Tasting 9 - Robert Mondavi Private Selection

• Name: Robert Mondavi Private Selection
• Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Region: Monterey County, California
• Country: USA
• Year: 2017
• Price ? Served at a friend's house.
• Review (totalwine.com): Layered and complex... leaps from the glass with aromas of blackberry cobbler, graham cracker, brown sugar, milk chocolate, coffee and smoke. Palate of blueberry pie, praline, sweet vanilla custard, caramel and mocha is framed by soft chewy tannins and a hint of toasted oak.
• Your review: Full and jammy on the nose.  Unique richness in the mouth from the bourbon barrel aging, I guess.
• Paired with a pasta in a rich, tomato, meat sauce.

Tasting 8 - Angeline Merlot Reserve

•Name: Angeline Merlot Reserve
•Variety: Merlot
•Region: Winery - Russian River Valley, Vineyard - Paso Robles
•Country: France
•Year: 2015
•Price ? Gift
•Review (wine.com): Staying nicely in its sweet spot, the smooth and pleasingly-layered 2015 Angeline Merlot exhibits black fruit and sandalwood in its aromas and flavors. The ripe tannins in the finish make it a match with grilled ribeye. 
•Dark red in color, plum and jammy aroma. Big wine with lots of body.
•Served with a cheezy broccoli soup - overpowered it a little.

Tasting 7 - La Vieille Ferme Rose

•Name: La Vieille Ferme
•Variety: Chardonnay
•Region: Rhone Valley
•Country: France
•Year: 2017
•Price ? Gift
•Review (Wine & Spirits): The Perrin family of Château Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape make this wine at their estate in Ventoux, blending equal parts cinsault and grenache with 20 percent syrah. The 2017, from the driest vintage they’ve experienced in 30 years, is firm and crisp, with tangy berry flavors playing over a stony savor that holds the wine long and clean. 
•Light and well balanced, raspberry and apple, refreshing with just a bit of sweetness remaining.
•Paired nicely with hummus and pretzels.

Tasting 6 - Josh

•Name: Josh
•Variety: Chardonnay
•Region: Russian River, California
•Country: USA
•Year: 2017
•Price $11.50
•Review (totalwine.com): Aromas of apple, pear, vanilla, and butter. The fresh citrus and tropical fruit flavors blend smoothly with the creamy butter, vanilla, and toasty flavors of barrel fermentation.
•Your review: Fruity in aroma, but creamy and smooth in the mouth.
•Did not drink this with food, and it was fine by itself.

Tasting 5 - La Crema

•Name: La Crema
•Variety: Chardonnay
•Region: Monterey
•Country: USA
•Year: 2016
•Price $18
•Review (Wine Enthusiast): Rounded aromas of ripe pear, orange skins, poached apple and buttered toast with marmalade show on the nose of this bottling.
•Your review: This is a nice, creamy, buttery mellow wine with nice staying power. Not something I would want to guzzle.
•This wine is delightful by itself, which is how we drank it.

Tasting 2-4

Tasting 2.

Still at the spot in DC.  This came with the food.  Strong, full taste.  Made me glad I wasn't driving.

Tasting 3.

This bottle of prosecco is sold at Safeway.  It's decent, but not great.  Perfect for an Aperol spritz, though, which is how we served it to our friends.

Tasting 4.

Had this one with dinner.  Some friends brought it over.  We didn't really have time to "let it breathe" before serving it, and I hadn't yet watched the Swirl and Sip video, so I don't think I let this wine open up as much as I could have, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Tasting 1

Tasting

1. A sparkling wine.

This was nice, light, fruity, with tiny bubbles.  Happy hour prices at a place in Washington, DC.