About My Wine Blog

I remember the first time I tried wine when I was in high school. I didn't like it and my mother recommended 'watering' it down with Sprite or any other lemon lime soda within reach to make it more of a sort of 'wine cooler'. Since then I have grown to love wine, and love trying different types of wines. I used to not like red wine, but I have grown much more fond of it. In terms of white wines, I do not like them when they are too sweet, but also not too bitter. I enjoy a Pinot Gris or a Chardonnay when I am drinking white. When it comes to red wines, I'm more likely to choose a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon over a Pinot Noir.

My grandmother believes in only drinking the best wine. Before coming back to school this semester, I met she and my cousin Meredith at Le Refuge, a quaint French restaurant in Old Town Alexandria, for lunch. Right away, we had to try my grandmother's favorite white wine, Chassange-Montrachet. It is the best wine I have ever had, though the price tag wouldn't have been inviting had I had to foot the bill myself. The wine by itself was delightful, and complimented my crabmeat and basil quiche, and French onion soup beautifully.

Last semester I did a tasting at Beliveau Estate Winery in Blacksburg with my mother. I tried three different white wines and three red wines. I read the descriptions of the wines to choose the ones that I thought would taste the best to me. I was surprised that I really enjoyed the red wines I tried, when I normally would go for white wines.

From the course, Geography of Wine, I hope to gain an extensive knowledge of how wine is made in general, and what goes into the vinification of different wines. I hope to be able to train myself to be able to recognize what flavors I smell or taste in each wine I try.