Wine Appraiser

I just read an article in Wine Enthusiast that Riesling is one of the fastest-growing wine varieties on the market. According to the article, people are looking for crisp-bright wines; of course, Riesling fits that bill. Our first wine says it pairs well with chicken, fish, and spicy cuisines. Nero D’Avola is known for its dark fruit-driven flavors, full-bodied, and medium to medium-high tannins....

Viognier is a full-bodied white wine. Primary flavors of tangerine, peach, mango, honeysuckle, and rose. Cooler climate styles have greater citrus and floral traits with more acid and crispness. These wines are typically aged in stainless steel. Warmer climate Viognier is barrel aged, goes through malolactic fermentation, and therefore has richer tastes such as apricot, rose, and vanilla. These wi...

I had never done a ten-year vertical wine-tasting and didn’t know what to expect. A vertical tasting is done with the same wine variety from the same winery and maybe even from the same vineyards, but for different years. However, if you get the chance, take it. I was very impressed. You can taste how the wine changes over time, and with information regarding the growing conditions for each year,...

I have never considered these two wines to be similar. However, they have many similarities. Both are full-body, fruit-forward red wines with medium to medium-high acidity and similar alcohol levels. Both have plum and blueberry fruit flavors. Subtle differences do exist between the two. Malbec has vanilla, sweet tobacco, and cocoa flavors. Syrah has milk chocolate, tobacco, and green peppercorn....

I had never tried a dessert wine till last year. I must admit they can be delicious and a great alternative to coffee. Vignoles is a high acid and high sugar white grape. Because of its high sugar content, it can be made into a late-harvest style sweet white, but is also produced into a dry and off-dry white wine. It is moderate in winter hardiness. Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produce...

Petite Pearl is a newer red hybrid grape. The grape was developed in Minnesota and has been available for less than twenty years. Regardless, some sources say it is one of the most planted grapes in the central northern states. According to the limited information available on Petite Pearl, its juice has a similar makeup to the common European varieties. It makes a dark and heavier body red wine w...

Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are both mutations of Pinot Noir. First, let's look at Pinot Gris, also called Pinot Grigio in Italy. These two wines come from the same grape. Pinot Gris originated from Burgundy in the Pinot Noir fields. It can be hard to tell the difference between the Pinot Gris plants and Pinot Noir and they were sometimes used in the Pinot Noir to soften tannins and add acid to the...

What is a GSM blend and why is it called a Rhone Blend? The G, S and M stand for Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The Rhone Valley is the original home of GSM blends and of course the reason why it is sometimes referred to as a Rhone Blend. The Rhone Valley has two parts: the Northern Rhone Valley is known for its steep-sloping vineyards, where Syrah is produced. The Southern Rhone is a much larger...

Fume is a French word meaning a smoke-like vapor or substance. It makes many people think of Pouilly-Fume, the famous Loire Valley wine and region. Robert Mondovi coined the name Fume Blanc in the 1960s. He decided to differentiate his Sauvignon Blanc by aging it in oak. He believed the toasted oak barrels gave the wine a smokey character, thus the term Fume was used. However, United States wine l...

Zinfandel has been in America since the early to mid 1800s and was once the most popular wine grape in California. It is known for its old vine wines. In fact, in the past it was a victim of its own popularity, and became known as a common cheaper wine. A lot of Zinfandel juice kits were sold during prohibition which also hurt its reputation. However, in the 1980s and 1990s it gained in sales and...

Tonight I have secretly selected a wine for Denise and she has chosen one for me. In the show, we will discuss the blind-tasting process. After discovering the true identity of each wine, we will discuss the characteristics of each. Blind-tasting involves the 5 S’s. See Swirl Sniff Sip State You can get a “Deductive Tasting Form” from the Court of Master Sommeliers online. https://www.mastersommel...

Tonight we are testing the differences between a French Sancerre and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Sancerre is one of the most famous French white wine regions, and the top region for Sauvignon Blanc. According to the Oxford Companion to Wine, it has quadrupled its output during the past 50 years. It is known for its bright and complex wines, and for pairing with locally made goat cheeses. On the...

Tonight we are tasting another hybrid wine. Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid. According to the website Pinot Days https://www.pinotdays.com/chambourcin-complete-guide/ Chambourcin has zero foxy taste or aromas, grows well in hot and humid environments, medium tannins, and high acids. It says it is most similar to a Merlot or Cabernet Franc. It is most popular in Australia, Canada, and the c...

Tonight we are tasting our first Iowa wine on the show. We just tasted this wine for the first time last week and enjoyed it immensely.  Petite Amie is French for “Little Friend”. I’m told it often refers to your little girlfriend. This dry white wine has fruit and floral aromas. There is also a hint of melon on the nose. The wine is aged in Neutral oak (barrels that are not being used for th...

Tonight we are tasting our first ever Greek wines. Yamas is a Greek word that means “to our health” or “cheers”. (accent on the second syllable) According to retailers in Des Moines, good Greek wine is hard to find here. According to the “Oxford Companion to Wine” over 85% of Greek wine is consumed in Greece. We were also told that much of the better wine is sent to high-end Greek restaurants in t...

Tonight we have our first challenge show of 2025. Bordeaux is home to some of the world’s most famous and expensive wines. Bordeaux wines are blends made mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. However, additional grape varieties can include Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot, and Malbec in small amounts. According to the Oxford Companion to Wine, four new red wine grape varieties were approved for...

Tonight I have secretly selected a wine for Denise, and she has chosen one for me. In the show, we will discuss the blind-tasting process, and after discovering each wine's true identity, we will discuss the characteristics (tells) for each. Blind-tasting involves the 5 S’s. See Swirl Sniff Sip State You can get a “Deductive Tasting Form” from the Court of Master Sommeliers online. https://www.mas...

Tonight we are exploring Merlot wines. Merlot normally has a nose of red plum and cherry in cooler climates to blackberry and baked fruits in warmer climates, with notes of vanilla and spice from oak aging. As it ages, you will get notes of chocolate, meatiness, and tobacco. Merlot is smooth compared to its half-sibling Cabernet Sauvignon. The warmer the region it is grown, the smoother the tannin...

Tonight we explore Champagne. Champagne can be made from any one or combination of the following three grape varieties; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier. Champagne is normally not a vintage wine and is made from juice of different years. Tonight we have broken into Denise’s private Stache and will enjoy her favorite Champagne to celebrate our final episode of 2024. Tonight , we are enjoyin...

Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, Traditional Method (classic method or methode champenoise), Tank Method (Charmat Method), Brut, Extra Dry, and Dry. Tonight we will delve into the world of sparkling wines. First, what is a sparkling wine? A sparkling wine is one with carbonation. So we can start with how the carbonation gets into the wine. First, there is the Traditional Method where the carbon...

In this episode, Dennis and Denise taste various wine cocktails. Join them to see if one is right for you. Each recipe will be listed below. Tonight we attempt to have a wide range of flavors and a cocktail that you will want to try. All of our cocktails will include wine and have a festive flare.   Tonight , we will try six different cocktails including: Cranberry wine and Prosecco. Serve ic...

Have you ever had an Ice Wine? It can be a great wine to pair with dessert. What is Ice wine? It comes from the German word Eiswein. It is a sweet wine made from ripe and healthy grapes that are picked after being allowed to freeze on the vine. The grapes are pressed while frozen resulting in a juice with a higher sugar content. Canada is the world’s leading producer of ice wine where they have tr...

Dennis and Denise have a budget-friendly show tonight, with each wine costing less than $10. Also, see if you can catch ten references to different songs. Tonight we will have a Picpoul from the South of France. This is a new wine for us. Picpoul (Pronounced peek–pool) Means "stings the lips" is grown mostly in the Languedoc in southern France around the Mediterranean. It was rewarded its own AOC...

What wine is best for Thanksgiving? That is a hot topic at this time of year, and I have seen many answers to that question. In the past we have enjoyed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with our Thanksgiving meal, but what if you want something different? Tonight we will taste several typical Thanksgiving foods with our wines to see if we can find a perfect pairing. Tonight , we taste: 2021 Domaine Filla...

Chianti is the most popular Italian wine. It is mostly made from the Sangiovese grape, but is normally a blend. How does it compare to a Sangiovese wine? Tonight we will find out. In a prior show we did a Chianti tasting. I love Chianti and I believe I liked all three wines we tasted that night. It is normally made from a blend of grapes, but is mostly made from the Sangiovese grape. It comes from...