Tasting - Forever Vineyards: Moscato

Name: Forever Vineyards

Variety: Moscato
Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2010

Price: $FREE - it was my birthday present :)

Wine Makers Notes: This sweet, refreshing Moscato has aromas of fresh melons and peaches. Pairs perfectly with fresh fruits, sorbets and light cheeses.

Sniffy Sniff: The nose on this wine was beautiful. It was floral, clean, crisp and just made me think of summer time. It also had a strong honeydew melon nose with some rich fresh honey. 

Slurppy Slurp: I loved this wine. It started of crisp and clean. The mid-pallet was very full bodied and coated the mouth with rich honey and honeydew melon. Then it finished with the clean, crisp green apple mixed with peaches and maybe a hint of kiwi on the finish.

This wine was super sweet but not too syrupy. So in the end it was amazing and I loved it, even though there were no bubbles!

Dinner - Zeppoli's (Blind Tasting)

On Sunday evenings Zeppoli's offers a wine tasting and dinner. Sunday, March 18th was a blind tasting of classic varietals. The goal of this blind tasting wasn't necessarily to pair with food but to see if everyone could tell the difference in some of the most classic varietals. 

I had never been to Zeppoli's before and was excited to see what all the hype was about. When my friend and I arrived we checked in and were seated in the little side room to the left of the entrance. There were a bunch of small 4 person tables and only seats for 24 people. I thought it was going to be a dinner and wine pairing and wasn't sure how the plates and glasses for 4 people would fit on this tiny little table. It was a buffet style kind of serve yourself food. The spread was amazing though: cheese and crackers, salad, alfredo pasta with sausage, beef and cheese ravioli, cold pasta salad, cheesy bread, and some kinda of egg-roll thing (not really sure but it was pretty good). Once everyone had their food they served the first wine. The food wasn't paired with the wine so it was kinda strange to be eating such a variety of food with all the different wines. I was glad there was some water to clear my pallet so that I could taste the wines with and without the food.

 

 The wines that we tasted in order:

 

WHITE WINES

1. Sierra Crus Sauvignon Blanc 2010, $7.99

This $8 wine had a 12% alcohol content and was ok, probably my second favorite wine. On the nose for me it had a crisp apple and pear. The taste was kind of bland with a mineral flavor to it. There was a hint of sour apple, kind of tangy. After the initial taste, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

While tasting I guessed it was either the Sav Blanc or the Pinot Grigio, I am proud of myself for almost guessing this wine spot on!

2. Lison Paramaggiore Pinot Grigio 2010, $7.99

This $8 wine had a 11.5% alcohol content which is almost the same as the first one, but to me it seemed a little more on the hot side. The nose on this wine for me was very earthy and grassy. The wine maker says that the bouquet is of hay, walnut and toasted almonds. I would agree with the nuttiness on the nose. This wine didn't seem to have much of a taste at all. I didn't pair it with any of the foods because we moved really fast between wines, but I wish i had. 

During the blind tasting I didn't know what this wine was but by process of elimination I knew it wasn't either of the other two white wines on the list so it had to be the Pinot Grigio. 

3. Leese-Fitch Chardonnay California 2009, $11.99

This Chardonnay has a 13.8% alcohol content which is higher than the first two and it definitely came through. The nose of this wine was light and citrusy with a hint of pear coming through. The wine makers says that there is a strong fruity smell that becomes roasted chestnut and vanilla caramel apple. I didn't smell that at all. The taste I got from this wine was creamy, oaky, and tart. I didn't taste any fruity components to this wine but the creaminess lasted for a while. This wine is very full-bodied.

This wine was easy to guess because it was a creamy white wine with oaky components. It has to be a Chardonnay. 

4. Opera Prima Moscato Spain NV(no vintage), $5.99

This moscato from Spain only has 7% alcohol. On the nose for me i had a strong lemony fresh clean, crisp green apple aroma. The wine maker claimes there is an intense aroma of fresh grapes, fruit syrup and hints of white flower petals. This could have been a fair description as well. Of course there were bubbles (my favorite part). This was a fabulous moscato and the wine maker says it best: a silky and pleasant sweetness, balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. By far my favorite wine.

As soon as the server popped the cork we all knew it was a moscato. 

RED WINES
**My red wine descriptors are not very good yet but I'll give it the best I got.**

5. Kenwood Yulupa Pinot Noir 2010, $14.99
*only allowed to be sold in restaurants and is more of an American style pinot noir. 

This Pinot Noir has a 13.5% alcohol content and was quite hot. The nose of this wine was spicy yet fruity which a hint of berries and cherries. The only taste I could detect was the peppery spiciness which a little bit of some kind of berry.

The wine maker states that the fruity aromas are of boysenberry, strawberry and cherry joined with notes of vanilla and spice. This wine is 99% Pinot Noir and 1% Syrah and aged 11 months in French and European Oak. 

6. Poggio Vipere Chianti DOCG 2009, $11.99

This wine has a slightly lower alcohol content of 12.5% and was not as hot. On the nose i smell a fruitiness of maybe berries or plums, but also get a spicy aroma. The taste of this wine was again peppery but had a full mouth feel. The flavor of tart berries is the only thing that comes to mind. 

The wine maker states it has a good body and persistent aroma with hints of cherry spice. In the mouth, it reveals itself as soft, fresh, and pleasantly balanced. 

7. Hope Merlot Hunter Valley 2009 Austrailia. $11.99

This wine has an alcohol content of 13.5% which is a little much for me. At this point I am running out of ways to describe red wine because they all seem to smell and taste the same to me. I thought the nose of this wine was fruity, maybe cherry, and spicy. The taste of this wine was sour and dry, and very peppery. 

This was one of the favorites of the group, however I didn't agree. The wine maker states there are aromas of dark plums and vibrant fruit. A dense, well rounded palate of cherry, chocolate richness with some spicy, integrated oak characters. 

8. Cholila Ranch Malbec Fatagonia Argentina 2010, $10.99

The alcohol content just keeps rising, this malbec coming in with a 13.9%. The only aroma I detected was berry and cherry. The taste of this wine had a strong vanilla flavor that coated the mouth. 

The wine makers tasting notes claim aromas of ripe plum, mulberry with violet hints, ripe black fruits and fig on the palate, and touches of smoke and vanilla. The wine maker also claims this Malbec is truly powerful yet balanced with a persistent finish. 

9. Chasing Lions Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 North Coast California, $13.99

This wine had a 14.1% alcohol content! WOAH! The aromas I found from this wine was berry with an almost potpourri sent with and earthy tone. This taste of this wine was oaky and dry with lots of tannins and maybe a hint of licorice. Not my most favorite wine. 

The wine maker says that this wine shows wonderful scents of blackberry, cassis, tobacco, leather and plums on the nose followed by a deep concentrated roundness on the palate with lovely textures and pure flabors of dark fruits, black licorice and toasty oak. 


This wine is made of: 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. 60% aged in 2 year old French Oak, 40% aged in 2 year old American oak.

Overall the experience was enjoyable, there were some great wines and there were some not so great wines (in my opinion). I would love to do this again but with more of a wine-meal pairing. The blind tasting was fun and I might try it again some day to see if I can actually guess the wines.

Tasting - Castell del Remei Gotim Bru

Name: Castell del Remei Gotim Bru

Variety: Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Savignon and Garnacha
Region: Catalonia

Country: Spain

Year: 2008

Price: $12.95

Wine Makers Notes: The flavours of dark cherries are complemented by some red fruit and savoury, almost minty, notes coming through as the wine opens up. A touch of balsamic and some firm tannins round out a thoroughly enjoyable wine. An interesting one for Rioha fans to try, as it does enough to be different, but still ought to appeal with its similar flavour profile. A good match for roast lamb (like all good Rioja).

Sniffy Sniff: This wine had a very nice bouquet. It has both a sweet and spicy nose. It is a very interesting concept, not sure with to expect when I taste it.

Slurppy Slurp: It definitely had the sweet and spicy components in the taste. I tasted a peppery and spicy flavor with strong tannins that dried out my mouth. But there was a big fruity component that was unexpected for such a dry wine. The complexity of this wine was interesting but it isn't something I would choose to enjoy regularly.

Tasting - Maison Foucher Chinon La Vigne en Veron

Name: Maison Foucher Chinon La Vigne en Veron

Variety: 
Region: 

Country: 
Year: 2010

Price: $12.95

Wine Makers Notes: This Chinon comes from the villages of Rivier, Beaumont en Veron and Savigny en Veron. The spoils here are a mix of Argilo Calcaire and gravel with tend to produce wines that are a big more approachable with soft tannins and lovely fruit. The core of the blend is a cuvee of old vines (40-50 years) raised mostly in used barriques, 1-3 years old. The balance is aged in tank, creating a wine that is bright, fresh, and aromatic, with lovely cut. A perfect wine for picnics or by the glass in bistro like settings. 

Sniffy Sniff: The nose on this wine was hard to decipher. I detected a sweet smell and some kind of berries, maybe even some plum. 

Slurppy Slurp: This wine dried my mouth out a lot, but the after taste was short. I could taste some berry with maybe some cherry on the finish. It is hard for me to pick out tastes because I get distracted by the wine drying my mouth out. 

Tasting - Grange Philippe Gipsy Rose

Name: Grange Philippe Gipsy Rose

Variety: 100% Syrah
Region:

Country: 

Year: 2011

Price: $11.95

Wine Makers Notes: A wine with strong pink color, exuding floral notes and red berries. Fat and round, it coats the palate before finishing on a final balance without bitterness. 

Sniffy Sniff: This wine had a very strong grapefruit and floral bouquet. There may have been a slight hint of cherry. 

Slurppy Slurp: I agree with the wine maker on everything except the finish. It was full and thick, creamy and simple. There was a berry flavor but on the finish I found this wine to be a little bitter or tangy.

Tasting - La Vigne des Sablons Vouvray

Name: La Vigne des Sablons Vouvray

Variety: 
Region: 

Country: 

Year: 2010

Price: $12.95

Wine Makers Notes: From clay and limestone, naturally slightly sweet, but balanced from high natural acidity. All tank aged to retain freshness, loaded with minerals and aromas of white and yellow acacia flowers, apricots, and pears. A great aperitif or lovely with white fish or blue veined cheeses. 

Sniffy Sniff: Another very light nose. This wine had a very floral nose, it kinda had the smell of a funeral home full of flowers, that kinda of floral. There was also a hint of melon and pear. 

Slurppy Slurp:  First impression - very tangy and full. There was a taste of melon with a little pear along with some kind of citrusy fruit. It had the flavors of sweet elements but the feel of eating a lemon or a grapefruit. My mouth felt very strange after this wine. 

Tasting - Castell del Remei Blanc Planell

Name:Castell del Remei Blanc Planell

Variety: 54% Macabeo & 46% Savugnon Blanc
Region: Catalonia

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $9.95

Wine Makers Notes: 89 Points, Wine Enthusiast. Easy, chiseled and refreshing stuff from Catalonia thats 54% Macabeo and 46% Savignon Blanc, by no means a common combo in Spain. Aromas of lime are clean, while the palate locks in on orange and grapefruit flavors with perfect acidity. Delightful salad and appetizer wine. 

Sniffy Sniff: Very light on the aroma, but a clean smell with a hint of lime. There was a slight lemon and grapefruit smell as well.

Slurppy Slurp: At first the only thing i could think was YUCK! It was quite citrusy and tangy like lime and grapefruit combo. It also had some heat on the finish. By the end of the third slurp of this wine it wasn't as bad as I had originally thought.

Tasting - Sutter Home: White Zinfandel

Name: Sutter Home

Variety: White Zinfandel
Region: Nappa Valley, California

Country: USA

Year: 2010

Price: $5.20

Wine Makers Notes: A delicate blush pink color introduces this fresh, lively wine. On your palate, light creaminess surrenders to a refreshing crisp finish of strawberries and melon. Enjoy chilled as an aperitif, or partnered with all types of foods, particularly those with a slight spiciness, such as Asian or Latin cuisine.

Varietal Information: Produced from red Zinfandel grapes grown in the upper Sacramento and northern San Joaquin valleys. Grapes for this bottling were harvested early in the growing season (early to mid-August) at low sugars (18-19 degrees Brix) and relatively high acids to maximize the freshness typical of this wine.

My First Impression: My fiance's mom loves white zin and its always at every party she has so I figured I would buy my own bottle and try it out! It sounds like it will be delish.

Sniffy Sniff: Fruity - citrusy - lemon, Fruity - melon and fresh strawberries. It smells amazing. I smell a hint of green apple.

Slurpy Slurp: There is a creaminess to this wine and some melon, then finishes with fresh strawberries. Medium to long after taste - its not a bad one though, it is quite enjoyable. There is a little bit of heat on the end as well, but not too bad.

Overall: I really enjoy this wine. I have almost finished the whole body. I totally understand what all the rave is and this will definitely be a bottle of wine that I will keep in my house!

Winery Visit - Kings Family Vineyard

Saturday, February 25, 2012
King Family Vineyards

The sign we saw as we entered the vineyard. First winery visit ever!

Five of my friends from wine class decided to head north and stop by a vineyard and we ended up at King Family Vineyards. When we arrived we went straight to the tasting room.We arrived as soon as it opened at 11am so we got to get started on our tastings right away. We got to taste six wines:

Roseland 2011 -

This photo is courtesy of King Family Vineyards website. Mine was not this good.

60 % Chardonnay, 40% Viovnier This wine costs $19.95 and only 770 cases were produced.
The King Family says that there is a peach, honeysuckle, and acacia flower on the nose with a hint of lemongrass. I definitely could smell the honeysuckle and a floral aspect. King Family says the mouth feel is bright and fresh with good acidity reminiscent of a pear crumble and a long and creamy finish. After tasting this wine i could detect some peach with lots of honeysuckle. I would agree with the bright fresh mouth.


Chardonnay 2010 - 

This picture is a little bit blurry like most of my pictures.

100% Chardonnay. 100% Malolactic Fermentation. 25% of the volume is fermented and aged in new French Oak, the restin older barrels. Only 575 cases were produced and the cost is $21.95/bottle.
King Family described this wine with a nose burst s with white flowers, lemon, and pear. White peach, ripe pear, and lemon on the mouth with touches of oak and a smooth creamy finish. I would agree with the lemony floral scent on the nose. There was also a hint of peach on the nose as well. The wine was buttery with a light fruit flavor. It was a little tart for my liking and you could taste the oaky flavor.

Crose 2011 - 

This was a very clear wine and you can see right through it.

100% Merlot dry rose. 720 cases produced at a cost of $16.95/bottle. 
This wine is probably one of their most popular. I really enjoyed this wine but that's because I love grapefruit and cranberries. The vineyard describes this wine as grapefruit and cranberry dominate the nose with a hint of red currant. The mouth feel is crisp and refreshing with a slightly tart finish. I would agree with the vineyard. The boquet on this wine was extraordinary. I could have smelled this wine forever. The smell didn't perfectly match the taste of this wine but I still enjoyed it. This wine reminded me of a summer day all around. It was tart at first and rather dry but I could still detect the cranberry and grapefruit. I think there was a hint of lemongrass on the finish.


Cabernet Franc 2010 - 

This is the best picture I took. This wine was delish for a red wine.

500 cases produce at $22.95/bottle
The vineyards description: The nose offers fresh strawberries on the vine, anise, and a touch of oak. There are notes of vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, and spice on the mouth with soft tannins. The finish is soft with a hint of black pepper.
For a red wine I actually enjoyed it. It had slight floral scent with some strawberries in the background. The taste was just as described above. There was a mix of strawberry and raspberry and a little spicy-ness. The finish i though was more vanilla like than black pepper. I got the black pepper first then ending on a vanilla note.




Seven 2009 - 

Can you see the Polo guy on top of the 7?

This wine gets its name for the 7th chukker in polo (like the 19th hole in golf) [Fun Fact: This vineyard also raises horses for polo] This wine is fermented in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels for 2 years and only 475 cases were produced at $24.95/bottle. 3% residual sugar, 18% alcohol.

The vineyard says that this wine was made in the traditional Porta style with and American twist. Dried fig, banana, and orange peel on the nose. Vanilla and nutmeg on the mouth with dark fruits, raspberry and toffee. When I sniffy sniffed this wine I got a smokey Bourbon smell. When I tasted this wine all I could taste was Bourbon. So if you like Bourbon with a little fruit added in then this is the wine for you. I did not enjoy this wine as much because of the high alcohol taste and I guess I don't like Bourbon either.

This is just one of the barrels that contains Seven.

Loreley 2010 - 

This photo is also courtesy of King Family Vineyard. 

50% Viofnier 50% Petut Manseng. This wine has 10% residual sugar, only produced 320 cases and it sells for $24.95/bottle. This wine is able to drink now through 2018. 
This dessert wine was made in the vin de paille (straw wine) style. It was fermented and aged in barrel. There is white flower, tangerine peel, peach cobbler, and gingerbread on the nose and mouth. The mouth feel is full and creamy. I would agree with this description almost fully. The smell was very light and floral to me. The color of this wine was much darker than all of the other whites from the day. When you taste this wine be expecting of a fuller feeling than all the other wines (except 7 it was pretty full as well). I tasted honeysuckle and tangerine peel.

***

 During the tasting our server decided to tell us how the idea for a vineyard got started. The King Family bought the land to raise polo ponies. Then a group of Virginia Tech students came to visit them because they wanted to grow grapes on their property because of the awesome climate and location. The owners told them that they were not interested but took the idea and ran with it. They planted some grapes and the vineyard took off. The vines below are Petite Verdo (they have a long growing season in this part of Virginia.)

The view was amazing. It might have been cold but it sure was pretty.

The total property has 27 acres of vines and are harvested during 6 weeks out of the year. This vineyard produces an average of 60 tons of grapes per harvest.

After only a short few minutes outside in the freezing cold we went inside to look at where the wine is actually made. The grapes are crushed and then put into these takes. For the Crose the skins will be left in the tank for no longer than 2 days and for a more full bodied wine the skins will be left in for 2 weeks. There were different size tanks: the largest tank can hold about 700 cases of wine and the smallest can hold 300 cases of wine. The barrels can hold about 25 cases of wine.

The barrels are made of all french oak and cost about $1000/barrel. The reason they use the french oak is because of the angular grain. Our tour guide said that American oak has a messy grain and is not as good for wine making even though it is way cheaper only costing $300/barrel. They do roast the insides of the barrel to different toasts for different flavors.

Just one side of the barrel room! There were so many of them. The red on the center of the barrel is just so they can be messy (it covers the mess from the spills).

Overall this winery visit was amazing. Our tasting guide was so nice and informative. She knew what she was talking about and gave us as much information about the wines and the vineyard as we wanted. Our tour guide was very informative as well. He also knew a lot about the winery, the King family, the grapes, and the overall process of making the wines. I would recommend this visit to everyone, however I would suggest going when its warmer and during a polo match.