Wine Tasting Madria Sangria

Name: Madria Sangria
Variety: 
Region: California
Country: US
Year: NV
Price: $8.95

Winery review:  Madria Sangria Trandicional offers a flavorful blend of ruby-red wine and hints of orange, lemon, and lime. And true to the traditional Spainish style, this Sangria has just the right amount of sweetness and refreshment. It pairs perfectly with family and friends, laughter, and a delicious meal.  

My review: This wine smelled like plum and cherries. It smelled very sweet with hints of citrus. The initial taste of the wine was sweet and very flavorful. It was like a citrus punch bowl stirring my mouth. After it settled a bit I tasted orange. It seemed like there was an orange peel in my mouth, just lingering there. I enjoyed drinking this wine. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Wine Tasting Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone

Name: Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone
Variety: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2010
Price: $14.95

Winery review:  Displays loads of ripe flavors. It is very concentrated for a Cotes du Rhone, and is actually an amazing wine. Classic garrigue, black cherry liqueur, lavender, licorice, and spice box are all present in this full bodied, intense, and rich Cotes du Rhone. This is a sensational effort to drink over the next 4-5 years, although it might last even longer. 

My review: This wine smelled like plums mixed with cherries. But not the good kind. It reminded me of smelling cherry flavored medicine. I could even smell the bitterness. This wine was balanced, which surprised me since the smell was so strong. It was very tart, bitter, and dry. I could taste some roots in the wine as well. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Wine Tasting Lobetia Tempranillo

Name: Lobetia Tempranillo
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: La Mancha,
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $10.95

Winery review:  Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terroir to stand cut cleanly. It shows a nice cherry color with a violet shade because of its youth. Red berries and cherries on the nose. On the palate it is fresh, slightly astringent,, and harmonious with a long finish. 

My review: This wine smelled strongly of cherries. The initial taste was cherry but then after a while I got a strong medicine like taste. It seemed like I was trying to swallow a pill but it got stuck in my mouth and I could just taste it the entire time. The wine was also really dry and really bitter. It was hard for me to enjoy this wine. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Wine Tasting Lobetia Chardonnay

Name: Lobetia Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay 
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $10.95

Winery review:  Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terroir to stand out cleanly. Clean, bright color with a greenish-yellow tone. On the nose, exotic fruits like pineapple. Full flavored, fresh, with good acidity in the mouth, it finishes with tropical fruits. 

My review: When I first smelled this wine it reminded me of a Chinese pork dish called Rou Song. Like the dish it was sweet with a hint of pork flavor. I also picked up on a little bit of vanilla mixed in with metal. The wine was really unbalanced for me. It was acidic and really bitter. There was a tart and spicy taste to it as well. It is probably one of the most difficult white wines I've ever tasted but also one of the most interesting smells. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.

Wine Tasting Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele
Variety: Pinot Grigio 
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $7.95

Winery review:  Name after the famous restaurant in Italy. This is their house white wine. Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. 

My review: The wine smelled had an initial smell of flowers and then it turned into a more citric smell with a hint of apples. The wine tasted really tart. But then after swirling it around a bit you can taste some green apples mixed with some lemons. It was a good balance of flavors. 
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Wine Dinner Baked Tilapia and Stuffed Zucchini

On Sunday, April 21, 2013, Oscar, Joan, and I made our own dinner wine pairing once again. The recipes and pairings were thanks to the Shutter Homes wine and food pairings Pinterest account. This week we decided to make baked Tilapia with veggies, stuffed zucchinis, and Gouda cheese with a french baguette. We paired these foods with a Red Wood Creek 2011 Sauvignon Blanc. We were able to get the Red Wood on sale for only $5.95 at Krogers which was such a good deal but we weren't sure about the taste.

Stuffed Zucchini

Gouda Cheese

Baked Tilapia with Veggies

Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Zesty notes of lemon and grapefruit are balanced with refreshing hints of green herbs and melon

The first thing I did for this dinner was try the cheese by itself. Why? Because I've never had Gouda before and I was curious as to how it tasted. The particular Gouda we got was really smoked. You could really taste the smokiness of the cheese. It seemed like I was eating it straight from wood. Right after that I tried the cheese with the baguette. This made the cheese a little milder. Then I tried the wine by itself. The wine was very tart and it made my lips pucker. You could really taste the lemon in this wine but I really enjoyed it. Trying the cheese with baguette and wine together however was just amazing. The wine made the cheese milder and sweeter so it seemed like I was at an outdoor campfire. The cheese was creamy and delicious! I loved how the cheese tasted with the wine. 

Bread and Cheese Platter

Trying the wine with the zucchini was pretty good as well. It made the zucchini sweeter and more flavorful. I felt like it really brought out more zucchini flavor than I have ever tasted. It brought I notes that I didn't even know existed in a zucchini. 

Plate of food

The wine with the fish was really good as well. It made the fish seem fresher and more flavorful. I really enjoyed this food pairing! I finished 2 glasses of wine because I loved how they tasted together so every bite of food I took, I took a sip of wine without fail. It was just too good to not eat together. Overall I think this tasting was absolutely amazing! I would want to make this meal again in the future! 

Joan Taking a picture of the dinner

Joan and Oscar

Wine Tasting Ksana Bonarda

Name: Ksana Bonarda
Variety: Bonarda 
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2008
Price: $9.95

Winery review:  The bouquet is floral and lightly jammy, with berry aromas and a savory note or two. To the uninitiated, this is a great introduction to Bonarda. Finishes solid. Very sweet, berry smell with some rooty undertones. Kind of dry, makes your lips pucker. 

My review: The wine smelled of dark cherries mixed with a bit of root. It made the wine smell a bit bitter. The wine was bitter with a hint of sweetness but it wasn't a good balance. It was also dry which made the wine worse for me. 

I tasted this on its own with no food.