Tasting: Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris

 

Name: Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Gris

Region: Colchagua Valley

Country: Chile

Year: 2021

Price: $21

Shop Review: Pale yellow with green hues. On the nose delicate aromas and mineral notes are appreciated. The palate is fresh, good body, good acidity and offers notes of ripe honeydew. Vivino (https://www.vivino.com/US-VA/en/casa-silva-sauvignon-gris/w/2306766?ref=nav-search)

Wine Folly: Pg. 417 Sauvignon Blanc - There was not a section on Sauvignon Gris in Wine Folly, but after some research I found that it is a mutation of Sauvignon Blanc that has more sugar. The honeydew and fruity flavors are similar to Sauvignon Blanc, but the Sauvignon Gris seems to be sweeter. Another similarity is the high acidity levels in both varieties, which were apparent. 

My Review: Another interesting tasting! Subtle but noticeable fruity flavor with a smooth feel. Sweet and acidic which brought out lemon and lime flavors in the aftertaste. Also tasted some green apple flavor initially. Definitely a lighter body than the Pinot Gris from J Vineyards, but drier and not as sweet. I would probably not drink this wine again, but was fun to taste!

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: J Vineyards Pinto Gris

Name: J Vineyards Pinto Gris

Variety: 100% Pinto Gris

Region: Russian River Valley, California

Country: USA

Year: 2022

Price: $16

Shop Review: J Vineyards California Pinot Gris has an enticing bouquet of Fuji apple, ripe cantaloupe, and apricot. The crisp, clean mouthfeel is bursting with flavors of lemon and lime. A hint of kiwi and sweet orange blossom honey on the palate complements the fruit and acid. The lingering finish invites you to relax and enjoy another taste. In fact, it is the perfect sipper when entertaining with friends. This layered and well-balanced wine is a great accompaniment to a variety of foods, from Japan and Mexico, to India and China, all accented with a variety of spices. FineWineHouse.com (https://www.finewinehouse.com/j-vineyards-california-pinot-gris-2022.html) 

Wine Folly: Pg. 381 Pinto Gris - The flavors mentioned in Wine folly include white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, and crushed gravel. However, I did not detect most of these flavors. The only one I got a hint of was the cantaloupe, but even then I described this as more of a melon flavor. Although, I did notice the high levels of sweetness and acidity which is mentioned in Wine Folly.

My Review: I would not describe this wine as "zesty". It seemed like it had more of a fruity flavor. To be specific, apple, pear, and pineapple flavors were what I tasted. It was definitely very sweet and acidic which made the wine a little unbalanced, but the tropical and tree fruit flavors almost masked this. It was almost like drinking apple juice. Was not really my preferred wine, but I enjoyed tasting it!

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting: Ramsay Merlot

 

Name: Ramsay Merlot 'North Coast'

Variety: 92% Merlot, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Zinfandel

Region: North Coast, California

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: $19

Shop Review: This wine has a bright black cherry note along with substantial cassis characteristics. In addition there is a ripe plum side from the Petite Verdot. Mouth – Lots of dark fruit and a wonderful countercurrent full of the bright nuances of plum, herb, sage, dill, and cassis. Well-balanced in the mouth with pleasant tannins and good acidity. Vivino (https://www.vivino.com/US/en/us-ramsay-merlot/w/2395875)

Wine Folly: Pg. 413 Merlot - A black cherry flavor is mentioned, but I got more of a blackberry flavor. However, there was a smoky finish and I could absolutely taste the vanilla mentioned as well. Merlot is supposed to have low acidity, but I thought this wine had an acidic taste and smell. This may be because I did not decant it for 30 minutes before drinking. 

My Review: An interesting wine to start off with! Great fruity flavor and I loved the vanilla aftertaste. There were two things I wasn't a huge fan of. The oak and smoky flavor made the wine seem more dry than it really was and there was a little spice to it (maybe black pepper). Overall, I enjoyed it!

I did not taste this wine with food.

My Personal Experience with Wine Thus Far

Welcome to my wine blog! I feel that I have an interest and liking to wine unlike others my age (22). I mostly drink wine when I am at home and at dinner with family and friends. We go out to dinner almost every weekend, so there have been many instances where I have tried wine. When looking at menus in restaurants or down the aisle of a liquor store, I have found myself thinking "What makes this wine different from this one?" and "How do I know if I'll like this wine more than this one?" After some trial and error, I have found a few wines that I really like (like this Spanish red wine below), but I feel that I am limiting myself and need to branch out more.

What am I limiting myself to? I have grown to gravitate towards two varieties in particular: pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon. For more context, I tend to drink whatever pinot noir is offered by the glass at steakhouses because I have found I really enjoy it with a nice New York Strip. However, when I am not eating a steak, I tend to look in the cabernet sauvignon section of the wine list. I found what I like and I stick to it. It is rare that I buy a bottle from the liquor store, but I have a feeling that will change in the future. 

I would also like to become more knowledgeable about the subject of wine and learn to like other varieties. I think this course is a great opportunity to do both of these things. I plan on really diving into the lectures and learning as much as I can from those, but I also plan on doing a good amount of the wine tastings and the winery visit to really learn about each wine. I want to learn what makes them taste different, the process of making the wines, and which other wines I may like. What is a better way to do that than trying as much wine as I can? 

(Here's a picture of myself for grading)