Jonathan's Wine Blog VT

Name:  Penfolds Max's Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: South Australia Country: Australia Year: 2021 Price: $20 Online Review: " Enjoying a nice Penfolds Australian cabernet. I appreciate the variation from a long time of wine exploration of Californian cabs. Black currant, eucalyptus, cedar, pencil shavings, and cocoa on the nose. Very bold, with lots of tannins and acidity. Flavorful with black currant, plum, cocoa, and dark chocolate." Wine Folly: Pg. 88 - Cabernet Sauvignon in general compared to Penfolds: Typically Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its especially rich flavor and significant tannin and body. Its usual flavor profiles are black cherry and black currant, sometimes with spices in the flavor. As for the Penfolds, however, it takes a little bit of a different flavor profile. The Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon has a much more chocolatey flavor to it. The hints detected in it aside from the usual black cherry were significant plum flavo...

Dinner - Steak dinner with sides of roasted carrots, mashed potatoes, and yeast rolls: After going home to see my family, we wanted to celebrate our gathering as a family with a large meal and wine! My family was celebrating my return home so I felt I could give back by cooking them a meal and pairing it with some phenomenal wines. From the commissary, my dad and I purchased a beef tenderloin to eat along with some carrots, and mashed potatoes. After thinking of this meal, I did some additional research to see what wines would go well with each dish. After my research and going over some good pairings, I decided to pair a Cotes de Rhone blend with the tenderloin, a Les Portes de Bordeaux with the mashed potatoes, and a dry riesling to pair with the savory roasted carrots! Our three wines - Les Portes de Bordeaux 2011, Cotes Du Rhone 2019, and Emma Reichart Dry Riesling 2022. Dinner Spread - Beef tenderloin, savory roasted carrots, mashed potatoes with heavy garlic and cream, and yeast ...

Name: Casillero del Diablo 2021 Red Blend Variety: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carmenere Region: Central Valley, Chile Country: Chile Year: 2021 Price: $9 Online Review: " The  2017 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Reserva Red Blend  begins with abundant aromas of black fruit with a touch of green pepper, a little anise, and some licorice and chocolate notes. The wine tastes very smooth with soft tannins and flavors that mimic the nose with a bit more oak apparent, but there's still tons of rich fruit. It's quite a satisfying blend. On the long finish, the sweet fruit gives way to more spice, chocolate, and licorice. While there's quite a bit of sweetness on the palate and finish, it handles it well and does the very popular semi-sweet red blend style proud without feeling manufactured." Wine Folly: Pg. 91 - Camenere grapes - One of the grape varieties in the blend is known as a more herbally and peppercorn-flavored form of Merlot grape. It is known to be pr...

Name: Josh 2021 Pinot Noir Variety: Pinot Noir Region: Napa Valley, California Country: United States Year: 2021 Price: $13 Online Review: " Josh Cellars never fails to impress, and their 2021 Pinot Noir from Central Coast is no exception. This wine is both charming and assertive and exhibits layers of red berries, plum, and a whisper of earthy undertones. The palate balances the bright acidity and subtle oak influence, creating a symphony of flavors that dance gracefully, urging for another sip. While many Pinot Noirs from the region boast of their elegance, this particular vintage carries a touch of rustic charm, reminiscent of the sprawling Central Coast vineyards from where it hails. At its price point, it offers remarkable value and is bound to be a crowd-pleaser, whether you’re a seasoned oenophile or a casual wine enthusiast. Highly recommended for those seeking a taste of Central Coast in a glass. Cheers to another successful creation by Josh Cellars!"  Wine Folly: Pg...

  Name: Gascon 2023 Malbec Variety: Malbec Region: Mendoza Country: Argentina Year: 2023 Price: $14 Online Review: " The first thing I noticed about the appearance of this 100% Malbec was its serious legs.  There were many, they were thick, and were very slow to fall in the glass.  In terms of the wine’s color, my friend described it as "Ruby/Onyx with a dark center that had little translucency.”  The wine’s deep aroma was immediately noticeable when the cork was pulled.  Upon first up-close sniff, we both remarked at the significant whiff of alcohol on the nose. " Wine Folly: Pg. 125 - Malbec in general is known to be an Argentinian wine. It is absolutely dominated in terms of production by Argentina in comparison with the rest of the world. Argentina produces about 83% of all Malbec wines. Malbec doesn't have a long finish like Cabernet Sauvignons, its a very dark wine and so its a great introductory red wine for many new wine drinkers. It has significant body...

Name: Josh 2022 Pinot Grigio Variety: Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) Region: California Country: United States  Year: 2022 Price: $12 Online Review: " Josh Cellars Pinot Grigio was a hit! I brought this bottle to an after holiday party to give to the host for a gift! We drank it with dinner and everyone loved it! I don’t know much about wine, but the host is a wine drinker and was very satisfied with it! I loved it as well! It was very crisp, and it tasted like pear and melon I would say, with like a little bit of a like citrus taste to it. It was really nice. It was like a light taste. I got this bottle complementary from influencer for my honest review, and I will definitely put it on my wine list for the future!" Wine Folly: Pg. 148 and 149 - Pinot Gris is mostly a sweet and/or dry white wine. The Josh Pinot Grigio was a perfect middle ground of dry and sweet containing the typical taste of melon but also having the crisp taste of pear. Pinot Gris is known for its presence in ...