My Hands-on Winemaking Class got together last night for a potluck dinner to taste the fruits of our labors. We put French oak cubes in the wines about 2 months ago, so now is a good time to give them all a taste to see if there is enough oak, or if it needs more. [...]
Tag archive: tasting note
The oak trials were bottled about 2 months ago now, and I’m ready to do a tasting of the panel. My husband has agreed to help me out, since there are 7 different wines to taste. First is the unoaked Winexpert Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay: dry, but not crisp, with subtle hints of apple and pear. [...]
I pulled out another bottle of my ‘La Jolla Caves’ Winexpert Crushendo “Montagnac Vieux Chateau d’Oc” red rhone blend to see if it is doing anything useful in the cellar. So far, this is one wine kit that has disappointed me all along, and I just don’t think this wine is going to come around. [...]
I realized I haven’t really done a head-to-head tasting of my 2008 Merlot lots A and B yet. After being so disappointed with the barrel batch of merlot from that vintage, I’ve been holding out to wait 2 years to pop the smaller batch of lot A. Happily, the time has come! Tasting notes: Merlot [...]
My “Hotel Del Coronado” Winexpert 2008 limited release Brunello is coming up on 3 years post bottling now. My first reaction to drinking this wine was, WOW! It is definitely at its peak, and is exceptional. Big, bold aromas of blackberry, sage, and light spice. Perfectly integrated flavors of currant, blackberry, and raisins with cedar [...]
I’ve been somewhat unhappy with my 2008 Lambert Bridge Merlot lately, but the blend of merlot with cabernet sauvignon is officially ready to drink! It is finally perfectly balanced and integrated, with big, bold, brambly aromas of ripe blackberries and spice, and mouthwatering flavors of ripe red fruits with a hint of leather and eucalyptus. [...]
I bottled both the Cellar Craft 2010 limited edition Marsanne-Viognier-Roussanne and the Winexpert Spanish Rose today, getting ready for summer sipping. The MVR wasn’t quite clear, which I think might be due to my use of marbles for topping up my wines. When wines with marbles are moved at all from their place of rest [...]
I bottled the Cellar Craft limited edition ‘Chateau du Pays‘ today. I intended to bulk age this wine 6 to 8 months, but realized I was a carboy short for upcoming winemaking and didn’t have time to get another one fast enough. As usual, there was one partial bottle left at the end, which went [...]
I’m mostly disappointed with this wine. But, perhaps there is some hope. After pouring through a Vinturi aerator, the flaws of this wine really mellowed out. Aromas like vanilla ice cream with edge of lemon. Still very sweet on the tongue, but not so sharp. Oak is becoming prominent. I might as well give it [...]
We finally opened the last bottle of our RJ Spagnols Limited Release Argentinian Trio white blend. This wine was bottled about 2 years ago now, and it was a good thing we were drinking the last bottle. We really loved this wine, in fact it won a silver medal and “Best of Class” at the [...]