Hayden's Wine Blog

Name: Crios Variety: Malbec Region: Aconcagua Country: Argentina Year: 2014 Price: $13.99 "Crios Malbec has a beautiful reddish/purple color as most good Malbecs do. The aromas are a mix of freshly crushed black cherries and toasty/smoky oak—just enough to frame the exuberant fruit. On the palate, the flavors of cherries and spice are obvious, and the jammy fruit quality just keeps coming on strong, with hints of spice and sandalwood lurking in the background." This was the wine recommended by the waitress at Sushi Neko, she said that the bold red would compliment the fatty tuna that was coming for me. I had never imagined that wine would necessarily be sushis best partner, but I didn't dislike it at all! I am not sure if I love raw fish with alcohol of any sort, but it was definitely toasty which paired well with the smoked tuna. Overall, a decent pairing!

Name: Royal Bitch Variety: Chardonnay Region: Aconcagua Country: Chile Year: 2014 Price: $9.99 "Yellow with golden highlights this wine blends tropical fruit such as pineapple with toasted hazelnut aromas from the French oak aging and is fermented in stainless steel. In the mouth it has a rich and voluminous attach with citric aromas and vanilla persisting throughout the pleasant finish. - Winery" I won't lie, this one was simply picked for the name and the price. Given I don't like white wine very much, I went with a basic Chardonnay that was said to be not too sweet or too dry. I read some reviews online saying that it was much drier than they mentioned, but I found it to be much sweeter. I got some of the pineapple in the aroma, but not as much when tasting. I had this with a variety of cheeses which may not have been the best pair, but I was interested to see my take on white wines now that I have learned more. Still not my favorite, ...

Name: Poppy Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Paso Robles Country: Central Coast, California Year: 2014 Price: $13.99 "This wine displays blueberry, black cherry and currant flavors with nuances of licorice, violets and cigar box all wrapped together with a dash of vanilla and mocha. Medium to full-bodied, well-balanced, with soft tannins, this wine shows tremendous dimension, with a seamless finish that lingers throughout the palate. Pair with dishes more on the savory side, lamb and roasted meats. This wine is designed to drink well within two years of its vintage date however it will be at its best starting around 2017." In this wine, I really could smell the mocha and vanilla aspects that were mentioned. I usually opt out of any type of wine that has licorice as a component, but a friend recommended it so we went for it. I ate this with roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, and a black bean puree. I do think that the charcoal on the grilled chicken brought out ...

Name: Meiomi Variety: Pinot Noir Region: Monterey County, Santa Barbara County, Sonoma County Country: California Year: 2016 Price: $19.99 " A rich garnet color with a ruby edge, the wine opens to reveal lifted fruit aromas of bright strawberry and jammy fruit, mocha, and vanilla, along with toasty oak notes. Expressive boysenberry, blackberry, dark cherry, juicy strawberry, and toasty mocha flavors lend complexity and depth on the palate. The well-integrated oak provides structure and depth seldom seen in Pinot Noir." As I still stick to red wines, I tried the Pinot Noir that my mom continually raves about. Given I usually go for darker, fuller bodied, reds, I didn't think this would be my favorite. I drank this alongside salmon, brussel sprouts, and mashed potatoes. Being a novice wine drinker, I can't say that it really brought out anything in the food I was eating. It was sweeter than I expected and the only flavor I could really pick out was a swee...