Wine Blog

Photo of Wine:   Photo of Me: Name of wine:  Shiraz by Milton Park Varietal:  Shiraz Region:  South Australia Country:  Australia Year:  2018 Price:  $9.99 Wine critic:   Deep red color. The wine is deep and rich smelling with dark fruits, plums and spice with some good oak. There is very rich fruit on the palate with plums, blackberry and sweet spice from the oak. The palate is vibrant and young with a flavorsome viscous mouthfeel which will develop complexity with time. There are some slightly chewy tannins which will soften with time and there is great length of fruit flavor. References: Syrah (pg. 172):  Blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, tobacco, and green peppercorn.  High in body, alcohol, acidity, and tannin, extremely low in sweetness. My review:  Mild tannic texture, not nearly as dry as the Zinfandel.  Immediately there was a strong fruity presence, with strong notes of cherry and more subtle plum flavor....

Photo of Wine:   Photo of Me:   Name of wine:  Lodi Zinfandel by Gnarly Head Varietal:  Zinfandel Region:  Manteca, California Country:  United States Year:  2020 Price:  $7.99 Wine critic:   One of the things I generally love is the balance of jamminess and tannins which makes it so versatile. Maybe my 'buds are off tonight, but this bottle of '18 was entirely too sweet for the ribeye I'd paired it with. References: Zinfandel (pg. 189):  Blackberry, strawberry, peach reserves, cinnamon, and sweet tobacco.  High in alcohol, body, and tannins, and low in acidity and sweetness. My review:  Incredibly smooth initial mouth feel.  Unlike a merlot or a cabernet sauvignon, which have a strong bite right at mouth entry, this wine takes a few seconds to express the deeper flavors.  The swallow is a completely different experience; almost immediately there is a strong cinnamon bite and a flavor that I can only as...

Wine photos:    Cheese photo:   Photo of me:   Pairing 1:  Starborough Sauvignon Blanc w/ Roth Kase Havarti Dill Wine alone Distinct pear aroma and flavor.  Slight acidity with a gentle finish. With cheese The cheese was very creamy, but surprisingly it took away some of the pear flavor.  Perhaps the fats in the cheese absorbed some of the acids and took some flavor with it. The two feel like a decent pairing, but I can't say it was great just because the flavors slightly canceled out The cheese flavor was more prominent of the two Despite the acidity tempering the richness of the cheese, the combination had an overall pleasant taste. The fattiness was brought down by the acidity of the wine Pairing 2:  Cline Mourvedre Rose w/ Murray's Gruyere Wine alone Raspberry or blackberry initial flavor with a peach after taste.  The aroma was piercing, almost to the point of being able to taste the wine itself without needing to drink it. Wit...

 Photos of wines:      Photos of meals:       Names of wines: Chardonnay by Chateau St. Jean 2019, California Vin De France Rose by Chalkboard Unable to find varietals 2019, France Malbec by Padrillos 2020, Mendoza, Argentina  Wine notes without food: Chardonnay:  Fairly acidic, and had a nice apple and lemon flavor. Rose:  Similar to the Chardonnay in its flavor and texture, but had a bolder and more intense overall flavor.  The aftertaste was more fruity. Malbec:  A deep aroma, with notes of oak and leather.  Very dry and tannic, with a slightly oaky after taste. Wine notes with dishes: Chardonnay w/ Caesar salad:  The creaminess of the dressing canceled out the acidity; had a sweeter and fruitier taste with the acidity taken down a bit. I found that the two paired very well Rose w/ potatoes:  The sweetness of the Rose paired well with the saltiness and garlic of the potatoes.  The blend of the s...

Photo of wine:   Photo of me with wine:   Name of wine:  Pinotage by Six Hats Varietal:  Pinotage Region:  Western Cape Country:  South Africa Year:  2019 Price:  $9.49 Wine critic:  Oak, plum, pepper, and a hint of strawberry.  Bitter finish. References: Pinotage (pg. 152):  Black cherry, blackberry, fig, menthol, roasted meat.  High in alcohol, body, and tannins, low in acidity and sweetness. My review:  It had a very strong and deep grape smell; approaching an invasive aroma that bit my nostrils.  The taste was very dry and tannic, and had a strong cherry and fruity taste.  The acidity was almost non-existent in the face of all the dryness, but the taste was not as intense as the smell.  The body felt somewhat high, but not as high as Wine Folly suggests in my experience. With food:  No

Photo of wine/label  Photo of me holding wine   Name of wine:  Vino Bianco by Opici Varietal:  20% Chardonnay, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Trebbiano, 40% Verdicchio Region:  Adriatic Coast Country:  Italy Year:  None given Price:  $11.29 Critic Notes:  Pale straw color with green glints, a delicate aroma, a dry, clean straightforward taste and a crisp, almost citrusy finish.  Enjoy it young. References: Chardonnay (pg. 96):  Apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter flavors.  It has a high alcohol flavor, with a medium body and acidity.  Very low in tannins. Sauvignon Blanc (pg. 165):  Gooseberry, honeydew, grapefruit, white peach, passion-fruit.  Very high acidity, but low in all other areas besides a medium alcoholic balance. Trebbiano Toscano (pg. 179):  White peach, lemon, green apple, seashell, basil.  High acidity, medium alcohol, body, and sweetness, and low tannins. Verdicchio (pg. 182)...