Sunday, March 3, 2024

The Desert Wine Guy - 2021 Fox Run, Dry Riesling

 


   I don't know about you but for the most part, I am not into sweet white wines. There, I said it and I feel so much better. Now you might be asking, "why are you starting off this review by saying this Desert Wine Guy?" Well honestly guys, I am so tired of tasting both white and red wines that just love to come across as sweet and over the top as far as sweet fruit is concerned. Now, I don't mind a fruity wine to an extent but it has become so common place for wines to simply offer up nothing more then a sweet & fruity liquid, I feel like I am being played. I don't spend $20 for a wine for it to be a sugar or fruit bomb as I can spend $5 instead and get four of the same wines. Now, a lot of people will tell me that in reality, wine has very little sugar in it and I agree with that statement but whatever has my palate registering something as sweet that is enough for me to say it is indeed, sweet. I am not going to take the time to decipher or break down exactly what is causing that sweetness perception on my palate and to be honest, I don't really care as it is too late at that point and it wouldn't save the wine from a basement score anyway. This is why when I review a wine and tell you that it is overly fruity and jammy it really means that it is sweet. Those of you who drink wine enough to understand what I mean here will appreciate what I am saying and I think, agree as well. Well anyway wine lovers, let's talk about today's wine that is up for review.
   Today I will be talking about the 2021 Fox Run, Dry Riesling. I paid $15.99 for this wine which to me at least for a Riesling is ever so slightly on the higher end of the price scale. The alcohol percentage here comes in at 12.5% and the grapes for this wine come from the Finger Lakes AVA which is located in upstate New York.   
   Let's start off here by discussing the label on the bottle but before I discuss that, I just want to let you know that the cap (foil) that is supposed to be over the top of the cork was not there. As a matter of fact, all the wines in the box had no cap on them. Now, as for the label, I don't really care for it. I just really don't care for the yellowish color as I think it just seems off for some reason. In general I think that there is too little writing on the label... it's just too blank. For me, I want a little business on my label, something to draw my attention and this label doesn't do it. I actually only bought the wine because I wanted a Riesling but was tired of the sweetness they were all presenting so when I saw the word "dry" on the label I jumped on it.
  Let's talk bouquet now. As far as the bouquet is concerned, I really like it. Petrol starts off the nose here but it is well controlled. Following that petrol are notes of bright lime, and an ultra light yet fragrant note of cantaloupe. There is an overall florality note here that lies way deep in the bouquet and it just...works very well.
   And now for the real deal, what does the wine taste like? Okay so, let me begin here by confirming that this is indeed a dry wine. At first I was thinking that the wine was too dry but as it warmed up just a hair, it did develop very nicely, it did expose more of itself while still living up to its label as "dry". A combo type note of lemon zest as well as lemon grass is expressed here thankfully however neither note is too astringent. While this combo type note may sound very acidic and overpowering, I promise you that it isn't, it is nice. Yes, you will taste these notes and they do dominate the wine but there are other notes that are allowed to express themselves nicely. So...Desert Wine Guy, you said "other notes", what are those other notes you are talking about? Well folks, that's a good question and I will continue here by telling you that the wine in general is bracing as it comes across the palate. While this is not my preferred style of Riesling I do appreciate it here. As amazing as it may seem even though the wine is very dry, if you take the time to think about what you are actually tasting, there is a light component of sweetness to the wine. At first, this component is felt but when you take he time to decipher the wine you realize that it is there and it works amazingly well. There is a floraly component to the wine as well and believe it or not, it really makes a difference in the wine and how you appreciate it. In my personal opinion, this florality allows this wine to be where it is on my palate. Acidity here is high and this also elevates the wine to where it will end up on the Desert Wine Guy rating scale (yes, my mind is made up). What really jumps on the acidity is the stone in the soil that these grapes were grown in, you can taste it in the wine guys. To me, this stone note is super evident and is truly amazing and brings a wonderful sense of a minerality note to the wine. That cantelope note I picked up on the nose is here as well and is more then content on lingering in the back but that doesn't mean it isn't tasted, effective in getting its point across, and above all, totally enjoyed. As a last note here, I found a sewmi brilliance to the wine, a brightness that I found to be refreshing.
   On the wrap up now, what I find weird here is that this wine is not being reviewed more often. I have seen many reviews of the "semi-dry" version of this wine, however there are none for the "dry" version that I am reviewing. I have to repeat something to you guys, I am normally not a fan of Rieslings that are this dry however (that is a big however) I most definitely can see this wine being a very good and high rated wine for those who are. I'll just cut to the chase here. For me, I would rate this wine at 92 points however... if you enjoy a very dry Riesling I would definitely put this wine at 94 points which would mean it would be cellar worthy in my book for sure. As I said, at first, I was kind of put off by the dryness of the wine but give it a few to warm just a bit and it will open up very nicely to where it will become a wine that I think you will definitely able to work with, appreciate and above all...enjoy.

                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

Sunday, January 21, 2024

The Desert Wine Guy - 2020 Vineyard Block Series 829 Special Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon - St. Helena

 

   I have previously written about wine pricing but lately I feel the need to touch upon the subject yet again. So, why do I bring this topic up you may ask? I bring it up because I feel the need to set something straight, I hate seeing people ripped off and trust me, people are being ripped off. Why does an unpopular wine varietal that is grown in just as pristine soil and under the same wonderful sun as a more popular varietal of wine, cost so much less? While wine manufactures will throw out all kinds of reasons for this, in my opinion, they are very simply lying. Simple economics dictates that the more popular a product (in this case a wine varietal) is, the more people want it and therefore, the more they are willing to pay for it. One way that a manufacturer makes something popular is by releasing a product slowly (diamonds) which causes an artificial shortage ("the wine is currently unavailable") of that product. As with any product, there is also tons of marketing that is involved in selling wine.
A Beautiful St. Helena Vineyard
Once a winery establishes its marketing demographics for a particular wine, they devise advertisements that those demographics can relate to. Sell a particular wine towards an upper class male audience and the marketing has you thinking that you will have beautiful and sophisticated women dressed in classy dresses and looking super hot falling all over you at business meeting or after parties. I mean after all guys, who doesn't want hot women, right? Sell wine to an upper class female audience and you will have sophisticated men dressed in custom fits suits and looking all suave and sophisticated. Come on ladies, don't you want the men to find you hot? In short, buy this wine and you yourself will be handsome or beautiful and desired by the opposite sex. The advertising matches the audience or financial category the target audience is in. The higher the class of person you target, the more the winery can get away with charging. I could go on here but I am sure you get the point. If you are an educated consumer, this trick normally doesn't work on you as you realize you are being tricked into paying more for wine that should in reality be costing half as much. Psychology is used to implant thoughts in your mind geared towards you opening your wallets to up pay $20 for juice that in all reality is worth only $10 or pay $50 for a Cabernet Sauvignon whose juice is worth only $25. Well, you guys get the point here I am sure. I guess I should write an article on the subject as it can get really deep but right now, it is time to get into today's wine that is up for review.
   Okay guys, today I am going to be talking about a brokered wine. This is a wine that most likely came from a prestigious winery but is not sold under that prestigious wineries name nor, at their prestigious price. This particular series of wines which is named Vineyard Block Series is created for sale at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits which is a pretty big alcohol chain here in "Freedom" Florida. These wines are sourced from different well known wineries but sold under the Vineyard Block Series name and at a much lower price as well. Having reviewed a lot of these wines, I will say that around 80% of their wines are good to very good where the remainder of 20% is just so so, or simply in my opinion, "okay". Today's wine up for review is the 2020 Vineyard Block Series 829 Special Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine in this bottle came from a winery that is located in the St. Helena AVA of the Napa Valley and cost me $32.99 which is on the pricier side for the series. The wines alcohol percentage comes in at a whopping 14.8% and the bottle is cork (real) sealed.
  
   Alright then, lets talk label. Guys, just take a look at the picture on the bottle above, what do you think I will be saying about the label? To me, in my humble opinion, the label is...outstanding...amazing... incredible! Look at those graphics guys. Look at the colors and the way the almost double label is laid out. The wording on the label such as "Special Reserve" while probably in reality means nothing, has this wine label screaming "high quality". The AVA itself says (marketing) quite a bit about the wine grapes the wine comes from. Folks, to me, the label is top notch.
   Now let's talk bouquet for a bit. So the minute I brought the wine to my nose, I began to fall in love with it. Beginning with a note of a wonderful oaked sweet spice that gives off the impression at least that this Cabernet Sauvignon is going to be super high in quality and very well made. Continuing on now, I am getting a sense of earth as well here. I have to to tell you guys that this bouquet while admittedly limited is really nice and super promising that the wine will taste pretty darn good.
   As I move on to the palate presentation of this wine, I will begin this section of the review by telling you that after taking a tasting of the wine I am impressed. Although it is early in the review, that spice, that wonderful sweet oaked spice that I got on the nose translates right on over here and it is smooth and very nicely presented for sure. Acidity seems to find a best friend in that spice and the two really mesh well and compliment one another.
A slight cocoa note intermixes with the other two notes mentioned and it is just enough to continue the very nice presentation already established. Now unfortunately comes an issue as there is a certain sweetness...a jamminess to the wine and in my humble opinion it is just a hair bit too much. Now, I am not saying that the wine is ruined by any means but what I am saying is that I would have been happier if that perceived sweetness was not present at the level it is. Moving on now, the wine offers up a plushness feel to it that attaches itself to everything else and it is delicious guys like...really, delicious. Getting back to that acidity that I mentioned earlier for a minute, that acidity is important here in the wine and with it presenting itself in a moderate way, it goes extremely well with the wine in its entirety. Dark fruits come into play now with blueberry I think being the source of the wines jamminess as it always seems to be at least for me anyway. Unfortunately that blueberry is in my opinion, a slight bit over the top and I really am disappointed in this aspect of the wine as I had super high hopes for it up to this point. I had early thoughts of the wine actually making my cellar. I don't understand what it is with American winemakers of Cabernet Sauvignon who overload the varietal with that offensive and over the top blueberry note. Moving on now, the wine has a really nice earthy note here that manages to make its presence known as it did on the nose and it is nice and also able to stand out and make an impact on the overall taste of the wine. Tannins are present and exhibited as just less than crumbly but are nice nonetheless. These tannins are something that I think everyone will appreciate as they do add a positive note to the wine overall without being crazy. Well guys, I do think that I have said enough concerning this wine so I will meet you in the next paragraph to wrap it all up.
   Okay guys, so here is the deal on the wine. The wine at times really wanted to be great and there were notes here that were really nice but once again that darn jam monster just had to rear its ugly head and hurt things a good bit. To say that I am disappointment is an understatement because from the nose, I really did expect a lot more than I got. I guess marketing in the form of the label, the AVA and the heavy bottle really did convince me this wine was going to make the cellar (94 points or higher). Unfortunately the wine did not rate quite that high as on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I ended up giving the wine a generous 92 points. Once again I feel that darn jamminess really took its toll on the wine and that is a big shame.

                                                                                               The Desert Wine Guy

Sunday, December 24, 2023

The Desert Wine Guy - 2021 Introvert, Chardonnay

    


    Today my German Shepherd puppy (Leonardo) got his first bath. That's pretty big news as he smelled like a ....dirty puppy. I figured that since I was cleaning my bathroom today anyway it was a great opportunity to clean him as well. He is so cute guys. He is a 13 week old, medium haired and he is super smart. He took to healing like he had been trained before but I did get him at 8 weeks old and I know the breeder so I am sure that he was not. He goes to bed at around 8 PM in his crate and sleeps all night without needing to go potty. Amazing can't describe how super well behaved he is, he is truly an old soul. I am going to put a picture of him in this review because he deserves to be seen by everyone. Right now guys it is wine review time so let's do that.
Leonardo
   
   This is going to be a rather interesting review as this wine was being given away for free if you spent $50 or more at the store I went to. Of course as you would expect, I spent that amount plus a bit more and so here we are. Today's wine that is up for review is the 2021 Introvert, Chardonnay. The wine normally costs $12 but as I said, I got it for free:) The bottle is cork (real) sealed which was a surprise to me considering it is from a wine broker that no one probably has ever heard of. I am thinking that in reality, this is bulk wine repackaged but we will soon see. The alcohol percentage comes in at 13.5% and the grapes which are 100% Chardonnay come from California in general. As a last bit of specs on the wine it sat in 70% Stainless steel and 30% oak. 
   As far as the bouquet of the wine is concerned, it is pretty decent as I do enjoy the smell of rich, fruity white wine. With notes of moderate oak, bruised apple and a lot of that oak caused vanilla, the wine is kind of scaring me a bit palate wise as I am not a lover of the typical American Chardonnay that sits in oak for extended periods of time.
   Now as far as the palate is concerned, when I first tasted the wine, I kind of felt let down a bit. I really didn't know what to expect from the wine although I did have an idea. I was really excited to taste this wine but when I did, I ended up getting what I kind of expected. So, what did I get for free? For free I got a Chardonnay that was overwhelmingly dominated by oak, vanilla and baked apple, just as the nose presented. To be quite honest, I got not much else. As a last note, I am picking the slightest bit of a viscosity up here that I truly do not care for at all.
   Alright guys, I need to close this extremely short  review out by letting you know that a "reputable" wine magazine rated this wine at 87 points which on their scale means "very good". I think that I should let you know that this magazine and I almost never agree as they rate what I consider to be bad wines high and what I consider to be good wines, low. I will tell you straight out that I do not consider this wine to be a good wine. As I thought in the beginning, this is simply a bulk wine repackaged into a smaller bottle and nothing more. Dominated by oak and vanilla, this wine is missing anything compelling, anything exciting or in short, anything worthy of a decent score. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 84 points. While it is barely drinkable, there is nothing positive about it that I can pick out and nothing that would have me buying it if I happened to come across it in the future. 
  
 
                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy
 

Sunday, December 10, 2023

My Review of Naked Wines, Is It A Scam?

 

 

   With all the many different wine clubs out there I wanted to focus on one in particular, a wine club that I myself actually belong to, that I myself give money to each month. The wine club I am talking about is Naked Wines and I have belonged to them for about 4 years now. When I first started out looking into wine clubs, I was very disappointed. I sent an email to eight different wine clubs and told them I was doing a review of wine clubs and asked them if they were interested in participating. A few answered back and told me they were not interested but some answered back and sent me some wines to review. In the end, all the clubs failed except for one. A couple of the clubs sent wine but sent the wrong information sheets along with their wines calling into doubt their attention to basic details and customer service in general. Such lack of basic attention had me questioning just how well the company was run in general and what potential issues I would have with them down the road. To give you an example, I would for instance receive a 2020 ABC, Cabernet Sauvignon but receive a tech sheet that would say 2019 DEF, Cabernet Sauvignon. This is sloppy folks and not something that any knowledgeable wine consumer wants to see. Now reasonably, you might think this was simply just a mistake and so did I at first but the same issue applied to the other five wines that were in the box as well and this was to me at least, unacceptable.

Putting all of that aside though, the wines themselves that I tasted were coming across as simple jug/bulk wines merely repackaged into smaller bottles, they had no sense of place, nothing giving away where they were from on the palate, and nothing that presented anything more of a thought then "yeah, okay and?" In short, the wines were unimpressive. I received wines which were without vintages (non-vintage) or the labels would simply say "California" or "Oregon" meaning the grapes came from various (anywhere really) places in those states. The lack of a specific AVA or area is usually not the sign of a quality wine. I was really upset at what I was receiving overall guys but I had one more club to check out and that club was Naked Wines. By the time I got to them I had the mindset of, "these clubs all suck" but, I had one more  to take for (the team:) To say that I was impressed with what Naked Wines sent me is an understatement so let's get to discussing them now.
  SHIPPING -  Let's start off here with discussing shipping because what good is wine if you either never receive it or, the bottles that you do receive were damaged or leaked in transit. For so many companies, the shipping costs they charge is used as just another area in which they make profit. I don't know about you but this really pisses me off as the cost of shipping should be just that, the cost of shipping and not an additional way to up-charge the customer.
You made your profit now give me my product! In the case of Naked Wines, they charge $9.99 to ship a case of 6 bottles of wine which is also the minimum you need to order. If the order is $200 or more, the wine ships for free and you can't beat that. Try getting 6 or more bottles of wines shipped to your home from a winery or anyone else for either $9.99 or for free and see successful you are. By the way, if you add more wines you must order in increments of 3. As far as the protection offered to the wines goes, the packaging itself was securely done and just as good as if it were to have been received from any Napa Valley winery. Unless the box was dropped from a decent height, there would be no issues receiving your wine in one piece. The box itself also had a place on each side where you can place your fingers in order to make lifting the box very easy. 
   VISUAL APPEARANCE OF THE BOTTLES - I don't know about you but I am a label person. Every wine review I do has a paragraph on the label on the bottle. When I opened the box and pulled out the first wine, I was immediately impressed as the label seemed to have been well thought out and without goofy, childish or silly art drawings on them. After I had the opportunity to check out all of the six labels, it was clear to me that the winemakers of these wines took their product seriously and had big time respect for not only their customer base but the industry they were in as well. This was a good sign in my book that the wines might be good. All labels were placed on the bottles straight and none of them were smeared, distorted or, looked as if they were designed as an after thought. Neck labels on the bottles were in great condition and again were not tattered or discolored. As far as any issues with corks protruding or appearing as if they were close to failing is concerned, I had none. All screw caps were sealed properly and none of them were dented or stained.
In short, all six wines I observed appeared to have been stored properly.
   CUSTOMER SERVICE - Customer service to me can make or break a company. In this area, Naked Wines has always been top notch. What good is a money back guarantee if you either can't get hold of the customer service department or they either fail to respond or if they do respond, give you a hassle either on returns or other issues you may have.When it came to getting in contact with customer service concerning a particular wine that I didn't like (there were a couple), they responded promptly. Naked Wines does offer a money back guarantee on any wines that you do not like and although rare, I have had the occasion to use that guarantee a couple of times mostly on Chardonnay as I am really hard on the varietal. Having opened a bottle, I just did not like the wine. I immediately emailed Naked Wines and informed them of my dislike of the wine and within a couple of hours I received a very friendly but apologetic email back from them stating that my money was refunded and placed back on my account along with what appeared to be a sincere apology from the employee (company). There was also no questions asked and there was even a time when not only was I given my money back but a credit for a free bottle of wine as well. I have also contacted customer service in order to get more questions answered on a particular wine I was reviewing and they went out of their way to contact the actual winemaker who did get back with me with the answers I needed.
   IS IT A SCAM? - There have been people who claim that they were signed up for monthly deductions without their knowledge or permission. Folks...adult folks...if you pay attention and read any offer that you either receive in the mail or see online from Naked Wines, you will very clearly see that you are indeed agreeing to have money come out on a monthly basis. If you don't believe me, go to the Naked Wines website and click on "how it works". Then click on "become an Angel". A big box will drop down and in part say "By clicking "I agree," you agree to become a Naked Wines Angel and to be charged $40 per month on your designated payment method, which you can use for future wine purchases. Your membership will renew automatically each month until you tell us to stop. ". You can also cancel at any time and yes, I have tested their cancellation policy once in the past to see the companies follow through and there were no issues. Those who feel they were misled were clearly not paying attention to what was in writing right in front of them. In my opinion Naked Wines is very transparent about what they do at all times. 
   COMMUNICATION - Communicating with both the winemakers and other Naked Wine customers is an awesome ability that the Naked Wines  website features.
Yes folks, you can actually communicate with the actual winemakers and guess what, they answer. Once you log on to the website  and go to the page of the wine you either want to discuss or comment on, you can follow and send questions to specific winemakers as well as customers themselves who bought the wine. Here you can discuss thoughts on the wine and even recommend other wines you might like since you both appear to have the same palate on that particular varietal. There is even the ability to see the winemakers general comments on the wine. I can tell you that from experience, I have contacted winemakers of a particular wine with a question(s) and to my initial surprise, they actually answered. As an example, let's say that you want to find out more or about want to discuss the (delicious) 2021 Matt Parish, Petaluma Gap, Chardonnay (https://us.nakedwines.com/products/matt-parish-petaluma-gap-chardonnay-2021). You simply type in the wine name in the search engine and everything including the ability to order it comes right up.  The winemakers actually seem more then happy to engage with customers even if one of them complains about a particular wine they made. By the way, if you do join the club, I very highly recommend you buy a bottle of that Chardonnay.
   VOUCHERS - We have all received those vouchers in the mail from Naked Wines but are they real? Are you really getting $100 (or more) off? Yes folks, they are indeed real and yes, you really do get $100 off. Okay so check this out. The wines that I see on Naked Wines are not available anywhere else so to say up front that you are getting any amount of money off let alone $100 does take some thought. Naked Wines gives two different prices when you go to order wines. One price is the "market price" and the other is Angel (a member) price". Market price is the price that Naked Wines believes a comparable wine bought elsewhere would cost. Now as a consumer, it is up to us as individual wine drinkers to determine what a comparable wine would (or should) cost.
From a personal point of view, as a wine reviewer and therefore someone who has tasted a lot of wine, my opinion is that the market price is indeed an accurate assessment of what a comparable wine would cost if bought elsewhere. In conclusion here, yes, I do believe you are getting $100 off.  
   WHAT WOULD I CHANGE? - Being someone who is deeply interested in wine here is one aspect of Naked Wines that I think needs some changing. Many times (too many times) I have had to send messages to the winemaker asking for more specs on a particular wine. For whatever reason, Naked Wines winemakers do not initially disclose where the grapes are from, the brix (sugar) level of the wine nor do they offer up a "spec sheet". They don't disclose the percentages of a blend they might make nor any information concerning the oak they might use. I would think that with wines selling for up to $70, the company would know that part of their customer base is serious about the wines they enjoy and wants to know this type of information. The most rounded and experienced of the winemakers is Matt Parish and to his credit he has stepped up his game as far as the information he provides on his wines goes. Anyway, as I said, the winemakers to their credit do answer and provide the answers to all your questions.
   HOW DOES IT WORK? - When you agree to become an Angel, you agree to have a minimum of $40 a month deducted from your account each month. You even get to pick the date the money comes out. The company says that your money goes into an account that they say they use in order to help small winemakers produce their own wines. Basically in reality you are giving them money to do whatever they want with. This money is always yours and you can allow it to build up until you either want to spend it or, you can use it right away. You place wines in your cart until you have at least six bottles and then you have them delivered for either $10 or for free, that is it. From what I have found out, all of these small winemakers have been in the wine industry but where not making wines in big numbers, or were making them for very small wineries.
Wines start as low as $10.99 as with the 2022 Kruger Family, Unoaked Chardonnay all the way to $70 for the some of the wine that Mr. Matt Parish makes as his wines are out of this world and yes, I can attest to that as I have reviewed not only his 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon - Reserve (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2023/02/2020-matt-parish-cabernet-sauvignon.html) giving it 97 points but at least five other wines as well. As a side note, Matt has worked for such wineries as Beringer and Stags’ Leap Winery and has been running wineries and been on their boards for many years. Aside from varying prices, there are also many different varietals available and from different countries as well. 
   FINAL THOUGHTS - I want to start off here by telling you that I am in no way working with Naked Wines nor am I getting anything in return for this review other then satisfaction that you my readers get a great deal on wine(s). As a matter of fact, Naked Wines doesn't even know I am doing this review. Without any doubt, in my opinion, I think Naked Wines offers up tremendous value, great customer service, quality wines and, is truly interested in bringing the wine community together providing that wine community all of this at great prices.

                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy
 


 

 



 

 

Sunday, November 26, 2023

So Ya Think Wine Is Healthy?

 

  There are so many (biased) articles that are being put out today about how wine is healthy for you that I felt the strong need to write an article about what the truth really is. While you may think that because I review and enjoy wine I am going to argue that it is good and healthy for you, nothing could be further from the truth. I am actually going into this with the belief that wine is not healthy for anyone as it contains alcohol and alcohol is a poison. Keep in mind here folks as you read this that I have no skin in the wine game as I do not get paid by anyone in any industry (including the hospitality industry) that is related to, affiliated with or, dependent on alcohol in any way shape or form including its delivery. I review wine because I enjoy the product and I like to educate people on it. I also like to let people know my opinions on those wines and on the industry in general so you have a good idea about the subject. With this being said, let's get into this article. Oh, one more thing before I go though. I want to tell you to check out everything that I write here as I do not expect nor do I even want you to just believe what I have to say. I ask that you do your own verification, click on the links that I include, educate yourself because in the end, it is your body and your health, make up your own mind.
   Let me start off here by first telling you what wine is. Wine is the juice from grapes, turned (fermented) into an alcoholic beverage. The farmer grows the grapes. The farmer picks the grapes. The farmer has the grapes crushed and the juice extracted.
Yeast is added and the natural process begins. Now, what happens after or in between the natural process and the bottling is up in the air a bit but we will try to educate ourselves as much as we can. While we all would like to think the seemingly easy process of adding that yeast into grape juice would be all we need to think about, there is more involved. According to the chemical and pesticide detection company Chemservice (https://www.chemservice.com/) there are Fungicides, insecticides and miticides used to control diseases and pests in the vineyards. As you can imagine, these agents are not healthy and are actually poisons. You eventually ingest all of these poisons.The following is an example of just some of the items (poisons) that are applied to grapes while in the vineyard.
   How about fungicides? Mancozeb is a fungicide used on grapevines and according to this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancozeb) link on Wikipedia,"has potential to cause goiter, a condition in which the thyroid gland is enlarged and has produced birth defects and cancer in experimental animals. ETU has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA".  Meptyldinocap  is another fungicide used on grapes. According to the website Science Direct (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/dinocap) the fungicide "has been demonstrated to be teratogenic in the CD-1 mouse, causing cleft palate, a dose-related increase in supernumerary ribs, a low frequency of exencephaly, umbilical hernia at high doses, otolith defects, weight deficits in fetuses at term, increased neonatal mortality, abnormal swimming behavior, and torticollis".
   How about Insecticides? Imidacloprid is the most common insecticide used on grapes in the United States. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jennifer-sass/nrdc-epa-red-flags-imidacloprid-health-risks) "Reported adverse effects included skin irritation and rashes, numbing and tingling on fingers and lips, facial numbness and swelling, lethargy and nausea." The website also goes on to say "A study by NIH (National Institute of Health) -funded researchers from the Universities of UNC Chapel Hill and UC Davis (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922790/) reported that frequent exposure (self-reported by parents) to imidacloprid applied as flea and tick treatments for pets (Advantage by Bayer) during pregnancy was associated with an up to four-fold elevated risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.9) in prenatally-exposed children."  
   What about Miticides ? Mites are little spiders and they can cause a lot of damage to a vineyard. According to the EPA, (https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/reregistration/fs_PC-097601_18-May-10.pdf) propargite "...is classified as a probable human carcinogen...". fenbutatin oxide is another agent used to kill mites and according to the chemical company "Cameo, the stuff is toxic and "inhalation, ingestion or skin contact with material may cause severe injury or death".
   Now you would think that this certainly is more then enough crap that makes its way into something as simple as wine but wait...there's more.
What about sulfur dioxide or simply, sulphites? Yes folks, that headache causing stuff is used as a preservative in wine although a small amount does occur naturally. According to the site Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sulfites-in-wine), sulfites can not only cause headaches but "...hives, swelling, and stomach pain". According to the site, The Spruce Eats (https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-wine-sulfites-3511277), sulphites are added "to protect and preserve the wine's character, flavor, and color". Sulphites also slow down the process of a wine changing color.
The same website goes on to say "people with asthma are in the most susceptible category. Signs of sulfite sensitivities include nasal congestion, headaches, skin flush, broncho-constriction, nausea, abdominal pain, and dizziness."
   What about sugar? Yes folks, there are some producers who add sugar or according to the website Wine Folly (https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/) sugar rich grape concentrate to their wines. I assume that I don't have to tell you how dangerous sugar is so I won't get into it here. Yes, most times, the sugar is eaten up by the yeast but there are wines that add additional sugar to make the wine sweet and that sugar remains in the finished product.
   What about stabilizers? Stabilizers such as Acetaldehyde. According to the website Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/science/acetaldehyde), Acetaldehyde is " used as a starting material in the synthesis of 1-butanol (n-butyl alcohol), ethyl acetate, perfumes, flavourings, aniline dyes, plastics, synthetic rubber, and other chemical compounds. "According to the CDC (https://blogs.cdc.gov/cancer/2018/04/02/3-weird-things-about-acetaldehyde/), Acetaldehyde can "cause cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. (https://publications.iarc.fr/122)". How about Dimethyl Dicarbonate? According to the National Library of Medicine (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Dimethyl-dicarbonate), Dimethyl Dicarbonate is "flammable, corrosive, an acute toxic and an irritant.
    What about resveratrol? Now I want to talk about something that the wine industry has latched onto in the last few years and uses heavily when they try to tell you (or sell you) that wine is healthy. There is a natural plant compound/antioxidant named resveratrol. Yes, resveratrol has indeed been shown to help with the heart as well as circulation.
To me, there is no doubt that the compound itself is amazing as far as the benefits to your body that it provides. According to WebMD (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-307/resveratrol) "Resveratrol is a chemical mostly found in red grapes and products made from these grapes (wine, juice)." According to the same site Resveratrol can help in "expanding blood vessels and reducing blood clotting. It may also decrease pain and swelling, reduce levels of sugar in the blood, and help the body fight against disease." While all of this sounds great, there are questions that need to be asked such as how much resveratrol do we need in a day? How much is beneficial? How much does a glass or two of red wine provide? Can we get it without drinking wine? The answer to the first question is there is no recommended daily allowance for resveratrol. Here are some studies done as far as how much resveratrol is beneficial to our body. and how much (or little) wine actually contains. According to the website News Medical Life Sciences (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231025/Red-grape-polyphenol-resveratrol-a-multifaceted-therapeutic-powerhouse-under-review.aspx), tests were conducted and people taking a dose of between " 20 to 600 mg daily for three to 84 days raised serological non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, reduced the weight of cholesterol and lipid in atherosclerosis-associated plaques and lowered serological TC/HDL-C  levels in individuals with coronary heart disease." "Sixty to 300mg daily of resveratrol promoted flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) among hypertensive women and individuals with higher levels of LDL-C and lowered diastolic-type blood pressure." Resveratrol in 250 mg daily doses for 90 days reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure, total protein, and TC levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Even 5.0 mg two times a day for 30 days of the drug decreased insulin and glucose levels and delayed post-meal glucose increases.
According to the National Library of Health (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24731650/) "Subgroup analyses indicated that higher-dose of resveratrol consumption (≥ 150 mg/d) significantly reduces SBP of -11.90 mmHg (95% CI: -20.99, -2.81 mmHg, P = 0.01), whereas lower dose of resveratrol did not show a significant lowering effect on SBP". Just so you know, a standard glass of wine is 5 oz and contains ....According to the website Livestrong, "https://www.livestrong.com/article/411745-how-much-red-wine-do-you-need-to-get-enough-resveratrol/) "Red wine contains at most 12.59 mg resveratrol per liter, so to get 500 mg daily, you'd need to drink almost 40 liters of wine daily. "For our last bit of information on resveratrol, there are many different foods that contain resveratrol. According to the website Livescience (https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html) red grapes, peanut butter, dark chocolate and blueberries are " are good sources of resveratrol". Keep in mind here that a glass or two of red wine does not contain anywhere near enough resveratrol to make any difference in your health. As a matter of fact, according to the website Livescience (https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html) " The amount of resveratrol found in one glass of wine can range from 0.2 milligrams to 2.0 mg, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. While 250 mg may seem excessive, it's not uncommon for resveratrol supplements. to include as much as 900 milligrams of resveratrol." It would certainly seem that the inexpensive and over the counter, widely available resveratrol supplements are an overwhelmingly better and more effective choice when it comes to getting an effective amount of the antioxidant.
   What about Alcohol? One last and hugely negative ingredient is Alcohol or specifically Ethanol in the case of wine. Alcohol is a depressant and according to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_(drug), can cause "liver and brain damage,[13][14][15] and its consumption can cause cancer." "In high amounts, alcohol may cause loss of consciousness or, in severe cases, death." According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body) , alcohol "interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination." The same site goes on to say that alcohol negatively effects the heart, the brain, the liver, the Pancreas and the immune system as well.
   Okay folks, I could go on and on here talking about if wine is healthy and wine additives which according to Wine Folly (https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/) can be things such as fish bladder (Isinglass) and Protease (porcine or bovine pancreas) and the negative medical implications of drinking wine but I think you (and I) both get the point. I have to tell you that doing the research for this article has most definitely educated me on just how much crap goes into what I always believed was such a simple product. I really had no idea just how much stuff was put into wine and I am very glad I did this report. I also think that if you do your own research on the subject you will find out that the wine industry is being less then truthful when it comes to wine and resveratrol. While you will read that their red wines contain the compound and that it has been shown to be very beneficial to you and while this is not a lie, what you will not see is that there is not enough in even a bottle to even come close to being helpful or counteracting the negatives of drinking wine. This type of reporting is omitting the real facts or, lying by omission but what do you expect from an industry out to only make money which they all are? So there you have it guys, the facts about wine. In my opinion, I can, after being more educated on the subject tell you that wine is not healthy for you, not even in the slightest bit. Does this mean I am going to stop drinking wine? No, it does not but at least now we can make an educated decision as to whether or not we will continue to drink it.
                                                                                                  
                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy
Disclaimer - While I am probably not required to say the following, I know there are many Karens out there so I will say it anyway. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on television. Whether or not you choose to drink alcohol is completely up to you, I have provided simple information to assist you in making that decision. In the end, you choose to do what you want in your life and that includes drinking alcoholic beverages.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

The Desert Wine - 2020 Tassajara, Chardonnay

 

   So, there I was, little ol' me in the wine store. I was innocently just walking around the store minding my own business when a store clerk whom I had talked to a lot prior came up and asked me if I needed any help. I responded, "Who, me, The Desert Wine Guy"? I'm just joking, I said "sure". This store employee saw me looking at a Chardonnay and quickly pointed out another Chardonnay and said that I need to try it. This employee and I have talked before about my feelings on American Chardonnay as well as other wine varietals so I assumed she knew my preferred style(s) so I figured why not? Do you guys have anyone at your local wine store that offers to help choose your wines? Sometimes an employee who has your tastes can really help out and actually save you money as you won't be wasting your money on a bad wine, at least that's the theory anyway.
My experience with this theory has been hit or miss in reality but I always try to listen to others when it seems that our palates are alike. What is your experience guys, if you have someone you go to in your local wine shop, how have their recommendations worked out for you? Well, I guess it's time to see what I think about the wine suggested to me so let's get to it. 
   Today I will be reviewing the 2020 Tassajara, Chardonnay. The wine cost me $14.99 and it's alcohol percentage comes in at 13.5%. The grapes for this wine are all estate grown which can be a very good thing but in the end is no guarantee of a good wine. The bottle by the way is screw cap sealed. 
   Taking a look at the label on this wine, I think it is nicely done and seems to give off the perceptions of elegance and that there is a very refined white wine in the bottle waiting for me. l love the plant on the label and just how it offers up a sense of freshness and cleanness. 
   As for the bouquet, it is fresh and lively. I am picking up a big note of Vanilla followed up by notes of baked apple and butterscotch. 
   Now onto the palate I go. Okay so the wine is very proud (too proud) of throwing out a big time note of vanilla, an over the top, big time note of vanilla. This vanilla overshadows everything else the wine has or at least tries to offer up. This vanilla ends in a slight bitterness and overall, right up front, I am not liking it. Unfortunately a big time note of baked apple is intermixed here as well and in my opinion both notes are just massively overdone. I am getting a butterscotch note here as well and...yeah, not to my liking. Adding to all of this as you would expect is an oak note and that is the last thing this wine needs guys, I promise.
This oak note just puts a knife into a wine that had in reality already been killed a long time ago. This is a terrible wine and sadly I am not (simply can't) even going to go on with this review, I'll see you in the next paragraph to wrap this review up.
   Alright Chardonnay lovers, I'll just come straight out and tell you that this wine sucks...big time. This wine is made by the Scheid Family winery and in my humble opinion, they should be ashamed of themselves. This to me is a jug wine repackaged into a smaller bottle in order to make more money, a lot more money. If you love your Chardonnays doctored with the notes I have mentioned in the body of my review then go for it but, if you are looking for a Chardonnay that is even the least bit clean, crisp or shows real fruit offered up with real thought, this is not the wine for you. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine not a number but a label and the label I am giving it says "undrinkable".
 
                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy
 

Saturday, September 16, 2023

2021 Chateau Ste Michelle, Sauvignon Blanc - Horse Haven Hills

 

   Guys, I have to ask you a question. Is it weird that since I retired from my job of many years that I want to go back to the field I left? I have been retired almost five years now and I miss what I use to do. Just so you know, I am in the best shape of my life now and I am fully prepared to get back into my chosen career. Most people would think I am crazy and say, dude,you mean you are retired and you want to go back to work, especially to that line of work? A lot of people would think that I am perhaps unhappy at home when actually nothing could be further from the truth as I am very happy and love Mrs. Desert Wine Girl and our kids very much, I just feel that I have more to give in my career and in my field of work that could actually change lives. As I think we all know, in this day and age there are so many people who need their lives changed. Guys, simply put, retirement gets boring and I don't like being bored, I need (want) my mind and body busy. Yes, there are things that I do that keep me occupied but after a while I am caught up on everything and I need more, I need a sense of purpose aside from being a husband and father. Aside from this, I hate to say it again but ...I have more to do in my field of work, more lives to effect in a positive way. I actually recently applied for a job here in "Freedom" Florida and was hired so I will see just how much more I really have to give :) Let's now talk wine guys because if the wine is good, that will complete my day
   Today I will be taking a look at the 2021 Chateau Ste Michelle, Sauvignon Blanc. I paid an incredible $7.99 for this wine guys as I had a $1 off coupon and to top it all off, the wine was buy one, get one free as well. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol and its grapes come the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington State. 
   Okay, now let's take a look at the label. I have always appreciated the wineries label for this series of its wines. I think the label always presents the wines inside the bottle in a very classic type way. From the prominence of the wineries name to the fonts chosen for the name, the label is very well done. The use of the gold color is done in a very nice way and the fact that gold is limited in its use really elevates the appearance of the label in general.
   Bringing the glass to my nose now, I get nice notes of light melon equally interweaved with light apricot and a vibrant and tropical smelling Anjou Pear as well.
   As far as the taste of this Washington State, Sauvignon Blanc goes, the wine starts off with a classic note of lemongrass but not in the classic New Zealand Style of presentation. Now, this can be either a good thing or a bad thing, it all depends on what you either enjoy or are in the mood for. If you want the varietal with less lemongrass but still do appreciate the note and want a nicely sufficient amount of it, this is your wine for sure. If however, you are in the mood for the typical forward and not shy lemon grass note from New Zealand, this might not be your wine...today.
That lemongrass note here in this wine is what I would say is moderately presented but is also very effective in getting its point across. You also will not be able to miss the fact that while the lemongrass is not quite as forward as a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, you are still definitely tasting a Sauvignon Blanc. While this lemongrass does dominate the wine a just bit, it does so almost with a perceived hint of a gentle side to it as well. Intermixed very nicely with that note is a bit of a melon that is a good amount below the previous note but that is fine because it only wants to come across just as it is which is enjoyable, very well offered up, slightly tropical and above all, fresh tasting. Acidity wise, this is a mid-palate note here and is perfectly placed. While this acidity is edging towards the high side, it isn't overboard at all and positively also helps in steering the wine in a great way. Green Pear is here as well and while it does offer up a small bit of sweetness, the other notes quickly take control of the fruit and hold things deep in check for sure. There is an herbal/greenness type element to the wine guys and to me, it really assists in sells this wine. While this note may be weird for the varietal, it actually really works wonderfully here in the wine as it integrates really well, I wish you could taste it. Kiwi is just another wonderful note that the wine is pushing forward and guys, I like it, I am enjoying it. As a last note, I have to tell you that there is a bracing element to this wine and this bracing element really sets this wine off. So guys, there you have my review and it is now time to head to the conclusion paragraph where I will put it all together for you and also, give you the Desert Wine Guy rating of this wine.
   So here we are, wrapping up this wine review. I want to begin by letting you know that if I had to find an issue with the wine it would be that it should have presented up just a hair bit more of a tropical fruitiness. I am not saying that I like an over the top, tropical, fruit bomb because I don not but there could have been just a bit more tropicalness then what is presented. In the end, I really enjoyed this wine however that bit of lacking of fruit tropicalness is going to prohibit the wine from getting that 94 rating needed for the cellar. In the end, on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 93 points. I really did enjoy this wine and even for the regular price of $9, it is a steal and for $4 that steal becomes an international heist :)


                                                                                                The Desert Wine Guy

The Desert Wine Guy - 2021 Fox Run, Dry Riesling

     I don't know about you but for the most part, I am not into sweet white wines. There, I said it and I feel so much better. Now you ...