Tasting - Crane Lake White Zinfandel

Name: Crane Lake White Zinfandel
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Light strawberry red. Aromas of cherry skin, raspberries and red plums. Off dry. Sweet cherries, crushed strawberries, raspberry jam and a touch of sweet tomato. Well balanced through the finish with just enough crisp red apple flavors to balance the berries.

My review: I loved this wine. Very easy to drink and had fruity flavors.

Tasting - Vina Galana Alicante Bouchet

Name: Vina Galana Alicante Bouchet

Variety: Bouchet

Region: Spain

Country: Spain

Price: $15

Winery Review: From the rare Alicante Bouchet, one of the few grapes in the world with red flesh, this wine has a plush texture carrying flavors of brandied cherry and chocolate ganache in this round red. Light tannins and gentle acidity impart a lovely, balanced structure.

My Review: I did not like this wine very much. It was a little too acidic for me. I tasted this wine by itself with no food.

Tasting - Tonnino Syrah

Name: Tonnino Syrah
Variety: Syrah
Region: Sicily, Italy
Country: Italy
Year: 2013
Price: $14

Winery Review: Musty and poignant, sharpie smell; tastes very spicy, slight berry, earthy.

My Review: I didn't really like this wine very much. It tasted bitter, like licorice and black pepper. It had a very spicy taste. I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Riebeek Cellars Viognier

Name: Riebeek Cellars Viognier
Variety: Viognier
Region: Swartland, South Africa
Country: South Africa
Year: 2015
Price: $12

Winery Review: This unwooded style of Viognier offer and accessible wine with enough body but without wood flavors. The color is a brilliant green-gold and the style is dry but fruity. The perfume of a floral bouquet greets the nose and follows through with lovely tropical flavors in a light but lingering palate.

My Review: I liked this wine a lot! It tasted like peaches and honey. Very fruity taste and I would definitely recommend this wine to my friends and family. I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting - Dom Michel Thomas Sancerre Rose

Name: Dom Michel Thomas Sancerre Rose
Variety: Sancerre
Region: Loire, France
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $32

Winery Review: Michel Thomas' classis Sancerre wines consistently outperform their peers, yet go unnoticed by the big supermarkets because they're such a small outfit. With delicate berry fruit and mineral freshness, this crisp pin shows just what they're missing.

My Review: I really enjoyed this wine. It had smells of berries, orange peel, and honey. When I tasted it I tasted strawberries and it also gave off a taste of flowers. I would definitely drink this wine again, and I tasted it on its own with no food.

My Experiences With Wine

Oh what a time to be alive! (And taste some wine) I am very excited for this class because my experiences with wine have been extremely limited. Growing up, my parents would usually let me taste a sip of their wine with dinner or I have had cheap wine from a 7-11 or something, but I have never really been an avid drinker of the stuff. In this class I am looking forward to learning the cultural origins of wine, food pairings, and all the different types of wine that people drink and where they come from.

In my limited experiences with wine, I think I like red wines more. When I have tried white wines, I like them, but they can give me a headache sometimes. Red just has a nice taste that I enjoy. I am looking forward to the vintage cellar wine tastings to further my exposure to all different kinds of wine.

Finally, I chose to take this class because it sounded like a cool class that would give me more experiences with wine, and help me become a little more cultured. All the different types of foods that wine can go along with, the different regions wine comes from and how the climate can affect the taste really fascinate me, and I am really looking forward to learning a lot throughout the semester.