I’m currently doing the Wine Folly Challenge.
The goal is to taste an example of each wine listed in the book ‘Wine Folly’ by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack.
Book Review:
Red
White and Rosé
Sparkling
Dessert
- IN PROGRESS
Red
Cabernet Franc
Cuvée Louis Cabernet Franc by Beaucanon Estate of California (Napa Valley), 2012
From Total Wine
Appearance
Deep, opaque red
Smell
Aromas of dark, juicy fruits and strong black tea
Taste
Full body; mildly sweet with woody tannins; notes of weak, underripe plum when fresh out of the bottle, but given a little time to sit in the glass it also matured to a more subtle muddy-floral kind of flavor
Pairing
Served with mac-and-cheese with chorizo, roast broccoli, and garlic bread
Conclusion
Another lesson in decanting; I’d never have appreciated the more subtle notes if just drinking fresh out of the bottle.
That said, it still smelled a little more interesting than it actually tasted IMHO!
Gamay
Beaujolais “Château des Déduits Fleurie” by Jean-Claude Debeaune of France (Beaujolais, Fleurie), 2021
From Total Wine
Appearance
Clear, warm red
Smell
Aromas of unidentified floral notes and bright fruit
Taste
Light-bodied; Sour cherry at the start, though still slightly floral, followed by a mineral finish
Pairing
Served with sharp cheese, prosciutto, dried apricots, marinated olives, and crackers
Conclusion
An easy drinker, although not particularly complex.
Paired well with a selection of snacks. I expect this one would do well alongside just about any food that is neither too delicate nor too hot.
Grenache
Cannonau by Palmalias of Italy (Sardinia), 2022
From Total Wine
Appearance
Deep, true red
Smell
Strong note of ripe berries, with a hint of minerality or rain
Taste
Notes of super juicy berries followed quickly by strong tannins; strong, slightly bitter
Pairing
Served with pasta e piselli, garlic bread, and garden salad with vinaigrette
Conclusion
An interesting study in scent and taste contrast from start to finish.
Though I wouldn’t classify this one as complex, I was truly impressed by the evolution of its flavor on the palate. It started out juicy but unremarkable and changed over a few seconds to something bold and perhaps a bit too tannin-y; I don’t know if it’s a favorite, but being able to distinctly detect this kind of flavor change was fun.
Montepulciano
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC by Cantina Zaccagnini of Italy (Abruzzo), 2019
From Total Wine
Appearance
Clear, deep red with a slight purplish tinge
Smell
Aromas of dark, juicy fruit with something more deep and complex; puts me in mind of a dark chocolate-covered cherry
Taste
Lighter body than expected, but certainly quite dry; notes of just-barely-ripe plum with oak
Pairing
Served with baked rigatoni with a sausage-tomato sauce, green beans with butter, and garlic bread
Conclusion
This wine was a lesson in decanting. I initially tasted it immediately after opening, and even though it smelled interestingly complex all that hit my tongue was the tannins. I let it air out for about 20 minutes before trying again, and that’s when the fruity-oaky notes came through.
But this one really didn’t impress until paired with the food. I honestly wouldn’t drink this wine on its own again; however, I absolutely would like to keep it on hand for pairing with good meals.
Nero d’Avola
Nero d’Avola by Nero Oro of Italy (Sicily), 2021
From Total Wine
Appearance
Garnet-like deep, warm red
Smell
Aromas of juicy-tart fruit and conspicuous peppercorn
Taste
Medium-bodied; super dry to start and a smooth finish; very cherry with a surprisingly gentle note of pepper, given the strong scent
Pairing
Served with pasta al pomodoro, sausage, and garden salad with vinaigrette
Conclusion
An easy drinker, and quite nice with the paired food.
The strong scent of peppercorn got less harsh after a little time decanting. This actually reminded me of one of my favorite perfumes, which also has a top note of pepper that fades a bit over time.
Pinot Noir
Bourgogne Pinot Noir “Septembre” by Edouard Delaunay of France (Burgundy), 2020
From Total Wine
Appearance
Clear, warm red
Smell
Aroma of cherry pie! I’m sure there had to be other notes, I just couldn’t get past the cherry pie LOL
Taste
Middling body; freshly tart to start, followed by light tannins; notes of tart cherry and earthy oak
Pairing
Served with chicken parm, pasta with marinara sauce, green beans, and garlic bread
Conclusion
I was just so delighted by the cherry pie fragrance that other scent and taste notes didn’t really stand out, to be honest!
I also tried a pinot noir from California, which shall remain nameless, but it fell flat by comparison — even though it was rated higher and was more expensive.
Sangiovese
Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG by Sant’Andrea in Colle of Italy (Tuscany)
From Total Wine
Appearance
Intense, dark crimson
Smell
Aromas of ripe dark berries or cherries, warm wood, and a faint hint of some kind of floral note
Taste
Mid-bold body; quite smooth and nice on the tongue; notes of fresh juicy cherry, distinct but not overly sweet, followed by lingering velvety-oaky tannins
Pairing
Served with pasta e piselli and salsiccia
Conclusion
Chianti isn’t new for me, but my goal was to taste a version that would hopefully bring out the best of this particular type of grape variety, Sangiovese.
I was quite pleased with the complementariness of the food pairing — pasta and peas in a rich tomato sauce with lots of parm + a mildly spiced sausage.
Syrah
Syrah by The Grower Project; Alta Loma Vineyards of Texas (High Plains), 2019
From Houston Wine Merchant
Appearance
Deep, slightly purplish red
Smell
Aromas of plum and misc. spices
Taste
Medium body; quite smooth to start followed by a dry finish with a punch of acid; notes of a kind of savory berry-plum blend with a little bit of peppery spice, then a smooth, not-too-powerful oak
Pairing
Served with baked rigatoni with a sausage-tomato sauce, green beans with butter, and garlic bread
Conclusion
Super pleased with this food and wine pairing!
I really enjoy trying wines from my home state of Texas, though in my experience they tend to be super inconsistently hit-or-miss. The pros at the wine shop recommended this one as not only a good representation of Syrah, but also a good representation of the best kind of product currently coming out of the Texas High Plains.
To do:
- Aglianico
- Barbera
- Bordeaux Blend
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Carignan
- Carménère
- Malbec
- Mencía
- Merlot
- Mourvèdre
- Nebbiolo
- Negroamaro
- Petit Verot
- Petite Syrah
- Pinotage
- Rhône Blend
- Tempranillo
- Touriga Nacional
- Valpolicella Blend
- Zinfandel
White and Rosé
Grüner Veltliner
Loibner Grüner Veltliner by F.X. Pichler of Austria (Wachau), 2020
From Houston Wine Merchant
Appearance
Crystal-clear pale yellow
Smell
Aromas of soft florals and mild fruit, almost like a light summertime perfume
Taste
Light body; quite dry and neither as acidic or as sweet as one might expect from the scent; notes of honeydew melon, a light herb — perhaps parsley or thyme — and even a bit of pepper at the finish
Pairing
Served with spätzle, bratwurst, roast potatoes, and mushrooms with garlic butter
Conclusion
This is a very easy drinker. I was at first a little underwhelmed at the mild taste, until that interesting herb-pepper note came through.
I imagine it’d pair well with a wide variety of foods, as it nicely complemented the spicy sausage and mushrooms but also didn’t overwhelm the lightly sauced noodles or plain potatoes.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc Signature Series by Kia Ora of New Zealand (Marlborough), 2022
From Total Wine
Appearance
Clear, pale slightly greenish yellow
Smell
Aromas of honeydew melon and soft summer flowers
Taste
Light body; crisp-sweet to start followed by bold minerality and finishing with a softer but still slightly bitter sweetness; notes of barely-ripe melon and citrus rind followed by something tropical — perhaps passion fruit or pineapple
Pairing
Served with pasta with sausage in a basil-mustard sauce, sweet peas with butter, and garlic knots
Conclusion
Nice choice for a meal out on the patio in the later summer heat, served extra-chilled.
I’m guessing it’ll pair well with a variety of foods, too; it had enough substance on its own to stand up to the pasta with sausage, but it didn’t overpower the delicate sweet peas either.
Torrontés
Torrontés by Zuccardi of Argentina (Salta), 2021
From Houston Wine Merchant
Appearance
Quite pale, slightly greenish yellow
Smell
Aromas of crisp fruit — apple or pear, perhaps — and something bitter-citrusy, with a hint of soft white floral
Taste
Light, clean body; certainly dry and a bit acidic; notes of delicate citrus and something slightly bitter or minerally, as though someone caught a little bit of the pith while zesting a lemon
Pairing
Served with spicy shrimp and mixed veg stir-fry with white rice and crispy wontons
Conclusion
This is prettily perfumed and highly drinkable but, honestly, just not that highly flavored IMHO; the smell seemed more interesting than the taste.
Still, I was glad to get a chance to taste it, and I’d certainly not turn it down in the future.
To do:
- Albariño
- Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc
- Gewürztraminer
- Marsanne Blend
- Muscadet
- Muscat Blanc
- Pinot Gris
- Riesling
- Rosé
- Sémillon
- Soave
- Vermentino
- Viognier
Sparkling
Lambrusco
Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco DOC by Cleto Chiarli of Italy (Emilia-Romagna), 2021
From Houston Wine Merchant
Appearance
Clear, dark pink; good fizz upon pour but bubbles don’t last
Smell
Aromas of tart fruit, something slightly vegetal, and a light floral note of some sort
Taste
Light body with a very light fizz; mouth-wateringly tart at the start, followed by mellow sweetness; notes of juicy but barely-ripe berries
Pairing
Served with cheeseburgers, tater tots, and coleslaw
Conclusion
The cork startled the heck out of me when it popped and hit the ceiling, because the wine shop salesperson said not to expect it to be under a lot of pressure and pop out like most bubblies — wrong!
I’ve heard this described as a good light sipping wine but in my humble opinion it didn’t really shine until paired with food; it was the perfect foil to our fatty, salty meal.
To do:
- Cava
- Champagne
- Prosecco
Dessert
To do:
- Madeira
- Marsala
- Port
- Sauternais
- Sherry
- Vin Santo