Trump Cru

 

Trump Cru Fortified Chardonnay

    This wine is called Cru by Trump Winery, and is made with Chardonnay grapes and fortified with grape brandy. The place of origin is the Charlottesville, VA with no vintage year labeled, due to this being a fortified wine. This wine costs $34.

    Wine enthusiast Rob Andrews had this to say about the wine: "A nice dessert wine. Clover honey, ripe peach, green apple, honeysuckle and wildflowers. Sweet without being cloying. Long honey mead finish." https://www.vivino.com/US/en/trump-cru-aperitif/w/1833753

    On page 96 of Wine Folly, this is said about Chardonnay: "One of the world's most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from sparkling Blanc de Blancs to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Chardonnay pairs best with subtle spices and flavors. For example, try matching it with creamy, buttery flavors and soft textures. Lobster is a winning match." It should be served in an aroma collector glass at 45-55*F, should not be decanted and should spend 5-10 years in the cellar.

 I did not have this wine with any food. The color of this wine was a light honey amber. It had a nose of pear, slightly like butterscotch and almond. The taste is immediately sweet, not dry/tannic at all with a medium-heavy body. Very warm with an aftertaste of frosting. Forward tastes of apple, pear and vanilla extract.

In conclusion I give this wine a 4/10, I am not a huge fan of fortified wines and it was too alcoholic for my liking.

 

 

Trump Blanc de Noir Sparkling Wine

    This wine is called Blanc de Noir by Trump Winery, and is made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes. The place of origin is the Charlottesville, VA with a vintage year of 2015. This wine costs $55.

    Wine critic Fiona Adams gave this wine a score of 89 and had this to say about it: A very pretty nose offers white flowers, lemon peels and a tinge of vanilla cookie. The palate offers a good concentration of flavors in bright, ripe lemon, saltine cracker and vanilla cupcake, along with lightly foamy, tingling bubbles and a tart vein of lime acidity that leans slightly sour. Lime juice lingers on the finish". https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/trump-2014-blanc-de-noir-methode-champenoise-brut-sparkling-monticello/

    On page 150 of Wine Folly, it is mentioned that Pinot Noir is the "world's most popular light-bodied red" and is "loved for its red fruit and spice flavors that are accentuated by a long, smooth, soft-tannin finish". It also mentions a "higher acidity" and "lower tannins" make it a good pair for "duck, chicken, pork, and mushrooms". It should be served in an "aroma collector" glass, stored in a cellar at 55-60*F, decanted for 30 mins, and can be stored in the cellar for 5-15 years.

 I did not have this wine with any food. The color of this wine was a light fair yellow. This wine smells of gala apples and green pears, very refreshing due to the CO2, as it is a sparkling wine. It was tart, not sweet, not tannic, with a green apple taste with grapefruit aftertaste that explodes in your mouth. It had good acidity and a light body.

In conclusion I give this wine a 3/10, I strongly dislike carbonation personally, so any sparkling wine will not be a favorite.

 

Villa Poggio Salvi Merlot

This wine is called Lavischio Merlot Toscana by Villa Poggio Salvi, and is made with 100% Merlot grapes. The place of origin is the Tuscany, Italy with a vintage year of 2019. This wine costs $15.95.

Renowned wine critic James Suckling gave this wine a score of 91 and had this to say about it: "A fresh, fine-tannined red with blackcurrants, walnuts and hints of thyme that follow through to a medium body with a fresh, pretty finish. Drink or hold".

 On page 131 of wine folly, Merlot is said to be "loved for its boisterous black cherry flavors, supple tannins, and smoky or chocolaty finish. It's often found in a Bordeaux blend with Cabernet Franc. Merlot tastes great alongside roasted foods like pork shoulder, roasted mushrooms, or braised short ribs. Try complementing the fruit notes with chimi-churri sauce!" It should be served in an oversized glass at room temperature, decanted for 30 minutes and spend 5-10 years in the cellar.

 I did not have this wine with any food, as I had it at a tasting at Vintage Cellar. The color of this wine was a rich deep red. This wine smells of blackberries and slightly of strawberries. It was very dry and tannic with no sweetness at all, although it did have a little bit of spice. It tastes of dark grapes, blackberry and was slightly earthy, with a medium body.

In conclusion I give this wine a 1/10, it honestly made me feel sick, I think due to the earthy flavors and my low tolerance for tannins.

 

Jardine Sauvignon Blanc

 

Jardine Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

This wine is called Jardine Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc by Vina Robles, and is made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The place of origin is the Jardine Vineyard of Paso Robles, CA with a vintage year of 2020. This wine costs $16.

Wine enthusiast Matt Kettmann had this to say about the 2019 vintage: "This is a very generous style of Sauvignon Blanc, starting with vibrant aromas of crisp Pink Lady apples and lime peel. It's very zippy, almost pétillant on the palate, where Granny Smith and yellow-apple peels meet with lime-skin and lychee flavors."

 On page 165 of Wine Folly, Sauvignon Blanc is described as "a unique tasting white wine with strong herbaceous flavors that are derived from compounds called methoxypyrazines (also found in bell peppers!)... [it] is a wonderful pairing partner with herb-driven sauces, salty cheeses, light meats, and last but not least, Asian food." It should be enjoyed in a white glass, at 45-55*F and spend 1-5 years in the cellar.

 I did not have this wine with any food, as I had it at a tasting at Vintage Cellar. The color of this wine was a light lemon yellow. This wine smells of sweet summer green grapes and slightly of apple. It had a slightly sweet and citrusy taste with no tannic dryness or spice, and a light body. It tasted mostly of green grapes, apple, and a bit of tangerine.

In conclusion I give this wine a 6/10, it was not very memorable, just a good classic Sauvignon Blanc.

 

 

 David Finlayson: The Pepper Pot

This wine is called The Pepper Pot by David Finlayson, and is made with Syrah, 43% Mourvedre, Tannat, Cinsault, Grenache and Carignan grapes. The place of origin is South Africa and has a vintage year of 2018. This wine costs $14.95.

Tim Atkins gave this vintage a score of 90 and had this to say about it: "Great value from David Finlayson, this is (almost) the South African equivalent of a Cotes du Rhone blend, marrying Syrah with 43% Mourvedre, Tannat, Cinsault, Grenache and Carignan. Light, floral and spicy, with a hint of wood, red berry fruit and subtle reduction." 2020-23

 Because this is a blend of so many different types of grape, I will be referencing the section of Wine Folly for Rhone/GSM blends, on page 156. "GSM stands for Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. These three grapes create the base of Southern France and Northern Spain's most important red wine blends." While this wine is from South Africa, I chose this entry because it was described as the South African equivalent of a GSM. "The GSM Blend is a versatile food pairing wine that works particularly well with dishes featuring Mediterranean spices including red pepper, sage, rosemary, and olives." It should be served in an oversized glass at 60-68*F, decanted for 30 mins and spend 5-15 years in the cellar.

 I did not have this wine with any food, as I had it at a tasting at Vintage Cellar. This wine smells spicy and of florals at the same time, and the nose reminded me of hydrangeas. It had a very tannic dryness with a strong peppercorn flavor with a slight taste of red fruit and berries at the front of the tongue. It was not sweet or acidic, and had a light body.

In conclusion, I give this wine a 4/10, although it was a very interesting wine to experience as it was my 'spiciest' tasting yet.

 

 

Thomas Goss- McLaren Vale

This wine is called McLaren Vale by Thomas Goss, and is made with 100% Shiraz grapes. The place of origin is McLaren Vale, Australia with a vintage year of 2018. This wine costs $17.95.

James Suckling gave this wine 90 points and had this to say about it: "This is a bold, rich style of Shiraz that has a core of ripe plums and chocolate on the nose. The palate is smooth, fleshy and flavorsome and has plenty of dark plums and berries, served in approachable mode".

 On page 172 of Wine Folly, Syrah is described as "A rich, powerful and sometimes meaty red that originated in the Rhone Valley of France. It's the most planted grape in all of Australia, where it's called Shiraz. Darker meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with lamb shwarma, gyros, Asian five-spice pork, and Indian tandoori". It should be served in a red glass at 60-68*F (room temperature), decanted 60+ minutes and spend 5-15 years in the cellar.

 I did not have this wine with any food, as I had it at a tasting at Vintage Cellar. This wine smells of blackberries and plum and had very strong legs. It tasted of black pepper and was very dry and tannic. Honestly it didn't taste like much else to me, maybe a slight aftertaste of blackberries but the tannins were so intense it was difficult to taste anything else. It had a medium body with no sweetness or acidity.

In conclusion, I give this wine a 3/10, this wine was simply too dry for me to enjoy.

 

Beaujolais-Villages

 

Albert Bichot Beaujolais-Villages

This wine is called Albert Bichot Beaujolais-Villages by Chateau de Varennes, and is made with 100% Gamay grapes. The place of origin is Beaujolais, France with a vintage year of 2019. This wine costs $14.95.

Here is a Wine Enthusiast review provided by Vintage Cellar at their tasting, rated at a 90: "Floral and fruity, this is an immediately attractive, ripe wine. Full of red cherry flavors, balanced by soft tannins and a lightly smoky character, it is ready to drink".

 On page 113 of Wine Folly, Gamay is described as "a fruity, floral and sometimes earthy light-bodied red that is the main variety planted in Beaujolais. Outside of France, Gamay has a tiny but devoted following. One of the red wines that pairs with all manner of dishes...". It should be enjoyed in an aroma collector glass at 55-60*F, decanted for 30 mins and spend 1-5 years in the cellar. 

 I did not have this wine with any food, as I had it at a tasting at Vintage Cellar. This wine smells of sweet berries like blackberries and cherry with notes of spice (I think sort of like allspice?). It tastes like blackberry with light tannins and it was sort of watery. It had undertones of grapes and florals like rose, with a light body. Not acidic or sweet, and slightly smoky.

In conclusion, I give this wine a 4/10, as I am not a huge fan of reds but I didn't hate it.