Tasting - Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Name: Fetzer Gewurztraminer
Variety: 100% Gewurztraminer
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95 (on sale)

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.

My Review: This wine smelled very sweet. It had hints of fruits such as peaches. When I tasted it, it tasted like the syrup in canned peaches.  

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2015
Price: $6.95 (on sale)

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."

My Review: This wine smelled and tasted of dark cherries and chocolate. It was a little bit too rich for my taste and I did not like it. I do not like wines that have hints of chocolate.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay

Name: Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay
Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2014
Price: $4.95 (on sale)

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.

My Review: I did not like this red wine at all. It was very dry and tasted of cherries, which is not a flavor I like. When I smelled it, it had hints of dark berries. 

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Mapreco Vinho Verde Rose

Name: Mapreco Vinho Verde Rose
Variety: 100% Vinho Verde
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2015
Price: $7.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rosé 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.

My Review: This wine had a pretty color to it. It smelled of fruity and florally. I really enjoyed this wine because it was sweet and had a little bit of fizz to it.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Mars & Venus Chardonnay

Name: Mars & Venus Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers 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 weeknight sipping.

My Review: This wine smelled like apples. When I tasted it, it had a tart flavor with a bitter aftertaste that I did not like. It was also a little bit dry.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Beringer Chenin Blanc

Name: Beringer Chenin Blanc
Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $5.95 (on sale)

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.

My Review: This wine was smooth and had hints of pears and other fruits. It was not very sweet, but it was not very acidic either. This wine would be good for any occasion. 

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Carraia Aglianico

Name: Carraia Aglianico
Variety: 100% Aglianico
Region: Campagna
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95 (on sale)

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.

My Review: This wine was full bodied and smelled fruity. After tasting it, I thought it tasted earthy. It had hints of black cherries. I did not like this wine at all. It was too dark and had a lot of tannins.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Siema Vino Rosso

Name: Siema Vino Rosso
Variety: Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: Non-vintage
Price: $6.95 (on sale)

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.

My Review: This wine smelled spicy. I have never tasted a wine that smelled spicy and sweet. It was very interesting, but it was dry. Dry wines make me not want to drink them anymore.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Domaine de la Foret Grenache-Cinsault Rose de Mediterranée

Name: Domaine de la Foret Grenache-Cinsault Rose de Mediterranée
Variety: 50% Cinsault, 50% Grenache
Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: 2015
Price: $8.95 (on sale)

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. Shows length and cut, staying lacy in feel. 50% Cinsault and 50% Grenache.


My Review: This wine had a beautiful color to it. It had hints of flowers and cherries. I actually enjoyed this wine because of the smell and color. It was very fresh.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Bricco dei Tati Cortese

Name: Bricco dei Tati Cortese
Variety: 100% Cortese
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95 (on sale)

Winery Review: The Washington Post“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.”

My Review: This wine smelled fruity and sweet. It gave a dry aftertaste though, which I did not like. It also had an acidic taste to it. I would drink this with food. 

I tasted this wine with no food.

Dinner - Zeppoli's Italian Restaurant & Wine Shop

left: moscato center: white zinfandel right: pinot grigio

On Tuesday, my roommate, friend, and I went to Zeppoli's Italian Restaurant in Blacksburg, Virginia. I have never been to this restaurant, but I was excited because I love Italian food! They were not having any special wine promotions for Geography of Wine, but they did have an option called Wine Flight. It included 3 types of wine you choose.

We were the only people dining at Zeppoli's, so we got to really talk to our waiter about the menu and wines. He suggested the white zinfandel because it went well with all foods. I chose pinot grigio and moscato as my other options. I ordered chicken parmigiana. My friend ordered sausage and rigatoni and my roommate ordered broccoli alfredo con pollo pasta. We ended up just sharing our food, so that we could try the different wines with different types of pasta.

The first wine I started off with was Butterfly Kiss Moscato 2012. This wine smelled delicious. It had hints of sweetness and pear. It had a slight citrus smell as well. The wine tasted amazing and it tasted even better with the food. It really brought out the cheese from the chicken parmigiana. It really brought out the savory flavors and marinara sauce in the rigatoni. The alfredo had a white sauce base and I felt like this wine really brought out the creaminess.

 The next wine I tried was the pinot grigio. The type was Apostoli Pinot Grigio. This wine had a sweet smell and had hits of butter, but a very bitter aftertaste. I do not like pinot grigio because of the acidic and bitter taste it gives off. When I tasted it with the sausage rigatoni, I found that it made it taste bitter. It was really nicely paired with the broccoli alfredo though. The chicken parmigiana tasted even more savory with this wine.

The last wine I tried was Coastal Vines White Zinfandel 2013. This wine had hints of florals. I was not a fan of this wine either. It made the rigatoni taste buttery. The chicken parmigiana tasted alright. I do not think it had a particularly huge affect on the overall taste of the meals. The broccoli alfredo tasted saltier.

       
Overall, I had a great time. The food was amazing and I really liked that we got to choose the wines we tasted. My favorite was the moscato because it was sweet and made the food taste even better. I think this restaurant is decently priced and the wine flight was $9. I would definitely go here again with friends or for a special occasion. The food came out fast and the service was amazing.

Tasting - Crane Lake Riesling

Name: Crane Lake Riesling
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

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.

My Review: This wine reminded me of summer. It had hints of peach. It smelled sweet. I enjoyed this wine the most out of all of them because it was very sweet and light tasting.

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Shiraz

Name: Crane Lake Shiraz
Variety: 100% Shiraz
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

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.

My Review: This wine smelled like red berries. When I tasted it, I got hints of chocolate and a lot of tannins. The aftertaste was drying, which I did not like. 

I tasted this wine with no food.

Tasting - Georges Duboeuf Nouveau

Name: Georges Duboeuf Nouveau
Variety: 100% Gamay
Region: Beaujolais
Country: France
Year: 2015
Price: $5.95 (on sale)

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; it is the flagship Nouveau.

My Review: I really liked the smell of this wine. It smelled of fruits and sugar. When I tasted it though, it was a little dry. I did not think it was that bad. The wine label was very unique.

I tasted this wine with no food.