Tasting - Barone Fini Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

Name: Barone Fini - "Select Vinyards" - Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC
Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Valdadige, Italy
Country: Italy
Year: 2017
Price: $14

Vivino Tasting Notes: Middle of the road boldness, with a dry mouthfeel, and middle of the road balance between soft and acidic, along side characteristic notes of pear, green apple, lemon, grapefruit, minerals, honey, oak, vanilla, grass, straw, pineapple, and pepper. Community reviewers mentioned notes of fig, raisins, dried apricots, watermelon, strawberries, plum, blueberries, almonds, brown sugar, lychee, and asparagus with a refreshingly crisp and dry mouthfeel, paired with a balanced level of acidity. - Vivino Comments and Taste Characteristics 

Wine Folly: pg 149 Pinot Gris - Low body, mild alcohol, middle to high acidity, with varying levels of sweetness, along side notes of white peach, lemon zest, cantalope, raw almonds, and crushed gravel are characteristic of this style.
pg 292 Northern Italy Pinot Grigio - In the northern regions of Italy, is where you'll find Italy's top examples of Pinot Gris. Of this area of Italy, the wines have subtle tart fruit characteristics, supported by delightfully high acidity that will leave your mouth tingling. Notes of green apple, unripe peach, thyme, lime zest, and quince are to be expected.

My review: Wow. This is quite the lovely evening sipper, very light body, almost no alcohol taste or aroma, a lovely tingling acidity, and mildly dry finish. Immediately you're hit with the aroma of hay, lemongrass, and honeydew melon emanating from the light yellow liquid. Notes of ripe white peach, minerals, and citrus peel zest hit up front across the palate, slowly fading to crushed almonds, lychee, and a very soft earthiness that I can't place my finger on; I would assume this is the 'gravel' characteristic described in Wine Folly on pg 149. Of the wine's I've consumed thus far, I can easily say that this is my favorite - for $14, this is a fantastically delightful wine for the money. This is a wine that I would take to the park, or go camping with, or take down to the beach, or even by the river, on a warm Virginia summer day, and just sip away while watching time pass.

No food was had, while tasting this wine - just a glass, and some good company.

Tasting - Gnarly Head Nineteen Twenty Four Double Black Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Gnarly Head - "Select Lodi Vinyards" - Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lodi, California
Country: USA
Year: 2018
Price: $10 - $9.50 on sale

Winery Tasting Notes: Gnarly Head Double Black delivers rich aromas of raspberry, blackberry, cocoa and caramel, setting the stage for concentrated flavors of fig jam, dark chocolate, toasted marshmallow and brown spices. Jet black in the glass, pair this full-bodied wine with equally bold dishes: charbroiled bacon cheeseburgers, spicy sausage gumbo or pork ribs slathered in barbecue sauce. - Jim Gordon; Wine Enthusiast; 89pts

Wine Folly: pg 88 Cabernet Sauvignon - Full bodied, medium to high alcohol, high tannin, and mild acidity with notes of black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, and graphite. Typically the rich flavors and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor.
pg 292 California Cabernet Sauvignon - At their best, California Cabernet Sauvignons offer lush black fruit flavors which unravel into multiple layers typically consisting of cedar, dusty minerality, and tobacco-laced tannins. Often notes of blackberry, black cherry, cedar, baking spices, and green peppercorns can be found.

My review: Just as the wineries tasting notes described, it sits in the glass as black as night, the amount of time the winemaker has allowed the grape juice to sit in contact with the Cabernet Sauvignon grape skins, has left the liquid with such a deep dark black that it blocks nearly all light attempting to pass through it. Large amounts of cedar, alcohol, and peppercorns in the nose, with massive tannin presence as it first hits the tongue. I taste notes of cedar, peppercorns, alcohol, tannins, grilled black cherries, and dark chocolate - the aftertaste lingers with notes of pepper, black/brown spices, tannins, and tobacco. Quite the cab, one of which I feel really should be paired with food, or shared with a group of friends around a campfire; maybe with a rack of barbecue ribs and smores.


24hrs after originally opening: After writing my initial review, I almost immediately passed out, forgetting to store the bottle I had opened in the fridge - though thankfully having remembered to flip the cork and push it in plenty to seal it back up again. The next morning, I put it in the fridge for another night - which just so happened to be tonight. Upon revisiting, after having given ample time for it to breathe and oxidize, while also closer to it's proper serving temperature, I would like to say that much of the harshness that was originally had from the alcohol and tannins, has done exactly as what one would expect of it, and softened considerably. Most of the notes in the nose, and in the taste, remained the same, but the harsh alcohol notes in both were non-existent, having been chiseled away by a little O2 making it out to be a lovely sipper. Decant this wine, it needs it, but when it's done oxidizing to some degree, it will treat you well, and you will happily finish a bottle of it on your own - no assistance required.


No food was had, in either tastings, while tasting this wine - just a glass, and some good company.

Wine & Cheese Pairing #1

Well, today didn't quite go as planned, I picked out three wines from the local grocery store, as well as three cheeses, assuming that some friends of mine would be available to come on by and help me out with drinking and eating them. We had spoken about it before, and a day was planned on, but college life always finds a way to disrupt and get in the way! So sadly, I'm drinking and eating cheese solo this time around - but honestly, it just means more wine and cheese for me! I'm just glad I went with 325ml cans, instead of a whole bottle - they all weren't wanting to have to finish bottles in the first place, so it all worked out. With that having been said, without further ado, lets look at the line up!

I was so delighted by the last D.O.C. distinguished wine, that I decided to try another, though this time of the more bubbly variety. The local grocery store also just so happened to be discounting a number of canned wines, which have always made me curious, so I couldn't help myself but grab a red and a still white. I felt this gave a nice variety to compare the cheeses against. The cheeses themselves were all chunks in the 'Cheeses sized to try!' bin, which was perfect for a college student to grab up for this exact purpose. Below I'll give a bit more detail about each wine on it's own, and each cheese on it's own.


The Wines:

Name: Ogio - "Select Venezia, Italy Vinyards" - Prosecco D.O.C.
Variety: 100% Prosecco
Region: Fossalta di Piave, Italy
Country: Italy
Year: Non-Vintage
Price: $3.5

My notes: Aroma: Dried grapes, lemon zest, brown sugar, and wet sand.
Tasting Notes: lychee, lemon peel, crisp, dry, mildly acidic, melon, lime juice.

Name: Free Seeker - "Select California Vineyards" - Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Tualatin, Oregon
Country: USA
Year: Non-Vintage
Price: $4.50

My notes: Aroma: Smokey, buttery, and wet hay. 
Tasting Notes: Citrus peel, lots of lychee, light sweetness, lightly dry, pear, fresh green apple, very easy drinking, light tingling acidity, and a bit of an alcoholic aftertaste.

Name: Underwood - Union Wine Co. Vineyards - Pinot Noir
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Tualatin, Oregon
Country: USA
Year: Non-Vintage
Price: $4.50

My notes: Aroma: Black cherries, dried fig, mild raspberries, light cedar, and smoldering fruit skins.

Tasting Notes: Smoke from a fresh fire, dry, low acidity, very oaky , high tannins, black currants, black cherries, cedar, and light peppercorn.



The Cheeses:

Name: Alisios
Region: Spain
Price: $2.41

My notes: Aroma: Not a very aromatic cheese, hint of paprika, nuts, and fresh churned butter. 
Tasting Notes: Earthy, paprika smokiness, light amount of creaminess, dry, hay, field grass, a very light bite reminiscent of a white sharp cheddar, and walnuts.

Name: Challerhocker
Region: Switzerland
Price: $2.82

My notes: Aroma: Quite aromatic, earthy, decaying wood, butter, wet hay, and decaying leaves. 
Tasting Notes: Very nutty, lots of hay, decaying field grass, buttery, oily, and very creamy.

Name: Swiss Emmental
Region: Switzerland
Price: $2.23

My notes: Aroma: Mild swiss cheese, not very aromatic, and not many other notes. 
Tasting Notes: Dry, mildly swiss cheese tasting, pronounced earthiness like that of crushed gravel, it is a cheese with very few mingling flavors - a neutral party you could say.



The Pairings:

Ogio Prosecco DOC + Alisios:

Tasting Notes: Pairs quite well, in my opinion, the fruity notes round out the smokey paprika that coats the rind of this cheese, not much else than that changes, as both the cheese and the wine are quite dry - the acidity of the wine does drive you towards eating more of it though!


Ogio Prosecco DOC + Challerhocker:

Tasting Notes: Wow, this pairs phenomenally well, the two mix, dance, and mingle on your palate, almost creating an effervescent umami characteristic that is quite delightful. The creaminess of the cheese compliments the acidic dryness of the wine, and the earthiness compliments the citrus notes in a very satisfying way. Easily one of my favorite combos.


Ogio Prosecco DOC + Swiss Emmental:

Tasting Notes: I do not quite care for this combination, while I'd gladly eat the cheese, or drink the wine on their own, together they do not make a pair worth experiencing. The Swiss Emmental is very dry, even more dry than the wine itself, and as well as being quite lacking in complexity, leaving very little for the wine to work with - in the end the flavors from both seem to fight each other. This pairing leaves much to be desired.


Free Seeker Chardonnay + Alisios:

Tasting Notes: Incredible, these two go so well together is mildly surprising, my initial thought was that the smokiness of the paprika would fight the buttery notes, but no, they compliment beautifully. The bite from the cheese amplifies the acidity of the chardonnay, giving it quite the lingering stage, and the wine itself draws out even more of the white cheddar characteristics. I would gladly eat and drink this wine together all day, if given chance, but alas day drinking and school do not typically mix.


Free Seeker Chardonnay + Challerhocker:

Tasting Notes: Another lovely combination, the two together, sharing such similar characteristics, amplify each other beautifully, drawing out more of the citrus and fruity characteristics of the wine in the front, while hay and fresh churned, grass-fed, cow butter erupts in the back, and the middle tingles in a way that is very satisfying, leaving your mouth watering for more. It might just be the wine kicking in, but I'm starting to feel like this might be the perfect wine for the selection of cheeses I picked out.


Free Seeker Chardonnay + Swiss Emmental:

Tasting Notes: I'm not blown away by this pairing, but I feel that it works. It's very unoffensive tasting, unlike when paired with the Ogio Prosecco D.O.C., something that you could probably take to a family gathering and everyone would enjoy. No, it wouldn't wow, but no one would complain either - the only thing I can say that this paring lacks, is a neutral, salty, cracker. I feel that might be the root problem with this cheese, it could use a bit of salt to amplify flavors.


Underwood Pinot Noir + Alisios:

Tasting Notes: Initial reaction, this do not pair well together at all, the cheese pretty much acts as neutral party between the mingling of wine and cheese. It's kind of like the wine is dancing and trying to motivate the cheese, but my god, this cheese just doesn't want to be on the dance floor at all. It's like a wallflower being pulled onto stage at a concert, it's just awkward for everyone, and even more so for the cheese. It adds nothing, compliments very little, specifically with a light amplification of the smokiness of the wine, but just disappears so quickly as the wine washes over, completely dominating in every way - if anything, this cheese amplifies the boldness of this Pinot Noir. Once again, just as the Free Seeker Chardonnay + Swiss Emmental combination was unoffensive, so does this pairing follow, do not worry about bringing this cheese and wine to a party, no one will complain.


Underwood Pinot Noir + Challerhocker:

Tasting Notes: That's it, I'm declaring a winner, this cheese is the best of the three, in terms of versatility. It stands on it's own, it is bold, it dances with the best, it's that guy you see at a party that can talk to anyone, make anyone laugh, just the true life of the party. The hay notes play so well with the bold smokiness of this wine, complimenting each-other in a way that sounds off-putting at first - just take the plunge, and you will enjoy yourself. I will gladly be the first to admit that at this point the wine is definitely talking, but I just don't care, this cheese is wonderful. The creamy, lightly sharp, nature of this cheese does wonders for the deeply bold tannin presence within this wine, rounding and smoothing it out beautifully.


Underwood Pinot Noir + Swiss Emmental:

Tasting Notes: I believe that finally, we have a pairing for this cheese, that works. I know, I know, you're probably shouting at the screen at this point "Why did you even pick a swiss cheese in the first place?!" and honestly, I couldn't give you an answer initially! But now, oh yeah, now, I can stand up and slam my hands on the table, and then point at this can of Pinot Noir. This swiss, just as the Challerhocker did, takes the edge off, it rounds, it softens, it finally has found it's place on stage. It lingers along the sides of your tongue while the wine washes over, it doesn't become overpowered and disappear, it mingles with the smokiness, almost amplifying it in the process - but not in an offensive way. I could say more, but, at this point, I just want to continue to enjoy these wines and continue to eat cheese.


Overall, this was a very interesting setup, I didn't really think about the wines when picking out the cheeses, but rather looked at the grocery store info signs about them, and chose on that basis alone - I have no complaints. As I stated before, Challerhocker was easily the winner of the three, Alisios following as a close second, and the Swiss Emmental just barely dodging disqualification in 3rd place. Of the wines, the Free Seeker Chardonnay took the top podium with ease, pairing well with every cheese I threw at it, while I'd have to say second place would be a toss up between the Underwood Pinot Noir and Ogio Prosecco D.O.C. - it would really have to come down to mood, time, and place for me, in terms of picking between the two. As for pairing, hands down, no contest, Free Seeker Chardonnay and Challerhocker. Yeah, there were 8 other options, but I feel my tasting notes speak for themselves.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a can of Free Seeker Chardonnay and a chunk of Challerhocker to finish.

Tasting - Pinecroft Merlot

Name: Pinecroft - Pinecroft Vinyards - Merlot
Variety: 100% Merlot
Region: Livermore and Ripon, California
Country: USA
Year: Non-vintage
Price: $9

Vivino Tasting Notes: Very bold leaning, but smooth compared to tannic, with a mostly dry mouthfeel, and soft flavors in comparison to acidic. Earthy notes described as prominently honey and minerals, with one particular fruity note standing out above the others, cherry. Community reviewers pointed out light minerality on the nose, very fruit forward, with mild to low tannins. Some pointing out overwhelming alcoholic nose, and harsh, smokey flavors as a few of the negatives. - Vivino Comments and Taste Characteristics 

Wine Folly: pg 131 Merlot - Plum, cherry, chocolate, dried herbs, and vanilla, with a full body, and mild acidity, are described as being typical of this style - however, dried herbs and chocolate were no where to be found, or quite buried.
pg 292 California Merlot - Description of increasingly bold cherry flavors, in comparison to Cabernet Sauvignons from the same regions, while also being smoother, with finer tannins. Tannins were a little lacking in this particular example, lending itself more to the 'fruity reds' side of things, with cherry and other red berries taking center stage. The pencil lead and toasted nutmeg described in the book, were no where to be found, or easily overshadowed with luscious berries.

My review: This was not a wine that really blew me away, for the price I expected much more, but in the end what I received was more of a bottle you'd take over to a friend's place to be polite - but in reality you expect to leave it there, and not drink it. I didn't find it to be as harsh as people on Vivino had pointed out, but it was only mildly soft and smooth as the bottle's label described. However, the cherry notes truly ring out - fruity is what this merlot is, like a mouth full of mildly dried out black currants, cherries, and one or two raspberries.

No food was had, while tasting this wine - just a glass, and some good music.

Tasting - Debonair Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Debonair - Pacific Bay Vinyards - Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Hopland, Mendocino County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2018
Price: $9 - $8.50 on sale

Vivino Tasting Notes: Middle of the road between light and bold, dry with little sweetness, and high acidity compared to softness. Reviewers pointed out an aroma of peaches and white floral flowers, tasting notes of passion fruit, pear, and lemongrass, with a dry and crisp mouthfeel. - Vivino Comments and Taste Characteristics 

Wine Folly: pg 165 Sauvignon Blanc - The notes of pear I had tasted could have been confused with honeydew, passion fruit being a flavor I didn't quite pick out, but the white peach sung through loud and clear - as did it's high acidity. 
pg 292 California Sauvignon Blanc - Description of orange blossoms and pink grapefruit - white floral aroma I had picked out, could have been confused for orange blossoms, as truth be told, I don't believe I know what orange blossoms smell like! 

My review: A good, balanced, white wine leaning toward the drier side, with a pleasant amount of acidity, and flavors of summer fruits - mostly picking up pear, with peachy undertones, with a white floral nose. A wine that I imagine would pair well with a salty cheeses and crackers, or even a nice bowl of garlic, olive oil, and parm pasta!

No food was had, while tasting this wine - just a glass, and some good music.

Hello World! [Introduction]

Hello there! My name is Gavin Mucker, I'm a Senior Systems Biology major at Virginia Tech, and welcome to my little wine blog!

I've been a long time craft beer enthusiast, having turned down the singles aisle of many Total Wine's since I first turned 21, slowly building my palate and curiosity in fermented libations! Fast forward many years later, upgrading from Total Wine to local craft beer bottle shops (and bars), back in my home town of Richmond, VA - among a number of fantastic local breweries, cideries, meaderies, wineries, and distilleries - and last I checked on my beer tracking app I'm sitting at a rough total of 5,100~ unique beer check-ins. I guess you could say it's been a long term hobby! A hobby of which I mildly pursued as a career option, having volunteered at a local brewery for nearly a year, and worked at a craft beer growler station for over a year; but the call to return to college to continue my original pursuit in biology won out.

Growing up I'd sip the occasional small pour of wine with the family around Christmas and Thanksgiving, as I'm sure many kids did, you know, the sort of small pour that's just large enough to make you feel included while the rest of the family slowly falls into a state of inebriation. Even growing up I knew that I tended to prefer the more earthy, bitter, dry, and tannin rich flavors of big reds - my mother being a big proponent of that preference as she herself strongly prefers the driest of the dry reds from Portugal and Spain; her favorite regions. Now that isn't to say that I can't get behind a bottle of white - though truth be told I'll pretty much drink anything, as I enjoy the hunt of a new libation experience - but whites are definitely not my go to. Having said that, I have been becoming more and more increasingly aware of the drier, and even sometimes belgian lambic level of funky white wines trickling out of the natural wine movement - among more interestingly lesser known white varietals - and have fallen in love!

From this blog, and the subsequent experiences that will soon be documented and posted in the coming days, I hope to take what I've learned from craft beer, cider, mead, and some processes of liquor distillation, and apply it to wine! I wouldn't say my palate is perfect, but I have been training it on a large variety of beers and brewing processes for some time, so I hope it will serve me well and hope the experiences of drinking a variety of different wines will further condition it to notice the nuances of a number of grape species and regional terroir... and if nothing else, I'll have fun drinking a few bottles of wine with friends and classmates! An that's something I don't think anyone could complain about!