Harry (Henry) Wine Blog

Tasting:  Thomas Goss  McLaren Vale Shiraz Name: Thomas Goss Variety: Shiraz (Syrah) Region:   Mclaren Vale, Southern Australia Country: Australia Year: 2018 Price: $18 Winery Review: This is a bold, rich style of Shiraz that has a core of ripe plums and chocolate on the nose, The palate is smooth, fleshy and flavorsome and has plenty of dark plums and berries, served in approachable mode. (90-James suckling) Wine Folly: Pg. 202 Australia’s warm, dry climate matched with the ingenuity of its people make wines that stand on their own. An example of this is the Australians coined the term Shiraz in order to highlight the unmistakable and unique taste of their Syrah wines. Pg 172 A rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhone valley of France. It’s the most planted grape of Australia where they call it Shiraz. Also, it has a tobacco and plum aromas. You should also decant for 60+ minutes. My review: I have never had an Australian wine bef

Tasting: Albert Bichot Chateau de Varennes Name: Albert Bichot Chateau de Varennes Variety: Gamay Region: Beaujolais Villages, Beaujolais, France Country: France Year: 2019 Price: $15 Winery Review: Floral and fruity, this is an immediately attractive, ripe wine. Full of red cherry flavors, balanced by soft tannins and a lightly smokey character, it is ready to drink. (90-wine enthusiast) Wine Folly: Pg 113 Gamay has a fruity floral and sometimes earthly light bodied red that is the main variety planted in Beaujolais. Outside of France, Gamay has a tiny but devoted following. Also, this is paired well with sweet and sour salmon to beef. You should also decant for 30 minutes before drinking. My review: Honestly, this was one of my favorite red wines I have tasted so far. The aroma from the wine was just spectacular. I could smell a cherry and blackberry which are some of my favorite types of smells. Another reason I liked this wine is because it did not have a stro

 My friend Justin and I did a wine and cheese pairing this week and it went really well. The three wines we used were Purple Rain made with concord grapes, Spring Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, and La petite Pepriere Pinot Noir. The three cheeses we used were sharp cheddar, blue cheese, and Brie.      The first pairing we did was the Spring Creek and sharp cheddar. The sharp cheddar was very smooth and was my favorite of the three cheeses. The sharp cheddar felt and tasted like a very heavy dairy cheese. Now the Spring  Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from California had a very berry and fruity aroma. The taste of the Spring creek was very earthy by itself and was a little dry. Now when we put the two together it changed the flavor of the wine. The wine tasted so much better. I believe the smooth and heavy dairy texture of the cheddar balanced out the earthiness of the wine. The wine went down very smooth and left more of a fruity flavor behind.       The second pairing we did was the purple rain

Tasting: Vina Robles Sauvignon Blanc Name: Vina Robles Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Paso Robles, California Country: USA Year: 2020 Price: $15 Winery Review:   This Sauvignon Blanc is brilliant, light straw color. On the nose, it express grapefruit and guava notes with hints of passionfruit and lemongrass. A refreshing wine; citrus and tropical flavors unfold into a vibrant finish. (Vintage Cellar) Wine Folly: Pg 292. A less planted grape from the North Coast making high quality wines with rich fruity flavors of white peach, orange blossom, and pink grapefruit very unlike other Sauvignon Blanc regions. Look to Sonoma and Mendocino. Where cooler temperatures maintain acidity. Pg 165 Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful pairing partner with her-driven sauces, salty cheeses, light meats, and Asian food. My review: This was my second favorite wine from the tasting Saturday. The aroma from this wine was very similar to the Julia James. It had a sour aroma like green apple, but it had a hea

  Tasting: Julia James Chardonnay Name: Julia James Variety: Chardonnay Region: On the bottle it just says California but can be made in Carneros, Monterey Country and the Russian River Valley Country: USA Year: 2020 Price: $15 Winery Review: In the Glass, Julia James Chardonnay show golden highlights, reminiscent of ripe lemons. It boasts aromas of orchard fruit and fresh citrus. There is a bright, juicy, almost racy personality to go with exotic flavors of tropical fruits, vanilla, nectarine, and a kiss of oak. Julia James Chardonnay is perfect for occasions, but pairs especially well with salads, roasted chicken, fresh seafood and creamy sauced pasta dishes. (Vintage Cellar) Wine Folly:   Pg 291 on the map in the book it shows 3 regions of California that grow chardonnay. The 3 regions are North Coast, Inland valleys, and the Southern Coast. Pg. 291 As the second most planted variety, Chardonnay loves cooler growing areas and performs exceptionally well in Sonoma,

 My roommates and I decided to have a wine dinner with 3 different wines each paired with a specific course.  Appetizer  We started the night with an appetizer, and it was salami, mozzarella, brie, and salted crackers. I paired this appetizer with a Brut Opera Prima sparkling wine. The wine paired really well with the food. The food brought out the flavor of the wine. The food helped bring out the citrus flavor of the wine. I was really surprised that that the food did not overwhelm the wine and vice versa. I believe the salinity from the salami and crackers helped balance the acidity from the wine. Shoutout to wine folly for helping me pair the right food with the right wine. With both the acidity and salinity balancing each other out it made the salami taste way better after sipping the wine. Since the salami had some saltiness and mix that with the acidity of the wine you could really taste the meatiness of the salami. The cheese tasted about the same sometimes the flavor came out m

  Tasting: Ernie Els Iced Chocolate Wine Name: Ernie Els Variety: Real dairy cream and blend of natural chocolate wine Region: Walla Walla, Washington Country: USA Year: 2021 Price: $14 Winery Review: Rich dark chocolate flavors made to create a decadent, silky smooth drink. It can be served on the rocks or as the main ingredient in an array of cocktails. (Vintage Cellar) Wine Folly: Pg. 298 Walla Walla Washington produces many cabernets sauvignon. They also produce wines that are noted for their rich raspberry, black cherry, and cedar flavors that have a yogurt-like creaminess. My review: Out of all the wines I had Saturday this one was one of my favorites by far. This was a very unique wine.   When I saw this wine, I was very skeptical of it because it did not look like a wine, and it had a chocolate flavor. There was a different wine but made in the same region as this wine and it was called chocolate shop. That wine was very very good. Now back to this wine. Thi

  Tasting: Amelia Brut Rose Cremant de Bordeaux Name: Amelia Variety: a light sparkling rose made from merlot Region: Bordeaux, France Country: France Year: 2020 Price: $20 Winery Review: Amelia displays aromas and flavors of strawberry and red currant, with a medium body and elegant finish. A richness on the plate and fine bubbles result from vinification using the method traditionnelle and aging on the lees. (Vintage Cellar) Wine Folly: Pg. 221 Brunt is a term for sweetness level in a sparkling wine. It also indicates a dry style. Pg 222 The region of Bordeaux France is known to produce Merlot. My review: I finally went to the free wine tasting at the vintage cellar and it was worth going too. I was able to try this wine and it was amazing. The strawberry aromas coming from this wine made me think of a nice summers evening. I could also taste a hint of strawberry and it was just the right amount. The strawberry was not too strong. Also, before I tasted it I did not

  Tasting: Santa Juila  Pinot Grigio  Name:    Santa Juila  Pinot Grigio  Variety:   Pinot Grigio  Region:  Mendoza, Aregentina  Country:  Argentina  Year: 2021 Price: $10 Winery Review:  This Pinot Grigio has a delightful, ripe fruit aroma of pears, apple, melon, and some tropical notes of pineapple and banana, It has good balance, nice acidity, and a long, fresh finish. (Vintage Celler) Wine Folly:  Pg 149 a pinot grigio is also called pinot gris. This is a pink grape mutation of pinot noir that is most famous for its zesty white wines that range in a style from dry to sweet. on the same page this wine also pairs well with seafood and white meat.  My review: This wine was okay not my favorite so far. The reason I may not have liked it was because I did not have any food with it. Later this week I will post about my dinner I had with a similar white wine. Made from the same winery but different grape and alcohol volume. This wine was too dry for me. I could tell I may not like it bec

         Tasting: Bellafina Pink Moscato  Name:  Bellafina Pink Moscato  Variety:  blended 85% Moscato 15% Raboso  Region: Veneto, Italy  Country: Italy  Year:2020 Price: $9 Winery Review:   Very refreshing. Great for a toast or a stand alone. Actually you could serve it with spicy cheese and crackers. Good price for this not sweet moscato that could double as a Prosecco. (Vinvino 2017) Wine Folly:  PG .  25 rose wines color is depended on if the wine was macerated in the grape skin for a while. The longer this occurs the deeper the color will be. Pg 28 looking at the aroma chart this wine would fall between tree fruit and tropical fruit.  My review:  This wine has just the right amount of sweetness for me. If it was a hot summers day this is the kind of wine, I would like to have on a summers evening. The reason for this is because it has the flavors of summer peaches and melons. Those are two fruits that I think of when I think of summer. When smelling the wine, the smell of peaches