Tasting - "L'Hallali Gigondas Grande Reserve"

L'Hallali Gigondas Grande Reserve, 2011

Variety: Shiraz
Region: Gigondas
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $22.95
Wine Critic Review: "Decanted, tasted double blind. Not a very dark red, distinctly violet. A fairly restrained nose of blackberries that got a bit more expressive with air, a bit of vanilla, but not much. The palate follows, rather restrained, red berries, quite acidic, not much tannins. Put with food and watch what happens. Quite nice."
My Review: This wine tasted pretty smooth. Went down easy but had a hint of pepper. It would be good with food because of the hint of pepper which would compliment the peppery taste. The man at the tasting explained that this wine is from the second most well known region in France.  I would like to try this wine again with a beef or pork and see how the slight pepper taste compares with the meat.
Food: We did not have it with food.

Tasting - "Masseria Surani Puglia Ares Red"

Masseria Surani Puglia Ares Red, 2012

Variety: Zinfandel
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $12.95
Wine Critic Review: "Intense ruby red color. Red fruits, black-cherry on the nose. Sapid, balanced acidity, soft tannins, medium-bodied. Rich first courses, red and rasted meats."
My Review: This wine was really good. It was on the stronger side in taste compared to the other wines that I tasted that day.  However, it was not too peppery which is what I prefer.  It was really dry though which means it would be better to have with some food but it was definitely a good wine and I look forward to try it again.
Food: We did not have it with food.

Tasting - "Dom La Grande Ribe Cotes du Rhone"

Dom La Grand Ribe Cotes du Rhone, 2009

Variety: Shiraz
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2009
Price: $14.95
Wine Critic Review:  "The blockbuster 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Centenaire tastes more like a Chateauneuf du Pape than a Cotes du Rhone. Dominated by Grenache with a small amount of Syrah included in the blend, the wine possesses great intensity, a terrific texture, full-bodied power, and wonderful purity and Provencal typicity. This sensational effort is filled with red and black fruit, roasted herb, barbecue smoke, meat juice and bouquet garni characteristics. Enjoy it over the next 7-8 years or longer."~(Wine Advocate)" Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 93 Points
My Review: This wine was pretty good. This wine had a fruity smell which helped add to the taste.  The taste was slightly peppery and smokey but finished off with a dry aftertaste.
Food: We did not have it with food.

Tasting - "Dog Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc"

Dog Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, 2012

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2012
Price: $19.95
Wine Critic Review: "If you buy no other 2012 New Zealand sauvignon currently on the shelves, don’t miss Dog Point. There’s a consummately crafted dimension to this wine that propels it above the vast sea of sauvignon, a wine of genuine character and interest. A one-fifth portion of wild ferment and lees ageing instils a mineral mouth feel and complexing nuances of struck flint. Carefully regulated yields have produced an impeccably gauged fruit profile that tactically dodges the extremes of underripe herbaceousness and overripe passionfruit, falling neatly into the middle ground of grapefruit, lemon zest, guava and golden delicious apple. A focused acid line and outstanding, lingering, textural persistence make not only for immediate appeal but promise medium-term potential."  Tyson Stelzer, tysonstelzer.com, October 2012
My Review: This wine was run of the mill. It was a strong grapefruit smell that carried into the taste. It was bitter and had a strong grapefruit flavor as well. The aroma matched the taste well. However, I am not a big fan of grapefruit to begin with so it was not my favorite. If I was to have it again, I would have it with either chicken or shellfish.
Food: We did not have it with food.

Tasting - "Telmo Rodriguez Rueda Basa"

Telmo Rodriguez Rueda Basa, 2011

Variety: Verdejo
Region: Castilla y Leon, Rueda
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $12.95
Wine Critic Review: "This is a lovely, lively verdejo with an intense, floral and very aromatic nose of passion fruit, yellow plum and fine herbs. It's light to mid-weight, very zesty and firm. Slightly tingly, peppery and spicy as well with fruit and an evergreen sappiness on the finish. Very good to excellent length. Tasted August 2014."  August 2014 - Wine Align - David Lawrason - 90 Points
My Review: This wine was pretty good! It was kind of a mellow taste that was smooth. It didn't have anything that overpowered the flavor.  It was a subtle cool taste.  I think I would have this wine again with a light food such as seafood.
Food: We did not have it with food.

My Previous Personal Experience with Wine

Growing up, I rarely drank wine. Also, the wine that I would drink, I would never know what I would be drinking nor remember what I thought about it later on. However, I have recently started growing a palate for wine. I have become more intrigued with tasting a lot of different types of wines and would taste all of the wines my parents or family would try.  However, I would still have a tough time remembering what type of wine I would taste.

Over my many tastings I do remember a few qualities that I enjoy and some qualities of wine that I do not like at all.  Early on in my wine career I would focus on drinking mainly red wine because of a bad experience with white wine that turned my stomach inside out.  However, after going to a few wine tastings recently, I realized that I would lean more towards white wines. I realized that a lot of the red wines were peppery, which I was not too fond of.  It was a little too strong of a flavor to enjoy the rest of the wine. I also have tasted a bubbly merlot once which I was really pleased with. Therefore, I have realized that I am not in love with a certain color of wine but it would be the grapes and flavors of the wine that will change my likings. Therefore, over time, I will find what I like after documenting what I like and not like and comparing the flavors of everything. 

In this class, I really want to be able to find that type of wine that I like.  Right now, walking down a wine aisle I get overwhelmed by all of the types of wines. It doesn’t help that I do not know what I like yet either.  But, another thing I want to learn about is what makes a region a good region and what makes a year a good year. After learning all of that, I feel like I would be able to look at a list of wines at a restaurant or walk down a wine aisle and have a good idea with what to choose.