Tasting - Hive and Honey Riesling (2/27)

 

Today we are trying a Riesling! Going for $12.99, this Hive and Honey Riesling is quite delicious. Its very light, and, like the reviews said, a bit on the dryer side. The lack of sweetness definitely makes it more refreshing. It tastes a bit flowery, with a bit of citrus. We had it chilled - perhaps a little too cold, but in red glasses. Wine Folly (pg 158-159) says the main flavors you might catch in a Riesling are Lime, Green Apple, Beeswax, Jasmine, and Petroleum. I definitely didn’t get petroleum, nor a limey taste - I think green apple was the most applicable flavor. 

(Review: https://www.vivino.com/US/en/hive-honey-riesling/w/4467005)

Tasting - John Zinfandel Reserve

 Name: John

Type: Zinfandel

Region: California

Country: USA

Grape: Zinfandel

Vintage: 2020

Price: $15-$20 

I absolutely love this wine! Its bold, plummy, jammy, and quite dry - the dryness in particular is greatly appreciated after having had the overly-sweet port the other night. Wine Folly (pg 189-190) says that Zinfandel from California may appear pale; not the case with this! 

Reviewers online largely agreed with my assessment  - they said its bold, more smooth than tannic, more dry than sweet, and more soft than acidic (https://www.vivino.com/US/en/josh-cellars-reserve-bourbon-barrel-aged-zinfandel/w/10448124?year=2020)

Tasting - Taylor Tawny Port

 It's once again time to taste a Port! Today we are tasting Taylor's New York Tawny Porto, an extra cheap drink that cost around $12 for 1.5 Liters. As such, it is lacking in some departments - including, apparently, a definite vintage!

 Details: 

Name: Taylor Port

Type: Tawny Port

Region: New York 

Country: usa

Grape: Unknown

Vintage: Unknown 

Price: $11.00

Thoughts:

Very smooth, with hints of sweet cherry. Is almost too sweet to the point where it tastes somewhat like coughdrops. There’s a tannic element to it. Aftertaste is just… the taste of sugar, to be honest. While Ports are normally very full and very tannic, thus evening out the sweetness (and making them appear less sweet than they really are), the young age of this wine (presumably, since it has no Vintage) seems to contribute to a lack of flavor, thus making the sweetness overwhelming.

This Port is so unknown, I couldn't even find a review! There were plenty of reviews on their ten-year vintage, but nothing for this.

Tasting - Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Name: Red Horse

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 

Year: 2020

Region: California

Country: USA

Price: 7.99

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon 

Tastes buttery, oaky, and oilily. Very little aftertaste. Comes off as dry. Reviews also noted that it has a higher alcohol content, high acidity, and medium tannin levels (https://www.vivino.com/US/en/red-horses-vineyard-cabernet-sauvignon/w/8781607#:~:text=3.5Second%20vintage%20for%20this,with%20a%20bit%20of%20vanilla). The book specifies similar features for this type of wine: no sweetness, medium acidity, and high alcohol (pg 88). The most notable aspect of the wine to me was its full body. 

Tasting - Cavit Pinot Grigio

 

Name: Cavit Pinot Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Year: 2021 

Grape: Pinto Grigio

Region: Delle Venezie 

Country: Italy

Price: 14.99

Light bodied, well rounded - flavor came to me as a whole rather than in distinct parts,

which made it difficult to identify details. Reviews mention a fruitiness to it, which I didn’t detect (.) Overall, it came across as a strong flavor. Came across different than the book;

in particular, sweetness was supposed to be high, which I didn’t detect (pg 149).