Here are the tasting notes from Saturday’s cheese and wine tasting party. The budget was $15 which is a common budget for all the drinkers in the group and I asked my guests to buy a wine that they had never tasted before.
Photo courtesy of Vanessa F.
There were 6 wines and they were all reds. I really enjoyed being able to taste the reds side by side and there was no shame about trying one and then another and then going back to the first one just to “make sure”.
Drinking wine helps the creative review process. Whether it is a valid opinion is…up to you to decide.
Disclaimer!
The following are the drunken opinion of a group of 11 amateur wine tasters. These notes do not reflect the feelings of this blog or of sober adults. Right to creative license reserved.
In alphabetical order…
1. Durbanville Hills Pinotage
South Africa, 2009
“Gives me grabby hands”
Looks like
- Purplish
Smells like
- Food
- A petrol station on fire with a terminator walking slowly from the flames
- Kind of gritty, like tarseal
Tastes like
- Wraps around the tongue, quite full bodied
- Full bloodied
- Deeply tarty
Goes well with
- Watching your stepchild play field hockey
Stars out of 10
- 3, 5, 8 and 9
2. Four Daughters Cooper’s Creek
New Zealand, 2006
“Strong, not hairy chested but bootteh”
Looks like
- Dark
- Very dark blackberry
Smells like
- Delicious
- Almost strawberryish
Tastes like
- Not sweet at all
- Heavy
- Not a pleasant flavour, a medium taste
- Not sweet
- Leveled taste
- Twangy
Goes well with
- Chili avocado oil
- A hot spa in the snow
Stars out of 10
- 4, 7, 8 and 10
3. Matua Valley Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet
New Zealand 2008
“My go-to wine when the zombie apocalypse happens”
Looks like
- Scarlet
- Rihanna’s eye after a Chris Brown beat down
Smells like
- Alcohol
- Wine –> Red, I think
Tastes like
- Strong commanding flavour
- Fizzy like wine
Goes well with
- Creamy cheese
- 10 other bottles (we ended up drinking 6 bottles of this wine, so close!)
Stars out of 10
- 4 and 7
4. Sileni Merlot
New Zealand 2010
“Like licking a tea towel that soaked up a spilt glass”
Looks like
- Dark cherry
- Metal shavings
- Saw dust
- Danger
Smells like
- Really berry-ish
Tastes like
- Heavy
- A bit watery, leaves me wanting
- Furry, doesn’t live up to the berry promise
Goes well with
- Broken dreams
- Missed opportunities
Stars out of 10
- 3
5. Vin Alto Merlot
New Zealand, 2006
“Looks like Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner’s love child.”
Smells like
- Fruity.
Tastes like
- Little bit malty, light to start then the taste wraps around the back of your teeth for a kick from behind.
- Fruity, light for a merlot
- Kinda like shiraz
- Sweet but not Ribena
- Somewhat tangy in a good way
Goes well with
- Awkward mornings
- A fire and a furry rug on a winter’s night
Stars out of 10
- 5, 8, 9 and 10.
6. Wyndham Estate, Bin 555 Shiraz
Australia, 2008
“Pretty pleasant for a shiraz”
Looks like
- Dark as fuck
Smells like
- Grapes
- A fancy perfumey expensive lipstick perfumey
Tastes like
- Grapes
- Tasty as fuck
- Ribena
- Sweet
- Your first red wine
- Juice, Ribena but syrupy
- A berry tongue wash
Goes well with
- Having a day off with Ferris Bueller
Stars out of 10
- 6, 7, 9
Bunny Eats Design 
“Like licking a tea towel that soaked up a spilt glass” that might be the most immediate visceral understanding I’ve ever experienced from a description. I’ll be avoiding that one!
I see two of my faves in there Matua Valley Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet and Wyndham Estate, Bin 555 Shiraz
hahahahaha! So funny!