This year in wine tasting started out a little rough. I started with three 2-star ratings in a row. However, the end of the month rounded out quite well with a 4- and a 5-star. Also, welcome to the new blog format! I will now be doing a roundup of all of the wines I’ve tried during the month, making for a more concise list of information and ratings. I hope you enjoy!
Traversa 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon – Rating 2/5
This wine was from Montevideo, Uruguay and sampled on January 5, 2020. I didn’t even know Uruguay grew wine grapes so I thought this would be interesting. I was listening to the 49er’s vs the Seahawks. This red blend had a deep ruby hue. It smelled like a variety of spices. I was sniffing some black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. It seemed to get even spicier the longer it sat. The tannins gripped me on my first taste. It made the leather I was tasting extend into the mouthfeel as if I has almost bitten down on a piece. Lots of tobacco taste as well. I paired this wine with steak and a stuffed baked potato. However, it fell a flat. I didn’t go back for a second glass.
Georgie Orbach 2018 Chardonnay – Rating 2/5
This wine was from Riverina, New South Wales, Australia and sampled on January 13, 2020. I haven’t been a huge fan of wines from Australia in the past, but I was trying to have an open mind. Like a typical Chardonnay, the color was a medium yellowish gold. I got scents of white pear and lemon with a tiny bit of what I thought might be grass. The first taste brought much more zing than I expected. Otherwise, it had a medium body with low acidity. There was a hint of oak, but mostly a tangy, buttery flavor that was mildly off-putting to me. I paired this with baked chicken thighs, a white sweet potato, & paleo breadsticks. However, it kind of soured the food for me.
Soprani by Weninger 2015 Red Blend – Rating 2/5
This wine was from Sopron, Hungary and sampled on January 16, 2020. Here’s another country that I wasn’t aware of growing grape vines. I was listening to “French Kicks” by Sex Tourists. This red blend consisted of 58% Merlot, 28% Pinot Noir, & 14% Syrah. It was another deep ruby colored wine for the month. It was much different scent- and taste-wise though. I smelled wet earth, roses, cherry, & strawberry. It was fairly medium across the spectrum including body, tannins, acidity, alcohol, and sweetness. The earthiness continued into the taste with some added saltiness and rhubarb. It had a short finish and seemed to make for an easy drinking wine, but nothing was drawing me to it overall. I paired it with a supreme pizza, and it made for a pretty casual evening.
Kloovenburg 2018 “The Gatekeepers” Red Blend – Rating 4/5
This wine was from Swartland, South Africa and sampled on January 22, 2020. I haven’t had much luck with wines from South Africa either, so I was a bit wary. I did love the label with all of the animals on it. I was listening to “Good as Hell” by Lizzo. This red blend consisted of 83% Shiraz and 17% Grenache. Here we had yet another deep ruby colored wine. Sniffing the glass produced a mixed berry bouquet. It had a heavy body with very low acidity and low tannins. It tasted fruit-forward with blackberries. It was smooth but not velvety. A cardamom taste lingered on the finish. I paired this wine with taco casserole, and it made for a nice, spicy compliment.
Domaine Carneros 2014 Chardonnay – Rating 5/5
This wine was from the Hide Vineyard in Napa, California and sampled on January 31, 2020. I had been saving this wine for a special occasion since my maiden name is Hyde. My father retired on January 31, so I decided to pop this bottle in his honor and make a special meal. It was a medium yellow color. There were scents of white flowers and pear. Tannins and acidity were lower, but the body was full and alcohol content was fairly high. The pear continued into the taste. I liked the fuller body on this Chardonnay with just the tiniest linger of a butter taste to mellow things. I paired this wine with steelhead trout, roasted broccoli, and parmesan green beans. It made for the perfect pairing and a wonderful celebration dinner.