Wine Tasting - Rose

 Grande Alberone Rose Italia

Varietal - Negroamoro, Merlot, and Refosco

Region - Veneto

Country - Italy

Year - 2023

Price - $8.99

Wine Review - Aldi Grande Alberone Rosé - Summery • Reverse Wine Snob

WineFolly - northeast - the regions of Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia have cooler climates, and the warmer areas are influenced by the Adriatic Sea. Reds offer more fruit (although still elegant) and the best white wines are found in the hills, such as the Soave grape, Garganega.

My review - this was a really good rose; I smelled a lot of summery hints and has a palate of strawberry, but I could not taste the cherry. It has some tangy flavors every now and then, but it had a well-balanced finish. 

Tasting - Silk and Spice

Varietal - Red blend

Region/Country - Gaia, Portugal 

Year - 2022

Price - $20

Wine Review - Sogrape 2022 Silk & Spice Red Blend Red (Portuguese Table Wine) Rating and Review | Wine Enthusiast

WineFolly - Portugal is a treasure trove of unique wines and grape varieties that are not well known outside the country. However, long ago, the country was at the leading edge of wine technology and can claim one of the world’s first demarcated wine regions (Port since 1757). So, when you combine the country’s longstanding wine traditions with the cornucopia of indigenous varieties, it makes Portugal one of the most exciting places for enthusiasts on the hunt for high quality and great value.

My Review - This wine was very good and had bold and delicate flavors. I could taste raspberry and some licorice. I could also taste notes of vanilla towards the end. 

Food - I had this wine with some margherita pizza which wasn't bad, and it offset the acidic flavor in the wine.

Tasting - Benton Hills

 Benton Hills - Pinot Gris

Varietal - Vinifera Grapes 

Region - Columbia Valley, Benton City, Washington State 

Country - USA

Year - 2022

Price - $7.50

Wine Review - this review says it was very refreshing and was very good with a shellfish dish or even a salad. Quintessential - Benton Hills Pinot Gris

WineFolly - WineFolly in summary says this about Pinot Gris - Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio) is a pinkish mutation of Pinot Noir, known for its diverse wine styles ranging from zesty and light to full-bodied and even rosé. It thrives in Northern Italy, Alsace, Oregon, and Germany. Flavor notes include white peach, lemon zest, and green almond, with styles influenced by climate and winemaking techniques. It generally has medium-high acidity and 11.5–13.5% ABV. Pinot Gris should be served chilled in a white wine glass, though fuller-bodied styles can benefit from a slightly warmer serving temperature. Most are best enjoyed fresh, but some late-harvest versions can age well.

My Review - This was very good for a white wine and had accents of lemon and orange and even had a bit of an aftertastes with notes of vanilla. It was acidity, but it was smooth on the palette, and it didn't smell bad to me like some wines do.

Food - I did have some rosemary crackers and white fox cheese with this wine, and it goes amazingly with the rosemary. The flavors blended very well together.

Menage a Trois - Exotic Blend

 

Varietal: has a mix of chardonnay, Moscato, and Chenin Blanc

- From St. Helen and Lodi CA, USA

- Vintage year 2022

- $10.99

- This wine review talks about the background of the wine and what different fruits and tastes you will get to experience. Menage a Trois Exotic Blend 2020 | Wine.com

- WineFolly again did not have much on this wine.

- My review on this wine is that I think it wasn't great. It was an interesting idea for this blend. The different type of white wines that are blended in this wine help to make the flavor of exotic fruits. However, this is not a great tasting wine, it is very dry and has some legs. It also has a sweet initial taste but then a very bitter aftertaste. 

• Fruity to the smell

• The palate is very exotic having a mix of fruit like pineapple, mango and passion fruit, mixed with some papaya at the end mixing into the very bad after taste.

Would not recommend this wine, however if you mix this with a Taylor Black Port it tastes like a normal red wine, one that is not too sweet or too bitter and the flavors mix very well.

Taylor - Port Black

 

- oak/wood smell 🪵

- raspberry smell as well 

- vanilla

- Tons of legs

 - definitely had a kick

- very strong, and kind of sweet compared to what I thought it would, gives a tingling hot sensation down the throat.

- can taste more cherry once you drink it, plus very syrupy and smooth

- $11.99

- Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz - varietal

- produced and bottled in Canandaigua NY, USA

- Originated in Portugal but has used a company in the USA as a base.

- 2022 vintage year

- This wine review is very good, and I think you should read it for yourself, because it explains exactly what we tasted. Taylor Port Wine Review: A Comprehensive Guide to Taste and Quality

- WineFolly didn't have much to say but it does have some history on the NY wineries and their backgrounds. Which since this wine is based in NY even though it originated in Portugal.

- My personal review on this was that it's not a bad wine, it's very sweet, but should definitely be paired with some type of sweet, like a cherry pie or a chocolate cake. I would recommend this wine if you wanted to have a fun night, especially with Valentine's Day coming up, like this would be very good for a Galentine's day. 💘