Wine Tasting- George Cartier

 

Name: George Cartier 

Varietal: Champagne Blend (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier)

Country: Épernay, France

Vintage: NV

Price: $50

Critic Review: Straw color. Aromas and flavors of lemon curd, brioche, cashew, and wet stone with a supple, lively, effervescent, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a seamless, charming, medium-long finish with nuances of orange custard and apple with no oak flavor. A vibrant mouthwatering, fruit-driven Champagne perfect for any occasion. -Tastings.com

Wine Folly: pg. 94 I was able to get a bit of the citrus notes and the price matched with what the book states. pg. 95 the region has notes of mushroom which I was not able to find but thought it was an interesting descriptor.

My Review: Wow! This was the first time I had tried champagne and it was really good!! I found that it had some tropical notes which sounds kind of odd, but I thought it had notes of pineapple. It was light and the tingle of the bubbles were extremely coated the mouth to allow all the flavors to be introduced. Overall this wine was a special treat that I may have at the next special occasion!

I did not pair it with any food!

p.s. My family was in town for Easter and we all enjoyed this wine!

Wine Tasting- Rue de Perle

 

Name: Rue De Perle

Varietal: Bordeaux Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot

Country: Bordeaux, France

Vintage: 2021

Price: $11

Critic Review: Rue De Perle does French wines with flair. Their wines embrace a long-standing commitment to unrivaled quality and reach beyond the ordinary for an uncompromising approach to the French joie de vivre. This French Bordeaux is full-bodied with aromas of bright red berry fruits, black cherry, and warm spice. It carries flavors of ripe raspberry and boysenberry pate de fruit that are elevated by hints of pepper. -Harris Teeter 

Wine Folly: pg. 83 The black cherry came through really strong and I could almost get the herbal notes as well. pg. 84 I was able to find the plum that is noted in the textbook. 

My Review: Good! From the nose I was able to pick up some cherry. The taste is where I found a lot more notes with plum and heavy cherry notes. I also thought I found maybe licorice. It had a nice long finish that was warm. 

I did not pair it with any food!

Wine Tasting- Bota Box Dry Rosé

 

Name: Bota Box Dry Rosé

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: Manteca, California 

Vintage: Not Stated

Price: $17

Critic Review: Bota Box Dry Rose is not sweet. That’s what you get with this Rosé – a refreshing, delicately pink wine that offers crisp, dry, perfectly ripe flavors of raspberries, wild strawberries and grapefruit zest. Serve it well chilled. -Bota Box

Wine Folly: The book did not have anything on rosé specifically but on pg. 88 for cabernet sauvignon I was able to get a small note of the cherry but this rosé did not have the strong tannins like a red cab sav.

My Review: Yum!! I found this dry rosé to be quite a treat! To start off it was really smooth and not bone dry but clean. The aromas I found were berry, specifically, raspberry and strawberry. From the taste I found the same notes but also a little apricot and definitely a tropical taste. Overall, I thought this boxed wine was great and for the price for that much wine I will most definitely buy again!!  

I did not pair it with any food!

side note I tried this wine with my girlfriend Sydney and she also loved it! :)

Wine Tasting- Michel Fonne

 

Name: Michel Fonne Alsace

Varietal: Pinot Blanc

Country: Alsace

Vintage: 2018

Price: $16

Critic Review: Some earthiness surrounds shy pear notes on the nose of this wine. The palate still carries a yeasty funk and presents a pithy, earthy core with little fruit. The finish is dry and clean.  -Anne Krebiehl MW

Wine Folly: pg. 148 It stated that this was a mutated pinot noir which is really cool! I was not able to get the notes of pears or peaches. It was said to primarily be from Germany but this one was from France.

My Review: Bleh!! I was not a fan of this wine at all. It had a strong sulfur smell that took me aback and made be regret opening it. The taste was sweeter but seemed off and kind of had a fizz to it. This was my first pinot blanc that I had tried and I really hope that they do not have the same tasting experience as this one... 

I did not pair it with any food!

Wine Tasting- Schmitt Söhne

 

Name: Schmitt Söhne 

Varietal: Riesling

Country: Germany

Vintage: 2021

Price: $10

Critic Review: This wine delivers crisp green apple, honeysuckle and citrus flavors, balanced by notes of bright minerality. -Schmitt Söhne Winery

Wine Folly: pg. 158 I was able to get the notes of the apple and this riesling was more on the dry side. I was not able to detect the petroleum and found that description to be quite odd. pg. 159 for German rieslings they are said to have notes of beeswax, which is something that I did not find but thought was something interesting that I hope to pick up on in future tastings of this grape! 

My Review: Good! I found this wine to have a really strong apple and pear aroma with the taste of pear coming through. It was nice and creamy and sat heavy on the tongue. Overall, I thought this good value wine had a lot to offer and I now have a strong interest in this type of varietal!!

I did not pair it with any food!

Wine Tasting- JCB Unity

 

Name: JCB Unity

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: Sonoma, California 

Vintage: 2019

Price: $10

Critic Review: The 2019 Unity is a blend of premier valley floor fruit from St. Helena and Rutherford. A deep purple-black color with a dynamic bouquet of stewed plums, melted chocolate, licorice, and crème de cassis. This is a medium-bodied, palate-pleasing wine with red berry fruit flavors layered with nuances of cedar and a touch of mocha. The palate is densely packed with tightly wound layers and the finish has stunning length and depth.  -JCB Website

Wine Folly: pg. 88 I easily found the cherry and spice notes but not so much of the black currant. pg. 89 From California it's said to have notes of pencil lead and mint, which is quite interesting and I did not find it in this wine but will try to look out for it in the future!

My Review: Good!! This cab sav was a full deep red with all of the characteristics of a classic cabernet. I found blackberries and cherries in the aromas and I picked up some fruity and spice in the taste. I could not quite nail down the exact spice, but it was not too strong. I thought this a good wine and in the future I definitely need to pair it with some cheese or red meat to see how that changes the complexity of the wine! 

I did not pair it with any food!

Wine Tasting- Outlander

 

Name: Outlander Meritage

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec

Country: Paso Robles, California 

Vintage: 2020

Price: $8

Critic Review: Lush aromas of black cherry, vanilla, kola nut and blackberry fudge pack lots of action into this bottling. The palate confirms the complexity, with blueberry and black cherry backed by pipe tobacco, dried marjoram and a pencil lead-driven structure. -Wine Enthusiast 

Wine Folly: pg. 88, 125, 131, 146 All of these grapes have the notes of cherry and plum which I was able to pick up on right away. I was also able to pick up on the vanilla notes that the Malbec contributed. The Petit Verdot was said to be a popular grape found in blends. 

My Review: Good!! This meritage from Aldi was a solid wine for the price it was and I would definitely see myself purchasing it again! From the aromas I was able to get notes of blueberry, cherry, and vanilla. For the taste I really got berry and plum. The wine was warm from the alcohol, which was at 14.5% and it had a long finish to it. I think this wine would go great with meals, specifically some big red meats and I hope to try that combo in the future!!

I did not pair with any food!