Wine Reviews For The Average Wine lover

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Sunday, December 24, 2023

The Desert Wine Guy - 2021 Introvert, Chardonnay

Today my German Shepherd puppy (Leonardo) got his first bath. That's pretty big news as he smelled like a ....dirty puppy. I figured that since I was cleaning my bathroom today anyway it was a great opportunity to clean him as well. He is so cute guys. He is a 13 week old, medium haired and he is super smart. He took to healing like he had been trained before but I did get him at 8 weeks old and I know the breeder so I am sure that he was not. He goes to bed at around 8 PM in his crate and sleeps all night without needing to go potty. Amazing can't describe how super well behaved he is, he is truly an old soul. I am going to put a picture of him in this review because he deserves to be seen by everyone. Right now guys it is wine review time so let's do that.

Leonardo

This is going to be a rather interesting review as this wine was being given away for free if you spent $50 or more at the store I went to. Of course as you would expect, I spent that amount plus a bit more and so here we are. Today's wine that is up for review is the 2021 Introvert, Chardonnay. The wine normally costs $12 but as I said, I got it for free:) The bottle is cork (real) sealed which was a surprise to me considering it is from a wine broker that no one probably has ever heard of. I am thinking that in reality, this is bulk wine repackaged but we will soon see. The alcohol percentage comes in at 13.5% and the grapes which are 100% Chardonnay come from California in general. As a last bit of specs on the wine it sat in 70% Stainless steel and 30% oak.

As far as the bouquet of the wine is concerned, it is pretty decent as I do enjoy the smell of rich, fruity white wine. With notes of moderate oak, bruised apple and a lot of that oak caused vanilla, the wine is kind of scaring me a bit palate wise as I am not a lover of the typical American Chardonnay that sits in oak for extended periods of time.

Now as far as the palate is concerned, when I first tasted the wine, I kind of felt let down a bit. I really didn't know what to expect from the wine although I did have an idea. I was really excited to taste this wine but when I did, I ended up getting what I kind of expected. So, what did I get for free? For free I got a Chardonnay that was overwhelmingly dominated by oak, vanilla and baked apple, just as the nose presented. To be quite honest, I got not much else. As a last note, I am picking the slightest bit of a viscosity up here that I truly do not care for at all.

Alright guys, I need to close this extremely short review out by letting you know that a "reputable" wine magazine rated this wine at 87 points which on their scale means "very good". I think that I should let you know that this magazine and I almost never agree as they rate what I consider to be bad wines high and what I consider to be good wines, low. I will tell you straight out that I do not consider this wine to be a good wine. As I thought in the beginning, this is simply a bulk wine repackaged into a smaller bottle and nothing more. Dominated by oak and vanilla, this wine is missing anything compelling, anything exciting or in short, anything worthy of a decent score. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 84 points. While it is barely drinkable, there is nothing positive about it that I can pick out and nothing that would have me buying it if I happened to come across it in the future.

The Desert Wine Guy

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ

Sunday, December 10, 2023

My Review of Naked Wines, Is It A Scam?

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

Putting all of that aside though, the wines themselves that I tasted were coming across as simple jug/bulk wines merely repackaged into smaller bottles, they had no sense of place, nothing giving away where they were from on the palate, and nothing that presented anything more of a thought then "yeah, okay and?" In short, the wines were unimpressive. I received wines which were without vintages (non-vintage) or the labels would simply say "California" or "Oregon" meaning the grapes came from various (anywhere really) places in those states. The lack of a specific AVA or area is usually not the sign of a quality wine. I was really upset at what I was receiving overall guys but I had one more club to check out and that club was Naked Wines. By the time I got to them I had the mindset of, "these clubs all suck" but, I had one more to take for (the team:) To say that I was impressed with what Naked Wines sent me is an understatement so let's get to discussing them now.

SHIPPING - Let's start off here with discussing shipping because what good is wine if you either never receive it or, the bottles that you do receive were damaged or leaked in transit. For so many companies, the shipping costs they charge is used as just another area in which they make profit. I don't know about you but this really pisses me off as the cost of shipping should be just that, the cost of shipping and not an additional way to up-charge the customer.

You made your profit now give me my product! In the case of Naked Wines, they charge $9.99 to ship a case of 6 bottles of wine which is also the minimum you need to order. If the order is $200 or more, the wine ships for free and you can't beat that. Try getting 6 or more bottles of wines shipped to your home from a winery or anyone else for either $9.99 or for free and see successful you are. By the way, if you add more wines you must order in increments of 3. As far as the protection offered to the wines goes, the packaging itself was securely done and just as good as if it were to have been received from any Napa Valley winery. Unless the box was dropped from a decent height, there would be no issues receiving your wine in one piece. The box itself also had a place on each side where you can place your fingers in order to make lifting the box very easy.

VISUAL APPEARANCE OF THE BOTTLES - I don't know about you but I am a label person. Every wine review I do has a paragraph on the label on the bottle. When I opened the box and pulled out the first wine, I was immediately impressed as the label seemed to have been well thought out and without goofy, childish or silly art drawings on them. After I had the opportunity to check out all of the six labels, it was clear to me that the winemakers of these wines took their product seriously and had big time respect for not only their customer base but the industry they were in as well. This was a good sign in my book that the wines might be good. All labels were placed on the bottles straight and none of them were smeared, distorted or, looked as if they were designed as an after thought. Neck labels on the bottles were in great condition and again were not tattered or discolored. As far as any issues with corks protruding or appearing as if they were close to failing is concerned, I had none. All screw caps were sealed properly and none of them were dented or stained.

In short, all six wines I observed appeared to have been stored properly.

CUSTOMER SERVICE - Customer service to me can make or break a company. In this area, Naked Wines has always been top notch. What good is a money back guarantee if you either can't get hold of the customer service department or they either fail to respond or if they do respond, give you a hassle either on returns or other issues you may have.When it came to getting in contact with customer service concerning a particular wine that I didn't like (there were a couple), they responded promptly. Naked Wines does offer a money back guarantee on any wines that you do not like and although rare, I have had the occasion to use that guarantee a couple of times mostly on Chardonnay as I am really hard on the varietal. Having opened a bottle, I just did not like the wine. I immediately emailed Naked Wines and informed them of my dislike of the wine and within a couple of hours I received a very friendly but apologetic email back from them stating that my money was refunded and placed back on my account along with what appeared to be a sincere apology from the employee (company). There was also no questions asked and there was even a time when not only was I given my money back but a credit for a free bottle of wine as well. I have also contacted customer service in order to get more questions answered on a particular wine I was reviewing and they went out of their way to contact the actual winemaker who did get back with me with the answers I needed.

IS IT A SCAM? - There have been people who claim that they were signed up for monthly deductions without their knowledge or permission. Folks...adult folks...if you pay attention and read any offer that you either receive in the mail or see online from Naked Wines, you will very clearly see that you are indeed agreeing to have money come out on a monthly basis. If you don't believe me, go to the Naked Wines website and click on "how it works". Then click on "become an Angel". A big box will drop down and in part say "By clicking "I agree," you agree to become a Naked Wines Angel and to be charged $40 per month on your designated payment method, which you can use for future wine purchases. Your membership will renew automatically each month until you tell us to stop. ". You can also cancel at any time and yes, I have tested their cancellation policy once in the past to see the companies follow through and there were no issues. Those who feel they were misled were clearly not paying attention to what was in writing right in front of them. In my opinion Naked Wines is very transparent about what they do at all times.

COMMUNICATION - Communicating with both the winemakers and other Naked Wine customers is an awesome ability that the Naked Wines website features.

Yes folks, you can actually communicate with the actual winemakers and guess what, they answer. Once you log on to the website and go to the page of the wine you either want to discuss or comment on, you can follow and send questions to specific winemakers as well as customers themselves who bought the wine. Here you can discuss thoughts on the wine and even recommend other wines you might like since you both appear to have the same palate on that particular varietal. There is even the ability to see the winemakers general comments on the wine. I can tell you that from experience, I have contacted winemakers of a particular wine with a question(s) and to my initial surprise, they actually answered. As an example, let's say that you want to find out more or about want to discuss the (delicious) 2021 Matt Parish, Petaluma Gap, Chardonnay (https://us.nakedwines.com/products/matt-parish-petaluma-gap-chardonnay-2021). You simply type in the wine name in the search engine and everything including the ability to order it comes right up. The winemakers actually seem more then happy to engage with customers even if one of them complains about a particular wine they made. By the way, if you do join the club, I very highly recommend you buy a bottle of that Chardonnay.

VOUCHERS - We have all received those vouchers in the mail from Naked Wines but are they real? Are you really getting $100 (or more) off? Yes folks, they are indeed real and yes, you really do get $100 off. Okay so check this out. The wines that I see on Naked Wines are not available anywhere else so to say up front that you are getting any amount of money off let alone $100 does take some thought. Naked Wines gives two different prices when you go to order wines. One price is the "market price" and the other is Angel (a member) price". Market price is the price that Naked Wines believes a comparable wine bought elsewhere would cost. Now as a consumer, it is up to us as individual wine drinkers to determine what a comparable wine would (or should) cost.

From a personal point of view, as a wine reviewer and therefore someone who has tasted a lot of wine, my opinion is that the market price is indeed an accurate assessment of what a comparable wine would cost if bought elsewhere. In conclusion here, yes, I do believe you are getting $100 off.

WHAT WOULD I CHANGE? - Being someone who is deeply interested in wine here is one aspect of Naked Wines that I think needs some changing. Many times (too many times) I have had to send messages to the winemaker asking for more specs on a particular wine. For whatever reason, Naked Wines winemakers do not initially disclose where the grapes are from, the brix (sugar) level of the wine nor do they offer up a "spec sheet". They don't disclose the percentages of a blend they might make nor any information concerning the oak they might use. I would think that with wines selling for up to $70, the company would know that part of their customer base is serious about the wines they enjoy and wants to know this type of information. The most rounded and experienced of the winemakers is Matt Parish and to his credit he has stepped up his game as far as the information he provides on his wines goes. Anyway, as I said, the winemakers to their credit do answer and provide the answers to all your questions.

HOW DOES IT WORK? - When you agree to become an Angel, you agree to have a minimum of $40 a month deducted from your account each month. You even get to pick the date the money comes out. The company says that your money goes into an account that they say they use in order to help small winemakers produce their own wines. Basically in reality you are giving them money to do whatever they want with. This money is always yours and you can allow it to build up until you either want to spend it or, you can use it right away. You place wines in your cart until you have at least six bottles and then you have them delivered for either $10 or for free, that is it. From what I have found out, all of these small winemakers have been in the wine industry but where not making wines in big numbers, or were making them for very small wineries.

Wines start as low as $10.99 as with the 2022 Kruger Family, Unoaked Chardonnay all the way to $70 for the some of the wine that Mr. Matt Parish makes as his wines are out of this world and yes, I can attest to that as I have reviewed not only his 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon - Reserve (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2023/02/2020-matt-parish-cabernet-sauvignon.html) giving it 97 points but at least five other wines as well. As a side note, Matt has worked for such wineries as Beringer and Stags’ Leap Winery and has been running wineries and been on their boards for many years. Aside from varying prices, there are also many different varietals available and from different countries as well.

FINAL THOUGHTS - I want to start off here by telling you that I am in no way working with Naked Wines nor am I getting anything in return for this review other then satisfaction that you my readers get a great deal on wine(s). As a matter of fact, Naked Wines doesn't even know I am doing this review. Without any doubt, in my opinion, I think Naked Wines offers up tremendous value, great customer service, quality wines and, is truly interested in bringing the wine community together providing that wine community all of this at great prices.

The Desert Wine Guy

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ

Sunday, November 26, 2023

So Ya Think Wine Is Healthy?

There are so many (biased) articles that are being put out today about how wine is healthy for you that I felt the strong need to write an article about what the truth really is. While you may think that because I review and enjoy wine I am going to argue that it is good and healthy for you, nothing could be further from the truth. I am actually going into this with the belief that wine is not healthy for anyone as it contains alcohol and alcohol is a poison. Keep in mind here folks as you read this that I have no skin in the wine game as I do not get paid by anyone in any industry (including the hospitality industry) that is related to, affiliated with or, dependent on alcohol in any way shape or form including its delivery. I review wine because I enjoy the product and I like to educate people on it. I also like to let people know my opinions on those wines and on the industry in general so you have a good idea about the subject. With this being said, let's get into this article. Oh, one more thing before I go though. I want to tell you to check out everything that I write here as I do not expect nor do I even want you to just believe what I have to say. I ask that you do your own verification, click on the links that I include, educate yourself because in the end, it is your body and your health, make up your own mind.
Let me start off here by first telling you what wine is. Wine is the juice from grapes, turned (fermented) into an alcoholic beverage. The farmer grows the grapes. The farmer picks the grapes. The farmer has the grapes crushed and the juice extracted.

Yeast is added and the natural process begins. Now, what happens after or in between the natural process and the bottling is up in the air a bit but we will try to educate ourselves as much as we can. While we all would like to think the seemingly easy process of adding that yeast into grape juice would be all we need to think about, there is more involved. According to the chemical and pesticide detection company Chemservice (https://www.chemservice.com/) there are Fungicides, insecticides and miticides used to control diseases and pests in the vineyards. As you can imagine, these agents are not healthy and are actually poisons. You eventually ingest all of these poisons.The following is an example of just some of the items (poisons) that are applied to grapes while in the vineyard.
How about fungicides? Mancozeb is a fungicide used on grapevines and according to this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancozeb) link on Wikipedia,"has potential to cause goiter, a condition in which the thyroid gland is enlarged and has produced birth defects and cancer in experimental animals. ETU has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA". Meptyldinocap is another fungicide used on grapes. According to the website Science Direct (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/dinocap) the fungicide "has been demonstrated to be teratogenic in the CD-1 mouse, causing cleft palate, a dose-related increase in supernumerary ribs, a low frequency of exencephaly, umbilical hernia at high doses, otolith defects, weight deficits in fetuses at term, increased neonatal mortality, abnormal swimming behavior, and torticollis".

   How about Insecticides? Imidacloprid is the most common insecticide used on grapes in the United States. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jennifer-sass/nrdc-epa-red-flags-imidacloprid-health-risks) "Reported adverse effects included skin irritation and rashes, numbing and tingling on fingers and lips, facial numbness and swelling, lethargy and nausea." The website also goes on to say "A study by NIH (National Institute of Health) -funded researchers from the Universities of UNC Chapel Hill and UC Davis (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922790/) reported that frequent exposure (self-reported by parents) to imidacloprid applied as flea and tick treatments for pets (Advantage by Bayer) during pregnancy was associated with an up to four-fold elevated risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.9) in prenatally-exposed children."
   What about Miticides ? Mites are little spiders and they can cause a lot of damage to a vineyard. According to the EPA, (https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/reregistration/fs_PC-097601_18-May-10.pdf) propargite "...is classified as a probable human carcinogen...". fenbutatin oxide is another agent used to kill mites and according to the chemical company "Cameo, the stuff is toxic and "inhalation, ingestion or skin contact with material may cause severe injury or death".
   Now you would think that this certainly is more then enough crap that makes its way into something as simple as wine but wait...there's more.
What about sulfur dioxide or simply, sulphites? Yes folks, that headache causing stuff is used as a preservative in wine although a small amount does occur naturally. According to the site Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sulfites-in-wine), sulfites can not only cause headaches but "...hives, swelling, and stomach pain". According to the site, The Spruce Eats (https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-wine-sulfites-3511277), sulphites are added "to protect and preserve the wine's character, flavor, and color". Sulphites also slow down the process of a wine changing color.

The same website goes on to say "people with asthma are in the most susceptible category. Signs of sulfite sensitivities include nasal congestion, headaches, skin flush, broncho-constriction, nausea, abdominal pain, and dizziness."
   What about sugar? Yes folks, there are some producers who add sugar or according to the website Wine Folly (https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/) sugar rich grape concentrate to their wines. I assume that I don't have to tell you how dangerous sugar is so I won't get into it here. Yes, most times, the sugar is eaten up by the yeast but there are wines that add additional sugar to make the wine sweet and that sugar remains in the finished product.
   What about stabilizers? Stabilizers such as Acetaldehyde. According to the website Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/science/acetaldehyde), Acetaldehyde is " used as a starting material in the synthesis of 1-butanol (n-butyl alcohol), ethyl acetate, perfumes, flavourings, aniline dyes, plastics, synthetic rubber, and other chemical compounds. "According to the CDC (https://blogs.cdc.gov/cancer/2018/04/02/3-weird-things-about-acetaldehyde/), Acetaldehyde can "cause cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. (https://publications.iarc.fr/122)". How about Dimethyl Dicarbonate? According to the National Library of Medicine (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Dimethyl-dicarbonate), Dimethyl Dicarbonate is "flammable, corrosive, an acute toxic and an irritant.
    What about resveratrol? Now I want to talk about something that the wine industry has latched onto in the last few years and uses heavily when they try to tell you (or sell you) that wine is healthy. There is a natural plant compound/antioxidant named resveratrol. Yes, resveratrol has indeed been shown to help with the heart as well as circulation.

To me, there is no doubt that the compound itself is amazing as far as the benefits to your body that it provides. According to WebMD (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-307/resveratrol) "Resveratrol is a chemical mostly found in red grapes and products made from these grapes (wine, juice)." According to the same site Resveratrol can help in "expanding blood vessels and reducing blood clotting. It may also decrease pain and swelling, reduce levels of sugar in the blood, and help the body fight against disease." While all of this sounds great, there are questions that need to be asked such as how much resveratrol do we need in a day? How much is beneficial? How much does a glass or two of red wine provide? Can we get it without drinking wine? The answer to the first question is there is no recommended daily allowance for resveratrol. Here are some studies done as far as how much resveratrol is beneficial to our body. and how much (or little) wine actually contains. According to the website News Medical Life Sciences (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231025/Red-grape-polyphenol-resveratrol-a-multifaceted-therapeutic-powerhouse-under-review.aspx), tests were conducted and people taking a dose of between " 20 to 600 mg daily for three to 84 days raised serological non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, reduced the weight of cholesterol and lipid in atherosclerosis-associated plaques and lowered serological TC/HDL-C levels in individuals with coronary heart disease." "Sixty to 300mg daily of resveratrol promoted flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) among hypertensive women and individuals with higher levels of LDL-C and lowered diastolic-type blood pressure." Resveratrol in 250 mg daily doses for 90 days reduced glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure, total protein, and TC levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Even 5.0 mg two times a day for 30 days of the drug decreased insulin and glucose levels and delayed post-meal glucose increases.

According to the National Library of Health (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24731650/) "Subgroup analyses indicated that higher-dose of resveratrol consumption (≥ 150 mg/d) significantly reduces SBP of -11.90 mmHg (95% CI: -20.99, -2.81 mmHg, P = 0.01), whereas lower dose of resveratrol did not show a significant lowering effect on SBP". Just so you know, a standard glass of wine is 5 oz and contains ....According to the website Livestrong, "https://www.livestrong.com/article/411745-how-much-red-wine-do-you-need-to-get-enough-resveratrol/) "Red wine contains at most 12.59 mg resveratrol per liter, so to get 500 mg daily, you'd need to drink almost 40 liters of wine daily. "For our last bit of information on resveratrol, there are many different foods that contain resveratrol. According to the website Livescience (https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html) red grapes, peanut butter, dark chocolate and blueberries are " are good sources of resveratrol". Keep in mind here that a glass or two of red wine does not contain anywhere near enough resveratrol to make any difference in your health. As a matter of fact, according to the website Livescience (https://www.livescience.com/39125-foods-good-sources-resveratrol.html) " The amount of resveratrol found in one glass of wine can range from 0.2 milligrams to 2.0 mg, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. While 250 mg may seem excessive, it's not uncommon for resveratrol supplements. to include as much as 900 milligrams of resveratrol." It would certainly seem that the inexpensive and over the counter, widely available resveratrol supplements are an overwhelmingly better and more effective choice when it comes to getting an effective amount of the antioxidant.
What about Alcohol? One last and hugely negative ingredient is Alcohol or specifically Ethanol in the case of wine. Alcohol is a depressant and according to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_(drug), can cause "liver and brain damage,[13][14][15] and its consumption can cause cancer." "In high amounts, alcohol may cause loss of consciousness or, in severe cases, death." According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body) , alcohol "interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination." The same site goes on to say that alcohol negatively effects the heart, the brain, the liver, the Pancreas and the immune system as well.

Okay folks, I could go on and on here talking about if wine is healthy and wine additives which according to Wine Folly (https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/wine-additives/) can be things such as fish bladder (Isinglass) and Protease (porcine or bovine pancreas) and the negative medical implications of drinking wine but I think you (and I) both get the point. I have to tell you that doing the research for this article has most definitely educated me on just how much crap goes into what I always believed was such a simple product. I really had no idea just how much stuff was put into wine and I am very glad I did this report. I also think that if you do your own research on the subject you will find out that the wine industry is being less then truthful when it comes to wine and resveratrol. While you will read that their red wines contain the compound and that it has been shown to be very beneficial to you and while this is not a lie, what you will not see is that there is not enough in even a bottle to even come close to being helpful or counteracting the negatives of drinking wine. This type of reporting is omitting the real facts or, lying by omission but what do you expect from an industry out to only make money which they all are? So there you have it guys, the facts about wine. In my opinion, I can, after being more educated on the subject tell you that wine is not healthy for you, not even in the slightest bit. Does this mean I am going to stop drinking wine? No, it does not but at least now we can make an educated decision as to whether or not we will continue to drink it.

The Desert Wine Guy

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ

Disclaimer - While I am probably not required to say the following, I know there are many Karens out there so I will say it anyway. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on television. Whether or not you choose to drink alcohol is completely up to you, I have provided simple information to assist you in making that decision. In the end, you choose to do what you want in your life and that includes drinking alcoholic beverages.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

The Desert Wine - 2020 Tassajara, Chardonnay

So, there I was, little ol' me in the wine store. I was innocently just walking around the store minding my own business when a store clerk whom I had talked to a lot prior came up and asked me if I needed any help. I responded, "Who, me, The Desert Wine Guy"? I'm just joking, I said "sure". This store employee saw me looking at a Chardonnay and quickly pointed out another Chardonnay and said that I need to try it. This employee and I have talked before about my feelings on American Chardonnay as well as other wine varietals so I assumed she knew my preferred style(s) so I figured why not? Do you guys have anyone at your local wine store that offers to help choose your wines? Sometimes an employee who has your tastes can really help out and actually save you money as you won't be wasting your money on a bad wine, at least that's the theory anyway.

My experience with this theory has been hit or miss in reality but I always try to listen to others when it seems that our palates are alike. What is your experience guys, if you have someone you go to in your local wine shop, how have their recommendations worked out for you? Well, I guess it's time to see what I think about the wine suggested to me so let's get to it.

Today I will be reviewing the 2020 Tassajara, Chardonnay. The wine cost me $14.99 and it's alcohol percentage comes in at 13.5%. The grapes for this wine are all estate grown which can be a very good thing but in the end is no guarantee of a good wine. The bottle by the way is screw cap sealed.

Taking a look at the label on this wine, I think it is nicely done and seems to give off the perceptions of elegance and that there is a very refined white wine in the bottle waiting for me. l love the plant on the label and just how it offers up a sense of freshness and cleanness.

As for the bouquet, it is fresh and lively. I am picking up a big note of Vanilla followed up by notes of baked apple and butterscotch.

Now onto the palate I go. Okay so the wine is very proud (too proud) of throwing out a big time note of vanilla, an over the top, big time note of vanilla. This vanilla overshadows everything else the wine has or at least tries to offer up. This vanilla ends in a slight bitterness and overall, right up front, I am not liking it. Unfortunately a big time note of baked apple is intermixed here as well and in my opinion both notes are just massively overdone. I am getting a butterscotch note here as well and...yeah, not to my liking. Adding to all of this as you would expect is an oak note and that is the last thing this wine needs guys, I promise.

This oak note just puts a knife into a wine that had in reality already been killed a long time ago. This is a terrible wine and sadly I am not (simply can't) even going to go on with this review, I'll see you in the next paragraph to wrap this review up.

Alright Chardonnay lovers, I'll just come straight out and tell you that this wine sucks...big time. This wine is made by the Scheid Family winery and in my humble opinion, they should be ashamed of themselves. This to me is a jug wine repackaged into a smaller bottle in order to make more money, a lot more money. If you love your Chardonnays doctored with the notes I have mentioned in the body of my review then go for it but, if you are looking for a Chardonnay that is even the least bit clean, crisp or shows real fruit offered up with real thought, this is not the wine for you. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving this wine not a number but a label and the label I am giving it says "undrinkable".

The Desert Wine Guy

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ

Saturday, September 16, 2023

2021 Chateau Ste Michelle, Sauvignon Blanc - Horse Haven Hills

Guys, I have to ask you a question. Is it weird that since I retired from my job of many years that I want to go back to the field I left? I have been retired almost five years now and I miss what I use to do. Just so you know, I am in the best shape of my life now and I am fully prepared to get back into my chosen career. Most people would think I am crazy and say, dude,you mean you are retired and you want to go back to work, especially to that line of work? A lot of people would think that I am perhaps unhappy at home when actually nothing could be further from the truth as I am very happy and love Mrs. Desert Wine Girl and our kids very much, I just feel that I have more to give in my career and in my field of work that could actually change lives. As I think we all know, in this day and age there are so many people who need their lives changed. Guys, simply put, retirement gets boring and I don't like being bored, I need (want) my mind and body busy. Yes, there are things that I do that keep me occupied but after a while I am caught up on everything and I need more, I need a sense of purpose aside from being a husband and father. Aside from this, I hate to say it again but ...I have more to do in my field of work, more lives to effect in a positive way. I actually recently applied for a job here in "Freedom" Florida and was hired so I will see just how much more I really have to give :) Let's now talk wine guys because if the wine is good, that will complete my day

Today I will be taking a look at the 2021 Chateau Ste Michelle, Sauvignon Blanc. I paid an incredible $7.99 for this wine guys as I had a $1 off coupon and to top it all off, the wine was buy one, get one free as well. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol and its grapes come the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington State.

Okay, now let's take a look at the label. I have always appreciated the wineries label for this series of its wines. I think the label always presents the wines inside the bottle in a very classic type way. From the prominence of the wineries name to the fonts chosen for the name, the label is very well done. The use of the gold color is done in a very nice way and the fact that gold is limited in its use really elevates the appearance of the label in general.

Bringing the glass to my nose now, I get nice notes of light melon equally interweaved with light apricot and a vibrant and tropical smelling Anjou Pear as well.

As far as the taste of this Washington State, Sauvignon Blanc goes, the wine starts off with a classic note of lemongrass but not in the classic New Zealand Style of presentation. Now, this can be either a good thing or a bad thing, it all depends on what you either enjoy or are in the mood for. If you want the varietal with less lemongrass but still do appreciate the note and want a nicely sufficient amount of it, this is your wine for sure. If however, you are in the mood for the typical forward and not shy lemon grass note from New Zealand, this might not be your wine...today.

That lemongrass note here in this wine is what I would say is moderately presented but is also very effective in getting its point across. You also will not be able to miss the fact that while the lemongrass is not quite as forward as a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, you are still definitely tasting a Sauvignon Blanc. While this lemongrass does dominate the wine a just bit, it does so almost with a perceived hint of a gentle side to it as well. Intermixed very nicely with that note is a bit of a melon that is a good amount below the previous note but that is fine because it only wants to come across just as it is which is enjoyable, very well offered up, slightly tropical and above all, fresh tasting. Acidity wise, this is a mid-palate note here and is perfectly placed. While this acidity is edging towards the high side, it isn't overboard at all and positively also helps in steering the wine in a great way. Green Pear is here as well and while it does offer up a small bit of sweetness, the other notes quickly take control of the fruit and hold things deep in check for sure. There is an herbal/greenness type element to the wine guys and to me, it really assists in sells this wine. While this note may be weird for the varietal, it actually really works wonderfully here in the wine as it integrates really well, I wish you could taste it. Kiwi is just another wonderful note that the wine is pushing forward and guys, I like it, I am enjoying it. As a last note, I have to tell you that there is a bracing element to this wine and this bracing element really sets this wine off. So guys, there you have my review and it is now time to head to the conclusion paragraph where I will put it all together for you and also, give you the Desert Wine Guy rating of this wine.

So here we are, wrapping up this wine review. I want to begin by letting you know that if I had to find an issue with the wine it would be that it should have presented up just a hair bit more of a tropical fruitiness. I am not saying that I like an over the top, tropical, fruit bomb because I don not but there could have been just a bit more tropicalness then what is presented. In the end, I really enjoyed this wine however that bit of lacking of fruit tropicalness is going to prohibit the wine from getting that 94 rating needed for the cellar. In the end, on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale, I am giving this wine 93 points. I really did enjoy this wine and even for the regular price of $9, it is a steal and for $4 that steal becomes an international heist :)

The Desert Wine Guy

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCUb3w1n2S_UGU2yYRkFYQ

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

The Desert Wine Guy - 2022 Villa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc

2022 Villa Maria, Sauvignon Blanc

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, (https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertWineGuy/featured) 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 :)

Sauvignon Blanc Grapes On The Vine

So, the other day I was on an awesome YouTube wine channel (https://www.youtube.com/@WineMastery/videos) 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.

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.

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.

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.

Villa-Maria, Winery

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.

Sauvignon Blanc - Flavor Profile

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.

The Desert Wine Guy