Ryan's Wine Blog

Les Volets Pays d'Oc Pinot Noir 2021 $17        The winefeed describes this wine as   a stunn ing 100% Pinot Noir from Pays d’Oc, France. The warm daily sunshine and cool evenings help grow delicious, ripe grapes to form such a well balanced wine. If you like a good juicy and jammy red, this one is perfect for you. You can drink this one by itself or pair it with food, whatever you like!     At first whiff I was taken aback by this wine as it was kind of aggressive on the nose, I would have to guess it was due to the fact that it was a higher ABV wine at 13% than what I had been drinking before, but after getting past that it wasn't so bad. It was pretty oaky smell-wise, with a bit of plum sneaking in there as well. It was definitely on the lighter side, aligning with one of the styles of Pinot Noir outlined in Wine Folly (pg. 100-101), for the taste, but other than that it was pretty bland and I didn't get much of the flavors that were described by th...

Lone Birch Riesling Yakima Valley 2022 $11      Wine Enthusiast describes this Riesling as   a stunning Riesling value, with wonderful aromas of nectarines, rose water, orange sorbet and a hint of clove. It has sweet red-grapefruit and strawberry flavors, with a touch of residual sugar. The wine's bold acidity qualifies as life affirming. Great stuff.      I would have to agree with Wine Enthusiast's review on the value of this Riesling. I very much enjoyed it, and for $11 I enjoyed it even more. It had a very crisp scent, and I got a lot of apple on the nose, and it was also a decently floral aroma. This was a pretty light-bodied wine that was decently sweet but then seemed a touch acidic on the finish. The flavor that stood out the most to me was the apple, which is listed on Wine Folly as one of the dominant flavors for a Riesling (pg. 88-89). Like I mentioned earlier, I thoroughly enjoyed drinking this wine and I'll definitely buy it again.

  Grenache Calatayud 2021 $14.69     Big Nose Full Body describes this wine as yet another incredible Spanish value from high altitude, old-vines in continental Aragon. Concentrated berries and a stony minerality combine with expressive acidity for well balanced, if not boozy, drinkability. Dry-farmed, hand harvested, and organically grown. Pairings: Grilled pork, rabbit ragu, Iberico ham.       Initially sniffing this wine, it definitely had a kick to it and smelled pretty spicy. Definitely strong on the nose which was a little bit intimidating. But getting into the taste, it was semi-sweet and got notes of cranberry or maybe some strawberry, and a little bit of oak which aligned with Wine Folly's description of Grenache (pg. 112-113). While it was sweet it also had some tannins to it which was nice, and it was fairly light. Out of the red wines we have drank throughout the semester, this was high on the list for me. And for the price, I wou...

  Sauvignon Blanc $10.48 2020 Western Cape South Africa      Timeless Wines describes La Motte as follows. This wine was made from grapes originating from vineyards in several areas of the Cape Winelands — Franschhoek (25%), Stellenbosch (50%) and the Cape South Coast (25%). Light straw in color with hint of green. Lots of fresh winter melon and gooseberry with distinctive lime aromas very typical to La Motte Sauvignon Blanc. Silky and soft on the pallet with a fruity green apple aftertaste. Lower acidity than the average year but well in balance with a lower residual sugar.  With its natural acidity and acute texture, the La Motte Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with seafood, light pastas and spicy Chinese and Thai dishes. This white wine also goes extremely well with acute seasonings, and salty eats such as pre-dinner canapés. A natural partner to goat’s cheese. On its own, a refreshing aperitif white wine.     Taking an initial whiff of this wine ...