moscato | The Opinionated Woman's Musings

This Foodie Friday is all about WINE!!!

While I was in Tampa, FL during my last trip, I decided to go to Cooper’s Hawk restaurant.

It was recommended by the concierge at the hotel where I was staying.
They also have a tasting area. While I waited for my table, I decided to try a variety of their sweet wines.

The tasting with souvenir wineglass cost $10.

In the order in which I tasted:

Raspberry Sparkling ***MY FAVE #2***– fragrance of black raspberry, citrus, vanilla
TOW: Light, sweet taste on tongue. Great chilled. Loved the light crisp fragrance

Moscato – fruity and floral , scents of white grape juice, nectarine, guava, orange blossom, and honeysuckle
TOW: Sweet, light fruity. Little hints of the citrusy fresh flavor.

Gewurztraminer – 2016 International Eastern Wine Competition winner – lush and fragrant, releasing kiwi, Bosc pear, lychee, rose petal, honeycomb
TOW: Definitely tasted the floral hints. Reminded of a spring time, sweet dessert wine. Could not detect all the fragrant notes. Kiwi, Bosc pear, lychee, rose petal, AND honeycomb? If they say so.

Raspberry ***MY FAVE # 1*** – ripe raspberries and note of cinnamon wakes up the palate
TOW: Smells like fruit juice with subtle hints of berries on the tongue. The delicate spice undertones add aromatic depth.

Blueberry – blueberry pie, raspberry, and Bing cherry with hint of cinnamon
TOW: Rich fruit taste and deep flavor. It was smooth like drinking juice (which could be dangerous). Tasted spicy hints but thought it was nutmeg instead of cinnamon.

Cranberry ***LEAST FAVE*** – tart cranberry with gingerbread and candied mandarin oranges
TOW: This was my least fave because the cranberry flavor was so tart, like drinking 100% cranberry juice. It tasted more like a health drink and less like wine.

Red Sangria – juicy plum, sweet cherries, apple, tangerine, and a touch of molasses on the nose
TOW: This was very sweet and tasted like candy. I could tell there were a lot of fruit notes in it. This is best served cold and in small doses.

Limoncello – intense lemon zest with soft lime undertones
TOW: Definitely zesty! Sweet, smooth lemon flavor came through. Best as an after dinner liqueur and like the Red Sangria, served in small doses.

TOW Final Word: This wine tasting is worth the trip. There are plenty of wines in their selection for every palate. This was my first time, but not my last!

Here is the location address where I went
4110 West Boy Scout Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33607

To find the nearest Cooper’s Hawk tasting room https://www.coopershawkwinery.com/tasting-room.php

I am not a wine connoisseur so I can’t explain to why my taste buds like this sparkling wine so much.
But trust me when I say it is DELICIOUS and bubbly. And it is cheap because it is sold at Trader Joe’s . I bought it because I was having a party and was going to mix it in the punch.
I always thought that cheap wine was supposed to taste like rot gut, but this is smooth and full of flavor. Once I tasted it, I decided this wine should be served on its own in glasses. There was no wine punch. Just plain punch and Villa Alena Moscato D’Asti.

I am going to buy some more so that I can enjoy the whole bottle myself.
Served Villa Alena Moscato D’Asti chilled with a plate of strawberries is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

If you are interested, at http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Wine-Connoisseur there are steps to becoming a wine connoisseur.

Steps (with my comments in parenthesis showing why I probably will never be a wine connoisseur)
1 Get information from the experts (I know I am supposed to trust the experts, but what if their taste buds like different flavors than mine?)

2Go to a wine shop and ask the staff for recommendations. Look for bottles of wine with write-ups near them, award citations and high magazine ratings. (Once again, I know I am supposed to trust their recommendations, but what if their taste buds like different flavors than mine?)

3Attend a local wine tasting or a wine appreciation class. (I have attended a local wine tasting before. My impression was, "Eh, no real standouts." But other people were, "OMG, this is awesome." I felt like missed something everyone else got. Are my standards too high that nothing met it OR are they too low and not even registering what they are supposed to? A serious conundrum.)

4Join a wine group. (Many times these groups are filled with pretentious people who usually get on my nerves)

5Visit a winery. You’ll learn how wine is made, see how the grapes are grown and be taught the proper procedure for drinking wine.(Did this in Napa. The "proper procedure" for drinking wine does not suit me. I feel like some of the flavors I am supposed to be noticing are being lost. Possibly my taste buds are not refined enough.)

6Buy wines that match the taste of the food you’re serving. (Did this before but cannot really tell what I am supposed to get out of that)

7Don’t just stick to traditional reds and whites. Try sparkling wines, ice wines and dessert wines as well. (I do try this. I like moscato, reisling, and sparkling wine. I need to find an ice wine to try.)

8Learn about different grape varieties. (Good idea, but I don’t have a good memory)

9Subscribe to online wine newsletters. (I might do this)

10Look for a wine school in your area. (I live in the country so there are no wine schools in area)

11Have an informal tasting either at a friend’s house. (This is a good idea that I plan to try one day. Don’t see how this will help me become a wine connoisseur, but seems like fun)

12Make wine inexpensively at home. (This could happen. Hubby planted several grapevines that look to produce in the coming years.)