Tasting - Open Tasting at the Vintage Cellar 3/18

While shopping for our wine dinner, we sampled some of the wines leftover from the Vintage Cellar Saturday tasting. The four we got to try are shown below. I did not get a photo of myself with the wine, but both my mom and I participated in the tasting. Our proof of purchase of wine is in the next post for our wine dinner :)

Wine 1, Name: Korbel Prosecco

Variety: Prosecco 

Region: Italy 

Bottled: Prosecco, Italy

Country: Italy

Year: No year listed

Price: $14.95 from Vintage Cellar

Winery Review: "The aromas are of white peaches, pear, and lemon zest. The flavors are delicate, bright, and alive on the tongue. On the finish, it has an Extra Dry level of sweetness, which softens the wine without making it noticeably sweet". (From sheet)

Wine Folly: primary flavors: green apple, honeydew, pear, lager, cream, medium dryness and high acidity, would pair well with seafood or Asian cuisine (https://winefolly.com/wines/prosecco/)

My review: This was definitely a dry wine but it was also pretty sweet. I got crisp apples immediately. I had a completely plain pallet before this so the flavor was very strong. I also got the lemon and pear, but not the peaches. It was tart, so maybe that was the peaches. I got strong apple flavors, which wasn't listed as a flavor. 

Wine 2, Name: Oko, Organic Pinot Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio 
Region: Italy 
Bottled: Delle Venezie, Italy
Country: Italy
Year: 2021
Price: $14.95 from Vintage Cellar

Winery Review: "As you enjoy aromas of fresh fruit and bright flavors of citrus know this was all achieved naturally. As the crisp acidity grabs you, so will your appreciation for OKO. Boasts aromas of fresh fruit, bright flavors of citrus, and crisp acidity with just a hint of minerality". (From sheet)

Wine Folly: common flavors - white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, almond, gravel(??), medium dryness and high acidity (https://winefolly.com/grapes/pinot-gris/) 

My review: This wine was not my favorite... it was very dry and a little bitter. It was not as sweet as the first one which caught me off guard. It was very appely as well. There was a hint of orange or grapefruit because of how bitter it was. This one made me pucker my lips a bit at first compared to the sweetness of the first wine. In response to my reaction, the woman pouring agreed with me and said "she has always tried to like Pinot Grigio but just can't"

Wine 3, Name: Josh, Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Grigio 
Region: California 
Bottled: California
Country: US
Year: 2021
Price: $15.95 from Vintage Cellar

Winery Review: "A bouquet of dried cherry and cranberry laced with traces of leathers, earth, and eucalyptus. Light-bodied and clean on the palate with juice, cherry flavored fruit; the tannins are soft and subtle leading to a moderately long finish". (From sheet)

Wine Folly: common tasting - cherry, raspberry, mushroom, clove, hibiscus, also medium dryness and high acidity, this pairs well with duck/chicken and mushrooms (I would want to try this with a mushroom pasta dish) -- (https://winefolly.com/grapes/pinot-noir/)

My review: This wine was also not my favorite... leather was a good descriptor because it was the first thing I smelled when the glass was near my face. I could tell immediately I wouldn't like it... I actually made my mom finish this one for me because she liked it. The flavor was very strong and bitter to me. I couldn't get past the leather flavor. I tasted cherry, but they were almost rotten to me. 

Wine 4, Name: Merlot Napa 

Variety: Merlot Napa 
Region: California
Bottled: Napa, California 
Country: US
Year: 2017
Price: $26,95 from Vintage Cellar

Winery Review: "Aroma of blackberries and blueberries and hits of hot stone. Chocolate too. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Delicious red. Drink or hold". (From sheet)

Wine Folly: Napa Valley Merlot is grown with rocky soil that causes "spice, color and mouthfeel". There was an unseasonably warm winter and spring in 2015 that decreased crop, this could have impacted 2017, but the vineyards were likely to have recovered by then.  (https://napa.guides.winefolly.com/wineries/merryvale-vineyards/wines/merlot-napa-valley/) 

My review: After the other red, I asked for a small amount of this one. I liked it better than the last, but I am starting to find that I like white wines better than red. This was a very thick wine to me, I got a lot more spices and deeper flavors. It was slightly sweeter and less dry. It was a very earthy flavor. The smell was a lot sweeter and spicier. There was a hint of cinnamon or nutmeg to me.