The study of wine is known as Oenology...but I'm too busy drinking to study. So, I choose Winography. I drink it and then I tell you what I drank. Enjoy my drinking...
Greetings and Holiday Wishes! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday. I certainly did. Now that the New Year is approaching, you should definitely be ringing it in with bottles of bubbly. Here's what entertained my Christmas day.
Vintage: 2004 Price Range: $10 Producer: Henri Moreau Region & Country: Bordeaux, France Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon from Medoc Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/25/2008 - Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!!!
Appearance: Full-bodied, deep red garnet Nose: Lingering scent of plum; sweet scent Taste: Smooth, sweet and clean; this has the taste of raspberry Finish: Sweet and slightly acidic Overall Impression: This cab is sweet but in a good way. I did feel like I needed to eat something salty with it to counter the sweetness. It definitely is delicious and very juicy. I liked it and for the price, it's even better!
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 12/07/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/07/2008
Appearance: Light, medium bubbles and very pale gold Nose: Fruity, yet somewhat chalky; scent of apples Taste: Light, but dry; Sweetness is subtle Finish: Sweetness stays; acidic - bubbles linger Overall Impression: I think this Prosecco was reasonably priced. Actually, it was bought for about $9, so I think I got an excellent deal for the taste. I would bring this to your New Year's Eve party and get popular quick! The best part is that it's not overly sweet, not too dry. It's just right. Overall Rating: 89/100 Overall Value: ***.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $12 Producer: St. Lucas Winery Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina Grape Variety: Torrontes Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 12/05/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/05/2008
Appearance: Medium-full bodied; slightly bubbly; pale straw Nose: Pineapple and glazed peaches; sweet scent Taste: There is a bit of a bite at first with a good acidity and then it gets creamy Finish: Floral and lingers Overall Impression: This Torrontes has great flavors. This would be the perfect summer wine! I could also see using it in cooking. It's sweet and good. I can't wait to try this one out next summer.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $15 Producer: Mendoza Estate Region & Country: La Consulta, Argentina Grape Variety: Malbec Recommended By: N/A - First visit to the store.
Place & Date Purchased: In Fine Spirits, Chicago, IL - 09/18/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 12/03/2008 Dinner: Indian food - Chicken Marsala and boy, was it good!
Appearance: Dark garnet red; Full bodied Nose: Mixed berries; little spice scent also Taste: Bold, fruity, clean and juicy Finish: Citrus sweet; lingers Overall Impression: This was another great Malbec, and if you haven't noticed by now, I love Malbecs. It balanced well with the food, but it can surely survive without the food. It had a wonderful, full fruit flavor! Overall Rating: 92/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $20 Producer: Clos La Chance Winery Region & Country: San Martin, California, USA Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 11/02/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/26/2008
Appearance: Brilliant; straw gold; full-bodied Nose: Sweet, green apple; slight hint of cut grass Taste: Sweet, clean, buttery and slightly acidic Finish: Sweet, lingers slightly and slightly bitter Overall Impression: For a Chardonnay, I've definitely had better and for a better price. It was extremely sweet to the point where it started to be a little too tart for me. I felt it was just average. It was also a little sugary and did not taste natural at all.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $20 Producer: Axis Vintners Region & Country: Sonoma, California, USA Grape Variety: Pinot Noir Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/07/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/26/2008 Dinner: Steak and vegetables. May I point out that it was the best steak I have had in about a year.
Appearance: Brilliant; shiny pale red, light bodied and transparent Nose: Strawberry, raspberry and nutmeg Taste: Nothing like the smell; spicy and bold; lingers a little Finish: The fruit taste comes after the spices leave Overall Impression: Delicious! This went perfect with the food also. This Pinot Noir was light but had a great, bold fruity taste.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $8 Producer: Chateau Diana Winery Region & Country: Healdsburg, California, USA Grape Variety: Red Table Wine Recommended By: Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 10/26/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/11/2008
Appearance: Medium-bodied; opaque, deep red Nose: Powerful, sweet scent, some spices and berries Taste: Juicy, sweet, blackberry taste Finish: Smooth with slight acidity Overall Impression: You want to know what the trick of this wine is? It's so much better aerated! Actually, this wine was surprisingly good for the price and for being a seasonal wine. I would definitely bring it to my next Halloween Party. Overall Rating: 89/100 Overall Value: ****.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $12 Producer: Oak Ridge Winery Region & Country: Lodi, California, USA Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: Wine Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/11/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/09/2008 Dinner: Pepperoni pizza from this fancy place called Pizza Hut
Appearance: Brilliant, full bodied; Pale gold Nose: Greet apple; soft scent Taste: Light, sweet, apple - crisp and clean Finish: Creamy, not acidic, doesn't linger long Overall Impression: This Chardonnay was very nice. It was light and flavorful. It would probably be great with light food. Gnarled Vine is a great clean and crisp wine.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $15 Producer: Estancia Estates Region & Country: Sonoma, California, USA Grape Variety: Merlot Recommended By: Andre LaSalle
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 10/26/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 11/07/2008 Dinner: Various cheeses
Appearance: Brilliant ruby red; Light bodied Nose: Spicy scent; deep cherry; powerful Taste: Bold, slightly spicy, a little sweet, cherry Finish: Doesn't linger much; very low acidity Overall Impression: This Merlot has a lot of flavor. I think it's much better without food or paired with a better food than just cheese. It's a great casual type of wine and delicious.
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $10 Producer: R Wines Region & Country: Eastwood, Australia Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: Tasting
Place & Date Purchased: World Market, Evanston, IL - 10/26/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/28/2008 *Shrimp pasta in a white cream sause
Appearance: Brilliant, pale gold; light bodied Nose: Light & clean scent; green apple Taste: Fruity & light; sweet Finish: Creamy, yet slightly tart; taste lingers Overall Impression: This is another fun Halloween wine that you can bring to a party. Although, I wouldn't mind drinking it year round as well. So I guess Pure Evil is not just for Halloween anymore. This Chardonnay had a great flavor. It was okay with the food. Overall Rating: 90/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Appearance: Garnet, slightly cloudy; lot of legs Nose: Light; Red cherry and plum Taste: Black cherry; Erika noted that she tasted a "hint of celery." This could be true, but I think it's also fair to note that Erika had a cold. Finish: Slightly dry and the taste lingers Overall Impression: This wine is good for a seasonal thing. For example: If you go to a wild Halloween party with over 15 people, bring this wine. If you are having a dinner party with friends, don't bring this wine. It will not impress very much. It's a good wine, but I have had so much better for the same price. Overall Rating: 83/100 Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $16 Producer: Francis Coppola - Diamond Collection Region & Country: Geyserville, California, USA Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: Dominick's Grocery, Chicago, IL - 10/26/2008 Place & Date Tasted: The home of Dr. Lawrence Swain and wife, Mrs. Erika Swain - 10/26/2008 Dinner: Lasagna with pork, beef, onion, carrot and cheese. Delicious!
Appearance: Brilliant, clear, corn silk color Nose: Clean with the scent of pears; Very light scent Taste: Sweet, but in a good way; crisp, light Finish: Very light acidity; the taste slightly lingers Overall Impression: This wine went well with the dinner, but it was so flavorful that I would actually like to try it by itself. Larry & Erika both said that they would definitely try it again! I have always liked the Francis Coppola's from before and this one is no different. It's right up there with a great, crisp & clean taste. Overall Rating: 90/100 Overall Value: **** / 5 Stars
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $20 Producer: Kraemer Family / Etude Wines Region & Country: Napa, California, USA Grape Variety: Red Table Wine - Zinfadel 45%, Petite Sirah 21%, Primitivo 18%, Barbera 9% and Tempranillo 7% Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/24/2008 Dinner: Various cheeses & bad weather :(
Appearance: Brilliant with a gleaming reddish-purple; medium bodied Nose: Oak, cherry and spices; medium bouquet Taste: Cherry and spices flavor; it has a good sweetness Finish: Very acidic and dry. Flavor lingers. Overall Impression: The wine was good straight out of the bottle, but the aerator brought out its full rich flavors. I liked this wine, but can't say that I loved it. I think it would be good with spicy food. I really did like the sweetness of the cherry flavors.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $10 Producer: St. Lucas Winery Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina Grape Variety: Malbec Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/21/2008 Dinner: Steak w/ portobello mushrooms and salad
Appearance: Brown-raspberry red, low-medium, clear Nose: Long lasting, berry, bold and powerful Taste: Berries, chocolate, rich and full flavor Finish: A little dry but not very acidic; taste lingers a little Overall Impression: This is a great Malbec. I have had better, but for this price you can't go wrong. It was bold and delicious. I liked it with food, but I'm sure it could stand alone.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $16 Producer: Vina Santa Alicia Region & Country: Maipo Valley, Chile Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 10/08/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/16/2008
Appearance: Brilliant pale gold; light bodied Nose: Fruity - apples and pears; aroma is clean and strong Taste: Sweet, clean and crisp; a little buttery Finish: Apple finish, sweet, low acidity, lingers Overall Impression: KB's Chardonnay is a great medium wine that does not overpower with sweetness or tartness. It's just the right amount on every side. A "just right" white, if you will.
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 08/08/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/14/2008 Dinner: Various cheeses
**Note: On the back label of this wine, it notes that to better enjoy this wine, you should chill it to about 68F degrees. The label is temperature sensitive and will outline the figure on the front will have a blue outline when perfect, as shown in the picture. We tried it chilled. Appearance: Medium, Shiny reddish-purple Nose: Cherry, other berries, sweet with traces of vanilla Taste: Oakey, some spices Finish: Acidic, tart, slightly dry Overall Impression: In the war of COLD vs. WARM... Warm is definitely the winner here. When you let this wine warm back down, all the flavors come in. I would definitely try this wine both ways to see which one you like, but for me it's warm. Overall Rating: 85/100 Overall Value: **.5 / 5 Stars
Is the name long enough for everyone? Just checking in...
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $10 Producer: Domaine de la Petite Cassagne Region & Country: Rhone, France Grape Variety: Viognier - White Table Wine Recommended By: Tasting at LUSH Wine & Spirits
Place & Date Purchased: LUSH Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL - 09/28/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/08/2008 Dinner: Salmon, steak and hummus
Appearance: Gold, full bodied Nose: Sweet, pear, citrus, medium scent Taste: Mildly sweet, crisp, apples Finish: Lingers slightly, but in a good way; sweet Overall Impression: This white was delicious! It was just a great white that you definitely want to try and that I would definitely get again. It is not too sweet and not too dry. It's just right.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $10 Producer: Louis Dressner Selection Region & Country: Languedoc, France Grape Variety: Red Table Wine (Syrah, Carignane & Grenache blend) Recommended By: Erika & Larry Swain - First tasted it over at their house.
Place & Date Purchased: LUSH Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL - 09/28/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/07/2008 Dinner: Various cheeses and salami
Appearance: Clear, ruby red; medium bodied Nose: Very little fruit, hot, some spices. Taste: Hot, pepper. I have actually read people reporting the taste of olives. I think the wine was too hot to taste olives. Finish: Lingers for a long time; acidic Overall Impression: The first time I tried with wine with Erika & Larry, I didn't mind the taste. It was good. This might have been a bad bottle though. Overall, it was very hot, even after I had aerated it. There was very little fruit taste. It was just an average wine.
"You must be my Lucky Star!" Oh, Madonna. This is your wine. You start off hot and then you end all slightly dry.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $20 Producer: Lucky Star Region & Country: Graton, California, USA Grape Variety: Petite Sirah Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/07/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 10/03/2008
Appearance: Low-Medium bodied; purplish-red; dark & cloudy Nose: Powerful; hot and fruity Taste: Smooth, slightly dry and has hints of raspberry Finish: Slightly dry; fruit lingers Overall Impression: I tried it as is and it was very hot. It was so much better after aerating. It was fruity, a little light and smooth after that. I believe the finish is the best part of this Lucky Star's flavor.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $17 Producer: Maryhill Winery Region & Country: Goldendale, Washington, USA Grape Variety: Red Combination: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc Recommended By: Maggie Noonan of WineStyles, Evanston
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/17/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/30/2008 Dinner: Variety of cheeses and salami
Appearance: Cloudy, ruby red Nose: Clean & powerful, spices and vanilla Taste: VANILLA and sweet Finish: Sweet with medium acidity Overall Impression: If you like vanilla in anything, this is your wine. The taste was sweet and strong with vanilla, but it also had a great finish to it. I liked that it was sweet yet spicy at the same time. Great wine!
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $10 Producer: Foster's Wine Estates Region & Country: St. Helena & Napa, California, US Grape Variety: Chardonnay Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/23/2008
Appearance: Straw yellowish gold Nose: Clean, buttery, sweet, fruity zest Taste: Buttery and fruity with a little bit of spice Finish: Acidic and tart, but then turns buttery Overall Impression: All in all, this chardonnay had a buttery flavor to it. I like that in a white. It leaves a warm feeling in your tummy. It was a great wine.
Vintage: 2005 Price Range: $10 Producer: Top Wine Chile Region & Country: D.O. Colchagua Valley, Chile Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/22/2008 Dinner: Italian sausage stuffed portobella mushrooms and pasta
Appearance: Deep ruby red Nose: Hot scent, slightly fruity with a little pepper Taste: Lightly fruity, cherry taste Finish: Lingers, acidic and dry Overall Impression: You can't go wrong when your bottle comes in a sack, right? It's right there on the bottle. This is a good dinner wine, even though it did not go very well with the dinner made. I'm sure it would have been better with something lighter. I do think that this is the kind of wine that would do better with food than alone.
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/17/2008 Dinner: Nachos. No, nothing fancy.
Appearance: Very light gold. Nose: Sweet and fruity Taste: Light, buttery and sweet. But not too sweet to where it's over-powering. Finish: Lingers and coats; slightly thick taste Overall Impression: It doesn't taste as fruity as it smells and that's something I like in whites. That first sip just throws me for a loop because I expect it to be so much sweeter. Wasabi White has a pleasant, sweet taste. It is also not too tart which is something else I like. I hate it when I'm making that pucker face.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $16 Producer: Vina Santa Alicia Region & Country: Maipo Valley, Chile Grape Variety: Malbec Recommended By: N/A
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 09/09/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/11/2008 Dinner: Barbecue chicken wrap
Appearance: Thick, blood red; very opaque Nose: Vibrant chocolate with fruity tones Taste: Complex flavor and very bold Finish: Lingers with spice and slightly dry Overall Impression: I loved this wine. There were so many flavors in just one sip. It had very complex tastes and such boldness. This is definitely one to pick up. KB's Malbec was good, but this cab is awesome!
Vintage: 2007 Price Range: $20 Producer: Hook & Ladder Vineyards Region & Country: Santa Rosa, California, USA Grape Variety: Gewurtzraminer Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 07/07/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/09/2008
Appearance: Very light yellow; almost clear Nose: Apples; Very light and soft scent Taste: Tart, then sweet; Has a good apple flavor Finish: Long lasting. Coats the tongue Overall Impression: This wine is good with cheese and fruit to clean the palate. It was a very tasty white, but I've had the same for a much better price.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $13 Producer: Domain De Gournier Region & Country: Rhone, France Grape Variety: Grenache Noir Recommended By: Wine Tasting at WineStyles
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 08/08/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/04/2008 Dinner: Chicken marinara with portobella mushrooms and tortellini & penne pasta
Appearance: Cranberry red Nose: Slightly hot; no particular fruit scent Taste: It is a little spicy, a little acidic, but bold in flavor Finish: A little dry; citrus and tart Overall Impression: This grenache noir had a good flavor. I really loved the spices of it. I think it would have been better with just cheese.
Vintage: 2006 Price Range: $20 Producer: Engelbrecht Els Vineyard Region & Country: Stellenbosch, South Africa Grape Variety: Merlot Recommended By: Wine Club
Place & Date Purchased: WineStyles, Evanston, IL - 08/04/2008 Place & Date Tasted: Home - 09/02/2008 Dinner: Home-made mac & cheese with baked chicken
Appearance: Deep red with brown tones Nose: Soft floral and fruit scent Taste: Tart, then fruity; slightly acidic Finish: Warm, slightly dry and acidic Overall Impression: This Merlot was good with food. I think it would taste better with less spicy food, since I Cajuned up that chicken. It definitely tasted better with the mac & cheese. I think it would be great with cheese in general. I would definitely try it again, but by itself.
Place & Date Purchased: Leon de Bruxelles, Paris, France - 08/21/2008 Place & Date Tasted: On the famous Chaps-Elysee, down the street from the Arc de Triomph - 08/21/2008 Lunch: The restaurant pretty much serves Mussels, so take a guess at what I ate that afternoon?
Appearance: Light to medium red Nose: Light, citrus aroma Taste: Spicy; mildly sweet Finish: Warm after-taste Overall Impression: I thought this wine was great, especially with my mussels which were delicious. Perfect combination. I also thought that the warm after-taste was pleasant. Overall Rating: 90/100 Overall Value: *** / 5 Stars
I grew up in the south and I still like to consider myself a "southern girl." Oh yes, American by birth, yet Southern by the grace of God. I now live up north where the people talk funny and wear shoes. Just kidding.
I really would like to say that I'm a simple kind of girl, but my friends usually disagree by telling me how horrible I am and how complicated I can be. That's why they love me, or so I've been told.
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