Tasting - La Playa Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting label

Name: La Playa Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Curico Valley

Country: Chile

Year: 2021

Price: $13

Online Tasting Notes: "A delicate pale gold. On the nose, aromas of lemon, fresh pineapple with hints of lavender. It is a bright well balanced wine with a clean minerality and touch of lime on the finish." [La Playa Winemaker's Notes]

Wine Folly Notes: The vegetable and fruit aromas (asparagus, passion fruit) were certainly strong, but I couldn't place any of the specific flavors like honeydew or grapefruit when drinking, likely due to the high acidity as noted. Otherwise, it was a delightful light wine to pair with a meal. I enjoyed it with chicken in pasta, as suggested, and also a light salad. [WineFolly.com]

Dinner + wine!

My Notes: As mentioned previously, I did not pick up any particular flavors beyond a general fruity aftertaste, but certainly felt the acidity in the drink. I'm not sure I would have this wine on its own, but it complemented the dinner I cooked extremely well. I got the Dole Endless Summer salad kit as a side, and I felt that the wine paired well with the vegetables and herbs and added depth to the vinaigrette dressing. I made chicken in pasta and cooked the Sauvignon Blanc into the sauce, which made for a fantastic meal and really enhanced the experience of drinking the wine. Since the chicken had some spice to it, the wine became a source of relief and refreshment as it balanced the heat with acidity. This variety was an excellent choice for my first time cooking with wine, and I will likely continue to pair La Playa Sauvignon Blanc with delicious food!

My tasting group and I loved this wine with dinner!

Tasting - Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato

Pink Moscato label

Name: Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato

Variety: Muscat Blanc, Merlot
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: NV
Price: $12

Online Tasting Notes: "On the front end of the nose there's steel and on the back end there's toast. In between that there's strawberry candy and peaches. The palate has sharp green apples at first and smooths out into juicy cherries. Then it finishes with strawberry candy and peaches." [TheWineStalker.net]

Wine Folly Notes: I definitely got the sweetness from the mandarin orange and pear, but did not really notice any acidity or citrus flavors from the lemon or orange blossom. I can also see why Pink Moscato is regarded more as a marketing schtick - my friend described it more as a soda than a wine. [WineFolly.com]

My Notes: I tasted this Pink Moscato with my wine tasting group at the end of our study session, and it was a fantastic choice to wind down at the end of the evening. The sweetness and mild carbonation made it incredibly easy to drink, and those factors also make it much easier to get drunk as an added bonus. Although I tried this wine by itself, I think it would pair really well with just about any dessert - something I'd like to try on another occasion. I would definitely have this wine again.

I did not pair this wine with food.

My tasting group and I enjoying Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato!

Tasting - Barefoot Bubbly Prosecco

Prosecco tasting label

Name: Barefoot Bubbly Prosecco
Variety: Glera (Prosecco)
Region: Prosecco
Country: Italy
Year: NV

Price: $12

Online Tasting Notes: "Barefoot Bubbly Prosecco has distinct tree fruit aromas and flavors and a lingering citrus finish. Best served chilled (36-40 degrees F) enjoy the apple, pear, and layers of honeysuckle in the nose and the crisp lemon finish." [WeSpeakWine.com]

Wine Folly Notes: I certainly tasted the apple, pear, and melon. This bottle seemed to be more sweet than brut, which I enjoyed. My group chilled the wine before tasting which certainly helped bring out the flavors, but we did not use the recommended tulip glass, instead opting for larger wine glasses typically used for red wines. [WineFolly.com]

My Notes: Prosecco was a delightful second drink to try as I continue my deep dive into wine culture. Its sweet taste and mild carbonation contrasted well with the dryness of the preceding Pinot Grigio. The melon and pear shone through to add a delightful fruity aftertaste that left me wanting more. At an excellent price point of $12, I would certainly purchase this drink again.

I did not pair this wine with food.

My tasting group. Henry (top row, middle) can be seen holding
the Prosecco bottle. I am pictured bottom right holding
a glass of the Prosecco.

Tasting - Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio tasting label

Name: Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Grigio
Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Delle Venezie
Country: Italy
Year: 2021

Price: $7

Online Tasting Notes: "Full and complex, this wine has a nose that hints of pineapple, pears, and sweet lemons. Tropical fruits are integrated with the zest of citrus fruits and give way to a creamy mid-palate." [Gary's Wine]

Wine Folly Notes: I picked up on the peach quite well and definitely felt the citrus, which must've been the lemon zest. I didn't get the cantaloupe at all, but that may be due to the clear dryness present in the wine. [WineFolly.com]

My Notes: Our tasting group chose to begin our journey with Pinot Grigio due to its acclaim as a good beginner's wine, and this reputation exists for a good reason. Prior to tasting, I took in the aroma - a soft, sweet smell that made me excited to try my first sip. However, when I first tried it, all I could think was how remarkably neutral it tasted. After a few more sips, I could make out hints of peach, pear, and apple, but I felt that the dryness overpowered much of the taste. This wine was certainly a good introduction to white wines at a fantastic price, but I do not intend to purchase it again.

I did not pair this wine with food.

My tasting group! Henry (top row, middle) can be seen holding
the bottle for this tasting. I am pictured bottom right.

Our Journey Begins

Greetings! Salutations! Good morning, afternoon, evening, or any time of day you decide to take in this new and exciting blog! I don't usually use rambling and grammatically questionable sentences like that, but it'll have to do for a special occasion such as this. What's the occasion, you may ask? Well, we're starting THE wine class at Virginia Tech!

You may be thinking to yourself, "Wait, I'm not starting a wine class...am I?" and you're probably right. You're probably reading this as someone who doesn't even go to Virginia Tech, or maybe you do but you're not enrolled in the course, or you're a TA for the class but not a student. However, if you're reading this blog, then you're embarking on a journey with me as we learn about the world of wine together! I'll be passing on my newfound knowledge throughout the semester so that we can all grow in the world of wine.

Pictured: me!

Let's start with a little about me and what I know about wine so far. My name is Tim and I am a graduate student at Virginia Tech. I graduated with my BS recently and just started graduate studies, but I couldn't end my time at VT without taking this highly acclaimed course. So far, I have little experience with wine. I've had a few glasses here and there and a boxed wine once (don't hate me please), but never really tried exploring more outside of what I was offered. From my limited experience, I would say I enjoy red wines more, although I do like some of the sweet white wines. Most of the wines I have tried have been of the table variety, although I also enjoy a good sparkling wine. I do not believe I have ever tried a fortified wine, but I am interested in trying one. Most circumstances in which I have tried wine were family occasions or celebrations, including weddings. I have also enjoyed wine with friends a few times, and I plan to experience many wines with friends this semester.

This leads me to what I hope to gain, and in turn pass on to you, from this course. The primary topic I'm interested in is refining my tastes. There are entire professions dedicated to tasting wines, whether to perfect the process from the producer's side, or to make a judgment on the quality of a wine as a critic. These people always speak about minute differences in tastes and how the aromas and tastes are released, but when I enjoy wine, I typically can't tell much of a difference between tastes. Maybe this is a symptom of my poor taste and wallet, but I hope I can learn more about what goes into wine so that I know what to look, or taste, for when I try new wines in the future. I also hope to learn more about the geographical significance of certain wines and why true champagne is only produced in Champagne, France. Lastly, I hope to get tastefully inebriated with my friends several times this semester while trying new wines for this blog.

That's all for now, but I hope you'll join me as we explore the wide and wonderful world of wine these next several weeks!