Sutter Home Sweet White

Greetins and Salutations!

This post will be talking about one of Sutter Home's newest varietals, their Sweet White.

Sutter Home first originated around the 1880's when a Swiss-German immigrant, by the name of John Thomann, started a vineyard in the heart of Napa valley. The vineyard really started becoming truely known in 1948 due to the hard work and constant elbow grease put down by the family.

Sutter Home was the vineyard that created the varietal that changed the world: White Zinfandel. When they debuted this wine in the 1970's it changed the way people drank wine forever. Sutter Home has become a household name and is the second largest, independent family-run winery in the U.S.

Anyways, onto the wine!

Brand: Sutter Home (No Photo available)

Varietal: Sweet White

Location: California

Vintage: none

Price: 5.99

Color: Very light pear color         

Aroma: Light, but floral 

Mouth feel:  Medium bodied    

Start: Very smooth

Finish: Clean      

Flavor: Medium sweet. Slight taste of mandarin and a hint of pear. A hint of honey as well.

Other: Very impressed. No sharpness and has a dessert feel about it. I am usually not a big fan of sutter home, but I could definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Riesling or moscato.

Overall: 85/100

That's all for today!

Jusqu'à Demain

Racecar

Lulu B. (I'm back!.....for now)

Greetings and Salutation!

I've been granted a break in my cold to leave you with a few wine reviews!

This post's review will be about Lulu B. Moscato!

To tell the truth, there is little that is known about Lulu B. wine, so unfortunetly, I will not be able to give a history report about this brand.

Anywho, on to the wine!

Brand: Lulu B. (No picture available) (Screw top)

Varietal: Moscato

Location: Spain

Vintage: None

Price: $6.99

Color: Pear, light golden colored

Aroma: Light, but fruity and sweet.

Mouth feel: Medium heavy. Smooth with a slight honey texture.

Start: Dry.                                                

Finish: Semi-sweet

Flavor: Apricot, peach with a hint of pineapples.

Other: Very slight tingle on the tongue.

Overall: 65/100

Not bad at all. It is more based for semi-sweet moscato drinker who wants their wine just a little heavier, but not to the point where it’s syrupy.

That's all for now!

Jusqu'à Demain

Racecar

Lack of updates!! ACHOO!

Greetings and Salutations!

Many have wondered why I've been lacking on the updating. Simple answer? I've been sick. VERY, VERY SICK. It seems as though when I get over one sickness another one smacks me right back into bed. A few weeks ago I recently got over a very bad flu/cold/head cold/sinus infection combination only to be pushed right into extreme dental pain.

Lovely.

So in other words I have been permanently on pain killers, cold medicine, allergy medicine and in bed pretty much over an entire month. Joy unbound.

Unfortunetly, during my medicated haze, I lost my wine journal. So until it is found the Yellowtail reviews shall be put on hold. Luckily, with the holidays coming up, there shall be a constant stream of reviews on other, highly delcious brand and varietals.

Until next time!
Racecar

*sniffle cough*

Minnesota State Fair Extravaganza (pt.3)

Greetings and Salutations!

This post I'll being finishing up the reviews of the wines I sampled at the Minnesota Stat Fair.

The wine is NOVA from Morgan Creek vinyards in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Morgan Creek was born in 1993 but their first vintage season was in the fall of 1998, celebrating the creation of Minnesota's only underground winery. Underground shelter is a plus for production and aging while adding to the unique atmosphere of their tasting room and gift shop. The vineyard specializes in German, French and American style wine while supplying Minnesota cold-hardy wines.

Onto the wine!
Nova semi-sweet (no photo available)
Another award winning wine is made as a rich colored Rose with a hint of the hardy north! This beautiful garnet color wine has a light cherry nose and beaujolais style body. A lively sipping wine and a great pairing with Italian food.

My review is as follows.

-Nova had a very dark, blackberry color. It seemed as if no light could permeate this wine.
-This varietal had a very dark berry aroma that was very pleasant.
-Although the wine was light to medium bodied there was a very slight dryness with also a very slightly dry finish.
-There were fruity undertones noted with a very smooth mouth feel.

I give an overall rating of 70/100.
Normally a Rose' is rather pink in color and can sometimes be mistaken for a White Zinfandel, but this was much darker and, in my personal opinion, much more pleasant. I normally have a hard time finding a tasty red wine, but I was very pleased by this. I can see myself enjoying this brand in the future.

That's all for now. I seemed to have misplaced my review notes for the next post so I will be updating again tomorrow (hopefully).

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Minnesota State Fair Extravanga (pt.2)

Greetings and Salutations!

Sorry for the long wait, but here we continue with local Minnesota wines that were spotlighted at the state fair.

Today's wine is "Sippin' From a Slipper" from Glacial Ridge Vinyards in Spicer Minnesota.

Glacial Ridge is a fairly new vinyard opening in 2007. The vinyard is located on an apple orchard with over 850 trees with other 12 different varietals. The winery was originally built as a bait and minnow house which was then converted into an apple house. During the fall customers can purchase apples, pumpkins and other large varieties of produce. The vinyard has several differnt exciting events such as a summer concert series, grape stomping and Friday Night Soup in the winter.

Onto the wine!

Sippin' From a Slipper (No photo available. Average price $16.95)

A Glacial Ridge favorite! LaCrescent grapes give this sweet white wine the taste of juicy, ripe pears with a bright citrus finish.  The perfect afternoon sipper.

AWARDS

Silver Medal 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

 

 

My finders are as follows.

 

-This wine had a very light, golden color.

-Had a lighty sweetened, fruity aroma.

-This wine was very sweet, but not overpowering.

-There was a slightly dry finish, but at the same time had a honey-like mouth feel.

-Slipper was medium bodied and very pleasant to drink.

 

Overall, I give this wine 75/100.

Sippin' From a Slipper was tres' delicious and I would recommend this varietal to anyone who has a sweet tooth. I highly suggest that if you are in the area, visit Glacial Ridge and give their wines a try.

 

Next post I will be finishing the Minnesota State Fair reviews.

 

Minnesota State Fair Extravaganza! (pt.1)

Greetings and Salutations!

We interrupt the Yellow Tail review line for these special reviews! The Minnesota State fair is currently in session. In their lovely agriculture building is a section dedicated to sampling some of Minnesota's local brands.

Today, we'll be looking at "Potter John's White" from Falconer Vineyards in Red Wing, Minnesota.

Falconer Vineyards opened in 2003, settled in the historical bluffs of Red Wing. Started by John Falconer and Ann Lowe, Falconer Vineyards offers for you to take in the scenery, put up your feet or enjoy their own wood fired pizza in the bistro.

Onto Potter John's White (no picture available).

My findings are as follows:
-This wine has a pleasant, light fruity aroma.
-Light in color with a slight golden sheen.
-Has a very small bite to it, but not unpleasant.
-This wine is beautifully smooth with a semi-sweet taste.
-It's very, VERY light bodied with a clean finish on your palate. There are no lingering tastes.

I was pleased with this wine. I was lead astray because I first saw the description as sweet and it turned out to be more of a semi-sweet. But, in the end, I wasn't disappointed.

Overall rating: 65/100

More State Fair fun coming next!

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Yellow Tail Moscato

Greetings and Salutations!

.......*sigh*...Yes...it eventually had to come to this. Today I will be starting the reviews of Yellow Tail brand wine.

The Casella family has been producing wine since the 1820's. But in 1951, Filippo and Maria Casella moved from Italy to Australia to start a better life for their family. There they continued their family's vinyards in the small city of Yenda. Now, the vinyard has expanded at least 10 times it's original size since it's development.

The brand Yellow Tail first became available in the 2000's with the purpose of being sold in bulk and became the most popular wine to be exported to the USA by 2003. It's mascot is the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby (a cousin to the kangaroo).

On to the moscato (average price $6.00 with screw cap)
I have found that moscato (like many other wines) vary from country and brand. Some of the differences are extreme and some are subtle.

Here are my findings:

-Has a lightly sweet aroma.
-This moscato, unlike American ones, has a bubbliness to it. I have found that many exported moscatos have this.
-It is very light bodied (good for those of you who don't like a heavy moscato).
-No sharpness.
-A very slight afterbite, but it's pleasant.
-This moscato is not heavily sweet and is not overpowering.
-This brand of moscato has a very smooth mouth feel.
-This moscato, I found, was rather simaler to a spumate, but with less bubble.

Overall, I was pleased. I've not taken to much notice of Yellow Tail because of it's reputation as a bulk wine. I had always thought of this brand as a wine the mindless drones drink just because they know the name. But I was surprised at the pleasantess of this varietal.

Today's rating: 65-70/100

The night is young, but I need some sleep. Bonne nuit, all!


Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Gallo Family Vinyards Moscato

Greetings and Salutations!

Gallo wines began in 1933 by brothers Enerst and Julio in Modesto, California. The two of them started their vineyard right after the repeal of prohabition, learning their craft from old pre-prohabition pamphlets from the Univeristy of California (found in a library basement).

Now, E&J Gallo is the largest distributor for wine in the United States, selling such brands as Barefoot, Andre' Champagne, Bartles & James and Louis M. Martini.

This is how I found the Moscato (average price $7.99) . 

-Has a very sweet, but not overpowering, aroma.
-There is a slight fizziness.
-Pleasant taste with fruity undertones.
-Smooth, almost honey-like, mouth feel.
-The body is almost medium, but not quite heavy.
-There is a very slight tartness in the finish, but it is not unpleasant.

This wasn't a bad moscato, but it didn't wow me either. It's a nice wine to serve when you have company or going on a picnic. Gallo has a nice selection of it's wines in little one dollar bottles that are nice if you only want a single glass.

Final rating: 65/100

That's all from me. Time for some sleep.

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Middle Sister "Smarty Pants"

Greetings and Salutations!

Today we are going to finish with Middle Sister "Smarty Pants" Chardonnay (average price $9.99).

"Some girls are born beautiful. Some girls are born rich.  And some girls are born smart. The smart girls grow up and use their brains to make money to buy great clothes and travel abroad and throw dinner parties…where they serve chardonnay that they didn't spend a fortune on…in wine glasses brought home from their last trip to Paris. Some girls are born smart. And we think they're the luckiest girls of all."

Overall findings:

-Has a slightly sweet aroma which is lighter and smoother.
-This chardonnay is not very sharp or oakey.
-This is very smooth and has a slight sweetness. Almost semi-sweet.
-This is a very different style of chardonnay.

I was surprised how much I liked this. For those who don't care for an oakey chardonnay, I would recommend this one.

Overall rating: 60/100.

Continuing onto a new wine next!

Middle Sister "Sweetie Pie"

Greetings and Salutations!

"Do you eat dessert first? Do you keep an emergency supply of cupcakes on hand at all times? Have you ever met a piece of strudel you didn’t like? Then you, my friend, are an official Sweetie Pie. If you believe the world should be a sweeter place (and that includes the world of wine), this scrumptious red is made especially for you. Life is sweet. And now, what’s in our glass is too."

Today I am going to talk about Middle Sister "Sweetie Pie" sweet red (average $9.99) and some sweet red wines in general (or at least what grinds me gears on american "sweet red").

Sweet red is basically what it is. Sweet. Red. BUT, there lie-ins the problem. Germany, Belgium, Hungary, etc. is known for having beautiful reds that are lush and full of flavor. It is basically the red wine meant for white wine lovers.
I had my first true sweet red at the Minneapolis Home and Garden show back in February of 2011. The problem with having something as good as what I tasted is that you'll never be able to find anything that can match that.
America has been trying to perfect the sweet red with very little success. Everytime I have opened a bottle, my first reaction is "where's the sweetness?!" and that was my same reaction with Middle Sister's so-called "Sweetie Pie".

My findings are as follows:

-There was very little to no aroma.
-The wine has a lighter body.
-Little to no sweetness! There is a slight, almost indestinct, sweetness in the start but fades quickly.
-There is a very light dryness.
-No unpleasant aftertaste lingers.

I didn't hate this wine, but I was very disappointed. I have tasted a true, German, sweet red so I cannot find any comparison with these American knock-offs that are claiming to be what they aren't.

My overall rating: 50/100.

Finishing up Middle Sister tomorrow with "Smarty Pants". I'm going to make dinner now. A nice eggplant and bulgar cassoulette.

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Middle Sister "Goodie Two-Shoes"

Greetings and Salutations!

"Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful. Or because I graduated top of my class. Being almost perfect is a terrible burden to bear. So I must confess I do have one or two vices. Wine, cheese, cheeseburgers, vampire novels, pink outfits and serial flirting…is that more than one or two? I hope my secrets are safe with you. I have an image to protect. Let me buy you a glass of wine."

The spoken words of the Middle Sister "Goodie Two-Shoes" Pinot Noir (average price $9.99).

This sister is described as such:

-This wine has a fruity aroma with a hint of berry undertones.
-Lighter body on the palate.
-There is a very slight dryness in the finish.
-This wine has a little bit of a bite to it.
-A light fruitiness can be tasted.
-This wine has almost a slight spiciness to it.

I have had a hard time finding a red that I am truly impressed by. This one wasn't bad, but it didn't make me jump for joy either.

Overall rating: 55/100

That's all for today. More Sisters coming up!

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Middle Sister "Sweet and Sassy"

Greetings and Salutations!

Today we continue on with the Middle Sister line. This sister is "Sweet and Sassy" Moscato (average price $9.99).

"After a long hard day of being fabulous, I like to relax with a glass of wine. But I don't want it to bite me back. Isn't there enough drama in this world? That's why this wine is my new best wine friend. With a touch of natural sweetness, it's smooth and refreshing and so easy to love. Moscato, always stay as sweet as you are. I'll handle the sassy part."

I remember buying a bottle of this beforehand and the only thing I could think of was that I had bought a bad bottle (which can happen from time to time). Because when I tried a second time I was rather impressed!

My findings on "Sweet and Sassy" are as follows.

-A fruity aroma on the lighter side.
-Rather light bodied.
-Very smooth with an almost honey-like mouth feel.
-This moscato has a lighter sweetness (so if you don't care for a heavily sweet moscato, you will like this).
-There is a slight fruitiness in taste.
-The wine ends with a slightly sharp aftertaste, but is not offending. It makes me reflect on the "sassy" along with the "sweet".
-There is a slight distinctness of honey along with the fruit.

I found this wine very pleasant and not overly complicated. It's a nice casual wine that tastes delicious chilled on a hot day.

My overall rating 65/100.

That's all from me. I hear a good book calling my name.

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Middle Sister "Wicked White"

Greetings and Salutations!

Middle Sister is one of the really eye catching and ingenious lines I have seen (either that or I don't get out much).

Erin Wassum, Terry Wheatley and Susan Lombardi are the three women behind the sisters. Erin created the sisters, using the imaginary spark she has had since childhood and was inspired by her own daughter (a middle sister herself).
Terry worked her way up the ladder at Gallo wines and became one of the few female executives for Sutter Home. She had a vision for a wine taking on the female point-of-view in a male dominated wine world. Terry created Canopy wine management which produces several leading brands along with Middle Sister. Her goal: delicious wine for affordable prices.
Susan has been an artist ever since she was a baby. Even as misunderstood as she was, she earned a degree in Advertising from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She has created packaging and designed labels for cosmetics, fragrances, consumer products and more. She feels that with her skewed sense of style she brings a breath of fresh air to newbie's and professional wine drinkers who are used to "traditional" labels.

"Help a Sister Out" is the charity project of Middle Sister, donating proceeds to "Dress for Success", a program to empower underprivileged women to achieve financial independence through professional development. Middle Sister wine also supports other charitable organizations dedicated to helping women and children including Wine, Women and Shoes, a fundraising event founded by Napa Valley's female vintners.

Onto the wine!

"You may have fewer photos in the family album, but who knew someday you'd have your very own wine. So how about sharing it with the rest of us? This spunky blend of our three favorite white varieties is perfect for sipping before, during and after our favorite family meals. Sure, you're wicked but Mom always did like you best. Now we understand."

This is how I found "Wicked White" (average price $9.99).

-"Wicked White" is very light on the palate.
-There is a slight citrus aftertaste.
-A very, very slight dryness.
-No dry aftertaste.
-Very clean finish.
-A slightly rough mouth feel (not smooth).
-A very light aroma.

Overall, I give this wine a 55/100. I thought it was a little too light for me, but it is perfect as a casual wine or one who has a more sensitive palate.

That's all for now! Tomorrow I will continue with more of the "Sisters".

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Lindeman's "Bin 90 Moscato"

Greetings and Salutations!

Lindeman's has a series of wines ranging from "Reserves", "Early Harvest" and "Sweet Seasons" (to name a few). This review focuses on the "Bin" series, more specifically on the Moscato.

Lindemans was started in 1843 by Henry Lindeman who actually planted his first vine in New South Whales. It's current location spreads across southern Australia. For a minimal priced wine it is surprisingly high quality. The chardonnay is especially popular being named one of the five "Best Buys" of The Wine Spectator magazine. Author of The Wine Advocate, Robert M. Parker, Jr. quoted on the chardonnay as "one of the three or four finest chardonnay values in the world".

Anywho, on with the Moscato (average price $7.99 with screw cap). 

My findings are as follows.

-There is a slightly citrus aroma.

-It is sweet, but medium bodied. Not overwhelming.

-The mouth feel is beautifully silky.

-There is a slight sharpness, but it is not offending.

-The aftertaste has a slight citrusness with an undertone of honey.

I was incredibly pleased with this wine. I have found some to be either too sweet or not sweet enough.

My rating : 75/100.

If you find this wine, definitely give it a try. It goes very well with light salads and spicy schezuan food.

Enjoy!

Big House "Unchained: Naked Chardonnay"

Continuing on the Big House line.

Big House Chardonnay is an un-oaked chardonnay, which is good for those of us who hate an oakey chardonnay (like myself).

"Unchained"'s qualities are as follows.

-A very light aroma (no oakeyness!)
-Light to medium bodied.
-A slightly dry finish.
-Medium start but a light finish.
-No oakeyness!!

I give this wine, like the white, a 50-60/100. For a chardonnay, I was impressed.

Enjoy!

Big House White

Greetings and Salutations!

Big House White (2009) is under the microscope today. This brand, on average, is $7.99.

Big House wines are produced in Soledad, California which, ironically is just a hop, skip and a jump away from Soledad State Correctional Facility. This wine is known for their innovative label art and prison themes while incorporating Mediterranean flavors.

Interesting wine trivia! Big House was the first wine to come out with a screw cap!

Big House White has the following qualities. 

-Very light color and aroma.
-Incredibly light bodied.
-Pleasantly smooth mouth feel.
-A slight bite in the aftertaste, but it fades quickly. Not unpleasant.

I give this wine a 50-60/100. It's a nice casual wine that doesn't need any forethought and is not overy complicated.

Enjoy!

Conquista Torrontes

Greetings and salutations!

Today is the first wine review and the lucky brand is Conquista, varietal Torrontes (vintage 2010).

Conquista is an Argentinian wine more famous for it's malbec. The Torrontes itself is native to the Mendoza area in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The 2009 vintage won a silver medal at the New World Wine Competition in 2010. A bottle, on average, is around $6.99 (but it does vary from store to store)

Here are my findings.

-The wine itself has very little color to it; a slight golden sheen. It seems like it has a darker color, but that is from the bottle.
-The mouth feel is very light, smooth and clean on the palate.
-There is a slight citrus bite in the aroma and in flavor. A very light lime flavor. A slight tartness from the citrus flavors.
-There is a clean finish with just a little tartness in the aftertaste.

Overall, this wine wasn't bad. It didn't wow me, but I didn't hate it either.
I give it an final total of 5 out of 10.

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar

Everyday starts today!

Greetings and salutations!
I, Racecar, proudly dedicate this blog to everyone and anyone who knows diddly about wine. I also dedicate this blog to those who know something about wine, but are too dirt poor to try every wine on our lovely, lovely planet.

Tell me, have you ever read a wine book and said "What the hell are they saying"? Or have you picked up a "Dummies" guide to wine and just been insulted? Then this is for you! Simple and easy reviews on wine that won't insult your intelligence, but won't make your brain scrambled as well. I am not a professional. I am just like you, an everyday person.

Once a day there will be a review on a specific wine that will include bottle price, vintage and overall rating.

I hope you all will enjoy as we travel on this world wide wine adventure together. Satisfaction is only a glass away!

Jusqu'à Demain
Racecar