Tasting - Yellow Tail Merlot

 

Name: Yellow Tail Merlot

Variety: 100% Merlot

Region: South Eastern Australia

Country: Australia

Year: 2021

Price: $6.50

Critic review: Surprisingly tasty. Nice and mellow with good amount of sweetness. Overflowing with red cherry, blackcurrants, blueberry. Overall good enough to enjoy occasionally. Orph x (12/17/2021) 3.5/5

Wine Folly: pg 131 Merlot in general: Cherry was the most fruit prominent flavor for me, but I didn't get much chocolate, dried herbs, or vanilla. I could find some plum if I was really searching for it. This merlot was more spicy than anything. I didn't decant this wine for 30 minutes. I'm noticing a trend with not decanting wine. Noted for next time! 

My review: This wine was pretty good. The spice I picked up was pepper, but not as strong as black pepper, maybe green or white. I liked the dryness of the wine and the cherry flavor in the background. There wasn't too much of a finish, but my mouth definitely felt those tannins.

Also, I decided to hold onto this wine for a few days and see how the taste developed. After about a day, the wine tasted pretty similar to when I first opened it. However, as time went on, the tannins and the spice softened to bring out the cherry more. I enjoyed this wine more once the cherry was expressed, but after about a week, the wine started to get worse.

I didn't have any food with this wine, but here's another casual picture of me and the wine:

Tasting - Juggernaut Pinot Noir

 Name: Juggernaut Pinot Noir

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Region: Russian River, California

Country: USA

Year: 2020

Price: $16

Critic review: Exquisite Pinot Noir! I admit I purchased this one because of the name. It is incredibly smooth on the palate with warm notes of dark chocolate and dark cherry. really enjoyable it's own, with a beautiful thick steak, or a rich and creamy tomato heavy pasta. Just lovely! - Hattie Presnell (4/28/2022)

Wine Folly: pg 150 Pinot Noir in general: I believe this pinot noir has more body and tannins than other light-bodied pinots. Also, I didn't think this pinot was as acidic as wine folly portrays pinots to be. I get the cherry, I would even say black cherry, and some of the clove. The wine was not decanted for the recommended 30 minutes and also was not aged for the 5-15 years. pg 288 CA Pinot Noir: I agree with the bolder, more fruit-forward description in this section.

My review: I liked this wine! The smell was very velvety and promised dark cherry flavors, and the taste delivered! This wine was surprisingly more on the dry side, which I also liked. With me attempting to put more descriptors onto what I'm tasting, I was thinking about what kind of spice I detected. Finally, it hit me, I got a glove finish! Very good wine.

I did not pair this with any food, but my friend Cooper joined me for the wine tasting. Here is a very casual picture of me and the wine: