmondo Moscato

Name: Belmondo Moscato

Variety: Muscat Blanc A Petits

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $7.99

Wine Review: "Soft golden hues of honey sparkle in this classic Italian Moscato. Notes of lavender, orange and hibiscus are highlighted by a tantalizing frizzante tingle on the pallet. Perfect by itself as an aperitif or with desserts."

My Review: This was a refreshing and subtly sweet Moscato enriched with exotic passionfruit, vanilla creme, honeydew, and tones of citrus fruits. The nose, filled with passionfruit and a floral bouquet,  foreshadowed the previously mentioned flavors on the palate. Like most other Moscatos I have come across, this makes for easy drinking and should be served chilled and with good company. I liked this better than the First Light Moscato that I had purchased a few weeks ago because the sweetness is not as overpowering. An inexpensive and good buy. It was enjoyed with herbed bruchetta, which actually worked well but I would like to try this with a fruit tart or apple pie as more of a dessert wine.

Tasting - Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Maipo Valley

Country: Chile

Year: 2009

Price: $17.99

Wine Review: "Dark and rather toasty, with firm coffee and black licorice notes around the core of roasted fig and black currant fruit. A firm, toasty edge holds sway on the finish. For fans of the style. 88 Points Wine Spectator"

My Review: This red was a deep violet to ruby color. There were aromas of black berry, plums, and mocha on the nose. These same flavors as well as hints of cherry, tobacco, and oak were present on the palate as well. It was a textured, complex red with smooth and ripe tannins. A strong finish to round out the tasting experience was the highlight of this wine. I enjoyed this red very much, but it was wrongly paired with a pomegranate-acai Greek yogurt. It was a little overpowering for this light yogurt, but I think it would complement a blackberry pie, fruit tart- anything with fruit jam. 

Tasting - Yellow Tail Shiraz

Name: Yellow Tail Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz

Region: Australia

Country: United States

Year: 2008

Price: $7.99

Wine Review: "Fruity but not overly sweet, balanced well by spice at the finish. Not as big and rich as a Syrah should be; poorly concealed alcohol leads to a regrettably thin mouthfeel. Not complex or well-crafted by any means, but still very tasty and approachable. This may be one of my new affordable, weekday-dinner kind of wines. An excellent bargain wine, but definitely a bargain wine."

My Review: On the nose there was blackberry, licorice, caramel, and a hint of black pepper. Despite what the review said, I thought there was plenty of flavors that had spices, herbs, black cherries, blackberry jam, and even hints of mocha. Perhaps not one of the most "voluptuous" Shirazes out there, but there was plenty to work with. A full-bodied mid-palate with an average, 5-7 second finish. There was a grainy surface texture and a decent balance of tannins. Overall, it was an inexpensive wine that should be paired with something like a lobster bisque or charbroiled beef.  

Wine Dinner - Spring Break '14

During this Spring Break, I took advantage of the fact that I was home (as well as my parent's money) to have a wine dinner! Only my dad and I ate, as my little sister and mother, although pictured above, had already eaten dinner at this point. My dad and I had just spent the day in Bethesda and we were tired, so it was a nice father-daughter dinner. Plus, my mother does not drink wine and of course my little sister is underage.

The three wines we had with dinner were a Sauvignon Blanc by the Crossings, an Estancia Pinot Noir, and a Cascina Fonda Moscato. I picked out the wines based on what we were going to have for dinner since my parents really don't know anything about wine! It was fun to teach my dad how to get the most out of a wine tasting experience. I taught him how to "sniff and swirl" and the importance of the aroma of the wine in the overall taste.

We had a light salad to start, which I thought might go well with a crisp white wine. This is why I chose a Sauvignon Blanc. It was called "The Crossings" Sauvignon Blanc 2013 from the Marlborough Region of New Zealand. On the nose, there was zesty lime, a good acidic balance, and hints of oregano. On the palate this was a smooth, refreshing white that made for casual, easy drinking. There was citrus fruits, mango, and even peach. This paired perfectly with the salad we were having that was topped with a lightly grilled chicken, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. My dad is not very picky, so he said he enjoyed the white wine with the salad as well. However, I wish instead of a Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing I wish it had citrus fruits such as tangerines or clementines, with squeezed lemon juice on the top. I think that would greatly complement the Blanc.

The next dish was the main course of home-marinated steak and eggrolls paired with an Estancia 2012 Pinot Noir crafted from Monterey County. On the nose, there was strawberry jam, blueberries, and other ripe fruits that I could not quite put my finger on. Overall, the taste was like the nose- heavily emphasized on fruit and herbs. The underlying herbal component paired well with the steak we had, but I thought the Pinot Noir variety as a whole might have been the wrong choice for this hearty meat. There was a little too much emphasis on the fruity component of the wine that I think the steak would have been paired better with an peppery and smokey-flavored Cabernet Sauvignon. The Pinot Noir was bold, but in the fruity way. I would have liked a more peppery or spicey taste to go with meat. Surprisingly, the Pinot paired better with the egg rolls in my opinion. The more bland, vegetable-based egg rolls did a better job of bringing out the herbs in the Estancia Pinot Noir than the meat did. Perhaps the sauce on the meat was too strong and clashed with the Pinot. My dad, on the other hand, did not like the Pinot Noir with the egg rolls and thought it was decent with the steak. I have a feeling that he would have liked to drink the Pinot Noir alone without any food pairings. I told him that maybe we haven't found the right food yet and not to give up!

We are not usually big on dessert in my family for dinner, but we did happen to have a tiny bit of vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookies for my little sister's birthday (she just turned 10). The moscato, a Cascina Fonda Moscato D'asti from 2011, paired quite well with the vanilla ice cream. There was plenty of apricot, sweet apple, and peaches on the nose. There were the same flavors on the palate, but I was also getting a floral component with honeysuckle, strawberries and cream, and asian pears. I think the ice cream went so well with the Moscato because of the vanilla flavor's fairly neutral flavor profile- anything tastes good with vanilla flavor. The chocolate cookies, however, did not pair as well with the Moscato. The fruity tones with the cookie did not work as well, and I think my dad and I both agreed that we should just stick with milk and chocolate chip cookies!

This wine dinner was a fantastic experience, especially because I had never really had wine with my parents before. Neither parent is a big wine drinker, and although my mom did not want to participate, it was a nice bonding experience with my father. He is very easy-going and always up to trying new things. I was happy to share my love of wine with the people I am close to, so hopefully they can develop the same appreciation for this fantastic and versatile drink as well! 

Tasting - Apothic Red

Name: Apothic Red

Variety: Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah)

Region: California

Country: U.S.A

Year: 2010

Price: $11.99

Wine Review: "The 2010 Apothic Red is bold and enchanting, as it captures the dark fruit characteristics of Syrah and Zinfandel. These jammy flavors blend well with the elegant blackberry and black cherry characteristics of the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The wine is further enhanced by undertones of mocha and vanilla."

My Review: There was a lot going on in the Apothic Red, as noted by the blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Syrah. The many flavors did seem to overlap and clash, as if to be competing for the most prominent part of the palate. On the nose there was black currant as well as berry jam. As for the taste, I was getting a smokey component, perhaps from the Syrah as well as pomegranate, prunes, and licorice. There was almost an underlying peppery component to the tasting that I thought was bizarre when beside the other dark berry flavors. This was a bold red, and it did not work for me. It was not paired with food, but maybe I could try it with some potatoes, seasoned rice, and dark meat. 

Tasting - Chateau Ste Michelle Syrah

Name: Chateau Ste Michelle Syrah

Variety: Syrah

Region: Canoe Ridge, Washington

Country: U.S.A

Year: 2009

Price: $16.00

Wine Review: "This dark, ripe and unctuous Syrah displays earthy aromas with flavors of chocolate and cherries. The wine finishes with silky tannins and would make a great pairing for short ribs.” - Bob Bertheau

My Review: The Chateau Ste Michelle Syrah was a gorgeously deep, ruby color. On the nose there was dark chocolate, pomegranate juice, blueberries, and a somewhat oaky aroma. There was licorice, blackberry jam, and a smokey feel on the tongue with a grippy mid-palate. I was also getting a little bit of heat from this red, but after a few more swirls it was not as prominent. This had well-balanced tannins and complemented the beef stew that I had with it very nicely. I would not mind also trying this with a cherry or raspberry-filled dark chocolate candy.

Tasting - Home-brewed Beer

Name: My uncle's home-brewed beer!

Region: Virginia

Country: U.S.A

Year: 2013

Price: Free, compliments to my uncle

Critic Review: N/A

My Review: This was a fun tasting, because it was from the unique batch of my uncle's home brew! I did not have a chance to talk to him about the process too much since he just dropped it off at my house, but I did get a chance to try it. He has been brewing his own beer for a year or so, and it has become a hobby of his, so I was excited to have a taste. On the nose there was an earthy aroma of topsoil and grains, and it was almost as if I could smell the barley or wheat he used to make it. There was a woody and oaky taste on the palate and it was quite heavy- almost like a dark ale. I was also getting a variety of nutty flavors such as almonds, cashews, and a hint of chick peas. The complex and earthy flavors made this a very organic, enjoyable beer that I thought was even better since it was home-made by my family! It was not paired with food, but I bet it would go great with spicy BBQ drumsticks. Hopefully I will get a chance to try another one of my uncle's home-brew masterpieces soon!