Wine Tasting- The Delicious Monster

Name: The Delicious Monster

Variety of Origin: Chenin Blanc (60%), Chardonnay (20%), Muscat Blanc (20%)

Country of Origin: South Africa

Region of Origin: McGregor

Vintage Year: 2024

Price: $9

Wine Critic Review: "It’s okay, but not great. Everything kind of diminishes on the palette. Right off the bat, the three things I get are orange blossom, peach and a little bit of minerality, which I personally really like. All three of these things are strong indicators for me of a Chenin blanc when I’m doing blind tastings. It’s great for quarantine when it’s ditch and your options are limited (keep in mind, this is my personal thought, and I haven’t spent $6 on a bottle of wine in I can’t tell you how long!) but overall not too mad about it. Overall I’d give it about a 5/10. Not phenomenal, doesn’t leave any memories, but I don’t hate myself for buying it. So right in the middle." (https://www.oliviasheastyle.com/posts/traderjoeswinereview)

References: Based on page 96 of the Wine Folly, Chardonnay has notes of yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, butter. I would say I got the some of the fruity notes from this but not the richer ones like butter and vanilla. From page 138, Muscat Blanc has notes of orange blossom, meyer lemon, mandarin orange, ripe pear and honeysuckle. I got a little bit of a floral not but that's it. From page 98, Chenin Blanc has notes of quince, yellow apple, pear, chamomile, and honey. I definitely did not get honey but the wine was overall fruity like those notes.

My review: This wine had really fun branding and part of the mix was Moscato so I thought I may enjoy this wine. I did not enjoy this wine. It was dried than I expected. It had a very floral scent, I smelled apricot and honeysuckle, also citrus. The taste was mostly just citrus and bitterness. It did not live up to it's cute branding. Would not get again.

Wine Tasting- Porto Morgado

Name: Porto Morgado

Variety of Origin: Port

Country of Origin: Portugal

Region of Origin: Porto

Vintage Year: NV

Price: $15

Wine Critic Review: "It has the typical heaviness of port, and it’s syrupy sweet. Of course it gets drier as it sits after opening, but I have to admit to drinking some after it had been open for a week and it was still pretty good. More “alcoholish” tasting but still gave off that “it’s grape juice for grown ups!” flavor. There is a slight dry quality to fresh Porto Morgado, and it kind of burned going down but I have also been sick with a near constant sore throat, so that may have been a factor." (https://foodsnobsquared.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/10-under-10-porto-morgado-ruby/)

References: From page 154 of the Wine Folly, Port has notes of black plum, dried cherry, chocolate, raisin, and cinnamon. Agree with the black plum note for this wine. I would also say the raisin flavor is accurate however that could just be a grape flavor of the wine. I did not get cinnamon or chocolate.

My review: Overall I'm not a huge port fan. It's not bad for a red wine but they just remind me too much of cough syrup. The aromas I got were nutty, cherry, and sickly sweet. The tastes I got were slightly nutty, vanilla, blackberry, almond, and an earthy flavor. I enjoyed the sweetness but the wine was not my favorite.

Wine Tasting- Method Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Method Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety of Origin: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country of Origin: United States

Region of Origin: Napa Valley, California

Vintage Year: 2022

Price: $20

Wine Critic Review: "This densely flavorful yet relaxed wine rests on a cushion of plush, fine tannins that carry its earthy, black fruit, baking spice and dark chocolate flavors across the palate and into a soft finish." (https://www.wineenthusiast.com/buying-guide/method-2020-cabernet-sauvignon-california/?srsltid=AfmBOoqfE32c9XgrkcYhibQqN2j2tSjdmaVn6H63yiiogmRbx1AWLg8V)

References: From page 150 of Wine Folly, cabernet sauvignon has notes of black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, and graphite. I could notes of black cherry when I drank the wine. There was an earthly scent that I got as well that could be from the cedar. I didn't get the rest of the notes but I got similar notes, as seen in my review.

My review: This is another wine I was not expecting to enjoy as it's a deep red wine. And I was correct, I didn't enjoy it. The wine had a dry finish and was rather bitter which made it hard for me to enjoy. I got notes of tobacco, black raspberry, and earth when I smelled the wine. When I drank it I got notes of black cherry and pomegranate. Much deep red than I enjoy and will probably not drink again.

Wine Tasting- Joseph Handler Riesling

Name: Joseph Handler Riesling

Variety of Origin: Riesling

Country of Origin: Germany

Region of Origin: Pfalz

Vintage Year: 2023

Price: $11

Wine Critic Review: "From one of the region’s top producers, this fun, fruit-forward riesling has become incredibly popular since its first vintage in 2002. It is slightly off dry with a dash of residual sugar that is balanced by great orange-citrus aromas and a refreshing acidity." (https://www.oakandbarrelnyc.com/product/joseph-handler-pfalz-riesling-750ml/?srsltid=AfmBOoqSHfZ7UL8XHO-oIv0ZZHRqFNpS29HHNHL3fPUxrUI1isKJVRPn)

References: From page 158 of Wine Folly, Riesling has notes of lime, green apple, beeswax, jasmine, and petroleum. I could definitely taste the green apple and smell bit of floral which could be jasmine. I could also taste a bit of honey from the beeswax. I'm not quite sure what petroleum tastes like so I wouldn't be sure how to taste it.

My review: This wine was pretty good. A bit drier than I like but not unbearable. The wine had aromas of peach, honey and a light floral scent. I could taste honey, peach, lemon, and green apple. It was overall enjoyable but as I said it leaned a bit dry, normally I think of Rieslings being sweet so that was a bit unexpected. Probably wouldn't buy again but would drink it if offered.

Wine Tasting- Menage a Trois Exotic Blend

Name: Menage a Trois Exotic Blend

Variety of Origin: Chardonnay, Muscat Blanc, Chenin Blanc

Country of Origin: United States

Region of Origin: California

Vintage Year: 2022

Price: $11

Wine Critic Review: "Menage A Trois Exotic Blend is a seductive and intriguing combination of lush tropical fruit flavors that tantalize your taste buds. This wine entices with aromas of mango, passion fruit, and juicy pineapple, creating a captivating and exotic experience that is simply unforgettable." (https://www.drinkhacker.com/2024/02/13/review-2022-love-is-wine-chardonnay/?srsltid=AfmBOooYGsPyY_I25lMztzgzX_JHOQYOXU2w1Sxm3lS_vC8Ylzw8CUB7)

References: Based on page 96 of the Wine Folly, Chardonnay has notes of yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, butter. I did not get many citrus notes in this wine. This wine did have slight buttery notes and some of the acidity of pineapple. From page 138, Muscat Blanc has notes of orange blossom, meyer lemon, mandarin orange, ripe pear and honeysuckle. I did not get any of these notes. From page 98, Chenin Blanc has notes of quince, yellow apple, pear, chamomile, and honey. I did not get any of these notes, maybe a slight hint of chamomile as it had a very earthy flavor.

My review: I think I just really don't like Chardonnay. That was the main flavor I got from this wine, the oaky dry flavor of Chardonnay and I really don't like it. This wine was too dry for my tastes. I also felt this wine had bad balance as it was slightly too dry and there was no flavor to balance it out. I was looking forward to the fruity flavors of this wine but could get any of them even after drinking a decent amount of the wine. This is one of the least favorites of the wines I've tried.

Wine Tasting- Confetti Sweet Pink Rosé

Name: Confetti Sweet Pink Rosé 

Variety of Grapes: Zinfandel and Muscat Blanc

Country of Origin: Italy

Region of Origin: Trentino

Vintage Year: NV

Price: $8

Wine Critic Review: "Confetti! Sweet Pink Rosé is an incredibly approachable and luscious sweet pink wine. It is made from a blend of French grape varietals and carries plump, ripe strawberry flavors with soft floral aromas and a refreshing, juicy finish." (https://thebestwinestore.com/products/confetti-sweet-pink-wine?srsltid=AfmBOopO0S11N3Zvsl-rvzmFRWqVXIdHfTvCzHHlS9XOvAuyDr_3-YKW)

References: There is not notes for Rosé listed specifically in Wine Folly. Looked at 2 of the grapes included in the wine. On page 189, Zinfandel is listed as having a notes of blackberry, strawberry, peach preserves, cinnamon, sweet tobacco. The strawberry is very strong in the wine, it is in both the aroma and flavor. The sweetness of the peach preserves definitely came through. I didn't notice any of the other notes. From page 138, Muscat Blanc has notes of orange blossom, meyer lemon, mandarin orange, ripe pear and honeysuckle. To be honest I didn't get any of these notes but I did get the sweetness I am used to with a Muscat wine.

My review: I really liked this wine. It had a very light body and was sweet which I find enjoyable. It had aromas of strawberry, watermelon and cotton candy. The flavor was similar to the aromas. I can admit that this wine was slightly out of balance due to how intensely sweet it was. However I enjoyed how sweet it was so it didn't bother me. Will be buying again.