Hayden's Wine Blog

Name: Gnarly Head Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: California Country: USA Year: 2014 Price: $9.99 "Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon is King – big, gallant and powerful. This dark, bold Cabernet has solid tannins and jammy fruit, with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, freshly-cracked black peppercorn and floral violet. On the palate, flavors of dense black fruit compote and currant followed by a trio of clove, spice and earth lead to a generous, lingering finish." - Winemakers Notes I know you're supposed to drink red wines with big, bold, meats, but I opted to drink this alongside sushi! Honestly, I think they complemented each other okay. I was kind of nervous that the red would completely knock out what I was eating, but I don't think it did. I had some medium-fatty tuna, which I think balanced well with the boldness of the red. I wouldn't say that soy sauce and red wine would be best friends, the saltiness of the soy sauce made the red wine a littl...

Name: Black's Station Variety: Chardonnay Region: Dunnigan Hills, CA Country: USA Year: 2015 Price: $11.99 "Bright golden yellow color. Aromas and flavors of spiced apples and pineapples and vanilla yogurt nuts with a satiny, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and an effortless, breezy honeyed pear finish with light oak. A simple, but very smooth and tasty chardonnay." - Winemakers Notes This was a white wine I didn't actually hate at all!! It was a miracle. Honestly, I think the reason I liked it is because it didn't really taste like much. It was definitely oaky, and buttery, like the new world white wines from California, but was pretty subdued. I paired this with chicken and some vegetables, and I think that buttery flavor was brought out by the olive oil in the dish. Everything was pretty soft flavor wise, so I don't think the dish overpowered the wine at all. I got a little bit of fruit flavor in the aroma, and in the back of my throat as an afte...

Name: Nobilo Icon Variety: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Marlborough Country: New Zealand Year: 2016 Price: $22.99 "A rich, complex, full bodied wine with a striking bouquet of passionfruit, gooseberries and nettles. Opulent tropical fruit flavours, complemented by herbal and mineral characters lead to a persistent finish. Sophisticated and delicious." I won't lie, I was kind of confused how this said that it was a full bodied white wine, and that it said it was delicious. I know I lack exposure to white wine, but to me it tasted grassy, moldy, and almost like cat pee. I couldn't really find anything good to say about it. I had this alongside salmon, a salad, and green beans, and I couldn't make any matches that were pleasing. This could be because alone it wasn't really pleasant at all, but honestly I was really disappointed in this purchase. I had several of my friends take a sip of it as well, and all we concluded in taste, and smell, was cat pee. Maybe i...

Name: Jawbreaker Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Lodi, CA Country: USA Year: 2014 Price: $13.99 " Jawbreaker is a term used by our winemaker to describe a wine that is a "Big N Juicy" wine. The Jaw Breaker Cabernet Sauvignon has all these characteristics. Succulent fruit components and its long lasting finish will convince even the biggest skeptic to start saying "Give me some of that Jaw Breaker"! Jawbreaker gets its warmth and stamina from the sandy soils of Lodi, CA. The sub appellation is called Clement Hills, located in southeastern Lodi. It is the second largest appellation in Lodi showcasing rolling hills and cliffs. Clement Hills appellation is warmer and wetter than most of Lodi which is why Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in this environment. The aromas hit your cranium with scents that are reminiscent of cedar, cinnamon and sweet woods mixed with silky, black currants. The flavors are earthy and vibrant with nuances of deep, ripe blackberry and...

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 ...