Evan Hudgins Wine Blog

This last week I traveled back home to Texas to spend the holiday with my family.  My grandfather is a wine drinker so I figured what better way to spend some time with him than a few wine tastings and a wine cheese pairing.  My two previous posts were our wine tastings, which were fun to enjoy with someone who knows more about wine than myself.  When we sat down to do this pairing, my mom decided to join us! The Wines The Seven Deadly Zins 2014 Lodi Old Wine Zinfandel This wine was very strong on the nose and to the taste for a Zinfandel.  My grandfather and I both noticed this, as it was not what we expected.  Although you could smell the alcohol, the wine was very fruity to the taste.  At first, it tasted medium bodied and I anticipated the little spice and kick that would come from a more bodied red wine.  But as all the flavors kicked in, it mellowed out to a lighter, sweeter, and more fruity wine.  Ruffino Riserva Ducale 2013 C...

Name: Member's Mark Black Point Red Wine Blend Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Syrah (I can't find the exact %s) Region: Sutter Home Vineyards, Napa, California Country: USA Year: 2015 Price: $11 "This medium bodied red combines the best attributes of cabernet, zinfandel, merlot and syrah.  Notes of berry, black cherry and oak compliment the intensity." -www.samsclub.com This is my grandfather's favorite wine he regularly purchases since it is so convenient to pick up when shopping. I honestly have not tried many red blends as I typically have a grape I want in mind so I end up grabbing a new varietal wine.  This wine might have changed my, admittedly, lazy practice.  The versatility of this wine was great.  I love big bodied reds with lots of tannins so this definitely fulfilled that preference, but the Zinfandel also gave it a lighter, sweeter body married to the bolder side by the Merlot and Syrah.  I believe this wine woul...

Name: Ste Genevieve Chardonnay Variety: 100% Chardonnay Region: Texas Country: USA Year: 2016 Price: $8 "Light wine with hints of many different tropical flavors like pineapple and coconut.  A very affordable, local wine you can count on every time." -www.snooth.com This week I was back home in Texas for thanksgiving and had the opportunity to enjoy a few wines with my grandfather.  Ste Genevieve is a large winery in Texas with an array of different wines.  This Chardonnay was very light and fruity, although I did not detect any pineapple or coconut.  Although sweet, it was not as sweet as I expected and held more acidity than I originally anticipated.  This is a great after-dinner light wine I would recommend if hosting anyone.

Name: Italia Roscato Rosso Dolce Variety: Indigenous Italian grapes Croatina, Teroldego, and Lagrein Region: Lombardy Country: Italy Year: 2016 Price: $11 "Northern Italy provides a spectacular backdrop for Roscato, a violet-hued red with aromatic notes of cherry, blackberry and red raspberry. A touch of sweetness and bright acidity underlies the appeal of this charming wine." -www.empirewine.com A very good sweet red wine. On the nose, has very fruity red aromas.  To the taste, very acidic and sweet with the fruit not as pronounced due to the presence of the sweet and acidic sensations. I would definitely recommend for a casual glass of wine if someone was not looking to go with a white wine but still wanted some similar characteristics. A very good and easy wine to drink.

Name: Clos de Argentine Malbec Reserva Variety: 100% Malbec Region: Mendoza Province Country: Argentina Year: 2013 Price: $40 "Smoky, charred aromas of blackberry and blackened spices set up a bold palate with energy to spare. Blackberry and cassis flavors are rich, toasty and chocolaty, while the finish on this full-bodied, ripe Malbec is lengthy and moderately complex." -www.winemag.com Like last week, I had the opportunity to taste a more expensive wine than I normally consume.  Also like last week, the experience was underwhelming.  Like Boyer has said multiple times, some of the best wines are not the most expensive.  I have definitely found this to be the case.  I got the cherry, blackberry aromas but did not detect the chocolate.  This is the smokiest wine I have tasted throughout the course but I did not get the complexity I assumed would be there.  Overall, a good wine but not worth the extra money unless the smoky and cherry sensations ...

Name: Tamber Bey Deux Chevaux Vineyard Rabicano Variety: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc Region: Napa Valley, California Country: USA Year: 2012 Price: $42 "A dense purple color is followed by sweet blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with a note of spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannins, outstanding concentration and overall balance and equilibrium, this impressively endowed, serious red merits attention." - www.wine.com This is the most expensive wine I have ever tasted so I didn't really know what to expect.  It wasn't as different from cheaper wines as I expected.   Nothing about the aroma was particularly different but when I tasted the wine I could detect a few more flavors.   I can usually only detect a couple flavors but with this wine I detected berries, fruits, floral, and even some oak.  The tannins in this wine are the perfect amount for my liking.  Just enough to gi...

Name: Cavit Pinot Grigio Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio Region: Veneto Country: Italy Year: 2016 Price: $9 "Typical Grigio.... Light floral, stone fruit & mineral ('briny') notes. Light bodied, zippy acidity and a short finish. This wine is quite nice just as an easy summer sipper."  -www.nataliemaclean.com Floral aromas, but a mineral taste.  Not as fruity as other Pinot Grigio I have had.  I detected many more floral flavors but still some citrus flavors.  I agree that a "short finish" is a great way to describe this wine.  The acidity/minerals are fairly strong and detectible right off the bat but dissipate quickly.  The perfect wine to sip on during the day or at night without any food. 

Name: Dona Paula Los Cardos Cabernet Sauvignon Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Mendoza Country: Argentina Year: 2016 Price: $12 "Clean light ruby with medium viscosity. On the nose quite fruity with red fruits. On the palate it has gooseberry, grapefruit, and blackberry. Simple structure." - www.vivino.com Very similar to many other cabernet sauvignon I have tasted with the typical berry aromas.  Upon tasting, I detected sweeter fruit tastes than I expected.  One of the flavors almost reminded me of a strawberry type taste.  The typical cabernet sauvignon body with medium to strong tannins, giving it a dry sensation on the tongue.  I usually prefer cabernet sauvignon with food but the simplicity of this wine made it perfectly fine to drink on it's own.  I would recommend this wine to anyone who likes cabernet sauvignon and wants a casual glass without food.

Name: Cemtury Cellars California Cabernet Sauvignon Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Napa Valley, California Country: USA Year: 2013 Price: $9 "Deep purple in color with long legs. On the nose, aromas of black cherry, blackberry and violet. Palate also revealed plum, cedar and vanilla notes. Full bodied with well integrated tannins and a warm, slightly spicy finish." - www.vivino.com I smelled the black cherry and blackberry but not the violet.  This smelled unique for a cabernet sauvignon to me with more fruit aromas than I can usually detect.  When tasting, I detected more vanilla than I ever have in a cabernet sauvignon before.  Very tannic with a good amount of spice in the aftertaste.  I would recommend with cheese or other food since it is very full in body.  Not my favorite wine but definitely something unique and worth a taste from anyone.