Tag Archive | wine

Foodie Friday #summerwines

This Foodie Friday is all about WINE!!!

It is summer time and that means relaxing at the beach or chilling by the pool.

We also love cookouts during these longer days.

We are still technically in a pandemic, but I think it has gotten a little easier to navigate. Social events are happening but for the most part, we like to be outside.

Hotter temps mean choosing wines that are lower in alcohol, lighter in body, refreshing flavor, and pair well with BBQ and other grilled foods.

Vines to Wine (www.vinestowineacademy.com ) hosted a class and introduced several different wines that I am now going to my list of summer wines.

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Cotes de Provence Blanc

TOW comment: Light with fruity notes. Would go well with grilled chicken or dessert

Riesling

TOW comment: Light sweet with medium acidity. Medium finish

Pinto Noir Rose

TOW comment: fresh and a little fruity with a short finish.

Beaujolais-Villages

TOW comment: dry with cherry notes. Would go well with salmon

All of the wines we tried were good but I think my favorite was the Cote de Provance. I liked the smooth, long finish.

It’s great to go to wine tastings because you can discover wines that best match your palate!

TRY IT TUESDAY – Moldova Wines Tasting #wines #moldova

Jul5

TRY IT TUESDAY – Moldova Wines Tasting

If you love wine like I do, you probably look for events that allow you to try wines from different regions.

I attended a wine tasting of wines from Moldova because that area is not one that commonly associated with having vineyards and I wondered how wines tasted from that country.

The tasting was held at Flynn’s on Maxwell. The presenter Sergio is from Moldova and has been committed to introducing their fine wines to the US.

Wine: Crisecco (sparkling wine)
Grape Variety: Feteasca Alba 90% (Moldova variety), Muscat 10%
Aroma: hint of citrus
Taste: Light sweet, very bubbly
TOW: This was fine. If you like prosecco, you will like this. Pairs well with fruit.

Wine: Feteasca Regala (white dry wine)
Grape Variety: Feteasca Regala 100% (Moldova variety)
Aroma: Light fruity notes
Taste: Crisp, medium finish, smooth, not too dry, notes of peach and lemon
TOW: If you are looking for a pinot grigio, you will like this.

Wine: Rose de Purcari (Rose dry wine)
Grape Variety: Rara Neagra 15% (Moldovan variety) Merlot 35% Cabernet Sauvignon 50%
Aroma: Berries, especially strawberry
Taste: Earthy, medium body, long finish, dry but not overly so
TOW: Because of the long finish, I think this is better with cheese.

Wine: Rara Neagra de Purcari (Aged red dry wine)
Grape Variety: Rara Neagra 100% (Moldovan variety)
Aroma: Fruity and vanilla notes
Taste: Strong oaky flavor, full body, long finish, velvety taste
TOW: If you like dry red wines, you will love this.

Wine: Cuvee Rouge (Aged red dry wine)
Grape Variety: Rara Neagra 5% (Moldovan variety) Saperavi 15% (Eastern Europe variety) Merlot 30% Cabernet Sauvignon 50%
Aroma: Fruity and smoky notes
Taste: Strong flavor, full body, long finish, velvety taste
TOW: This is more of a classic blend and pairs well with red meat or pasta dishes.

TOW Final Word: I thoroughly enjoyed the wine tasting, learning about Moldova, and was glad to find Crissesco. I do love a nice bubbly wine!

TOW comment: I was cleaning out my drafts and couldn’t find my photos from this event. The wines were delicious though!

Flynn’s on Maxwell Wine Tasting – June 2013

Oct7

Flynn’s on Maxwell Wine Tasting

A couple months ago, I went to a wine tasting at the newest wine and beer establishment in Greenwood SC. The couple that owns this store are passionate about what they do. The husband loves specialty beers and the wife loves good wine. With Flynn’s on Maxwell, they have an avenue to talk about their passion and explain flavored nuances of many libations that they have discovered.

I attend wine tastings because it gives me a chance to try wines that I would otherwise not buy. Over the years, I have found that I do not like many reds because they are usually too dry for me. I am an ultra sweet moscato or Riesling type of girl. However, I will try new red wines to see if I can find one that l like to drink.

The wines talked about here were ones that I tried during the June 2013 tasting.

Steelhead Pinot Noir – $14.18 – Dry wine with strong flavor. I was not a fan because I do not like dry wines. I felt like I had cottonmouth.

Decoy Pinot Noir – $21.32 – The aroma of this wine was better than the taste because it was dry too. The aroma was rich, full body with an earthy, leather, tobacco smoke flavor. I loved smelling the wine but the dryness took all the taste out of my mouth. All the people there that like dry wines were raving over this one though.

Joel Gott Pinot Gris – $14.58 – I could not verbalize what I thought of the flavors for this one. My nose caught hints of a sweet flowery fragrance, but my tongue did not taste what I expected based on the aroma. I think my mind was confused. This wine blew my mind 🙂

Folie a Deux Chardonnay Sonoma RRV – $15.93 – My favorite of this tasting session. It was light and fresh. I ate with some grapes. I wish I had had some strawberries though. It felt like summertime at its greatest.

Since everyone’s palate is different, the reason I do not like a wine could be the same reason another person wants to try it. If you like pinot noir wines, you might enjoy Decoy Pinot Noir. Like I said, the people who did like Pinot Noirs said it was delicious. If you are looking for a nice chardonnay, I do recommend Folie a Deux Chardonnay Sonoma RRV. It was really tasty.

Villa Alena Moscato D’Asti

Aug28

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.)