Tasting: Alamos Red Blend

 Alamos Red Blend

-Grapes: Blend

-Country: Argentina

-Region: Mendoza

-Vintage: 2020

-Price: like $12

My Review

    The color of the wine is most accurately described as a deep ruby or deep purple. The wine smells primarily of dark fruit like blackberry, and you immediately can smell the acidity (the higher elevation of the Mendoza region in Argentina gives its wines more acidity). It feels somewhat light in the mouth, and has a short to medium acidic finish. This wine does not have a very strong tannic component. It has two primary flavors of dark fruit and spice, with there being slightly more spice than fruit. Upon tasting the wine you get an initial acidic bite, then the fruit flavors, and then a more lasting spicy taste. I thought this wine was definitely improved when paired with food. The spice flavors in the wine paired very nicely with a relatively sweet red tomato sauce. Ultimately I liked it and I'd drink it again with food. 

    

Tasting: Yellow Tail Shiraz

 

Yellow Tail Shiraz

-Grapes: Shiraz

-Country: Australia

-Region: New South Wales

-Vintage: 2019

-Price: $7

-Critic Review: "When tasting Yellow Tail Shiraz we felt there was an immediate and somewhat harsh bitterness to the flavor.  The taste lacks any red or black fruits and evolves into a burnt caramel flavor just prior to the tannins kicking in. When we were discussing this, we wondered if maybe this wine was too young or had an issue during the aging process.  The vintage we were tasting was the 2014. Tannins were washed out.  We noticed a little grip that was mildly felt on the tongue, but that was about it. Finish was short to medium."

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: "South Australia Shiraz has notes of blackberry sauce, fruit cake, sassafras, camphor, and sweet tobacco. Also has notes of blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, and green peppercorn. (pg.172-173)" 

-My Review: The color is a Medium Purple in Wine Folly. The primary aroma was dark fruit, with a hint of spice. The most pronounced flavor of this wine was vanilla. This wine has the most vanilla flavor of any shiraz I have tasted so far. The fruit flavors go away somewhat, there is a hint of blueberry. I would say this shiraz is less spicy and more so smoky at the finish. It is medium bodied, short to medium finish, and a decent balance of sweetness and acidity.            

Critical Reviews:

https://www.honestwinereviews.com/yellow-tail-shiraz-wine-review#:~:text=It's%20very%20pronounced%20and%20overwhelming,to%20the%20tannins%20kicking%20in.

Tasting: Menage a Trois Dolce Sweet Red Blend

 

Menage a Trois Dolce Sweet Red Blend

-Grapes: Red Blend, unknown

-Country: United States

-Region: California

-Vintage: 2019

-Price: $12

-Critic Review: "Brimming with decadent blackberry and raspberry flavors accented by warm notes of cherry vanilla, this rich wine is lively on the palate, lifted by delicate, light carbonation and crisp acidity." 

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: Similar to Dolcetto. "..,typically tart with loads of black fruit flavors and occasionally aggressive tannins (pg.105). " 

-My Review: The color is a Deep Ruby in Wine Folly. The primary aromas are blue raspberry and cotton candy. The main flavors are blueberry and raspberry. It resembles blue Powerade or Gatorade. The most accurate comparison I thought of was ring pops. This is a dessert wine that is very sweet and medium bodied. I think this would pair nicely with chocolate cake.          

Critical Reviews:

https://www.onestopwineshop.com/index.cfm?method=products.productDrilldown&productID=B978A465-E5A5-67BD-B780-3D1D728614B0&originalMarketingURL=product/Menage-a-Trois-Sweet-Collection-Dolce-Red

Wine and Cheese Pairing 2

 

Wine and Cheese Pairing Part Two

Wines

• Italia Roscato Sweet Red, 2020
• Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz, 2020 
• Schmitt Sohne Riesling, 2017

Cheeses

• Brie
• Sharp Cheddar
• Chipotle Gouda

Wine Tasting Notes Without Pairing

• Roscato: It is essentially welches grape juice with more strawberry and raspberry flavors. It has a short finish, it is sweet and not too acidic. 
• Sweet Shiraz: This Shiraz is much more fruit forward and less spicy than other Shiraz I have tasted. It is a mix of blueberry and strawberry and is not very sweet.
• Riesling: It has an initial acidic bite with an apricot and pear finish. May also have a slight apple flavor.   

Wine Tasting Notes With Pairing

• Riesling
• Chipotle Gouda: This pairing enhances the finish. It leaves a smoky chipotle flavor in your mouth which is nice with the fruit flavors. It takes away the initial acidic bite.
• Sharp Cheddar: The tanginess of the cheese neutralizes the acidity of the wine. The fruit flavors pair pretty well with the cheese, but ultimately the cheddar may overpower a little.
• Brie: The Riesling overpowers and it makes the finish funky/moldy. 
• Sweet Shiraz with
• Chipotle Gouda: This pairing adds a little of that spicy flavor that this shiraz lacks. They blend nicely.
• Sharp Cheddar: Both the flavors of the wine and the cheese are more pronounced. This is a good pairing.
• Brie: The Shiraz overpowers, and the combination leaves a musty taste.
• Roscato with
• Chipotle Gouda: The flavors do not really interact with one another. The sweetness of the Roscato overpowers the cheese. The chipotle flavor remains after the wine's short finish.
• Sharp Cheddar: Like the Gouda, the wine overpowers the cheese completely. You are left with the tang from the sharp cheddar after the finish.
• Brie: The wine overpowers the cheese again, but makes the finish much worse. It leaves a taste similar to how a bathroom smells.  

Tasting: Manina Sauvignon Blanc

 

Manina Sauvignon Blanc

-Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

-Country: Chile

-Region: Central Valley

-Vintage: 2020

-Price: $9

-Critic Review: "Tart, grassy, smooth. Nice sale wine, good for veggie stir fry or with a creamy chicken casserole. Citrus, not too sweet, crisp good for everyday."

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: "A unique tasting whit wine with strong herbaceous flavors that are derived from compounds called methoxypyrazines. Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful paring partner with herb driven sauces, salty cheeses, light meats, and last but not least, Asian foods. Notes of gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach, and passion-fruit. (pg.165)."

-My Review: The color is a medium yellow in Wine Folly. The primary aromas are pineapple and mango. The pineapple smell is more noticeable. Upon tasting the wine, pineapple is also the primary flavor along with grapefruit and a hint of citrus. This is a semi-dry wine with a long finish that leaves a slight dryness in your mouth. It has a slight tart component as well. This wine is well balanced however and is very pleasant to drink.           

Critical Reviews:

https://www.vivino.com/IT/en/cl-manina-sauvignon-blanc/w/2322175

Tasting: Ménage à Trois Limelight Pinot Grigio

 

Ménage à Trois Limelight Pinot Grigio

-Grapes: Pinot Grigio

-Country: United States

-Region: California

-Vintage: 2019

-Price: $12

-Critic Review: "Enticing white floral aromas saturated with pear nectar are an enticing start to this zesty white. A blend of 78% Pinot Grigio, 10% French Colombard, 6% Riesling 4% Muscat and 2% Chenin Blanc offer an international festival of flavors including elderberry, Asian pear, a squeeze of lime and honeyed green apple. A salinity works its way in mid-palate, mustering up a spitfire acidity that ignites the palate."

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: "The Primary Aromas are in the Citrus and Flower categories (pg.30). Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio) is a pink grape mutation of Pinot Noir that's most famous for its zesty white wines that range in style from dry to just plain sweet. Pinot Gris makes an excellent pairing with white meats, seafood, and food with a fruit element, such as lemons, oranges, peaches, or apricots. Notes of white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, and crushed gravel."

-My Review: The color is similar to a Pale Gold in Wine Folly. The primary aromas we detected were pears, flowers, and green apple. Upon tasting the wine, the flavor that stood out was green apple. There was also a hint of lime and perhaps rhubarb. This wine is interesting in that it is immediately tart on the tongue but eventually mellows into a balanced sweetness and then leaves a short tart finish. This wine is light bodied, low in tannins, and has a nice balance of acidity and sweetness. Its refreshing and easy to drink.          

Critical Reviews:

https://www.wine.com/product/menage-a-trois-limelight-pinot-grigio-2018/578132#

Tasting: Salem Fork Sweet Blush

 Salem Fork Sweet Blush

-Grapes: Merlot, 100%

-Country: United States

-Region: Shelton Vineyards, North Carolina

-Vintage: 2019

-Price: $14

-Critic Review: "Abundant grapefruit aroma surround the sweet strawberry and raspberry flavors… like a slightly tart, hard candy. This refreshing picnic and summer “sipping” wine will temper fried foods, salty snacks and will pair wonderfully with simple cheese and crackers."

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: "The Primary Aromas are in the Citrus and Flower categories (pg.30). Rose (blush) wines are best paired with cured meat, white meat, and salty cheese (pg.60-61). Common Merlot tasting notes are black cherry, sweet cherry, blueberry, and chocolate (pg.132)."

-My Review: The color is similar to a medium to deep copper in Wine Folly. The primary aromas I detected were grapefruit, citrus, and table grapes. The primary taste was a slight grapefruit. There were also notes of a light buttery taste. The wine was light bodied, low in tannins, a short finish, and slightly tart. What stood out (or what didn't) is that the wine was not complex and overall uninteresting. I've had cheaper wines than this that have been far more interesting on the palette. What descriptors we could come up with were difficult to find.       

Critical Reviews:

https://sheltonvineyards.com/salem-fork-blush