Sarah's Wine Blog

Name of the wine: Lambrusco Italian Red Wine Notte Rossa  Variety of the grape(s) in the wine: Lambrusco Country of origin: Italy Region of origin: Emilia-Romagna Vintage year: 2020 Price: $5.99 at Kroger  Shop/wine critic/winery review of the wine: I could not find a shop/wine critic/winery review, but on Vivino there were a lot of reviews from people who try different wines. Overall, the wine received a 3.9/5 rating, with many people saying that it tasted like strawberries or red fruit and blackberries or black fruit. Many people said that it tasted bold, soft, smooth, and sweet. Many people also mention how it is light and fruity. https://www.vivino.com/US-VA/en/banfi-lambrusco/w/4554307   References of specific flavors, aromas, and grape varietal characteristics taken directly from the Wine Folly text, with page numbers referenced: On page 256 of the Wine Folly Book, it mentions how Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine, but it does not taste very sparkling to me. It tastes slightly fi

Name: Aconga Red Blend Variety of the grape(s) in the wine: Merlot and Bonarda country of origin: Argentina  region of origin: Uco Valley, Mendoza Vintage year: 2022 Price: $3.99 from Kroger  Shop/wine critic/winery review of the wine: A wine critic rated this wine 81/100 and said that it had a stalky smell, which I personally cannot smell. The wine critic also said that it tasted like citrus, cranberry and cherry pie. Additionally, the wine critic said it tastes transparent, which I agree with. https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/aconga+red+blend+argentina#t3 References of specific flavors, aromas, and grape varietal characteristics taken directly from the Wine Folly text, with page numbers referenced: On page 198 of the Wine Folly textbook, it mentions how wines from Uco Valley are more acidic tasting due to the high elevation. The book also mentions on page 200, that the Bonarda grape has a lighter taste, which I can see as the wine does not have a strong taste. On page 131, the Wine

 Name: Jamestown Cellars Settlers’ Spiced Wine  Type of Grapes: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon  Country and region of origin: The wine was made in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Year: 2015 Price: $6.99 (I bought it on sale at Kroger - I believe it is normally around $11-19)  Shop/wine critic/winery review of the wine: Overall, the wine scored an average of 88/100 points by wine critics. Of the wine critics who rated it, many mentioned that they tried it warm and that it was very spiced. One person mentioned that they tried it cold. Many of the critics mentioned that it was very spiced (https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=266782). Reference to Wine Folly Book: The Wine Folly book did not have a specific section on this specific wine, since it is a specific type of wine. However, the spiced wine is a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend with spices added, so I looked at Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Wine Folly book says that Merlot wine has the flavors of raspberry

 Name: Paul Masson American Madeira Type of Grapes: Malvasia grapes Country and region of origin: This specific bottle is from New York in the United States but the type of wine is originally from Madeira, which is a Portuguese Island. Year: 2020 Price: $4.91 (I bought it on sale at Kroger - I believe it is normally around $6-$10)  Shop/wine critic/winery review of the wine: I watched a Youtube video that a wine critic made about the wine (link below) and he started by saying it had a strong, spicy, nutty aroma. He also pointed out the wood taste and said it had an intense aroma. The reviewer said that it is sweet, sugary, and dessert-like with a crisp finish. He said he would rate it 95/100. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36xwWAimLd4)  Reference to Wine Folly Book: The Wine Folly book on page 160 refers to Madeira as having the tastes of Burnt Caramel, Walnut Oil, Peach, Hazelnut, and Orange Peel. The book mentions how it is a dessert wine and has a strong body with a high level of

     Recently, I have become more adventurous with trying different varieties of alcoholic drinks. I enjoy going to breweries and love trying new beers, but my wine tasting and knowledge has not been as extensive. I really like wines and have tried somewhat of a variety in wines, but it is nowhere near the amount of beer tasting I have done. Most of the wines I buy are from the grocery store, and I have probably only ordered wine in a restaurant 20-30 times. Therefore, I am taking this class because I want to expand my knowledge of wine and figure out what exactly I like in wines and what I don’t like.  So far, the wines that I particularly like are Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Sangria. I especially like Sangria when there are fruits in it, such as an orange slice or two. Currently, I only have a few wines that I hate. I found that I hate Moscato, as it is too sweet for me. I have also had one hot mulled wine before and I also hated that. I am unsure if it was the particular wine or the