My name is Andrew. I drink and brew beer. Sometimes I drink wine. I’ve been doing it for a while, but I’ve always just ended up buying random bottles based on the label. This wasn’t a great strategy. I wasn’t great at remembering the labels. That is to say, I could remember which labels I ended up liking and which ones I didn’t. On the off chance I did remember a label, I would become fixated. I would buy the same bottle over and over again until I couldn’t find it anymore. I figured that maybe I could go to some place where they dealt primarily with wine and that they could help me find wine I liked. It seemed like a perfect plan. Turns out, I lacked even the knowledge to describe the wines I did like to the experts trying to help me out. That had to change. I had to learn wine.
Clemento VII 2016 Chianti Classico Denominazione di Origine Controlla e Garantita Costelli del Crevepesa
Color: Medium Ruby, lots of slow falling 'legs'
Smell: Cherry and Strawberry, maybe a bit of grassy-ness? Balsamic Vin
Taste: I would say it is a medium body red wine. There might be a little initial sweetness that is masked quite quickly by tannins. I would also say it is a medium acidity level. It isn't as acidic as the Pinot Noir was last night. I've looked at the book. It suggests a high acidity. I am basing it on the sangiovese. I believe that Chianti Classico has to be 80% sangiovese. Maybe the tannins mask some of the acidity. This would go well with pasta and tomato sauce or a caprese salad.
How I like it: It is good. Probably not as good as the 'Toscano' which was a better balance. I give it a 90.
Note: This wine got much better as it decanted. I would give it like 20 to 30 minutes to breathe before serving.
The Pinot Project 2019 Pinot Noir California
Color: I can tell right away this is the lightest color of red I have had yet. Pale purple or pale ruby.
Smell: I am beginning to think that my nose isn't developed enough. Again, I just get cherry. You can also pick up quite a bit of sourness in the nose.
Taste: I think the first thing I notice about this when I taste it is the acidity. It has a bit of pucker. It has a bit of cherry and not much in the way of tannins. I would say it is a medium body but the acidity makes it seem like a lighter body. The book says raspberry and I can see that. Maybe pomegranate also.
How I like it: It is interesting to have one with such a high acidity. I'd give it an 88.
Marramiero 2018 'DA MA' Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
Color: Medium Ruby to Deep Ruby.
Smell: Cherry, almost like a cherry starburst.
Taste: Black fruit, red fruit. After reading in The Wine Folly I picked up some plum notes and maybe some raisen. This has far less tannins than a cab sav or the 'Toscano'. This has a medium body but it seems like it is more full due to less acidity and less tannins.
How I like it: It is kinda a nice break from the high tannin wines that I have been drinking recently. I like that it is less sweet. This is like an 83-88 probably like an 87 for me.
Scotto Cellars 2017 'Heavyweight' Cabernet Sauvignon California
Color: Purple, Ruby
Smell: Cherry, maybe a little bit of graphite smell after reading about the grape.
Taste: Cherry is what I taste the most, but I think it is less pronounced than the 'Toscano' from yesterday. It is very dry. I think that the tannins also remind me a lot of a wooden pencil. I don't get much in the way of 'baking spices' like the wine folly book suggests. Maybe a bit of 'wet gravel' or leathery notes.
How I like it overall: This is maybe a 8 for me, would be good with a steak. 85?
Zingari 2017 'Toscana' Indicazione Geografia Tipica
Merlot 25%, Sangiovese 25%, Syrah 25%, Petit Verdot 25%
Color: Purplish? Ruby?
Smell: Cherry for sure, after reading about the grapes, I could pick up some of the herbs that I might use in a pasta sauce. Oregono? Maybe basil?
Taste: Again, cherry is what I taste most. It is dry, which I like. I don't know about body, I initially thought it was light, but all the info says it was fuller bodied. It has a lot of tannins which maybe contributes to me thinking it was a lighter body.
How it makes me feel: I gave it 8/10, but somebody much smarter than me gave it a 93. It would be really good with a pasta served with tomato sauce.
