Tasting Week 11: Oveja Negra Rose

Variety: Syrah-Cab Rose Reserva

Region: Maule Valley Central

Country: Chile

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95 

Food?: Not Paired with Food.

Winery Review:
Oveja Negra Reserva Rose is bright cherry-red in color, and has an attractive nose with aromas of raspberries and strawberries as well as plum and a bit of green apple.  Crisp and juicy on the palate with a slight sweetness that accompanies the red fruit flavors.  Pleasing natural acidity with medium-high intensity, nice persistence, and a fresh finish.

My Review:
This rose, the red wine of which I am a huge fan of, had a cat pee and orange/tangerine nose.  On the palate, I found that I could taste hints of floral notes and once again the bright orange flavors.  There was some bitterness and heat from the alcohol towards the end-palate, but not a bad find for sub $7.  A very interesting and unique wine, the Oveja Negra Rose was enjoyable just for its uniqueness alone. 

Tasting Week 11: gPG Garganega Pinto Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: Delle Venezia

Country: Italy

Year: 2010

Price: $8.95 

Food?: Not Paired with Food.

Winery Review:

gPG is from the delle Venezie regions of north-eastern Italy.  A clean and crisp palate with plenty of texture and weight follows aromas of apples and zesty lemons.  It's perfect with grilled white fish or light risotto. 

My Review:
Featuring a heavy green-apple nose, this full-bodied Pinot Grigio was surprisingly smooth and very pleasing.  I could definitely detect the notes of lemon and apple on the mid-palate, and enjoyed this white's smooth finish.  A very mild Pinot Grigio all-in-all, but a perfect summer picnic white.

Week 10: Dinner - Zeppolis

Our Wine Hosts for the Evening

We made it to the Zeppolis Wine Dinner just in time.  I thought Zeppolis was on Main St., but I was surprised to find it tucked back behind the Firehouse Subs on University City Blvd.  Zeppolis has a quaint and classic, "family-restaurant" atmosphere mixed with the swanky-ness of a wine cellar/bar.  We were seated at a small four-person table, and presented with buffet-style appetizers, and a list of 10 wines.  

The Menu

The light wine dinner fare included: 
Tomato sauce with shells, cracker and cheese platter, mediterranean pasta, and roasted chicken salad.

Zeppolis Wine Bar

The Wine List:


The Whites: 
1.  Fossi Bianco White Table Wine ($6.99)
    An inexpensive crisp, fruity Italian white that is very 
    drinkable.  It is light, refreshing, and easy to enjoy.  Light 
    bodied, green apple, & citrus undertones crisp, clean finish.


2.  La Fiera 2010 Pinot Grigio Veneto ($7.99)
    It has a straw color with a fruity bouquet filled with apples 
    and pears.  The palate is dry, soft and well balanced with a 
    lingering acidity.  Exhibits ripe peach and apple flavors with 
    a pleasing mineral finish.


3.  Nals Margried 2010 Pinot Grigio Alto Adige ($14.99)
    A delightful Pinot Grigio with a rich, creamy mouth feel and 
    compelling aromas of yellow fruit and Golden Delicious apple.  
    The wine is thick and slightly oily on the finish.  Nicely 
    defined on the palate showing pear, melon, tangy lemon curd, 
    and a fruity finish.


4.  Lodali 2011 Moscato D'Asti ($12.99)
    A delightfully aromatic wine, with loads of fresh fruit 
    flavors bursting from the glass.  This wine makes a wonderful 
    accompaniment to many desserts, especially those made with 
    fruit such as: peach, pear, apple, and berries.


The Reds: 
5.  SUD 2010 Primitivo Puglia ($11.99):
    Offers an intense aromatic profile of plum, cherry, herb, 
    vanilla, and spice that caresses the nose.  On the palate, the 
    wine continues to work its magic by spreading plush fruit and 
    herb driven flavors to fill the mouth.  Coupled with the 
    wine's bright fruit is a balanced minerality that adds both 
    interest and vitality.  


6.  Luca Primitivo del Salento Puglia ($8.99)
    Bright plums and burnt cherries are complimented on the nose, 
    followed by a collage of flavors.  Bright plums and burnt 
    cherries are complimented by pepper spice and laced with 
    mineral notes.  


7.  Bibi Graetz 2010 Casamata Toscana (Super Tuscany! - $12.99)
    Smooth and rich, the wine displays all the classic qualities 
    of the varietal with ripe red currant, earthy tannins, and 
    hints of licorice.


8.  Morli Neri 2009 Chianti DOCG ($9.99)
    It has a dried cherry nose and burst of plummy jam on the 
    palate.  IT has a soft bouquet and long lasting aroma.  This 
    medium bodied, earthy, red is wonderful with red-sauce based 
    foods such as pizza, pasta, and lasagna. 

9.  Lodali 2009 Nebbiolo D' Alba Sant Ambrogrio ($17.99)
    The color is bright ruby red with shades of garnet, and the 
    aroma is subtle and lingering, with hints of florality and 
    licorice.  The flavor is full and well-rounded, long-lasting 
    and harmonious.

White Wine Reviews

All in all, I was a pretty big fan of the white wine selection presented during the dinner.  These included:  

1.  The first wine of the night, the Fossi Bianco, landed light 
    and fruity on the palate, with strong notes of bright green 
    apple. Light gold in color, I found this white to pair
    very well with the mozzarella cheese and crackers, as they 
    balanced out the fruity acidity in the mid-palate, with 
    the cheese's rich and buttery mouthfeel.  Although there was   
    some heat from the alcohol on the end-palate, this would make  
    a great summer white apertivo.


2. Floral and peachy on the nose, the La Fiera Pinot Grigio would 
   make a very pleasant spring/summer white.  This white paired 
   very well with the light pasta salad and greens - a perfect  
   appertif.  On the palate, this pinot grigio was light and 
   smooth, with mostly floral and some melon notes on the mid 
   palate.I greatly enjoyed this white, but it was slightly off-
   balanced on the end-palate with some bitterness. 


3.  The Nals Margried was a bit of a green apple oak monster -   
    both on the nose and on the palate.  I would say this would be 
    a pretty 'typical' Pinot Grigio - nothing too special, but 
    simple and pleasing.  This darker golden colored white did 
    feature a heavier mouthfeel - most likely the oak monster 
    coming through on the mid palate.  Strong and creamy and well-
    balanced, but nothing too special to write home about.


4.  The 'Highly Acclaimed' Italian Moscato was far from my 
    favorite of the night.  This white featured a fairly   
    interesting nose with strong notes of peach, apricot, and 
    mango, but I found this white to be far too sweet - almost 
    completely unpalatable.  The nose was true to the fruity  
    flavors that came through on the palate, but it was hard to 
    get past the hyped up sprite taste of this white.  Quite   
    possibly the 'Smirnoff Ice' of Wines. 

Red Wine Reviews

Unfortunately,  I did not find too many of the reds to be particularly special.  A few were the exception, but all in all, I found the reds to be a little too spicy and bold for my palate.

5.  The first of the reds of the night, the 'SUD Primitivo' 
    featured a spicy, black pepper and dark plum on the nose.  A 
    dull ruby-pink color, I found this red to be decently 
    balanced, with bitter, dark chocolate covered, bright cherry 
    notes coming in strong on the mid-palate.  This red seemed to 
    pair well with the marinara sauce and pasta, as it seemed to 
    balance out the fruity notes with the more acidic tomato 
    flavors.  I am not a huge fan of the black pepper notes that 
    seem to plague red-wine as the oak-monster plagues white wine
    - and I found this red to be a little too heavy handed on the 
    black pepper. 


6.  The second Primitivo of the night, the 'Luca Primitivo,' 
    featured a pleasing balsamic vinegar and cherry nose, with a 
    brownish-red tint.  On the palate, I discovered a heavy 
    artificial/medicinal cherry flavor and intense herbal notes.  
    I would most closely compare this red to one of those nasty 
    cough drops - gross!  Definitely not my cup of tea - or glass 
    of red wine for that matter.  Unfortunately, this wine smelled 
    a lot more promising than it tasted.   


7.  The 'Super Tuscany' is next in line, with its highly floral 
    and earthy nose and dark purple color.  Awkwardly, the nose on 
    this red did not carry over very much into the palate, as I 
    tasted mostly spicy oak and cherry on the mid-palate, with 
    some metallic mouth feel/taste.  I paired this red with the 
    chicken salad and pasta shells - which seemed to minimize the 
    metallic taste.  This red ended up being rather single noted 
    and once again disappointing from nose to palate. 


8.  The Chianti Morli Neri featured a strange nose comprising of 
    licorice and medicine, and was brownish-red in color.  On the 
    palate, I could detect mostly cherry, with some super oak 
    towards the end-palate.  All-in-all super smooth and well-
    balanced with almost no heat from the alcohol, but relatively 
    boring and lifeless.  Another pass in my book.


9.  The final red of the night, the Lodali Nebbiolo, featured a 
    strong dark cherry nose, with a sandy brown/pink color.  On 
    the palate, this red was a very spicy dark cherry, with some 
    strong tannins coming through towards the end-palate.  Dry,  
    and slightly unbalanced, this red paired well with the cheeses 
    and red marinara sauce and pasta shells, which complemented  
    the overall spice and dry features of this red.

Happily Wine and Dining

I would say the Wine Dinner at Zeppolis was successful, but I found it a little hard to keep up with the quantity of wines tasted.  I also found that  my palate became a little dulled after the quantity of wine tasted - making it hard to distinguish the finer differences in the wines.  I was also not a huge fan of the buffet styled appetizers, but the food was very good overall.  I would definitely prefer to go back to the Palisades for a formal sit down dinner, with a focus on fewer wines, although they were more expensive. 

Week 9: Dinner - Palisades (Brazil/Argentina)

Interior of The Palisades Restaurant

This past Thursday, I ventured to the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston Virginia to wine and dine on some South American fare.  As promised, I thought we were lost.  We weaved through winding country roads to what seemed like the middle of nowhere.  The town of Eggleston reminded me of one of those old western ghost towns - cute, classic, but oddly vacant.  The Palisades restaurant was, however, absolutely adorable.  I loved the classic country charm mixed with a bohemian-esque atmosphere.  Bright and open, the restaurant/bar was very inviting and made for a fun, unique, and modern, dining experience.  

The Menu

The evening's Latin American Menu Included:

Marinated Flank Steak with Chimmichuri Sauce

Beef Empinadas

Argentinian Potato Salad (...mashed potatoes?)

Meet the wines (from left to right):

1.  Pulenta: Pinot Gris 2011

    The Pinot Gris shows a great white-flower intensity (roses and 

    jasmine), along with white peaches.  On the palate, it is 

    fresh and persistent, with acidity and a lengthy finish.

2.  Arido: Malbec 2010

    Intense ruby color.  Delicate red fruit and violet aromas 

    interact with classic Malbec spiciness.  Soft and round in the 

    mouth with balanced acidity and sweet tannins.

3.  Tilia: Bornarda 2009

    On the nose, there is a ripe red fruit with hints of violet 

    and anise.  In the mouth, there are juicy raspberry and cherry 

    fruit flavors alongside notes of black pepper.  The finish is 

    soft and round with velvety tannins.  The wine rests for nine 

    months in French and American Oak, before another six in the 

    bottle.

The Wines

1.  This Pinot Gris had a perfumey, floral, nose with hints of 
    crisp pear.  On the palate, I was very surprised by this Pinot 
    Gris, as it appeared to have more similarities to a Sauvignon 
    Blanc or even a Chardonnay.  I greatly enjoyed this very light 
    and delicate spring/summer wine with it's notes of peach, 
    pear, and apple.  A very smooth and delicate balance, this is 
    perhaps one of my favorite whites that I have tasted all 
    semester.  An extremely balanced wine that offered a warm 
    smoothness in the floral hints, but also something fresh and 
    fruity on the palate.  When paired with the dinner, I felt 
    like this white served well as a palate cleanser between the 
    different dishes, and could be a fantastic apertif.

2.  The Arido is a thicker, full-bodied, chewy, black-red wine.  

    An interesting contrast to the lightness of the first wine in 

    the line up, I was intrigued by this darker, bolder, wine. 

    With hints of Black Pepper and spice on the nose, I could 

    immediately tell that this red was meant to be paired with a 

    "red meat and potatoes" type dinner.  On the palate, I could 

    detect hints of plum and spice, but with an interesting  

    oaky/buttery sensation towards the end-palate.  When paired 

    with the dinner's steak and empanada, I began to detect notes  

    of cranberry.  I found that the dinner's heaviness brought out 

    the wine's fruity undertones, making them a superb pair.

3.  I found the Tilia Wine to share many of the spicy 

    characteristics of the Arido.  The color of this wine was 

    noticeably more brown and muted compared to the Arido's bright

    red ruby color.  On the nose, I detected heavy leather and 

    oaky notes, with not much of anything else.  On the palate, I 

    tasted more floral than fruity notes, with leathery/oaky notes 

    towards the end palate.  I found this red to be particularly 

    single-noted and boring.  Definitely not up to the same par as 

    the first two wines, and not my favorite with this dinner    

    pairing.

All in all, this wine dinner was a very pleasant experience.  I was very impressed by the Palisade's interesting and unique food and wine pairing.  I would definitely love to come back later in the semester to sample another wine-dinner.  

Tasting Week 8: The Naked Grape Pinot Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2010

Price: <$10

Food?: Not paired with food.

 

Winery Review:
Crisp white wine with aromas of pear and Meyer Lemon. 

My Review: 
Light gold, almost white, in color this white smells of green apple and lemon on the nose.  On the palate, I found this white to be a little too citrus-y and biting for my taste.  Very comparable to a typical sauvignon blanc, but this white is extremely dry.  This would be the perfect choice for the wine connoisseur who enjoys dry, highly acidic, whites.  Not exactly my wine of choice, but I could imagine this white being paired with a summer picnic.  Oh hey, and it has a pretty, clean and simple, label as well.  All in all, a classic citrus fruit bomb, with nothing big to write home about.

Tasting Week 8: Yellow Tail Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: South Eastern Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2010

Price: $5.95

Food?: Not paired with food.

Winery Review:

Yellow tail is everything a great wine should be.  It's approachable, fresh, flavorsome, and has a personality all of its own.  Flavors:  Ripe plums with a warm touch of spice.  Enjoy with antipasto, good times, and great friends. 

My Review:

BRING ME A LAMB PITA.  Black-red in color, the first thing that comes to mind when sniffing this wine is Kalamatra Olives.  I happen to be a huge fan of greek food/olives, so this wine seems promising.  The balsamic-y, olive flavor carries over to the mid palate, where it meets some dark berry flavors towards the end palate.  I could imagine pairing this wine with some greek flared food, to perhaps bring out the fruitier notes.  Dare I say, not bad for a "mass produced" wine?  I can see why this Australian Wine has such a wide appeal across the pond.  I would classify this wine as the more acidic, spicier of the Merlots, but honestly one of my favorites so far.  Definitely a surprise, but I would absolutely love to try and cook with this wine.  

Tasting Week 8: Tisdale

Variety: Shiraz

Region: Modesto, California

Country: USA

Year: N/A

Price: $4.95

Food?: Not paired with food.

Winery Review: 

With flavor of black raspberry and pomegranate, our experienced winemakers have crafted this shiraz to an enticing, full-flavored wine with medium body and an impressive finish.

My Review: 
I am still looking for that cheap wine that will be magically delicious... unfortunately this was NOT it.  A dark purple-red in color, this Shiraz features a maple-syrupy sweet nose with hints of dark cherry.  On the palate, this Shiraz lands rather ungracefully with strong heat from the alcohol, and oh wait, more cherry.  I would say this wine was very off-balanced, and for the most part, all I could sense was the alcohol, and more cherry.  Rather single noted, I would not recommend this wine to well, anyone.  Definitely not feeling this Shiraz.  In fact, I think it has made me steer away from purchasing Shiraz for a little while.  A sad note in the wine book :(  On a brighter note, I do enjoy the rather cute and catchy label.