My next foray into the world of wine was Cavit Pinot Grigio 2009. Overall I was very pleased with this wine. It is a very pale straw color, and it appears almost clear toward the edges of the glass when I tip it. It looks almost watery in appearance. No sediment is visible.

To me it smells somewhere between sweet and dry.. maybe halfway between the two. It smells of berries, vanilla and has some floral overtones.

When I finally tasted it it turned out to be dry, but no nearly as dry as the pinot noir I had previously. I could definitely drink more of this wine. It is not acidic at all. It almost tastes slightly buttery or slightly earthy. Maybe there is a honey taste also.

It has a very nice finish. It is light bodied and the aftertaste lasts only seconds. It fills my mouth with a nice, warm feeling - no bitterness at all.

I will keep this wine in mind for the future. So far I like riesling and pinot grigio.

6:55 pm  •  15 November 2010

Last night we tried a small bottle of Alice White 2009 Chardonnay. This wine is a light golden color - the color of straw.

It seems to be a little watery and translucent. I see little bits of sediment, but I think it may be stuff that was on the glass before I used it because I didn’t rinse it (ewww).

The chardonnay smells dry, sharp but light, a bit flowery. Maybe citrus? And something else I can’t put my finger on.

When I taste it I immediately get a citrusy - orange image in my head. It’s light, crisp, firm. It seems to be dry but not as dry as the red wines we have had recently.

I tried it with some cheddar cheese and crackers and it went well! It seemed to make the flavor of the cheese fuller.

I’d try it again :)

9:58 pm  •  19 October 2010

Ok I’m on a roll with wine. This time it is a small bottle of Alice White 2008 Shiraz. I’m drinking it while watching St. Elmo’s Fire. Nice combo, hehe.

Does anyone think I am cheating by going with all the small bottles? Like getting my goal over quickly, or something? I don’t see it that way… This is my way of getting a quick overview of different kinds of wine to see what I like.

This wine is a lovely deep cranberry color. It is almost opaque, maybe a little cloudy. No sediment. When I swirl it it seems to stick to the sides of the wine glass, like it is a bit sticky.

Hmmm when I swirl it and sniff it is reminding me of the Pinot Noir I tried and didn’t like. Uh oh. But I shouldn’t pre-judge! It is a crisp smell, a little fruity. But also woody. SIgh. It is hard to describe what I smell and taste. ….The label says it is fruity and savory! So I was kinda close with my description…?

This wine is dry. It tastes more savory than fruity. Its got a little bite to it… clove? It tastes complex, firm and heavy.

The aftertaste is better than the actual flavor of the wine I think. I don’t like it overall - each sip is a struggle for me. (I am such a wine virgin!) I don’t like the smell and the first taste, (the “attack phase” is harsh.) Tastes a bit bitter.

I don’t think I will be even finishing this small bottle.

9:43 pm  •  16 October 2010

I went crazy at the liquor store last night. I bought 8 or 9 little bottles of wine (about 187 ml each).

The first we broke open was the Sutter Home 2009 White Zinfandel. It is a beautiful light rose color, and the clarity is clear. I love it when the cold wine sits in the glass and it gets condensation on it.

It’s slightly dry but not as dry as the Pinot Noir we had the other week. There is no sediment floating in it.

It smells a bit fruity and florally to me. When I swirl it it smells very florally. My first impression of it on my tongue is “firm, light and crisp.” I feel like I taste some herbs. I think it is light bodied and has little aftertaste.

I enjoyed this wine and would get it again. It still is nothing compared to my beloved sweet riesling!

8:33 pm  •  11 October 2010

Last weekend my sister purchased another wine; Opihi Valley Pinot Noir 2003. This wine is definitely dry, waaaay dry. I don’t like it as much as the riesling I had before.

It’s a beautiful maroon color. Clear (not cloudy). Brilliant (not dull). By the way, I am using this website to learn the basics of tasting wine. No sediment. It seems to be medium bodied.

After swirling it around it smells sour. Maybe a smell of oak? I don’t like the smell that much.

I can’t finish even half a glass of this wine. I know my pallet is not very sophisticated. I lean more to the sweet wines I think. All I think of when I taste this pinot noir is a woody, or smokiness flavor. Not fruity at all.

So, I will have to try another pinot noir and compare.

8:39 pm  •  1 October 2010

I bought my first bottle of wine tonight. I was in the mood for chicken korma, so I looked up what kind of wine would go best with a creamy dish. Riesling was recommended, so I stopped by the wine/liquor store and found 2007 George Müller Riesling. When I checked out the woman at the cash register said, “Ohh George Müller, my favorite!” So I was happy I had picked semi-well.

I have literally zilch experience with wine, but it seems to be a sweet wine? And maybe a little tart, and citrusy? This is all conjecture as I don’t have the slightest idea how to properly taste wine. I swirled it and sniffed it and swished it. I like this wine better solo than with the food. With the food it burns the sides of my tongue, but alone it tastes almost sweet. But maybe it’s dry? The website leads me to believe it is not dry. I also think it is light-bodied.

Well, regardless I do like the taste and would buy it again. I drank half the bottle in one sitting. Is that too much? :)

10:59 pm  •  18 September 2010