My First Tasting at Vintage Cellar with "Dynamite Sauvignon Blanc, Be. Bright Pinot Grigio, Yellow Tail Cabernet/Merlot, Beringer Smooth Red Blend, and Yellow Tail Red Moscato Bubbles Non Vintage"

Hey all,

So this past week I got to go to my first wine tasting at the Vintage Cellar. It was definitely different than getting a tasting done at a winery. The main difference in my opinion is: first at a winery they will most of the time give you a little more than what they poured at Vintage Cellar, although there are always stingy wine pourers out there, and two they will describe the wine in great detail,as if they eat, drink, and binge on the wine for eternity. Also of course at most wineries you must pay for your wine tasting, it's normally not that much money and a lot of times you get to keep the glass. Overall, it was a pleasant experience at the Vintage Cellar.  Also I must apologize in advance because I had a cold this week, and I'm sure my smell and taste buds were slightly off, so I just did my best to describe what I thought it smelled and tasted like. I also did not have any food with any of this wine.

First up on the tasting list:

1. "Dynamite Sauvignon Blanc", a white wine that originates from Lake County, California. It was made in 2012. This wine's regular price is $13.00 a bottle and was on sale(not sure if that was just for that day or this week) for $5.95.

This white wine smelled very flowerly, it was a light scent that was quite pleasant. The taste of this wine had a zing when it went across your palate. It was very crisp, and kind of dry. However, it did leave a nice fruity after taste on the palate. I really didn't like this wine that much to be completely honest.  I really do normally like Sauvignon Blancs, yet it just was not my cup of tea.

Here is a picture so we are on the same page: 



Second on our tasting list:

2. "Be. Bright, Pinot Grigio". 2013, hailing from California. This wine retails for normally $10.00 a bottle but was on sale for $5.95.

This white wine had a very light, airy smell to it. The taste of this wine was okay, but very tart. It left you with a weird urge to want something else to drink, not necessarily more of that wine, but it left you quenching for water. It really wasn't that great, but it was better than the first wine in my opinion.


Here is a picture: 



Now we diverge into dryer reds=yuck.

Number three was the "Yellow Tail Cabernet/ Merlot Blend. 2014"  This red wine retails for $10.00 but was on sale for $4.95. It was born in Australia and is a mixture of 60% cabernet and 40% merlot.

The smell of this red was very peppery, leathery, and did not smell all that appealing to me. The taste was bitter. It was dry, Peppery. It left a dry after taste. It was gross but not terrible.


Here is a picture so that I can be certain to never purchase this wine for myself: 



The Fourth wine was "Beringer Smooth Red Blend." Originated from California, in the year of 2012. This wine is regularly priced at $15.00 a bottle and was on sale for $5.95.

The Smooth Red Blend is a mixture of Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. The smell of this wine is very peppery. The taste of this wine is peppery filled bitterness. The taste of something dried up and dead for centuries. It left such a dryness over the palate that was slightly overwhelming. I really did not enjoy this wine, for not only did it leave a terrible peppery taste in my mouth, it was just so dry. Talk about needing water in a desert of pepper.


Here is a picture if for some reason after reading this you want to get it, or if you just want to avoid it like the plague: 



Finally onto something sweet, Number 5:

"Yellow Tail, Red Moscato Bubbles" Non Vintage. This Moscato hails from Australia. Not entirely sure what year it was made. However, it is regularly priced at $10.00 a bottle, and was one sale for $5.95.

First I want to comment on the name, who doesn't like bubbles? Seriously, they had me sold with bubbles. The smell of this one was sweet and fruity, very pleasant. The taste was very bubbly and sweet. It was a cherry taste or some sort of fruity flavor that filled up your tongue.

Here is a picture so that you too can enjoy in this deliciousness:



I hope you all have enjoyed reading about this weeks wine tasting! Looking forward to the next one!

Until then have a great week!

~Michelle