Gabi's Wine Blog

 Earlier this week, I decided to use my new Dutch oven to make a pot roast. To go along with the meal, I tried a 2019 Mark West Pinot Noir from California, United States. This bottle was on sale for $8.99 at Kroger and I was intrigued by the simple nature of the label. Online, the reviews all agree that this is a great Pinot Noir for it's low price. Some commented that this is a lighter Pinot Noir, but overall the reviews were very positive. Tasting Experience: The initial bouquet presented a red fruit aroma, specifically cherry, with secondary and tertiary aromas of butter and oak (31). The wine itself was dry and had medium acidity and medium tannin (32). While the wine wasn't very complex, the flavors were very smooth and it had a nice finish. My thoughts: This Pinot Noir paired very well with dinner, which consisted of pot roast, mashed potatoes, and parmesan roasted brussels sprouts. I enjoyed how the mellow flavor of the pot roast complimented the acidity of the wine. I d...

Yesterday evening, I decided to wind down with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. As a former horse rider, this bottle label caught my eye at the store, so that was my main motivation in buying this bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon's have always been a safe purchase for me and it is the wine I order the most at restaurant, so I was very excited to try this bottle. This is a 2020 Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon that I purchased for $8.99. This wine is from California, United States. Many reviews online state that this wine is good for it's price, but does not have enough tannin. Tasting Experience: The bouquet of this wine had primary aromas of blackberry, olive and plum. The secondary aroma had hints of potting soil, and lastly, the tertiary aroma had oak aging, with a cigar box scent (31). Upon trying this wine, the flavors were dry, acidic with a medium amount of tannin. This wine is full bodied, and there are oak flavors towards the end of the flavor. Overall, the flavors had a short le...

Today I decided to go with a white, so I drank a 2020 Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, which cost $11.99. This wine is from Vintner's Reserve in California, US. Some of the tasting notes on Vivino state that the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay has a fruity and citrus-like smell and taste with butter and oak notes, and is very good to either drink alone or with a meal. Upon first smelling the drink, it was clear that this wine was oak-aged. It's primary aroma gave hints of tropical fruit, specifically pineapple and the secondary aroma was buttery (31). The taste of the wine itself was dry and acidic with a clear taste of the alcohol present (32). This wine has an alcohol content of 13.5%, which is usually higher than the whites that I drink, so that is why I noticed the alcohol burn more.  According to the Wine Folly book, Chardonnay pairs best with subtle spices and flavors, and would pair well with buttery flavors, such as lobster. Chardonnay tastes include pineapple, vanilla, and butte...

Since it was my last first day of classes, I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner which as a college student, consists of something other than chicken and rice. I recently did a trial wine subscription box, which consisted of 5 different wines catered to my preferences. For this special dinner, I paired my final wine from the box with it, a 2020 Pinot Noir called Vanishing Act. Vanishing Act is from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, located in the United States and costs around $25 for a bottle. When I first smelled the wine, the initial aroma consisted of a red fruit, specifically strawberry, the secondary aroma smelled like wet gravel, and the tertiary aroma gave hints of cedar (Wine Folly 31). The wine subscription came with a card that described the taste of this wine, and they noted that it has hints of strawberry, cherry, fresh mushroom and cedar on the finish. The recommended pairings are roasted mushrooms, beef wellington, and true crime documentaries. First when I tasted th...