Sunday, April 20, 2014


Attimo Winery Visit
(Christiansburg, VA)



I Do
Year 2013
Blended Wine (Traminette/Petit mensang)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $17.00
Winery Review: Semi-sweet wine, tropical fruit flavors and floral aromas.
My Review: This wine has a strong pear nose with a great mango taste. It's very bubbly yet light in the body. It has a lasting pineapple finish.






Just Kissed Blush
Year 2013
Blended Wine (Raspberry/Vidal)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $16.00
Winery Review: Semi-sweet blush, fruity, distinct berry flavors. A great wine to use for Sangria
My Review: This blush wine has a very floral nose and tastes very much like rose pedals. It's very sweet and has an intense berry flavor.



After Midnight
Year 2013
Blended Wine (Merlot/Blackberry/Zinfadel)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $17.00
Winery Review: Semi-sweet red, fruity flavors, velvety texture
My Review: The nose on this wine has a very strong blackberry smell. But there's much more of a chocolate taste. It has a light body for a red wine and a little heat on the finish. 



Sweet Berry Sunset
Year 2013
Blended Wine (Raspberry/Red Blend)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $15.50
Winery Review: Sweet red intense berry and fruity flavors. Dessert Wine
My Review: This wine has an extremely floral nose especially of rose pedals. It has medium body for a dessert wine and a lasting finish. 



Sudden Downpour
Year 2013
Blended Wine (Apple/White)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $15.50
Winery Review: Sweet, apple wine with bourbon notes and earthy tones
My Review: There's a strong cinnamon and apple nose on this wine. It tastes very much like apple juice and is very crisp for a dessert wine.



Aviator
Year 2013
Reserve Varietal Wine (Cabernet Franc)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $25.00
Winery Review: Dry red wine with strong hints of mocha.
My Review: This wine has a strong berry nose. It has a mocha taste with hints of chocolate with medium body but has a very, quick finish. 
 

Blaze
Year 2013
Reserve Blended Wine (Vidal Blanc/Traminette)
United States
Southwest Virginia
Price: $22.00
Winery Review: Dry, noble white wine with strong orange flavors
My Review: The nose has a mixture of tropical fruit with a burning scent. It has a very fiery taste from the pepper. The wine gives off a great glow with a light body and high tannins.




Sunday, April 6, 2014

Wine and Cheese Night!
 

For our wine and cheese night we enjoyed seven different cheeses (Gouda, Vermont Cheddar, Brie with Pepper, Colby Jack, Goat, Parmesan, and Onion and Chive with three wines (Reisling, Pinot Noir, and a Malbec)


Fish Eye Riesling
Year 2011
Varietal Wine
South Eastern Australia
Chile
Price: $12.00
Winery Review: Fresh picked apricots with floral aromas.
My Review: Fruity nose with hints of floral. Pear and apple flavors.
Cheeses: The Chive and Onion was a good pairing, the fruitiness of the Riesling balanced out the very strong onion flavor of the cheese. The Goat Cheese brought out the acidity in the Riesling. While the Brie cheese was a little too light to pair with this wine, the combination didn't make much flavor in either the wine or the cheese. The wine really calms down the Vermont Cheddar making it slightly milder. The Riesling is definitely best paired with the Goat cheese.
 



The Little Penguin Pinot Noir
Year 2011
Varietal Wine
Australia
Price: $8.00
Winery Review: Medium body red with no edges, pleasant, ripe fruit flavors abound.
My Review: It is very musty and earthy with hints of bark, but balanced out with black cherry flavors and a touch of pepper.
Cheeses: The flavors of the wine are very strong with the Chive and Onion cheese. With the Colby Jack cheese the wine is less dry and the cheese's creaminess is really brought out. Definitely brings out the goat cheese flavor. The Parmesan is too dry to be paired with the wine while the Brie's creaminess helps enhance the wine's very light fruitiness. The Vermont Cheddar overpowers the wine's flavor but the Gouda is just the right match for this Pinot Noir bringing out all of the wine's distinct flavors including the cherries and peppers. 




Alamos Malbec
Varietal Wine
Year 2012
South America
Argentina
Price: $12.00
Winery Review: Marries rich fruit flavors with dark, earthy notes
My Review: Cherry nose with a hint of citrus. This wine has a strong blackberry taste and very dry mouthfeel.
Cheeses: This wine really brings out the Gouda's delicious flavors. It really compliments the Onion and Chive cheese, however the cheese makes the wine slightly more bitter. The onion doesn't overpower the fruit flavors in this wine. Somehow, despite it being so dry, this wine makes the Goat cheese even creamier. The pepper in the Brie cheese becomes very prominent paired with the wine. Just like the previous wine, it is just too dry to be paired with a dry cheese like Parmesan. On the other hand, the Colby Jack is a great pair with this wine bring out the earthy notes in the wine while keeping its amazing creaminess and flavor.