I'm all for trying new things, but with wine, it's hard. I find myself in a rut reaching for the same bottle with every visit to the liquor store. Who wants to buy a bottle of wine they've never had before only to find that they don't like it, and end up pouring it down the kitchen sink with that $10 they just spent on it.
I've been attempting to reach out of my comfort zone to try new things. In my findings I came across this great website - www.winedin.com. Here you can plug in the type of food you're eating (chicken, lobster, fish, etc.) and it'll give you the types of wine you should pair it with. But that's only going to go so far. Ms. Julie, my upcoming guest blogger, suggested going to a wine tasting. It just so happened that my local Busa store was having one, so I made plans to go. By the way... I love Busa. Store is always organized and clean, whenever I have a question there is ALWAYS someone to help.
One word - overwhelming.
19 types of wine (in addition to 3 Tequilas, a Sangria, and, 4 types of beer). How are you supposed to try (and remember) them all? I was curious, so I narrowed down my selections by asking questions. I learned TONS about winemaking in the short time I was there, the old world vs. new world, different types of grapes, and I. Was. Fascinated. The vendors there were knowledgeable about the wines they were serving, what created the different flavors, and how different wines from regions around the world came to their final product. Old world vs. new world is what got me. Old world is Europe, new world is the Americas. There's a difference in the scent and tastes of these wines partly because of how the grapes are processed. One of the vendors spoke about French wines and how with some if you can get past the farmland scent, you can really enjoy the taste.
Below is a breakdown of the ones I tried, my thoughts and my new favorites. I am by no means a professional wine taster so this is my first stab at simplified explanations.
Gallo Signature Series Chardonnay - Delicious. This white was crisp and fruity without being overly sweet. There was almost a smoky flavor to, which is why red drinkers would like this one.
Hot to Trot White Blend - Kentucky Derby Day, had to try this one. This one was crisp and light as well. Was that apple or pear? Or maybe lemon? Whichever, it was beautiful.
*Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc - Well played New Zealand, well played. This is a new favorite of mine. I've always been partial to whites, but my oh my is this one great. Definitely fruity, but smooth, crisp, light and refreshing. After just a taste I wanted a whole glass, then another, and another. It woke me up! I would definitely serve something like this at a BBQ, or a summer get together. I'll be pairing this with a Thai Coconut soup later this week... I'll let you know how it goes.
Villa Antinori Toscana IGT Red - This wine is not for sissies. Rich, deep taste that reaches to your core. The flavor is so full that you don't have to wait long after it hits your taste buds to get the full effect. I love reds that have that hint of chocolate in them because it sweetens up that deep flavor. If you're into rich wines, definitely go with this one.
Erath Pinot Noir (Ms. Julie recommendation) - I was surprised by this one. With the wines I had tasted the Old World wines seemed to have the rich, full flavor that this pinot had. This is an Oregon wine that, I felt, had a very complicated taste. It made you want another sip so you could contemplate the flavors harnessed into the bottle.
Menage A Trois Cabernet Sauvignon - Oh California wines... how I love thee. Sonoma, Lake and Napa regions bring together this full bodied Cabernet. Their website says that it is aged in French and American Oak which gives it a real woodsy flavor. I like it... but read on for a new red favorite.
*Menage A Trois Pinot Noir - I think I dig the Menage A Trois wines because they select grapes from different regions in California. This one is Clarksburg, North Coast and Central Coast. From what the vendor had to say, there's a big difference in the flavors of wines from California because of the different soils of the regions. This Pinot is full bodied without being overly heavy. Note - I had it with chicken parmesan and I felt almost as if it pulled the flavors out of the food I was eating as well. I would highly suggest picking up a bottle.
Treana Red - Another blend, Treana was 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% syrah. I've never had syrah, but this was another good one. Not as heavy as a French Bordeau, but more flavor than some of the California reds I tasted the same day.
Dona Paula Malbec Estate - I haven't been a big fan of Malbec's because of what I felt was an aftertaste. This one wasn't half bad. This Malbec was spicy, earthy and the "finish" felt like more of a flavor rather than an after thought.
Bonus - Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale - I'm not a big beer drinker, but I sure like Bourbon. And this, this does not taste like beer. It tastes more like a spiked, woodsy, vanilla soda. I'm glad it was only a tasting... alcohol content is high so drink accordingly.
Pick something new. Pair it with something you love. Enjoy. :)
Happy drinking!
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