Tasting - Famiglia Castellani - Arbos Sangiovese

Name: Famiglia Castellani

Variety:  Sangiovese 

Region: Toscana

Country: Italy

Year: 2019

Price: 10.99

Wine Review: Famiglia Castellani 2019 Sangiovese is fragrant with ripe cherry, cedar spice and minty aromas; the wine is dry, medium-bodied and brilliant on the palate with ripe cherry, spiced plum, fine herbs and vanilla flavours with a toasty oak spice finish. Tannins are velvety. Enjoy this lovely Tuscan red with your favourite lasagne or chicken scarpariello dish. - Natalie MacLean

Wine Folly:  Sangiovese is Italy’s most planted grape and the key variety in Tuscany’s renowned Chianti. It’s sensitive, tasting quite different depending on where it grows (p. 162). 

My Review: This wine was enjoyable but the only thing I could taste was banana flavored Laffy Taffy. The flavor was so strange and it was all I could focus on. (3/5)

Tasting - Clos De Napa Valley Napa Valley Pinot Noir

Name: Clos De Napa Valley

Variety:  Pinot Noir

Region: Napa Valley

Country: USA

Year: 2018

Price: 16.99

Wine Review: This Pinot Noir has and aromas of raspberries, black cherries, red currants and a soft vanilla.

Wine Folly:  The world’s most popular light-bodied red is loved for its red fruit and spice flavors that are accentuated by a long, smooth, soft-tannin finish (p. 150).

My Review: This wine was enjoyable but would have been better around 4 years ago. It had lost its structure and was very hard to describe. I made pasta sauce with it and that pairing was excellent, I just wish the wine had more flavors. (2/5)

Tasting - Gnarly Head Limited Grateful Dead Edition Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

 

Name: Gnarly Head Limited Grateful Dead Edition

Variety:  Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Lodi, California

Country: USA

Year: 2021

Price: 10.99

Wine Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold wine grown from some of the oldest vines in California. Gnarly Head’s untamed vines produce full-flavored grapes, dense with aromas of black cherry, juicy blackberry, peppercorn and charred oak. This dense and jammy wine boasts a bold tannin structure and a generous finish for those who like unique, big wines with a little eclectic edge.

Wine Folly: The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor (p. 88).

My Review: This wine was enjoyable. I thought it was very bold and rich. It had pink edges and I tasted spices like pepper. The fruity tastes of black cherry and pomegranates, and something else sweet. It was not very acidic nor tannic and it opened my nose. It also had great mouth feel. (3/5)

Tasting - VOGA Pinot Grigio 2022

Name: VOGA

Variety:  Pinot Grigio

Region: delle Venezie

Country: Italy

Year: 2022

Price: 10.99

Wine Review: Subtle, elegant pure aromas with a nose that exhibits peach pulp, yellow apples and a suggestion of white flowers. The palate is equally light and clean, and leads to a mineral, spring water like finish. 12% ABV

Wine Folly: In Northern Italy is where you’ll find Italy’s top examples of Pinot Grigio (aka Pinot Gris). Wines have subtle tart fruit characteristics supported by delightfully high, tingling acidity. The best regions include Alto Adige and Collio in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (p. 251).

My Review: This wine was surprisingly very good.  I bought it to go with my dinner of chicken breasts marinated in Italian dressing then grilled, with a side of petite potatoes and sweet corn.  I thought the bottle was very cool as well.  I was not expecting a great wine, but this was easily top 5 whites( just behind Larry Bird (jkjk).  The wine smelled like tree fruit and I tasted some spice like fennel.  It was not very floral in my opinion, which I liked and was a perfect balance of sweet and dry.  My friend who was tasting with me described it as earthy and I saw the vision. (4/5)

 

WINE DINNER BLOG REPORT pt. 2

 

Tasting - Sigalas-Rabaud Sauternes

Name: 2017 Sigalas-Rabaud Sauternes (375ml)

Variety:  Semillon

Region: Sauternes, Bordeaux

Country: France

Year: 2017

Price: ~ $40

Wine Review: The 2017 Sigalas Rabaud gives up tropical notions of pineapple paste, passion fruit and green mango with hints of honeycomb, florals and exotic spices. The palate is rich, concentrated and super spicy on the finish with a compelling lift of freshness. - Wine Advocate

Wine Folly: Sémillon pairs best with richer fish entrées (black cod) and white meats (chicken and pork chops). Try spicing with fresh fennel and dill (p. 169). 

My Review: This wine was very amazing and fun. I had never had Semillon grapes before and this was a great experience.  I tasted vegetables such as grass/leaf, which I would think is bad but here it was very good.  It was extremely sweet but not too overpowering like dessert wines I have had before.  I tasted fruits such as apples, melon, and other tropical ones.  I tasted honey and the body was very silky.  My dad said he tasted Hi-Chew Green Apple candy. We drank this while snacking on some blackberries that paired nicely.  (5/5)

link to the candy :  https://jackscandy.com/products/morinaga-hichew-apple  

 

Tasting - Rodney Strong

Name: Rodney Strong Estate Alexander Cabernet 2018

Variety:  Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Alexander Valley, Sonoma

Country: USA

Year: 2018

Price: ~ $70

Wine Review: A powerful Cabernet from the hillsides of Alexander Valley, this wine is lush with blackberries, dark plum, cassis and dark chocolate. The notes of dried herbs, black pepper and minerality reflect the terroir of the Alexander Valley. The soft, supple, and mature tannins give this wine a strong backbone, while the 18 months of barrel aging have softened the wine enough to enjoy now. Pair this wine with grilled rib eye steak, burgers and spaghetti Bolognese, or cellar for enjoyment over the next three to five years.

Wine Folly: The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor (p. 88).

My Review: This wine was very good. It had aged for about 5 years and was ready to be drank. This wine very fruity and I tasted lots of dark fruits. I also tasted lots of spices that were great. I tasted cherries as well as oak flavors. The body was amazing and silky. I had this with a steak and it paired wonderfully. (4/5)

 

Wine and Cheese Pairing

Tasting - Piattelli Grand Reserve Malbec

Name: 2020 Piattelli Grand Reserve Malbec

Variety:  Malbec

Region: Cafayate Valley, Salta

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: 23.99

Wine Review: This wine represents the best of the crops. An intense red color and aromas of black fruits, vanilla and smoke. These aromas are transformed to give the wine great structure and body on the palate. A soft fruit-forward flavor and a strong and balanced finish.

Wine Folly: Argentina’s most important variety came by way of France, where it’s commonly called Côt. Wines are loved for their bold fruit flavors and smooth chocolaty finish (p. 125). 

My Review: This wine was very good. It was very fruity and dry. I tasted cherry and some spices like pepper. I really liked how bold and fruity it was and I thought it was great for my fist malbec. (4/5)

Tasting - Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel

Name: Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel

Variety:  Zinfandel (but does have 2% Petite Sirah)

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: 38.99

Wine Growing: 2020 was a spectacular year for Zinfandel. Dry conditions, coupled with a long, mild, growing season across regions, created small, concentrated Zinfandel berries full of exceptional flavor. Throughout the year, we used aerial photos produced using NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) technology to tailor sustainable farming practices specific to each vineyard block. We harvested at night, preserving the bright acidity which developed over the season.

Wine Review: The wine bursts with bright fruit aromas of cherry and red plum, with notes of vanilla, holiday spices, and lavender all jumping out on the nose. Plum flavors continue to the palate, joined by layers of raspberry jam, mocha, clove, and white pepper. The midpalate is soft and creamy, framed by fine tannins and ending with a long, lush finish which will leave you wanting another sip.

Wine Folly: Several regions within Sonoma and Napa are famous for Zinfandel including Rockpile, Dry Creek Valley, Chiles Valley, and Howell Mountain. Wines here offer bold tannins, colors, and rustic flavors thanks to the region’s volcanic soils (p. 190).

My Review: This wine was amazing. This is my one of my dad's favorite wine, the 2012 year's version was what got him really into wine. This was a sweet and super flavorful wine that really knocked my socks off. I was surprised how sweet it was, and it was extremely drinkable. I tasted cherry right of the bat and and other red fruits. Me and my dad tasted hints of pepper and a little floral as well. I felt the sweetness was akin to white chocolate. We ate the wine with some shrimp and grits and it paired wonderfully. (5/5)