Tasting-"Butterfly Kiss Moscato"

Name: Butterfly Kiss
Variety: Moscato
Year: 2012
Region: NA
Country: Chile
Price: $13

Vintage Cellar Review:Aromas of honeydew and apricot, gently kissed by orange blossom, candied pineapple and a hint of lime zest.

My Review: Well you can't deny that this is a dessert wine and butterfly kiss eloquently describes the light sweet taste of the wine. The sweetness was a little overwhelming, but I did get a little melon out of my sip. This wine is very easy to drink and really doesn't need to be paired with anything. A perfect summer wine or anytime you need a little sweet treat. 

Tasting-"Purple Paws Zinfandel"

Name: Purple Paws
Variety: Zinfandel 
Region: Lodi, California 
Country: United States of America
Year: 2012
Price: $15

Vintage Cellar Review: It smells like ripe boysenberries and cherries, and tastes generous and broad without being too full bodied. It finishes with more fruit notes and those who love a little spice and smooth tannins will be happy.

My Review: Plum notes mixed with a leathery spice taste. My least favorite wine out of the five I tasted tonight. A little to dry and dull for my liking. Maybe once I have a little more developed pallet, I could appreciate this unique flavor. I would want to pair this wine with chocolate, maybe because I don't prefer chocolate...just like I do not prefer this wine. 

Tasting- "Purple Paws Cab Sav"

Name: Purple Paws
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lodi, California 
Country: United States of America
Year: Non Vintage
Price: $15

Vintage Cellar Review: If a Cabernet can be smooth and creamy, this one is. It offers plenty of fruit flavor, smooth tannins that coat the mouth in a good way, plus a plush texture that keeps it from being even a bit harsh. With light body, a soft mouthfeel and lingering finish, there’s much to like.

My Review: The Cabernet Sauvignon has a distinct and full taste. As I recall the wine had an some oak notes and not much sweetness, more tart fruity flavor. I didn't mind the wine and I am not a huge red fan. I agree with the Cellar's description above and wow it is smooth! This wine could be paired with anything...in particular a steak sounds like a wonderful combination. 

Tasting- "Rosemount Chardonnay"

Name: Rosemount 
Variety: Chardonnay 
Region: South Australia 
Country: Australia 
Year: 2013
Price: $10

Vintage Cellar Review: This world-renowned wine shows peachy tropical fruit and melon characters on the nose, with a hint of citrus freshness and judicious use of oak. The palate is generous and soft with full, ripe tropical flavors folded into a creamy backdrop that is beautifully structured with a long satisfying finish.

My Review: The peach truly stole the show, my taste buds were overwhelmed by the wonderful flavor.  Followed by woody tones mixed with a little citrus buzz. I enjoyed the crisp Chardonnay. I did not get the creamy back drop that is discussed above, however, I am an amateur.  I think it could be wonderful paired with a cheesecake or fruity tart/pie. 

Tasting- "Lalejania- Sauv-Blanc"

Name: Lalejania
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Year: 2015
Region: Central Valley 
Country: Chile
Price: $10

Vintage Cellar Review: A light, refreshing, balanced sparkling wine with fruit flavors and aromas of citrus, pear and peaches, followed by a nuance of spice.  Enjoy this sparkling wine as an aperitif, or with salads and spicy dishes, especially those using citrus fruit. For dessert this wine pairs well with fresh berries or a fruit tart.

My Review: Crisp granny smith apples with hints of tangerine and other citrus fruits. Yet, somehow they made this wine not overpowering with fruity galore. I enjoyed this wine and the different flavors that came through after sniffing and sipping on the Sauv Blanc. I would love to have this again. I did not taste this with food, however, I believe it would be well paired with a lighter fish. The Cellar's description above is a perfect depiction of this wine. 

My Experience with Wine

Hi all!

My name is Elizabeth Higginbotham and lets just say my experience with wine has been pretty limited thus far. Recently turning twenty-one, my pallet has not been developed past dessert wine...which I do happen to throughly enjoy. Most of the wines I tend to purchase are fruit based and on the cheaper side. I have been to two wineries since I have turned twenty-one, which I throughly enjoyed and am excited to go to more this semester.
My first winery experience was at a vineyard close to my hometown called Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville, Virginia. The wine tasting cost seven dollars to try around thirty wines and you got a free wine glass with the purchase! The Wine Tasting room is set up with five different little bars, that each have about eight wines per station.
Our wine guide went pretty quickly explaining the different tastes we should experience and where in our mouths. I was blown away that we should be able to taste the hint of "fresh cut grass" our the "citrus hint at the back of our tongue."As a first time wine taster, I did not realize you could use the bucket to pour out the wine if you did not care for the taste of the particular wine in your glass. The lady pouring our tastings filled our glass half up, essentially giving us a half of a glass per wine...this didn't go over very well.
 The quantity of wine and the fast passed rate mixed with my inexperienced pallet made the process slightly overwhelming. The tastes ended up lingering, making the wines all taste the same. The amount of wine in my system began to make me a little more tipsy than I intended for the first eight wines and those were just the first set of whites!
Unfortunately, my time was limited so I skipped over the extensive collection of red to the five dessert wines. All of the dessert wines were wonderful. A couple were even too sweet for me, never thought that would be possible. The sweetest wine I have ever had was called Paxxito. The wine bottle was extremely thin and the color of the wine resembled honey. In fact, the wine had a similar consistency to honey and I couldn't imagine drinking more than a sip before feeling a sugar high.
After slightly expanding my pallet this past semester, I am excited to go to visit more wineries to see how my tastes have changed and properly taste the wines.