Brian's Wine Blog

                    Name:  Short Street Varietal:  Chardonnay Region:  Swartland Country:  South Africa Year:  2019 Price:  $5.95 Vintage Cellars Review:  Medium-intense aromas of pink apple, orange rind, walnut shell and yellow flower dance on the nose of this enticing white. Well-balanced, the medium weight mouthfeel offers ripe citrus, peach, and melon flavors that are complemented by a soft accent of dried apple skin. Medium acidity keeps the palate fresh and the finish clean, leaving you ready for more. - 89 Flavors/Aromas:  (Pg. 96) Chardonnay contains hints of yellow apple, starfruit, pineapple, vanilla, and butter, with oak also being notable particularly in California wines. While South Africa is somewhat known for chardonnay, most of it does not come from Swartland, so I am curious if that reflects on its pereceived quality and price. My Review:  My understanding of Chardon...

Name: Grace Town - Old Vines Zinfandel Varietal: Zinfandel Region: Lodi, California Country: United States Year: 2018 Price: $7.95 Vintage Cellars Review:  Zinfandel was one of the first grape varieties to be planted in the area during the California Gold Rush, therefore it holds a special place in Lodi's history as a winegrowing region. The vines are naturally low-yielding due to their age, and they constantly produce high quality fruit. The wine is ruby red in color with toasty aromas; smoke and vanilla flavors. Classic Lodi Zinfandel notes of plum and ripe fruit. Some richness and a moderately long finish. Flavors/Aromas:  (Pgs. 189-190) Zinfandel is said to contain hints of blackberry, strawberry, peach preserves, cinnamon, and sweet tabacco. Furthermore Lodi specifically brings out flavors of raspberry jam, hickory, and star anise to develop a smoky-sweet concoction with smooth tannins. My Review:  So much of my previous experience with red wine has come with C...

Salutations! My name is Brian Bogert, and I am nervous. This is for two primary reasons. First off, I have never really blogged before, and sharing my thoughts in general is just sort of tough for me historically. But I am excited that this class is forcing me outside of my comfort zone with regards to this, and I look forward to sharing a little piece of my world with those who are interested! Secondly, I am incredibly intimidated by wine. Hearing my parents discuss the infamous beverage growing up, I knew that it had an... effect on people that was unmatched by little else. Some sort of elixir with a variety of colors and names I couldn't pronounce. And because I such was a goody-two shoes, despite my mom and dad basically begging me to drink some wine on a semi-regular basis, I never had more than a few sips until after my Freshman year of college. In all honesty, seeing the thirty bottles of Cabernet Sauvingnon that my mom bought for my college graduation might have been a bit ...