Tasting- Primo Amore Moscato

Name: Primo Amore
Variety: Moscato
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: $8.95
Price: Non-vintage

Wine Critic Review: "Straw-yellow with golden reflections and a delicate mousse. Fruity and very inviting, with intense scents of peaches and exotic fruit. Fresh and pleasantly sweet with a taste that reveals its varietal
characteristic."

My Review: I have enjoyed any Moscato that I have tried from the Vintage Cellar. The smell of the wine was full of peaches and had a crisp and sweet quality to it. As soon as I sipped the wine, I knew that this was going to be very good. It was sweet, full of peaches, and was crisp as during the tasting as well as the aftertaste. Also, I thought it was slightly creamy to me (perhaps that could have been the carbonation in the wine). A light bodied wine which was very tasty and I ended up purchasing a bottle. It was a great bottle to kick off the weekend with and share with friends.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Faraway Farms Shiraz

Name: Faraway Farms
Variety: Shiraz
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2008
Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "Fresh, modern style, with lots of plum pudding, sweet chocolate, mocha, blackberry and boysenberry flavors supported by round, sweet tannins and toast."

My Review: The Faraway Farms Shiraz smelled overwhelmingly oaky which accompanied dark berries, especially blackberry, were present here. The taste consisted of blackberries, and had some heat/spice as an aftertaste. In addition to the heat, I thought there was an emphasis of an oaky aftertaste. Overall, this was a medium bodied wine which has some good qualities to it based on the price.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "Bright ruby color. Primary dark berry aromas are simple but offer very good purity and focus. Juicy blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are youthfully tangy, with good back-end acidity adding snap. The clean, brisk finish leaves behind notes of sweet dark berry preserves and cracked pepper."

My Review: The smell of this wine consisted of dark berries and some pepper. Also, this wine to me seemed rather earthy on the nose. The taste of the Tres Ojos reminded me on a light red wine and was rather blah. I could pick out the dark berries in the wine, however, the taste was rather lackluster because as I tend to associate reds with being more complex than whites. A light-medium bodied wine which did not have a powerful taste or any aftertaste and something I would not want to drink again.

This wine was not tried with food

Tasting- Oak Vineyard Chardonnay

Name: Oak Vineyards
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa and Sonoma Valley
Country: USA (California)
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "Quite an interesting Chardonnay, in an era when so many are too sweet and extracted. There’s plenty of orange and apricot fruit flavor, but also a brilliant streak of minerality, like a lick of cold steel, and the overall taste is dry. Really easy to like, with lots of complexity to warrant repeated sipping."

My Review: The smell of this wine was rather clean, with hints of lemons and green apples filled the nose. I was very impressed once again because it did not have that typical cat pee smell. When I tried the wine, I thought that it was refreshing and crisp. Similar to the smell, I tasted only apples and lemons which made me enjoy this wine even more! This was a light bodied wine with no lingering aftertaste and is the perfect wine to go with the spring weather we are experiencing.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Obikwa

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Stellenbosch

Country: South Africa

Year: 2010

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "OBiKWA Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal summer wine and smacks of crisp tropical fruit with a smattering of gooseberries and fig. If you're planning a night out with mates - don't forget to bring along a bottle of this yummy potion!"

My Review: The smell of this Sauvignon Blanc smelled like citrus fruits, with lemon being predominate here. Also, I smelled pears, apples, and gave off a sour aroma on the nose. This wine tasted very tart immediately with some citrus fruits on the tongue. The taste of the wine was not long lasting and the there was no aftertaste on the tongue. Overall, this light bodied wine was decent but I was expecting something more from this white wine.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Peter Mertes Liebfraumilch Rheinhessen Qualitatswein

Name: Peter Mertes

Variety: Liebfraumilch

Region: Rheinhessen and Palatinate

Country: Germany

Year: 2009

Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "Leibfraumilch is a soft, delicate wine of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate districts. The original wine was named after the Leibfraumilch monastery in Worms, where the monks were the first

wine growers and produced an unusually pleasing wine. Wines of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate are noted for their aroma, well balanced harmony, and fragrance. Leibfraumilch, as all excellent white wines is best served chilled. We suggest serving with cold entrees, as well as poultry, such as chicken or turkey, or even with a mild Cheddar, mellow and slightly nutty with a medium consistency."

My Review: This German Riesling was my favorite wine of the tasting and one of the top wines that I have tried at the Vintage Cellar tastings. I thought the smell of the wine was crisp with hints of lighter skinned fruits such as peaches and apricots. While the Chardonnay smelled like a Moscato, the taste of the Riesling reminded me of a Moscato. A light bodied wine with hints of mint and basil were present and tasted sweet and crisp with peaches heavily present. I really enjoyed this wine so much that I ended up purchasing a bottle for $5.62 with the 10% discount and tax included. Well worth it and I highly recommend it!

This wine was not tried with food. 

Tasting- Col Des Vents Corbieres

Name: Col Des Vents

Variety: Corbieres

Region: Durban

Country: France

Year: 2009

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "50% Carignan, 35% Grenache, 15% Syrah. Brambly berry, cherry and raspberry, spices, black pepper…all are present in this authentic French country wine."

My Review: The smell of this wine consisted of cherry, berries (mostly raspberry), and spice (such as cinnamon). The taste of Corbieres was peppery, spicy, and had the presence of dark berries (raspberry predominately). This was a medium bodied wine which seemed like it had a lot to offer initially, but was rather lackluster in taste because their was no aftertaste or kick when tasting the wine.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- San Elias Carménère

Name: San Elias

Variety: Carménère

Region: Central Valley

Country: Chile

Year: 2010

Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "The grapes for this Carménère are selected from vineyards in the Central Valley. Beautiful red fruit aromas. Supple and round in the mouth, the wine pairs well with full flavored cheeses and lamb."

My Review: The smells of the Carménère consisted of green peppers, spice (perhaps cloves), and some heat were given off. The color of this wine was very interesting, to me it seemed to be a lighter red and made me think that the spice could have been chile. The taste of the wine was not one of my favorites, I could taste a little bit of the green pepper. This was a medium bodied wine with heat and spice were present in the aftertaste, giving it a good finish.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Estrella Chardonnay

Name: Estrella

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Napa, California

Country: USA

Year: $5.95

Price: 2010

Wine Critic Review: "Intensely flavored and balanced with layers of vanilla, butter and pear, followed by apple, banana and oak."

My Review: This wine smelled sweet and crisp to me, it reminded me of what a Moscato smells like. This was very intriguing to me because it did not have the usual cat pee smell as I have experienced with other Chardonnays. The taste of the wine was incredible, bull of citrus, pears, and apple. The wine critic and I were in full agreement on this wine. A light bodied wine which had a refreshing and clean aftertaste. This is my second favorite Chardonnay compared to Chateau Morrisette's Chardonnay.  

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Zonin Pinot Grigio

Name: Zonin
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Delle Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "Pale straw-yellow color with brilliant reflections. Delicately fruity bouquet, with outstanding finesse and marked hints of almond blossom and peaches. Elegant, soft and well structured
fruit on the palate, with remarkable freshness and a clean, persistent aftertaste."

My Review: This Pinot Grigio smelled overwhelmingly of citrus fruits, predominately of lemons. Also, it gave off a clean and crispy smell. The taste of the wine was interesting, I have not tried a lot of Pinot Grigios before so I was not familiar to how it should taste. Immediately I got a tangy sensation on the tongue which made sense because I was also tasting the citrus fruits I picked up from the smell of the wine. This was a light bodied wine which pretty decent based on the price.

This wine was not tried with food.

Winery Visit- Chateau Morrisette

Me driving to Chateau Morrisette

One gloomy weekend afternoon five of my friends and myself drove to Floyd County to have lunch, tour their winery, and do an wine tasting. It was a really fun afternoon jammed back with wine knowledge. The drive their and back is very interesting mainly because of the windy back roads that my GPS took us. The fog and rain were a nice addition to the travel, especially when it directed me onto a gravel road for a mile. Haha. But moving onto our day there....

The fireplace in the room added a nice ambiance to the experience 

When we arrived at Chateau Morrisette my friends and I sat down for lunch. The food was absolutely delicious! I did not have any complaints about it. I ordered their Crabcake Sandwich with a side of mixed greens, very filling and reasonably priced for the atmosphere. Also, we all decided to start off by trying one of their wines. We ordered their Frosty Dog which is their iced wine. We were all curious because Professor Boyer had talked about it in class and the concept behind it is very intriguing. Typically drank as a dessert wine, we were not disappointed at all. It was a light bodied and I got hints of sweetness, citrus fruits, apples, and pear on the nose and tongue. I would highly recommend this wine to anyone who is looking for a sweeter wine.

Andrew and Meredith at Lunch

Cheersing with the Frosty Dog!

The Crabcake Sandwich with Mixed Greens :)

After lunch we ventured off to the tour of the Winery at Chateau Morrisette. 

Wine Shop and Winery Building

During the tour, we started out by learning about the building, the frame is made out of timber which I thought was very interesting. Our tour guide moved on to talking about the barrels of wine. They use 3 different types of oak barrels: American, French, and Hungarian. Starting with American oak barrels, (which gives off an oaky, tobacco, and earthy taste) make up 30% of their barrels and costs $500 per barrel. French barrels comprise 65% of their inventory and cost $1,400 per barrel and last is the Hungarian/Mexican barrels which make up the remaining 5% and costs $700 per barrel. We were also informed that the barrels will last a max of 6 years and the wine will saturate the barrel around year 4. To finish up on barrel knowledge, each of Chateau Morrisette's oak barrels will hold a max of 65 gallons and have enough barrels for a max of 65,000 gallons.

Oak Barrels in the Winery

Steel Barrels in the Winery, more advanced because of constant temperature regulation

Their steel barrels (as seen above) for aging in which they have 150,000 gallons available. The tour guide informed us that steel aging is the new trend because the turnover is quicker then with oak barrels. Typically when aged in steel it takes about a year versus oak which ranged from 4 months to 2 years. Another fun fact is that when aged in steel, it will lighten up the reds. We then learned that during the aging the process the skins will start at the top of the barrel and migrate down and release their tannins and color. They end up back in the yard for fertilization after being crushed for the third or fourth time. Another piece of advice our knowledgeable guide provided with us is that typically American red wines last 10 years while whites last 5 to 7 years.

The Bottling Station at Chateau Morrisette Winery

If I had to state one disappointment from the whole experience, it would be the Bottling Station. I was shocked at the simplicity. I was shocked because it seems to be a common wine down in this area as well in Northern Virginia (where I am from) and the numbers of bottles of wine on the shelves that I was expecting something more vast. Having said that, the process seemed pretty self-explanatory: bottles get filled with wine, corked, capped, and labeled. A side note about corks, it was mentioned that around 90% of Australian exported wine are now using the screw cap for various reasons, one being for a better seal. Some final notes on the winery tour are that they only have 19 full time staff and their harvest season is from September to October.

Now for the wine tasting.... for only $5 you got sample 10 wines (where the portions were very generous) and you got to keep your glass. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

Kristy, Andrew, Julia, and Me waiting for the Tasting to begin!

My top 3 wines for the day were the Chardonnay and Merlot at the tasting as well as the Frosty Dog which I shared a bottle with my friends at lunch. Although I MUST say that Chateau Morrisette does not make a bad wine at all. I never smelled and tasted a wine there that I dreaded which was interesting since I have done that at other tastings in this area.

Chateau Morrisette Chardonnay, favorite white of the day!

This is by far the best Chardonnay I have EVER tasted. Made with 0.1% residual sugar and aged in oak for 14 months and had hints of butter, pear, vanilla, and some citrus on the nose. When I tasted this wine it was very smooth, creamy, and the pear was very noticeable. A light-bodied wine full of taste and I would consider this to be phenomenal and I guess I only like expensive Chardonnay because it was $17.99. I would probably drink this wine during the summer time with some kind of seafood.

Chateau Morrisette Merlot, favorite red of the day!

I knew that if their white wines were excellent, that I was in for a real treat with their reds! Merlot is one of my favorite types of red wine, currently I am torn between whether Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is my favorite. Anyway, this wine is aged in oak for 15 months and the smell was very intense, comprised of dark fruits, spice, and some heat. The taste of the wine was identical to the smell and I really enjoyed the heat and spice aftertaste the wine left.

Frosty Dog which we enjoyed at lunch

My friends and I loved the wine so much that we bought a case and we received a 10% discount. As the saying goes it is always cheaper to buy in bulk. Overall, I really enjoyed the afternoon there and I thought it was good we could experience all that Chateau Morrisette has to offer to visitors! I would definitely go back any day and even recommended going there when my parents come down to visit me at Tech this semester.

One last group photo before we departed back to Tech

Tasting- Estrella Merlot

Name: Estrella Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: Napa Valley, California

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "This ruby colored Merlot has raspberry jam aromas with a subtle hint of spice. Layers of vanilla, plum and fig are revealed that linger ever so slightly on the palate."

My Review: The smell of this wine was not pleasant, it reminded me of a  moldy/mildew smell. This was very overpowering that I could not get any sort of fruit on my nose. The taste was just as bad, it reminded me of a corked wine (it possibly could have been). The smell and taste were very similar, however, I did like the tobacco aftertaste. This was a medium-full bodied wine which I would be interested in trying again just to see if it was not corked.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Doural Red Tinto

Name: Doural Red Tinto
Variety: Red Tinto
Region: Douro
Country: Portugal
Year: 2009
Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: ""This Portuguese tinto(red) blend exhibits a deep red color with violet hues. The nose is vibrant and fruity. The palate offers notes of spice, cherry, and dark berry supported by good structure. Pairs well with red or game meat, cheeses and fish.

My Review: The Doural Red Tinto was my favorite at the tasting. The smell consisted of dark berries and cherries. Also, it smelled oaky and had hints of tobacco. It was interesting to taste because to me it seemed to be a light bodied red wine. It was not as complex as other reds and did not seem to have much of a taste to it. That being said, it was refreshing and had a nice oaky aftertaste which I thought made this some what mediocre wine memorable.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Oxford Landing Viognier

Name: Oxford Landing
Variety: Viognier
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "88 Points, Wine Spectator.Bright and lively,this white is appealing for its pear, lychee and sweet spice character, which comes together smoothly against a silky texture."

My Review: The smell of this wine was EXTREMELY citrusy. Also, I thought it was very herbal, but I could not put my finger on which one or ones. The taste of this wine was not good and very reminiscent of the smell. The hints of various herbs as well as tobacco were present but no citrus fruits. A light-medium bodied wine which I would not try again.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Tierra de Luna Torrontes-Chardonnay

Name: Tierra de Luna

Variety: Torrontes-Chardonnay

Region: Uco Valley

Country: Argentina

Year: 2009

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "Fresh and crisp, with floral aromas and flavors of quince and pear, this wine is a versatile companion to informal meals, and is excellent as an aperitif."

My Review: The smell of this wine was originally cat pee which was accompanied with some citrus fruits and   some hints of floral. The taste of the wine was not what I expected when I smelled it. It was very sour/tart and did not have a cat pee taste which I associated with the smell. There was no aftertaste and was a light bodied wine to me. I thought the wine was not very good and seemed to have a lackluster taste.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Simonet Blanc de Blancs

Name: Simonet Blanc de Blancs
Variety: Blanc de Blanc (Sparkling Wine)
Region: Cave Wissembourg
Country: France
Year: Nonvintage
Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "On the nose, there is some bread-yeast and some toast, same on the palate. Great for an everyday bubbly or for mimosas!!"

My Review: I thought this wine smelled very citrusy as well floral, with hints of apple. I thought the taste of this wine was very crisp and full of citrus fruits. The aftertaste of the wine was great, I loved that the citrus taste lingered and the bubbly quality of this wine made a great addition. Overall, it was pretty good for an inexpensive sparking wine.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Ebano Ribera del Duero Tempranillo

Name: Ebano Ribera del Duero Tempranillo

Variety: Tempranillo

Region: Ribera del Duero

Country: Spain

Year: 2007

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "87 Points, Robert Parker, The 2007 Ebano 6 is 100% Tempranillo aged 4 months in French oak. Dark ruby red in color, it displays a pleasant bouquet of cedar, spice box, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium- to fullbodied on the palate with savory flavors and plenty of spice, this racy, vibrant Tempranillo has enough structure to drink well over the next 5-6 years and is a very good value."

My Review: This wine had an overpowering smell of tobacco as well as fruit and spices. The spices were heavily present in the taste of the wine and there was some heat for an aftertaste. I was shocked that there was not fruit in the taste of this wine. A medium bodied wine with not much to it besides the spices in the taste and smell.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Lost Vineyards Vihno de Mesa Tinto

Name: Lost Vineyeards Vihno de Mesa Tinto

Variety: Tinto

Region: N/A

Country: Portugal

Year: Nonvintage

Price: $3.95

Wine Critic Review: "Pours a light garnet color with a nice crisp zest, with aromas of cranberries and orange peel on the nose. Drinks smooth with a briary of mild cherries, wild strawberries and raspberries along
with a note of rhubarb. Pairs particularly well with wild game and heavy fish such as salmon."

My Review: The smell of this wine consisted of dark berries, cherries, and was very oaky. I was very intrigued with this wine because the tasting had branched off from the interesting white wines I had tried. The taste consisted of subtle hints of berries and cherries, to me it was a light red wine. Also, the wine had some nice hear at first, however, there was none present for an aftertaste. Overall, a light-medium bodied wine which was did not have anything special to it.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Torrent Bay Chardonnay

Name: Torrent Bay Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: South Island
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "Fleshy, melony aromas cuddle some fresh oak. The palate has decent acidity so there’s freshness along with weight, resiny oakflavors, lemon and green apple."

My Review: This wine smelled like cat pee as well as a moldy/wetneess/moisture smell was present. The taste was not bad, there were some hints of citrus fruits present and it did linger on my palate for an okay aftertaste. Another light bodied wine that was a little better than the Spanish Vines I had tried right before this wine.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Spanish Vines Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Spanish Vines Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $4.95

Wine Critic Review: "85 Points, Wine Enthusiast Apple and floral notes and then an almost buttery palate with baked apple and citrus flavors."

My Review: The smell of this wine reminded me of cat pee, which was not pleasant at all. The smell was so overpowering that I was very weary of tasting the wine. The taste was aweful, the cat pee was present and it was extremely bitter. It did not taste good and I was disappointed that I could not taste any sort of fruit. A light bodied wine that I would never drink again.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Muscanti Brut

Name: Muscanti Brut
Variety: Brut
Region: Gironi
Country: Spain
Year: Nonvintage
Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "Lemon blossoms, green apple, toast and honeydew melon are front and center in this crisp refreshing Spanish Sparkler. Silky supple with lingering flavors, yet a tingle of citric acid on the finish. A combination of traditional cava grapes but this wine is not made in the traditional méthode champenoise (which is required by Spanish law to be called Cava). This is made with the Charmat process so this wine may only be called ‘Spanish sparkling wine’."

My Review: The smell of this sparking wine was bubbly with apples and citrus fruits. The taste of this wine was okay to me, I could not get over the intensity of the carbonation that was present. Also, there was not much to it, it was a little crisp and I got some heat on my tongue as an aftertaste. Overall, this was a light bodied wine and I was not that impressed. I have had other Bruts before and this was rather lackluster to me.

This wine was not tried with food.