The best Pinor Noir I've ever had. and a mediocre disappointment from Trader Joes

This is a $20 wine I accidentally got at a wine store tasting with my friends. I usually don't spend to the upper teens for wines, especially now that I'm a broke medical student. But retrospectively, it was well worth the splurge. I am usually not too big on Pinor Noirs - they are too fruity and light bodied for me, and not enough of the ummph. The Sean Minor Pinot might make me convert. It is light, but filled with so much juice and tingling flavors at the same time. It tickled all my pleasure-sensing tastebuds with delight. Unfortunately, it did not last. Ah well, till the next time I splurge....

Nose: fruity, strawberries, oranges, raspberry, a bit of oak. Marshmellows in the background

Tongue: juicy, silky smooth. Notes of cherry and strawberry, a bit of chocolate, a bit floral . Perfectly balanced.

Price: $20

Rating: 4.5/5 <3 <3 <3
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I read a lot of positive notes about this wine while looking up general reviews for Trader Joe's wines. Apparently, Trader Joe's received so much high demand for this wine, they had to bring it back year after year. As for me, I found it very mediocre for such hype. Maybe it's because I was drinking it right after I finished the amazing Sean Minor Pinor Noir above.  At $6.99, it paled in comparison to TJ's $4.50 Found Objects Malbec. Probably not going to buy this again.

Nose: a bit "off" (1st thing I noticed), notes of sawdust and rotting wood, backed by toffee and chocolate.

Tongue: zesty, dry, light bodied, with lingering tannins. Flavors of raspberry, dark chocolate, caramel, and hickory. Bitter aftertaste. On the acidic side, but not too overwhelmingly so.

Price: $6.99

Rating: 3/5

The wine that pulled me through anatomy exam: Sokol-blosser Meditrina {7}

It all started when I picked this wine for its standout bottle design from the dull racks at Wegmans. And I was blown away. It literally blasted me through the final exam of the Head + Neck block of my anatomy class. I wish I had it not for my Limb block exam :-/

Nose: warm, robust, and filled with depth. Notes of milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and s'mores. A whiff of spice

Tongue: sweet, light bodied, with light tannins and a citrusy finish. Velvety, mellow, smooth, and very balanced. Flavors of cherries, muscat, and brown sugar. Simple and drinkable by itself or pair it with a nutty cheese.

Price: $12

Rating: 4/5

FYI, Meditrina is a masterful blend of 50% Syrah, 22% Zinfandel, and 20% Pinot Noir. The bottle also doubles as an elegant vase ;)

Parducci Petite Sirah 2007 & MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2009

This is a small-priced wine with a big taste. I got it on wine.com using a Groupon. It retails around only $9-$13. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth and sophistication of this wine. As a plus, the grapes are sustainably grown, and the label is pretty :)

Nose: Yummy flavors of chocolate, caramel, coffee, and oak. Earthy

Tongue: big, bold, dark, and very dry - not for the faint of heart. Structured and long lasting tannins, but not overwhelming. Very well balanced. A bit raw for now. It could use a bit more time on the shelf. Notes of wet earth, truffles, dried currants, with a hint of smokiness. Definitely drink this with a substantial meal (mmm...I'm thinking of bloody steaks).

Price: $11

Rating: 4/5

 

While I'm not a huge fan of whites, I've definitely had better Chenin Blancs than this. It was way too bitter - I think it was sitting in my fridge for more than a month before I finally finished it! I guess you can't always have the luck of running into cheap good wines (like the Parducci).

Nose: fragrant, warm floral, and nutty, with notes of peaches, honey, and vanilla

Tongue: sweet at first, with a tangy aftertaste. Top notes of toasty honey grahams and apricots, but has a overwhelmingly bitter and stemmy aftertaste. 

Price: $8

Rating: 2.5/5

Med School and Revival of Wine reviews

I'm back from a long hiatus getting used to the med school lifestyle. Hiatus from this blog does not mean hiatus from wine drinking. No way. Wine gets me through exams, so as a consequence, I've been able to savor even more than I used to  ;) After all, it's good for my cardiovascular system! (and helps me sleep)
Anyway, here are two of my recent bottles:

2009 Argiolas Perdera

 

The 2009 Argiolas Perdera is a Sardinian wine made with 90% Monica grapes, a varietal I have never heard of. When you think of Italian wine, Tuscany or Puglia comes to mind, or even Sicily (Nero d'Avola!), but definitely not Sardinia, or Monica grapes for that matter. So this was a bit of a stretch on-the-whim buy for me. 

And yes I am so glad I got this wine. It was amazing, and only $12!

Nose: spicy, with notes of young oak and dark chocolate

Tongue:velvety, smooth, purple and bright. Top notes of apricot, strawberry, toffee, and chocolate.  Nice velvety finish, very yummy. Round tannins. Light to medium bodied. Highly recommended!

Price: $12

Rating: 4.5/5

 2008 Azienda Agricola Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico

 My parents got this as a present. Seeing as they do not drink wine, I kindly saved it from going to waste :) It turns out that this was one of the more expensive wines for me, retailing at around $25 (yeah I'm a cheap shot). Maybe it was a bad idea to google the price, because I got overly excited with high expectations, which it didn't quite live up to...

Nose: strong warm and woody. Notes of wet earth, mulch, old world oak. Vinegar, milk chocolate, nuts, toffee flavors.

Tongue: juicy, slightly spicy, mouthfilling. Medium bodied, very mellow and creamy. Flavors of marshmallows. Yeasty and briny. Unfortunately it smells better than it tastes. A bit too acidic.

Price: ~$25

Rating: 3.5/5

Adelseim Pinot Noir 2008 & Pacific Rim Dry Riesling 2007

Got this wine on sale for $19.99, which is a pretty decent deal (it usually retails at around $26). This Oregon Pinot Noir has been featured in so many wine stores and has such a pretty label, I had to get it, even though Pinot Noirs are usually too fruity and unsubstantial for my taste. The Adelseim Pinot certainly lived up to the hype. It has an understated and refined elegance which sets it apart from most of the "big" wines out there. Worth the bang for the buck.

 

Nose: fruit-forward with notes of cherries and juicy, gummy grapes.  Floral undertones. Bright, lemony and sweet. Imagine fruits and nuts enrobed in a silky layer of chocolate.

 

Tongue: sweet, juicy, and succulent. Mellow tannins. Flavors of sweet berry fruits. Slightly spicy, peppery undertones. Light bodied without being watery. Graceful and refined. A tad too acidic, otherwise very well balanced.

Price: $25

Rating: 4.5/5

 

I have learned from my limited experience with American Rieslings that they are usually too sweet for me. Since this one explicitly says "dry", I decided to give it another chance. Obviously, my idea of "dry" (as in bone-dry) is far removed from a relatively dry riesling. I guess this is relatively dry compared to Pacific Rim's other Rieslings, which could have up to 9% residual sugar, whereas their Dry Riesling only has 0.75%. Sweetness aside, this wine is pretty mediocre for is lack of depth and complexity.

 

Nose: apples and pears

 

Tongue:  sweet. Fruit-forward flavors of apples and apricots. Lack acidity. Dull. A slight mineral finish

Price: $10

Rating: 2.25/5

Value Wine Finds: Domaine Brazilier Coteaux du Vendomois 2009 & La Sauvageonne Les Ruffes 2008

One of the featured wines in the Wine and Cheese Cask, so I decided to give it a try. I was not expecting much, since it was only $10, but the best things come when least expected :) I was surprisingly pleased at the complexity and richness of the flavor of the bottle. Definitely a steal!

Nose: very nutty, with big aromas of walnuts and almonds. Flavors of strong black tea, with whiffs of the salty ocean wind.

Tongue: smokey, light bodied, slightly dry, and a bit watery. Young tannins. Flavors of cured meat, smoked cedar plank, and burnt coffee. Woody. A nice lingering smokey finish, though the smokiness can be a bit overwhelming.

Price: $9.99

Rating: 3.5/5 

Randomly went into Bauer Wine store with my friend. They happened to have this wine open for tasting. We fell in love with it on the first sip. The $12 price tag made it even better. It is a yummy blend of 30% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30% Carignan, and 10% Cinsault. You should decant it for a while before serving to open up its aromas and flavors. After that, you can just guzzle the whole baby down.
I should buy more wines off of random wine store rendezvous :)

Nose: very aromatic. Filled with salty, nutty, chocolaty, and creamy goodness

Tongue: medium bodied, with smooth and mellow tannins. Velvety mouthfeel. Sweet and fruity upfront with a slightly creamy, vanilla finish. A all around pretty well balanced wine. Very easy-drinking on its own or paired with roasts or pasta.

Price: $11.99

Rating: 4/5

2008 Ludovicus Celler Pinol

This was one of the cheap wines I randomly picked on a shopping splurge spree at 3AM one crazy night. I must say that the satisfaction of my materialistic soul when I received the shipment of wines was well worth the $130 :) I happen to start with this wine, which did not disappoint. It is from the Terra Alta region of Tarragona province (if that says anything to you). It is aged 3 months in French and American Oak barrels, and is a blend of 35% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 25% Syrah, and 10% Carbernet Sauvignon - all very masterfully blended to create a complex wine.

Nose: meaty, chewy texture, with flavors of chocolate, vanilla, spices. Somewhat heady at first

Tongue: sweet, a bit raw, with light, short lasting tannins. Spicy, smoky, reminiscent of tar and tobacco. Prunny (in a good way). A velvety mouthful. A juicy and succulent wine. Overall well-balanced, though a bit heady at times.

Price: $10.99

Rating: 4/5