Julia's Wine Blog

Name : Zenato Pinot Grigio delle Venezie Variety of grape : Pinot Grigio Country of Origin:  Italy Region of Origin: Veneto Vintage year:  2023 Price : $12.99 Critic Review : " Lemon-green in color, aromas of Key limes and white peaches complement undertones of green apples and grains of paradise. On the palate, it is smooth and refreshing with a long, pleasant finish.  —  (Wine.com) Wine Folly : Pg. 149-- This wine is described in the text as having pretty high sweetness and low tannins. It mentions flavors/aromas of peach, crushed gravel, lemon zest, etc. When I first smelled this wine, I picked up lots of grapefruit and a little bit of peach. I also smelled a slight dirt and smokey aroma. For taste, I got a little bit of citrus and definitely grapefruit. It was very fruity and smooth and not tannic or super tart. My Review : I loved this wine a lot; it's definitely one of my new favorites. I lean more towards sweet wines, so this was right up my alley. I like how ...

 For this week's first pairing, me and my family did a Merlot and Gouda cheese. The wine was King Stag's 2022 Merlot from California. By itself, the cheese was pretty sharp and tangy, overall, but really good. As for the Merlot, it mainly smelled like cherry but also a little bit of plum. I picked up raspberry after a few more sniffs as well. For the taste, it was a little bit earthy and leathery. However, overall, it was spicy with a bit of pepper but not super tannic. Paired together, the cheese takes away the few tannins in the wine. It also brings out the fruit flavors, and I would say the cheese overpowered the wine. I did think these paired really well together, as they balanced each other out for the most part. The next pairing was a 2023 Riesling from the Biltmore Estate and Balsamic cheese. The cheese by itself was pretty sweet and not tangy or salty. It was also very smooth, and I really enjoyed this cheese alone. For the wine's smell, I definitely picked up apple...

  Name : Planet Oregon Pinot Noir Variety of grape : Pinot Noir Country of Origin: USA Region of Origin: Willamette Valley Vintage year:  2022 Price : $20.99 Critic Review : " This is a planet you want to live on. The wine's rich raspberry-jam and lilac aromas make a perfect foil for a meaty note similar to seared steak. Blueberry and candied-rose-petal flavors are joined by an interesting wood note that may conjure up childhood memories of building toy rafts with popsicle sticks. " - Wine Enthusiast Wine Folly : Pg. 150-151-- Wine Folly describes Pinot Noir as having low tannins and high acidity. When tasting this wine, I did notice how the tannins were less apparent in this wine, which I liked. It's also stated how Pinot Noir has red fruit and spice flavors/aromas such as cranberry, clove, or cherry. I definitely picked up on cherry and cranberry but also noticed a more peppery flavor. The text states how Oregon offers more tart fruit flavors in their Pinot Noirs, w...

Name : Le Clairon des Anges Variety of grape : Red blend: Syrah, Grenache,  Mourvèdre Country of Origin:  France Region of Origin:  Costières-de-Nîmes Vintage year:  2021 Price : $16.99 Critic Review : " A youthful and enjoyable nose of ripe raspberry, wild strawberry, red flowers, and a hint of mint, coupled with balancing stony and salty flavors and black fruit allow this simple-to-drink wine to be enjoyed with lamb kabobs or gyro." - Wine Enthusiast Wine Folly : One page 156, a chart states how the GSM blends are typically high in tannins and acidity. I absolutely picked up on these elements with this wine, both being very high. It also showed a fuller body, which I agree with. The text also stated how blends from  Rhône, like this wine, have flavors of black olive, black pepper, dried herbs, cinnamon, and red fruit. My Review : When sniffing this wine, I first picked up dark cherry and a slight tobacco aroma. After a few sniffs, I started to pick up charcoal...

  Name : Franzia Sunset Blush Variety of grape : Rose blend Country of Origin : USA Region of Origin : Central Valley Vintage year : N/A Price : $17.99 Critic Review : " This reminds me of renting a cabin with a bunch of old friends and just hanging out in the hot tub. This is the wine that turned me into a Franzia fan and taught me that cheap boxed wine can actually be … aspirational?" -- Gwynedd Stuart ( Sporked) Wine Folly : Pg. 117 & 134 -- There isn't much information about R osé wine in the text but from what I've found, few sentences mentioned very fruity flavors like strawberry and peach. I definitely could taste strawberry as a main flavor and thought this wine was strictly fruity. The text mentions a little bit of floral flavor or aroma, which I did not pick up on. My Review : I thought this Rosé pretty sweet even though the box displayed being in the middle of dry and sweet. It is 100 percent light-bodied, which I found refreshing. For the smell and tas...

Let me start by saying I absolutely love cheese. I've become a huge fan of charcuterie boards and trying different cheeses. Not only is it fun to put together an aesthetic board, but tasting different combinations and flavors is one of the best parts in my opinion. So, doing this wine and cheese pairing sparked a great interest in me. I did this pairing with my parents, and they were quite thrilled to be participating! Our first pairing was this Pinot Noir and Gruyère cheese. The wine is a 2022 Ammunition Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, CA. For the wine, without pairing first, I smelled cherry and a little bit of daisy. You could tell the wine was earthy from its aroma as well. As for its taste, I picked up earthiness the most. The alcohol flavor was also quite strong, and this wine was pretty dry. For the cheese, it tasted very milky and smooth, a little sweet and nutty, and not salty. Together, the cheese took away the earthy flavor and some of the tannins. The wine also had a les...