We were able to taste eight different wines for $10, with a glass of water in the middle. The drinking order was a bit more flexible than the typical rigid dry-to-sweet and white-to-red pattern. In order, we tried two dry whites, a sweet white, a dry rose, two dry reds, and two sweet reds. The whites and rose were served cold, and the reds were served room temperature, except for the last one which was chilled. Here are the wines we tasted, including the tasting sheet we were provided:
- Afternoon Delight 2015
- Variety: 62% Chardonnay, 38% Vidal Blanc
- My review: Smell of oak and a bit of peach. Taste was smoky, like burnt wood. Dry, light, pretty good.
- Destiny 2016
- Variety: Vidal Blanc
- My review: This unoaked dry white was more "fruit-forward," with an extremely sweet smell of candied fruit but also citrus. Taste was dry, tart, but smooth. Made my mouth water a bit. I liked this one!
- Discovery 2015
- Variety: Niagara
- My review: The server told us this was the sweetest wine in the tasting, but DAMN. This was basically alcoholic Welch's grape juice. Smells and tastes very sweet, yet crisp, with that artificial grape flavor. I also smelled something I couldn't place a name to, but I chose gasoline.
- Summer Rose 2017
- Variety: 30% Pinot Grigio, 70% Chambourcin
- My review: Our server told us that for this wine, they actually ferment the Pinot Grigio with the grape skins! This wine had a tropical fruity flavor, with strawberries, kiwis, and pineapple. Taste was fruity, dry, sweet but slightly tart. Reminded me of the Welch's fruit snacks I had as a kid (and sometimes as an adult). Very good!
- Fireside Chat 2015
- Variety: Cabernet Franc
- My review: This wine was just strange. It's a "hearty," "red-sauce" wine, for foods such as pasta and pizza. It actually smelled and tasted strongly of green bell peppers! Apparently it has something to do with a certain shared chemical. Peppery and spicy aromas and smoked wood, oak, and vegetable tasting notes. I think you definitely have to drink this wine with a meal to really enjoy/appreciate it, otherwise it's just strange.
- Soul Singer 2015
- Variety: Chambourcin
- My review: This wine mostly smells and tastes like black cherries! It also has an oaky, spicy smell, though. Very acidic and dry taste. Somewhat smoky. I can see why they call this a steak wine - it seems like it needs to be paired with something. I wouldn't drink this by itself.
- Warm Glow 2016
- Variety: Chambourcin
- My review: I was surprised that I could actually smell the dark chocolate in this! Also aromas of cherries and a hint of strawberry. The taste kind of sneaks up on you: it's not sweet initially, but then it hits you all at once. Well-balanced flavors, pretty good!
- Sweet Surrender 2018
- Variety: Concord
- My review: I was tempted to buy a bottle of this! Light, sweet, juicy, but with a dry finish. Smells and tastes like peaches and strawberries. I liked that the sweetness wasn't overbearing, and serving it chilled made it a refreshing treat.
 |
| Friends! Wine! Yay! |
Sadly they weren't offering tours due to construction on a new brewhouse (exciting!). However our server at the tasting bar was very helpful. She told us they use a lot of their wines in their cooking, which I liked the idea of. For example, one of the wines that we tried (Soul Singer 2015) is used to caramelize onions. A friend asked how many cases of wine Beliveau produced each year, and she said 2,000-3,000 cases, which is about 24,000 bottles! We even chatted briefly about what goes into pairing foods with wines, and laughed about our first impressions of wine as college students.
After the tasting, we shared two plates of pretzels in the dining room. Fairy lights were hung everywhere, and each table had a lavender tablecloth and cute centerpiece made of wine glasses with a flower suspended in water. Then, we headed up the path to the scenic lookout over the vineyard. There wasn't much to see as far as the vines because it's too cold for anything to grow on them yet, but I imagine the view is amazing in the late spring/summer months. Regardless it was still a nice, sunny day, and we were surrounded by mountains. It's nice to get away from campus and not just go outside, but go OUTSIDE outside.
I had a great time visiting the winery, catching up with friends and tasting quality wines. I got to experience flavors that I hadn't previously encountered in wines before. (I'm still freaking out about the green bell pepper!!) Hopefully I get to visit this place again in the future, when the weather is nice and the grapes are thriving!
 |
| I will do anything to get the ~perfect~ shot. |
No comments:
Post a Comment