Reviews

The best way to learn about wine is to actually drink it!  Sometimes certain words used to describe a wine just don't make sense until you've tasted it.  These reviews will go by flavor types so that you have a strong example to practice with.  


For earthy...

Chateau Le Paradis 2009, Cotes de Bourg

If you're not very familiar with what earthy wine tastes like, I would recommend this red-blend Bordeaux.  In Europe, wines are named based on their region rather than grape variety as is done in the United States.  So this wine, being called a Bordeaux, means the grapes were grown in that region of France.  More specifically, it comes from the Cotes de Bourg appellation within the Bordeaux region.

It is a red-blend meaning that it's a combination of merlot and cabernet sauvignon.  This combination makes it a good choice for moderate-level red wine drinkers.  It is high in tannins and black currant fruit flavors, as is customary in the Bordeaux region.  Acidity level is high.  Overall body and texture are medium.

This wine has a nice balance of fruity and earthy flavor.  Refined wines have a subtle hint of damp soil that can be detected through its complexity.  Soil flavor that is too powerful runs the risk of making the wine course.  This is a great wine to practice detecting that hint of earthiness.  Please note, fruity does not always equal sweet.  This Bordeaux is more on the dry side, due to high tannin content, but the merlot/cab blend makes it palatable to beginners.

I bought it for $12 from the wine room at Macadoodles in Joplin.  It's available anywhere fine wines are sold.

 

For sweet...

Marco Negri Moscato d’Asti DOCG

A couple weeks ago, I went to my friend Fernando's house for game night. He had prepared a cute little display of desserts and fruits for us, and we paired our sweet finger-foods with this dessert wine.

The Marco Negri comes from the Asti region of Piedmont in the Northwestern part of Italy. Generally, Moscatos are Italian, and Moscato wine is practically synonymous with the Piedmont region.

The Marco Negri Moscato d'Asti DOCG is made entirely from bianco grapes which gives it a light, golden color and fresh, fruity flavor. This wine, being low in alcohol content and slightly fizzy, is highly drinkable and an excellent choice for beginners or as a brunch wine or appetizer.

It can be purchased anywhere wine is sold for approximately $10.

For more information, please visit http://www.totalbeveragesolution.com/brands/label.php?lID=57&bID=22&type=Wine







For Californian...

Gnarly Head Authentic Red 2010, Lodi

The red Zinfandel grape has been a staple at Californian vineyards since the mid-1800s when it migrated from Croatia and Italy. The Gnarly Head brand, of Lodi, California, is famous for it's Zinfandels.  The Zinfandel grape is commonly grown on very old, twisted, knobbly, free growing vines rather than the more controlled vines of other grapes.  The name "Gnarly Head" is named for the Zinfandel grape vine, so this wine is California Zin through and through.

The Gnarly Head vineyard has only been around since 2004, and the Authentic Red is even newer having been released in Fall 2010, making this a very hip, new wine to check out.  The Authentic Red is attractive because of the cool label art showing a twisted zinfandel vine, but it's a little off-putting at the same time.  If you don't know that that's a zinfandel vine, all you know is that you're getting red wine.  The bottle could use a little more information.  That being said, the wine is primarily a Zinfandel but blends Cabernet, Petite Sirah, and Merlot.

The flavor is quite unique.  It's full-bodied and powerful, with thick, syrupy legs, but at the same time is very fruity and on the sweet side.  Dark in color, the fruitiness comes from plums, black berries, and black cherry.  For such a full-bodied wine, it's smooth and the flavor makes it good for a fun, casual occasion.  The Gnarly Head Authentic Red would be great at a barbecue or picnic.  

For more information, check out this column from The Augusta Chronicle:

http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2011-12-27/wine-time-gnarly-head-authentic-red-2010-lodi

For the cheapest of the cheap...

Spring Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, California

I wanted to do something a little bit different for this review.  I've always said that I will only feature affordable wines on The Wine Pursuit, but I decided to review something for the folks whose wine pursuit involves digging change out of the couch.  I decided to try Spring Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, California.  Judging by the label, it seemed the perfect choice for testing out a $3 wine without getting into Boone's Farm territory.  

At first taste it was what I was expecting:  sweet and light bodied. The texture of this wine is about the same as grape juice so it's highly drinkable.  I'm guessing it has a very low alcohol content, but I don't know for sure, so don't knock it back like it's actually grape juice.

After a more concentrated taste, really taking in the flavors and not just noticing the texture, I found that it does have a bit of bite in the after taste that can be felt in the nose and at the tip of the tongue (sweetness region).  

I don't have a link to more information about this wine because I couldn't find anything about it online.  The back of the bottle has a generic little paragraph about the age-old tradition of Spring Creek excellence, but I get the feeling it's massed produced by Pepsi or some such. 

All in all, Spring Creek Cabernet Sauvignon isn't too bad for a cheapo wine.  It would be good for someone who has never tasted wine before because of the smooth, thin quality so it's not overpowering.