Fabre en Provence Rosé Tasting

Name: Fabre en Provence Rosé
Variety:

    45% Cinsault

    29% Grenache
    26% Syrah

Region: Provence
Country: France
Year: 2021
Price: $17

Critic Review: 

https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/fabre-en-provence-2021-cru-classe-rose-cotes-de-provence/

88/100

"A soft wine from this large estate, with a high proportion of Cinsault and Grenache giving red, spicy fruits and bright acidity. This is a floral wine that's fragrant and ready to drink." - Roger Voss 

Wine Folly

According to Wine Folly, all of the grapes used in this wine have strong fruit flavors. Cinsault (page 100) in particular resembles the berry and floral notes I found. Intrestingly, Grenache (page 117) was the only varietal that had any citrus notes, which I thought were fairly prominent. I also didn't get too many of the non-fruity notes listed on the Grenache or Syrah (page 172).

Personal Review

This wine's scent wasn't super strong, but it was distinctly rosy with a hint of citrus. The flavor profile was fairly dry with tart berry and lime flavors at the forefront, though there was still some sweetness with a hint of vanilla. It also comes in an eye-catching bottle that accentuates the wine's vibrant salmon color. For $17, it's pretty nice if you're looking for a bright Rosé that isn't too heavy on the sweetness.

Dr. Hans VonMüller Riesling Tasting

Name: Dr. Hans VonMüller Spätlese
Variety: Riesling
Region: Mosel
Country: Germany
Year: 2021
Price: $12

 

Critic Review:  

https://www.wineexpress.com/riesling-spatlese-2019-mosel-dr.-hans-von-muller?quantity=1

"Refreshing citrus, apple and mineral flavors and just the right balance of sweetness and acidity for a rich mouthfeel and a lingering finish." - Josh Farrel 

 

Wine Folly

According to page 158 of Wine Folly, Rieslings often have notes of lime, green apple, beeswax, jasmine, and petroleum. I didn't get beeswax or petroleum on this wine, which is unusual for a German Riesling according to the next page of the book. I got the other three flavors, which seems to be more characteristic of Rieslings from Southern Australia.

 Personal Review

This riesling had a nice lime smell surrounded by a floral sweetness. The flavor profile had notes of grapefruit and green apple that nicely balanced sweetness and tartness with a buttery smooth texture. I liked this wine quite a bit, and it won't break the bank at $12.

 

Mark West Pinot Noir tasting

Name: Mark West Black Pinot Noir
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Monterey County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2017
Price: $12

 Critic Review

https://www.tastings.com/Wine-Review/Mark-West-2017-Pinot-Noir-California-USA-10-15-2018.aspx

   Deep purple color. Oaky aromas and flavors of crushed berries, vanilla bean, and smoked nuts with a supple, bright, dryish light-to-medium body and a smooth, medium-length finish with suggestions of salted caramel and pie crusts with light oak flavor. A food-friendly Pinot Noir for the table with nice berry aromas.

 Wine Folly

According to page 150 of the book, Pinot Noir wines are known for flavors like cherry, raspberry, clove, mushroom, and vanilla. I found this wine to be very fruit-forward with a bit of vanilla. I didn't taste much of the earthier notes like clove or mushroom, though there was a hint of some spices that I couldn't identify. I thought this wine lined up pretty well with the book's description of wines from California's Central Coast.

 Personal Review

   This wine had a rich smell with notes of blackberry, plum, and chocolate. The flavor was cherry-forward, with some chocolatey flavors on the back end, with a hint of vanilla under everything. It was on the drier side, but there was still a pleasant sweetness. I thought this one was great, especially for the price. I tasted it on its own, but I think I would pair it with some food if I had it again.

 

 

Just Bee Chardonnay tasting

Name: Just Bee chardonnay
Variety: Unspecified, but presumably mostly chardonnay
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2020
Price: $15

 Critic Review

     I couldn't find any critic reviews of this wine, and my friends I tasted it with couldn't either. You can find some more detailed information on this wine at the maker's website, at https://www.justbeewine.com/.

 Wine Folly

According to page 96 of the book, chardonnays often have strong notes of of yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter. The main notes I tasted were honey, and a fruit flavor that I couldn't quite identify. The wine also left a bit of a buttery smell at the back of my mouth, but I only found that after I read it in the book, so that might just be the power of suggestion. I was a bit surprised that I didn't find much of that the book mentioned as a characteristic of California wines.

 Personal Review

    This wine had an enticingly sweet, flowery smell with a bit of pear. The flavor reflected the same light sweetness, but it was pleasantly balanced by a hint of fruity tartness. It had a light, smooth texture that leaves a buttery aftertaste. I didn't pair this wine with any food, but I think it was nice on its own. Overall, I thought this wine was quite good, especially for $15. $5 from every case goes to support bee conservation, so it's a win for the bees too!

Blog Intro

  

     Hello and welcome! My name is Josh Pryor, and this is my wine blog for Geography of Wine! I've had some wines before, but I'm far from a connoisseur and I'm looking forward to expanding my experience over the course of this semester. 

    I took a similar class called Geography of Tea last year, and my favorite part of that class was seeing the wide variety of tea in the world and connecting each one we tried to the place that produced it. I think it's fascinating how many different flavors and smells you can get from the same species of plant just by growing it somewhere else, and I'm looking forward to seeing that variety in wine this semester.

    My wine experience mainly comes from having wine at home with my family, but I've recently been doing tastings at a few wineries. Geography of Tea has helped me pick out flavors and smells in wine that I probably would have missed otherwise. I've also noticed that I have a tougher time picking out subtler fruity and chocolatey notes, or other notes that are less common in tea than wine. 

    I like all kinds of wine, but I prefer white wines or lighter bodied red wines when they're not paired with food. I also find darker wines a  more difficult to identify tasting notes in, but I expect that to get easier as I do more tasting. That's about all I have to say about my wine experience, and I can't wait to jump into the class!