Jacob's Wine Blog

     Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Chevalier du Grand Robert Bordeaux Clairet Dry Rose Varietal: Blend (grapes not given) Region: Bordeaux Country: France Year: 2020 Price: $13.99 Tasting Notes from Wine Enthusiast: "Deep rosé in color, the wine has a light tannic character to go with the red berry fruits. There is acidity, enough to give this wine a crisp aftertaste. Drink now." Source: https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/chevalier-du-grand-robert-2020-dry-rose-bordeaux-clairet/ Wine Folly Notes - N/A My Review:  This rose was much closer to a red, which I enjoyed. It was dry for a rose as its label would suggest, and along with the strawberry flavor like the Apothic rose it had an oaky flavor and aftertaste. It was also more alcoholic than the Apothic. The label described it as "velvety," which I agree with. I think the dryness complemented the strawberry flavor nicely.

   Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Apothic Rose Varietal: Blend (grapes not given) Region: California Country: United States Year: 2020 Price: $8.99 Tasting Notes from Total Wine: "This Rose features vibrant flavors of strawberry with a hint of raspberry. With a great balance between sweet and sour notes, it fully delivers on the profile of Provencal-style Roses. With a refreshing yet creamy finish, this wine is light in style but dark in nature." Source: https://www.totalwine.com/wine/rose-blush-wine/rose-blend/apothic-rose/p/133725750 Wine Folly Notes - N/A My Review:  Contrary to the online tasting notes above, I thought the character of this wine was more subtle. The strawberry flavor was refreshing and new to me. It was definitely crisp, with a little bit of fruit-forwardness, a little bit of dryness, and a little bit of acidity. I observed that it had the style of a white wine with the kind of fruit flavor you would expect in a red, congruent with the online ta...

  Left to right: Me, Ryan, Bob My roommate Bob is also taking this class, so we did this together along with our roommate Ryan. Cheese Assortment: Cheddar, Havarti, Gorgonzola Wente Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon My review alone: This wine was very jammy with sweet berry flavors and aromas. It had the most unique mouth-feel of any wine I have tasted so far, feeling like I had lumpy grape jelly in my mouth. It was not very dry for a red. My review with gorgonzola cheese: This was a fantastic pairing. The gorgonzola completely removed any dryness in the wine, and the wine really tasted like some Welch's grape jelly. The thickness of the wine and the cheese complimented each other very well. Mark West Pinot Noir My review alone: This wine had a very smoky and oaky aroma, and we all likened it to a campfire. The flavor was fruit-forward, and a little jammy like the Cabernet Sauvignon. I detected a hint of chocolate, and there was not that much dryness for a red. My review with Havarti ch...

 Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Castello del Poggio Moscato Varietal: Muscat Blanc Region: Veneto Country: Italy Year: None Given Price: $8.36 Tasting Notes from Drizly: "Perfectly ripe grapes highlight the bright fruit expression of this delightful Moscato, beloved for its notes of fresh Orange Blossom, white peach and honey that lead to a crisp, lingering finish." Source: https://drizly.com/wine/white-wine/moscato/castello-del-poggio-moscato-igt/p18211#:~:text=Perfectly%20ripe%20grapes%20highlight%20the,cheeses%20and%20fruit%2Dforward%20desserts. Wine Folly Notes - p. 138 Orange blossom, Meyer lemon, mandarin orange, ripe pear, honeysuckle Aromatic white of all styles Very high sweetness, high acidity Low alcohol, very low body and tannins My Review: This Moscato was a more muted and reserved version of the Lodali Moscato in my other tasting blog for this week. There was not as much sourness in this one, so maintaining balance required less sweetness. There is no dryness t...

Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Lodali Moscato D'Asti Varietal: Muscat Blanc Region: Piedmont Country: Italy Year: 2020 Price: $8.99 Tasting Notes from City Vino: "Fresh, sweet and fragrant with floral notes. Apricot, orange, peach and honey aromas that flow onto the palate with light bubbles." Source: https://www.city-vino.com/lodali-moscato-dasti-piedmont-italy.html#:~:text=Fresh%2C%20sweet%20and%20fragrant%20with,the%20palate%20with%20light%20bubbles. Wine Folly Notes - p. 138 Orange blossom, Meyer lemon, mandarin orange, ripe pear, honeysuckle Aromatic white of all styles Very high sweetness, high acidity Low alcohol, very low body and tannins My Review: This was a very sweet and refreshing Moscato. The aroma of sweet citrus and crisp apple was a nice teaser to the taste. This wine fooled me into thinking I was drinking an orange crush soda. The slight bubbles complemented the sweet orange and slightly prickly lemon, overlaid on the usual white wine apple taste. Notes...

From left to right: Me and Bob For our second wine dinner, my roommate Bob and I decided to go with an Italian spread, with sautéed broccoli paired with Chardonnay, white wine pasta paired with the Sauvignon Blanc we used to cook the pasta, and a pepperoni pizza paired with a Chianti. Garlic Sautéed Broccoli Name: Kendall-Jackson Avant Unoaked Chardonnay Variety: Chardonnay Region: California Country: United States Year: 2020 My review on its own:  On its own, this Chardonnay had the usual apple taste, but it was buttery instead of crisp. It also did not have much acidity. My review with broccoli: The sweetness of the apple in the Chardonnay and the bitterness of the charred broccoli canceled out, leaving an overwhelming garlic taste. As someone who likes garlic, this resulted in a pretty good pairing. White Wine Pasta Name: Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Marlborough Country: New Zealand Year: 2021 My review on its own: This wine did not have much of a ...

Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Lapis Luna Sauvignon Blanc Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc Region: North Coast, California Country: United States Year: 2020 Price: $13.99 Tasting Notes from Wine.com: "White peach, elegant tropical fruits and fresh florals fragrance the nose. Refreshes with a racing acidity that balances ripe citrus and stone fruit flavors, finishing with great length and style." Source: https://www.wine.com/product/lapis-luna-sauvignon-blanc-2019/591639# Wine Folly Notes - p. 165 Unique-tasting white with strong herbaceous flavors derived from methoxypyrazines Gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach, passionfruit Very high acidity Low alcohol, low body, low sweetness Very low tannins My Review: This Sauvignon Blanc was very different and very enjoyable. It had a nice blend of peach with tropical fruits (mango maybe?). It was very easy on my mouth, and a lot sweeter than it was acidic or sour. The tropical fruit flavors are unique among wines I have had, and i...

Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Torrent Bay Sauvignon Blanc Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Nelson Country: New Zealand Year: 2020 Price: $12.99 Tasting Notes from Get Wines Direct: "Soft and Bright with abundant fruit including lime and white melon with subtle savory, smokey characters leading to a fine, long and elegant finish." Source: https://www.getwinesdirect.com/white-wine/Torrent-Bay-Nelson-Sauvignon-Blanc-2020 Wine Folly Notes - p. 165 Unique-tasting white with strong herbaceous flavors derived from methoxypyrazines Gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach, passionfruit Very high acidity Low alcohol, low body, low sweetness Very low tannins My Review: This was a very pleasant Sauvignon Blanc. Its aroma was prominent with pear and grape, with much the same taste. It was a little acidic on the first tongue-touch (but not really afterward) and very crisp, with a pleasant sour aftertaste. It was also a little on the dry side for a white wine. I definitely agree wi...

  Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Chateau Ste Michelle Gewurztraminer Varietal: Gewurztraminer Region: Columbia Valley, Washington Country: United States Year: 2020 Price: $10.99 Tasting Notes from Total Wine: "This Gewurztraminer is an enjoyable wine with exuberant fruit and clove spice. Try with Thai food. Fresh and vibrant, this is zingy with a pear and tangerine flavors, persisting nicely on the lively finish. There's a light sweetness for balance. Drink now." Source: https://www.totalwine.com/wine/white-wine/gewurztraminer/chateau-ste-michelle-gewurztraminer/p/1098750 Wine Folly Notes - p. 115 Lychee, rose, grapefruit, tangerine, ginger Intense floral aromas Best enjoyed in youth when acidity is highest Variable very low to high sweetness Moderately high alcohol, moderate body Very low acidity, very low tannins My Review: This wine was very similar to the Riesling (that I had in the same tasting session) in aroma, with a bit of grapefruit and a lot more floral smells...

  Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Chateau Ste Michelle Dry Riesling Varietal: Riesling Region: Columbia Valley, Washington Country: United States Year: 2021 Price: $10.99 Tasting Notes from Total Wine: "Inviting and easy to drink with flavors of white peach, apricot, pear and zesty grapefruit. This is a classic Columbia Valley Riesling that is versatile, charming and fun to drink." Source: https://www.totalwine.com/wine/white-wine/riesling/chateau-ste-michelle-riesling/p/1099750 Wine Folly Notes - p. 158-159 Lime, green apple, beeswax, jasmine, petroleum Aromatic, style ranging from bone-dry to very sweet Variable low to very high sweetness, high acidity Low alcohol, very low body, very low tannins My Review: This wine had a very sweet and fruity aroma, mainly of green apple. I thought I smelled another element enhancing the sweetness, maybe vanilla or honey, but I could not narrow it down. The first taste of this wine was very tart, just like taking the first sip of some lem...