Review - Butterfly Kiss Moscato

Name: Butterfly Kiss Moscato
Variety: 100% Moscato
Region: Chile
Country: Chile
Year: 2012
Price: $13.00

Wine Shop Review: Aromas of honeydew and apricot, gently kissed by orange blossom, candied pineapple and a hint of lime zest.

Personal Review: I noticed strong aromas of peach and pear that were intensified as I aerated the wine. The Moscato by Butterfly Kiss was incredibly sweet to the point that I could not stand a second taste of it. The tree fruit aromas that I got during the smelling were not noticeable during the actual tasting. I thought I was drinking sugar water.


Note: I did not consume this wine with food.

Review - Purple Paws Zinfandel

Name: Purple Paws Zinfandel
Variety: 100% Zinfandel
Region: Lodi, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $15.00

Wine Shop Review: It smells like ripe boysenberries and cherries, and tastes generous and broad without being too full bodied. It finishes with more fruit notes and those who love a little spice and smooth tannins will be happy.

Personal Review: The Zinfandel by Purple Paws was full of pleasant cherry and petroleum aromas that intensified after aerating for a few minutes. I found the Zinfandel to demonstrate a very strong cherry taste during the initial palate but ultimately a peppery taste in the mid palate and finish. The Zinfandel had a  complex and enjoyable flavor profile.

Note: I did not consume this wine with food.

Review - Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon Non Vintage

Name: Purple Paws Cabernet Sauvignon Non Vintage
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lodi, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $15.00

Wine Shop Review: If a Cabernet can be smooth and creamy, this one is. It offers plenty of fruit flavor, smooth tannins that coat the mouth in a good way, plus a plush texture that keeps it from being even a bit harsh. With light body, a soft mouthfeel and lingering finish, there’s much to like.

Personal Review: The Cabernet Sauvignon by Purple Paws is rich in color which led me to believe it would be very earthy and spicy in aroma; however, I found it to be surprisingly rich in pomegranate and cherry aromas. The Cabernet Sauvignon had a very complex three phase flavor that transitioned from an initially earthy, oaky flavor to a light red fruit finish.

Note: I did not consume food with this wine.

Review - Rosemount Chardonnay

Name: Rosemount Estate Chardonnay
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2013
Price: $15.00

Wine Shop Review: This world-renowned wine shows peachy tropical fruit and melon characters on the nose, with a hint of citrus freshness and judicious use of oak. The palate is generous and soft with full, ripe tropical flavors folded into a creamy backdrop that is beautifully structured with a long satisfying finish.

Personal Review: Initial smelling led me to notice a strong perfumey and peachy scnet. Aerating and swirling the wine caused the perfumey scent to intensify and surprisingly did away with the peachy scent that I had noticed prior to aerating the wine. My initial impression of the Chardonnay during the tasting was again that of peach but the flavor went away during the mid palate and finish ultimately leaving me with a light, refreshing, citrusy wine.

Note: I did not consume this wine with food.

Review - La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc

Name: La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Central Valley, Chile
Country: Chile
Year: 2015
Price: $10.00

Wine Shop Review: A light, refreshing, balanced sparkling wine with fruit flavors and aromas of citrus, pear and peaches, followed by a nuance of spice.  Enjoy this sparkling wine as an aperitif, or with salads and spicy dishes, especially those using citrus fruit. For dessert this wine pairs well with fresh berries or a fruit tart.

Personal Review: The La Lejania Sauvignon Blanc was light in color and had a flowery, pleasant aroma to it. Swirling and aerating the wine caused these floral aromas to be intensified. The Sauvignon Blanc was not complex in flavor. My initial impression of the wine led me to pick up strong citrus flavors and these did not change as I swished the wine around in my mouth. I did not notice a significant flavor change during the mid palate or the finish.

Note: I did not consume this wine with food.

Parker Hudson - Introduction

I remember the first time I ever had a glass of wine. I was a senior in high school and hanging out in my friend's basement. My friend grabbed a bottle of some miscellaneous red wine (I cannot for the life of me remember what kind of red it was) from his parent's stock and proudly poured us each a glass of it. I didn't smell it. I didn't swirl it. I didn't swish it around in my mouth to savor the flavor. I simply threw it back like it was an ice cold Bud Light. "That's f*cking disgusting." It had tasted like I just licked a cat. It was the driest tasting beverage I'd ever had in my life.

I didn't drink wine again until the end of my freshman year here at VT. The girl I was dating at the time was really into wine (Barefoot Riesling) so I figured I might as well try it again. The Riesling had a ridiculously fruity aroma and it was sweet as hell. Honestly, I thought I was drinking Welch's grape juice for the first time since 2nd grade. To be fair, I did enjoy it. It was a pleasant surprise given how awful my first experience drinking wine was. The Riesling opened the doors for me to try a few other whites such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

As I've gotten older and tried more and more wines, I've grown to appreciate them and the complex flavors they possess. I did my first wine tasting in July 2015. The Bull Run Winery is a few miles from my house in Manassas, VA. The Bull Run Winery had a Cab Sauv that was killer. It was the first red wine that I had ever enjoyed. It was fruity and full of flavor and not as freakin' dry as whatever I had thrown back in high school. I had officially made the transition from college-student-that-only-drinks-dessert-wine to college-student-that-actually-kind-of-likes-all-wines.

I am really hoping to gain a better understanding of how to taste wine in this course. Anyone can take a sip of something and say "I liked it" or "I hated it" but I want to know what to look for. I want to know the right way to taste wine and the right way to describe its taste. I also want to learn about the differences in the kinds of whites and reds. Honestly, I just want to lay the foundation for wine drinking that I can then build upon for the rest of my adult life.

Here's to a great semester! Cheers!