tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31860733826836624422024-03-28T23:28:35.433-04:00Wine Reviews For The Average Wine loverThe Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.comBlogger278125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-22229545722120825742024-03-03T12:10:00.005-05:002024-03-03T12:10:52.226-05:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2021 Fox Run, Dry Riesling<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih85VbuA_LPh0dIvuqPQ-juRjDywIh8rrhmSoNgq3XnxYfdcIhZKnnqiIgnzgTlfaEPJxNB3pOsuoslD2VDXPACV3tyhhO5sELPwp5FRFNtSzRYUzoFgajn_gGd8Tm4k_ZNPnrtFFTuvW3SRcnw4u2KDBEqJDEb_l_NcheajNRvncAaBleh-MYeXaRIl2V/s3686/20231223_160640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3686" data-original-width="1484" height="725" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih85VbuA_LPh0dIvuqPQ-juRjDywIh8rrhmSoNgq3XnxYfdcIhZKnnqiIgnzgTlfaEPJxNB3pOsuoslD2VDXPACV3tyhhO5sELPwp5FRFNtSzRYUzoFgajn_gGd8Tm4k_ZNPnrtFFTuvW3SRcnw4u2KDBEqJDEb_l_NcheajNRvncAaBleh-MYeXaRIl2V/w309-h725/20231223_160640.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2ivnvf-KYaDUEjC_aRDSekxloK9I5bunwrdYCyq88RKEGBLVD7slwO9t-3nOY0xaO3rBJSMJYTzN1jdUVAbgviKlFppAxjHzXV4RnDFy5SVe6cU9WUIV9BZlbn2kIY6hVjUbBd_6rgbf8M3jU3sDQ9zu69ojwi0IrOirqSo6wK3LSg6NpB2-0HTA99AI/s1678/Riesling.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1678" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2ivnvf-KYaDUEjC_aRDSekxloK9I5bunwrdYCyq88RKEGBLVD7slwO9t-3nOY0xaO3rBJSMJYTzN1jdUVAbgviKlFppAxjHzXV4RnDFy5SVe6cU9WUIV9BZlbn2kIY6hVjUbBd_6rgbf8M3jU3sDQ9zu69ojwi0IrOirqSo6wK3LSg6NpB2-0HTA99AI/s320/Riesling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnuUVrKmGiYRcTFS30JJmcfGe2vKPJVZAO5n8AnQEBdsvXtjD1lD9jmDfl1sIcjTjFMNHrvuip6IM3cDJerYF94ZRH2vsNKlOgc3BjEvKHfL7tyypliYHakrOqwrBE-0dTaJzkvv_hjFFkDnd8HX9qr5Ma8UnyCn2LEmvUuuUvcJ69WgdHrLCSAHiJvvK/s1391/SOC_Riesling-Quick-Facts_PN.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnuUVrKmGiYRcTFS30JJmcfGe2vKPJVZAO5n8AnQEBdsvXtjD1lD9jmDfl1sIcjTjFMNHrvuip6IM3cDJerYF94ZRH2vsNKlOgc3BjEvKHfL7tyypliYHakrOqwrBE-0dTaJzkvv_hjFFkDnd8HX9qr5Ma8UnyCn2LEmvUuuUvcJ69WgdHrLCSAHiJvvK/s320/SOC_Riesling-Quick-Facts_PN.jpg" width="230" /></a></div> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6I4IsYtn-qNtVbp-4BefNTdnKOlME0lUwN7FjM9d56CfhBy916-HCjWVtsCHWINSMjCBeqAUxnftERmvFt_DSxjIeXLjZRwk9VDUEtcb3iaRQIq8Uk1-xe3T58HYJt6EACdiWLKOqE1tcWsaCgxHWqT6gVPyS4g33v8vYHtwSStfTwne2U6YgmUgT5kt/s4272/DSC_1315.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2911" data-original-width="4272" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6I4IsYtn-qNtVbp-4BefNTdnKOlME0lUwN7FjM9d56CfhBy916-HCjWVtsCHWINSMjCBeqAUxnftERmvFt_DSxjIeXLjZRwk9VDUEtcb3iaRQIq8Uk1-xe3T58HYJt6EACdiWLKOqE1tcWsaCgxHWqT6gVPyS4g33v8vYHtwSStfTwne2U6YgmUgT5kt/s320/DSC_1315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> 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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div></div></div><script src="moz-extension://5873d1a0-e299-4e16-8a18-346368038b2c/js/app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-80071067066035509062024-01-21T11:19:00.000-05:002024-01-21T11:19:18.639-05:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2020 Vineyard Block Series 829 Special Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon - St. Helena<p> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6VqqrJ6vHZrLdQllYM-MejyXA9ByfZhbo6jFPyrDcNFljRCkdD3-q5pvhWSb3BxWsxPFjd72avdMG5IPao9z-wjKxPrmcpcd8UfIqLd3dFt2KtWrRp3OWjfwwPC57vWZiZjgpCuiga4bTAGUXRmsn-xVLOecNoJ_dJfZXOc1aMZX8HVc_y_iCyzJXxGe/s3796/20231009_160743.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3796" data-original-width="1491" height="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6VqqrJ6vHZrLdQllYM-MejyXA9ByfZhbo6jFPyrDcNFljRCkdD3-q5pvhWSb3BxWsxPFjd72avdMG5IPao9z-wjKxPrmcpcd8UfIqLd3dFt2KtWrRp3OWjfwwPC57vWZiZjgpCuiga4bTAGUXRmsn-xVLOecNoJ_dJfZXOc1aMZX8HVc_y_iCyzJXxGe/w219-h575/20231009_160743.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfG1OPeHP4kpDGJRscQm6jMK74PTNkfnJodpUq4EZ7wh0DcqAg39cumWqALlWbiMXp5Hgejpdn0XBC15pUrusPlU8XP3qEk3ypBo_OxAAvEHaLiW7rN6SL1u6V_azhp8SZL2SOoIJoRd7gxAM0Ft0B6GXnrYHXKpKyzTBg-9TqmvbRIKXJsXQDaoe635J/s1400/vineyard-merryvale.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfG1OPeHP4kpDGJRscQm6jMK74PTNkfnJodpUq4EZ7wh0DcqAg39cumWqALlWbiMXp5Hgejpdn0XBC15pUrusPlU8XP3qEk3ypBo_OxAAvEHaLiW7rN6SL1u6V_azhp8SZL2SOoIJoRd7gxAM0Ft0B6GXnrYHXKpKyzTBg-9TqmvbRIKXJsXQDaoe635J/s320/vineyard-merryvale.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Beautiful St. Helena Vineyard<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>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 <b>normally</b> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1QI50CGaikon8jSYUrlmBlxBo2tpmhYjoNgq2irdzRwSjVDkHmjQ3FjsGoDjtUk2u9wjLzoph3KdpMLdp3BzB8zzjI6tu4Ar7OWjAuNkIxw1had2qY9C5L1EdGIMEuQuV9KdyTowLyBNTiNtjfDqXVMVQrkCjh2R1N0kCqgM6vdNy4FUmycomnw2V1k_/s899/cabernet-sauvignon-4096593803.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="899" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1QI50CGaikon8jSYUrlmBlxBo2tpmhYjoNgq2irdzRwSjVDkHmjQ3FjsGoDjtUk2u9wjLzoph3KdpMLdp3BzB8zzjI6tu4Ar7OWjAuNkIxw1had2qY9C5L1EdGIMEuQuV9KdyTowLyBNTiNtjfDqXVMVQrkCjh2R1N0kCqgM6vdNy4FUmycomnw2V1k_/s320/cabernet-sauvignon-4096593803.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> 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.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFK61PcLLSq1GsVfIt_SKV14RKG4WB1dLnRgIl2v2ViGs5JlchcZUQLZ5uYyW4DoCvZxVkFTEDfNo0tWO3B2xa0aPVSE7GQs_co4GC3q6JTEhIjXRML7R3N5h3oIWysyfuStUw8zJAT0bMIZdG6iXxjSyaYzDYhO7PevUUbZD2qy5Xdy2W3dfbxDjOrwu/s1333/Cabernet-Sauvignon-wine-tasting-WineFolly.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFK61PcLLSq1GsVfIt_SKV14RKG4WB1dLnRgIl2v2ViGs5JlchcZUQLZ5uYyW4DoCvZxVkFTEDfNo0tWO3B2xa0aPVSE7GQs_co4GC3q6JTEhIjXRML7R3N5h3oIWysyfuStUw8zJAT0bMIZdG6iXxjSyaYzDYhO7PevUUbZD2qy5Xdy2W3dfbxDjOrwu/s320/Cabernet-Sauvignon-wine-tasting-WineFolly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_985wQQxghUHDgoeEHR-QTL7t6ETCHyehhfHpem7aOcShkGMwNPgnquofq8f2nudOTWVLjk2qpHzhO453ue3I_FpQRH1mOmqzJ2dj1E_mhfqqtUhmR_Ut7VFN0bmwYO3XMCvUbnMSOJK_6ZPwQ24TW9B9e90bdBi60KE_UE8VY_ov8V-SQ-wqgja0rCF/s750/cabernet-sauvignon-62e2082f-7c25-467d-8058-63624d8afa0-resize-750.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="750" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_985wQQxghUHDgoeEHR-QTL7t6ETCHyehhfHpem7aOcShkGMwNPgnquofq8f2nudOTWVLjk2qpHzhO453ue3I_FpQRH1mOmqzJ2dj1E_mhfqqtUhmR_Ut7VFN0bmwYO3XMCvUbnMSOJK_6ZPwQ24TW9B9e90bdBi60KE_UE8VY_ov8V-SQ-wqgja0rCF/s320/cabernet-sauvignon-62e2082f-7c25-467d-8058-63624d8afa0-resize-750.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnF7ZjCiG84a8gfDl1_NisPzCa3qPwY-NvwKOnF9u7eqFMzd65_o3pK31vo5ZNYEfkEmJXWxPhui9mbs7ChJHelNFsqMNNTAMNZnhLqOCuhxYbrUNFAmFAujThS27QtRj5X7OX3IwW1it9jEw8LEXax85MtVLKnWVkqWy1KWS_aC8TdEMsQuumTEevPtJ/s2520/SFD_Region_map_Napa_CR_Jeff_Quinn_2520x1890.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="2520" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnF7ZjCiG84a8gfDl1_NisPzCa3qPwY-NvwKOnF9u7eqFMzd65_o3pK31vo5ZNYEfkEmJXWxPhui9mbs7ChJHelNFsqMNNTAMNZnhLqOCuhxYbrUNFAmFAujThS27QtRj5X7OX3IwW1it9jEw8LEXax85MtVLKnWVkqWy1KWS_aC8TdEMsQuumTEevPtJ/s320/SFD_Region_map_Napa_CR_Jeff_Quinn_2520x1890.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> 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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div></div><script src="moz-extension://5873d1a0-e299-4e16-8a18-346368038b2c/js/app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-60871733538764777902023-12-24T12:48:00.000-05:002023-12-24T12:48:09.232-05:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2021 Introvert, Chardonnay<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHx7Y8WnGoNlVMVxqorGlS89VY_f7yfo0aIpi1g8TJ5OwTgCcEKBl8bVf2P0yJ0HmJUweyfrT-6BX4p1Xex6CyvJsWX1Oqe-5LY5H9-8E6mm4aEaWQHEBiGtwRdr2s8slaegKl9I0YWOV0VtI4Rb5B44C-3XN7SfkxcRM6cytqEfD0HDm8veLjNJdDk2F/s3755/20231107_155313.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3755" data-original-width="1392" height="799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHx7Y8WnGoNlVMVxqorGlS89VY_f7yfo0aIpi1g8TJ5OwTgCcEKBl8bVf2P0yJ0HmJUweyfrT-6BX4p1Xex6CyvJsWX1Oqe-5LY5H9-8E6mm4aEaWQHEBiGtwRdr2s8slaegKl9I0YWOV0VtI4Rb5B44C-3XN7SfkxcRM6cytqEfD0HDm8veLjNJdDk2F/w272-h799/20231107_155313.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCt5JtpUq8Eua6dwORl0cOnPmNI_n_PreBB8EZnCYR1krH77ziLDYjNFmxZWdmGtVe-Gpbuj-d1WJgrY7f3oRHn8RuN462Vd5jFweV0kHPrYC0YmdkiJuqsKlRshYQB0OZrrUt-JNZ0Ls8tC_-n67SxJt0boKVN-ohjDyF4k83xuq-gbJxE8BGDNzXEau6/s2048/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="2048" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCt5JtpUq8Eua6dwORl0cOnPmNI_n_PreBB8EZnCYR1krH77ziLDYjNFmxZWdmGtVe-Gpbuj-d1WJgrY7f3oRHn8RuN462Vd5jFweV0kHPrYC0YmdkiJuqsKlRshYQB0OZrrUt-JNZ0Ls8tC_-n67SxJt0boKVN-ohjDyF4k83xuq-gbJxE8BGDNzXEau6/s320/IMG_1144.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonardo<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27trRoKEOh8f9mk2WBxTSp4EESv4VH24Ix_D3ULcJs1DMDfSPDgUwMBQ7-6biopl2SLK1UeI3AroPuXXU_gk93vZhIsw2UES7XS0EsCak6M57lraHJ41IVQ1EH-RdQDf2WJuxfFu2qDSTlBEBjoTTrdS3JeDv9178AeVkxnISpycVIWvtRJrGp3tU4i0J/s900/bigstock-197156386-Done-2190359052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27trRoKEOh8f9mk2WBxTSp4EESv4VH24Ix_D3ULcJs1DMDfSPDgUwMBQ7-6biopl2SLK1UeI3AroPuXXU_gk93vZhIsw2UES7XS0EsCak6M57lraHJ41IVQ1EH-RdQDf2WJuxfFu2qDSTlBEBjoTTrdS3JeDv9178AeVkxnISpycVIWvtRJrGp3tU4i0J/s320/bigstock-197156386-Done-2190359052.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div> <p> </p><p> </p><p><br /><br /></p> </div><script src="moz-extension://5873d1a0-e299-4e16-8a18-346368038b2c/js/app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-59651398883006069682023-12-10T14:35:00.000-05:002023-12-10T14:35:35.216-05:00My Review of Naked Wines, Is It A Scam?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMMwb1EZf7jrvAQ5q2hs3UINVQOI5587X140hOjOMNeM4yxHAnPF6W7SD1UrEKB2MyIiIqaKOa03A5A7qHodZT_DTJHtkNxovS-eOdc_m9I5CwmG2Tbnlnh1XAlvJmXHdBPSrOhLJQLhQZBlxYDxC1C1P0VEO2RUsV5xIHp5E0vsGuPK-J-dhbD9lvvnH/s614/051017_best_cheap_wine_clubs_slide_0_fs.max-784x410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="614" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMMwb1EZf7jrvAQ5q2hs3UINVQOI5587X140hOjOMNeM4yxHAnPF6W7SD1UrEKB2MyIiIqaKOa03A5A7qHodZT_DTJHtkNxovS-eOdc_m9I5CwmG2Tbnlnh1XAlvJmXHdBPSrOhLJQLhQZBlxYDxC1C1P0VEO2RUsV5xIHp5E0vsGuPK-J-dhbD9lvvnH/w406-h362/051017_best_cheap_wine_clubs_slide_0_fs.max-784x410.jpg" width="406" /></a></div> <p></p><p> 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.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsqF6tj8rLYToOa001ZQ_KAbyp2UpqYJry5DoYJPbzFZrYd5z-_BwGwx4GFfOf8axOH1fvmaJpB7fqad3sv2uiRAS10oKdSXRmXqKTytasyxYUhe2W0KxFae1ek_FSngG5A43UbJurlyV8C6vI9owJXQVgiF7tiXurw81fj7YDnFPbeGiK1I3CLpZSYfc/s800/WineClubEssentials1-4208216998.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsqF6tj8rLYToOa001ZQ_KAbyp2UpqYJry5DoYJPbzFZrYd5z-_BwGwx4GFfOf8axOH1fvmaJpB7fqad3sv2uiRAS10oKdSXRmXqKTytasyxYUhe2W0KxFae1ek_FSngG5A43UbJurlyV8C6vI9owJXQVgiF7tiXurw81fj7YDnFPbeGiK1I3CLpZSYfc/w400-h200/WineClubEssentials1-4208216998.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">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.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0ALQyqFlFswxrutZ3BW-xVLqpkz4WcF8DJyKHX0MjqHy_f-wyCalwfAnC2HrK_EE6sho31_x1K_Ojy7xOFpl1nJ1u2O6A5yEnyN5ljnThFfnJ4i80DGrXa3qRQ8EaZHk5weV9eNXDiDI0wEc8zgNqMf-HwTCq_pKgJiz07RjVNgvwaYgDwmwwYawAHfU/s800/nakedwines.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0ALQyqFlFswxrutZ3BW-xVLqpkz4WcF8DJyKHX0MjqHy_f-wyCalwfAnC2HrK_EE6sho31_x1K_Ojy7xOFpl1nJ1u2O6A5yEnyN5ljnThFfnJ4i80DGrXa3qRQ8EaZHk5weV9eNXDiDI0wEc8zgNqMf-HwTCq_pKgJiz07RjVNgvwaYgDwmwwYawAHfU/s320/nakedwines.png" width="320" /></a></div>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. <br /><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4klq-SEM8Fy6El8STRvVQ4JZbZU4TbES3khyphenhyphenCW3ciwtTJ_cIBNeqdT6YA3E-oi5wkpBMXkGMaK43T9asVzU4mhLIeOEJxYPX4Zrhc70VcgmoOnEAlkbmqQPDflrk-1QMWuQvicwd14Y_wtHvaNdxSd_JaHNaoEhuIrC-8gWsrFD38SIzfFobRgQM_KNsO/s777/Customer-cservice-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="777" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4klq-SEM8Fy6El8STRvVQ4JZbZU4TbES3khyphenhyphenCW3ciwtTJ_cIBNeqdT6YA3E-oi5wkpBMXkGMaK43T9asVzU4mhLIeOEJxYPX4Zrhc70VcgmoOnEAlkbmqQPDflrk-1QMWuQvicwd14Y_wtHvaNdxSd_JaHNaoEhuIrC-8gWsrFD38SIzfFobRgQM_KNsO/s320/Customer-cservice-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In short, all
six wines I observed appeared to have been stored properly.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> COMMUNICATION - Communicating with both the winemakers and other Naked Wine customers is an awesome ability that the Naked Wines website
features. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqVEf9NKtgwhp2-a7qEg83Za7D1biQcZQ_CXZrWJmTvVu3HCoHGdHzBw-shIwDn15cZ3uTgCMFEHms-f6S6qbVUq9W8ByoMol2dT7JwkLj5TMx8us02gj4vdgPW4797FSsmSI0pBnvUwAe2klNqrfefIp1srocvcQ7MIEWA0Sos06fSaxx7e-9-WVFE0w/s1500/ed7949753bf22695e0bc15a647abf10d.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1352" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqVEf9NKtgwhp2-a7qEg83Za7D1biQcZQ_CXZrWJmTvVu3HCoHGdHzBw-shIwDn15cZ3uTgCMFEHms-f6S6qbVUq9W8ByoMol2dT7JwkLj5TMx8us02gj4vdgPW4797FSsmSI0pBnvUwAe2klNqrfefIp1srocvcQ7MIEWA0Sos06fSaxx7e-9-WVFE0w/s320/ed7949753bf22695e0bc15a647abf10d.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>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
(<a href="https://us.nakedwines.com/products/matt-parish-petaluma-gap-chardonnay-2021">https://us.nakedwines.com/products/matt-parish-petaluma-gap-chardonnay-2021</a>).
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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNxARbo2eknRwLophD8XSXha095dbu6hQrXoHJZa7Avrpg3Ejd6kmUwwi-oAL-cpDICN3uVzu10ZRcI9rYbUdlMbUzPN1t7F1s_v8C7uRtA0GXhHkLvXSzGrPQqpj6aOyj_5RG2ZUaxLo9r3EI-CFR3l62fmJvINE-5c_fA-CskL3U8_9ndRAppWwJ_j5/s890/snobs.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="890" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNxARbo2eknRwLophD8XSXha095dbu6hQrXoHJZa7Avrpg3Ejd6kmUwwi-oAL-cpDICN3uVzu10ZRcI9rYbUdlMbUzPN1t7F1s_v8C7uRtA0GXhHkLvXSzGrPQqpj6aOyj_5RG2ZUaxLo9r3EI-CFR3l62fmJvINE-5c_fA-CskL3U8_9ndRAppWwJ_j5/s320/snobs.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>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. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgAK6gfy4XXC-jy51UBCJN-9iNjYsVZVhLY1hftA6gB5cCqfjVvzT3hYQlWY2ZU3QzD2oe6E5Tb6KzUjRZA61gKNqzFTeEOFd9vvX_ZVeRefZUxzVAI8V3ZqCDqDu4GscS-Qm7rG1LELnDpuAENQRjh7L4UkkjqpDarWKU6v29JoBA285u3FQ3Fa94J8a/s480/wine-snob-quiz-480x360.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="480" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgAK6gfy4XXC-jy51UBCJN-9iNjYsVZVhLY1hftA6gB5cCqfjVvzT3hYQlWY2ZU3QzD2oe6E5Tb6KzUjRZA61gKNqzFTeEOFd9vvX_ZVeRefZUxzVAI8V3ZqCDqDu4GscS-Qm7rG1LELnDpuAENQRjh7L4UkkjqpDarWKU6v29JoBA285u3FQ3Fa94J8a/s320/wine-snob-quiz-480x360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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 (<a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2023/02/2020-matt-parish-cabernet-sauvignon.html">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2023/02/2020-matt-parish-cabernet-sauvignon.html</a>)
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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div> </div><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><h4><br /><br /></h4> </div><p> </p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><br /><script src="moz-extension://5873d1a0-e299-4e16-8a18-346368038b2c/js/app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-11856653125325872282023-11-26T09:56:00.001-05:002023-11-26T10:05:21.469-05:00So Ya Think Wine Is Healthy?<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjGLV7-_CPNtOuz0YEcUg7-uGQXQjSf8d9CqdpickwpD45anm1C4VsnNWOK-m6rGeJMpAxqqCNgUe9Spx652ISo5XdX0BsXx-m7YJOWD12gGevp-KEojI3nuhyphenhyphenS-lYlRMmnwZr6L4aZTkU8FunT8pTvJ_GaPOmGCvnPmlOqd5Y6NSg4M2F_xMlm216co7/s900/alcohol-poison-horror-filled-picture-dangers-alcoholism-concept-skull-bones-near-bottle-cartoon-styled-93820134.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="647" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjGLV7-_CPNtOuz0YEcUg7-uGQXQjSf8d9CqdpickwpD45anm1C4VsnNWOK-m6rGeJMpAxqqCNgUe9Spx652ISo5XdX0BsXx-m7YJOWD12gGevp-KEojI3nuhyphenhyphenS-lYlRMmnwZr6L4aZTkU8FunT8pTvJ_GaPOmGCvnPmlOqd5Y6NSg4M2F_xMlm216co7/w334-h441/alcohol-poison-horror-filled-picture-dangers-alcoholism-concept-skull-bones-near-bottle-cartoon-styled-93820134.webp" width="334" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<br /> 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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1gJVMhofgQhfvFtSN6pzFvTZfacJidIm-1aUhdsiX0AJOhG0JddTz9cUe0rw31DpPIBJMtIX-6PI1wLr5qOtMOWVoyT176qdnN0FGV5WeTW93HgdszJlwTaFSnz-SUxajXbJR9NOdldswU05tLm3peh1cns99XjJPPzuZkHhV9QPgaQYznKa1Vt-fwG3/s1280/spraying_vineyard.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1gJVMhofgQhfvFtSN6pzFvTZfacJidIm-1aUhdsiX0AJOhG0JddTz9cUe0rw31DpPIBJMtIX-6PI1wLr5qOtMOWVoyT176qdnN0FGV5WeTW93HgdszJlwTaFSnz-SUxajXbJR9NOdldswU05tLm3peh1cns99XjJPPzuZkHhV9QPgaQYznKa1Vt-fwG3/s320/spraying_vineyard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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 (<a href="https://www.chemservice.com/">https://www.chemservice.com/</a>) 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.<br /> How about fungicides? Mancozeb is a fungicide used on grapevines and according to this (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancozeb">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancozeb</a>) 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 (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/dinocap">https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/dinocap</a>) 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".<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bYfn5V2o3BlBmsN7x4RMEWRIzt3yKrwWUkupR95yUaNnqR6IIOO4-WYjBK5TBysNSqydKVIW__xxY99XdCJRykDsu51_pdZtjPsFj7mFxWramXV5XqpTwU2nqBxpCJ_wG8aVjU2swFmfIkiUh9_WgfWgtSFcQBsUM4Crw03YKaJ1AvmtZycXX9GX9QWW/s800/what-are-the-effects-of-alcohol-on-your-body-brain-heart-and-liver.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bYfn5V2o3BlBmsN7x4RMEWRIzt3yKrwWUkupR95yUaNnqR6IIOO4-WYjBK5TBysNSqydKVIW__xxY99XdCJRykDsu51_pdZtjPsFj7mFxWramXV5XqpTwU2nqBxpCJ_wG8aVjU2swFmfIkiUh9_WgfWgtSFcQBsUM4Crw03YKaJ1AvmtZycXX9GX9QWW/s320/what-are-the-effects-of-alcohol-on-your-body-brain-heart-and-liver.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> How about Insecticides? Imidacloprid is the most common insecticide used on grapes in the United States. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (<a href="https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jennifer-sass/nrdc-epa-red-flags-imidacloprid-health-risks">https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jennifer-sass/nrdc-epa-red-flags-imidacloprid-health-risks</a>) "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 (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922790/)">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922790/)</a> 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." <br /> What about Miticides ? Mites are little spiders and they can cause a lot of damage to a vineyard. According to the EPA, (<a href="https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/reregistration/fs_PC-097601_18-May-10.pdf">https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/reregistration/fs_PC-097601_18-May-10.pdf</a>) 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". <br /> 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. <br />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 (<a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sulfites-in-wine">https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sulfites-in-wine</a>), sulfites can not only cause headaches but "...hives, swelling, and stomach pain". According to the site, The Spruce Eats (<a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-wine-sulfites-3511277">https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-wine-sulfites-3511277</a>), 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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwfZgOt3gSTWhTqY7KDQ_37ZljhbcMDUTU0H5eerDezU4u_aVml66uZE8KUvc-XRXo6NOTQNTm_l12yqEiGOO2AjPjKp6ydeTUwMoDyDa5Kh5YmAk99qJKI4NNqNz8g94pHfXchd1ilOjzHAzwxQKm6viKp8cSAMtsHmsFo3RIT2NBODuWjQgQ3qKQKHJ/s900/b63e2a375041d94f85a2bbce84d2cc5f1359530241.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="900" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwfZgOt3gSTWhTqY7KDQ_37ZljhbcMDUTU0H5eerDezU4u_aVml66uZE8KUvc-XRXo6NOTQNTm_l12yqEiGOO2AjPjKp6ydeTUwMoDyDa5Kh5YmAk99qJKI4NNqNz8g94pHfXchd1ilOjzHAzwxQKm6viKp8cSAMtsHmsFo3RIT2NBODuWjQgQ3qKQKHJ/s320/b63e2a375041d94f85a2bbce84d2cc5f1359530241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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." <br /> What about sugar? Yes folks, there are some producers who add sugar or according to the website Wine Folly (<a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/">https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/</a>) 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.<br /> What about stabilizers? Stabilizers such as Acetaldehyde. According to the website Britannica (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/acetaldehyde">https://www.britannica.com/science/acetaldehyde</a>), 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 (<a href="https://blogs.cdc.gov/cancer/2018/04/02/3-weird-things-about-acetaldehyde/">https://blogs.cdc.gov/cancer/2018/04/02/3-weird-things-about-acetaldehyde/</a>), Acetaldehyde can "cause cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. (<a href="https://publications.iarc.fr/122">https://publications.iarc.fr/122</a>)". How about Dimethyl Dicarbonate? According to the National Library of Medicine (<a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Dimethyl-dicarbonate">https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Dimethyl-dicarbonate</a>), Dimethyl Dicarbonate is "flammable, corrosive, an acute toxic and an irritant.<br /> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_4V7jnEkaWWGwF9LHoMWxdMK8458EJAqTFB8umhrL2OHBDBtGfMu69aJXwMpFQzyhBqu5h_6ljIULniZ-YxZ5C1XkTOXPglcR2zCnTAzhb9yt3fjuRsEPEyVVllOoop6lESW1FQ_FdFvqNZAT-n7QuYhYkFwOp-hKjUTwFyzTAVYqA7Z-StKaZzILo8t/s600/K5820.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_4V7jnEkaWWGwF9LHoMWxdMK8458EJAqTFB8umhrL2OHBDBtGfMu69aJXwMpFQzyhBqu5h_6ljIULniZ-YxZ5C1XkTOXPglcR2zCnTAzhb9yt3fjuRsEPEyVVllOoop6lESW1FQ_FdFvqNZAT-n7QuYhYkFwOp-hKjUTwFyzTAVYqA7Z-StKaZzILo8t/s320/K5820.png" width="320" /></a></div>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 (<a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-307/resveratrol">https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-307/resveratrol</a>) "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 (<a href="https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231025/Red-grape-polyphenol-resveratrol-a-multifaceted-therapeutic-powerhouse-under-review.aspx">https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231025/Red-grape-polyphenol-resveratrol-a-multifaceted-therapeutic-powerhouse-under-review.aspx</a>), 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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVsYINjMpYi77x7Vbt9oKfeOBfWeeNw-34_8Gs24Z9WcH9CGUElg0Ez2QvGOvdRutZCgdv2F_HTLNe8eER3m62GDGUvtGrJ2HIOPn9FvFE37aWwMsLhbqiUA11EY5YXyLGMjqj7P_y4jxzki1s4TEme7KoBabynTwOYZ1O-w7ucrc6bXle_PyF-l3tU0p/s1170/Resveratrol-1170x878.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1170" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVsYINjMpYi77x7Vbt9oKfeOBfWeeNw-34_8Gs24Z9WcH9CGUElg0Ez2QvGOvdRutZCgdv2F_HTLNe8eER3m62GDGUvtGrJ2HIOPn9FvFE37aWwMsLhbqiUA11EY5YXyLGMjqj7P_y4jxzki1s4TEme7KoBabynTwOYZ1O-w7ucrc6bXle_PyF-l3tU0p/s320/Resveratrol-1170x878.png" width="320" /></a></div>According to the National Library of Health (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24731650/">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24731650/</a>) "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, "<a href="https://www.livestrong.com/article/411745-how-much-red-wine-do-you-need-to-get-enough-resveratrol/">https://www.livestrong.com/article/411745-how-much-red-wine-do-you-need-to-get-enough-resveratrol/</a>) "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 (<a href="https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html">https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html</a>) 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 (<a href="https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html">https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html</a>) " 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.<br /> 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 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_(drug">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_(drug</a>), 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 (<a href="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body">https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body</a>) , 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sOufsYZJjwGz36xLV0MoUekgJumWsvbJlpb9V-Ani7yOwrcVMuPjB3RnCZPljx1RCiVlZZoxy2tbxUqFKTxaYmldFZ0_nmsRteqcuxuUfyFUwBCTPFWogOwAdrzsdKs0qms4vYgOZE6Li4DlQ5qhyauq57nuaDhR7KM0tnVZVCug-sR7q91INqxZiSJ9/s1000/resveratrol.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sOufsYZJjwGz36xLV0MoUekgJumWsvbJlpb9V-Ani7yOwrcVMuPjB3RnCZPljx1RCiVlZZoxy2tbxUqFKTxaYmldFZ0_nmsRteqcuxuUfyFUwBCTPFWogOwAdrzsdKs0qms4vYgOZE6Li4DlQ5qhyauq57nuaDhR7KM0tnVZVCug-sR7q91INqxZiSJ9/s320/resveratrol.webp" width="320" /></a></div> Okay folks, I could go on and on here talking about if wine is healthy and wine additives which according to Wine Folly (<a href="https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/">https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/</a>) 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.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;">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. </div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-88135864969348997672023-10-24T13:30:00.001-04:002023-10-24T13:30:09.225-04:00The Desert Wine - 2020 Tassajara, Chardonnay<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cHNa2BKodyQt19lzPVcDQp9sy-0VEv2GSMxpWRRrX40JYVPk1yJ9eCpBhyZxB6d1565wykpkbfO-3obW_j9qgmnwS5Zhhvo1WQi1X1pWo_ESl2kZKd7cCOiZ8-47nAR7UaMCtMbCfBqiEICoOW_dokiNPR9Ww4ubPqpQaTnGi1tJhSJplHMwv1N7Bfap/s3655/20230828_161038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3655" data-original-width="1443" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cHNa2BKodyQt19lzPVcDQp9sy-0VEv2GSMxpWRRrX40JYVPk1yJ9eCpBhyZxB6d1565wykpkbfO-3obW_j9qgmnwS5Zhhvo1WQi1X1pWo_ESl2kZKd7cCOiZ8-47nAR7UaMCtMbCfBqiEICoOW_dokiNPR9Ww4ubPqpQaTnGi1tJhSJplHMwv1N7Bfap/w224-h637/20230828_161038.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cS4-gOe-ZIdqB27tEZcl-2BD5VbMzHAqk_0DH5Bl8Tad2AKYsyXvP68PEog2E0kiVadrY0XEaAgHVqnYgT743aSx278z8ithaLjiS-g24FsiWVJOL-7J1oUPeAuYVtaS6M_UaO0F6MoEEzKAPv87_jJlsQ8Je17gpJH49s69IVjSa8GZNSxdsMfkV3Ye/s2304/Chardonnay_Moldova.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cS4-gOe-ZIdqB27tEZcl-2BD5VbMzHAqk_0DH5Bl8Tad2AKYsyXvP68PEog2E0kiVadrY0XEaAgHVqnYgT743aSx278z8ithaLjiS-g24FsiWVJOL-7J1oUPeAuYVtaS6M_UaO0F6MoEEzKAPv87_jJlsQ8Je17gpJH49s69IVjSa8GZNSxdsMfkV3Ye/s320/Chardonnay_Moldova.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn88u3O22dkK-gqSpgIM2FVcZzbuI6uw7z8qn-R7Ky7qWJF_MVqCSHcFY3zAj4V5xaoDQ8ikZwu5PZLIOOH6jZhTkLAEkEwzvLIOxKsyd21D2QFWHs9wqsxYRCJUTtx8vWT2XPkWAUywtf5tgsfFpTr7jKFgtZKf8NZAh4vsxk25ioaUfmBL3mSbjvH4X/s1333/Chardonnay-wine-tasting-WineFolly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn88u3O22dkK-gqSpgIM2FVcZzbuI6uw7z8qn-R7Ky7qWJF_MVqCSHcFY3zAj4V5xaoDQ8ikZwu5PZLIOOH6jZhTkLAEkEwzvLIOxKsyd21D2QFWHs9wqsxYRCJUTtx8vWT2XPkWAUywtf5tgsfFpTr7jKFgtZKf8NZAh4vsxk25ioaUfmBL3mSbjvH4X/s320/Chardonnay-wine-tasting-WineFolly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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".</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div> </div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-89893398682780989552023-09-16T16:13:00.072-04:002023-09-23T14:42:38.682-04:002021 Chateau Ste Michelle, Sauvignon Blanc - Horse Haven Hills<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaBOKz56LIlfNyQMvFlac41JzvsYeghczz1uZpSSuQOdb6Kn1g1Hy4f_Uz4rNiK2x6Yw-9Lmp4lAsn_TsYmF0TH1KEla-iCxZfwBHOza9Obx0_ubVaVxIjmBpT56MThyqZKVjkACAWXWu-GkmbmhCLfcavTnaOaq_45gey7TnerVT8mWe4asgPaBRPvoT/s3822/20230812_160540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3822" data-original-width="1275" height="587" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaBOKz56LIlfNyQMvFlac41JzvsYeghczz1uZpSSuQOdb6Kn1g1Hy4f_Uz4rNiK2x6Yw-9Lmp4lAsn_TsYmF0TH1KEla-iCxZfwBHOza9Obx0_ubVaVxIjmBpT56MThyqZKVjkACAWXWu-GkmbmhCLfcavTnaOaq_45gey7TnerVT8mWe4asgPaBRPvoT/w217-h587/20230812_160540.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> 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 <b>want</b> 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<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKcR6x5TgOdxLyuzytwGmyWLfRGq3m3YIZHv-406cezDpcaQR0ykNeMCTn0QAg1SbsbcdfWRwUQv_JsGgg1EVqmytQ1yiLDQFAWq2Xg9_ZdKhMaGbLGXqNCzcH3RdaeBkxEYa5OhSkBDtfiUvKeCRYDqImYWuGgB6PFI0xPfRzTyDkuWBycar-_1IBx1i/s3500/20130812CSM1296.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2334" data-original-width="3500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKcR6x5TgOdxLyuzytwGmyWLfRGq3m3YIZHv-406cezDpcaQR0ykNeMCTn0QAg1SbsbcdfWRwUQv_JsGgg1EVqmytQ1yiLDQFAWq2Xg9_ZdKhMaGbLGXqNCzcH3RdaeBkxEYa5OhSkBDtfiUvKeCRYDqImYWuGgB6PFI0xPfRzTyDkuWBycar-_1IBx1i/s320/20130812CSM1296.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> 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. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> 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. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3MaSKe3jUZc4BW3OdecFEn22vzDeYt2fmwVvi3Nv7Fp3za9FtQyYEkYy8s9xXQMMGgabqvTxnMpeHzAgPzrrFDj0AxQSnspoTCktrkpcOOFLgSbAuN1PRJxDxKN88xsmIjVRJITkSUbaaqFK1A35QQXDIKxWjpLbYXClgVU4Zu9tpSzXsS9vyX-igCQv/s3000/CSM_img_wy_giftshop.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3MaSKe3jUZc4BW3OdecFEn22vzDeYt2fmwVvi3Nv7Fp3za9FtQyYEkYy8s9xXQMMGgabqvTxnMpeHzAgPzrrFDj0AxQSnspoTCktrkpcOOFLgSbAuN1PRJxDxKN88xsmIjVRJITkSUbaaqFK1A35QQXDIKxWjpLbYXClgVU4Zu9tpSzXsS9vyX-igCQv/s320/CSM_img_wy_giftshop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HGQGq2psx646cYOTmy8ak-ei5XTaj1Pxo4-LTfAH7OAFMiCbbe9WQvTjRKyZ3j993RYQvtGVk0zQ7lyJFeK1OZfwhMH4rLVlNeERobWlfM8ZAhx6bvTCWVGQ1KlE844qYQ5ldDqciw3fKjb6OmQNn1ZHfXipecgvB21eIOF7ESVC3qlZquzNuibct7Ml/s1024/chateau-ste-michelle-sauvignon-blanc-1.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1024" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HGQGq2psx646cYOTmy8ak-ei5XTaj1Pxo4-LTfAH7OAFMiCbbe9WQvTjRKyZ3j993RYQvtGVk0zQ7lyJFeK1OZfwhMH4rLVlNeERobWlfM8ZAhx6bvTCWVGQ1KlE844qYQ5ldDqciw3fKjb6OmQNn1ZHfXipecgvB21eIOF7ESVC3qlZquzNuibct7Ml/s320/chateau-ste-michelle-sauvignon-blanc-1.webp" width="320" /></a></div> 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 :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div></div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-81591876178675573782023-08-22T16:14:00.002-04:002023-08-29T16:17:50.210-04:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2022 Villa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPc59KfM1cNPqrdwzYULBcEKNE8g7xaH_GQjCaKTaw0hSD341qBUZt8_BnlEE_ZcxJiUr1zo0synipHGjOcAsT0D0gN7MIBVVw3WTSsT1ypprTqrM0CR5ivH8umaQs9X9BGTfnM0lM_ua-hG9T8VFxMkl0y-7o2MxrFoPyfTqBvlI5FnRPq6gjEn-E7JQ/s3918/20230810_161309.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3918" data-original-width="1586" height="613" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPc59KfM1cNPqrdwzYULBcEKNE8g7xaH_GQjCaKTaw0hSD341qBUZt8_BnlEE_ZcxJiUr1zo0synipHGjOcAsT0D0gN7MIBVVw3WTSsT1ypprTqrM0CR5ivH8umaQs9X9BGTfnM0lM_ua-hG9T8VFxMkl0y-7o2MxrFoPyfTqBvlI5FnRPq6gjEn-E7JQ/w229-h613/20230810_161309.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2022 Villa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p> Is it okay to be influenced by reviewers/influencers? I guess you can answer this question two different ways depending on just how you look at it. On one hand, if a wine reviewer tells you they either loved or hated a particular wine and you simply jump on the bandwagon of loving it or hating it simply because that reviewer has a lot of followers and you feel that you surely can't be different or have your own palate then yes, that can certainly be an issue. If on the other hand, you look at this question from the angle of actually being inspired by that wine reviewer to do your own investigation into either that particular wine or varietal, that would be a good thing. I myself get inspired at times by some of the wine related YouTube channels that I watch because they at times either inspire me to try a particular varietal that I may have never even heard of before or, they inspire me to try a wine from an area that I have never tried before. Inspiration can come in many different forms and while inspiration can be healthy and actually expand our thinking or in this case, our palate, it can also at times educate us as well. There are times when outside influences can be a bad thing such as when we simply cling on to other peoples feelings or unsupported beliefs, it can also work for the best at times when we learn to think for ourselves and justify our opinions. I hope when you guys read this blog or watch my wine YouTube channel, (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertWineGuy/featured">https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertWineGuy/featured</a>) you take what I have said into account but realize that in the end, you have your own palate to please, your own thoughts and in the end, your own decisions to make. I guess what I am saying is, in reference to wine, if you learn something about wine from any wine reviewers comments then you have educated yourself and made yourself more wine knowledgeable which is always good. Now, it is review time :)<br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjniAhKZONhRBJvn6HeYgVLRdjTvvJ5E4eODe60aPEzybv26sJR3E2e9WBgGp-8gaDdI1Tf7bHWRCAVkTv-NIIEsw9RkGRkyjNKv7Jt2FqUPP1zx25zeh-7WoN3y_Rvf1eEotamn3RVFqVsxRJtIqzhrgoF6YsEjt-_m9dn9KAhRX-8_2O0Caic-twIus/s2560/Sauvignon-Blanc-edited.webp" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYjniAhKZONhRBJvn6HeYgVLRdjTvvJ5E4eODe60aPEzybv26sJR3E2e9WBgGp-8gaDdI1Tf7bHWRCAVkTv-NIIEsw9RkGRkyjNKv7Jt2FqUPP1zx25zeh-7WoN3y_Rvf1eEotamn3RVFqVsxRJtIqzhrgoF6YsEjt-_m9dn9KAhRX-8_2O0Caic-twIus/s320/Sauvignon-Blanc-edited.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sauvignon Blanc Grapes On The Vine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> So, the other day I was on an awesome YouTube wine channel (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@WineMastery/videos">https://www.youtube.com/@WineMastery/videos</a>) that I follow and they were doing a review on the 2022 Villa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc, and I thought to myself, "Oh, I reviewed that wine". When I went to see if my rating on the wine was the same as theirs, I discovered that I had actually not reviewed the wine. That is so crazy because I see this wine around everywhere and I couldn't believe that I haven't reviewed it yet. Well, there was only one way to remedy this issue, I went out and bought a bottle. Today we will be taking a look at that wine and what I thought of it. I bought the wine at my local grocery store for $11.99 and it comes in at a very reasonable 12.5% alcohol. The bottle is sealed with ...a screw cap unfortunately and the grapes for the wine come the Marlborough (Awatere and Wairau Valleys) region of New Zealand.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Let's take a look at the label on the wine bottle now. Yep, this is a New Zealand wine for sure. I don't know what it is but these Sauvignon Blanc from that country but they always seem to present the wines in the same type of way, they always scream "New Zealand" to me for some reason. Don't get me wrong guys as this is a good thing, I think the labels are pretty nice and convey the wines very nicely. Aside from that, I love how they seem to interpret the varietal. With this particular wines label, I love the fonts chosen and the way the words are layed out. Aside from the main label, pay special attention to the foil on the neck of the bottle as I really think it truly makes use of the area nicely. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Now, lets check out the nose of this New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc. Okay so I am getting a note of fresh and lively note of lemon and perhaps just a tad bit of grapefruit as well. I really wish I could tell you that I am getting more here on the nose but unfortunately, I can't as that lemon and grapefruit is all I picked up.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Now for the palate characterization of the wine. The first thing I picked up here is that there is a slight yet noticeable zing, a carbonation to the wine. You should know that this is a note that I have never been a fan of in a still wine for many reasons with the most important being that it simply throws my palate off big time. The next reason is that I have never seen a need for it, it does nothing good for a wine, it benefits it in no way in my humble opinion. Moving on now, as is normal with this expression of wine from this area, there is a big note of lemon grass and it is as usual, on the forward side. The mixing of both the carbonation and the lemon grass is in my opinion, just simply "okay" as I really don't think the two go well in combination at all. The typical grapefruit note is here as well and it is nicely done and presented in a good way. Passion Fruit comes up next and it is forward, fresh tasting and juicy. Acidity I thought could have been just a bit higher here in my opinion but in general, it is decent and does its job fairly well. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXAUQ_DXcXibE1HmnrrUugiONRtUva0eHo6vkfKXzsPpfaV0_HSFBp9kDNr3Dg3qPQn0enMNoMpfXtqz5xhkctj9Zq1eSrylH7GSB3PnTUdXQXrkVRP9A7WJ0Gnw0VbjgaXlkxBF741_R4hmQLAdKaWL7I6FuLduYf04D_Hqj8LDo2Q0Loy9je_dljCn3k/s1024/Copy-of-Villa-Maria-7-1024x681.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXAUQ_DXcXibE1HmnrrUugiONRtUva0eHo6vkfKXzsPpfaV0_HSFBp9kDNr3Dg3qPQn0enMNoMpfXtqz5xhkctj9Zq1eSrylH7GSB3PnTUdXQXrkVRP9A7WJ0Gnw0VbjgaXlkxBF741_R4hmQLAdKaWL7I6FuLduYf04D_Hqj8LDo2Q0Loy9je_dljCn3k/s320/Copy-of-Villa-Maria-7-1024x681.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Villa-Maria, Winery<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Guys, before I go on I have to address one thing. I think that there can at times be a confusion between a wines acidity and the note of lemon grass for some and I certainly can understand that confusion. At times as in this wine, this confusion can be remedied by taking a sip and sitting back for a second in order to really process what you are tasting. Having said that, this is a wine that to an extent, you really do have to taste, sit back and decipher, or process as it does need a bit of thought put into it at times. I do like the fact that this is a noticeably dry wine as not only do I not enjoy drinking my daily allowance of sugar in a glass of wine, I also think a quality wine should offer up more then simply sweetness and tropical fruit. The dryness here is very evident even at the wines alcohol percentage. Surprisingly, there seems to be a very slight flatness to the wine around the mid-palate which as you can imagine, I find to be weird to say the least. This flatness note isn't huge or anything but I did pick it up and for me, it of course did have a negative effect on the wine and what I will rate it. The wine also possesses a saline note to it which comes into play almost at once on the opening and is offered up even more towards the mid-palate. There is an initial bit of a sweetness to the wine however the other notes provide a nice cut (or cover) to that note and hold it in check very nicely. Green apple is a mid-palate note as well and it shines through nicely with a nice fresh green apple bit of sharpness to it. You can really almost taste the heat these vineyards experienced here in the wine, the bright Summer days the grapes enjoyed, it really shows in the taste of the wine. Well guys, that is my thoughts on this wine, I have to say, I am not a big lover of it. I will see you in the next paragraph where I will put this all together and give you my Desert Wine Guy rating on it. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7arr--325_t5Gdj5w02mVq9Nf_6TqdPlCGfBS2jZZJMvndhcxGBZF0o2M0n17SRH5Q7H9i6Q9eE5R9cBlFP-vzeuYAMTFqc811KMn69ydvLtl7h8zauEQcNCjgSHccaReyyVewONGhpx9TouNDgDKxlgm7kwqccmX-Q_KEN2MtYCHx7wFJUbqJlYPdhb1/s1401/Sauvignon-Blanc-winefolly-infographic.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7arr--325_t5Gdj5w02mVq9Nf_6TqdPlCGfBS2jZZJMvndhcxGBZF0o2M0n17SRH5Q7H9i6Q9eE5R9cBlFP-vzeuYAMTFqc811KMn69ydvLtl7h8zauEQcNCjgSHccaReyyVewONGhpx9TouNDgDKxlgm7kwqccmX-Q_KEN2MtYCHx7wFJUbqJlYPdhb1/s320/Sauvignon-Blanc-winefolly-infographic.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sauvignon Blanc - Flavor Profile<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> So, here we are, at the conclusion of another wine review.. From what I have read concerning the winery, the 2021 vintage put this wine on the map and all I have to say to that is that I hope that vintage tasted better then this vintage did. While I am not saying this was a bad wine, there are better New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs this wine has to go up against that don't cost to much more money such as Whitehaven wines. While Whitehaven is around $17.99, I think it far outclasses this wine, gives a much better perspective on what the varietal can taste like when done well and is worth the extra $6. As a matter of fact, there area actually a lot of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs which outclass this wine such as the Kim Crawford which sells for around $15 as well as the Oyster Bay which sells for $11. Both of these wines outclass this wine big time and the few dollars more they might cost is well worth the money. As far as this particular wine is concerned, I am giving it 87 points as I was really not impressed with it, that carbonation did a number on it. Is this a pool wine? Yeah, for sure but you don't, or shouldn't in my opinion rate a wine based upon what food you think it may go with or what environment it might go best in. You rate a wine on what the wine tastes like and how does it hold up to its varietal standards.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div></div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-35423547548366719772023-07-15T13:01:00.002-04:002023-07-15T13:01:39.247-04:002019 Côtes du Rhône Esprit Barville Blanc<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlcdURTzX17nWt53O23hMs8VnpuZ2EfRYXc_ex-TIkNlpKPRBHoMItzRkjPwlfL42FLFE_pbY1xcJKvaYLUiN6JR_fGP-HdYv4DdiPbWJvNWMa1dEhaqBH3G8QAWi8T2NzhLw_Gjx0yZOvwO6V6tcZv6PeYpkN-ofv1o21K5-bHvH7Byuawf-GYq9Hg/s3824/20230527_155458.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3824" data-original-width="1379" height="708" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlcdURTzX17nWt53O23hMs8VnpuZ2EfRYXc_ex-TIkNlpKPRBHoMItzRkjPwlfL42FLFE_pbY1xcJKvaYLUiN6JR_fGP-HdYv4DdiPbWJvNWMa1dEhaqBH3G8QAWi8T2NzhLw_Gjx0yZOvwO6V6tcZv6PeYpkN-ofv1o21K5-bHvH7Byuawf-GYq9Hg/w243-h708/20230527_155458.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Today I decided to kill my cellphone battery, I mean to zero. Yeah, I know, you're probably saying, so what? Well, ya see, let me explain For the past two months it has been too hot to sit out back on my laptop and review a wine so I figured that today would be the same and I could do without my cell phone for a few hours, I would survive :) Yeah....unfortunately God had a sense of humor today and it ended up being just beautiful outside and so guess where I am right now? Yep, you guessed right, I am happily out back on my laptop. Take a guess though as well as to who has to charge not only a wireless speaker in order to hear some much needed music but his dead cellphone and a laptop as well? You got it, this guy. You should see my rather small table here as it is filled up with electronics and wires. My laptop which is used to being on the table by itself is like, "dude, what is going on" ? This same table is also saying, "what is with the Sun" as well? Guys, it's all good though as it is just amazing outside today. By the way, I learned a lesson a while ago that I will share with you now. All liquids have their own dedicated table and all electronics have their own dedicated table...please don't ask. So there ya have it, this review is set up and now, after a long, hard day in the garden I finally get a chance to chill out and review a wine so let's get into that review right now.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvapZCYhFnvAoPvGtvi7mvgkYh9tH69ju_HTt62EnOJ1dXQ3NkxPuu1CYi6vHSTKE86S7Xs_ztsOhmE0MFOvmP9ic-8i4VRrPIcC4D3I2nb0lgNOCdMz2CDHBSGiKr2KxIsZbDfBi0QkPnX6hYCx9Xq2G16oQEKqLQFonltqAXZw8M71sQ62ggdvO3Erud/s1024/White_1400x.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1024" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvapZCYhFnvAoPvGtvi7mvgkYh9tH69ju_HTt62EnOJ1dXQ3NkxPuu1CYi6vHSTKE86S7Xs_ztsOhmE0MFOvmP9ic-8i4VRrPIcC4D3I2nb0lgNOCdMz2CDHBSGiKr2KxIsZbDfBi0QkPnX6hYCx9Xq2G16oQEKqLQFonltqAXZw8M71sQ62ggdvO3Erud/s320/White_1400x.webp" width="320" /></a></div> Today I will be taking a look at the 2019 Côtes du Rhône Esprit Barville Blanc. I bought this wine at my local mom & pop wine shop here in central "Freedom" Florida and I paid $13.99 for it. The wine comes in at 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is unfortunately screw cap sealed. As far as the making of the wine goes, according to the winery, it sat on the lees with regular stirring in stainless steel vats for 6 months.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Looking at the label now, it is a French label and I will not make any apologies, for telling you that I have no idea what the heck anything on it even says. I am American and I stick to my countries language. Having said this, please don't misunderstand me as I have nothing against anyone who learns other languages it's just that I am happy with and have a hard enough time with proper English :) Okay, back to the label now. I love it. For me, there is nothing like a French wine label to show off a bottle of wine and this label is no exception. The fonts chosen on these labels and their size really set a wine bottle off in a way that is inexpiable. These labels (as is the case here) almost always seem to have that smaller label just above the main label and again, I love it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> As for this French wines bouquet characteristics, I am picking up notes of apricot, white flowers and a tropical dew as well as a melon of some sort. I get the impression of a possible slight viscosity showing up on the palate though which I hope is not the case but we will see about that right now. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Alright French white wine fans, let's discuss palate on this wine now. Starting off here, this is a dry wine with an initial bit of an alcohol burn offered up front as well. The good news here is that that burn disappears almost immediately after the wine is opened so there should be no concerns there.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YDigir7P0G4-FI-mNVf_k4zilnd5xgWdGewH-m6oNcagvehkLEs5b1_mBrFtpslcxbZ1UxPL9Wy3LFDFXzFp0r1VoJ9Wghdohqjm2FHvokyaobchf0CbYQafsFuqGQeb-DmFYd8f7yg9kEZbDooEh_-6fuNMlwhQGzUpXHV3F1e_wIOkFcESRHGwyQMf/s1880/pexels-photo-107556.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1880" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6YDigir7P0G4-FI-mNVf_k4zilnd5xgWdGewH-m6oNcagvehkLEs5b1_mBrFtpslcxbZ1UxPL9Wy3LFDFXzFp0r1VoJ9Wghdohqjm2FHvokyaobchf0CbYQafsFuqGQeb-DmFYd8f7yg9kEZbDooEh_-6fuNMlwhQGzUpXHV3F1e_wIOkFcESRHGwyQMf/s320/pexels-photo-107556.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>A light note of yellow peach comes into play but it is presented in the same way everything else is here which is rather momentarily. Very quickly, along comes a sort of unripe apricot but this unripe apricot is good, it is flavorful, just not sweet which is perfectly fine by me. Throughout the wines palate presentation, there is a dryness aspect as I already mentioned earlier and this dryness aspect is sort of like a "carrier wave" (hello radio fans) that all of the other notes seem to ride on and, it is nice. There is a noticeable spice to the wine as well and that comes into play on the finish however this is okay as it is very well placed and non offensive. This spice overall does succeed in assisting in the wines ability to express what it needs to. This spice is
also very effective in adding a slight
amount of complexity to the wine however, that is the extent of the complexity
unfortunately. A lemon note comes into play here as well and the typical twang a lemon would normally offer up is thankfully reserved for the very end of the finish and even there, it isn't crazy or over the top, it is just lightly on the brighter side and works well with the wine in general. The wine also possesses just the smallest amount of sweetness but very quickly (like very quickly) it moves forward away from that and lets you know, it is indeed a dry wine. The wine does offer up a stone note but it is more of an underlying note and is kind of light on the palate overall. A pineapple note is here as well and it is a bit more forward then the other notes without creating a white wine that is dominated by the fruit. A really nice note of white flowers is expressed throughout the palate presentation and that is really nice as it sustains itself throughout the entire wine as well. Asian Pear is here as well and this is a note that you won't be able to miss because it feels as if some of the sweetness the wine offers up, comes from here. Another note (a combo note) that adds just a bit of sweetness consists
of a nectarine/honeydew combo. This sweetness is nothing that ruins the
wine nor does it even come close but it will be noticed so I did need to mention it. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B-8WybRuY-S6nE1JNZmxHKG5UJjEn7-yoK5XK-pyM4_CnlWwuYIFYZ1vJlOERA2AfvYRVxqMlhuHysX7fiCKuSR_5NalFtxJ1pmg7ldgJuYPqLL97Hr8EF6MyrBPPdYrVTlSqqEL0HU9AQtI4a1bcAc1oLiX8BcM37JIi-5k-O_KfcPNRbv2tzS-clBE/s710/thumb2-white-wine-white-grape-glass-of-wine-grape-wine-concepts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="710" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B-8WybRuY-S6nE1JNZmxHKG5UJjEn7-yoK5XK-pyM4_CnlWwuYIFYZ1vJlOERA2AfvYRVxqMlhuHysX7fiCKuSR_5NalFtxJ1pmg7ldgJuYPqLL97Hr8EF6MyrBPPdYrVTlSqqEL0HU9AQtI4a1bcAc1oLiX8BcM37JIi-5k-O_KfcPNRbv2tzS-clBE/s320/thumb2-white-wine-white-grape-glass-of-wine-grape-wine-concepts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In case you were wondering, the possible viscosity that I thought might appear here on the palate did not appear and I am thankful for that. Despite all of this, the wine struck me as being rather limited on the palate. As I already said, the wine does not have any complexity and to sum it up in two words, it's simple. This is not French white that you will think to deep or too much about nor do I think that it is meant to be. Well guys, there you have it, another wine review completed and I will see you in the next paragraph to give you my final feelings on it. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> In the end, the wine was certainly worth the price but don't expect there to be too much to it. There was fresh fruit and some liveliness but it just seemed.....limited.....lacking in some areas. For the pool, you will find it works out very nicely and I do believe guests will be pleased. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving the wine 87 points. While the wine was not offensive in anyway, I just wish it would have been more fine tuned and offered up a lot more then what it did. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div> </div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-19430560008992633252023-06-29T15:12:00.005-04:002023-06-29T15:13:38.566-04:00Agriculturist, Non-Vintage, White Wine Blend<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPC37uIgxh7Bnbo6FE3XdrFgMtR9SqMtGc0s6bqyEOJ89d3IZ_BboKtbKv4DZSUAdbVLWtcXt4KvUa2Kxx8lA50N-5X4xMRaCWX7Y1-INEafFKz2lwi8gts4bMTg_xMh3-XAVNYsNHeRgRUW0PPIaLFf9ZQ8ezJLRoPhYq-CKUpeC_nih_BWLKLPxBsQ/s11623/20221218_161445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11623" data-original-width="3193" height="652" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPC37uIgxh7Bnbo6FE3XdrFgMtR9SqMtGc0s6bqyEOJ89d3IZ_BboKtbKv4DZSUAdbVLWtcXt4KvUa2Kxx8lA50N-5X4xMRaCWX7Y1-INEafFKz2lwi8gts4bMTg_xMh3-XAVNYsNHeRgRUW0PPIaLFf9ZQ8ezJLRoPhYq-CKUpeC_nih_BWLKLPxBsQ/w208-h652/20221218_161445.jpg" width="208" /></a></div> <div> Are you guys big into the whole "organic" thing? Are you willing to spend more money on fruits & vegetables that were (supposedly) grown without the use of artificial chemicals or pesticides? For me, I am sort of into the whole buying organic fruits and vegetables thing provided they are not overly expensive. What I have never bought though is an organic wine, that is until yesterday, and which just so happens to also be our review wine today. How did I come across today's review wine, well ya see, there I was at my local wine shop and I wanted something different. To be honest, I was growing kind of tired of the typical Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay expressions that I have been reviewing...at least for a day or so that is :) and I wanted something different, something unique. So I'm in the store and I went to the white wine section and in that section was a subsection that said something like "other whites". Well, I thought, let's see what they have. I ended up finding a wine that I was really intrigued by because of the way it was made, it was organic. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf91REXdoz8Glxn3yRoPuJ8sJFMsZuUlnAe5z27UfyOh6LP53Ze5FnzNryeAsoxQ70dybzPSkukRqlI5-JXAoHBB7tohldAXSdpEWW4LrXKI4vu3XNvuS7MQuzMJHCXCIW0aAWNfAHE_qhqeMEusIiVTD0YF-eBKiuUJKyIju2FH_L58U5sOZFNHnnw-u6/s908/08-What-is-a-good-white-wine-blend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="908" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf91REXdoz8Glxn3yRoPuJ8sJFMsZuUlnAe5z27UfyOh6LP53Ze5FnzNryeAsoxQ70dybzPSkukRqlI5-JXAoHBB7tohldAXSdpEWW4LrXKI4vu3XNvuS7MQuzMJHCXCIW0aAWNfAHE_qhqeMEusIiVTD0YF-eBKiuUJKyIju2FH_L58U5sOZFNHnnw-u6/w400-h133/08-What-is-a-good-white-wine-blend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Before I move on and get into the wine itself though, I think that you have to think about something, and I can be completely wrong here but my thoughts are that unless you are going to go totally organic, or at least mostly, why bother spending the extra money in the first place? Sure, I guess every bit of clean food helps but how much does it really help and is it at that point really worth the extra money? Let me know your thoughts on this guys, I'm curious. Right now though it is time to check out today's wine, I will see you in the next section. </div><div> Today I am going to check out the organic and non-vintage, Agriculturist, white wine blend. I paid $11.99 for this wine and the alcohol percentage comes in at 13.5%. The bottle is cork sealed and its grapes simply come from California. The wine is actually part of the Frey Vineyards lineup but on their website (<a href="https://www.freywine.com/product/Organic-Agriculturist-Blanc--NV?pageID=8F038AC8-E133-D06E-4E9A-4700ACD8700A&sortBy=DisplayOrder&maxRows=10&">https://www.freywine.com/product/Organic-Agriculturist-Blanc--NV?pageID=8F038AC8-E133-D06E-4E9A-4700ACD8700A&sortBy=DisplayOrder&maxRows=10&</a>) they, unfortunately, don't have very much to say about it.</div><div> Now as far as the label goes, it is super busy. Take a look at the label for yourself folks, do you guys find it to be crazy as well? I guess you can take your pick as to whether or not to use the words crazy or busy in describing the label but to me, it is just screaming to get the attention I think it rightfully deserves. To me, the label looks like an advertisement for a carnival of some kind. I am not normally really into crazy labels such as this but in this case, being that the wine is an inexpensive, non-vintage, white blend, I really did get into it and think it is super nice.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sjeYJ_RNt7AVSQHWAwj-aIrjG5QWbZZLn7zlZNicNxbbyn3OI5Dl86ZtSnT1vp5xa2qSzw1P7zu3ru9cDzVxIGY47n0zB1QiZeLdljv9nj5edEqjvJKspVe28ouvP2ZS4jYnmqyHG53REBfvxRrZ9Xe-rsayk7YpxsKrspivziQGzXkdssF2-I13PJ3-/s1880/grapes-wine-fruit-vines-60021-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1880" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sjeYJ_RNt7AVSQHWAwj-aIrjG5QWbZZLn7zlZNicNxbbyn3OI5Dl86ZtSnT1vp5xa2qSzw1P7zu3ru9cDzVxIGY47n0zB1QiZeLdljv9nj5edEqjvJKspVe28ouvP2ZS4jYnmqyHG53REBfvxRrZ9Xe-rsayk7YpxsKrspivziQGzXkdssF2-I13PJ3-/s320/grapes-wine-fruit-vines-60021-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div> Appearance-wise in my glass now, the wine initially comes across as a lightish gold and that gold shows for a lot of the wine although it appears to eventually move into being clear in color as the sits open for a bit which I find rather weird.</div><div> As for the nose now, I am getting a slightly subdued peach as well as a slightly subdued nectarine as well. Finishing the bouquet off is a bit of a fresh honey note as well.</div><div> It is palate time now guys and I would like to start off here by first telling you what I am expecting from this white wine blend. I am expecting a semi-sweet, tropically fruity, white wine. Normally this is not my preferred style of wine but with the weather outside right now here in "Freedom" Florida being rather humid and warm, I will be very happy with that if I can indeed get it. Starting off here, the first thing that I noticed was that there is a carbonation to the wine and this kind of immediately threw my palate off a bit. What I found truly bothersome though is that the wine also has almost a slight seltzer taste to it which I found to be really off-putting and as you can imagine, is a note that should not be offered up in any wine. Now, there is fruit to the wine in the form of the same apricot and peach that I got on the nose but unfortunately, the fruit comes across as being rather unripe and doesn't do anything to uplift the wine up instead merely allowing it to continue on with what ended up being a downhill kind of slide. I am also getting a honey note here that I picked up on the nose and it is not honeysuckle, but what comes across as a bit of pure and fresh honey and while it is nice, it can't change anything here in the wine as it is simply, in general, coming across as just.... "off". My palate is just not mixing with this wine well at all folks and I need to let you know very quickly that I am beginning to feel that this wine might be headed towards being a disaster overall. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46hvmyL8TtOmOMMApGIXs5TY7BDroVakJv4mZN6ceCPy5YeODCfgYZGsFv3ZlCTjThR194Oo3JEO5sIZOflN3NGS_Ctb51ruzq7TbeZjoVeO0VbZH-OSrH98LvsJMEKN7VcQhHoB18qSDkN0HOezMYpudx_FQaH33LlSb7d5C8DN3YYTNpgzFq7pFHjH2/s1000/wine-cheese-and-grapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1000" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46hvmyL8TtOmOMMApGIXs5TY7BDroVakJv4mZN6ceCPy5YeODCfgYZGsFv3ZlCTjThR194Oo3JEO5sIZOflN3NGS_Ctb51ruzq7TbeZjoVeO0VbZH-OSrH98LvsJMEKN7VcQhHoB18qSDkN0HOezMYpudx_FQaH33LlSb7d5C8DN3YYTNpgzFq7pFHjH2/s320/wine-cheese-and-grapes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Now acidity is fairly moderate here and would normally be considered by me to be very enjoyable as you can tell it wants to do its job but sadly, there are way too many negative things going on in the wine to allow that to happen. As I said earlier, while there is a fruity note to the wine which is coming from that peach and apricot, that fruity aspect is ultimately destroyed rather fast as the wine quickly opens and becomes....a wine that is just extremely disjointed and erratic in its presentation. Topping all of this off and putting the nail in the final coffin is a bitter note that the wine just seems to love to exude and it is bad guys, this note really is the topping off to what I consider to be a badly made white wine. With all of this being said, I am going to cut this review short, as in ending it right now, and let you know I will see you in the conclusion paragraph.</div><div> Now that we are here, I want to let you know that I don't think this wine is something the winery has put any serious thought into. Non-vintage, has no tech sheet, and a simple and generic "California" as far as where the grapes are grown....yeah....too bad, I truly expected more from it. On The Desert Wine Guy, I am giving this wine 84 points and I do not suggest you buy it for any occasion.</div><div><br /></div><div> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy">https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ</a></span></div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-23868287018528329822023-06-06T11:13:00.005-04:002023-06-28T15:44:59.588-04:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2017 Barrel Burner, Chardonnay<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoeXEo6Ck6gib8RhKt92SReawSy9aavIhRuUyUyK40bcgd7QtW0KKnUZ5mjSV4UtWvsWdo-6uuRzIuX_-BpdPLphYvhfJ8UihJkGty0TDETx5pO5o7lMdlOj7l5-HUL_0RPmTva7hr1IRzSp8WU2yDYmf-XQJgu263boVh5wFLlNiKKGwkhY8et4Ntg/s942/20210703_161338.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="412" height="646" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoeXEo6Ck6gib8RhKt92SReawSy9aavIhRuUyUyK40bcgd7QtW0KKnUZ5mjSV4UtWvsWdo-6uuRzIuX_-BpdPLphYvhfJ8UihJkGty0TDETx5pO5o7lMdlOj7l5-HUL_0RPmTva7hr1IRzSp8WU2yDYmf-XQJgu263boVh5wFLlNiKKGwkhY8et4Ntg/w282-h646/20210703_161338.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><div style="text-align: left;"> I don't like people who talk about a topic as if they are knowledgeable about that topic but in the end, they actually know nothing about it. Today I was bored and did a quick search on YouTube concerning the company Naked Wines. I clicked on the first video I saw which took me to a guy's page where he proceeded to tell us all that he wasn't much of a drinker. This guy was unboxing six wines that he got from the company, Naked Wines and immediately proceeded to tell us all how he overpaid for the wines because they were cheap (think bad) wines. Now keep in mind that admittedly he hadn't even tasted any of the wines yet but he was already judging them. As folks who read this blog I ask you, how would you feel if I told you upfront that I wasn't going to actually taste a particular wine but was going to rate it very well? Yeah, that is what this guy is doing. Now before I go on, I need to let you know that I don't care if you ever buy anything from Naked Wines as I have no skin in the game but what I <b><u>do</u></b> care about is someone who goes out of his or her way to purposefully mislead people in any area. To me, it's like this guy does have something against the company like he does have some skin in the game. He then proceeded to talk about the winemakers who he felt without any supporting evidence were "new to winemaking" and that was the wines you were buying. One of those winemakers who is "new to winemaking" (not) is Dave Harvey. Now again, I don't know Mr. Harvey but just a little bit of research showed that he actually has 25 years of experience making wines and has worked for some prestigious wineries. I guess I shouldn't let this stuff bother me but unfortunately, it just does. In the end here, I can only suggest that people "stay in their own lane" if you know what I mean. Now, I feel so much better guys having said all this I think I will do a review on the failings of the human heart....nah, just kidding. Let's get into today's wine review :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Today I will be revisiting (taking a re-look) at the 2017 Barrel Burner, Chardonnay. I reviewed this wine before but haven't posted that review and I don't recall what I rated it at the time. At the end of this re-look, I will check that review and see how the scores compare. The bottled is cork sealed and cost me $13.99 and was bought from Naked Wines. The wine is a
blend of three different grape varietals which are 89% Chardonnay, 9%
Roussanne, 2% Marsanne. The wine was aged for 6 months on 25% medium
plus toasted new French Oak. Alcohol-wise, the wine comes in at what I consider to be a rather high percentage of 14.4%. The winemakers are Nicholas & Marshall Miller and the grapes for this wine come from the Paso Robles Highlands District in California.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGmYOFS80T5Q38NyMGFbovuROJPEJeG5YwLck7ZnQcmSQ8NKbsATgVIV4vOEBZYaOr4yL5wg4een4t4saXsByfMqxtE3OFwxEJyrS_7mLam01X5fSVm_3KUKKmkxf59OZK86yt7LjlvPkMdhQSgof3ycN5FSFL_n_OVjl_8d6voJiyGVW7lBVPAwtZg/s1024/original_tea-with-my-mum-sign.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGmYOFS80T5Q38NyMGFbovuROJPEJeG5YwLck7ZnQcmSQ8NKbsATgVIV4vOEBZYaOr4yL5wg4een4t4saXsByfMqxtE3OFwxEJyrS_7mLam01X5fSVm_3KUKKmkxf59OZK86yt7LjlvPkMdhQSgof3ycN5FSFL_n_OVjl_8d6voJiyGVW7lBVPAwtZg/s320/original_tea-with-my-mum-sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Checking out the label here, I really like it. I just love the burnt parchment paper look to it. The label even almost feels like a parchment paper, it's cool. The look of the paper being chard really gives life to the fonts used and their placement on the label really helps in setting it off. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Let's go ahead now and check out the bouquet of this white wine. Overall, I am getting notes of very ripe nectarine as well as some oak and white flowers. While I do enjoy the nose of the wine, at the same time I hope the palate isn't overly dominated by these notes in a super tropical way.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> As far as the palate characteristics of the wine are concerned, here is what I am getting. The wine starts off not too well as I am getting a noticeable alcohol burn in my chest. While there is a possibility of that burn disappearing after the wine opens a bit, at this time that is not something I can testify to. Moving on now, I can testify to the fact that the wine is buttery....did I say buttery, yeah guys, buttery :( Now before I go on, let me tell you that I do not care for Chardonnays that lean towards the buttery side, like at all. This particular wine doesn't just lean however, it falls.....flat. Lush and overly tropical green pear is a pretty big player here guys and while it is certainly fresh and juicy, it is just sweet and just isn't fitting in with that butteriness very well at all. There is definitely a "lushness" to the wine as the Naked Wines website says, however....(dramatic pause for effect)....that lushness helps to create a wine that is.....picked up as being heavy on the palate, almost with a viscosity of sorts. Add this to that sweetness and you have a bad mix. Okay guys, vanilla. I get that this is a Chardonnay that sat in oak and I get that vanilla is a note that is to be expected from a white wine sitting in oak but to this extent? Really? I think it is way overdone. Acidity-wise, there is nice acidity here, and in a good wine that had some other things working for it, it would work out well but here, yeah, it doesn't help the wine out any. Okay, guys, I am done with this wine, I don't want to (can't) continue on as the wine is just not good. I will see you in the conclusion paragraph.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Alright, Chardonnay lovers, I am sorry the ending of this review was so abrupt but...well.....does the word "gross" mean anything? I guess perhaps I am simply not getting the point of this wine. The wine is not a clean, crisp, minerality-driven, Chardonnay. That is the Chardonnay expression I am more partial to for sure. If this is your preference as well then you can flat-out forget about buying this wine as it is oceans apart from that style of Chardonnay. I get that there are so many Chardonnays today that have the same characteristics as this particular wine but this wine takes that to the max. I have to just come out and say (again) that I am not a lover of this wine at all, I don't like it. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 85 points which it just so happens to be the original rating I gave this wine a few months ago. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S - By the way, that alcohol burn never did leave the wine and it persisted for the entire review which in total was about an hour as I never like to rush to judgment about any wine. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><a href="https://facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf">https://facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/?next=%2F">https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwineguy/?next=%2F</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></pre><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72" style="color: black;"><br /></pre></span></span></pre></div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-49081552910463679202023-05-27T08:53:00.000-04:002023-05-27T08:53:44.106-04:002018 Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot - Columbia Valley<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGCmsuKFqOHq0DDSxnaJGkiqwsym8IE0mPcwvSl-DpigZz6XnqNOY9Gb5f8PvNhYMzRqQJZaLt1J-zHEcgoHaChTSz-zwrcROBwp4Qb8b9K2aofP6OumynfEusE1cI7lJGIdhzdSaayNJQDCQrc_VKpWdu9EWzLdCfbh46eAk8E8sw2HgNVHo7KCimg/s3804/20230510_151509.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3804" data-original-width="1357" height="652" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGCmsuKFqOHq0DDSxnaJGkiqwsym8IE0mPcwvSl-DpigZz6XnqNOY9Gb5f8PvNhYMzRqQJZaLt1J-zHEcgoHaChTSz-zwrcROBwp4Qb8b9K2aofP6OumynfEusE1cI7lJGIdhzdSaayNJQDCQrc_VKpWdu9EWzLdCfbh46eAk8E8sw2HgNVHo7KCimg/w228-h652/20230510_151509.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot - Columbia Valley</td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p> When I first began reading wine magazines and reviewing wines, I never saw those wines I would review in any of those magazines. True most of the wines I reviewed were small label, inexpensive wines but some of them were also very good and stood out above the rest of the pack no matter how small and inexpensive they were. Why I asked, would wine magazines skip over these wines? I never got the answer to that question although I have my suspicions. Thankfully today, that is changing as these big wine magazines have decided to allow small label, inexpensive wins to finally not only grace their pages, but also rate pretty well. This delay is one of the reasons why I have major doubts concerning the legitimacy of these wine magazines reviews as far as being on the "up & up" so to speak. Another reason is that a few years ago, Mrs. Desert Wine Girl and I actually had a fancy wine dinner with a well known winemaker from the Napa Valley and while the girls (my wife & his handler) went to the bathroom, him and I had a chance to really talk and one thing we talked about was Wine Spectator magazine. This winemakers opinion of that magazine was shall we say, less then flattering. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3qbNtQ-LjFl64DSxqg1I_PJfi3iXnVdsQ68AvXlJx36Yb44Z9fmkjFJJsz2J9_HUH9RKGZ4q9rXJpjkSg0MyQciEpsqXqzUNWhBGsAWMvh7NDvTi-0-kBsTFqGq_nmzv_I0UngyKhwPzOW0dioApkYrWbbV9HW37XIWv8D3HBfC1ka_ESANW8nLJmg/s1700/MA19lN.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1700" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3qbNtQ-LjFl64DSxqg1I_PJfi3iXnVdsQ68AvXlJx36Yb44Z9fmkjFJJsz2J9_HUH9RKGZ4q9rXJpjkSg0MyQciEpsqXqzUNWhBGsAWMvh7NDvTi-0-kBsTFqGq_nmzv_I0UngyKhwPzOW0dioApkYrWbbV9HW37XIWv8D3HBfC1ka_ESANW8nLJmg/s320/MA19lN.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Chateau Ste. Michelle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Overall in my opinion, what it all boils down to is that when money (advertising and relationships) is involved no matter how much, there is nothing and no one above reproach, this by the way applies to the medical industry as well but I will leave that thought there. Yes folks, with the average wine today selling for a little over $13 and people being less willing or able to afford high priced wine which the majority of the time is no better, I guess the snooty wine "pros" have woken up and realized they still need money for their empire to exist so in comes you and I, the average wine lover. So with this being said, today I will be reviewing a wine that is priced perfectly for us lowly, average wine lovers :)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Today I will be reviewing the 2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot - Columbia Valley. I have
seen this wine on clearance the last few times I went to my local
grocery store and decided today to take a chance, it needed to finally be adopted, taken home, as it looked rather lonely just sitting on the shelf. The wine was priced at $9.56 which was reduced from
the normal $12.95 the store usually sells it for. The wine
comes in at 13.5% alcohol and the bottle is cork (real) sealed. As for
the makeup of the wine, it is my understanding that there is an unknown bit of
Syrah added to the Merlot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Taking a look at the label now, it is a typical Chateau Ste. Michelle
label. While it is true that I have never been what you would call "crazy" about the wineries basic label, I have always felt that it did a decent job of conveying a
sense of semi-seriousness to that particular lineup of offerings. I also really like the back
label and the way it starts off with the script/font that the words "Chateau
Ste. Michelle" are written in. I also like how they put some general
information of the sugar content there as well which is not common. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Moving on now to the nose characterization of the wine, I am immediately picking up a spiced mocha that starts the
nose off here and I have to say that it is very nice as it provides almost a
sense of warmth to the bouquet. The nose also offers up a possibly dangerous perceived sense of perhaps a slight
richness being present in the wine and also hints at a possible bit of depth to the wine as well.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY93MqZZ6G1O4nJPGU0I-9idUsVz95IPHdU3CWH2AbatZboFN_aPCGmOiws8yAGGyUueHDYFwZICKAW5RG2B3kjJ0C50cRgx9TBlfaBPEq37fBmrtu6N2qQi3csJ-HISa7Hajmo-4tEJwiIm3OUayIua_GO0xE2nEycRGaoT9-EaSjdmoFLHJp8mnGA/s474/th-4200343400.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY93MqZZ6G1O4nJPGU0I-9idUsVz95IPHdU3CWH2AbatZboFN_aPCGmOiws8yAGGyUueHDYFwZICKAW5RG2B3kjJ0C50cRgx9TBlfaBPEq37fBmrtu6N2qQi3csJ-HISa7Hajmo-4tEJwiIm3OUayIua_GO0xE2nEycRGaoT9-EaSjdmoFLHJp8mnGA/s320/th-4200343400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merlot Grapes Hanging On The Vine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> Topping off the nose is a peppery note here and by the way it all comes across, I hope it translates over nicely to the palate presentation, let's find out. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> As I move to the palate now I want to tell you that earlier in the day,
before I bought the wine, I read a few reviews on it and they showed the
wine to be a very nicely made Merlot, people were impressed. Whether I feel the same way or not, remains to be seen so let's go ahead and taste the wine now and find out. Okay, so having taken my first sip of the wine now, I have to very early on in this
review tell you that the wine is in reality.....oh darn, I almost
did it again, I almost gave away the ending and I simply can't do that so let
me back up a bit. Luckily that spiced mocha note that I got on the nose transfers right
over to here and it is.....well....incredibly to say the least. Everything I assumed I would (or could) get here from the nose is delivered up on the palate just as expected.
The perceived bit of a slight richness shows up here as well just as I guessed it would on the nose.
Both the notes of that spiced mocha and that bit of richness amazingly really work well together and actually elevate one another. Together this combo note ends up being a sort of roadmap that the wine continues forward on. There is a
juiciness to the wine that is right up there and yet doesn't try to fight
those first few notes which is good as it works out so super well for
the wine (and you) in its totality. There is a bit of a smoke note to the wine as well but
just a bit. This smoke note really adds to the wine overall and the fact
that it is on the light side is a good thing. I am also picking up a sweet and juicy
cherry note here as well however that "sweet" is ultra well controlled by the
rest of the wine, only allowing enough of it to come forward as
needed. A hint of darkness is expressed here also and it comes across
as almost a note more interested in effecting the mid-palate then
anything else but its well placed nonetheless. Effectively, that bit of darkness works its magic, not
looking to overpower any other note and being very comfortable right
where and how it is. There is a woodsy, peppery spice to the wine also which
is awesome....like....awesome. This woodsy, peppery spice appears to be another note
that finds its joy in working alongside the other notes and not trying to have the wine deviate from the path it is already walking. The slightest hint of raspberry is here also and once
again guys, it loves being right where it is which is intermixed with
everything else. If this weren't enough guys, how about a bit of dark
chocolate? Yeah, guys, it's here and it's (again) good. I am not
talking about a dark chocolate that wants to take control, no way this
dark chocolate is content on coming in on the mid-palate and seems focused on being
present just enough to have you notice it is there without needing to be front stage. <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxLKEwusVMskeI-lhjB54xbPl0pRU_c0SHoOrVfhPIT-2aoAtgcvKYPYJOyaza2t6ltlni2myMcN3DueHjL48cny9GwzCmpPbYLJELJSibFGsRZ6vnG6NyLoYlxvFAiCPIdX-3W68WSAgL2ru6Tr78t3LJhRl8BBq8QsjdJr-tEyl16Au7RjE0Jrx4A/s3000/CSM_img_wy_giftshop.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxLKEwusVMskeI-lhjB54xbPl0pRU_c0SHoOrVfhPIT-2aoAtgcvKYPYJOyaza2t6ltlni2myMcN3DueHjL48cny9GwzCmpPbYLJELJSibFGsRZ6vnG6NyLoYlxvFAiCPIdX-3W68WSAgL2ru6Tr78t3LJhRl8BBq8QsjdJr-tEyl16Au7RjE0Jrx4A/s320/CSM_img_wy_giftshop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chateau Ste. Michelle Tasting Room<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Acidity to the wine is
slightly bracing but nothing that will have you sitting back in your
chair. This acidity is showing that there is certainly a good possibility that the
wine has some aging potential. Another factor and one which can reflect the
wines ability to age as well is that of tannins. In this wine, tannins are ever so
slightly more then on the dusty side but show no signs of
being ready to weaken. I
would like to say that I have indeed told you all about this wine but
every time I take a short break and come back, there is more to talk
about. How about a sense of leather in this $13 Merlot, would that
surprise you because yes, it is here and yes, it is good ? Folks, everything about this wine surprises me so I guess
this particular note being present shouldn't. Continuing on, there is a bright black cherry present here and it plays so
nicely with the rest of the wine guys. This black cherry really livens up the
palate and only compounds the fact that this Merlot is performing well above its pay grade. Closing this review out (finally) is the fact that the wine does offer up a bit of
jamminess <b>however</b>, this is the rare instance that
jamminess does not ruin a wine. To me, in my opinion, one of the worst
things a red wine can present is jamminess so keep that in mind when you
read my thoughts on it. The jamminess present here plays right into the hands
of everything the wine is trying to present, every hope it had since
its inception of being a very serious wine. In short, this is a serious wine. Guys, I actually could go on but
I do believe that I have said enough. I will see you in the next
paragraph.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnMkPAcecT0Edf5Ch9kJ5omSY_oBVbjoBdwRCBihUkeAITnENA8wLTwnvuu1kN8drZ9XYxFROmRT-O6b_C2ySdxcd2jefgAWbeEPA2n-MoJDinfqzGImJR6cVnEhNWkZ5jRT3jute76iy8wREv8iqEBEIsXH1vhMf4C7cScCQITyePCGNtzcPYu7nYA/s550/chateau-ste-michelle.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="550" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnMkPAcecT0Edf5Ch9kJ5omSY_oBVbjoBdwRCBihUkeAITnENA8wLTwnvuu1kN8drZ9XYxFROmRT-O6b_C2ySdxcd2jefgAWbeEPA2n-MoJDinfqzGImJR6cVnEhNWkZ5jRT3jute76iy8wREv8iqEBEIsXH1vhMf4C7cScCQITyePCGNtzcPYu7nYA/s320/chateau-ste-michelle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barrels In The Chateau Ste. Michell Tasting Room<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> If you are looking for a Merlot for the backyard or to sip at the pool,
this is not that Merlot. If you are looking for a duplication of Cupcake or Barefoot, again, this is not that wine. If however, you are looking to impress your wine educated friends or guests,
pour this wine into their glass without them seeing the bottle and your
party will be the one to go to in the future. I guess the gamble I took of purchasing a
wine on clearance was worth it, the wine is a winner. Yes, there is a
bit of jamminess to the wine but in the end it just works. On The
Desert Wine Guy
rating scale I am giving this wine a cellar worthy rating of 94 points.
As I said earlier, the wine can age for another 7-8 years as it has the
right amount of both acidity and tannins to stand up nicely for at least that
long.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a>
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begin by talking about the grape varietal I am reviewing which is named Picpoul De Pinet (Piquepoul Blanc)
which
means "stings the lip" in English. It turns out that there are many varieties of Picpoul
grapes aside from the white version, including the Piquepoul Noir variety
which is black or red in color. The grape is also of the Vitis
Viniferia species as are almost all grapes used for wine. The grape
originated in Rome
actually in 125 BC outside the Roman colony of Narbo (Narbonne) however
it has made a new and successful home in the Languedoc-Roussillon region
of France. In France the varietal is mostly used as a
blending grape however there is some
experimenting going on in the Wilcox AVA of Arizona and California
(Sonoma) as well as Texas in the Texas Hill Country AVA & the Texas
High Plains AVA as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Today I am reviewing the 2020 Benjamin Denault, Picpoul De Pinet. This wine cost me $11.99 and its alcohol percentage comes in at 13%. The bottle is cork (real) sealed and the grapes for the wine come from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. As for residual sugar, the winemaker Benjamin Denault informed me that there is none which is awesome. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Let's begin as I usually do and that is by talking about the label first. This is the first thing that catches the consumers eye after all so to me, next to the wines palate presentation, this is the most important thing concerning a wine. I really like this label guys.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iqqjwsW_u-wnQ15nh5bZMFVnvzSwnX8oO1UzowI9Ch5ZFUcG6iwdJvKf-n41kNOXwnBmzPC8X80G9HRFsf2LOVDNY6IneilqPx9PtiWTJC9o_rdxhqbfaKjoTmW5BZTvILL0XCZySN8Dr-aONcs5yOEwcvfBpy1eKVaFVeqQJvgPIrIb-RI9Q4CWWQ/s958/960x0.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="958" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iqqjwsW_u-wnQ15nh5bZMFVnvzSwnX8oO1UzowI9Ch5ZFUcG6iwdJvKf-n41kNOXwnBmzPC8X80G9HRFsf2LOVDNY6IneilqPx9PtiWTJC9o_rdxhqbfaKjoTmW5BZTvILL0XCZySN8Dr-aONcs5yOEwcvfBpy1eKVaFVeqQJvgPIrIb-RI9Q4CWWQ/s320/960x0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>To me the label screams a small chateau somewhere in some small foreign country and in some small town that few tourists ever go to. I have visions in my mind of sheep roaming the streets or goats being herded from pasture to pasture. With the grape originating in France, the label works nicely. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Let's talk about the nose of this wine now? Bringing the glass to my nose the wine offers up notes of oak, a bit of butteriness, white flowers and pear. The nose is showing off a wine that appears to be tropical but hopefully it won't be an overly fruity, sweet, sugar bomb. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Okay, now for the palate characteristics of the wine. A well controlled dual/combo note of oak & butteriness is present on the wines opening and while that combo note is a forward one, before you go saying that you aren't going to buy the wine because of this, please hear me out. Straight off I will tell you that I do not like an oakey/buttery Chardonnay or white wine in general and I promise you, this is not that wine. There are other notes here which control that combo note successfully and in a way, even supersedes it very successfully. There is a simply wonderful dryness to the wine guys and I would even go so far as to say that to me, that dryness here is the key to what makes the wine great. Did I say great? Oh yeah, I guess I did. A melon note is here as well, an ultra ripe honeydew melon note intermixes with everything else here and...... WOW! Ripe green apple is really making its presence known and this apple is juicy and fresh for sure and it really does show itself here. Bosch Pear is an underlying note here yet it manages to make its presence known as well and it is well placed and yummy. Guys, before I go on I have to tell you that this is not a sweet wine however there is a bit of fresh and ripe fruit sweetness present. The sweetness most definitely does not dominate the wine but it is something that is needed in order to make this wine what it is. Another note here is of honeysuckle, fresh, outdoor, honeysuckle that you smell as you walk past the plant outside and only imagine you can taste. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bysy6quN0kc6jqyIxvcFKA2Y69rrZ8y_7bxB6tJMOBPBNegqYXWK3V8lmBZi0kU1cRxAyzeoc5Z7pdcVj_mM6ynCK29iTNTc0zztGT6Uly4twIGTODWl9bZxjjYIeFLK-9j1HeO8k7u07q3oui_xUBRV6LucA1d6JDQMiHbW9uDQpCUQ8IM4D78egg/s1000/picpoul-blanc-and-oysters.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bysy6quN0kc6jqyIxvcFKA2Y69rrZ8y_7bxB6tJMOBPBNegqYXWK3V8lmBZi0kU1cRxAyzeoc5Z7pdcVj_mM6ynCK29iTNTc0zztGT6Uly4twIGTODWl9bZxjjYIeFLK-9j1HeO8k7u07q3oui_xUBRV6LucA1d6JDQMiHbW9uDQpCUQ8IM4D78egg/s320/picpoul-blanc-and-oysters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As for acidity, it is moderate and interacts incredibly well with the dryness aspect of the wine. The acidity itself comes on really fast but quickly fades leaving that mentioned dryness to go by itself which turns out to be just perfect. A saline note is here as well but it meshes incredibly well with everything in general. Lastly, there is a flinty note here as well guys and it is a note which really helps in elevating this wine for sure. Well there you have it guys, my review of a very impressive and ultra enjoyable wine. I will go on ahead now and wrap this review, see you in the next paragraph.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Okay, the moment of truth, what are my final feelings on the wine? Let's begin with my rating of the wine. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 95 points, I loved it. I will tell you this though, keep the wine very cold because as it warms, the sweetness increases and that is never a good thing, at least in my book anyway. Guys, I am going to go right now and check out my past review draft of this wine and see what I rated this wine, I will be right back. Okay, I am back and in that review I rated this wine at.....95 points. Oh yeah, party dance, getting down, totally.......righteous.....ahhh....yeah...okay. As of now, the 2022 vintage of this wine is available and if it is anything like this wine, it is going to be amazing. I highly recommend that you go out and buy three bottles of this wine just as I am going to do because I know you will love the heck out of it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> The Desert Wine Guy</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a>
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I mean like all of a sudden you are drinking four Sauvignon Blancs in a row or four Rieslings in a row and your cool with it because you suddenly have a crazy attachment to that particular varietal. Well if you've ever been there and done that, you know where I am right now. I guess as long as we are comfortable with the wine we are drinking, who can tell us we are wrong....right? Wine is about enjoyment so why not drink what you enjoy and in my case, and at this particular time, I have been liking Riesling. Now many of you might find this weird because as I am writing this review, it is the end of December and Central Florida is experiencing some of the coldest temperatures at night that they have experienced in many years at 23 degrees. Oh well, I also wear white after Labor Day so I guess I am a rebel :) Speaking of Riesling, that is what I just so happen to be reviewing today so let's check this wine out. <br /> Okay guys, today I am going to be taking a look at the 2021 Chateau Ste Michelle, Dry Riesling. I paid $9.99 for this wine and I bought it at my local grocery store. The bottle is cork sealed and, with a real cork as well. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol and its grapes are 100% Riesling and come from the Columbia Valley in Washington State.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt20LS4f46vtnwRay6fNDyV2DuHQa5zS7Cmd3fy9UikLbNq2OSKKIBR2L08KX0XewsxR0U3cKDgqskj3uDJ9AXg8WdXoqYE7GJnTQ9YqpdD7Vyd9s_B65dlguxtRu_qCpIkVpNTFrQMILjsKeABEFprGQyGNYSTDb87JumlQKWVn-GNLfsQ2yuojkiMA/s1200/rWCH000357-3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt20LS4f46vtnwRay6fNDyV2DuHQa5zS7Cmd3fy9UikLbNq2OSKKIBR2L08KX0XewsxR0U3cKDgqskj3uDJ9AXg8WdXoqYE7GJnTQ9YqpdD7Vyd9s_B65dlguxtRu_qCpIkVpNTFrQMILjsKeABEFprGQyGNYSTDb87JumlQKWVn-GNLfsQ2yuojkiMA/w300-h400/rWCH000357-3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> Okay, it is time to take a look at the label on the bottle. For those of you who follow this blog, you already know that I think the label on a wine bottle is very important because it is the first thing that catches the consumers eye on a shelf. Do you want a serious Riesling or do you want a Riesling that is meant for playtime at the pool? I have always liked the label that Chateau Ste Michell puts on their wines as I feel it offers up a sense of a semi seriousness or at least the thought of a well thought out wine being inside the bottle. I really like the size & font of the winery name and the way it provides an offset to the other fonts used. While the wine is available everywhere including some gas stations, it still presents the appearance at least of holding its own and setting itself apart from a lot of other very common wines thanks to the label.<br /> As I check out the nose of the wine I am getting some light stone fruit in the form of a Yellow Peach here. Following this up is an almost hidden bit of honeysuckle. I am also getting the slightest bit of white flowers as well and it is right in line with that Yellow peach and honeysuckle as far as presentation goes. Overall, the nose is fairly on the tropical side but is overall rather light. Just going by the nose now, I would guess this wine is probably not an over the top, tropical one on the palate but I will soon see if I am right..<br /> Now onto the palate presentation aspect of the wine. First up I am getting the belief after tasting just a couple of sips that the wine is true to its name, it is dry. Now, when I say dry, I am not talking over the top, screaming dry. Yes, there is a nicely regulated amount of tropical fruit presented here that provides sufficient fruit sweetness and energy in order to keep your mouth from puckering up or thinking you have stuffed a dry rag into it. There is also a bit of a zippyiness to the wine, an ever so slightest bit of a carbonation to it. I have to keep it real guys, whenever I taste that note in a wine it kind of throws me off. Here in this wine it was no exception and it really did just that for the first two sips however very quickly it became a note that I found rather enjoyable.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi1ci_FPkT61qxLqbGVuQd8pZzGbb0eIX7bSVNXKHnqpYcriBGlaqBX5qQFdIL9JdsRqDYuF8MMbeDtPL1ywpV8208Pbb4K3ebuPuK-Gz8mvCDN5KnIa1A1iSQwrnrUukO3gYKKR4xdgulOmTTxtzXAEzmk7ngYaK5HRr0JRWh9ikvhOyofqIrCc-FQ/s630/Chateau-Ste-Michelle.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="630" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi1ci_FPkT61qxLqbGVuQd8pZzGbb0eIX7bSVNXKHnqpYcriBGlaqBX5qQFdIL9JdsRqDYuF8MMbeDtPL1ywpV8208Pbb4K3ebuPuK-Gz8mvCDN5KnIa1A1iSQwrnrUukO3gYKKR4xdgulOmTTxtzXAEzmk7ngYaK5HRr0JRWh9ikvhOyofqIrCc-FQ/s320/Chateau-Ste-Michelle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The wine offed up some nice lemon, almost with a Nestea type taste in a slight way which I thought was offered up in a way that took any possible twang away but added a slight softness and slight brilliance as well in it's place. A background Yellow Peach note is present as well and I like where it is placed and the palate feel it presents. I also like the fact that I can enjoy the tropicalness here without thinking I am reviewing some badly made white wine that relies on sugar or sweetness to get its likes. Minerality is definitely present although not overwhelming by any means. There is a note of almost like...tannins to the wine guys and although weird as it is a white wine, I am actually enjoying it. This feeling of tannin's certainly isn't crazy but the fact that it is a white wine really makes it rather unique. There is a honeysuckle note to the wine but it is well controlled by the acidity of the wine which is also very nice. This acidity is what I would consider to be at a medium presentation and is certainly sufficient to be doing what it does best which is keeping the wine a very lively and dry one indeed. Okay guys, there you have it, this review is done so I will see you in the next paragraph where I will wrap this all up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmRTSnSOqBZluODIVNWdo81GEJ9Se0TaoKkmmlyUlSP-qoWjoziQ3odlS0on-l99eUYDN_6dUhEgeCBviIhLXv8A9rk5f93dnoXw72nNxYXMG4DiGZ3Nr8kNzYamx86n3Gu9fIGXHpV7EQtWBIT4NFJ31q6m4cCOy-U8jtGhQDzqnXNsnQWItNWydxw/s2700/Chateau_Ste_Michelle_Visitors_Center_Entrance.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2700" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmRTSnSOqBZluODIVNWdo81GEJ9Se0TaoKkmmlyUlSP-qoWjoziQ3odlS0on-l99eUYDN_6dUhEgeCBviIhLXv8A9rk5f93dnoXw72nNxYXMG4DiGZ3Nr8kNzYamx86n3Gu9fIGXHpV7EQtWBIT4NFJ31q6m4cCOy-U8jtGhQDzqnXNsnQWItNWydxw/s320/Chateau_Ste_Michelle_Visitors_Center_Entrance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Folks, I enjoyed the wine. See you later, goodbye. I'm just kidding, lets talk about how I feel concerning this wine. The first thing is, as a reminder, this wine cost me $10 but even if the wine was more expensive, I would still what I am about to say. The wine was very enjoyable and I thought, well made. To me, this is a multi use wine meaning it will impress at a dinner party as well as at the pool. In short, this is a wine you can break out anytime and impress your guests. Overall, the wine is medium as far as tropicalness goes but is really geared more towards being a dry and minerality driven Riesling. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 92 points. I do recommend you buy the wine as there is nothing offensive about it at all, it is very well made and, the true definition of a crowd pleaser. </div><p> The Desert Wine Guy</p><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a>
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Stephen Millier, Viognier<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AYFflnZHPDPNlq91423sSKz6ixRdV57qITNRGnizQwIvzwxXQWIop8AKzlNP6WhpIo3bVjLxvi0jmwcWbKIwErVt8WXbDVlobDUx2FM51_jJXOUbo3FWTykw8dJtsoPvIWnSuCL_kZimwjXH29RD82Ud0fgF7mYsD0nU_ZH6CoOq3Flw42OGdietkw/s11856/20230108_160309.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11856" data-original-width="4162" height="661" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AYFflnZHPDPNlq91423sSKz6ixRdV57qITNRGnizQwIvzwxXQWIop8AKzlNP6WhpIo3bVjLxvi0jmwcWbKIwErVt8WXbDVlobDUx2FM51_jJXOUbo3FWTykw8dJtsoPvIWnSuCL_kZimwjXH29RD82Ud0fgF7mYsD0nU_ZH6CoOq3Flw42OGdietkw/w225-h661/20230108_160309.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What's up everyone? As I write today's wine review it is a Sunday and the beginning of January, 2023. I hope you all got a chance to relax today and do whatever it is you wanted or needed to do. Here in "Freedom" Florida it is 75 beautiful degrees and while a lot of the country is digging out from snow or wrapping themselves up in jackets or blankets, I began to break out the garden stuff as in a couple of days I will be planting (still indoors) some seeds for this years tomatoes and vegetables. I really get excited this time of year because it means the beginning of me being in the garden and that is always relaxing. Today I even trimmed up my banana plant that is believe it or not, still growing a bunch of bananas from last year and which I do hope to eat eventually. Today, I am also in the mood to celebrate the coming Spring/Summer seasons by reviewing a wine varietal that is made for the Sun, I will see you in the next paragraph and you will find out which varietal I chose. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Today guys, I will be taking a look at the 2021 F.Stephen Millier, Viognier. I bought this wine from the on line wine club, Naked Wines which by the way, I have belonged to for about four years now. I paid $12.99 for this wine and the bottle is cork (real) sealed. The wine comes in at 14% alcohol and its grapes come from a single vineyard in Calaveras County which is located in the High Sierra of California. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Let's move on now and talk about the label on the bottle.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6YML1vQLMW1HexthLFCVJatDVe0plxmGWtZwfefyKuyCjkak1_k0s5rnWLLJI7_xxj1_USxlKFrl4Ff69KkgaQOZoJELzaTLgGj5gWregWTT3_v55G3duj3KIcvXY3LEvj9HwIV7zTXWaRCJUdb_a4EpyvWT1DjU_ki3YX5IMC-WsuF-VLYXsO7NWg/s1650/f3ec87fe87c87881ad08e941f6d5584e.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6YML1vQLMW1HexthLFCVJatDVe0plxmGWtZwfefyKuyCjkak1_k0s5rnWLLJI7_xxj1_USxlKFrl4Ff69KkgaQOZoJELzaTLgGj5gWregWTT3_v55G3duj3KIcvXY3LEvj9HwIV7zTXWaRCJUdb_a4EpyvWT1DjU_ki3YX5IMC-WsuF-VLYXsO7NWg/s320/f3ec87fe87c87881ad08e941f6d5584e.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viognier Taste Profile<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> Most wine reviewers for whatever reason, don't understand the importance of the wine label. I have always contended that the label being the first thing the consumer sees, is vitally important to selling a wine. Are you looking for a serious wine? If so, is does the label come across as serious? Are you looking for a Summer pool wine? Is the label bright and filled with color? I hope you see where I am coming from here. As far as this particular label goes, I am not a lover of it at all. To me, the label is dark and conveys the winter months rather then what it should be celebrating which is the Spring/Summertime. Pushing that aside, I just am not a lover of the fonts used either. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Okay, now let's move onto the nose of this wine. As I bring the wine to my nose I am getting a nice bit of a honeydew melon as well as light baked apple.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> As for the palate presentation of the wine, the first thing I get is oak. I unfortunetly find the the oak to be a good bit overdone and I find it also to be a note that also unfortunately dominates the wine. There is melon note to the wine which is very nice though but try as it might, it really can't over power that oak. A baked apple note is present here as well but it really seems to latch on to that oak in a way and...yeah...it's just not my favorite. I am getting some nectarine but by its nature, it seems to just play into the oak/baked apple thing and try as it might, it can't pull itself away. Acidity is high which is nice and is one of the positive notes to the wine. Okay so....I am sitting out back by my pool in some beautiful weather, sipping on this wine. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q-GAY3-sysnmZmAoqa32CWoiduXQDgjvNKqyEBz5OGBgwPcpjCMSDrA4agdfD13PGhBzz_ZvpRl4o2PtScRQ_i0EHhrRiA0Uj6Ri11OdRt9dNTgtJQiXbvw56FiCe32BF6_62hOZDr2yuuWiiFaYhrgJD4-V_6fgzDxuDJpA9iqhC7xqYN2WiRrwfw/s1600/Viognier.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q-GAY3-sysnmZmAoqa32CWoiduXQDgjvNKqyEBz5OGBgwPcpjCMSDrA4agdfD13PGhBzz_ZvpRl4o2PtScRQ_i0EHhrRiA0Uj6Ri11OdRt9dNTgtJQiXbvw56FiCe32BF6_62hOZDr2yuuWiiFaYhrgJD4-V_6fgzDxuDJpA9iqhC7xqYN2WiRrwfw/s320/Viognier.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viognier Grapes on the Vine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I want you to know this so you get my mindset. Keeping this in mind and knowing what I am tasting, I have to ask, are ya smelling what the rock is cooking as an old wrestler would say? Now go ahead and add a bit of a butteriness note to the wine and for me, that is more than enough to shut this review down. This butteriness just pushes the knife even deeper into the heart of the wine and really finishes it off. So there you have it guys, this review while rather short, is done and I will see you in the next paragraph to wrap it all up.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Alright so the wine is bad. I can't say it any more blunt, I do not recommend you buy it. Oak and baked apple just dominate the wine and that is not good in my book. I have three quarters of a bottle left and it is going down the drain. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving the wine 84 points and getting my money back from Naked Wines.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> The Desert Wine Guy</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a>
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Just how do I know Matt is an incredible winemaker? Well guys, that's easy, I have tasted many of his wines and thought they were all not simply good, but amazing, that's how. Matt not only is an incredible winemaker, he has an amazing history in the wine industry as well. Taking a look at Matt's career he has been vice president and chief winemaker for the Americas at Treasury Wine Estates (<a href="https://www.tweglobal.com/">https://www.tweglobal.com/</a>) whose portfolio includes such prestigious wineries as Beringer, Stags’ Leap, Chateau St. Jean, and Etude just to name a few. Matt has also worked for Constellation Wines US (<a href="https://www.cbrands.com/">https://www.cbrands.com/</a>) and was also chief winemaker for Naked Wines (<a href="https://us.nakedwines.com/">https://us.nakedwines.com/</a>) which he left in 2016 however he still works together with Naked Wines in pushing independent winemakers and wineries around the world. Since 2017 Matt has been the winemaker for Lula Cellars (<a href="https://www.lulacellars.com/">https://www.lulacellars.com/</a>) and also works with Parras Wines (<a href="https://parras.wine/en/">https://parras.wine/en/</a>) which is located in Portugal. As if all of this didn't keep Matt busy enough, he also has a consulting business named Vinture LLC (<a href="https://venture-consult.com/consulting">https://venture-consult.com/consulting</a>). <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6ppKfSzhpq0LV5vpaoxmjoKOsWki1jt5FeNVx8d3QPwt76dccdeS3IkY-GDv1GDhKaRaF5dG95BStyk0IEoibHigQ3siROxe7S8Lqryp9TT7vnNSXCf-px8all6HRmVm8a1YaRyPoC7a64SU7748L_fz3SPOBpsYQ6xZvtSBl74txmNWf2Re77MmMQ/s3600/napavalley-winery-visitor-map-05-2020.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6ppKfSzhpq0LV5vpaoxmjoKOsWki1jt5FeNVx8d3QPwt76dccdeS3IkY-GDv1GDhKaRaF5dG95BStyk0IEoibHigQ3siROxe7S8Lqryp9TT7vnNSXCf-px8all6HRmVm8a1YaRyPoC7a64SU7748L_fz3SPOBpsYQ6xZvtSBl74txmNWf2Re77MmMQ/s320/napavalley-winery-visitor-map-05-2020.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napa Valley Winery Map<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Now as if this still wasn't enough, in February of 2020 it was also announced that he joined Azur Associates (<a href="https://www.azur-associates.com/">https://www.azur-associates.com/</a>) as the Managing Director as well as the winemaker and, is in charge of production as well. As I am sure Matt himself will tell you, most importantly and above all, Matt is a Husband as well as the father of two children and in an article written by Elizabeth Smith (<a href="https://easmith.net/">https://easmith.net/</a>) writing for the Napa Valley register, Matt puts it all together in one sentence which is "Family, the kids’ schoolwork, clients, Zoom tastings, bottling, vineyard checks, harvest preparation, and everything and anything else, depending on the day.” While Matt's wines are I believe the highest priced wines on Naked Wines I can promise you, they are well worth it. As a last note here, you should know that I am not someone who normally jumps on a bandwagon and the ones I do jump on, I have done a lot of research on so in Matt's case, that jumping was justified. Now let's get into todays wine.<br /> Today I am going to be reviewing the 2020 Matt Parish, Cabernet Sauvignon - Reserve. I paid $40.99 for this wine and while that certainly does exceed the normal price of wines I review, it is after all from Matt so I just had to make an exception to that norm. The bottle is sealed with a real cork as expected and the wine comes in at 15% alcohol. The grapes for this wine come from the Oakville, Rutherford, St Helena AVA's as well as Napa's newest AVA which is the Coombsville AVA. The wine sat in 50% new French Oak for 18 months and was fermented in stainless steel with the skins for post fermentation. <br /> Now it is time to check out the label on the wine bottle. Let me begin by saying that if the wine inside the bottle is anything as beautiful as the label outside the bottle is, this is going to be a stunner of a wine. The Charcoal Blue color of this label is without a doubt, just crazy amazing.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VT0rx1hi13ZKH2HQdlTDgerue8SV9ogzXxhuVpigGPuPrkiQOJsltTFNGOWqqA30iw5XS3YE9qiOqP_tbaeZ3zHKVfZXcmvGgtLfbtWbswf8sFluXGF-tDva80aZO92dAs9DJynsARmtOTOPozu7SEi1VJ7B-kL6MPkjoNuWha7B11R7uSEmYlWpdA/s1440/background.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VT0rx1hi13ZKH2HQdlTDgerue8SV9ogzXxhuVpigGPuPrkiQOJsltTFNGOWqqA30iw5XS3YE9qiOqP_tbaeZ3zHKVfZXcmvGgtLfbtWbswf8sFluXGF-tDva80aZO92dAs9DJynsARmtOTOPozu7SEi1VJ7B-kL6MPkjoNuWha7B11R7uSEmYlWpdA/s320/background.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pure Delight<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The simplicity of the wording along with the placement of those words and the fonts chosen are really nothing short of striking. Whomever is in charge of creating this label is truly talented. Guys, the gold color of the words layed on top of that Charcoal Blue really stands out so nicely. This label strikes me as having to be created for the best steakhouse in existence. This is a bottle of wine that you would expect to see at a dinner for heads of state or at a prestigious dinner of executives for some world wide conglomerate. <br /> As for the nose of the wine now, I am getting a wonderful cedar note here which is presented in such a way that it alone has me craving to taste the wine. If that wasn't enough though, I am also picking up some fresh dark blackberry and some nice, expensive smelling cocoa as well. Simply sitting here and just smelling this Cab has me really jonesing for that first sip.<br /> Now, the moment I have been waiting for, let's talk palate. Okay, from the very onset of the tasting portion of this review I must tell you that this wine is very serious indeed and thankfully, those notes from the nose translate on over to here as well. That cedar note is just lovely and offered up by the wine in a delicate yet certainly present and enjoyable manner. While this note appears as more of a background type note here, don't let that have you thinking that it is an after thought type note because it is one of many notes which is certainly very instrumental in the steering of this wine. That dark blackberry I got on the nose is also translating on over to the palate and while it is a bit more striking (okay, it is really nice and deep) then the cedar, it too is not overdone but it is representing quality dark fruit very nicely. Adding to this is a note of blackcurrant and it also is pretty nice here guys so you had better love this note in your Cabs because the wine really embraces it and hopefully your palate will as well. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_k2NE0k3YiZ1AlXEFcjqSoiuc0RqsgPILGovH2Aob475yy7ZfAmazZQ7Eg36R483VfAlCnbswpKRnXi0eV5hV41T2MIayqabDWS4Rccx2SoYLfQUMB5_ZZJcUJgHrY9FA9-uiU9-Czb_cST9byQOQ-aOE8UwnSabVyzL04jpRTUwRRC9UKSqJ6Psuw/s1350/Cabernet-Sauvignon-Thumbnail-01.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1350" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_k2NE0k3YiZ1AlXEFcjqSoiuc0RqsgPILGovH2Aob475yy7ZfAmazZQ7Eg36R483VfAlCnbswpKRnXi0eV5hV41T2MIayqabDWS4Rccx2SoYLfQUMB5_ZZJcUJgHrY9FA9-uiU9-Czb_cST9byQOQ-aOE8UwnSabVyzL04jpRTUwRRC9UKSqJ6Psuw/s320/Cabernet-Sauvignon-Thumbnail-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes Hanging On The Vine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>As I said earlier, this is a serious Cabernet Sauvignon and not one you will find at your local grocery store, even on the top shelf. Getting back to the notes transferring over from the nose of the wine for a minute, there is a cocoa note here as well and it comes into play about three seconds after the wine hits your tongue, guys......it is really super good. On one hand the wine is amazing at keeping this cocoa note on the moderate side yet at the same time, offering that note up very flavor fully to be enjoyed. Another very nicely done note here is that of a slightly sweet and smoky spice note that the wine is in love with and honestly, so am I. This slightly sweet and smoky spice seems to carry everything else on it's back and therefore, through the entire wines palate presentation as well, it is very simply....yummy. As for tannin's, there are some but I totally and completely enjoyed them. I personally have no complaints here as these tannin's to me are almost dusty in presentation yet can be considered to be what a lot of people would say are not quite "there" yet and that this is one reason that the wine should age a bit still. If you are like me though and enjoy tannin's in your wine, they are awesome right now. Guys, the wine has a lot of black fruit but it also is so very super well balanced which is a testament to the talent of the winemaker and the ingredients he was able to gather. Black cherry is here as well but it is not a sweet, artificially doctored up black cherry, here in this wine the fruit is obviously fresh and beautifully extracted. I have to return to that blackberry note here for a minute because the more I taste the wine, the more important it becomes as it seems to pair up with that smoky spice. Together both notes are just lush without going crazy or trying to overtake everything else the wine is offering up. Yet another note here in the wine is of a really nice bit of sweet oak and this is just another area where the wine insists on showing itself off. This sweet oak is perfectly balanced and is well within line with the rest of the wine.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO191cCURJv0lv_hdnWqDyZqIhc9VuPgvhMiyoeRA62d6hw9MJRF8mdXQAQIIBoZU4KZq5kptgfT_fHccBmaC1dDryTlvhF_HSJgPWFPliMmwWx1DApdz1FxH_6dX861Gdf4_oJYTmAessl5Nf2DS44SYmjFy_daINJmFOiqMnD5N2KxZSoKSSbCMG1w/s648/tasting-room-1639057738.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="648" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO191cCURJv0lv_hdnWqDyZqIhc9VuPgvhMiyoeRA62d6hw9MJRF8mdXQAQIIBoZU4KZq5kptgfT_fHccBmaC1dDryTlvhF_HSJgPWFPliMmwWx1DApdz1FxH_6dX861Gdf4_oJYTmAessl5Nf2DS44SYmjFy_daINJmFOiqMnD5N2KxZSoKSSbCMG1w/w400-h138/tasting-room-1639057738.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lula Vineyards Tasting Room<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>When I say the word "sweet" here guys please understand something. I am not talking about some uncontrolled, let's cover wine-making flaws sweet. I am instead speaking of just a hair bit of sweetness that is dominated by oak which itself is not overpowering. Speaking of the oak, you can taste the presence of that 50% new French Oak and in the end, it is a very important and very enjoyable aspect of the wine as it is tasty and yet another one which works hand in hand with every component of the wine. Particular mention should be made in reference to a combo note of blackberry and oak. This combo note is slightly on the forward side but neither aspect of it is crazy in what they are doing and I think the word "delicious" is well suited here. Adding to all of this is an earthy note as well that is yet another area where the wine shows itself off. I do not believe that I have ever tasted too many Cabs with this type of an earthy note but when I have, it really pushed that particular wine upwards in my overall review just as it does here. In reference to this particular wine the note is right where it needs to be. So.......there you have it, my review of the much anticipated, 2020 Matt Parish, Cabernet Sauvignon - Reserve. As you can tell, I am in love with the wine but what is my rating on the wine, should you buy it? To find out the answers to these questions you will have to check out the next paragraph, I will see you there. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Welcome folks to the conclusion paragraph. This is where I warp the review up and give you The Desert Wine Guy rating on the wine you just read about. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRwKL9HC3HUhVtRvzTuv5C385ftTLz2yLqtAtRsmfZIKOEI5mQzGrp9at-sDyT_ha8PrUgBAc9-wvhL0PGoRgefpIQFDXTEXvqzMD-I-SEy6dRAjwTBlVec_0i_kNVjjfadnv5bs9rZ_Fo7fBy-iZ-fuJmoXH20tDVKQBaQk-8o_kV7SG9EJLbOSkrg/s1280/Nakedwines_com_Matt_Parish.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRwKL9HC3HUhVtRvzTuv5C385ftTLz2yLqtAtRsmfZIKOEI5mQzGrp9at-sDyT_ha8PrUgBAc9-wvhL0PGoRgefpIQFDXTEXvqzMD-I-SEy6dRAjwTBlVec_0i_kNVjjfadnv5bs9rZ_Fo7fBy-iZ-fuJmoXH20tDVKQBaQk-8o_kV7SG9EJLbOSkrg/s320/Nakedwines_com_Matt_Parish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt In The Vineyard<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>As far as that tightly bound comment goes, I guess I should address that first. Having tasted this wine now I can definitely tell you that the wine needs some time to cellar. This is confirmed by the fact that Matt himself recommends that you don't even try this wine until at least 2023 (it's 2022 right now). There are aspects of the wine which lead me to say that the wine is tightly bound. The wine needs some time to loosen up a bit as it is just tightly packed with energy and it really shows here on the palate. I think another year to uncoil itself will only benefit it as there is so much going on in this wine that it does need to calm down a bit in order for you to experience everything it has to offer which I can tell you, is a tremendous amount. When you do open the wine he suggests that you decant it for at least 2 hours. Matt also says that the drinking window for this wine is until 2028 but I myself think he might indeed wish to add 10 years years on top of that. Guys,as you sip on this wine, you need to just sit back and allow your mouth to explore it as you will find that the wine is really a complex one. The wine has a lot that it wants to say but at this time just can't find the words to say it and that's also where the cellaring will allow it to find those words. This wine is just now beginning to slowly move towards what it is going to eventually become but if what I just tasted is any indication of what it is going to become, it will absolutely be a 98 point in the future. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nLc0Hcml_LYBDN4VQ0uikdN_LjQ0ejT9SDeOusUb_uvkynuzu0RW7e2gjSI8Zv7SbSx97DY3qXuSMyjNL6_piCCUpO-NuLPpYK6RNKL5Fj8tUYi3E_b74v2kD5B8FnsIMi1FWq9DzoEmecjWXPGIqYUYncq00fp5wSL23d87OJ-HOIExFE1TguUflg/s1280/Lula%20Cellars%20Vineyard.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1280" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nLc0Hcml_LYBDN4VQ0uikdN_LjQ0ejT9SDeOusUb_uvkynuzu0RW7e2gjSI8Zv7SbSx97DY3qXuSMyjNL6_piCCUpO-NuLPpYK6RNKL5Fj8tUYi3E_b74v2kD5B8FnsIMi1FWq9DzoEmecjWXPGIqYUYncq00fp5wSL23d87OJ-HOIExFE1TguUflg/s320/Lula%20Cellars%20Vineyard.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lula Cellars</td></tr></tbody></table>As it is, on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 97 amazing points. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> Folks, before I close this review out I feel the need to again remind you that this is a very serious Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic Bordeaux style Cab. If that is not what you are after, I certainly get it but save yourself some money, don't buy the wine. If however, you are looking for a deep, classic Cabernet Sauvignon, the kind you never thought you could afford, this is that wine. I highly recommend that if you can, you buy three bottles of the wine as you will be drinking one as soon as you get it. The other two are going to scream for the cellar and you are going to want to oblige. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></pre><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a>
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<a href="https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0">https://odysee.com/@Thedesertwineguy:0</a></span></span></pre><br /><br /> </div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-83370296824957612712023-01-05T13:36:00.002-05:002023-01-05T13:36:51.350-05:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2019 Textbook, Cabernet Sauvignon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIcAiO9eWARtJFZxpa2AjpUzg8eKmHJ7CpS0UxbNFju_Oij1tUMZUhtwfkcwvZmwGw1DcWy5cIAG_HjeL_aSVyikJBlEN0l087fLypahHkPftyAKDK7sQQgcXbwlb1ZOo5NBjOlC7kOWI1p8kcpJ3HslnOP6MQoMK4Mb027kcaJsIaa-AQI3Sn-g_7A/s11256/20221225_161956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11256" data-original-width="3573" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIcAiO9eWARtJFZxpa2AjpUzg8eKmHJ7CpS0UxbNFju_Oij1tUMZUhtwfkcwvZmwGw1DcWy5cIAG_HjeL_aSVyikJBlEN0l087fLypahHkPftyAKDK7sQQgcXbwlb1ZOo5NBjOlC7kOWI1p8kcpJ3HslnOP6MQoMK4Mb027kcaJsIaa-AQI3Sn-g_7A/w177-h518/20221225_161956.jpg" width="177" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Do you guys look for specific areas or AVA's when you buy wine? As much as I love to explore all wine areas, I do have to admit that I have my favorite areas or AVA's that I like to stick to. I wonder though, is there any science behind this preference or is it just that we have fallen into a marketing ploy? I don't know about you but when I see a Tempranillo from anywhere other then Spain, I kind of move on. I am not quite as bad when it comes to a Cabernet Sauvignon but I would prefer to have one from the Napa Valley, preferably the Rutherford AVA as I am in love with that "Rutherford Dust" note which some argue really doesn't exist but those in the know, know :) When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc I usually head over to Marlborough, New Zealand (not literally) for that varietal but there are times in which California is visited as well when I want to change things up a bit. I think these places know that people come to them for a specific reason and they in turn price their wine accordingly. My final question to you before I move on is, what percentage of the time is it worth spending that extra money?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3g0ELxuISr3BD7ZKfp9BxLbu9nyP9fsz3lA5w6iseHVKR57162DULlrarB3KASmI14QGaD9G_y4h_KLlPCn6ikSTebkZysAqXvRn-9UHmkRTGpT2umSJWBl5YBhUm54GUhoCcwb3sk8OMGe_KFDUXuBY53scdfR4rj6f5wfap9k47AN87JL7cYc3eg/s2444/red-line-desktop-v2.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1541" data-original-width="2444" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3g0ELxuISr3BD7ZKfp9BxLbu9nyP9fsz3lA5w6iseHVKR57162DULlrarB3KASmI14QGaD9G_y4h_KLlPCn6ikSTebkZysAqXvRn-9UHmkRTGpT2umSJWBl5YBhUm54GUhoCcwb3sk8OMGe_KFDUXuBY53scdfR4rj6f5wfap9k47AN87JL7cYc3eg/s320/red-line-desktop-v2.webp" width="320" /></a></div> So guys, today I will be taking a look at the 2019 Textbook, Cabernet Sauvignon (<a href="https://textbookvineyards.com/">https://textbookvineyards.com/</a>) from the Napa Valley. I paid $25 for this wine and the bottle is cork (real) sealed. The alcohol percentage of this wine comes in at 13.3% and the winemaker of this wine is <span class="markedContent" id="page1R_mcid125"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 341.239px; top: 599.985px; transform: scaleX(1.16362);">Abi Horstman. The wine is a blend of </span></span>85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2.5% Petite Verdot & 2.5% Cabernet Franc. For those out there who love the tech stuff (me), the wine sat in 90% French Oak with 35% being new as well as 10% American Oak for 18 months. All of the grapes for this wine come from the Napa Valley in the form of four sub-AVAs which are Oak Knoll, Yountville, Rutherford, and Calistoga. One last note here of interest is that the wine is part of the Kirin Holdings Company (<a href="https://www.kirinholdings.com/en/">https://www.kirinholdings.com/en/</a>)<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> Let's talk label now. Ya know, there are times when plain, or simple, is a good thing provided it's done right that is. Folks, this label is in a way, plain & simple and is a perfect representation of what I am talking about as well. This label doesn't have any fancy colors or bright, eye catching graphics yet it just works and I think it is well done. I love the border around the label, both the front as well as the back actually. The fonts used are not what I would consider to be fancy or over the top but they definitely presents a very classic type wine imagery. Clean and certainly sophisticated, this label is one which you wouldn't be surprised to see in a photo of some dignitaries at a dinner party or even on the table of some degenerate housewives on T.V.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Let me go ahead and check out the nose of this Cabernet Sauvignon now and see what it has to say for itself. Spiced, sweet smelling French Oak is being thrown out here and let me tell you, it smells absolutely amazing. Nice blueberry is here as well but doesn't give off the impression the note will be crazy or over the top on the palate. Dark cherry follows up here and it appears to add a sense of a lovely plushness to the nose of the wine.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir61eQmWBOLxi8bdItskGAfuQQqywxnUhoKw_ms75P9tbC4yQUKnJk8OBRtE-NJDRQ70O_Fi41i0IHgIk_nsBQ6S77aBgGoUmaOrDQflOHvTIHiK9Nv0nY03-HfVHHFa8fRais26dnAuJLUp1C_y1xYdUSXPyUNqYNEW9ur_Y7_E-wGk4yf0HdHqA4xA/s808/home-bottle-cork.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="494" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir61eQmWBOLxi8bdItskGAfuQQqywxnUhoKw_ms75P9tbC4yQUKnJk8OBRtE-NJDRQ70O_Fi41i0IHgIk_nsBQ6S77aBgGoUmaOrDQflOHvTIHiK9Nv0nY03-HfVHHFa8fRais26dnAuJLUp1C_y1xYdUSXPyUNqYNEW9ur_Y7_E-wGk4yf0HdHqA4xA/s320/home-bottle-cork.webp" width="196" /></a></div> <span>Okay, so far so good but how does the wine taste? Let's find out. Okay so, first up here is that same spiced/sweet French Oak that I picked up on the nose and Ladies & Gentlemen, let me tell you, it is just as nice here as was portrayed to be on that nose. Not overpowering in the least bit, this Spiced/sweet French Oak really knows how to come forward and show itself off just beautifully. While not acting as if it needs to be the Oak Monster (thank you Gary Vee) and certainly not pushing itself on you, the oak also doesn't come across as if it was added into the wine as an afterthought either. This spiced/sweet French Oak understands that its role is strictly to impress which it certainly does in a big way. Next up here is a very adequate and delicious note of Rutherford Dust folks, yes, Rutherford Dust. If I didn't already know that some of the wines grapes came from the Rutherford AVA, I definitely would have no problem letting you know they did. This dust is certainly picked up and makes a beautiful impact on the wine overall as well. This dust adds like an earthy sense to the overall palate and boy is it good. As far as the acidity goes in the wine, The wine has an acidity presentation which is very nice as well and without causing you to sit back in you chair. As far as the acidity being just as effective as that oak and dust, yeah, it is right up there. In my humble opinion, </span><span><span>all three notes together are elevating this wine into a category that it should not be in at this price point. </span></span><span>If you were to me you paid $100 for this wine, I would believe you without question. The wine is also throwing out a smoke note and while it is not overpowering, it is flavorful and intermixes with everything else the wine is pushing out. Here with this note which I was not expecting but am glad is here the overall texture of the wine is elevated and balance in the wine is continued. Next up is a note which I have to be carefully telling some of you about and that note is of </span><span>Plum
and it is fresh and juicy. This plum adds just a hair
bit of jamminess but I still hate to say that word because 99% of the time
when I say it, it is followed by the following words, "......it flat out killed the wine", thankfully that is not the case here. Folks, </span><span>in this particular case that plum is perfect and I don't use that word lightly guys, I do mean perfect. So if you thought I was done with this review, you would be wrong because </span><span>tobacco is present here as well and it is fresh like if you just opened a bag of fresh leaves and smelled them. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WIuH_tKResIeX91lv7i9c7V9zZFyecvkJhkWKNghhpu6pt0hBE0NlbWpMeAPOKhX22gmx9eZullHQc0xjzJ8hXb7Yurg0yWCli14PEwARGuUq8u2aeS1pvocQu9SMlJ7Pqtp8Str_6myEm6w1IjWzo_MZS55brBVnCowyoTdmhd6pdy9CBcUsZyoQQ/s567/mise-your-experience.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="567" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WIuH_tKResIeX91lv7i9c7V9zZFyecvkJhkWKNghhpu6pt0hBE0NlbWpMeAPOKhX22gmx9eZullHQc0xjzJ8hXb7Yurg0yWCli14PEwARGuUq8u2aeS1pvocQu9SMlJ7Pqtp8Str_6myEm6w1IjWzo_MZS55brBVnCowyoTdmhd6pdy9CBcUsZyoQQ/s320/mise-your-experience.webp" width="320" /></a></div>To me, one sign of a serious Cabernet Sauvignon is a note of tobacco. This tobacco is not only fresh and pretty robust but I have to say, adds complexity to the wine. As far as tannin's go, they are present and </span><span> on the softer yet crumbly side but they do add to the other notes which help in elevating the wine into (again) another price point. </span><span>After
taking a sip of the wine my mouth is left with a deliciously light coating of those tannin's which keeps
telling me that the wine is both young as well as still there helping it to have a fairly long finish. </span><span>Guys,
I am sorry, the wine is half done but it is time to end this written review as I am
saving the other half of the bottle for my YouTube channel
<a href="(https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertWineGuy/featured">(https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertWineGuy/featured</a>) as the wine truly
deserves more coverage. I will see you in the next paragraph to wrap this all up.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span> What else can I say except for the fact that this wine is structured, phenomenal and I enjoyed it very much. Between that spiced sweet, French Oak, the beautiful tobacco, the plum and everything else, this wine is rocking it for sure. There is nothing about the wine that I would change other then perhaps it being perhaps a little more full bodied. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine a strong 94 (cellar worthy) points. Right about now I am going to go ask Mrs. Desert Wine Girl if she can hook me up with some wonderful lamb as I seem to have that stuck in my mind...thank you Notebook :) My recommendation to you is that you go out and buy a couple of bottles of the wine because if you love old school Napa Cabs, I know you will enjoy it</span>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> The Desert Wine Guy</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><a href="https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a>
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I guess that's a strange topic to be opening up a wine review with especially since I am a wine reviewer huh? Really though guys, I ask you, what is a wine reviewer? I am going to tell you my opinion of what a wine reviewer is and it is a pretty basic definition actually and one which you probably already know. A wine reviewer tastes wine and lets you know what <b>they</b> are smelling and what <b>they</b> are tasting. While this may seem very easy (hint, it is) there are some wine reviewers who like to create a mystique about what they do, a sense of awe. It's as if they are saying, "you can't do what I am doing", I am special. While there is a sort of mystique to the job of a wine, it is all in reality, a facade. While it does takes some research and some experience in the form of developing a well rounded palate and nose, once you have these things (or at least a lot of these things) down, you simply expound on them, format your opinion and present that opinion in either written, audible or video form. As an example, let's say you taste a note of "Shale" in a wine sample. Have you ever placed Shale into your mouth? Well neither have I but at the same time I still need to convey that note to you, the reader anyway. For the most part, we go by smell in order to relate what we taste so how do I do that? I think that so much of what we learn as people comes from experience and when someone tastes a "weird" note in a wine, while they may not identify it immediately, when it comes to the next wine, if they taste that same "weird" note in a wine and they read a review of that wine, they begin to put two and two together and now they can identify that note of shale for themselves in a wine. Okay guys, I hope you have had your eyes opened just a little bit to the world of wine reviewing and so now it is time to actually review a wine. I will see you in the next paragraph. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTavJsEuyq7jzkCnJumCn0G1XHyqzpUibd8eAIPvMrgmM3fHFw6Gp2ZrTMp6JMtbbm2eXy8pQBQiGYaLCL0XIRZ3l0IezlsdiEitPCqkjnzqjZvixc_cTIKldpTsMw3Q9SDcMYKxihaOOvm5j4rcnG1gV2iMW4q_Ngpev07vkEV1zN4zIdrJ8xlPzaQ/s1024/Kung-Fu-Girl-Riesling-Featured-1024x682.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTavJsEuyq7jzkCnJumCn0G1XHyqzpUibd8eAIPvMrgmM3fHFw6Gp2ZrTMp6JMtbbm2eXy8pQBQiGYaLCL0XIRZ3l0IezlsdiEitPCqkjnzqjZvixc_cTIKldpTsMw3Q9SDcMYKxihaOOvm5j4rcnG1gV2iMW4q_Ngpev07vkEV1zN4zIdrJ8xlPzaQ/s320/Kung-Fu-Girl-Riesling-Featured-1024x682.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Today I will be taking a look at the 2021 Kungfu Girl, Riesling. I paid $11.99 for this wine and the bottle is screw cap sealed. The wine comes in at 12.5% alcohol and its grapes come from Washington State, the Columbia Valley. The wine is a slight blend of 93% Riesling, 4% Pinot Gris, 2% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscat. <br /> As for the label, I like it and I think it's pretty cool actually. While I am not 100% sure where the label gets its name from, I do believe it is probably because the winemaker says the wine has "... been kicking a-s and taking names ever since" its inception. Whatever the reason, it works. Keeping in mind that his is a Riesling and that I don't take the varietal too seriously especially being from Charles Smith. Overall this label works very nicely and actually has me rather intrigued as to how the wine will taste.<br /> Bringing the glass to my nose now, I am getting notes of nectarine, yellow peach & green apple. While the bouquet is light, it does for some reason lead me to believe that the wine might be sweet and tropical in its presentation.<br /> Now that all of that is out of the way, I finally have the chance to taste this wine. The first thing I notice is that there is a zing to my tongue as I put the wine into my mouth. This zing is like a slight carbonation and too be honest as always, the note really throws me off as I do not take kindly to a white wine that throws this experience into the mix when it really has no business being there, if I wanted this experience I would buy a wine cooler. Okay so having said that, the wine is most definitely green apple dominated and seems to make no apologies for this. White Peach is up there as well and is pretty noticeable. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelkdD7jJha5S34aSH7tTEPI9OwVOUEDBodO2tJjMwtobrD79el5NGLe1_WVnh20khcErDkdtj6Lm3m8xIakkFeq4YQGkOvIWSwLkPpd3yK1KKQd71L2dyb95QAsrHOMJ5JR-fJn2cpSlrCbuRMEdDNe3y9LBb1GJffGoC2fIvIyca4pcK4_Ei-JTpeA/s828/img1.daumcdn.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="828" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelkdD7jJha5S34aSH7tTEPI9OwVOUEDBodO2tJjMwtobrD79el5NGLe1_WVnh20khcErDkdtj6Lm3m8xIakkFeq4YQGkOvIWSwLkPpd3yK1KKQd71L2dyb95QAsrHOMJ5JR-fJn2cpSlrCbuRMEdDNe3y9LBb1GJffGoC2fIvIyca4pcK4_Ei-JTpeA/s320/img1.daumcdn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Both of these fruits are very tropical, very juicy and unfortunately, pretty sweet as well. As a matter of fact, the entire wine is seriously overly sweet.Yes, there is a decent amount of dryness to the wine overall which is nice however that darn sweetness overrides everything....as in....everything else that the wine is trying to offer up. By the way when it comes to the wine trying to offer things up, there really isn't much, the wine is pretty much one dimensional. Acidity is nice, really nice but unfortunately, it is of no use in positively effecting the wine as it doesn't have enough of an impact to alter its direction. As it does on the nose, apricot shows up here and while I did taste it and enjoy it, once again that darn sweetness just overrides that enjoyment and distracts from it. In the end, yes, there is a vibrancy to the wine and yes, it is tropical but also, yes, it is sweet, way sweet and because of that, I will meet you in the conclusion paragraph rather early.<br /> Okay, yeah....I am DONE! I simply can't do this anymore, the wine is bad and not something I can even remotely recommend. This wine is a sweet, tropical, fruity....mess. I really can't say anymore about it. I did not enjoy this wine as I felt as if I was eating a ton of sugar and if I was into that, I would rather have a piece of chocolate cake. The bottom line is if you want something like this wine, go grab a wine cooler, you'll save money and you'll enjoy it more. <br /><br /> The Desert Wine Guy<br /><br />https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/ http://facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fre... <br /><br />https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCU... <br /><br />https://www.instagram.com/thedesertwi... <br /></div>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-80504720659651701272022-11-14T15:18:00.000-05:002022-11-14T15:18:04.141-05:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2020 Edulis de Altanza, Sauvignon Blanc<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxNR6ZvHTZ5fNNH-c8SR_7FZd_Ai_hxhRYKye1n14sFL9XTrOE2U6MOLN7NIKgSMKPQrHj9cA_pIU8oYgDZpRkhUF3pO2mGBFl5sAu7JmN6m7v6vmMIVSbMBh1px6_cw3uP6uTJ7nG22UQ5N3-7iF1ZbbTQNZv-r9nNlVnzhqEWJ0rQS8kZPp9qQMEQ/s11912/20221024_155329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11912" data-original-width="4388" height="833" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxNR6ZvHTZ5fNNH-c8SR_7FZd_Ai_hxhRYKye1n14sFL9XTrOE2U6MOLN7NIKgSMKPQrHj9cA_pIU8oYgDZpRkhUF3pO2mGBFl5sAu7JmN6m7v6vmMIVSbMBh1px6_cw3uP6uTJ7nG22UQ5N3-7iF1ZbbTQNZv-r9nNlVnzhqEWJ0rQS8kZPp9qQMEQ/w393-h833/20221024_155329.jpg" width="393" /></a></div> Guys, I have to begin this wine review by talking just a bit about a portable speaker. As I begin here, I want you guys to know that I am not getting any form of compensation from, nor do I know anyone who either works for or is affiliated with the company making the speaker in any way. With that being said, I have to ask. What is wine or beer for that matter without awesome music? My answer is that while they are both great by themselves, what makes the tasting experience even better is some awesome music. Whether I go out onto the back patio to review a wine or I am inside the house in my office, I have to have music which in my case is 80's music. As a matter of fact what I am listening to right now is some Lil Suzy which is of the 80's "Freestyle" genre. So, with this being said, I wanted to let you know about the desktop portable speaker that I use while I am outside which is the Sony SRS-XB33. Guys let me tell ya, this speaker rocks. I first heard this speaker at a relatives party in New Jersey and was so impressed with the sound that I had to ask about it and then buy it as soon as I got home. I'm talking fairly deep bass here with clear mids and crisp highs. The sound is super clean and without any muffled or shrill sounds. The speaker is available in red, grey, purple & blue (hello) and has Bluetooth (version 5) that picks up the originating signal from a very nice distance away. The speaker is waterproof (yep), has a type-C connector/USB and nice long battery life (24 hrs), this speaker has it all. Now guys, the speaker is expensive as it cost $178 at Amazon (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sony-SRS-XB33-Wireless-Waterproof-BLUETOOTH/dp/B086D4JNGM">https://www.amazon.com/Sony-SRS-XB33-Wireless-Waterproof-BLUETOOTH/dp/B086D4JNGM</a>) but, if you need (demand) amazing sound, this is the portable speaker to buy that's for sure. So, now that we have discussed the music end of enjoying wine, the next thing is to talk about the wine itself so let's get into that now.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IXPL_ezJw_V2D3ToV4yE6UzibsP75v_8CfQM9HzciudoU3awfgAvRGJED5egr_ak1RCH68h1wKHQtx8e-ZmiRZD-6QXOhHupYuCb6cacBSTdjoA74cllzP3XxeK5zc4KVX0bLmz03_lN66IBMUYEDEV7M-eXuqFPN1vy0veG51PE_k6Y_c4-8ZsVWA/s600/cf152524_copia.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IXPL_ezJw_V2D3ToV4yE6UzibsP75v_8CfQM9HzciudoU3awfgAvRGJED5egr_ak1RCH68h1wKHQtx8e-ZmiRZD-6QXOhHupYuCb6cacBSTdjoA74cllzP3XxeK5zc4KVX0bLmz03_lN66IBMUYEDEV7M-eXuqFPN1vy0veG51PE_k6Y_c4-8ZsVWA/s320/cf152524_copia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> While I am sitting out back in the beautiful "Freedom" Florida weather today, I am going to be tasting the 2020 Edulis de Altanza, Sauvignon Blanc (<a href="https://bodegasaltanza.com/en/producto/altanza-blanco/">https://bodegasaltanza.com/en/producto/altanza-blanco/</a>). I paid $11.99 for this wine and it's alcohol percentage comes in at a nice 13%. The bottle is cork (real) sealed as well. What I find rather interesting about this wine is that it comes from a country which is not known for Sauvignon Blanc and that country is Spain. The country has actually been growing the grape varietal since 1974 but it never seemed to take off there so tasting this wine should be interesting. <br /> Okay, label time now guys. Yeah, there is nothing here at all to talk about as the label is very simply, bland. The label certainly did not attract me or influence me into buying the wine that is for sure.<br /> As for the wines bouquet, it is nice, fruity and fresh smelling. As a matter of fact, the glass is about two feet from me as I am writing this and I am picking up some rather lively tropical fruit coming from it. Moving the glass much closer to my nose now I get notes of fresh and ripe yellow peach which comes forward rather nicely but is not over the top. I am also picking some juicy smelling nectarine here as well. Weirdly, I am getting a slight bit of vanilla as well I think which is really weird for the varietal but nothing that throws the wine off. Finishing the nose off, there is also what smells like oak as well and it really sets the wines bouquet off rather nicely.<br /> So, as far as the taste of the wine goes now yes, there is a slight bit of lemongrass but nothing like a New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc (hello Whitehaven). This lemongrass is pretty nice and is presented in a way where it isn't trying to dominate the wine yet it does get its point across. As far as the other notes goes, I am getting nice lively and rather zippy acidity and this acidity really has the wine moving along nicely on the palate and tasting fresh for sure. This is an interesting wine as it seems to move rather quickly in the mouth while still being able to fully express itself. A White Peach is present here as well and it is nice as well, and it certainly does have some nice flavor to it. As with the nose, Nectarine is here as well and it comes across in the same way as that peach does. There is a minerality note here as well and it is right up there with the best white wines. This minerality works so well with this the acidity and it's really nice and makes you want more of the wine. So there you have my take on this Spanish, Sauvignon Blanc. Let's get to the conclusion paragraph now.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtNqAC3Lbu2qc-oSAhTjXlDib1wMUOhjSXyoxPnliVLsfGEyldzfjhtvORG04YQMhBuBVIOgbxLxJm7AzSGAPXwrnon_wWt4Pd11EV3z_GsU-s5XRd2rl3BN88RJV78NGBUOfsa_UsoO5BVUUe8ad-gGMZEKgNYJcbxOCwaI3F7C0l21FlNZxFG73eQ/s848/Spanish%20Wine%20Regions.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="848" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtNqAC3Lbu2qc-oSAhTjXlDib1wMUOhjSXyoxPnliVLsfGEyldzfjhtvORG04YQMhBuBVIOgbxLxJm7AzSGAPXwrnon_wWt4Pd11EV3z_GsU-s5XRd2rl3BN88RJV78NGBUOfsa_UsoO5BVUUe8ad-gGMZEKgNYJcbxOCwaI3F7C0l21FlNZxFG73eQ/w400-h165/Spanish%20Wine%20Regions.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p> Beginning off here, I have to say that even though the wine was rather low in alcohol and I did eat prior to doing this tasting, it, the wine did give me a buzz rather quickly for some reason. This is rather unusual as I review wine pretty often and this is never an issue so just be warned. In the end, I did really enjoy the wine and thought it was a fairly decent representation of the varietal overall. Would I say it was great? No, I would not but, it was definitely okay for sure. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 89 points. So, at $11.99 and the wine tasting as it does and with the ability for one to make certainly out that it is a Sauvignon Blanc, would I say it was good for the pool? Yeah, I would say that your guests would be happy with this wine. Do yourself a favor though, don't attempt to pass this wine off to your wine educated friends as being expensive or sought after as you will certainly make yourself look rather foolish. In the end, it was an interesting experience and I can see potential for the varietal in the country to expand if the industry out there can organize itself. I think the next time I am at the wine store, I will try to find a slightly higher priced bottle of the varietal from Spain and see just how it works out. </p><p> The Desert Wine Guy</p><p><a href="http://www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf">www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf</a><br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos</a></p>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-74662220207053832112022-10-29T14:17:00.000-04:002022-10-29T14:17:06.615-04:002019 Details By Sinegal, Cabernet Sauvignon<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZndkwV5BIep7spms6d-XgL-5MrKf2LYa5KOG1rcyeirpVHMg0OV-uB7A0Gn5Ek3dve2vMtf14sRRMQvFyKSugepn3Grejl1jbl2pST2-doDD2zsiFtQ7Jh5ZcARqTVS36fGWQo-dYj2zFLI9FkX4K5c-D9m0NYTC6LbmSyM0rcOswG8zeQEoisr0eQ/s11803/20220822_160627.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11803" data-original-width="4657" height="659" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZndkwV5BIep7spms6d-XgL-5MrKf2LYa5KOG1rcyeirpVHMg0OV-uB7A0Gn5Ek3dve2vMtf14sRRMQvFyKSugepn3Grejl1jbl2pST2-doDD2zsiFtQ7Jh5ZcARqTVS36fGWQo-dYj2zFLI9FkX4K5c-D9m0NYTC6LbmSyM0rcOswG8zeQEoisr0eQ/w281-h659/20220822_160627.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019 Details By Sinegal, Cabernet Sauvignon</td></tr></tbody></table> How many of you guys have very simply, given up on certain wine varietals priced within the $10-15 range? According to a prestigious wine magazine, the average price paid for a wine in America is $9.99 and that means we are already talking about a price range exceeding that so you would rightfully think we should be expecting a better quality of wine. While I would think that as well, unfortunately my own personal experience is simply not working out like that. While I completely agree that price doesn't necessarily equate to quality when it comes to wine, I think what we are really seeing here more then anything else is the younger generation of wine drinkers beginning to flex their buying power and are therefore influencing the wine market in general? In my humble opinion, this new generation is very obviously leaning heavily towards sweet/jammy reds and oaky/buttery type Chardonnays as I think they either believe these are the characteristics these varietals are supposed to be exhibiting or, they simply haven't developed a discerning palate yet due to a lack of experience and therefore, education. I don't know about you but I for one am so tired of paying $15 for a Cabernet Sauvignon only to get it home and after taking that first sip discovering the wine to be a jammy, blueberry mess. This of course is supposed to be acceptable because the bottle has the word "estate" or "reserve" on the front label. These words equate in some peoples minds to a guaranteed good wine. I myself am part of the older generation where Cabernet Sauvignon had to have notes of spice, leather, cassis, tannins, chocolate & perhaps even some good old Rutherford Dust. As I mentioned earlier, I feel the same way about Chardonnays priced in the $10-15 arena. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ05S6AmS_gWwA2wDcK8PM0wVU7DUlpTbvgsfVtZgI1Vz2QqHaJ4srbzMma3yJyl-m-jjY439p8ns5XznY-DK99Ti6ESOod-wcUgBywUxVxu_mfmgQhw0GvHl6hXXXgwjtskhvzbdHsvjHTJ9Z9AH1fUvI4n3HiGV0q8dzhC4rTkrIoLD7lgWeEMzBA/s1055/Screenshot%202022-10-21%20at%2014-16-15%20Somona%20Valley%20Cabernet%20Sauvignon%20DETAILS%20Wines.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1055" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ05S6AmS_gWwA2wDcK8PM0wVU7DUlpTbvgsfVtZgI1Vz2QqHaJ4srbzMma3yJyl-m-jjY439p8ns5XznY-DK99Ti6ESOod-wcUgBywUxVxu_mfmgQhw0GvHl6hXXXgwjtskhvzbdHsvjHTJ9Z9AH1fUvI4n3HiGV0q8dzhC4rTkrIoLD7lgWeEMzBA/s320/Screenshot%202022-10-21%20at%2014-16-15%20Somona%20Valley%20Cabernet%20Sauvignon%20DETAILS%20Wines.png" width="320" /></a></div>The Chardonnay varietal is supposed to be fresh with notes of nectarine, minerality, moderate acidity and be lively. Chardonnay is not supposed to taste as if I am licking an oak barrel or drinking some sort of oily chemically mess. What to do about all of this is the big question. Today I am going to start an experiment of sorts which means I am going to move up in price in order to try and hopefully get a decent expression of either of these two wine varietals. Will price matter? Well, I don't know but I feel that I have to do something to narrow down a proper price range in order to try to buy a decent wine otherwise I am simply throwing my money down the drain. Hopefully starting with today's wine, I will have a breakthrough of sorts and my faith in at least one of these wine varietals will be on its way to being restored but we will see about that.<br /> Today I am going to be taking a look at the 2019 Details By Sinegal, Cabernet Sauvignon (<a href="https://www.sinegalestate.com/">https://www.sinegalestate.com/</a>). I paid $25 for this wine although it sells normally at the store I bought it from for $29.99. At least from what I have seen online, either price is amazing as I have seen it on line for as much as $50. The bottle is cork sealed as you would expect and the alcohol percentage comes in at what I consider to be a reasonable 14.8%. The wine was aged for 16 months in 55% new French Oak however there is 5% each of both American and Hungarian oak incorporated as well. Keeping it real with you guys as always, I didn't pick this wine, it was actually recommended by the shop owner who has recommended some pretty good wines to me in the past. This time I asked him to recommend a Cabernet Sauvignon for me costing no more then $25 and he immediately went into an unopened box which was sitting under a table filled with other wines and pulled this particular one out.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvQThnZDFdyqrbd-zS4xwvcJFV9WjLgIE1mMby8KwXIiIce-eHek4dlAoM736TDA3E5jQ6pXaIXsAEr2Mts3sEs1n07Tsdo7uFYLudfhRXeSwF7ARfhKOv3RmzNGl9xrfga-1-hUzmSUY5B4Rv7IMhU6P2q0HVZcHVqhpcd7l1tyJRnr6jdb5Y_PISw/s352/Screenshot%202022-10-21%20at%2013-35-47%20SINEGAL-Cabernet-Sauvignon-2019-Tech-Sheet-1.pdf.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="202" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvQThnZDFdyqrbd-zS4xwvcJFV9WjLgIE1mMby8KwXIiIce-eHek4dlAoM736TDA3E5jQ6pXaIXsAEr2Mts3sEs1n07Tsdo7uFYLudfhRXeSwF7ARfhKOv3RmzNGl9xrfga-1-hUzmSUY5B4Rv7IMhU6P2q0HVZcHVqhpcd7l1tyJRnr6jdb5Y_PISw/s320/Screenshot%202022-10-21%20at%2013-35-47%20SINEGAL-Cabernet-Sauvignon-2019-Tech-Sheet-1.pdf.png" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winemaker - Ryan Knoth<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The first thing I saw was the goats head with the human eyes and really was this close to rejecting it but I figured that I would give it a try as the owners track for recommendations won out in the end. The grapes for this wine come from various vineyards in the Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley and Knights Valley and the wine is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Petite Sirah, 8% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. The Vintner/General Manager is David Sinegal while the winemaker is Ryan Knoth. <br /> As far as the label goes, I don't particularly appreciate it....at all as I find it has a negative religious tone. Part of me would like to know the artists intention behind it however the other part has me thinking that I am not really sure I want to know. To be fair here, I have read on one website that the inspiration behind the label was inspired by the following. "The skull label is inspired by the ever-mysterious goat eyes, which are capable of seeing and sensing two things at once. The art conveys the double meaning behind the devil inside. The hieroglyphs tell their own detailed story within the goat’s skull". The label however is not explained on the companies website but whatever the meaning behind it, I think another less divisive design is certainly in order.<br /> I don't normally talk about the color of a wine but here with this wine, I will most definitely make an exception. Dark, deep, ominous, burgundy and.......foreboding. The color of the wine is extremely serious looking and is trying its best (and succeeding) in telling me (screaming to me) that the grapes involved in the making of the wine are of a superior pedigree. Just looking at the color of the wine puts a big smile on my face as I anticipate what is to hopefully present itself as an amazing wine where it counts which is the palate. Yes indeed folks, I have bought into what the color of this wine is attempting to portray.<br /> Let me go ahead now and check out the nose of this impressive looking Cabernet Sauvignon. First up here I should let you know that after just one sniff of the wine, I find myself again smiling as it continues on the nose where its visual appearance left off, it's serious. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7h4vUizklSwZYwHDI51ywfO6ktbeGeS4fNdw-blZrWwsFPr2Fd1or3fca35nBn4p6rK-avZWYgiN6xKxmKcoiIUJP59Th16nbuiYOUr3kIMYLSgLvP8fjVzDHwFErQIsbxlfvu5Nh25ay7_FjQb98VWmfWLMF6JEfw8FwFOYGjUR1d9WYZo17GwzSgg/s2000/z8iz16mvhspeneqkodgf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7h4vUizklSwZYwHDI51ywfO6ktbeGeS4fNdw-blZrWwsFPr2Fd1or3fca35nBn4p6rK-avZWYgiN6xKxmKcoiIUJP59Th16nbuiYOUr3kIMYLSgLvP8fjVzDHwFErQIsbxlfvu5Nh25ay7_FjQb98VWmfWLMF6JEfw8FwFOYGjUR1d9WYZo17GwzSgg/s320/z8iz16mvhspeneqkodgf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Starting off here, the wine pushes out a lovely nose of both spice and blackberry. Ripe fruit notes of both blueberry and plum follow up and come rushing up out of the glass as well. I don't think there is anyone who would put this wine to their nose and not have visions of not only a very serious Cab but a very expensive, very well made and very red fruit filled wine. I simply cannot wait to try this wine guys as taste is after all what really matters in the end.<br /> Onto the palate I go now. Okay, so,first up,the wine as I would expect judging by the alcohol percentage, the wines appearance and its nose, is indeed pretty powerful, pretty robust and finally confirmed, it is very serious indeed. Tannins are not as crazy as I envisioned them to be but they are noticeable, wonderful and do provide a slight coating onto the tongue (I love it). All of this reminds me of an expensive Napa Valley Cabernet from the finest most exclusive vineyards and winery. There is the slightest bit of an alcohol burn as the wine goes down but it is definitely nothing to freak out about and nothing that letting the wine breath for a bit (decant) won't take care of. A top notch ripe and darkish, black cherry note like from the best cultivated tree ever grown is presented here and it is coming across as fresh and thirst provoking. The next note really threw me for a loop as I certainly did not expect it and that was a bit of what tasted like Rutherford Dust folks,....amazing! This "dust" note is really elevating the wine into a zone where it should not be sitting for even $50. Guys, Rutherford Dust? For those you who have ever had the opportunity of actually experiencing this note, you are probably rubbing your hands together for this to end up being a recommended wine in the end so you can go buy it. A nice presentation of delicious French Oak is present and like in any good Cabernet Sauvignon, it is more of a delicious accompanying note rather then a staple (killer) of the wine. For those of you really into expensive Cabernet Sauvignons, you know what I mean here and just how oak can permeate throughout a Cabernet to become some type of monster, (an Oak Monster:) This is not that wine, I promise.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLC4FQCqmHhePc4QQ1rlgIUfHhTdDf3lRKgvLrXzdkK_SaI53ovMYiALpNak2joDjPARuuA8igYtfFnOnAzYytNYISyxfr4iQlCcb6AuXasidbINex5hZI9vydFl1iey-7f8sYKl6Xh9cG63CmUczrMs71tQ8WXFC84AartJmpQdpDnaOm6ivijMoeg/s354/ytjtyhytty.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLC4FQCqmHhePc4QQ1rlgIUfHhTdDf3lRKgvLrXzdkK_SaI53ovMYiALpNak2joDjPARuuA8igYtfFnOnAzYytNYISyxfr4iQlCcb6AuXasidbINex5hZI9vydFl1iey-7f8sYKl6Xh9cG63CmUczrMs71tQ8WXFC84AartJmpQdpDnaOm6ivijMoeg/s320/ytjtyhytty.png" width="193" /></a></div>The amount of oak here in the end is just enough to be effective in letting you know that on one hand, a good percentage of new oak was used and on the other, letting you know it still knows its place. Spice guys, like serious spice.The amount of spice and the ability of the wine to present it in the way it does is nothing short of outstanding! This spice is present throughout the entire wines presentation yet doesn't cause the palate to suddenly be yanked in this direction or that direction. By the way overall palate consistency is very big here and just another great aspect of this wine. Amazingly this spice note has my palate definitely remaining on peak alert for what else is to come. A note of sage is integrated throughout the entire wine as well and it is presented at a point where while you pick it up and while it is ever so slightly forward, you will not have concerns with it being there as it won't take anything away due to its presentation level. This sage note only adds to the wines amazing lively complexity but it is yet another sign of the fact that the wine is absolutely in a class of it's own. Allspice is another note here in the wine and boy is it enjoyable as it meshes so very well with everything else yet at the same time, is allowed to express itself nicely as well. Guys, I have to tell you, the wine is seriously well structured, powerful, totally enveloping my palate and, demanding it take notice of everything it has to offer up. Speaking of offering up, the wine seems to have everything moving along rather nicely and allowing me to taste each note completely and without feeling as if one note could have gone on a bit longer or, that one note was presented too long. Moving on now, ripe plum is just incredible here and it also is this way without dropping in any wine killing jamminess either. This plum is fresh, almost as if you were eating it fresh from the tree yet that incredible Rutherford Dust type note seems to provide a cut of sorts to override it and at just the right point thereby keeping it in check so it doesn't go crazy. I actually can't get away from that dust type note as it seems to control the wine overall but not by power rather it rules more by finesse. Now you would think that the wine would be done at this point but you would think wrong. An amazing cedar note is presenting itself and it seriously works itself into the mix of everything else rather nicely. This wine is impressive to say the least and very much throwing out notes that really show it was made with a lot of talent, thought and yes indeed, with the best grapes. There is amazingly also a palate presence here of almost a crushed rock with a slightly flinty edge as well and it maneuvers into being another of the stunning notes the wine has in its arsenal to impress with. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCB5EfDWrgJO84JVNfjY_MdvmkvcM8715MBFnyVl6ADn4rNdrA_RfHshSeTXXVdhFfU0Km415GBbeu4Qm67jj8BgS0Q88SToEnlgm4cYiGlqGpPcjnbx3vXjdZ3SIyleVg-_p-2_Y46pQUC9znjRKvOAtVfuVCCtiEeG1bs2vUxbawJuGo_SC8TNB9Iw/s1055/Screenshot%202022-10-21%20at%2014-16-15%20Somona%20Valley%20Cabernet%20Sauvignon%20DETAILS%20Wines.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1055" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCB5EfDWrgJO84JVNfjY_MdvmkvcM8715MBFnyVl6ADn4rNdrA_RfHshSeTXXVdhFfU0Km415GBbeu4Qm67jj8BgS0Q88SToEnlgm4cYiGlqGpPcjnbx3vXjdZ3SIyleVg-_p-2_Y46pQUC9znjRKvOAtVfuVCCtiEeG1bs2vUxbawJuGo_SC8TNB9Iw/s320/Screenshot%202022-10-21%20at%2014-16-15%20Somona%20Valley%20Cabernet%20Sauvignon%20DETAILS%20Wines.png" width="320" /></a></div>There is some blueberry present and this is where an ever so slight hint of jamminess does come into play in the wine. Now hold on a minute guys, don't lose hope now because this jamminess while indeed present is right at home here as it provides a needed bit of sweetness to the palate. Keep in mind that I hate a jammy wine, to me there are not many things that can ruin a red wine as quickly as jamminess but as I said earlier, this is NOT that wine, I promise. This slight blueberry jamminess acts like more of a plushness in the wine and comes into play just after the mid-palate and ends up sitting more in the background then anything. This plushness is so super smooth and...well.....yummy that I am in amazement to be quite honest. If you ask me, this is the perfect way to provide an amazing finish to each sip of this wine. Guys....I really can't say enough about this wine and I need to go on just a bit longer because things just need to be said here. As for a couple of last notes, how about some licorice and tobacco notes because they are here and they are good. These notes are usually only tasted in the upper crust of Cabernet Sauvignon wines and to taste them here in this wonderfully priced Cab is truly crazy. Oh, I guess I should tell you about the acidity here in the wine huh? The acidity in this wine comes into play on the finish but that is good because that is where it belongs in this particular wine in order for it to work as it does. The acidity doesn't ruin the finish as it is content being a backup to that blueberry plushness I mentioned. So folks, I am finally done reviewing this wine. Was it amazing? Was it awesome? Was it incredible? I guess you will have to read the conclusion paragraph in order to find out the answer to these questions.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUPJAGkvY8avZgsC0tyoMjB7BVHvcu4pvq9FupdORB7Sfapn65VVEe0-l_F1UEhFv4K7LeV-7duo5gzYak7XiPMep7d9e3u0lzzfpP0B3GbjwqY_5MRcjO3wwkU7CGyHeR6bhLAyTuGc6tetYBGnUFZLMHxZqE7JgrOCTQbiRI-1VAd6SB1XbwpHDIA/s1720/steak-and-red-wine@2x.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1720" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrUPJAGkvY8avZgsC0tyoMjB7BVHvcu4pvq9FupdORB7Sfapn65VVEe0-l_F1UEhFv4K7LeV-7duo5gzYak7XiPMep7d9e3u0lzzfpP0B3GbjwqY_5MRcjO3wwkU7CGyHeR6bhLAyTuGc6tetYBGnUFZLMHxZqE7JgrOCTQbiRI-1VAd6SB1XbwpHDIA/s320/steak-and-red-wine@2x.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Guys, before you go out and buy this wine you should understand something. This is a very serious Cabernet Sauvignon and not one which is interested in playing games. Before you bring it home, you will need a cellar for the other bottles you are going buy as you simply can't leave the store with just one bottle. This is most definitely a wine that was created to sell at a much higher price but for some reason to the wineries credit, is being sold for between $30-$50. This is a wine that was designed to sit on a restaurant table in areas such as Wall Street or at a dinner for dignitaries. I don't believe that I have ever had a wine that put out so very much and all without any palate conflict that would demonstrate some sort of unbalance or offensiveness in it. Throughout the entire tasting my palate was not tugged this way or that way. My palate was quite literally taken control of and that control was done without me fighting it. Brooding and luscious.....there ya go, those are the two absolutely perfect words to describe this wine. So as I finish off this review I have to tell you, this is a sipping wine and not a wine to bring to the pool for a Summer party and enjoy with hot dogs or hamburgers. This is not a wine to break out of the cellar for just anyone either. If you are breaking this wine out there better be a wedding or some other significant event going on and there should be wine educated folks invited. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine 97 points.<br /><br />P.S - So, you would think that this review is already long enough but, there is are a few more things that I need to add. Right now, it is day three that I have been reviewing this wine. Normally if I haven't finished a red wine in two days the rest would typically go down the drain but not here, not with this wine as it was just too good to do that to and I had to try. Here is a short take of the wine on day three. Now mind you, the cork was placed back into the bottle after each pouring for these three days so the wine really didn't have an opportunity to get too much oxygen and therefore oxidize. Thundering! The wine was still rocking the palate and still just as amazingly delicious as it was on day one. What else can I say other then the fact that I will be going to the wine shop and buying another two bottles to put away for a few years as the wine certainly is worthy of aging. One last thing, here (<a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0280/4531/2097/files/2019_DETAILS_Tech_Sheet_Jan_2022_f6ecf1dc-16b3-407e-88c8-6aa90edf3d68.pdf?v=1642626328">https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0280/4531/2097/files/2019_DETAILS_Tech_Sheet_Jan_2022_f6ecf1dc-16b3-407e-88c8-6aa90edf3d68.pdf?v=1642626328</a>) is the Tech Sheet on the wine for those who may be interested.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf">www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf</a><br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos</a><br /><p></p><p></p>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-6621764129867547442022-10-11T14:37:00.001-04:002022-10-11T14:37:24.786-04:002021 Alma Mora, Malbec<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnQgpZxN-tyrMch6sOVthHzV_hr0owqiD4N8vgbdXWYgc-ftvv4sRv6NhJXgdAFg6UMIDCcvUOsawnqOx_e8KyTy3QDJW_IVC5HNL3vzP16WgxlPXSUAUrhspkLU-bsFWI21Jt2TGD-60VeZVPf7tyg82cKBrUR8k5oRaG6z3TX3k6UbBzWn4OZ4EEaw=s11225" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11225" data-original-width="4220" height="945" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnQgpZxN-tyrMch6sOVthHzV_hr0owqiD4N8vgbdXWYgc-ftvv4sRv6NhJXgdAFg6UMIDCcvUOsawnqOx_e8KyTy3QDJW_IVC5HNL3vzP16WgxlPXSUAUrhspkLU-bsFWI21Jt2TGD-60VeZVPf7tyg82cKBrUR8k5oRaG6z3TX3k6UbBzWn4OZ4EEaw=w460-h945" width="460" /></a></div> So, I have a couple of questions for you guys. When you finally are able to break out of drinking your preferred wine varietals, do you often find yourself being disappointed much more then you are pleased? I only ask this question because today I did just that, I broke out of my normal red wine pattern and into a red wine varietal that happens to be one of the most popular wine varietals in America only.....not for me. I guess in all fairness this breaking out doesn't always turn out bad as I did discover my favorite red varietal doing just that which is the Tempranillo varietal. Do you guys do a lot of exploring as far as wine varietals go or do you prefer to stick with a few safe ones? I really do want your thoughts on these questions as I need to see if I am just weird when it comes to this aspect of wine drinking or if my feelings are common. <br /> Alright wine lovers, let's talk about this wine I am reviewing now. Today I am going to be taking a look at the 2021 Alma Mora, Malbec (<a href="http://www.fincalasmoras.com/en/almamora/">http://www.fincalasmoras.com/en/almamora/</a>). Here is another wine that I bought at my local supermarket, I paid $10.99 for it and the bottle is cork sealed. The wine comes in at a low (for the varietal) 12.5% alcohol and is 100% Malbec.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXbWBLo0uA_8Dck-kAjJLmVvQaUZUOZtZGpwSlH7s_oUN10PAqIFdVkqZQy3ZF1rFWDFWCUdS42cqSAaojNBJ5MzhybcVGCIUmEUsFnu1riY9ZiiNrCpkF9tLdgh-81JEiAoO8v1u9IXWUlh4jfpbU7cXsfBmCL_ViKvjx7hcov2eLbAvZngYud8-cA/s1191/Malbec.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1191" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXbWBLo0uA_8Dck-kAjJLmVvQaUZUOZtZGpwSlH7s_oUN10PAqIFdVkqZQy3ZF1rFWDFWCUdS42cqSAaojNBJ5MzhybcVGCIUmEUsFnu1riY9ZiiNrCpkF9tLdgh-81JEiAoO8v1u9IXWUlh4jfpbU7cXsfBmCL_ViKvjx7hcov2eLbAvZngYud8-cA/s320/Malbec.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Let's move onto the label now and see what is going on with it. One thing you guys should know is that I hate narrow wine bottles. I hate them so much that when I put the picture of these wine bottles at the beginning of the reviews, I often widen them just a bit :) Well, along with a narrow wine bottle of course usually comes a narrow label as well and I dislike that almost as much. As for a few positives, I do like the fact that there is very little on the label as I think that cleanness portrays a sense of classiness. What I find really cool is the fact that the black dots on the label are all raised and I think that not only took a bit of extra money but thought as well. Overall, I think the winery did a decent job here.<br /> Now for the nose of this wine, there really is none and that is not just coming from me but three other people as well.<br /> Let's get into the palate now. Starting off here, red plum presents itself throughout the wines palate presentation and to me, it is not presented in a common way in as far as it's weird forwardness is concerned. As I was working on this review, I found myself having rather mixed feelings on how I felt concerning what I was actually tasting as far as the plum goes. I had no problem identifying what fruit I was tasting but rather how that fruit was tasting. To me, the red plum had a weird, funky taste and was too dominate overall which caused it to be rather out of place. Whatever the reason, I definitely did not care for how it came across. There is a very light tang of sorts that is present in this wine and I am not a lover of it either, it seems again to be out of place and just.....weird. Another weird thing about the wine is that it fluctuates.....changes things up at what seems to be almost every sip. One minute it is okay and the next it is not. There is a dry spice the wine presents but unfortunately I'm not feeling it either, I simply don't like it and the wine seems very disjointed on top of all of this. The wine also presents an overall dryness that slightly compounds all of those unlikable notes thereby making the entire wine taste and therefore rate really badly in my book. There was a slight black berry note that began pretty nicely but runs smack dab into the other notes that I mentioned and they just make this black berry kind of useless as they kill the entire wine for me. Look guys, I could go on for a little bit buy why should I ? It is time to get to the conclusion paragraph.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXYf5pQTBXPLcMshi-QeIG_KLi2Ibh953B8gSXTxvl-cXb8FPNONUJK9h9t9drcmjrTIQsRYqha89xMzfFHtzdXByI2fQBBShXkvqxXMhzGgZYNPxV9ap1YXqA_wk76lLya8TqW2aDCVO8xxjJEjPI9O8B6eA_7jYH-f84cmcM35jRcW4KIiqo2IZhA/s1280/1280px-Malbec_grapes.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXYf5pQTBXPLcMshi-QeIG_KLi2Ibh953B8gSXTxvl-cXb8FPNONUJK9h9t9drcmjrTIQsRYqha89xMzfFHtzdXByI2fQBBShXkvqxXMhzGgZYNPxV9ap1YXqA_wk76lLya8TqW2aDCVO8xxjJEjPI9O8B6eA_7jYH-f84cmcM35jRcW4KIiqo2IZhA/s320/1280px-Malbec_grapes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Right up front I will give you the Desert Wine Guy rating which is 85 points. Would I but the wine again. The answer is absolutely not, I would not. The wine was a mess and was just all over the place. At times it would start off good but almost immediately it would turn offensive. At other times it would start off bad and remain consistently disjointed. I'll end this review like this. The wine is a waste of grapes, stay away from it.<br /><br /><br />www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/<br /><br />www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf<br /><br />https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos<br />The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-16939963669981476072022-07-26T13:20:00.002-04:002022-08-18T09:38:25.025-04:00Meiomi, Pinot Noir (Non-Vintage)<p> </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFm6P7mYAPt_gg5-qtpIbO0GBsLju8bP8E44mUikRjhf0lfUnvxEzHbzK10UVoWCp9E0K5bKJtb1O5UwW-Ges4MxD34uiYj38pTfAgfLYDM74QwHgRHmC7jRshCGn4mYkEcRKSmPIPkgYwj4XyqGaEzkEX5Rg8y5rxsLHWO0o-imSF_bq9rx2boSQ7WQ/s11372/20220724_160440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11372" data-original-width="5379" height="709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFm6P7mYAPt_gg5-qtpIbO0GBsLju8bP8E44mUikRjhf0lfUnvxEzHbzK10UVoWCp9E0K5bKJtb1O5UwW-Ges4MxD34uiYj38pTfAgfLYDM74QwHgRHmC7jRshCGn4mYkEcRKSmPIPkgYwj4XyqGaEzkEX5Rg8y5rxsLHWO0o-imSF_bq9rx2boSQ7WQ/w322-h709/20220724_160440.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meiomi, Pinot Noir (Non-Vintage)</td></tr></tbody></table> So I was doing a lot of work outside in the garden today and I asked Mrs. Desert Wine Girl if she would order me a bottle of Pinot Noir and have it delivered to the house. Before she even ordered, I just knew the wine she was going to get as it is pushed heavily by the wine store I normally order from. Since I was outside anyway, I ended up meeting the person delivering the wine when she pulled in. When I pulled the wine out of the bag I was not surprised that I was indeed correct, it was indeed the wine I expected. I have actually never tried any wine from this particular winery before and the reason is that I just get a bad feeling whenever I see the bottle. I get a gut feeling that I really will not enjoy what is inside the bottle. I know that is weird but....it's just a gut feeling I have and I usually go with my gut. Well anyway, let's get into this review and see if my gut is right.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglI7DFtb_MInuXdnn0nfbOaXPV24toJ63KYL4BpN76xt7xEZijOeyLV7YnX-65jjjWzntOINSOyx5BbVpWwO1iDYRhZLSqRRpWL9x89QaFXfqMvkEVt3d9nH7fv8jTmUOA2HIZRvb-56OIIYmNm2Nfn7lJHmCNbjEPgB5GCv9_6aBwDRrsFbU1awrbAg/s2048/Grape_near_Sancerre.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglI7DFtb_MInuXdnn0nfbOaXPV24toJ63KYL4BpN76xt7xEZijOeyLV7YnX-65jjjWzntOINSOyx5BbVpWwO1iDYRhZLSqRRpWL9x89QaFXfqMvkEVt3d9nH7fv8jTmUOA2HIZRvb-56OIIYmNm2Nfn7lJHmCNbjEPgB5GCv9_6aBwDRrsFbU1awrbAg/s320/Grape_near_Sancerre.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinot Noir Grapes Hanging On The Vine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> Today I am going to be reviewing the non-vintage, Meiomi, Pinot Noir. I paid $18 for this wine and it is screw cap sealed. The alcohol percentage of the wine comes in at 13.7%<br /> Taking a look at the label now, yeah....still bad feelings galore. I mean, the label is nice and does represent the liquid inside as a nice red wine don't get me wrong, but I just can't shake the feeling that the wine inside is ......bad. Other then that feeling, the label does work very nicely so no complaints here.<br /> As far as the nose of the wine goes, I am getting notes of richness and mushroom with some slight sweet cherry as well.<br /> Now....onto the palate. As I taste the wine I get a sweet note, a really big sweet note. Intermixed with that very sweet note is one of mushroom which is to be expected as this is one of the notes Pinot Noir is known for. Did I mention that the wine is very sweet? Yeah, it is sweet. There is a note of cherry and what tastes like prune here as well and they don't help the wine do anything positive. By the way, these two notes are both overwhelmed by that constant, terrible sweetness and that prune note is really weird to be tasting here. Adding to all of this, the wine tastes as if it actually has a slight viscosity of sorts to it and yeah...... Anyway guys, I have tasted enough and I will go ahead and let you know that this so called Pinot Noir is a big mess. I am getting nothing positive here to talk about as the wine is also extremely limited in the notes it throws out. Having said this, I can't go on guys, I am sorry. I will see you in the next paragraph where I will wrap this short review up.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignH5zyR-1CyrtI0e839_zF4P4Lt2UKWATB8OhESOvduGLXptPj_kQrA9eRvCWAxiYYkxi7xwXy6bGoLOqve8kAFSSeNe1AbpMbLAghvODGbYDxAfUcr2qxgqpE9MjI72S69Rs8Pspbo3U-wvzhJpENSqNOtjV4TewLxJTz6FsPha9oY1n2CVsFuArFQ/s1277/Pinot_Noir.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="1277" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignH5zyR-1CyrtI0e839_zF4P4Lt2UKWATB8OhESOvduGLXptPj_kQrA9eRvCWAxiYYkxi7xwXy6bGoLOqve8kAFSSeNe1AbpMbLAghvODGbYDxAfUcr2qxgqpE9MjI72S69Rs8Pspbo3U-wvzhJpENSqNOtjV4TewLxJTz6FsPha9oY1n2CVsFuArFQ/s320/Pinot_Noir.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinot Noir Tasting Profile<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> Okay so....guys....I really did try to be non biased with the tasting of this wine. I mean I even let two other people taste it in my home and they both agreed with me that the wine sucks, it was disgusting! Guys, this wine cost 18 dollars, that's 18 dollars for a non-vintage Pinot Noir! I think that I would have enjoyed Barefoot more then this wine and it is a heck of a lot cheaper. I really did expect a lot more from this wine but what I got was a heck of a lot less then I could ever imaging. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am rating this wine a "sink cleaner". I am now going to take the bottle and dump the liquid down the drain but not the sink as that would be too good for it. This wine is headed down the toilet drain. This is the worst wine that I have ever tasted. <br /><br /><br />www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/<br /><br />www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf<br /><br />https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos<br />The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-50703503523094128882022-06-22T12:01:00.004-04:002022-06-22T12:10:01.817-04:00The Desert WIne Guy - 2019 Crestwood Barrel Riesling<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JnAobj3wdmkcx-luDRWM1v0FyXK7GZhkYbek1LYzipaTbSyq0leLZNIz4kTjOwaund-3oFBY7LsnBsCZ8Z-s1uUPEl3mSvlDiLsMxldC6Yk3PQCk8VSxDrV6SDA93GxvndefHlrWTFjF-gF1p8TmNgLoykqmu-AwPM3f-J2TBo0s82d81sJtB3r9Gg/s4032/20201116_162239.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1908" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JnAobj3wdmkcx-luDRWM1v0FyXK7GZhkYbek1LYzipaTbSyq0leLZNIz4kTjOwaund-3oFBY7LsnBsCZ8Z-s1uUPEl3mSvlDiLsMxldC6Yk3PQCk8VSxDrV6SDA93GxvndefHlrWTFjF-gF1p8TmNgLoykqmu-AwPM3f-J2TBo0s82d81sJtB3r9Gg/w300-h727/20201116_162239.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019 Crestwood Barrel Riesling</td></tr></tbody></table><p> What did I do today? Well, I had the pleasure (not) of going to Home Depot and dealing with a very happy (once again, not) cashier. Oh what a joy this women was to ......talk to (at). She was so much of a joy that when I left the store I realized ya know, it really is true, you do get the best answers talking to yourself. Why am I here in the first place you ask? Ya see, there I was, on my knees in the garden with sweat dripping down on top of my sweat (it was humid), with mud and soil all over my hands and up to my elbows. Every once and a while, I would I would have the pleasure of looking up to see that there were some beautiful rain clouds headed my way. Unfortunately, lately that is all I have been seeing in my part of Freedom Florida, beautiful clouds as the rain has been avoiding my area. Suddenly, what seemed out of nowhere, I realized that I was about to run out of drip irrigation heads and I needed them. In a hastily made decision, off to the computer I went, to re-buy a pack of 100 for $19 as well as a few other connectors and miscellaneous irrigation items. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfYlp265VK7pzZYEoJ8zI_POYUsCBjG-J0nMXWOR29TOZRdPX8Fbx7Z1KRAGoEBGwRBPogbfFHlioWjbaAK4iiy9CsKTw0psJv2KBxS_STUoEeLJK6_iot1XQLfTVhY1GezLYY6H_91Qit0wGVcYVTAwhGqlX_D0Zcsa147JZ7w3lxIEXxbko1N0LMg/s700/Mosel%20Germany%20Riesling%20Wine.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="700" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfYlp265VK7pzZYEoJ8zI_POYUsCBjG-J0nMXWOR29TOZRdPX8Fbx7Z1KRAGoEBGwRBPogbfFHlioWjbaAK4iiy9CsKTw0psJv2KBxS_STUoEeLJK6_iot1XQLfTVhY1GezLYY6H_91Qit0wGVcYVTAwhGqlX_D0Zcsa147JZ7w3lxIEXxbko1N0LMg/s320/Mosel%20Germany%20Riesling%20Wine.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosel Germany Riesling Wine</td></tr></tbody></table>About five minutes later I realized that I could not (didn't want to) wait the 3 days it would take to get them so, what to do now? Take a twenty minute drive over to the dreaded Home Depot, that is what to do. Guys, $30 for 20 drip heads folks, yes, that's right, $30 for 20 as opposed to $19 for 100 on Amazon. Remember, I needed (wanted) these drip heads now and so I had no choice but to cancel the Amazon order of the same product which is made in the same country (China) and to not only deal with overpaying for the same product at Home Depot but had to deal with the fact that I couldn't even support an American business. Luckily, as a consolation, I decided to make myself feel better and review a Riesling. Would this wine brighten my day? That's a good question, so let's see just how this worked out for me.<br /> Today I am reviewing the 2019 Crestwood Barrel Riesling which is from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. I bought this wine at Aldi's and paid $7.99 for it. The wine is sealed with a cork and comes in at 13% alcohol.<br /> Looking at the label now, I actually like it. Where the ram on the label came from I don't know but I think the graphics were well done and really seems to fit the rest of the label nicely. I like the size as well as the font for "Crestwood" as well as all the other fonts of the other words. The Script used on the wines varietal is a nice touch as well and are well placed.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpZR_wM2NolCG3GI0KkgzogjEQ-YBV300z1XsP03qZeRX6wzqIYSGoT7YEpePlQLZ2fRFHF1hkzRGR2vYk9s6e5cgK8_JVUjfVsDSrxsTVxkbtrhyzbyWAAoeXEDTGdxoUIwQR4NlrQslLd_gxEH9y3E-RZqlHZwmB7_gIqHD6bHXstvFSLGsIi1q-g/s1200/Riesling_grapes_leaves.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpZR_wM2NolCG3GI0KkgzogjEQ-YBV300z1XsP03qZeRX6wzqIYSGoT7YEpePlQLZ2fRFHF1hkzRGR2vYk9s6e5cgK8_JVUjfVsDSrxsTVxkbtrhyzbyWAAoeXEDTGdxoUIwQR4NlrQslLd_gxEH9y3E-RZqlHZwmB7_gIqHD6bHXstvFSLGsIi1q-g/s320/Riesling_grapes_leaves.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riesling Grapes on The Vine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> Let's discuss the bouquet of this Riesling now. Honeydew and honeysuckle.....yep, that is definitely what I am picking up here. While there is a limited bouquet display, I can tell you that I am getting the impression that this is gong to be a very tropical and fruit forward white wine with a decent amount of sweetness to it as well.<br /> As I get to the palate now, I need to let you know that those bouquet notes I picked up definitely transfer over here and they are as expected, upfront and not shy about being there either. Those two notes also bring a super juicy tropicalness to the wine here on the palate and it turns out that juicy tropicalness is what this wine is indeed all about. At first, the wine left me with almost a slight palate feel of almost a peach/orange blossom type, sweetish nectar palate perception as it spread out across my tongue. In the beginning, I kind of sat back in my chair for a second as I really had to take this in because I was waiting (hoping) for the rest of the wine to "kick in". I have to admit, I did find it sort of.....weird and it kind of threw me off for a second or two. Luckily, the wine continued on and that nectar perception kind of lessened up a good bit and the rest of the wine did indeed, kick in. The wine continued to show itself off by presenting a unique note of a quick zippiness of sorts which itself lasted about two seconds and honestly again really caught my attention as well as I found it to be a sort of momentary shift, a distraction of sorts away from just tropicalness and into another direction. The wine wasn't done though as almost immediately and in keeping with the tropical theme, that peach note came on again only without the sense of nectar and seemed to latch onto that zippiness and wow guys, they get along so well. Have no fear folks as the wine was not harmed in any way by the abundance of a peach note. Another note that is intermixed here but also makes its presence known is that of orange blossom.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguIsjpTg8k6jmhP1tgd-4SN4D_Qagu-7QxjKiCtFGBWcNoQddV3lfDAWczuV7Ux9_rJ-S-mb4H1xw-ESCevKgsAJvtTpEU81g6_cxalbzPRqsXIFejVJQAY1U8OXNsYgqX4b4SmntVczDaaQw_M6t-Y2ajx62LAthwC86c7LAiePFJ2QgQQvnm8zL8g/s1650/Riesling.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguIsjpTg8k6jmhP1tgd-4SN4D_Qagu-7QxjKiCtFGBWcNoQddV3lfDAWczuV7Ux9_rJ-S-mb4H1xw-ESCevKgsAJvtTpEU81g6_cxalbzPRqsXIFejVJQAY1U8OXNsYgqX4b4SmntVczDaaQw_M6t-Y2ajx62LAthwC86c7LAiePFJ2QgQQvnm8zL8g/s320/Riesling.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riesling Palate Characteristics<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I know I mentioned a combo type note earlier but this is different because the nectar note had clearly faded to a good extent which allowed both the peach and orange blossom note to stand on their own and really shine through. This standalone peach is a note which was almost hidden now and took a second to identify, at least for me anyway as I wasn't expecting it ti come back as it did. Once you do pick it up though, you see how it influences the rest of the wine in a subtle type of way. Now I have to tell you about a complaint I have with the wine and that complaint is that it is a bit over the top as far as sweetness goes. That nectar note was my first warning and I was alarmed a bit as it left a sweetness which spread across the wine and that did cause me some concern that I was never really quite able to overlook. Okay, so, Coming along next and at the same presentation level is a green apple note which is light yet certainly enough to be tasted and appreciated. Somewhere in this mix is some Meyer Lemon but you really have to sit back and investigate what you are tasting which I am not sure the average consumer (not my wine guys) will want to do. I know I was prompted to look into this note as it really bothered me that I couldn't at first get it. While it took me some thought, it was worth it. Following all of this up is a bit of nectarine which comes in at the same time as that apple. This is also a note that is ever so slightly more able to be picked up for the inquisitive wine drinker but nonetheless seems to make its mark here on the wine as well. Okay guys, you now have this review as it is indeed completed. Let's move onto the conclusion paragraph and wrap it all up.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62VBSXndkqTWjAP9XQ2JQgxqwHxR8ekPF3ehhWHq25REWKPK8f79r5ZZqZpNQgnmAqkNmBR4DwlzZjbey2ggQruIneCDBGgPxN8Ktn-XUHN1Jm7c6NCGqQCUlCR_VPk_RovAsRyGjYoSGd7Ukyeo3cJ-h82eDS9WOv2SyUMxXOqfWOVPojL75HhquvQ/s980/riesling_white_wine_01.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="980" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62VBSXndkqTWjAP9XQ2JQgxqwHxR8ekPF3ehhWHq25REWKPK8f79r5ZZqZpNQgnmAqkNmBR4DwlzZjbey2ggQruIneCDBGgPxN8Ktn-XUHN1Jm7c6NCGqQCUlCR_VPk_RovAsRyGjYoSGd7Ukyeo3cJ-h82eDS9WOv2SyUMxXOqfWOVPojL75HhquvQ/s320/riesling_white_wine_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your Glass Being Poured<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> Now that we are at the conclusion paragraph I will tell you that I wish the wine had a tad less sweetness to it. This sweetness certainly does have to be reflected in the final score this wine receives. As a positive, a big positive, I hope that I have convinced you that this is the ultimate Summer pool wine because it definitely is. I don't think there will be anyone who will complain about drinking this wine, wherever they are and whatever stage of wine exploration they may currently be in. If you gave me a glass of this at a pool I would be very happy. I bet you could even pass this wine off as way more expensive then it is just be careful you don't have any wine "experts" floating around on a raft when you do that :) On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 92 points.<br /><br /> The Desert Wine Guy <br /><br /><a href="http://www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/">www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf">www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf</a><br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV">https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos</a><br /><p></p>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-47271066550327323262022-06-01T15:43:00.300-04:002022-06-04T14:40:29.947-04:00The Desert Wine Guy - 2020 Clean Slate, Riesling<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0ecmTUM-qDvnsogDlzbICHUMYHAvXdle3u-Bp7ARa76DdgNeREDYEo9EgpRAFb48WY17JeY9uIkv-E9d7TxNvxUtP0Hin_g9PWr4q37wz9oaXJ4L00IYHIMZGlg2pukyDZtYRklo8rHZ3s93s_Ty5TpG9AKakmBRuVFFfPar1f69ZIyrF7PsdVmX7A/s11609/20220501_160515.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11609" data-original-width="4524" height="864" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0ecmTUM-qDvnsogDlzbICHUMYHAvXdle3u-Bp7ARa76DdgNeREDYEo9EgpRAFb48WY17JeY9uIkv-E9d7TxNvxUtP0Hin_g9PWr4q37wz9oaXJ4L00IYHIMZGlg2pukyDZtYRklo8rHZ3s93s_Ty5TpG9AKakmBRuVFFfPar1f69ZIyrF7PsdVmX7A/w398-h864/20220501_160515.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>2020 Clean Slate, Riesling<br /></div><p> Today it is a beautiful 84 degrees here in "Freedom" Central Florida and all I can quite honestly think about is the pool and of course, this wine here in front of me :) While you guys may find it hard to believe me when I say this, I normally don't find the humidity here in Central Florida to be all that crazy or overwhelming. I did say normally right? <span style="font-family: inherit;">Besides</span> when it comes to the garden at least, I always believe and say, "if you're not sweating, your not in the garden" and since I love being in the garden, sweating is good :) Today however, I do have to admit, it does feel a bit rough out here for some reason but that's okay because today is a well deserved day off from the garden and so staying "cool" and "clean" are the words of the day. With the weather being what it is, what better wine to enjoy then what will hopefully be a nice Riesling? While I usually don't review Rieslings, it doesn't mean I don't enjoy them as I certainly do. I normally stay away from the varietal because I always feel as if I am drinking my sugar rather then eating it. As a rule I stay away from sugar anyway and those of you who feel the same way can probably understand where I am coming from here. Besides, if I was going to have some sugar, I would rather have a piece of chocolate cake then a couple of glasses of wine. Hopefully this wine will at least be good and therefore be some consultation for my indulgence. As a final note here, I don't exactly know why but I am really excited to taste this wine for some reason so let's go ahead now and see exactly how the wine is as I get into this review. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5atAoryEq9GNPXDoG8clHpDqtyTLSP3AtcpKw0u0pcce0zKHkazY1qT6GG57CccdyffZnhVJ6V7EXf80l7zHCwgwgvEYvz57vZNNXlh3_81Pm1zZ9d9nsd68A2rNAfFij1SZZRwnpC_ePfKta5Gh0qvLPzeTnsRezLUuckC03hEdo8ok-_o_yutXAQ/s1200/Dominik-Meyer-Winemaker.webp" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5atAoryEq9GNPXDoG8clHpDqtyTLSP3AtcpKw0u0pcce0zKHkazY1qT6GG57CccdyffZnhVJ6V7EXf80l7zHCwgwgvEYvz57vZNNXlh3_81Pm1zZ9d9nsd68A2rNAfFij1SZZRwnpC_ePfKta5Gh0qvLPzeTnsRezLUuckC03hEdo8ok-_o_yutXAQ/w400-h266/Dominik-Meyer-Winemaker.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dominik Meyer - Winemaker<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <b> </b>Today I am going to be taking a look at the 2020 Clean Slate, Riesling (<a href="https://cleanslatewine.com/">https://cleanslatewine.com/</a>). This is a wine from the Mosel River Valley of Germany and was bought at a regional big box liquor store here in Florida costing me $10.99. The bottle was sealed with a screw cap and it comes in at 11% alcohol. As far as the producer of this wine goes, I can't find anything. What I have found is that an importer named The Winebow Group (<a href="https://www.winebow.com/">https://www.winebow.com/</a>) is responsible for bringing the wine into America. The winemaker for this wine is Dominik Meyer and the wine is 100% Riesling and was aged for 4 months on the grape skins.<br /> Taking a look at the label on this bottle now, I totally get it. I mean, it is a Riesling and for whatever reason, I don't believe it is a varietal to be taken too seriously. I do like the thin long label design as for some reason as it just goes well with the varietal. I also totally get the drawing of the Slate plates located under the crust of the Earth that represent the soil the grapes were grown in, nice job here.<br /> Let's talk about the wines bouquet now for a few minutes. Green Apple and kiwi are certainly present here on the nose and are not shy in their presentation. A gravely/Slate note is another note that I am picking up here (more reason to love the label) and I am completely in love with this note guys, like really. Before I move on, I have to ask, have you ever smelled something and even though you have never tasted that something (in this case Slate), you already know (or can imagine) what it tastes like? For those of you new to wine if you haven't already experienced this, you will very quickly see what I mean. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BNTz7w14j-amkCA-I2kVMPBwX0c9sqKI0x_KbHIGRMdkxa1bHQ73nEoPPeRrCbhzaay9FbrdyXI4w4B0zF2CtI7iP8X8k3ZxJex_Pexq6BnCfPiFljw0a6jGDGIgF52IMkn_utT3SZZJnu1z6uF5VbqYH1C8rW3R7T_KwhiTPsPBBn9RGXWfnmfEPQ/s1024/Clean-Slate-Riesling-Featured-1024x682.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BNTz7w14j-amkCA-I2kVMPBwX0c9sqKI0x_KbHIGRMdkxa1bHQ73nEoPPeRrCbhzaay9FbrdyXI4w4B0zF2CtI7iP8X8k3ZxJex_Pexq6BnCfPiFljw0a6jGDGIgF52IMkn_utT3SZZJnu1z6uF5VbqYH1C8rW3R7T_KwhiTPsPBBn9RGXWfnmfEPQ/w400-h266/Clean-Slate-Riesling-Featured-1024x682.webp" width="400" /></a></div>For those of you who have been into wine for a bit, I know you already get it. Next up is a White Peach note which comes along and adds a sense of what might very well be a dry, fruity zippiness to the wine yet doesn't appear as if it will be challenging for dominance however it does appear as if it is still going to be effective in adding it's two cents into the overall mix of things.<br /> It is indeed Palate time now. While the bouquet can be amazing (and it is here), what good is it if the wine doesn't taste good? As with the nose, the wine does put out both Green Apple and kiwi here on the palate and these two notes come together as one deliciously presented juicy note. Actually, as I take another sip I want to tell you that at least one great thing about this wine is that the palate is just swarmed by everything all at once which is awesome if you ask me because in the end, it works out incredibly well. As you taste the wine I found that my mouth didn't have time to dwell on any one note in particular as there are many and they come fast. Let me go back for a second and talk about those two notes that I first mentioned with the first one being that Green Apple. This apple is fresh....bright ....juicy and like....really super nice without being too over the top. Now the kiwi is presented in the same way and helps in making this wine robust and maintaining that tropicalness that this wine is exhibiting to a great extent. There is something that I need to tell you now. Yes, I know we are early into the review but I feel compelled to let you guys know if you haven't guessed already and that is, I am already highly impressed with this wine guys. Alright, moving on now, there is some incredibly nice minerality (Slate anyone) expressed towards the mid-palate of this wine and it really causes a nice type of a break from the tropicalness of the wine and the other awesome notes, this is not your average, everyday Riesling.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh054xdO_P1d1tPaMyipd67cbQJ0pBpTu8G1HWkVgWGmqkem0Gb97GjjixXVZKsrK_hqK6Hd1ZTKfJo11VrO0hN47LL-V3miJXFDJo8TV1P5Ac2fWHzC_Qpdh4EPKxQyJtK5y2uPHMFP9Z8vCUR6E1j--18on3bncv7xSQknGKwQbiORmqcTLklPovRkQ/s1200/RZ_IMG_2080.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh054xdO_P1d1tPaMyipd67cbQJ0pBpTu8G1HWkVgWGmqkem0Gb97GjjixXVZKsrK_hqK6Hd1ZTKfJo11VrO0hN47LL-V3miJXFDJo8TV1P5Ac2fWHzC_Qpdh4EPKxQyJtK5y2uPHMFP9Z8vCUR6E1j--18on3bncv7xSQknGKwQbiORmqcTLklPovRkQ/w400-h266/RZ_IMG_2080.webp" width="400" /></a></div>This minerality is nice enough to bring a bit of a dryness along with it as well which I found welcoming. So guys, I have to now let you know that I am not only impressed with the wine now, but I am indeed in love with the wine. Okay, so I am not done here. Guys, how about a Riesling with a spice to it? Would that be something that strikes your interest? If you answered yes then you need to read on.The wine exhibits an amazing spice to it that will not take a back seat to any fruit note. I am not talking about a pepper spice of course but rather one that I really can't find the words for. What this spice brings with it is a sort of "what was that" type effect. The spice and the minerality might as well have been brought up together because they just connect with one another flawlessly. Is spice in a Riesling a good thing or a bad thing you might ask? As you can probably guess, at least in this particular wine, I think it is a great thing. Keep in mind that this spice isn't trying to dominate, only trying to keep up with some of its lighter note friends. Let me go ahead and throw in some lemon which doesn't have it's twang thankfully so the odds of it tweaking the wine towards any sharpness is not good. This lemon is intermixed with everything else and is perfectly presented here guys, seriously. I am getting a hint of apricot here as well but it is an underlying bit. Underlying or not though, the apricot is tasted and again, I really enjoyed it being there for sure. I think what else is really nice here is that the Slate terrain the grapes were grown in really leaves its mark here on my palate. This Slate is what I think adds a mineral note onto the palate that I mentioned earlier and as it is tasted it is a nice slight change of direction for the wine and adds a lot of complexity to it as well. Acidity in the wine is just perfect guys and is yet another note which adds a lot to the wine. I am kind of tempted to say that without this wonderful acidity, this wine be missing a certain something. Acidity is super important in any wine folks and this wine meets that need nicely. If you think that I am done here, think again because next up is some White Peach that transfers over from the nose and again here, it's not fighting to dominate but is simply happily letting you know it is here. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqxfvCLwa3JvU0Wg49lXhJzcC4o_SvHge4OgJ-1gA1efPVCwUSNI3V__0kndZD-hkVHqPESbxkpJV5Se8TuDnaNaMbjO4ct6B1Ny11-6kAL4E8-wAQqwmumvYQv3oKThm5pjJjwGACMJnDwpyxbUyGEy5TLr1oUGAYFPz-hXquqL-FcETZRYuvvRQjQ/s1000/grapes.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqxfvCLwa3JvU0Wg49lXhJzcC4o_SvHge4OgJ-1gA1efPVCwUSNI3V__0kndZD-hkVHqPESbxkpJV5Se8TuDnaNaMbjO4ct6B1Ny11-6kAL4E8-wAQqwmumvYQv3oKThm5pjJjwGACMJnDwpyxbUyGEy5TLr1oUGAYFPz-hXquqL-FcETZRYuvvRQjQ/w320-h320/grapes.webp" width="320" /></a></div>Now with all this tropical fruit being present, I would certainly be remiss if I didn't mention that there is some sweetness to the wine, especially at 11% alcohol. Amazingly, on one hand, the nice crisp sweetness of the wine takes a back seat here yet at the same time, it is a note that you will pick up and actually appreciate. To me, there is the perfect combination of sweetness and other wonderful notes, with those wonderful notes certainly winning out over the sweetness. Keep in mind, this is a low alcohol Riesling and by its very nature, there is some sugar left in it. To me, this is the perfect compromise for those who both enjoy a semi-sweet Riesling and those who do not. So, that is it, this review is done so let's get to the conclusion paragraph and wrap it all up.<br /> As I go to close out this review, I have to just come straight out and say it. This is the best Riesling that I have ever had! Now, admittedly, I don't have a ton of experience with the varietal but I challenge you to tell of a Riesling that you have enjoyed more then this one once you taste it. The wine was super fresh and juicy. Super vibrant, flavorful and presented a surprise of spice as well. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 94 points. Guys, at $10.99, you have no excuse not to buy three bottles. I promise you that with the pool weather coming you won't regret it.<br /><br /> The Desert Wine Guy<br /><br /> <br /><a href="http://www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/"><br />www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf"><br />www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV"><br />https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos"><br />https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos</a><br /><br /><p></p><p></p>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3186073382683662442.post-127893570097180162022-05-01T14:19:00.002-04:002022-05-01T14:21:13.503-04:002015 BV Tapestry, Cabernet Sauvignon<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-f7IbyxbhUZHmT8XquWVpttUpPs7glX1Xf6A4-6sRaKNArXU5O5UYpQyyVCZGxqJhAcD2c_LfR1ITNCmH8tW14L-g-wMrK7sVz0Ltv23duhrMbJa9Ajw_YDk_Q8eImMFqF3MrHAp1SrwJKFlrumVt_sQpexrMZAWkw_zkcDvNfOrxUAcZ9nNGPNUbw/s11855/20220425_162323.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11855" data-original-width="5076" height="756" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-f7IbyxbhUZHmT8XquWVpttUpPs7glX1Xf6A4-6sRaKNArXU5O5UYpQyyVCZGxqJhAcD2c_LfR1ITNCmH8tW14L-g-wMrK7sVz0Ltv23duhrMbJa9Ajw_YDk_Q8eImMFqF3MrHAp1SrwJKFlrumVt_sQpexrMZAWkw_zkcDvNfOrxUAcZ9nNGPNUbw/w356-h756/20220425_162323.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015 BV Tapestry, Cabernet Sauvignon</td></tr></tbody></table><p> Keeping a promise is always a good thing. I made a promise in my last review that I was goint to be making some changes to this wine blog. While it will of course remain about wine, I did promise to incorporate some higher priced wines more frequently. Why the changes? You might ask. Well I very simply felt that they would help the channel and invite more of a diverse audience. For years I have targeted the audience that basically represented me, the average wine drinker and that was it. Today I begin a new era of targeting both the average wine drinker as well as the wine drinker that is slightly above that bracket. I have learned a lot about wine and the industry in the few years I have been doing this Desert Wine Guy thing and I hope you guys have as well with what I share. I think that we deserve to break out of the box we have many times, placed ourselves in. Okay then....let's see what I have to start off this new era of The Desert Wine Guy with.<br /> Today I will be taking a look at the 2015 BV Tapestry, Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine cost me a whopping $70 and its alcohol content also comes in at a whopping 15.2%. The wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot and is aged in a mix of French, American and Hungarian Oak (60% new) for 22 months. So, there I was visiting one of my daughters in Wyoming when her husband and I decided to check out the local big box (ahh yeah, anyway) liquor store which was named Town & Country. While I was there I of course just had to check out some wine that is made in the state but I also had to see what I could find in the Napa end of the wine country as well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcifeAKVSOwb-c7_tz_IpKJ3Biw3H55896O6DKXZIholrVjLSqtJWrFQ893Xbqapeup3_F3iQcrAhbp0tAFqENET-Y7qTLo7tRZazXJh35P3_dzzst_Vs-4cUzUwFkFn3O09Dro1ivozcqztdNYE9G_XuahPtPjVvI0wNzWSgPpqQ3hybqd08rEEsYag/s982/5f11986de5083.image.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="982" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcifeAKVSOwb-c7_tz_IpKJ3Biw3H55896O6DKXZIholrVjLSqtJWrFQ893Xbqapeup3_F3iQcrAhbp0tAFqENET-Y7qTLo7tRZazXJh35P3_dzzst_Vs-4cUzUwFkFn3O09Dro1ivozcqztdNYE9G_XuahPtPjVvI0wNzWSgPpqQ3hybqd08rEEsYag/w400-h214/5f11986de5083.image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>While looking around, I came across this wine and as the BV winery is one of my favorite wineries, and the fact that I had never seen this label before, I had to buy a bottle. Of course I did hear about it from Mrs. Desert Girl for spending so much money, in the end however, it was worth the punishment I received :)<br /> Let's move now to the label on this wine bottle. Like....wow! Like....beautiful. Guys, take a look at the label for yourselves and tell me what you think. Does the word "prestigious" come to mind? Perhaps the thought of a classic Cabernet Sauvignon served at a state dinner where the President (my President) would be seated next to other heads of state comes to mind? Guys, I am really impressed at whomever is responsible for this wine labels creation as major thought and talent went into it for sure.<br /> As far as the wines bouquet goes, black cherry and a brooding darkness of sorts comes across initially. There is a sense of a light plushness as well that comes lumbering through and together these notes are really nice.<br /> On to the palate I go now and I don't mind letting you know that I am really excited to taste this wine as it is after all a BV Cab and certainly represents a highly respected winery from the Napa Valley. Here goes the first sip. Okay...so...first up is a big time and dominate note of briary blackberry which is intermixed with a black luxurious note. It is certainly a presentation that is on the darker side and not (thankful) on the brighter and fruitier side as this after all is supposed to be a serious Cabernet. At first, I was like "wait, what is that I am tasting"? The wine is busy and once I had it all figured out (it took a while) I was really pleased with myself as I was initially banging my head against the wall trying to nail it down. I want you guys to know that there is a bit of bright fruit presented here but don't expect that fruit to dominate the palate or, even come close as the dark notes surround it and dictate just how much this bright fruit can put on display.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgg7ZGeJv-VGrtQSRA_4O-2h_BNxraI_qVvOl_kah-vRUoWv-iMV-wRLfzJSzqEfd-6k6DoOokBpfyE9bHtR7-0voW7jfqSOSlNDhgBtrCshAViotSSvhIe3jv-PuuthjbODyiVMKPdcbCM_ZIDKtNG45lYxVa00gmZVKa0LwqQ8kC_kxS3imwjnimg/s1280/Lisa%20Peju%20(Right)%20&%20Winemaker,%20Sara%20Fowler.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="1280" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgg7ZGeJv-VGrtQSRA_4O-2h_BNxraI_qVvOl_kah-vRUoWv-iMV-wRLfzJSzqEfd-6k6DoOokBpfyE9bHtR7-0voW7jfqSOSlNDhgBtrCshAViotSSvhIe3jv-PuuthjbODyiVMKPdcbCM_ZIDKtNG45lYxVa00gmZVKa0LwqQ8kC_kxS3imwjnimg/w400-h201/Lisa%20Peju%20(Right)%20&%20Winemaker,%20Sara%20Fowler.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa Peju (Left) & Winemaker, Sara Fowler</td></tr></tbody></table>There is a bit of cherry that tries to come forth and it does a fairly good job of that but it also runs head long into blackberry which is still in the end, controlling by a fairly good bit. Tannins, tannins in the wine are certainly noted and while I can't say they were mostly in the background, they were certainly enjoyed. These tannins were not overboard and do show that the wine can go on for a few more years without any worries of the wine being past its time. That 60% new oak the wine sat in for almost two years is noted as well and if that has you shying away from the wine, you should just keep on going because this is not the wine for you. There is a dark depth and dark richness to this wine and when you add the tannins on top of all that, those of you looking for a Cupcake or Yellow Tail version of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal need to truly look elsewhere and quickly. I think acidity really is a major component of this wine and really helps in making it what it is in the end. What is it in the end? Well, it is to early to tell you that now isn't it :) The acidity in this wine is definitely on the forward side but yet not crazy in any way. By the way, what is a great wine without acidity anyway? The answer to that question by the way is, nothing. If there ever were a red wine that deserved the term "concentrated" this would certainly be that wine. As I sat back and thought about what I am tasting, the term "concentrated" really hit the mark and I think it will with you as well. Let me move on now with the fruit note of blueberry but, before I go on, please know that this blueberry is not the cheap blueberry of a sweet "Cupcake" type wine (?) that some (not you) might be use to.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkLIAVb3I3gRjJTL66-P1RY9IFBGy2xBo5wANqnQx_dxC4ZXjBKEc8MtH3-OMFMMXu_h3JSPpe9xvWFF3T70inQxkq1mSwIVe5T7U1dQ6z6-EmKOVEBm89Q-W_sx-ulgq-5Trli3Lwh2hVA1WSvPtauxR_o9lPox76lp7TLwQKxJVHNGun7rPRXfCWw/s1200/Peju-Province-Winery-51.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkLIAVb3I3gRjJTL66-P1RY9IFBGy2xBo5wANqnQx_dxC4ZXjBKEc8MtH3-OMFMMXu_h3JSPpe9xvWFF3T70inQxkq1mSwIVe5T7U1dQ6z6-EmKOVEBm89Q-W_sx-ulgq-5Trli3Lwh2hVA1WSvPtauxR_o9lPox76lp7TLwQKxJVHNGun7rPRXfCWw/w400-h266/Peju-Province-Winery-51.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This blueberry is also another note which is held under deep control as I feel it needs to be in every red wine. This blueberry is almost a mid-palate note and a well positioned note at that. The question here is does this blueberry make a positive impact on the wine. The answer is oh yes, it does. To me, there is a very fine line between an effective blueberry note and a note that brings a wine in the jammy territory and this particular blueberry note is good, avoiding any jammy note worries. What about the alcohol in the wine, is it tasted? Ya know...while it is not tasted, it....feels noted but not in a burn way. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it as I believe it does the wine well. I don't believe that I have ever tasted a wine where the alcohol in it actually worked for the betterment of the wine rather then either remain neutral or work to the detriment of it. How about a nice mocha note? How would that sound here? Well folks, you want it, the wine delivers it. Yummy, that is all I can say when it comes to this note. Well....okay, I'll say more if you insist. This mocha seems to come about midway between the opening and the mid-palate and that is good because this is where it works wonderfully. Not too light and not too deep, this mocha note can't be missed and to me, keeps me thinking that this is a seriously well made, Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon. Sweet spice, oh boy is there a spice kick to this wine. Don't get scared with that word "sweet" as this note goes amazingly well with everything else the wine is throwing out and for the most part, it works. With this wine though, I have to recommend you chill it just a slight bit as the spice can be considered to be ever so slightly over the top. Now keep in mind that I drink red wine at room temperature, I do not put it in the fridge at all. I have always enjoyed my reds like this and have no intentions of changing anything (except if drinking this wine again). Also know that I keep my house at 70 degrees so heat itself is not an issue :) <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSRf3dE3e4QV4PcrRntrLRF_zJc0OUuYAtoLgy_gy0sp7Yry5yWL4l5cr5FFIrSlrSyh0L6KIDxvbWmw_8Km0cGtdldnBPc5w6XGq5Nw7OUlJMMiNm-8oijTCqJoGiFxfFBcCAVavZPIIhx9ss6DXwHtdquFHseDYsiUx9B7YEmvNiNIM2Z2d7TggZg/s600/Tony%20&%20Herta%20Peju.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="593" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSRf3dE3e4QV4PcrRntrLRF_zJc0OUuYAtoLgy_gy0sp7Yry5yWL4l5cr5FFIrSlrSyh0L6KIDxvbWmw_8Km0cGtdldnBPc5w6XGq5Nw7OUlJMMiNm-8oijTCqJoGiFxfFBcCAVavZPIIhx9ss6DXwHtdquFHseDYsiUx9B7YEmvNiNIM2Z2d7TggZg/w395-h400/Tony%20&%20Herta%20Peju.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony & Herta Peju</td></tr></tbody></table>If you chill the wine just a bit, I am sure that spice will be adequately subdued. Guys, that is it, this review is over and it is therefore time to get to the conclusion paragraph to wrap it all up. I will see you there.<br /> So, here we are, at the end of this admittedly rather long review. All I am craving right now is a very serious steak. I'm talking a steak from the finest, grass fed, totally organic cow that has ever been raised. That would compliment this wine just perfectly. This is an old school, Bordeaux type Cab and nothing less. The words seriousness and ominous are well suited as the first two that best describe what I have just tasted. If you enjoy an old fashioned Cabernet Sauvignon, I highly recommend you buy a couple of bottles of this wine because you will drink the first one and be very sorry you can't get hold of another one for the cellar. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am very happily giving this wine 94 points. Last point here. Was the wine worth $70? My answer is, absolutely it was.<p></p><p> The Desert Wine Guy<br /><br /> <br /> www.desertwineguy.blogspot.com/<br /><br />www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy?fref=nf<br /><br />https://twitter.com/DesertWineGuyLV<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ/videos<br /><br />https://www.brighteon.com/channel/thedesertwineguy<br /></p>The Desert Wine Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06688186444816429257noreply@blogger.com0