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

Tasting: La Vieille Ferme Rose

La Vieille Ferme Rose

-Grapes: Blend, unknown

-Country: France

-Region: Southern Rhone

-Vintage: 2019

-Price: $11

-Critic Review: "Silky and juicy, with clean flavors of strawberry and soft spice. Made by the Perrin family, it’s a nicely crafted wine at a ridiculous price."

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: "The Primary Aromas are in the Citrus and Flower categories (pg.30). Rose wines are best paired with cured meat, white meat, and salty cheese (pg.60-61). The other side of the Rhone is when its made as Rose. This is the specialty of Provence and Southern France. The blend often includes some Rolle to add bright acidity and crunchy bitterness to help liven up the blend. Notes of strawberry, honeydew melon, pink peppercorn, celery, and orange peel (pg.157)."  

-My Review: The color is similar to a Pale Salmon in Wine Folly. The primary aromas I detected were lemon, flowers, and a slight note of strawberry. The primary taste was a tart lemon zest. There were also notes of red fruit, perhaps strawberry. The combination was almost like a light, tart strawberry. This wine is light bodied, with a medium to long finish. It has a decent balance of sweetness and acidity. The acidic component is slightly greater, creating a slight tart sensation. This Rose is overall easy to drink and refreshing.   

Critical Reviews:

https://www.wine.com/product/la-vieille-ferme-rose-2019/602305?state=CA&s=GoogleBase_CSE_602305_PSNEW21_type_Wine_RosWine_Ros_423&region_id=000030&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Smart_Wine&showpromo=true&promo=PSNEW21&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3duCBhCAARIsAJeFyPXu8z7D2sBVBXLWV2G3rrwFb_yL9d5y5BRFrrMnwbuxyOmW6PDsp6oaArAdEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#

Tasting: El Pensador ("The Thinker") Tempranillo. (A Syrah Wine)

 

El Pensador Tempranillo

-Grapes: Tempranillo

-Country: Spain

-Region: Campo De Borja, Aragon

-Vintage: 2019

-Price: $8

-Critic Review: "A bright ruby color with some slight staining of the glass, this Tempranillo offers juicy red plum and ripe cranberry with a pink peppercorn and slight Sichuan spiciness. The finish has a slight, drying tannin that would make it pair well with slow roasted pork. (89/100)"

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: "The Primary Aromas are in the Black Fruit category (in my opinion) and the critic review would be in the Red Fruit category (pg.30). Syrah is a rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhone Valley of France. Darker meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with lamb shawarma, gyros, Asian five-spice pork, and Indian tandoori. Notes of blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, tobacco, and green peppercorn (pg. 172)."  

-My Review: The color is similar to a Deep Purple in Wine Folly. The primary aromas that I get are blackberry and spice (perhaps pepper or peppercorn), and a hint of strawberry. It also smells acidic. Upon tasting the wine, the primary flavor is the spices. There are also notes of blackberry and even blueberry. I did not taste strawberry or cherry. It has medium acidity, a short to medium finish, and is not overly bitter. This is the first non-sweet wine that I would personally say is very "drinkable". I drank this Syrah with chicken and spaghetti with red sauce.   

Critical Reviews:

https://www.ultimate-beverage.com/ultimate-wine-challenge-UWC/2019-wine-results/El-Pensador-Tempranillo-2018-Campo-de-Borja/

Tasting: Oliver Winery Sweet Red Lime

 

Oliver Winery Sweet Red Lime

-Grapes: Concord, Red blend

-Country: United States

-Region: Indiana

-Vintage: 2020

-Price: $12

-Critic Review: "Fresh, pure lime extract adds a fun finish to the bright, classic Concord flavor of Soft Red." "Vacation in a glass! I love Oliver’s soft red and soft white wines but Oliver’s soft red lime is amazing!!!! I love a sweet wine then add lime to it and WOW, I added limes to the regular soft red now I had lime to the soft red lime and it’s like pop rockets exploding in my mouth"

-Wine Folly Tasting Notes: The Primary Aromas are in the Red Fruit and Citrus categories (pg.30). Concord Grapes are "...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". Notes of grape, plum sauce, musk, potting soil, and cumin (pg.102).  

-My Review: The color is similar to a Deep Pink in Wine Folly. Upon smelling the wine I get notes of brown sugar and Welch's grape juice. The wine tastes almost exactly like grape juice with a citrus/lime twist. The lime is not overpowering, more like lime peel or lime zest instead of lime juice. It accents the wine nicely with a sweet citrus flavor. I also get notes of green table grapes. You cannot taste the alcohol, there is almost no burning quality (11%). It is low in tannins, light to medium bodied, and has a short finish. This is not a complex wine, but it is well balanced and very refreshing and drinkable. We drank this wine chilled and also with some ice. We did not pair this wine with food.  

Critical Reviews:

https://drizly.com/wine/red-wine/concord/oliver-soft-red-lime/p88533

Wine model: Eric Reynolds