Tasting - "Butterfield Station Chardonnay"

Tasting - "Butterfield Station Chardonnay"

Butterfield

Chardonnay

California

United States

2014

6.95

Tasting Notes: “California- Crisp apple and white peach flavors combine with delicate aromas of butter rum and vanilla. This popular wine represents a great value with its combination of mellow oak and rich fruit. It pairs well with chicken, pasta alfredo and lightly grilled veal or pork.” – Winery Direct

My Review:

-Color: translucent with touch of gold

-Smell: Citrus, especially pineapple, melted butter

-Taste: Creamy and oh so buttery, slight oak not overpowering, finishing with a citrusy fruit juice feel.

-I liked the buttery and creamy aspect that really coats your mouth, the touch of oak was nice. I would have liked to see a more popping citrus taste at the end, it was a bit dull and left me want but overall I enjoyed it.

Tasting - "Tonnino Chenin Blanc"

Tasting - "Tonnino Chenin Blanc"

Tonnino

Sangiovese

Sicily

Italy

2014

7.95

Tasting Notes: “The nose is intensely tropical, with tons of grapefruit and pineapple as well as melon. On the palate it's light and zesty with a prickly acidity. The stereotypical Chenin tropical character peeks through on the finish as well.” – Will May

My Review:

-Color: almost clear, translucent with a hint of yellow

-Smell: Tight and muted, but some floral and citrus components

-Taste: Zesty upfront, some acidity and a smooth finish with minimal to not heat

-A nice wine to sip in the summer for refreshment, but personally I like something with more body.

Tasting - "Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc"

Tasting - "Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc"

Clayhouse

Sauvignon Blanc

Paso Robles, CA

United States

2011

$9.95

Vineyard Notes: “Made in a refreshing aperitif style, Clayhouse Sauvignon Blanc exhibits a bouquet of starfruit, green pear, honeydew melon and grapefruit, with a hint of grass. There’s a touch of minerality that enhances the floral notes contributed by the Musque clone, and the wine finishes with a creamy mouthfeel (from sur lie fermentation and aging) and mouthwatering acidity.” – Clayhouse Vineyards

My Review:

-Color: very light in color, translucent with a hint of yellow

-Smell: Tight and muted with only a little lemon poking through, slight mineral quality

-Taste: Soft and coating start with a hint of grass, strong zest and acidic mid palate, finished slightly acidic and a minor amount of heat

-For me it was slightly disjointed and while not overly acidic it was not a pleasant acidity and did not blend well with smoother initial flavors. I thought it to be a bit one dimensional and did not stand out from other Sauvignon Blanc’s at this price point.

Tasting – “Butterfly Kiss”

Moscato

Butterfly Kiss

Chile

2012

$5.95

Critic Review: Lovely and bright, our 2012 Moscato dances with aromas of honeydew and apricot, gently kissed by orange blossom, candied pineapple and hint of lime zest. The palate is silky and lush, combining rich stone fruit and fresh melon flavors lifted by a vibrant zing of lemon-lime, which extends across the mouthwatering finish. Served chilled on a hot summer's day, paired with spicy Asian foods or grilled prawns.

My Review:

-Color: Golden, yellow

-Smell: earthy, incense, tobacco, hint of crisp apple, wild strawberry

-Taste: Overpoweringly sweet, cantaloupe, lots of honey, honey suckle. No taste of alcohol, muted finish with a sugary after taste.

-It was much too sweet for my taste

Tasting – “Purple Paws”

Zinfandel

Purple Paws

Lodi

California

2012

$7.95

Winery Review: Our 2012 Lodi Zinfdandel exhibits hints of cherry on the front of your palate and vanilla on the finish that will have you begging for more. Like most zinfandels it pairs well with good friends and barbecue. -Purple Paws Winery

My Review:

-Color: Soft but dark burgundy

-Smell: aged leather, tobacco, black currant, clove, pomegranate

-Taste: strong clove up front, aged oak, minimal mid palate, smooth but lingering finish.

-My favorite of the bunch. It had more to decipher than the other wines. The clove was strong worked well with the overall aged smell and taste of the wine.

Tasting – “Purple Paws”

Cabernet Sauvignon

Purple Paws

Lodi

California

Non-Vintage

$7.95

Winery Review: Lodi Cabernet has all the classic notes of a California Cabernet Sauvignon. Cloves, olives, and oak with a no nonsense, fruit forward finish remind you why this, the heaviest wine in the Purple Paws line, lends itself to pairings of robust steaks or lamb. -Purple Paws Winery

My Review:

-Color: Mellow burgundy

-Smell: Light oak, blackberry, cherry, plum

-Taste: Strong cherry, overwhelming wall of cherry that overpowers other flavors, muted finish, integrated and not bitey.

-The cherry was too much for me but could be enjoyed by someone who like powerful dark fruit flavors.

Tasting – “Rosemont”

 

Rosemont

Chardonnay

South Australia

Australia

2013

$5.95

Critic Review: This is a solid value wine at under ten bucks. The scent is all tart lime, and the flavor follows suit: this is a simple, tart, fresh Sauvignon Blanc with zippy acidity and slightly rounded texture, the kind of thing you need for drinking outdoors when you're grilling seafood. – Serious Eats

My Review:

-Color: light gold with a hint of green

-Smell: Pear, honeysuckle, floral, lime

-Taste: Slightly dry, light finish with a little heat coming through, strong citrus, grassy, buttery, one dimensional

-The grassy and buttery flavors did not mix well for me and I did not care for this wine.

Tasting – “La Lejania”

 

La Lejania

Sauvignon Blanc

Central Valley

Chile

2012

$6.95

Vintage Notes: Notes of Citrus, grapefruit, mandarin orange and asparagus. Fresh and clean ... drinking tremendous right now! – Amazon Tasting Notes

My Review:

-Color: very light in color, pale, almost clear white

-Smell: Fruity, peach, honeydew, citrus, hint of orange oil, floral, grassy

-Taste: Sweet, light, noticeably fruity but not in your face. Minimal to no mid-palate. Smooth finish, integrated and not bitey.

-I didn’t particularly care for the wine because I much prefer a dry red and this was one dimensional but for ~$7 it is decent white.

My Experience with Wine

                Wine has been a part of my life since I was about 16. It was the first alcoholic drink that I was introduced to by my parents. I live in a family of wine fanatics and Italian wine fanatics at that. My mother is 100% Italian and I have spent a lot time with my mother’s side of the family. As an Italian family, we like to spend lots of time with each other and wine is usually involved especially if my aunt and uncle are there. When I was around 16 I was offered a sip of wine with dinner at family gatherings, usually during the holidays or other special occasions. As I grew older I was permitted to have my own glass which could be considered as some sort of rite of passage. The point of the story is that I was introduced to wine in a positive way and an environment that fostered the appreciation and love for the beverage itself and the culture that surrounds it. As a result I, like many members of my family, love wine and it is my alcoholic beverage of choice. After turning 21 and having the ability to purchase my own wine has only furthered my love for wine.

                Since my family is full of the wine fanatics and my first experiences with the beverage were during special occasions, I was introduced to some very good wines right from the beginning. I consider myself both blessed and cursed for having been such good wine so early on. On one hand I feel fortunate to have tried some good wines so early in my life but on the other hand my budget as a student doesn’t allow me to have those wines on a regular basis. My limited budget has encouraged me to find the complex and full bodied wines that I enjoy in the $10-$12 price bracket, so far it has been a fun challenge.

My family has contributed heavily to the types of wines that I prefer. We drink almost exclusively red wine and as a result I drink almost exclusively red wine. Also I prefer dryer wines with a darker taste and even a little bite to them. These types of wines are ones that my family also enjoy, especially my uncle who likes his wine very dry and bitey. Before I was able to purchase my own wine I never gave much thought to the types of grapes in the wine that I was drinking, how it was aged, the climate the grapes grew in or anything like that. The only thing that I thought about was did I like the taste of what I was drinking. Now that I have to select wine from the large variety that are available it has forced me to pay more attention to these details so I make an educated guess about whether or not I would like that bottle. My current favorites are Cabernet Sauvignon’s from California, Malbec’s from Chile and Italian Barbarossa wines.