Third Installment of... To be a Wine Snob!

Welcome back yet again everyone!

This is the third lesson in wine snobbery. It was an unexpectedly good week for wines and I am very excited to share one in particular with you all. Contrary to last week, this weeks best wine also had the cheapest price tag, but it hands down a bottle I will be keeping on the shelf from now on.

The Little Sheep Sauvignon Blanc

Variety of Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

region: Marlborough

Country: New Zealand

Vintage: 2021

Price: $12.99 - 14.99

Review from stationplazawine.com: "Aromas of ripe peach and citrus notes with flavors of lemon, lime and a hint of green apple. Well-balanced acidity and a lingering hint of nectarine frames the finish."

Pairings from stationplazawine.com: "This flexible wine will pair with a  wide variety of salads, asparagus, artichokes, avocados, apples, chickpeas, crab cakes, cumin, fennel, hummus, brie, camembert, feta, goat cheese, mango, cilantro, garlic, tomatoes, turkey, green vegetables, basil, to name just a few."

Personal Review: On the nose I get an overpowering citrus aroma with the cooling freshness of concord grapes, though this kind of grape is actually not present. It is also very fruity and smells of honeydew melon and gooseberries. The taste is nicely balanced with the acidity just prickling the middle of the tongue. It tastes of green apple, lime, and some peach. Two days later it has picked up an oddly nice addition to the taste that greatly leans into the bell pepper flavor. I can say with certainty this should not be paired with garlic-butter-parsley sautéed shrimp, but goes remarkably well when paired with fruity chocolates. The jammy, fruity aromas/tastes just do not go well with seafood, but still combine for one of the best white wines I have ever tried. Definitely one to pick up especially considering the price.

Ziobaffa

Variety of Grapes: Mostly Galera, some Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio

region: Tuscany

Country: Italy

Vintage: 2021

Price: $16.99

Review from wine.com: "Typical crisp and delicate perlage. Pale light yellow color, delicate and fragrant bouquet, with fruity notes of banana and apple and notes of acacia flowers. Fresh and light on the palate, with balanced acidity and body; harmonic with a pleasant dry aftertaste."

Pairings from mtouton.com: "Ideal as an aperitif, it is a perfect combination to hors-d'oeuvres and shell fish"

Personal Review: The smell is very cool and light, definitely consistent with menthol. It also smells of green apple like the previous wine. The taste is remarkably light and not as bubbly as I would expect. The green apple definitely carries over into the taste as well. There is a grapefruit finish that is quite enjoyable with the light dryness from the wine. Unlike the previous, this one is perfect with garlic-butter-parsley sautéed shrimp and I imagine it would also pair extremely well with scallops or any seafood for that matter. It is worth the price, but only if you plan to cook with it and pair it with seafood.

Wine Snobbery lesson 2

 Welcome back everyone!

This is lesson 2 in wine snobbery. It was a special week this week. I surprised my beautiful girlfriend with a romantic dinner for valentines day. I made us a steak dinner and bought an expensive bottle of wine. We have never bought a bottle this expensive, but as you'll read, it was definitely worth the price tag.

The two wines under review are Châteauneuf du Pape by Domaine Du Banneret and Winter Palace by Hincesti.

                                      

Châteauneuf du Pape by Domaine Du Banneret

Variety of Grapes: Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre

Region: Rhône Valley

Country: France

Vintage: 2018

Price: $64.95

Review from WWcellars.com: "Young vintages express a distinctive nose dominated by red fruit. The tannins are firm but silky." "This is a perfect wine for the cellar."

Pairings from WWcellars.com: "Traditionally accompanies meats, venison and cheeses, this wine can also surprise by being served with desserts- particularly with chocolate, the sweet roundness of which it magnifies by the principle of opposing flavors."

Wine Folly: "The GSM Blend is a versatile food pairing wine that works particularly well with dishes featuring Mediterranean spices including red pepper, sage, rosemary, and olives." Pg. 156

Personal Review: At first I smell an oaky flavor, almost like a campfire. It also smells jammy. As for the taste, the tannins aren't overwhelming and it seems balanced. It was very fruity the first day we had this, but now it has mellowed out and isn't as fruit forward. I would absolutely recommend this wine. It was one of the best wines I have ever had. It is best enjoyed with food, especially with gamey meat and earthy foods. My girlfriend and I had paired it with a grass feed steak with a red wine creamy mushroom sauce... and yes we used this wine for the sauce. Absolutely worth the price!

Winter Palace by Hincesti

Variety of Grapes: Vidal Blanc

Region: Cahul

Country: Moldova

Vintage: ?

Price: $19.95

Review from Aiko importers: "On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, rich, nicely balanced, and pleasantly sweet. The flavor profile begins with apricot and orange marmalade blended with hints of golden raisin and honey. The finish remains sweet and drifts away nicely"

Pairing suggested by Wine Folly: "Ice wines are perfect with fruit tarts, cheesecake, ice cream, and soft and pungent cheeses such as Brie and Camembert." Pg. 121

Wine Folly: "To be labeled ice wine, grapes must be picked and pressed while frozen naturally. This only happens in cool climates where temperatures get below 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the late harvest period." Pg. 121

Personal Review: I smell brown sugar, molasses, and raisins. It tastes a little smokey with a deep taste of raisin. It is very sweet. I would pair this vanilla ice cream or my girlfriends chocolates. I would recommend this to anyone who really enjoys sweet dessert wines. Definitely drink this in small quantities because it can get overwhelming after a few sips. 

Adios my fellow snobs, and see you next week!

 -Charlie

First Lesson in Wine Snobbing

 Hey everyone!

My girlfriend and I explored some wines this weekend. We both had a challenging week and have been looking forward to doing this review. With that in mind, let's begin.

The wines we tasted were 1928 Rosé by Cavicchioli U. & Figli and Les Champauvins Domaine Grand Veneur by Alain Jaume. 

1928 Rosé by Cavicchioli U and Figli

Variety of Grapes : Lambrusco 

Region : Modena

Country : Italy

Vintage : ?

Price : $11.95

Review from International wine shop : "Cavicchioli 1928 Rose Spumante Dolce features, when poured and tasted, white and evanescent foam; fine and lingering perlage; bright and pale pink "candy" color; fresh and fruity aroma; sweet, slightly spicy and aromatic taste with red fruit notes with lingering aftertaste."

Recommended Pairings from International wine shop: "Cavicchioli 1928 Rose Spumante Dolce should be drunk young and is excellent as an aperitif, to sweet and sour pairings, with risotto, tortellini, seafood dishes, enjoy it with fresh fruits. Serving temperature: chilled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit."

Wine Folly: "A great food wine, Lambrusco goes with everything from pizza to burgers. Try pairing with Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiana Reggiano for an authentic delight." Pg. 122

Personal Review: I smelled floral notes, especially rose. From the tasting, I detected hints of raisins, grapefruit, and strawberries. I would recommend this to everyone. It is really good. It is really sweet and the bubbles make it really light. I do not recommend pairing it with anything, although, I could see drinking this with fresh fruit. 

Les Champauvins Domaine Grand Veneur by Alain Jaume

Variety of Grapes : 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre

Region : Orange

Country : France

Vintage : 2018

Price : $19.95

Review from Wine.com : "Aromas of kirsch and violet petals introduce this fruity blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. It's a lusciously textured, voluminous sip packed with concentrated flavors of raspberry coulis and strawberry leather, but nuanced by subtleties of smoke and garrigue too." - Wine Enthusiast

Wine Folly : "The GSM Blend is a versatile food pairing wine that works particularly well with dishes featuring Mediterranean spices including red pepper, sage, rosemary, and olives." Pg. 156

Personal Review: I smell a cool oder like I am smelling mint. It also has an earthy mushroom tone in its scent. It tastes slightly burnt like coffee. I also detect notes of licorice, dark chocolate, and spice. I would probably not recommend this to someone until I try it with an earthy dish. I prefer to see what it pairs with before telling others to get it. I think it would go really well with a sweet nutty salad with goat cheese, grapes, and, pomegranate seeds. I do not recommend drinking it alone like I did.

Cheers to another week!

Charlie