Tasting- Three Rivers Merlot

Name: Three Rivers Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Country: USA
Year: 2006
Price: $27

Wine Critic Review: "Perfumed berry aromas offer an initial sense of sweet fruit, followed by more savory tones of tobacco leaf and dried herbs. Complex in the mouth, a melange of cherry, plum, and black raspberry flavors make up the fruity core, while accents of tobacco, cedar, and a subtle sense of dusty earth add depth. Fresh acidity and finely balanced tannins give a good frame and force to the flavors, with subtle oak spice in the background. The elegant finish is long. A cellar candidate, or enjoy now with a grilled T-bone steak." Wine Spectator

My Review: I really enjoyed trying this Merlot at the Vintage Cellar. The smell consisted primarily of dark berries and that it might be a smooth wine. When I sipped the wine I the dark berries became very apparent and there was some heat for an aftertaste. Also, earthy tones came out during my tasting of this wine.  I would say this Merlot was a medium bodied and I found this to be pretty decent.

This wine was not tried with food.

Dinner- Palisades (South Africa)

On Thursday, 7 of my friends and myself left right after Geography of Wine to head to Eggleston for the food and wine pairing dinner. Tonight's theme was South Africa and I was looking forward in particular to the Cabernet Sauvignon (this is my favorite kind of wine). I thought the drive was very interesting, especially in the pitch black. 

Outside the Palisades

All the wines we sampled tonight were from the Stellenbosch district of South Africa which makes up 14% of the country's wine production. The types of soil used in the vineyards vary from decomposed granite found on hillsides to sandy alluvial loam located on valleys towards rivers. One interesting point about Stellenbosch that the handout noted was the grapes are used for wine.

Interior of the Palisades

The moment we walked into the restaurant I knew  I would enjoy my time here. Our server for the evening was great and even better was his uncle who would periodically come up to chat with us. The inside of the restaurant had a cool appearance which I have rarely seen before. The brick interior and all the old tools displayed made the place very intriguing.

Andrew, Julia, and Bobby really enjoyed coming to dinner here!

Enough about that, lets talk about the real reason why we came here... the food and drinks! We started off the evening with an appetizer on the house which consisted of pita with a seasoning served with a side of hummus and tomato. It was very good but made me even more hungry while I waited for my dinner. 

Nice presentation of the appetizer

Now for the main course. Tonight's meal consisted of: Pumpkin Fritters, Biryani with Beef Skewers, and Apricot Chutney. The wine of the evening were Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc (2010), Ken Forrester Petit Pinotag (2010), and Graham Beck Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (2009). I began by meal by drinking the Chenin Blanc, which smelled of oak, citrus, and grass. I agreed with the description when it talked about the presence of "abundant peach and tropical fruit aromas with exotic floral notes." The taste of the wine as oaky, citrus, and had a good aftertaste with some nice heat at the end. I thought it was a light bodied wine, and the flavors became explosive when paired with the fritters and chutney. When tried with the chutney alone, there was a coating of oil left on my tongue.

Next was the Petit Pinotage... It smelled of dark red berries and cherries,oak, and petrol. It tasted of the dark red berries and oak with a little heat on the tongue with a lingering aftertaste. It was a medium bodied wine with a lingering aftertaste and I could tell that there was a slight presence of tannins. When paired with the fritter and chutney it added heat to the end. The description of this wine talks about it as "spicy mulberries, plum pudding and cherries, supported by smoky bacon nuances." I agreed with it except, I did not smell anything remotely close to smoky bacon. Next, I tried it with the beef there was no heat and when I added onion into the mix the heat increased. Lastly, when the Pinotage was drank with the beef, pepper, and onion it was bitter and hot afterwards.

Kristy giving the Pinotage a great sniff while Meredith is classing up the photo

The best was saved for last, Cabernet Sauvignon. The smell of this wine was dark fruits, hints of tobacco, and oaky and the taste was the same and  I thought it was a medium-heavy bodied wine. Added to the taste was smooth and it did not linger like that Petit Pinotage. This description give to us was dead on, "Great complexity of black berry fruit, dark chocolate and cassis on the nose, well supported by spicy mineral and cigar box flavors." I really enjoyed how much tobacco was present in this wine. When tried with all the vegetables it was very tart tasting. When the beef was introduced into the mix the taste was more complete and lingered on my tongue. Lastly, when paired with the chutney and fritter it left a lot of heat on my tongue for an aftertaste.

The meal of the evening, great presentation on my plate

The dessert was the great finale to my meal. The Orange Peel Cheesecake very tasty and the flavors were very subtle which I liked. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of it...perhaps I had too much wine? Haha. All in all it was a great evening! :) Good food, good wine, and great friends to share the experience with!

All gone!

Tasting- Hardys Nottage Hill Chardonnay

Name: Hardys Nottage Hill Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: McLaren Vale
Country: South Australia
Year: 2007
Price: $15

Wine Critic Review: "It's not often you hear the guys at Constellation express delight at their Nottage Hill Chardonnay - as they are with this vintage. It's mainly sourced from the Riverland with some Padthaway fruit adding a dimension to the flavour profile. There are some gentle, spicy oak aromas while the mid-palate is full flavoured and vibrant with intense, cool white peach tropical characters and a soft, pleasant finish." Peter Forrestal

My Review: This wine to me smelled like wet wood and a mildew/moldy and damp feeling. I could tell there were hints of citrus, however, this was very faint. The taste was the exact same as the smell. In addition, this Chardonnay tasted mossy/wet earth which was not good. I could tell that the smell and taste I experienced were a common theme among Chardonnays. This is one of my least favorite white wines to drink, however, I will still be open to trying other Chardonnays.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Robert Mondavi Solaire Pinot Noir

Name: Robert Mondavi Solaire Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Santa Lucia Highlands, California

Country: USA

Year: 2008

Price: $21

Wine Critic Review: "A medium-weight style, displaying simple, delicate strawberry, plum and cherry flavors that are pure and focused. Successful in presenting the grape in a delicate and persistent manner. Drink now through 2014. 30,300 cases made." Wine Spectator

My Review: The wine had a nice burgundy color and I very curious about what the smell and taste would include because I am not familiar with Pinot Noir. When I held the glass up to my nose aromas of mildew, wet wood, and berries entered through my nose. The taste of the wine was similar to the smell with the addition of it being bitter. The aftertaste was not any better, this wine left me with a strong bitter sensation.

This wine was not tried with food. 

Tasting- Hardys Nottage Hill Merlot

Name: Hardys Nottage Hill Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2006
Price: $15

Wine Critic Review: "A wine made to maximise the attributes of the Merlot grape. The fragrant aroma of plums is complexed by herbal and spice overtones. The palate is soft with fresh fruit characters complexed by integrated oak flavours and subtle tannins." Wine.com

My Review: This wine was another decent that I tried at the Closeout Sale. The smell consisted of dark berries, petrol, oily, and like most other Merlots that I have tried it was going to be smooth to drink. When I tasted the Hardys Nottage Merlot I was very disappointed because it left nothing special on my tongue. It seemed very bland to me, light-medium body, and was probably one of my least favorite wines I tried that night.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Copa Del Ray Merlot

Name: Copa Del Ray Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: Mapo Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2008
Price: $15



Wine Critic Review: "Our wine makers worked in Chile to craft the Copa del Rey Merlot from the vineyard to the bottle. The latest New World winemaking techniques were employed to bring out the best of the Maipo Valley terroir. In the vineyard, extra hang-time allowed the grapes to reach full physiological ripeness, developing great intensity, depth and structure. In the cellar, French oak added complexity, body and flavor and our unique micro-oxygenation treatment was used to soften the tannins and create a rich, round mouth-feel. This Merlot also benefitted from the latest fining and filtration techniques which bring forth the full expression of fruit in the wine." Hahn Family Wines

My Review: I thought this wine had a very oaky smell to it and I could also tell the presence of berries and it made me think that it was going to be a smooth wine. When I tasted this particular wine I could taste the oak, dark berries, and it was very smoky. To me the merlot was a medium bodied wine. The aftertaste felt very hot on my tongue and I thought it was a very nice finish to the wine.

This wine was not tried with food.

Tasting- Crane Lake Moscato

Name: Crane Lake Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: Napa and Sonoma Valley, California
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $12

Winemaker Review: "This sweet wine is light in color with floral aromas including notes of orange blossom, jasmine, and honeysuckle. Flavors include peach, melon, and spice." Larry Rocha, Winemaker

My Review: One of the best wines I tried at the Closeout sale at the Vintage Cellar. After trying several distasteful Chardonnays I enjoyed the smell of mint, oregano, and basil. The taste was very clean and crisp, full of citrus fruits, and had a refreshing aftertaste. This wine was worthy of being purchased and the discounted price made it a steal. I would highly recommend this wine to anyone.

This wine was not tried with food.