Cwat Im Drinking

Dark Horse Rose This Rose from Modesta, California was definitely fruit forward. Beth Liston the Dark Horse winemaker made this rose to be a Provence-style to be dry, bright, and crisp. This Rose is made from Grenache, Barbera, Pinot Grigio, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel grapes had was dryer than I expected for a rose. The fruit flavors were forward in addition to the dryness and I was able to pick up on red fruits. A reviewer wrote, “I kind of stumbled on Dark Horse a few months back. Good rose is hard to find especially at a reasonable price. So, when my usual brand was out I tried a bottle of Dark Horse rose. It is great, crisp and dry enough to make you sip again”. I stumbled on the wine the same way this reviewer did, where I wasn’t expecting to get it but its value made it stand out.

Gabbiano Chianti Classico 2015 This was an awesome red and it further solidified sangiovese as my favorite grape. A full bodied red with dark red fruit and berry flavors as well as big tannins. This Tuscan wine paired incredible well with the chicken and pasta I made and had a perfect amount of dryness to compliment the sweetness of the red sauce. I did notice the wine was a little hot and forward with the alcohol amount, perhaps if I had let it breath or age it would have seemed more balanced. A reviewer broke the wine down well saying, ” Ruby red, dark berry aroma, typically sangiovese, dry, medium bodied, fruity flavours, medium tannin, , medium acidity and nice finish.” The wine had an average of 3 stars, however I feel like it deserves a bit more than that.

19 Crimes Red wine This 2016 Blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache from Australia was very berry forward having a jammy taste. I was able to pick out the aromatics of the wine a little more than usual with this wine, namely vanilla and cedar stood out to me. This wine has definitely been making a splash receiving between 4.5 and 4.8 stars on review sites. I agree with these reviews though I usually prefer dryer wines. Reviewers captured the experience of this wine well saying, “This is probably my favorite red wine that I have ever tried and it’s extremely affordable! It’s the perfect mix of a strong flavor with a smooth finish! I have tried almost this whole entire brand of wine.” After this wine I will definitely continue trying their wines.

Maschio Prosecco Brut This was my first experience with sparkling wines and though I did not particularly enjoy the taste I did enjoy the buzz that came with it. This 2014 from Italy is 100% Glera grapes giving it a light straw yellow color. The bouquet was strong with this wine producing orange and peach notes. The wine was fruit forward, and peach notes were easily discerned with sips. A reviewer wrote, “Excellent flavor. Clean, nice balance between sugar, acid and flavor. Crisp, not at all cloying”. As this was a wine my parents bought it is a prosecco they buy often and I can see why.

Alamos Malbec from Mendoza Argentina This 2016 Vintage was dark purple in color and bright berry flavors and aromas. While drinking this wine I tried to focus on the lighter flavors and picked up on vanilla. It was medium in body with a spicy finish. People on wine blogs seem to enjoy this wine as its overall score is around a 4. One reviewer had this to say about the Malbec, “ Intense and dense red color. In nose a great portfolio of red and dark fruit aromes, subtile leather, dark chocolate and tobacco. Medium body, easy drinking, prolonged and amazing fruity and tobacco aftertaste” I was not able to pick up on the tobacco flavors, but feel as though this red would pair well with meats.

Blackstone Merlot from California This 2016 vintage was $7.00 and had very dark fruit flavors. I was able to pick out berry and plum flavors. Blackstone describes this Merlot as having hints of vanilla and French toast. I enjoyed this wine as it was dry with a smooth finish. A reviewer left the following review on Total Wines, “Wowee! Well this is a well balanced and really nice Merlot that you will be shocked is six freaking bucks.” The best thing this wine brings to the table is its cost. It is balanced and easy to drink for a cheap price.

For our Friday the 23 wine dinner, My roommate Jim and I started with an appetizer of tomato basil soup. This appetizer was followed with chicken parm. with angel hair pasta, as well as beans and potatoes. Three wines were brought to the dinner to pair with the food. These wines were a California Cabernet Sauvignon, a California Savignon Blanc, and California Rose. The Cabernet Sauvignon paired the best out of the wines with the heavy meal that we decided to serve. This dark berried reds paired well with the red sauce smothered the chicken and pasta. This had the opposite effect with the white and rose. These wines seemed to be overpowered by the heartyness. With a lighter sauce over the chicken the Rose by Josh, and the Sauvignon Blanc by CK Mondavi may have been more in balance. The Rose was one of the first roses that I've tasted and I enjoyed it. My only experience coming from ridiculously sweet roses, this dry rose was very good. I was able to pickout hints of citrus.  ...