Tasting - Mer soleil Silver Chardonnay

Name: Mer soleil Silver Chardonnay

Variety: 100% Chardonnay 

Region: Monterey California

Country: USA

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $14.99

Buy Wines Online Review: Never seeing the inside of an oak barrel, Mer Soleil SILVER is a pure expression of Chardonnay. It is fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and small concrete tanks imported from Burgundy, France. Fresh from start to finish, this wine features aromas of flower blossoms and crisp pears. It is round and layered on the palate, with vibrant acidity and depth.

The 2020 vintage opens with clean, fresh scents of kiwi, citrus zest, and nectarine. A mineral character calls to mind the rock formations found inside caves. Crisp entry leads into a striking softness and creamy texture. The flavor of lemon squares offers a perfect balance, neither too tart nor too sweet. A faint smokiness is characteristic of wines made from grapes grown in windier stretches of Monterey County. The finish features traces of lemon and lime, filling the mouth with bright notes and lingering freshness.

Wine Folly Notes:

Chardonnay: pg. 96 - On the nose I can easily find the apple, pineapple, starfruit, and vanilla, but on the palate they are lost to the buttery aspects of the wine. Of those flavors, only the apple sticks around, but only slightly. The acidity seems higher than the book describes, but it is still a manageable wine. 

Central Coast California Chardonnay: pg. 294 - The lemon curd mentioned by the book is present here in some bright citrus notes. In terms of the creme brulee mentioned, I can smell a distinct vanilla note, but it seems to lack the toast I associate with creme brulee. The other notes mentioned are either too hard to detect or not present to me. 

My Review: On the nose, I get an abundance of very vibrant and ripe strawberries along with some vanilla cream notes. There are slight hints of apple on the nose and I can find a slightly buttery character, but it is very well hidden behind the strawberry cream notes. Also present on the nose is a light citrus note that brightens up the wine. On the palate, I don't get nearly as much complexity as I was expecting based on the nose. There are still apple notes present, but the strawberry and vanilla notes are nowhere to be seen. Instead, the palate is taken up by a bright acidity closely followed by a savory, buttery finish. When sampled with a dill havarti, the savory aspects of this wine are amplified and the acidity seems to take a step down. The story is very similar when paired with goat cheese, but the acidity becomes nonexistent while the wine's savory qualities are further amplified. 

Tasting - The Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

  Name: The Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Robertson

Country: South Africa

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $16.99

Winery Notes: The wine has a great complexity of blackberry fruit, dark chocolate, plums, and tobacco spice on the nose. This wine has a rich, juicy entry supported by a dense fruit core and firm tannins. An elegant creamy palate leads to a long lingering finish.

Wine Folly Notes:

Cabernet Sauvignon: pg. 88 -  I can see the cedar and baking spices notes that the book mentions. I don't get the cherries as much as I do get the black currant. Even when I am trying to look for it, the graphite they mention eludes me. The high tannins are definitely present on the palate along with the high acidity. I did not decant for the 60 minutes or more they recommended so that could change the flavors. The stand-out flavor for me is the baking spices while the cedar follows close behind. 

South Africa Cabernet Sauvignon: pg. 270 - As mentioned, the black currants are present on the palate along with some slight blackberry hints, but I am struggling to find the bell pepper notes that they associate with this region's cabernet. Dark chocolate takes a backseat but is still present in small amounts. 

My Review: On the nose, this wine delivers an upfront punch of floral and herbal notes followed by a subtle berry scent. The berries lend themselves to be ripe blackberries or black currants. The heavy floral notes carry through to the front of the palate along with a hint of cedar and baking spices resembling cloves. The mid-palate becomes a wave of blackberries and tannins before fading away to a slightly dry finish. When tasted next to a smoked gouda, the berry and fruit notes of the wine are greatly turned up, and when sampled with prosciutto, the baking spice notes take the forefront of the palate.

 

Tasting - Hive and Honey Riesling 2021

 Name: Hive and Honey Riesling 

Variety: 100% Riesling

Region: Monterrey, California

Country: USA

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: $12.99

Winery Notes: At first sip, this mouthwatering Riesling charms with aromas of citrus blossom, nectarine and Meyer lemon. Enticing flavors of pear; pineapple and passionfruit play across the palate. Light bodied with crisp acidity, it is balanced by the perfect amount of sweetness and a refreshing fruit finish. Fragrant and delightful, Hive & Honey Riesling enhances any occasion.

Wine Folly Notes:

Riesling: pg. 158 - I taste the sweetness right up front along with a green, almost sour, apple taste. There is a floral note present that does remind me of jasmine, but it has been some time since I have had anything with jasmine. I can also taste a hint of lime. I can't say I pick up on any beeswax notes, but I can see how petroleum may be something people find in this wine.

My Review: On the nose this wine smells slightly drier than I would expect. I get notes of ripe green apples followed by slight citrus. There is also a slight floral note present albeit very faint. On the palate, I get an instant hit of sweetness from the wine that does remind me of honey. The green apple again comes through as the predominant flavor with the citrus/lime following close behind. The wine continues to evolve into a floral dryness for the finish. This wine is a delightfully light and crisp wine that is worth another tasting. I did not try this wine with food, but I would consider pairing it with pork like the text recommends. 

Tasting - Upshot

 Name: Rodney Strong Vineyards Upshot Red Wine Blend

Variety: 32% Malbec, 32% Zinfandel, 25% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Reisling

Region: Sonoma County, California

Country: USA

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: $13.99

Review from Ken's Wine Review: This deep ruby colored kitchen sink red blend from Upshot opens with a strawberry and cinnamon bouquet with hints of peach and pipe tobacco. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic and juicy. The flavor profile is plum and cocoa blend with notes of minerality. I also detected a hint of strawberry in the aftertaste. The finish is dry and its tannins stick around for a while after its gone. This offering is a good mid-week value wine to enjoy with burgers off the grill or with meatloaf. Enjoy – Ken

Wine Folley Notes:

Malbec: pg. 125 - I can see the notes of cocoa and sweet tobacco. There may be a hint of plum or some other similar fruit, but it is hard to tell. When coming back and looking for vanilla, it is readily present. 

Zinfandel: pg. 189 - Similar to the Malbec, I can taste the sweet tobacco and some sort of berry, although it is hard to definitively say that I am tasting blackberries or strawberries. 

Merlot: pg. 131 - The Merlot also lends some chocolate and vanilla notes to this wine along with a fruit note. I can taste some cherry notes in this wine, but if I had to describe the cherries, they would be "darker" cherries. I can't say that I find many dried herb notes in the wine. 

Petit Verdot: pg. 146 - Again, I get the cherries and a hint of plum, but I can't say that I got any of the botanicals listed. There may be a hint of sage, but I couldn't say for sure. To be honest, I did not decant the 60 min or so that are recommended so I may try that again and see if any of the botanicals come through. 

CA Zinfandel: pg. 288 - Mentions blackberries and plums along with the sweet tobacco, but also mentions granite notes that I did not pick up on in my tasting. 

My Review: On the nose, I can find hints of fresh strawberries and vanilla. I am also able to smell notes of the tobacco mentioned along with some tannins. On the palate, vanilla really comes through, and so does the chocolate/cocoa. There is a noticeable amount of acidity with a pleasant mouthfeel. The bitter tannins stay on the palate for some time along with a dry finish. I tasted this wine on its own without any food pairings. 

My Wine Experience Thus Far

 Hello and welcome to my wine blog. My name is Kurt Baumgartel and I'm going to be using this blog to document my exploration of wine. Up to this point in my life I haven't had much experience with wine, but I have generally liked each of the wines I've tasted. Whenever I drink wine, it tends to be a flute of Champagne or Prosecco during holiday celebrations. With the few times that I've bought myself wine, I have gravitated towards buying red wines more so than white wines. 

As for my personal tastes, my beverage of choice isn't wine, it's actually whiskey. I have found that I rather enjoy the bold flavors of whiskey, especially the unapologetic boldness of single malt Scotch Whiskeys from Islay. It should be no surprise then that my penchant for bold flavors has carried over into the wines I typically reach for, mainly drier red wines. I have tried sweeter wines before, but they just don't pique my interest as much. With that being said, my tastes are always evolving and I'm always open to trying new things. 

As of late, I have taken a sizeable interest in learning more about the alcohol-making process. I have recently toured a Bourbon distillery here in Virginia, but I have yet to tour any wineries. I think I understand the basic process of making wine, but I am interested in learning more about the fine details that tend to go unnoticed by the average consumer. I am also hoping that through creating this blog and recording my experiences with wine, I am able to further my appreciation of wine and the culture that surrounds it. 

As one final note, It was a pleasant surprise to me when I found out that wineries are very transparent about the exact percentages of each grape varietal. Coming from the world of whiskey where the exact composition of mash bills is a closely guarded secret, there was an element of "culture shock" for me.