Tasting - Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz

Name: Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz 
Variety: Shiraz 
Region: South East
Country: Australia
Year: N/A
Price: $9.95

Shop Review: A relatively light, fresh style of sparking Shiraz, with berries and hints of chocolate picking up just a touch of sweet vanilla on the finish (Vintage Cellar).

Personal Review: I was very excited to try the Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Shiraz, because I have never tried a sparkling red wine. The alcohol was very prominent on the nose of this wine, and almost gave me a headache while trying to pick up notes on the nose. However, the palate was much sweeter than I was expecting it to be. I was able to pick up some berry flavors, mainly strawberries. I also really enjoyed the amount of sparkle that it had. It wasn’t so subtle that you didn’t notice it, but wasn’t overpowering either.      

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Tasting - Tres Ojos Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos Garnacha

Variety: 50% Garnacha, 50% Tempranillo
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95 

Shop Review: This wine has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. Enjoy with sausages, roasted meats, aged cheeses etc (Vintage Cellar). 

Personal Review: The Tres Ojos Garnacha had an extremely strange nose that I wasn’t a fan of. Initially, it reminded me of burnt plastic. On a second take, it smelled more almondy and spiced. The taste of it matched this in the fact that it was spiced, however, it also strangly had a bit of tart to it? This wine was just too much for me to take in at once, and I could not pick out anything that I really enjoyed about it. I was overall not pleased. 

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Tasting - Montebuena Tempranillo

Name: Montebuena
Variety: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $8.95 

Shop Review: Ripe cherry and blackcurrant on the nose and in the mouth. Pliant and seamless in texture, with good heft and back-end energy. Finishes smooth and sweet, with fine-grained tannins providing shape and grip. Still on the young side but this wine drinks very well with an hour or so of decanting; it's an excellent value for Rioja (Vintage Cellar). 

Personal Review: The Montebuena Tempranillo had a really rich color that was deep redish purple. The nose of this wine was absolutely delightful. It had a very sweet nose of blackberries and jam. I was even more impressed when tasting the wine because it was smooth as silk going down. There were blackberries and raspberries on the palate.  I really loved this wine because I don’t tend to think of red wines as summer wines, but this proved that theory wrong. 

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Tasting - Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence Rose

Name: Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence

Variety: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault

Region: Provence

Country: France

Year: 2011

Price: $8.95 

Shop Review: Bright salmon pink; typical of the fresh but warm Provence style. Refined and complex on the nose, with summer fruit and floral notes. Dry and crisp, with a delicate flavor and full texture (Vintage Cellar).

Personal Review: One of the first things I noticed about the Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence Rose was that it had an extremely light pink color to it. It was in the middle of a white wine and a rose. It had a floral nose like many of the other wines I have tasted, however, it was a different kind of floral. As ironic as this is, it reminded me of roses. It also had a toasty smell to it that reminded me of warmth. With such a complex nose to it, I was a bit let down by the taste of the wine. While I do enjoy when wines have soft tannins, this wine needed a bit more in my opinion. It felt like it was lacking and I almost felt like I was drinking a flavored floral water. 

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Tasting - Canyon Road Chardonnay

Name: Canyon Road Chardonnay 
Variety: Chardonnay 
Region: California 
Country: United States 
Year: 2011 
Price: $6.95

Shop Review: Medium-bodied wine with notes of crisp apple and ripe citrus fruit with a hint of cinnamon spice. Delicious complement to grilled chicken, lighter pasta dishes or mild cheeses (Vintage Cellar).

Personal Review: The Canyon Road Chardonnay had a very soft nose, that was very hard to detect. It had very subtle hints of citrus notes. When tasting the wine, I noticed that it was very crisp on the palate, however, it had a hint of oak to it. It again had a hint of citrus on the palate, but was extremely soft and subtle like the nose. I really enjoyed this Chardonnay because it had the perfect amount of oakiness to it, and was smooth enough to drink on a warm summer day.

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Tasting - Potluck Sweet Malbec

Name: Potluck Sweet Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina 

Year: 2010
Price: $7.95

Shop Review: Deep red brilliant with violet hints. Complex, fruity, and predominant red fruits. Easy to drink, round with persistent sweetness, very well balanced with sweet tannins (Vintage Cellar).

My Review: The Potluck Sweet Malbec was a great wine to end the tasting with. This was an interesting wine to do a tasting of because the initial smell I took of it kind of reminded me of nuts. However, the more I swirled around the wine inside of the glass while listening to the pourer talk about the wine, I noticed that it got extremely sweeter. The taste of this was the perfect balance of sweetness. It had hints of floral palates, but was overall extremely good. Would be a great desert wine with chocolate!

Food: N/A 

Tasting - Domaine de Grange de Payan

Name: Domaine de Grange de Payan
Variety: Grenache (Majority)
Region: Cotes du Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price:  $8.95 

Shop Review: Intensely spicy and precise, with lively red berry flavors and a hint of black pepper. The Grenache, which makes up the majority of the wine, is deeper and more powerful, offering cherry and black raspberry qualities lifted by zesty minerality (Vintage Cellar). 

My Review: The Domaine de Grange de Payan had a nose of cherries and berries, but also smelled strongly of alcohol. Surprisingly, the wine was quite smooth, which I wasn't expecting from the nose of it. Had hints of berries in the palate. Again, It had soft tannins and was very smooth from start to finish. 

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Tasting - Tinto Figaro

Name: Tinto Figaro 
Variety: 100% Garnacha 
Region: Calatayud 
Country: Spain 
Year: 2009 
Price: $6.95

Shop Review: Figaro is 100% Garnacha, made from a selection of the best grapes grown in the oldest vineyards. While not truly an “oaked wine”, a short stay in oak barrels provides a nice spicy flavor boost. Bright violet. Dark berry and cherry aromas show a jammy aspect. Supple and gently sweet, with good lift to its black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. Smooth and broad on the finish, leaving behind a hint of spiciness. Extremely easy to drink and an excellent value (Vintage Cellar).

My Review:The Tinto Figaro had a very interesting nose. It had hints of berries, but was overall very earthy. It had no sweetness to the nose at all. This was a very interesting wine to taste, because it was initially very smooth, with soft tannins. There was a hint of the berry flavoring again in the taste. However, it had a much bolder finish with a little kick of spice. I enjoyed tasting this wine because it caught me off guard and shocked me a little bit!

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Tasting - Maipe Malbec Rosé

Name: Maipe Malbec Rosé 
Variety: 100% Malbec 
Region: Mendoza 
Country: Argentina 
Year: 2011 
Price: $7.95

Shop Review: Intense pink color with violet hints. Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors, balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish. Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes (Vintage Cellar).

My Review: The cherry notes in the Maipe Malbec Rosé were the most prominent. It did have an overall fruity aroma, however, the cherry was the easiest to pick out. The Maiple Malbec Rose was very crisp. The palate of the wine were berries, more specifically blackberries. The finish of the wine was indeed very dry, however, I was pleasantly surprised. While I don't normally enjoy dry wines, this was quite enjoyable.

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Tasting - Cortenova Pinot Grigio

Name: Cortenova Pinot Grigio 
Variety: 100% Pinot Gris 
Region: Veneto 
Country: Italy 
Year: 2012 
Price: $7.95

Shop Review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine Perfect also as an aperitif (Vintage Cellar).

My Review: One of the first things I noticed about the Cortenova Pinot Grigio is that it had an extremely light color to it, to the point that it was almost colorless. It had a very floral and fruity nose, with a hint of banana. It didn't have any particular scents that jumped out that I could pinpoint. The taste complemented the smell in that it tasted floral as well. All of the flavors were very light, crisp and smooth.

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Winery Visit - Casanel Vineyards

On March 16, 2013, I visited Casanel Vineyards in Leesburg, VA for a wine tasting and tour.  My good friend and roommate, her mother, and her mother's friend accompanied me during this visit. This would be my second ever winery visit, and I was extremely excited to put my new wine knowledge to the test. 

Casanel Vineyards, Leesburg, VA

Casanel Vineyards is located on the top of a gravel road, in a place I would have least expected a vineyard. The forty acre property features a ten acre vineyard, two acre pond with a gazebo and a charming picnic area. As a newer vineyard, established in 2006, one of the first things I noticed was a big building that was still under construction. The tasting room is an 1800s barn that has been renovated. What I was surprised to find out is that the wine is not actually made on-site, as there are no wine-making facilities. However, all of their grapes are grown on location, then barreled at another local winery. 

A view of the vines that cover 10 acres of the vineyard

We wasted no time, and immediately started our tasting upon arrival. We sampled five different wines:

Name: Viognier Mas Que Nada
Variety: Viognier 
Region: Northern Virginia 
Country: USA 
Year: 2009
Price: $28 
Winery review: Won best varietal in Virginia Wine Lover’s 2013 Best of Reader’s Choice Awards. Silver medal winner at the 2011 VA Wine Lover's Classic! Our 2008 Viognier exudes a delicate honeysuckle nose, bursting with flavors of white peach and nectarine mid-palate. The finish lingers with a tart crispness of limes, reminiscent of a key lime pie, which complements the smooth, silky finish. 
My review: The Viognier Mas Que Nada didn't have a particularly interesting nose in my opinion. It had floral aromas, which I find to be boring. The palate, however, was the complete opposite. I immediately detected the peach flavors, which I absolutely loved. It had very soft tannins and was nice and crisp. It was an overall extremely smooth wine. This wine embodied my ideals of a perfect summer wine, and it was not hard to understand why this Viognier won best in state.

Name: Chadonnay Mas Que Nada
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $17 
Winery Review: Bronze medalist in the '11 VA Governor's Cup & the '11 VA Wine Lover's Classic. Our Chardonnay begins with a nose of subtle herbal aromas, and is then followed by hints of melon and star fruit. The flavors suggest a touch of grilled melon wrapped in Prosciutto, with apple and cucumber essence. Barrel-aged for 8 months, it finishes with notes of oak and butterscotch.
My Review: The Chardonnay Mas Que Nada had a nose that I found to be much more exciting. It had a nose of pineapple which is one of the first wine I've come across with this aroma. What was different about the taste of this wine is that I found the flavors to be relaxing in a way. This chardonnay was more of an oaky chard, as compared to a buttery one, but it was just the perfect amount of oak. It was a bit dryer, but had a nice smooth finish. 

Name: Norton Rose
Variety: Blend
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price: $24
Winery Review: Whole-cluster pressed and barrel-aged for 8 months in French oak, we fermented this Virginian red wine grape as a white wine and completely transformed this varietal. A lighter, friendlier version, our Norton tastes just like sangria, but without the work!  With natural notes of fresh berries permeating throughout; flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry sit lightly upon your palette and then develop into a delightfully spicy, lingering finish.  Perfect for your summer barbeques or patio get togethers!  We pair this vintage with any and all dishes because of its light yet bright berry taste.
My Review: The Norton Rose had a delightfully exciting nose. Aromas of cherry, berries and a soft hint of vanilla instantly grab your attention, with the cherry really standing out. When tasting this wine, I was expecting it to be extremely sweet as it was compared to sangria, however, I was extremely surprised! I normally cannot stand drinking sangria, or anything extremely sweet, but the Norton Rose was just the perfect amount of sweetness. It was extremely drinkable. The berry tastes stuck out the most on the palate, with a hint of spice at the end.

Name: Cabernet Sauvignon Batucada
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Price: $23
Winery Review:  Gold ribbon winner at the 11' VA State Fair. Silver medalist at the 2012 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, and silver medalist at the '11 VA Wine Lover's Classic. Our 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits fresh herbal notes of pine and eucalyptus on the nose. It has hints of darker red fruits mid-palate, such as black cherry and raspberry. The finish is smooth, with traces of cinnamon and oak. The perfect red for your richer dishes!  
My Review: When smelling the Cabernet Sauvignon Batucada, the dark cherry aroma stands out most prominently. It also had a bit of a spiced nose, namely cinnamon. The palate of the Cabernet Sauvignon had a bit of spice to it, but was more acidic than I was expecting. There was a soft hint of vanilla in the finish of this wine. What I found the most interesting about this wine is that the label won an award for having the best civil war label.

Name: Merlot Batucada
Variety: Merlot
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Price: $21
Winery Review: Gold Medalist at the '11 VA Wine Lover's Classic. Silver medalist at the '12 Finger Lakes International Wine Competiton. Bronze medalist at the '11 and '13 VA Governor's Cup. Our '08 Merlot starts with deep red fruit flavors in the nose, namely black currant, strawberry, and black cherry. Barrel aged for over 10 months in French oak, our Merlot also has hints of earth and cedar, culminating in a smooth, satisfying finish.
My Review: The nose of the Merlot Batucada was not one that I particularly enjoyed. I couldn't really pinpoint any aromas. This wine was loaded with tannins and was extremely full bodied. Our wine pourer recommended that this wine would be complemented well with a flavorful meal such as Chinese or Thai, and I can say that I agree with her.

The tasting bar at Casanel Vineyards

Our pourer was actually the owner of the vineyard, Kathleen DeSouza. She was an absolute delight and was very informative when pouring the wines. When we told her that we were students from Virginia Tech, she lit up and told us that her daughter was a student at Virginia Tech as well. After the tasting was over, we chit-chatted a little more before each purchasing a glass of wine to enjoy in their picnic area. I had chosen the Viognier Mas Que Nada.

Kathleen and Nelson DeSouza's daughter's are proud Hokies

We lucked out with our visit because it was 55 degrees and sunny, which was a pleasant change from the snow and cold weather we had just a few days prior to the visit. We brought some of our own cheeses, crackers and grapes to enjoy, and chose a table next to a cute little fire pit that they had. After enjoying my class of Viognier and way too many crackers and Brie cheese, my roommate and I decided that we would explore the vineyards. 

Outdoor seating patio where we enjoyed cheese and crackers

We went back into the adorable tasting room, which featured an attractive curved tasting bar and cozy stone walls. There were several cute paintings and decorations all over the room with sayings such as "Keep Calm and Wine On." My roommate and I had noticed a charming spiraling staircase, and when Kathleen had seen us staring down it, she said we were more than welcome to go down and take a look. What we found was a room with a fireplace and seating as well as another tasting bar that would be perfect for small gatherings. We also bumped into Nelson DeSouza, Kathleen's husband.
 

Spiral staircase that led to second tasting bar

Talking to Nelson was one of the most rewarding part of our visit. He was an extremely hilarious, lovable and honest guy. He talked to us for at least 30 minutes explaining how he got into the wine business and his passions. One of the comments that he made that really stood out to me was that he compared the wine business to a non profit organization. He told us that the vineyard opened in 2008, and he didn't see a single penny from the vineyard until 2012. Now this is not to be confused with a profit. Nelson explained, that he is just starting to see any money coming in and is no where near making a profit from it yet. That's why he explained that you need to be passionate about this business. He admitted to us that he had no idea what he was getting into when he purchased this property in 2006. With a huge laugh, DeSouza admitted that his job is "hard as shit!" 


Nelson DeSouza is from Brazil and started out in construction. In fact, that is probably one of his biggest passions is building and construction. I learned that everything on the vineyard was constructed by him, including the big building still under construction that we saw when we first pulled into the vineyard. He explained to us that he is building an area to hold events, such as weddings and wants to eventually get barrels to barrel the wine on site as well.

The construction of a second building that Nelson DeSouza himself is building

Our visit to Casanel was out of this world. The wine was wonderful, the atmosphere was great, and best of all, everyone who helped us at Casanel was inviting and warm. I will definitely be coming back in the summer to not only see how the construction of their second building is coming along, but also to sit back and enjoy ourselves on the gazebo that looks out onto their large, gorgeous pond. 

Tasting - The Barns Meritage

Name: Meritage
Varietal: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Petit Verdot, 14% Merlot
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: U.S.
Year: 2011
Price: $29

Winery Review: This reserve blend is highlighted by three varietals each offering distinct nuances. Aged in 50% new French and American oak, the wine exhibits all the characters of a classic Bordeaux style blend. A complexity of aromas that feature berries, toasted oak, vanilla and spice are backed by a moderately tannic, but well rounded wine.

Personal Review: The Barns Meritage had a lovely nose of berries and toasted almonds. From the nose alone, I got a warm and cozy feeling. I am always excited to try blends because I feel like more times then less, all of the different varietals complement each other more so than a pure varietal, and The Barns Meritage proved this to be accurate. The berry flavors made an appearance in the taste of this wine, and overall it had a hint of dryness, but not overwhelmingly so. Again, this was a very nice, well rounded wine.

Food: N/A

Tasting - The Barns Merlot

Name: Merlot 
Varietal: 100% Merlot 
Region: Northern Virginia 
Country: U.S. 
Year: 2011 
Price: $24

Winery Review: A medium bodied red with fresh red fruits and a touch of oak. Balanced with a combination of raspberry, cherry and red current notes. Ten months in French and American oak have added volume and richness. Made in a more approachable style, this wine is a good match for meats and pasta.

Personal Review: While no particular scents jumped out at me, The Barns Merlot had a generally sweet nose. The taste of this wine was similar to the taste in the fact that it wasn't really anything extraordinary. There were some soft oak flavors, but other than that it was a pretty average wine.

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Tasting - The Barns Cabernet Franc

Name: The Barns Cabernet Franc
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: U.S.
Year: 2011
Price: $24

Winery Review: Bright red fruit aromas of strawberry, cherry and cranberry that are complimented by soft oak notes. Gently extracted in order to make this a fresh, young drinking style of Cabernet Franc, the wine exhibits supple tannins, fresh red fruits and good balance. A great summer red wine that will pair well with a wide variety of dishes, from grilled tuna or pork chops to pasta.

My Review: The Barns Cabernet Franc had a nose of cherry and vanilla. While I enjoy these aromas, I have come to find that it is one that is quite common, so I wasn't particularly impressed. However, the second I tasted this wine, my views completely changed. I was a little unsure when the winery description said that this was "a great summer wine," since I wouldn't generally think of a red wine as a summer wine. However, I was extremely shocked at how smooth this wine wine. It had very soft tannins, but was very well balanced. This was probably one of the best red wines I have ever tasted.

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Tasting - The Barns Bank Barn White

Name: 2011 Bank Barn White
Varietal: Vidal Blanc, Tramminette, Viognier, Petit Manseng
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: U.S.
Year: 2011
Price: $22
Winery Review: This refreshing blend of Vidal Blanc, Tramminette, Viognier, and Petit Manseng offers aromes of lime and honey dew melon and a soft touch of lychee on the palate. Pair with spicy Asian fusion dishes, or simply enjoy it with a relaxing evening.

Personal Review: The honey dew aromas of the Bank Barn White immediately jump out on the nose. It had an overall very appealing, sweet nose. When tasting this, my first initial reaction was that it was a sweet wine. However, what really shocked me about this wine was the finish. It had an extremely well balanced finish. This blend was an amazing blend, especially since I am not generally overly fond of white wines. 

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Tasting - The Barns Chardonnay

Name: The Barns Chardonnay
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Northern Virginia
Country: U.S.
Year: 2011
Price: $24

Winery Review: This classic barrel fermented style has nicely integrated flavors that blend with the apple and pear nuances to produce a full bodied wine. A great match with grilled poultry and heavier seafood dishes.

 

Personal Review: One of the most interesting things that I found useful when tasting The Barns 2011 Chardonnay is that it was actually fermented in three different wine barrels. It was very light colored, almost clear. It had a wonderful nose to it, with one of my most favorite scents, apples. It also had a bit of a buttery nose to it. I was expecting this wine to be oaky considering it was barrelled in two oak barrels, followed by a steel tank, however, it was crisp and light and more buttery than oaky. It had soft tannins and wasn't very dry. 

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