Tasting- Sunshine Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Name:  Sunshine Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Variety:  Sauvignon Blanc

Region of Origin:  Marlborough

Country of Origin:  New Zealand

Vintage Year:  2022

Price: $7.99

Critics Review:

    "The 2020 Sunshine Bay Sauvignon Blanc is loaded with grassy, herbaceous, gooseberry notes. This is a 100% New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc aroma.

    The wine tastes similar to the nose but the grassy, herbaceous-ness is dialed back a bit in the mouth. You'll also find some rich peach and tropical fruit flavors as well.

    It ends dry and long with a touch of sweetness left lingering on the lips. If you like that truly distinctive New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc taste profile, you'll love this wine."

- Sunshine Bay Sauvignon Blanc - Classic • Reverse Wine Snob

Wine Folly: 

Page 166:

    Mentions that Sauvignon Blanc grapes are one of the top grapes for New Zealand, specifically shouting out Marlborough, which was cool because that is where the wine was from.  Some specific flavors that were mentioned for Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand were passionfruit, kiwi, and jasmine, but when I tasted the wine, I could only really pickup passionfruit.  

Page 262:

    Calls New Zealand the "Sauvignon Blanc capital of the world".  

My Personal review:

    Upon first trying this wine, I was not a big fan largely because of the bitter aftertaste that was left.  However, as I kept drinking it the more it grew it on me.  It seemed like the aftertaste was only a factor on the first two or so drinks.  The book mentions notes of passionfruit, which I was able to pick up on.  Overall, it was very fruity at first and then rolls into the dryish finish.  I would probably drink this wine again, as it was an enjoyable experience.  I did not pair this wine with any foods, but Winy Folly mentions that it pairs well with herb-driven sauces, salty cheeses, light meats, and Asian food, so that is something to keep in mind for the next time I try this wine.

Tasting- Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling

Name:  Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling

Variety:  Riesling Grapes

Country of Origin:  United States 

Region of Origin:  Columbia Valley, Washington

Vintage Year:  2022

Price: $11.57

Critics Review:

"Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling is a luscious expression of Washington State's Columbia Valley. It opens with inviting aromas of ripe apricot and a touch of honey. On the palate, it bursts forth with flavors of sweet nectarine and a hint of floral sweetness. The wine's balanced sweetness is complemented by vibrant acidity, culminating in a bright, lively finish. This sweet Riesling is a delightful choice for those seeking a touch of sweetness in their wine."- Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling (750 ml) (buywinesonline.com)

 Wine Folly:

Page 158: 

    Riesling in general- Mentions that Riesling wines can range from dry to sweet, so I definitely landed on the sweeter end of that spectrum with this wine.  It also mentions that Rieslings pair great with spicy Indian and Asian cuisines so even though I did not pair this wine with food this time, this is something to keep in mind for the future.  

Page 159:

    This page focuses more on the actual flavors that are expressed in the wine.  The book mentions green apple, lime, and bees' wax.  Mentioned on the next page is a chart showing the different flavors and fruits that can be expressed through a Riesling and it really is insane the range this wine has.  It mentions that among tropical fruits, pineapple is one that can be tasted.  

My Personal Review:

    As I mentioned in my first blog, I am very new to wine, and it is not necessarily my favorite.  But this wine was awesome.  This was my first time going through the process of actually swirling and smelling the wine, and one of the first things I picked up on was how much it smelled like apple, so it was really cool to see that mentioned in the text.  It was very sweet, but I did not feel like it was overpowering.  Before drinking I chilled in the refrigerator which definitely made it extremely refreshing.  I would definitely drink this wine again.  I did not pair this wine with any foods, but it mentioned in the text it pairs well with spicy Asian and Indian cuisine, so next time I have this wine I need to try pairing it. 

My Experience with Wine

    Up to this point in my life, my experience with wine is very limited.  This comes as a shock to me, growing up in a house where wine was frequently the drink of choice for my mom and a vast majority of other family members.  I can only recall roughly six times where I was drinking wine in my life thus far, and honestly wine has not been my favorite drink, which is mainly the reason I wanted to get into this class.  Of the wines I have had, I am not sure exactly of the names, but I do know that I prefer white wine over red wine.  Something about the dryness of red wine just does not sit well with me for whatever reason.  

    Some of my different experiences with wine include two separate wine tastings, one of which being at a winery, and then every other time was just having a sporadic glass.  The first time I ever had wine was one of these tastings where they brough out six different wines, three white wines and three red wines.  This is where I learned I prefer mainly white wine.  Regardless of my current view on wine, the experience I had doing the tasting at the winery was very cool because of the overall atmosphere of everyone around me and the nice views.  It was at this winery where I tried a very sweet white wine which has been my favorite so far.  The winery I went to was Chateau Morrisette in Floyd, Virginia.  

    Now, getting into what I want to learn from this class.  Kind of like I touched on in the first paragraph, I really just want to learn wine.  Everything about it, how to drink it, how to talk about it, and hopefully how to like it.  I truly do think I will enjoy wine once I expand my horizons a little bit, which I am looking forward to doing throughout this class.  It was mentioned in the intro video that one of the key educational points of wine is being able to speak the language of wine.  I think that applies to me, as graduation is coming up and I know wine is a sophisticated drink, so being able to have high level conversations about wine could definitely be beneficial not only for personal relationships but also in a business sense.  With all that being said, I am extremely excited to dive into this class and expand my palette.  

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