Tasting Secco Grapefruit Pompelini

Name: Secco Grapefruit Pompelini

Variety:White wine blend with grapefruit juice

Region: Trier

Country: Germany

Price: $9.99/bottle

Wine critic review:

This deliciously sweet and refreshingly tart blend of carbonated white grape wine and grapefruit juice makes a perfect companion to brunches cocktail parties or any joyous occasion that you can think of. Invert gently before opening to combine flavors and mix any settled fruit pulp. Serve slightly chilled.

Your review:

At first, I was really worried about trying this. Typically I don't love white wine and really dislike sweet white wines. However, this sweet and pink wine was a lot of fun. The sweetness was not overwhelming and was balanced with the tartness of the grapefruit juice. Bubbles danced on the tongue. There was a lingering peachy and tropical aftertaste that made you feel like you should be sitting on a beach somewhere.

I tasted this with no food. 

Tasting Belles Vignes Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Belles Vignes Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Loire-Atlantique

Country: France

Year: 2016

Price: $7.29/bottle

Wine critic review:

Our winemaker created with Belles Vignes a premium collection of wines made from the best varietals from the most famous french vines. An expressive wine with notes of citrus fruits and gooseberries typical of Sauvignon grape variety. Crisp and refreshing, it is wonderful on its own or with fish, chicken, or goat cheeses.

Your review:

A quick sniff provided scents of ethanol, acid, and grapefruit. The inital taste was quire bitter and of citrus. Grapefruit was the dominant fruit but some lemon was present as well. The wine was poorly balanced with too much acid and bitter taste to enjoy the underlying fruits. A metalic manufactured aftertaste lingered.

I tasted this with no food.

Tasting Trader Joe's Reserve Pinot Noir

Name: Trader Joe's Reserve 

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Napa, CA

Country: United States

Year: 2014

Price: $7.99/bottle

Wine critic review:

smooth and fruit-forward; delicate but discernable flavors of cherry and fresh plum mingling with light vanilla oak and soft lingering tannins, leading to an extended, luxurious finish

Your review:
Really just your standard pinot noir although it was incredibly well balanced and flavors were well blended. It had a oaky, smoky, and jammy aroma. Tasted of jammy black fruit. There was a little hint of sweetness finishing with an earthy aftertaste. Quite good.

I tasted this with no food. 

Tasting El Principe Delaguardia Red Blend

Name: El Principe Delaguardia

Variety:Red Blend

Region: Navarra

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $7.99/bottle

Wine critic review:

Dark dry red fruit, maybe a bit of oak influence, somewhat unintegrated acid. It doesn't taste "manufactured" (as might be expected in this price range), but it's still unmemorable and not worth revisiting for me.

Your review:

From new french oak barrels a distinct oaky taste was noted along with smoke and dark berry. There was a lingering hint of strawbery. Tannins are strong. When tasted with a coffee brownie, more ripe fruit is exposed. Some tartness and raspberry flavors are added with the brownie.

Tasting Klingenberg Blanc de Noir

Name: Klingenberg Blanc de Noir

Variety: Pinot noir

Region: Germany

Year: 2014

Price: $17.95/bottle

Wine critic review:

The 2014 Klingenberg Blanc de Noir is a white wine make of pinot noir. Spicy oak, floral and black burrants mixed with a mineral driven and impressive acidity bite in the end. So cool, so good, so much the best still Blanc de Noir we've ever had.

Your review:

I really wanted to try this because I was so curious about a white "red wine" varietal. So, upon recommendation from the vintage cellar, I bought this one. Typically, I love pinot noirs. But this one was not the best, and close to the worst thing I've ever tasted. It was incredibly acidic and bight the tongue. There were overwhelming tastes of rotten apple and pear fading to a subtle nutty taste. It kind of tasted like what my mouth tastes like after I throw up- I'm not exaggerating. Maybe I got a bad bottle, but it will take me a long time before I touch white pinot noir again. 

I tasted this with salmon, but after a few sips of wine, the flavor of the food was ruined. So I stopped drinking the wine and continued with the salmon. 

Tasting Alvaro Domecq Aranda Cream Sherry

Name: Alvaro Domecq Aranda Cream Sherry
Region: Jerez
Country: Spain
Price: $9.95
Winery review:  Golden-brown in color, this has heady aromas of cola, nut, nutmeg, root beer and caramel. A pure, creamy palate of cinnamon apple, mocha, coffee and chocolate. It's quite smooth and balanced, and very long on the finish.
My review: Interesting golden brown tint. Very strong scent of alcohol and what smells like burnt butterscotch. Tasted like caramel and burnt brown sugar. Very viscous. 
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting Layer Cake Garnacha 2011

Name: Layer Cake Garnacha 
Year: 2011
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Price: $7.95
Winery review: The Layer Cake Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain is rich and powerful, yet clean and balanced. Layered with aromas of ultra ripe black fruit. On the palate, the wine shows intense dark fruit with abackground of rich dark chocolate and fresh ground coffee with a long creamy finish.
My review: Smelled subtly sweet with strawberry. Tasted of ripe red berries turning to a smoky jammy taste. A little to sweet to start but turns to a dark chocolate finish. Pretty good!
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting Fossi Rosso Sangiovese, Merlot, Primitivo and Negroamaro

Name: Fossi Rosso Sangiovese,  Merlot, Primitivo and Negroamaro
Variety: Blend of Sangiovese,  Merlot, Primitivo and Negroamaro
Region: Fiesole
Country: Italy
Price: $7.95
Winery review:   A blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with a touch of Primitivo and Negroamaro. It will remind those who have traveled to Italy of one of the local house wines they consumed while there.  Simple, juicy, and perfect for drinking with or without food, it’s packed with bright cherry, strawberry and cranberry fruit aromas and flavors.
My review: Jammy smells flood the nose. Upon tasting, it was not as jammy as I would have expected. Smoke, cherry, plum and cranberry were noticable in the main body of the wine. It finished with light floral notes. 
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting Pie in the Sky Chardonnay 2013

Name: Pie in the Sky Chardonnay
Year: 2013
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Southeastern
Country: Australia
Price: $7.95
Winery review:  Aromas of poached peach, fig and pineapple with biscuity notes. Tropical, medium bodied style with peach and melon flavours complimented by zesty acids, savoury nuances and a crisp, dry finish. Perfect partner with many styles of modern cuisine including those with an Asian or Mediterranean twist.   
My review: Smelled strongly of citrus. Strong acid feel on the tounge. Pineapple with oily/buttery ending. Overly dry and robust acid with citrus leave an unbalanced wine. 
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Tasting Invino Si Pinot Grigio 2014

Name: Invino Si Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Lombardy
Country: Italy
Price: $5.95
Winery review:   Pavia, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy where viticulture dates back thousands of years is home to the Si Pinot Grigio vineyards. The wine is creamy on the palate with a crisp, dry character, fresh citrus and pear flavors and an elegant finish.
My review: Scent was fruity but overwhelmingly of vinegar. There may have been some peach as well. Taste was highly acidic with some apple and citrus- likely grapefruit. Too overly acidic for me. 
 
I tasted this on its own with no food.

Winery Visit- Fabbioli Cellars

Winery: Fabbioli Cellars
Location: Leesburg, Virginia
Date Opened: 2001

Fabbioli Cellars is a family owned winery that opened in 2001. About 15 minutes north of historic Leesburg, Virginia, this sign marks the entrance to the winery from a small dirt road.

The Vineyard
Fabbioli Cellars opened in 2001 when a family in California was transplanted to the east coast. Settling in Virginia with a dream of opening a winery, the Fabbioli family bought a 25 acre lot of land. Their goal is to make great red wine. They first planted Merlot and Petit Verdot for blending. Now they've expanded that to Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc, and a few others. Interestingly, they've also planted hops to sell and make their own cider. Most grapes are grown on site, however they do purchace some grapes and produce wine with them on-site. Bottling also occurs on-site when a guy from Canada come down with his truck and bottles wine for several wineries in the area. The wine also purchaces many oak barrels, most of which are used. While most of the oak is American or French, they also have some native Virginian and Hungarian oak.

Of the total 25 acres, vines cover 13 acres. Most of the grapes grown by this winery are red.

The House
Tastings originally occurs in the first floor of the family's house. Last year though, the winery constructed a tasting house. Walking up to the house were vines lining the sidewalk with intertwined lights. When we went, the place had a lot of people in it. The wine tastings were conducted at sit down bars along the windows of the house. There were four bars, each staffed with a host. Also downstairs was a gift shop where they sold wines, novelties, cheese, meats, and accessories. On the second floor they had several tables where people could sit and enjoy food and wine off the menu. While I didn't get a chance to see it, the basement held a room for larger groups to visit and enjoy the wines.

Right by the parking lot stood this "Tasting House" built last year. The two story structure housed a tasting room on the first level and tables for people to order wine and snack on the second level. The windows lining the rooms overlooked the vines.

Right through the door in the center of the house were these lights and vines wrapped around a pole. Along the wall to the right were all of the awards around the necks of various wines. Past the pole is the gift shop. To the right are the tables where wine tastings occurred.

The winery store sold a large variety of wine accessories and novelties. They also had wine, cheese, and meats for sale.

Grape vines labeled with their varietal.

Tasting:
NV Attitude Adjuster
Winery notes: 100% apple hop infused wine: bright, light, and bubbly.
My notes: Not very sweet at all, especially compared to commercial ciders. Watery with slight carbonation, slight apple on the front while light hoppy taste to follow.

2015 Something White w/ Lemon Mint Aioli, Irish Cucumber on Stone Wheat Cracker
Winery notes: Vidal blanc and Viognier: ripe banana, crisp mellon, and soft pineapple.
My notes: Smelled of apple and ethanol. Tasted unbalanced with lots of alcohol and notes of peaches and flowers on its own. With the food, the alcohol taste faded bringing out minty and herb tastes. Very refreshing

Behind the house, the winery grew hops.

2015 Chambourcin w/ Irish Cheddar Butter on Blue Potato Crisp
Winery notes: Medium bodies- sweet tobacco, deep cherries, and cranberry. Chambourcin juices were fermented with skins from Cabernet Sauvignon to increase tannins. 
My notes: Oaky, smoky, jammy strawberry smell. Immediate tasting was tart which settled to a dry lighter body. Jammy red berries, smoke, and oak was evident. The pairing brought out a balanced wine, savory tastes, and decreased acidity.

2014 Sangiovese w/ Blamey Castle Cheese, Corned Beef on Stone Wheat
Winery notes: Medium bodied- smoky cedar, truffles, and dark cherries.
My notes: Earthy smell. Gamey taste. Earthy while being pretty balanced and bland. Really nothing special coming out of the wine itself, even with the pairing.

 2013 Fratelli- Cabernet Sauvignon w/ London Broil, Ballymoloe Irish Tomato Relish on Stone Wheat
Winery notes: Full bodied- blackberries, cranberries, and black pepper.
My notes: Cocca and rich jam smell. Very dry with a lot of tannins on the tongue. Blackberry tastes. When paired, the sweet brought out the oak and smoke while lowering the wines sweetness.

2013 Cabernet Franc Reserve w/ Balsamic Cherry Spread, Irish Cashel Blue on Stone Wheat
Winery notes: Full bodies- black cherries, white pepper, and vanilla
My notes: Oaky, berry, and spicy smell. Very dry tasting with hints of vanilla and spicy cherries. The blue cheese kind of ruined the wine though. It covered up the fruity taste leaving only vanilla and oak.

NV Raspberry Merlot w/ Dark Chocolate Truffle
Winery notes: Beautiful blend of raspberries and Merlot.
My notes: Overwhelming smell of distinct raspberries. Tasted like alcoholic raspberry juice and was too sweet. The chocolate pairing calmed the sweetness and brought out spice and grape flavors.