Note: Wine is a hobby for me, I am no expert, I just know what I like and take a lot of notes. As I was hosting here my notes are lacking, so take it for what it's worth. Wine is deeply personal so what I hate, you may love etc. I hope I don't sound pretentious here. :)
Black Box is a company bringing bottled wine quality to the boxed format. Each cute little box has four 750ml bottles worth of wine and it keeps at peak quality for four weeks. It's about $21.00 a box and available in a lot of places: http://www.blackboxwines.com/ will have a list of where to buy it.
I had a small tasting party and we tried four wines. Here's my opinion on them.
Sauvignon Blanc: They describe it as "fresh, zesty wine boasts vivid tropical fruit and herbal spice aromas and crisp, richly fruity, citrus flavors." I found it to have a lovely light bouquet with a hint of pear, a nice clean finish, just tart and refreshing enough to be a perfect summer picnic wine. I'd also love this wine watching the sun set with my honey on a lake some place. Will definitely be buying this one again.
Chardonnay: The tasting notes for this one made me nervous as I HATE banana (like the smell of it makes me nauseous, so yeah) "Tropical fruit aromas of Pineapple and banana are accented by hints of floral spice and creamy oak. The rich palate of lush citrus, pineapple and mango flavors persists through a long, refreshing finish." I was excited to see that it contains some gewurzttraminer which is becoming a favorite of mine. I'll be honest, it's not my favorite chad ever. I did like it though, it's a nice pleasant lower end chard (sorry Black Box), It's mellow, with a smooth finish, I like a bit bolder mouth feel in a chard and want it to hold up to really spicy food. I don't think this one would, I'll save it for a lovely roast chicken dinner thanks.
Merlot: They said: Its lavish red fruit aromas introduce a plush palate of rich plum and black cherry flavors, with smoky, vanilla oak nuances enriching the smooth, concentrated finish. The problem with merlot is, that I freaking love it. Therefore I am hella picky about it. This one did not impress me. I found it was lacking in body, and the velvety texture was missing for me. I definitely got a hint of vanilla, and I liked the bouquet quite a bit, but just not one I think I'll be buying again. Which is ok. I mean I can't like every wine I taste, and I was dreadfully spoiled with good merlot when I was younger.
Malbec: Now this one was very exciting to me because it's a varietal I haven't tried before. YAY New Wine. Probably because this is a pretty white centric area of the country, we just don't have the climate for reds. I was kinda nervous when they used the word tobacco as a flavour, but it was really well liked by my guests. I liked it a lot too, and will more than likely be buying it again. I'd also love to try more of them. They said "This wine has luscious floral and cherry aromas. The palate is dry and medium bodied with juicy blueberry flavors and hints of tobacco and chocolate. The earthy, robust structure and well bodied acidity lead to a smooth finish. Pairs well with juicy steaks, grilled meats and vegetables, Italian entrees, mild cheeses and tapas" I thought that it had a lovely musky aroma at first, with a lingering cherry at the end. It felt nice and warm sliding down my throat. It was lighter than I expected but not in a bad way. I like a full bodied red, but the medium body of this was a nice change up for me. It left just the right coating on my tongue and I think this will be a lovely wine for many a pasta meal.
Overall, I have decided I want to taste the other Black Box varietals, especially the Riesling as I am really enjoying dry Rieslings right now, I also really want to dry the Cabernet Sauvignon, as a good cab can take you far with a good steak. Yum Yum.
This little at home tasting was a lot of fun, almost makes up for not being able to afford the holiday wine shopping spree event on Cayuga this year. Although my parents leave on Saturday to go and I'm secretly (or not so secretly as I'm posting it on my blog) am hoping for a bottle of the sparkling cranberry wine as a present for watching their dog....
Disclaimer: I am a Bzzagent, I received a discount on this wine in exchange for my honest opinion and sharing it with my friends. All opinions expressed are my own. If you want more information on getting free products to review and share, feel free to ask.
