Morada Sangria, $4.95 – 1 Liter, Spain: A traditional Spanish drink made with red wine and citrus extracts. Garnet color and fresh on the palate. Serve well chilled, on its own or with lemonade and slices of fruit like peach, banana or apple.  I LLOVEE Sangria, so I was very excited to taste this yet it was a little disappointing.  It smelled very syrupy and citrusy.  Like all kinds of citrus, it kind of smelled like orange lysol, fruity yet very sweet.  I also smelled hints of lemon and lime.  No red peach, banana, or apple, I could not distinguish them on the nose.  The taste was not awful, but I definitely would not buy it.  The sweetness was kind of stale, not a very good sweet taste.  I was a bit disappointed with the Sangria.  

Cortenova Primitivo, 2010 $7.95, Italy: This Italian wine is a dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. The intense and fragrant bouquet carries a rich array of red and black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and velvety on the palate, it has a great balance and structure. Excellent with grilled or roasted meats, game and cheeses.  This wine was very interesting.  The color was absolutely beautiful and it smelled a bit like black pepper and raspberry jam.  I felt the body was very heavy and a little too hot for my taste.  It was not very smooth or harmonious like the descriptor said.  I think it would taste different with some food maybe.  However, I did not try this wine with food.  

Canyon Road Pinot Noir 2010, $6.95, California: This Pinot Noir expresses tantalizing flavors of ripe cherry and wild raspberry, and finishes with brown, vanilla spices and a smooth finish.  On the nose, this sine was very ripe smelling.  It smelled very tartish, I could get a little of what smelled like cherry and I kind of smelled a fig newton type smell - like bready/vanilla with fig.  On the palate it was nothing special and I was not very impressed.  It tasted a little fruity with some spice so it was ok.  However, ever since I read that the more money you pay for Pinot Noir the more fruit you can expect on the palate, I have really wanted to try an expensive Pinot Noir, and I felt this one showed the aspect that the inexpensive ones might not be anything too special.  It definitely was not bad, but not wonderful either.  

Oak Vineyards Chardonnay 2010, California, 5.95 – 750mL, $10.95 – 1.5 Liter: This light straw-colored Oak Vineyards 2010 Chardonnay expresses smokey aromatics with nuances of apple and lemon zest that continue onto the palate where they flourish into citrus, orange blossom, and smoked oak flavors until meeting a crisp, medium finish.  On the nose I smelt kind of a burnt smell and a little vanilla.  It tasted very tree fruity kind of like pears and apples and maybe some apricot.  I liked the fruit aspect of this wine when normally I do not really like Chardonnays but I did like this one.  I thought it was very good.  I did not pair it with food.  

Poysdorfer Saurussel Gruner Veltliner 2010, $7.95, Austria: This Austrian wine is described as having crisp lime flavors, along with white pepper and lentils, followed by a mouthful of mineral notes and gooseberry. It has a long lingering finish and is a great accompaniment to any Asian or fresh seafood dishes.  Overall, I really liked this wine.  The nose was fruity and did have kind of a stale beanish smell.  I thought the nose was odd, but I liked the palate.  It was kind of metalish and while I did not try it with food I would like to try it because I believe it would taste great with seafood and I love seafood!  It was definitely very different from previous white wines however.  

Wine Dinner at 622 North

Located off of Main Street in Blacksburg, lies the adorable little restaurant 622 North.  Inside, they not only have wonderful dining, but a full wine bar and a knowledgeable staff.  Therefore, it seems only appropriate that I would take a trip there for Geography of Wine to enjoy a lovely wine dinner. 

 This picture shows the wine bottles inside the wine bar at 622 North.  

My Friends Ian and Katrina at dinner with me!

Menu of wines, it was a really hard choice! 

Upon arrival, we met our waitress Courtney who answered all of our questions about wine.  We were interested as to which wines would pair well with our foods as well as their origins.  I ended up choosing a Washington Riesling called Kung Fu Girl and Katrina picked a California Angeline Chardonnay from Sonoma County. 

The wine bottles of the wine we ordered.  

My Washington Kung Fu Girl Riesling. Here is the description I found online:

The grapes used in Charles Smith's "Kung Fu Girl" Riesling are harvested from a single rocky vineyard, resulting in a wine with lush aromatics and tons of flavor.  On the nose, Kung Fu Girl is bursting with Asian pear, white peach and spring flowers. Apricot, pear, lime, and a pleasant minerality keep this off-dry wine at the perfect level of subtle sweetness.  This is a great wine for a summer picnic.

I thought this wine was absolutely delicious.  On the nose it did have a very "summery" fruit and flower smell.  Including peaches and maybe a little lavender.  It was very smooth and light on the palate.  Not overly sweet and just tasted like summer as a whole.  I tasted apricots and peaches.   

Katrina's California Chardonnay. 

The review I found told how this wine was produced from grapes carefully selected from vineyards in Santa Barbara County, Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley. These three counties are very similar growing regions with cool daytime temperatures, often accompanied by morning and evening fog due to the coastal influence. These regions with 3 long, steady growing seasons produce grapes with intense berry flavors and rich colors. This Chardonnay is 70% barrel fermented for six months in French and American oak and 30% fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine begins with aromas of toasty oak, vanilla, ripe peach and pear. Rich, ripe tropical fruit flavors are married with the toasty oak and hints of tangy citrus and lime zest. Lush pineapple, lemon, peach,  and melon flavors follow throughout with a foundation of minerality and a spicy character. 

We began with a cheese tray that was the chef’s trio of gourmet cheeses served with bread slices, balsamic honey, and seasonal fruit and nuts. The cheeses included gouda, goat cheese, and a cow's milk cheese.  It was very interesting trying the cheeses with the wine and the flavors were really brought out!  We thought considering how much it is discussed that wine and cheese should be paired together, that it would be fun and adventurous to begin with the cheese tray and it was definitely worth it!

Me with my Riesling and delicious meal!

The meal I got was the Roasted Red Pepper Pasta and it was absolutely delicious. It had fire roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, garlic, herbs, fresh mozzarella, and linguine noodles finished with grilled asparagus.  Katrina got the soft shell crab  fresh, jumbo soft shell crabs, tempura fried served with avocado mousse, jalapeno cream, smoked peach salsa, and the starch du jour.  Ian got the New york strip ten ounce grilled choice strip steak with a bold five pepper spice rub, bleu cheese crust and brown sugar, honey and apricot chutney. served with starch and vegetable du jour, but did not have any wine to try with his meal (tsktsk).  

Katrina said that her wine tasted a lot better with her meal because it brought out the sweeter tastes of vanilla and oak and she liked the wine better with her food.  Prior to getting her food she did not love it because she thought the Chardonnay was kind of bitter.  I tasted her wine without food and I liked it as far as Chardonnay's go.  It did not have the buttery taste I was expecting but I could definitely pick up the oaky and orangey tastes.  

For my meal, Courtney recommended that I get the special Sangiovese  they were serving that day or add shrimp to my meal and get the Pinot Grigio.  However, I was not brave enough to try the red, and I was not really in a shellfish mood.  So I ended up getting my favorite wine, the Riesling.  While it was good with the cheese tray and I felt the cheese helped to really express the flavors of the Riesling, it was not that great with my meal.  I should have taken Courtney's advice, however I wanted to order something I knew I would like.  Yet, I felt this experience was extremely interesting because it gave me great insight into the wine pairings with food and how they can go completely wrong.  Previous wine dinners I have had at home the wines went fairly well with the foods I had chosen, so it was interesting to see a wine that did not pair well with a food.  The paste really brought out the acidity of my wine and made it very bitter tasting and rough on the palate.  As a whole however, the wine dinner was excellent and I cannot wait to go back!  

Opera Prima Sweet White, 2010, $5.95: Flowery and sweet smelling, then round and fairly smooth in the mouth. The flavor package of tropical fruits galore is pleasant and shouldn’t offend anyone. Finishes clean and easy. A mango boat of flavor. I loved this wine. I am definitely a girl that enjoys her sweet, white wines and this one hit the spot. On the nose I smelled mango and pineapple flavors coming through as well as a little lychee or something like that which I found extremely interesting. On the palate it was very much floral, like violets, with some pineapple as well. I really liked this wine and I did not have it with food.

Senda 66 Tempranillo 2008, $8.95, Spain, 90 Points, Robert Parker: “The 2008 Senda 66 spent 8 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color, it sports a fragrant nose of spice box, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry. Smooth-textured, layered, and remarkably rich on the palate for its humble price, this lengthy effort will drink nicely over the next 5-6 years.” The first thing I noticed about this wine was the pretty bottle, I thought it was very nice! I also thought the nose was great and I was very intrigued when I read it had been aged in French oak. I am not a very big fan of Tempranillo, but this one I kind of liked! I definitely could smell a woody fragrance and the color was excellent. I tasted a slight berry taste, kind of like raspberries and blueberries - it was kind of sharp and acidic but also a little sweet. I liked this and did not try it with food.

Sierra Cruz Carmenere, 2009, $6.95, Chile: As a member of the cabernet sauvignon family, carmenere (pronounced car-men-yare) originated in Bordeaux as one of the grapes permitted for use in the red blends of that storied region. Chilean winemakers have embraced it and several wineries in that country produce it as a single varietal. The ’09 Sierra Cruz is a very pleasant, soft, medium- bodied wine that has fresh cabernet-like aromas and flavors of spice, dark fruit and black pepper. It is a great value and also would be a nice match with marinated and grilled skirt or flank steak. This wine was definitely very interesting. I did taste a very cabernet-esque taste to it, and I liked it for the most part. It was earthy on the nose and palate, with a little cherry coming through on the nose as well. It tasted ok with a little spice - maybe the black pepper coming through. I did not try this wine with food, but I would like to because I think it would be very interesting!

Lost Vineyards Chardonnay, $3.95, Argentina: This wine is pale gold in color and perfumed with peach, pineapple, and nougat aromas. Round and soft with a fruity-yet-dry medium body. Tangy apple skin and lemon zest notes lift the fruit nicely on the finish. Right off the back, I loved the color of this wine. I thought it was very pretty, and I do love Chardonnay, so I was excited to try it! However, I also remembered the last Lost Vineyards wine I had I did not love, so I was also a little hesitant. Yet, I thought this wine was fairly decent. Not very strong on the nose, hints of peaches and i smelled an almondy smell as well. On the palate it was just ok, nothing super special. It was good and I could definitely taste some fruitiness, but it was a bit sharp at the end.

Sierra Cruz Sauvignon Blanc 2011, $6.95, Chile: This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc just oozes with bright citrus flavors and a nose of herbs and grass. Stylistically, it is a cross between the herbal, grassy wines so prevalent in Sonoma County and the riper, more fruit forward products of New Zealand. Match it with pasta sauced with arugula, pine nuts, mushrooms and parmesan. I thought this wine was great. I really liked it. It was soft and fresh smelling on the nose with hints of orange and a little lime. On the palate it tasted a but citrusy as well and I did detect a few herbs. It was very smooth and a little grassy at times. I did not have this wine with food. (I also realize this picture is a 2009 and not a 2011, but I can never seem to make the pictures smaller with the ones provided on the scholar site!)

Cantina di Casteggio Moscato di Pavia, $7.95, Italy: This Italian wine is bright, light golden in color. It is very aromatic on the nose with hints of ripe apricots, sage, honey and a slight minerality. It is medium bodied, sweet and fruity with flavors of apricots and tangerine. Well-balanced acidity and medium finish with layers of sweet and citrus fruit. Right off the back, I did notice the color and I thought it was beautiful. The nose was very fresh and fruity. I could smell a little bit of honey and what smelled to me like honeydew and peaches. I am a big fan of Moscato and love the sweetness of them so I really liked this one too. This wine was not overly sweet though which I also appreciated. The palate was smooth and delicious. To me it had hints of orange and pears on the palate. I tried this without food!

Montebuena Rioja Crianza 2007, $6.95, Spain: This wine is 100% Tempranillo and is dark red in color. Spicy red berries and cherry come out on the nose, with hints of cracked pepper and dried rose. Crisp and dry on the palate, with spicy redcurrant and cherry flavors, light tannins and a fresh, energetic finish. An excellent value, and surprisingly elegant for this price point. While previous Tempranillo's I have tasted I have not really liked, this one surprised me! On the nose it was spicy and I could smell some pepper coming through. On the palate, it was dry, but it did not bother me as much as I expected it to. It did taste spicy, but not peppery to me. I could taste a little fruitiness but could not distinguish if it was more redcurrant or cherry tasting. (This bottle is a different year than 2007, but the 2007 picture was too large to place as a picture!)

Varas Vinho Tinto, 3 Liter Box (4 bottles), $21.95 ($5.49/bottle), Portugal: This smooth Portuguese red is a blend of Castelão (45%), Tinta Roriz (25%), Tinta Barroca (20%) and Pinot Noir (10%). The vineyards are located near Lisbon, planted in sunny gentle slopes of clay and limestone soils. The wine was aged in oak barrels. I found this wine extremely interesting because it came from a box. I was a little hesitant at first because it was boxed, but after trying it I found it was not that bad! The nose was a little woody and kind of spicy. I also smelled a little sweetish. I thought it was fairly decent on the palate. It was smooth and oaky with perhaps a hint of cherries or some type of red berries. It was a little too dry for my taste, but I thought it was a fairly decent wine overall.

Oveja Negra Syrah-Cab Rosé Reserva, 2010, $6.95, Chile: Oveja Negra Reserva Rosé is bright cherry-red in color and has an attractive nose with aromas of raspberries and strawberries as well as plum and a bit of green apple. Crisp and juicy on the palate with a slight sweetness that accompanies the red fruit flavors. Pleasing natural acidity with medium-high intensity, nice persistence, and a fresh finish. On the nose, I was really looking for the green apple that it said was on the nose in the descriptor. Unfortunately, I could not smell that, but I could smell some of the red fruits coming through and it smelled a little earthy. Overall I thought it was very pleasant. The taste was ok. A little too acidic for my taste and I did not feel like it had a very fresh finish. It kind of tasted like herbs to me, I cannot point out which ones, but it tasted herby and earthy with a little bit of sweetness. I did not like it that much and I did not taste it with food.

gPG Garganega Pinot Grigio 2010, $8.95, Italy: gPG is from the delle Venezie regions of north-eastern Italy. A clean and crisp palate with plenty of texture and weight follows aromas of apples and zesty lemons. It's perfect with grilled white fish or light risotto. I really liked this wine, it was not anything spectacular, but I thought it was good. It was fresh on the nose and it smelled very citrusy. The taste was kind of plain, but good. It was soft and enjoyable, and I tasted a little bit of honey which I liked. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I did not taste it with food.

Peter Mertes Liebfraumilch Rheinhessen Qualitatswein, 2009, $5.95: This soft, delicate German wine of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate districts is originally named after the Leibfraumilch monastery in Worms, where the monks were the first wine growers and produced an unusually pleasing wine. Wines of the Rheinhessen and Palatinate are noted for their aroma, well- balanced harmony, and fragrance. Leibfraumilch is suggested to be served with cold entrees, such as chicken or turkey, or even with mild Cheddar. It is also described as being mellow and slightly nutty with a medium consistency. I felt this wine was very sweet on the nose and on the palate. It was soft, and I do love very sweet wines, so I liked this one a lot. Very fruity and light.

Col Des Vents Corbieres, 2009, $7.95: This French blend is 50% Carignan, 35% Grenache, 15% Syrah. It has tastes of brambly berry, cherry and raspberry, spices, black pepper present in this authentic French country wine. This French blend was very interesting, and I kind of liked it. It was definitely strong, but on the nose I could smell the spiciness and I could taste some cherry.

San Elias Carmenere, 2010, $5.95: The grapes for this Chilean Carménère wine are selected from vineyards in the Central Valley. It has beautiful red fruit aromas that are supple and round in the mouth, and the wine pairs well with full flavored cheeses and lamb. Once again, this red wine stumped me a little; I could not really smell much or taste any of the fruit. On the second sip I could taste a little fruitiness but I could not distinguish what kind. Once again, I’m hoping my palate continues to develop for red wines.

Estrella Chardonnay, 2010, $5.95: This wine from Napa, California is flavored and balanced with layers of vanilla, butter and pear, followed by apple, banana and oak. On the nose it definitely smelled like a California Chardonnay. I could not really pull out the oak on the nose, but I could smell vanilla and butter. When tasting however, I could taste the oak. I did not love it, but it was the worst!

Zonin Pinot Grigio, 2009, $5.95: This Italian wine is described as Pale straw-yellow color with brilliant reflections. It has a delicate fruity bouquet, with outstanding finesse and hints of almond blossom and peaches. It is elegant, soft and has well- structured fruit on the palate, with remarkable freshness and a clean, persistent aftertaste. On the nose, I could smell the fruit, with hints of peaches and a little apricot as well. It was definitely soft, delicious, and fruity. I really enjoyed this wine!