White Tasting: True Myth Chardonnay

 Name: True Myth Chardonnay 

Varietal: Chardonnay 

Region: Edna Valley, CA

Country: USA

Year: 2017

Price: $16.80

Winery Review: Loaded with aromas of citrus and tropical fruit and moving beautifully with apple, pear, and pineapple. Creamy and smooth texture as it's poured and drank. 

Wine Folly: Pg. 96 mentions that chardonnay is one of the most popular grapes in the world that can naturally provide a creamy texture to white wine. Some of the primary flavors of chardonnay can be pineapple, vanilla, butter, or even apples. A medium-full body that's not too dry.

My Review: First taste of the wine immediately gave a green apple flavor with a hint of tropical. The aroma is not strong to the smell and gives off a very natural and outdoors feeling. I paired the wine with a pasta and chicken dinner. The wine collaborated with the food well and provided a better overall dining experience. 

Red Tasting: El Coto

 

Name: El Coto

Varietal: Tempranillo

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Year: 2017

Price: $16.80

Winery Review: Produced from Tempranillo grapes and fermented and aged in oak for at least 20 months with additional 6 months resting in the bottle. Created with layers of fresh raspberry, cherry, spice, and toasted oak, building to a silky finish.

Wine Folly: Pg. 175 references how tempranillo wines are paired with steak, burgers, and a rack of lamb. They are classified by how long they are aged and oaked. A big wine with high tannin with tastes of fruitiness and freshness. 

My Review: The wine brought a strong aroma of cherry, smooth drinking, a touch of oak, with a hint of a sour aftertaste that doesn't overwhelm the wine. Decanting the wine made it much smoother and cleaner overall taste. 

Cheers to new beginnings

    I'm excited to take this course to broaden my knowledge of wine. I would say my current knowledge of wine is possibly below the average compared to others my age. From the complexity of creating wine and understanding the language of wine, I'm looking forward to being able to feel more comfortable in my own skin drinking and talking about wine with others.

    As I grew up, my family was very lenient on drinking alcohol in general. I was probably around the age of 16 when I was allowed to drink with my family during gatherings but obviously was limited to what my family was drinking. Usually, it would be Coors lights, IPA, and lagers as the drink of choice. However, on occasion, I was given red wine during a steak dinner. So, I have tried different reds from pinot noir to cabernet sauvignon but don't have any expert knowledge on any type of red or white wines. Hopefully, that will change in the coming weeks as I learn more about wine and also drink it in the meantime.