Tasting - Espiral Vinho Verde

 

Name: Espiral Vinho Verde  
Grape Variety: Alvarinho, Arinto, Azal, Avesso, Loureiro, Trajadura
Country of Origin: Portugal
Region of Origin: Vinho Verde, Minho, Portugal
Vintage Year: Non-Vintage
Price: $4.99

Critic Review: "The non-vintage Espiral Vinho Verde begins with a pleasing aroma of green apple, citrus (especially lemon and lime), a bit of bread dough and a touch of tropical fruit. Taking a sip reveals a crisp, simple and tasty wine of the porch pounder variety! It doesn't seem quite as bubbly as the last time we tried it several years ago, but that is actually a welcome change as we thought the bubbles were a bit overboard back then. It also has good acidity, just drink it cold as it loses some of its charm when it starts to warm up. The crisp, super refreshing finish leaves lots of sweet tart candy like notes on your lips." - Jon Thorson, Reverse Wine Snob 5/29/2020

Wine Folly Review: Wine Folly describes Vinho Verde wines to be "mouth-zapping" and "fizzy," 
something I definitely picked up on while trying this new wine to me. Like described in the "Beginner's
Guide To Vinho Verde" on the Wine Folly website, I would categorize this particular Vinho Verde as dry 
with green fruit nodes. Vinho Verde is Portuguese for green wine, which definitely makes sense when 
trying the wine as it has touches of green apple and melon in its flavor profile. The stated article also
informed me that Vinho Verde us artificially carbonated in most cases. This particular Vinho Verde had a 
a nice sparkly finish probably from the winemaker's manipulation with carbonation. 

My Review: As a lover of Sauvignon Blanc, I was excited to try Vinho Verde for the first time. I was 
pleasantly surprised by the fresh and citrusy finish of this particular wine, and think it would be a great
choice for a hot summer day. Personally, I found it to be refreshingly tart and crisp. Although I really
enjoyed it, it did not pair the best with the chocolate I ate alongside it as the sweetness and tartness didn't
compliment each other well. Another aspect of this wine I really enjoyed was the slight carbonation. I 
wasn't initially aware most Vinho Verde's were sparkling, but it definitely added a special effect with the 
tart, citrusy flavor.  

Wine Dinner Blog

 

This week, a few friends and I got together to try some food and wine pairings. Fortunately, my friend Mary's aunt lives in Blacksburg and decided to help us out in her kitchen! The three wines we selected for this even were Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. In selecting our food pairings, we did our best to compliment the flavors of the particular wines we bought.

Course 1: Crackers With Blueberry Goat Cheese and Boursin Paired With Cupcake Chardonnay

As we are all fans of white wines, we decided to pair different white with our food for our first wine dinner. Chardonnay is a new favorite of mine and I was excited to try it with food. The Chardonnay we selected was by the brand Cupcake and was in their 'Light Hearted' line which features lower calorie options. This particular Chardonnay was less oaky and creamy than other ones I have tried, but I was pleasantly surprised by the strong apple/pear undertones it still had. The buttery texture and fruit addition to the goat cheese paired greatly with this wine and helped me appreciate the fruity flavors of the wine more. I was not the biggest fan of the Boursin as it was very flavorful and overshadowed the Chardonnay in my opinion. All and all, this was a great first course that I would definitely indulge in again. 

Course 2: Blue Cheese Pecan Salad Paired With Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Our second course was a salad which we paired with the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. We thought the fresh grass cut flavors of this wine would go perfectly with the salad we prepared. The salad incorporated blue cheese, pecans, spring mix, and a light maple vinaigrette. Although both the wine and the salad were fantastic, I wished we prepared more of a tangy-lemony dish to go with the Sauvignon Blanc instead of a sweeter one like we did. This particular Sauvignon Blanc was recommended by Mary's aunt, who claims it's one of her favorites. When trying it, I definitely picked up on some of the traditional Sauvignon Blanc favors like lemon, herb and grass, but I also picked up on a few others. Specifically, I could sense some melon and grapefruit flavors on my palette. It was very acidic and full-bodied for a white, making me appreciate the flavors even more. I would like to purchase this wine again and pair it with a fresh seafood or chicken dish. 

Course 3: Lemon Chicken Orzo Paired with Sterling Pinot Grigio

The final course we indulged in was my favorite; a lemon chicken orzo with a Pinot Grigio. I haven't had too much Pinot Grigio since starting to drink wine but think it's one of my favorites after having this bottle. This particular Pinot Grigio paired perfectly with this dish was they were both citrusy and light, complimenting each other perfectly. Because the wine and dish had a lot of similar flavors, I was able to appreciate them more. Upon tasting this wine, I picked up on notes of apple and lemon. It was a very fresh and lighter bodied wine which went well with the lighter pasta dish. This was definitely the standout of the night and something I will make again in the future. I'd additionally like to try more Pinot Grigio's and find more food pairings to try with the wine. 

The biggest takeaway I got from having this dinner is how much I would like to do it again. Next month, we have made plans to try some reds with some foods and hopefully gain a new appreciate for more different types of wine. 

Tasting - Mont Pellier California Viognier

 

Name: Mont Pellier California Viognier 

Grape Variety: Viognier

Country of Origin: United States

Region of Origin: Napa, California

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: $11.99

Critic Review: "The medium intensity nose seems quiet with aromas of lemon, white floral, 

and herbs with hints of apple, pear, lychee, and beeswax. The mid-weighted palate is fleshy and 

viscous with ripe lemon, white flowers, herbal flavours. The bright, juicy acidity hides the vague 

impression of sweetness, with notes of ripe apple, vanilla, lychee and beeswax joining the flavour 

replays on the dry, juicy, slightly bitter and leesy finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts."

- VINTAGES Wine Picks and Reviews

Wine Folly Review: As pointed out in Wine Folly on page 15, Viognier is a full-bodied white wine. 

It is creamy, rich, and aromatic. As I tasted the wine, I definitely picked up on the hints of apple 

and floral elements. I would consider this particular Viognier to be off-dry to medium sweet as it 

was flavorful but not overbearing (Wine Folly page 17). It also definitely contained more acidity 

than other white wines I have tried with its full body (Wine Folly page 21). 

My Review: Upon opening the bottle I already smelled aromas of floral scents. After painting 

the glass I stuck my nose inside to be pleasantly met with sweet honeysuckle and apple notes. 

Excited to taste my first sip, the initial notes I got were replicated on my tongue with honey, apple,

and orange flavoring. I was pleasantly surprised by the thick body and strong and lasting finish

and definitely want to purchase this wine again in the future. This specific Viognier paired very 

with the salami and prosciutto I snacked on with it, making my tasting experience an easy 9/10.  

Tasting - Barefoot Moscato

 

Name: Barefoot Moscato  

Grape Variety: Muscat

Country of Origin: United States

Region of Origin: California

Vintage Year: 2016

Price: $5.99

Critic Review: “To start, the cork was soft and came out easily.  The wine presented a mostly clear 

and clean appearance with mild color typical of a Moscato.  Though not a sparkling wine, it was a 

little bit bubbly in the glass. A clean crisp aroma of light pear was immediately noticed and was pleasant. 

On the palate, the Barefoot Moscato was sweet and crisp.  The sweetness did not overpower the 

enjoyable tastes of lemon and orange citrus, as promised from the bottle. The mouthfeel had a texture of

satiny smoothness with a finish that landed mostly in the cheeks and somewhat less on the tongue.  

The finish was short and delicate. Overall, this Moscato performed perfectly and would easily pair with

the foods mentioned above.” – Jon Rogers, Honest Wine Reviews 8/4/2021

Wine Folly Review: The wine was initially very pungent in smell as I picked up on very floral and 

citrusy notes to begin with most likely from an orange blossoms aroma as mentioned on page 20 in 

Wine Folly. Throughout my tasting, I began to pick up on notes of apricot and other strong, crisp fruits 

as well. This Moscato was very sweet and worked very well as a dessert wine as mentioned on page 138

in Wine Folly. 

My Review: Moscato has been a favorite of mine throughout the past few years as a new wine drinker. 

The sweet, fruit aromas allowed me to start to appreciate the complexity of wine, without having to deal 

with too strong of an alcohol content or high tannins to begin with. Although the sweetness hinders me

 from having more than a few small glasses, I believe it works perfectly as a dessert wine and would like 

to pair it with a sweet treat or fruit in the future. I did not eat it with food. 

Tasting - Dibon Cava Brut Selection

Name: Dibon Cava Brut Selection 

Grape Variety: Xarello, Macabeo, Parellada

Country of Origin: Spain

Region of Origin: Vilafranca del Penedés - Barcelona

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: $12.99

Critique Review: “A sophisticated sparkling wine with layers of flavor that is made more in the style of 

Champagne than Cava — creamy and caramel-like with candied pineapple in back and not as much tart 

apple. In this, it's got more winemaking going on than I like, but you can't argue with the results. This is 

an incredible value for $10." - Wine Curmudgeon 8/21/2013 

Wine Folly: Upon taking in my first sniffs of the Dibon Cava, I already sensed a citric like aspect to the wine. The wine was extra dry with ripe fruit and mineral flavors as mentioned on page 208 of Wine Folly. I primarily picked up on crisp, ripe apple and maybe even hints of orange (Page 28). These undertones were mostly likely the result of utilizing the Xarello and Macabeo grapes. 

My Review: Out of the dozens of sparkling wines I’ve tried, this must be one of my favorites. With its citrusy undertones and fresh, bubbly body, I very much enjoyed trying this specific cava. I would definitely buy Dibon again, especially given the price of just thirteen dollars. I did not taste it with food, however, would love to drink it again with a nice seafood dish. 

Introduction