A day of Wine and Roses
We hosted our very first wine tasting!
It was a fine range of drink for eight worldly-wise palates, encompassing avid wine-drinkers and the occasional sippers, all of whom shared candid commentary and authentic reviews.
It is fascinating how the amount of flavor receptors in our taste buds vary from person to person, each having different reactions to the same food and drink. We loved witnessing our guests discover what they enjoyed and did not enjoy about our wine and our pairings.
Wine Rankings - the results are in!
It was a memorable evening shared with terrific friends!
We learned a great deal and gathered some fantastic ideas to explore with our wine, our pairings, our labels, and our venue.
So grateful and excited for our future!
Here is what our taster’s had to say…
CHARDONNAY:
“Great on a hot day! Lightly fruity, very smooth, light butter finish that softens the acidity. Hints of apple.”
“Very easy to drink. Smooth. The salmon pairing works well.”
”Vanilla, fruit forward, buttery finish, well balanced. Paired well w/ salmon & cream cheese.”
”I like it because the flavor isn’t strong with a good aftertaste. Not too sweet. Smooth.”
”Very smooth and easy to drink.”
”Keep the food pairing!”
”Smell the oak, like day! Nice color, easy to drink.”
”Tasted pineapple, harsh at first but the longer in the mouth, the better it tasted.”
LIL’ RED PINOT NOIR:
“Tasted anise.”
”Smell is off. Taste is good. Meatball was okay, tasted the spice.”
”Young. Tart cherry. Pairs well with the spicy meatball. The aged Pinot was more mellow, more pronounced cherry notes but less tart.”
”Different smell. Young. Interesting after taste. Smell might turn some people off.”
”Has a bite. Strong smell.”
”I changed my opinion after I tasted the aged one, the aged one is so good!”
”Smell something like cranberry. Not as smooth. Meatball spice works with the wine. Could smell the cherry in the aged one, liked it much better.”
”The aged one was better. My favorite of the reds tonight. ”
CABERNET:
“Seemed light for a Cabernet. I don’t think the peppercorn is a good addition (sorry). Left a thick aftertaste to me.”
”Smell oak but don’t care for the smell as much. Like the flavor a lot, good pairing.”
”Smooth, lighter than what I’m used to. Will be awesome aged!”
”Young, fruity, balanced. Should age well.”
”Smell strong oak. Caprese goes well. Taste is okay.”
”Nose and finish are same. Leathery, very smooth.”
Ol’ Tenny Red:
“Love the nose, leather & tobacco, earthy, peppery. Very smooth.”
”Good blend, dry.”
”Leather and tobacco nose. Fruit forward, but more balanced and earthy.”
”Nice smell. Smooth, interesting taste.”
”This one is a fav!!”
”Love the flowery smell. Smooth flavor. Don’t care for how the pairing changes the flower of the wine, but the cheesesteak is great.”
”This is a drinking wine, gimme a whole bottle!”
BLUEBERRY RIESLING:
“Melon up front, very fruity. Would like to try very cold. Sweet drinkers would love if it was sweeter.”
”Very good, smooth, great taste. Would like to try with cheese parfait.”
”A little too acidic alone. Paired extremely well with the food.”
”2022 Robitussin.”
”Good dessert wine.”
”A great pairing, can taste the blueberry! A little too sweet for me, I like dry.”
”I like the tang, it almost seems carbonated. Pairs well with the soft cheese!”
RASPBERRY MERLOT:
“Nose has the raspberry, nice! Raspberry flavor gives a hint of sweetness, yet nice dry finish. I like it better without the cheesecake.”
”I like it.”
”Nicely blended. Not too sweet. Raspberry nose.”
”Nice smell, not too sweet, tastes great!”
”Smell is beautiful, tastes like raspberries.”
”Love the flavor! This is a good pairing, the way to finish a meal!”
”Raspberry is the best thirst quencher, I want this frozen! Like a frozen daquari! ”
CHOCOLATE SHIRAZ:
“Yummy nose, expect sweetness, very cool! Love the creativity! The cake pops bring out the merlot/fruity.”
”Very good, chocolatey, not too sweet.”
”Chocolate and grape wine notes. Food pairing softens the chocolate flavor of the wine. Would be good flavor in a brandy or port wine.”
”Nice chocolate smell. Not too sweet which is nice. Nice full chocolate flavor.”
”Wow! Chocolate lovers dream!”
”Would also love to try chocolate covered pretzels, black forest cake, or caramel as a pairing.”
”Tastes and smells great! Great pairing too! Very nice.”
”Great dessert wine! One of my favorites tonight!”
RED BLEND INFUSED WITH COFFEE:
“Serve after espresso! Smooth tasting to me. I like it!”
”Taste and smell coffee and it’s great, not super sweet, very nice.”
”Has a bite. Can smell the coffee, hits the mark for coffee.”
”Different smell. Flavor is full with an interesting aftertaste. I can’t identify any of the tastes.”
”More fruity than coffee. A little too acidic.”
”I like this one the least. Could not ID coffee.”
”Fruit forward, coffee slight on the finish. Tobacco aroma.”
