Tasting - "Crane Lake Riesling 2015"

Name: Crane Lake
Variety: Riesling 
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Color: White
Price: $5.95

Wine Critic Review: "This light-colored wine displays aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom; flavors include green apple and peach. The finish is mildly sweet, crisp, and lingering."

My Review: Very bright smell, light and fruity. Very smooth finish with a subtle light pear/peach taste to it.

Did not have with food.

Tasting - "Vinedos Real Rubio Rioja Crianza 2010"

Name: Vinedos Real Rubio Rioja Crianza 2010
Variety: Tempranillo, Graciamo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Color: Red
Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: "Lightly baked berry aromas vie for attention with leather, spice and mild earth notes, and the result is disjointed. On the palate, this is tight as a drum initially, but more expansive as it unfolds. Cherry, plum, raspberry, vanilla and woodspice flavors finish pure, clean and easy. This is a fine yet manageable Rioja that's not trying too hard."

My Review: Dark fruit smell, maybe cranberry/cherry smell. Definitely has a great nice mouthfeel, sediment left in the glass with a cherry finish.

                                                                Did not have with food.

Tasting - "Barao de Figueira Tino Reserva 2013"

Name: Barao de Figueira Tino Reserva
Variety: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca
Region: Beira
Country: Portugal
Year: 2013
Color: Red
Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "this is a rich and spicy wine that has a pure streak of fruit freshness and a firmly tannic core. It is perfumed from Touriga Nacional in the blend, with red berry and black plum flavors coming through strongly along, balanced by acidity. It will be better from 2017."

My Review: Dark red fruit smell, possibly cherry. Taste is very spicy, kind of like a cinnamon/cherry/deep red fruit marriage of deliciousness.

Did not have with food.

Tasting - "Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines Grenache Rose 2014"

Name: Garnacha de Fuego
Variety: Old Vines Grenache Rose
Region: Aragon
Country: Spain
Year: 2014
Color: Rose
Price: $2.95

Wine Critic Review: "delicate strawberry and cranberry fruit notes, with a hint of pomegranate. It is fresh, lively, ripe, medium-bodied, and has more texture and length than one usually expects in a rose. "

My Review: Very in your face fruity smell, with some light red fruits. Quite dry, but with lots of fruity flavors coming through - Almost a mild cherry.

Did not have with food.

Tasting - "Villa Vitas Ribolla Gialla 2014"

Name: Villa Vitas
Variety: Ribolla Gialla
Region: Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Color: White
Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "Fresh and floral bouquet and a consistent and rightly acidulous taste. Its pleasant freshness and fruity notes of green apple are enhanced by its characteristic acidity."

My Review: Smelled like some very nice light fruit - possibly a citrusy smell. Taste was very crisp and had a nice white fruit finish.

Did not have with food.

Wine and Cheese Pairing #1

Wine and Cheese Combo #1






Cheese: Saint Andre Triple Creme Softened French Cheese
Notes on Cheese: Buttery and Very Smooth

Wine Name: Bionature ExtraSec 
Wine Variety: Proseco 
Region: Not Given
Country: Italy
Year: 2015
Color: White
Price: $4.95

Wine Critic Review: "A sparkling wine made with organic grapes must express only the best of the natural character of white grapes. Intact delicacy of an intense perlage."

My Review: "Light like the butterfly" hints of peach and a light acidity. Refreshing to drink and very enjoyable. Kinda what I expected in a sparkling wine.

How did the combination pair: Combination was nice. More buttery notes from the cheese along with the slight acidity to the wine allowed for no masking of flavors but more of a                                                                       robust taste in the cheese.

Wine and Cheese Combo #2


Cheese: Mirry Podda Classico Misto
Notes on Cheese: Sharper white cheese that has a stronger flavor to it. Did not taste too good with the proseco. Weird tastes came out that were not great.

Wine Name: Grand Veneur Reserve
Wine Variety: Cotes du Rhone 
Region: Rhone
Country: France 
Year: 2015
Color: White
Price: $4.95

Wine Critic Review: "Pale yellow colour, brilliant with a gold tinge. Primary aroma of flowers and stone fruit. On the palate, the fruit is immediately present with touches of almond and white peach. A slight liveliness appears in the finish, which creates a perfect balance for the natural generosity of this wine."

My Review: Very light with a lavender smell and finishes very smoothly. Fresh white fruits, but not as far as pear or apples. 


How did the combination pair: The cheese kind of overwhelms the wine since its such a light wine. The wine definitely brings out the sharper flavors in the cheese. Kind of felt like drinking a grapey water drink with the cheese. 

Wine and Cheese Combo #3



Cheese: Taste of Inspiration Double Creme Brie
Notes on Cheese: Super creamy butter taste - very similar to the first cheese

Wine Name: Dark Horse
Wine Variety: Chardonnay
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Color: White
Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "Dark Horse Chardonnay offers bright abundant aromas of baked apple and peaches, layered with buttery notes of toasted oak and caramel. The rich, creamy flavors of this Chardonnay are nicely complemented by a refreshingly crisp acidity, culminating in a smooth, lingering finish."

My Review: Smells very buttery and has a very smooth taste. Hints of apple - like almost a baked apple. Very easy to drip.


How did the combination pair: Excellent combination between the brie and chardonnay. They definitely didn't mask any flavors and allowed for both flavors to come through exceptionally. 

Tasting - "Prime's Ruby Port"

Name: Prime's Ruby
Variety: Port
Region: Oporto
Country: Portugal
Year: Not Given
Color: Red
Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: "Ruby colour; red fruit aromas; pleasantly sweet and balanced taste. As the wines used to produce Prime's Ruby Port age, they gain smoothness and elegance while retaining their fruitiness, intensity and youthful ruby colour."

My Review: Smelt like a fortified wine - definitely more so than it tasted. It was sweet, but not overpowering, and it definitely had a dark fruity taste that was super sweet.

Did not have with food.