Podcast
Wine Appraiser
Hosted by Dennis Loll · EN
Dennis and Denise talk about, learn about, and blindly taste affordable wines from around the world, and give their unbiased opinion about wines.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Don’t Let a Movie Stop You From Enjoying Merlot.
Feb 400:22:55Tap to summarizeTonight, we are tasting two Merlots from different price points.The movie Sideways came out in 2004, and is now over 20 years old. When the movie was released, Merlot was the number #1 wine in the US, at about 15% of the total market. Greater than Cabernet Sauvignon at around 12%. By December of 2006, Merlot's market share was down to 12%, and by 2014 it was down further to 9%. California Merlot production also saw a huge reduction, going from 305,000 tons in 2000 to 220,000 tons in 2019.Merlot production in California’s (Napa/Sonoma) regions dropped 55-60% between 2000 and 2019, and new plantings of Merlot in California as a whole declined 35% from 2004 and 2023.But is Merlot set to rebound? It is still the top wine choice for Millennials in a 2016 survey. Merlot is still the most planted grape in Bordeaux. East Coast wine production is taking off, and Merlot is the number 1 grape in many of these areas.Tonight, we are tasting:2023 Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Merlot. I purchased the wine from Trader Joe’s for $14.99. It comes from Napa Valley. It has 14.8% alcohol. The Reverse Wine Snob says aromas of dark fruit, lots of cedar, and other notes of barrel aging, such as a little spice. It gives it a recommended buy.2021 Markham Napa Valley Vineyards Merlot. I purchased the wine from Wall to Wall Wine for $29.00. It has 14.5% alcohol. The Wine Enthusiast, which scored it a 90, says, Juicy palate of cherries and plums drizzled through with chocolate and violet candy accented by fresh herbs. As usual, we blind-tasted the wines. Many times we find wines of various price ranges have only minor differences. That was not the case tonight. These wines are very different, especially in flavor. While I found the Trader Joe's wine to have a pleasant aroma, I found the taste simple and lacking substance. It had notes of fruit, spice, and herbs; but was overall a light taste and had a quick finish. Also, for having such light flavors, the tannins were pronounced. Denise scored this wine a 2, and I put it at a 3.The Markum was vastly different. It had a wonderful warm aroma full of berries, vanilla, and spice. The flavor was packed with berries, vanilla, spice, and chocolate. Smooth tannins and had a nice finish. Denise really liked this one but stayed at a 3. I really enjoyed it and gave it a strong 4.Scoring: 1-won't drink; 2-won't buy again; 3-nice drinkable wine; 4-buy again; 5-won't share Next week, we are going to learn about and taste our first Pet-Nat.
Transcribe →Sauvignon Blanc Challenge.
Jan 2800:21:46Tap to summarizeTonight, we are tasting two Sauvignon Blancs.My favorite Sauvignon Blancs are from Sancerre, part of the Loire Valley in France. Bright but with a lot of minerality.Some people prefer the bright acidic Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand.We purchased two wines, a New Zealand wine from Trader Joe’s for $10, and a Napa Valley wine Costco for $28.Tonight, we are tasting:2024 Kono Sauvignon Blanc. I purchased the wine from Trader Joe’s for $10. It comes from Marlborough, New Zealand and received a 90 rating from the Wine Enthusiast. It has 13% alcohol. They say passionfruit, lime and grassy. Dry and zippy. The winery says aromas of citrus, grapefruit, passionfruit, and lemongrass. Taste of ripe lemon and lime, green apple, pineapple. Fresh and bright acidity. Pairs with seafood, scallops, mussels, oysters, white fish, salad, and vegetable dishes. Goat cheese. https://www.konowines.co.nz/2023 Beaulieu Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. This comes from the Rutherford region of Napa Valley. I purchased the wine from Costco for $28. The winery says aromas of meyer lemon, white peach, orange blossom, and bright pineapple, along subtle oak notes of brioche toast and marzipan. Flavors of ripe citrus fruits. Round and luscious, and very well balanced. Crisp and lively. Pairs with charcuterie platter, mixed salads, mixed salads, and lighter fish or chicken dishes.Wine Enthusiast rated this wine a 92. The wine spends 5 months in new French oak to add structure. https://www.bvwines.com/We both enjoyed the Kono. I scored a 4 and Denise a 3. The Beaulieu was not our favorite. I scored it a 3 and Denise a 2. I would definitely recommend the Kono. This wine was bright, but well balanced and packed with flavor. Next week, we are jumping into Merlot.
Transcribe →Does Chenin Blanc-Viognier Make a Good White Blend?
Jan 2100:23:38Tap to summarizeTonight we have two Chenin Blanc-Viognier white blends. We have talked about both of these varieties before. Both of these wines are about 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% is Viognier. This is a typical blend because Chenin Blanc is bright and acidic and Viognier is fuller-bodied with a hint of sweetness (eventhough it is a dry wine).Chenin Blanc is a very versatile grape that can be made into late harvest sweet dessert wines, dry white wines, sparkling wines, and oaked or unoaked wines.While versatility could be a good thing, it may actually be a bad thing because people don’t always know what the wine is going to be like when they get a Chenin Blanc. We have also talked about Viognier before. Viognier in France comes mostly from the Rhone Valley. Outside of France it can be found in North and South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.It has some similarities to Chardonnay because it can make a full-bodied white wine. It requires a long growing season to develop, and is known for having lower yields. Viognier has flavors of tangerine, mango, honeysuckle, rose, and peach. Serve slightly chilled from 45 to 55 degrees. Pair with white meats or fish, especially if they are nut encrusted. Tonight, we are tasting:2024 Mbali Chenin Blanc-Viognier. I purchased this at Trader Joe’s for $5.99. It is made up of 79% Chenin Blanc and 21% Viognier. The Reverse Wine Snob says it has bright fruit guava, melon, lychee, and honeyed tangerine. Mbali is the Zulu word for flower. The Cheap Wine Finder says this is a wine to buy multiple bottles of. I like his line “keep it cheap”. The wine is unoaked and has 13.5% alcohol.2024 Pine Ridge Vineyards Chenin Blanc-Viognier. I purchased this at Trader Joe’s for $13.99. It is made up of 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier. It’s vegan friendly, gluten free, no pesticides, lower alcohol, and has less than 1 gram of sugar per glass. They use a lighter bottle which is better for the environment. Pairs with light salads, seafood, and foods with a bit of spiciness. Great pair with appetizers. Aromas of Kiwi, melon, key lime zest, white flowers, honeysuckle, and jasmine. Flavors of Lychee, orange blossom, peach, citrus, crisp acidity. Clean and bright with no oak and no malolactic fermentation. Fruit comes from Clarksburg, CA. Was voted the #27 Best Buy by the Wine Spectator.We loved the Pine Ridge and scored it a 4. The Mbali was also good and we both gave it a 3. Next week, we are having a Mystery Show. Can we tell what we are drinking. Most importantly, we will go through the reasoning for our guess.
Transcribe →Zweigelt Anyone? We Never Have, so Let's Give it a Try!
Jan 1400:17:21Tap to summarizeIt is Austria’s most planted wine grape. Named after Dr. Zweigelt who developed the variety in 1922 from a cross of Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent. The wine is known for being bright, tart, and fruity. Zweigelt can also make great rose’ sparkling wines. In Austria sparkling wine is known as Sekt.People say the wine compares to a Pinot Noir.Tonight, we are tasting:2020 Johann Schwarz “The Butcher” Zweigelt. I purchased the wine from Gateway Market in Des Moines for $21.99. It is 100% Zweigelt and has 12.5% alcohol. It comes from Burgenland region of Austria and received an 85 rating from the WineEnthusiast. Aromas of cherry, dark berries, herbs, and spices. Balanced palate with firm tannins and flavors of cherry and oak.We both unfortunately did not like this wine and rated it a 2. We did not get the tart and acid that is described and found it to be flat and flabby. We promise to give the variety another try later. Next week, we are having a tasting that I am super excited for. We have two Chenin Blanc-Viognier blends. Both are inexpensive, but one was listed as #27 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines.
Transcribe →California is the king of Zinfandel
Feb 26, 202500:26:00Tap to summarizeZinfandel has been in America since the early to mid 1800s and was once the most popular wine grape in California. It is known for its old vine wines.In fact, in the past it was a victim of its own popularity, and became known as a common cheaper wine. A lot of Zinfandel juice kits were sold during prohibition which also hurt its reputation.However, in the 1980s and 1990s it gained in sales and acreage because of the popularity of White Zinfandel. Currently Zinfandel is the third most planted wine grape in California behind Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir and just ahead of the fourth most planted wine grape Merlot. California is the world leader in Zinfandel. Most popular regions in California are Sonoma, Napa, Paso Robles, and the Sierra Foothills. Many old vine Zinfandels are also found in Lodi. Other regions includes the Languedoc, South Africa, and Australia. Additionally, Puglia, Italy, grows the same grape, where it is called Primitivo., and in Croatia it is called Tribidrag.Zinfandel is known as a medium-body, higher-alcohol wine. According to “Wine Folly,” it is commonly produced into two types of red wine: a lighter style with lower alcohol and flavors of raspberry, rose petal, spice cake, sage, and black pepper, and a richer style with higher alcohol and flavors of blackberry, cinnamon, caramel, jam, chocolate, and smoky tobacco. Tonight, we are enjoying two California Zinfandels including: 2019 Kirkland Signature Old Vine Zinfandel. Purchased at Costco for $9.99. This wine comes from Sonoma, CA. 2019 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel. This wine was purchased at Costco for $16.99. The wine comes from Sonoma County, CA. Next week we will learn about Fume Blanc.2023 Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc. This wine was purchase from Costco for $10.99.
Transcribe →Another Blind Tasting - See if we can guess the wine!
Feb 19, 202500:22:12Tap to summarizeTonight I have secretly selected a wine for Denise and she has chosen one for me. In the show, we will discuss the blind-tasting process. After discovering the true identity of each wine, we will discuss the characteristics of each.Blind-tasting involves the 5 S’s.SeeSwirlSniffSipStateYou can get a “Deductive Tasting Form” from the Court of Master Sommeliers online. https://www.mastersommeliers.org/Tonight, we are blinding tasting two wines including:2021 Chianti Classico Basilica Cafaggio Vendemmia. This wine was purchased at Costco for $9.89. Cherry and milk Chocolate with notes of soil, freshly cut grass and herbs. Tastes of strawberry and cherry with some salty, crushed stone, and grassy-herbal soil. Relaxed tannins. The Wine Enthusiast rated this wine a 90 and also a Best Buy. We both liked this wine and gave it a score of 3. We would both buy again.2020 The Herdsman Cabernet Sauvignon, from Zamora, California. I purchased this wine from WineStyles for around $22.00. Flavors of black cherry, plum, maple and mocha. Maybe not the most complex wine, but very tasty and easy drinking. We both scored it a 4 and will purchase again.Next week we will learn about Zinfandel.2019 Kirkland Signature, Old Vine Zinfandel. This wine was purchased from Costco for $9.99, and comes from Sonoma County, California.2019 Seghesio Zinfandel. This wine was also purchased from Costco for $16.99. The wine comes from Sonoma County.
Transcribe →Sancerre versus New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Feb 12, 202500:27:03Tap to summarizeTonight we are testing the differences between a French Sancerre and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.Sancerre is one of the most famous French white wine regions, and the top region for Sauvignon Blanc. According to the Oxford Companion to Wine, it has quadrupled its output during the past 50 years. It is known for its bright and complex wines, and for pairing with locally made goat cheeses. On the other side is the Wairau Valley, New Zealand. Sauvignon Blanc has made New Zealand famous for wine around the world. New Zealand is known for producing bright and fresh wines. Tonight, we are tasting a: 2023 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc purchased from Costco for $11.99. The wine is produced in Marlborough, New Zealand. This wine scored an 85 from the Wine Enthusiast. They called it green and a touch underripe; with sulfuric, onion, lime, and passion fruit aromas. Tastes are better with tangy lime zest and a slightly chalky texture. Acids keep it fresh.2022 Domaine des Cotes Blanches Sancerre purchased from Costco for $23.99. Sancerre comes from the Loire Valley, France. I’ve read that Sancerre is Taylor Swift’s favorite wine. The vineyard practices organic farming. They don’t use pumps in the winery and rely on gravity systems exclusively. The name “Cotes Blanches” pays homage to the stony white soils gracing the slopes of Sancerre. It has a color of Pale yellow with notes of light flint, plum, peach, and citrus fruit. Round with a nice mineral finish. Pairs with light appetizers, grilled fish, poultry, and goat cheese.Next week, we will have a blind tasting, so the wines will be unknown. Join us to see if we can guess what we are drinking. We will also learn about the wines and their characteristics.
Transcribe →Chambourcin - A Hybrid Wine Grape similar to Merlot or Cabernet Franc!
Feb 5, 202500:18:41Tap to summarizeTonight we are tasting another hybrid wine. Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid.According to the website Pinot Days https://www.pinotdays.com/chambourcin-complete-guide/ Chambourcin has zero foxy taste or aromas, grows well in hot and humid environments, medium tannins, and high acids. It says it is most similar to a Merlot or Cabernet Franc. It is most popular in Australia, Canada, and the central United States. Flavors of plum, black cherry, herbs, black pepper, chocolate, and some herbaceous notes.Normally is oak aged to tone down the acid and add complexity. Known for pairing with pizza and enchiladas.Tonight, we are tasting a: 2019 Stone Hill Chambourcin purchased at the Winery https://stonehillwinery.com/ for $20.00. It was a Governor’s Cup Winner in Missouri. It is fermented on the skins and then aged for one year in French and American oak barrels. It has 13.2% alcohol and 0.2% residual sugar. It has earthy and herbal aromas with notes of dark fruit and chocolate. Fresh acidity and soft tannins. Pairs well with grilled meats, pastas in rich red sauces, and ripe cheeses such as Brie or Camembert.Next week we will have a challenge show and compare a Sancerre to a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand: 2023 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc purchased from Costco for $11.99. Comes from Marlborough, New Zealand. 2022 Domaine des Cotes Blanches Sancerre purchased from Costco for $23.99. Sancerre comes from the Loire Valley, France. I’ve read that Sancerre is Taylor Swift’s favorite wine.
Transcribe →What is Petite Amie and is Iowa Wine Any Good?
Jan 29, 202500:24:36Tap to summarizeTonight we are tasting our first Iowa wine on the show. We just tasted this wine for the first time last week and enjoyed it immensely. Petite Amie is French for “Little Friend”. I’m told it often refers to your little girlfriend.This dry white wine has fruit and floral aromas. There is also a hint of melon on the nose. The wine is aged in Neutral oak (barrels that are not being used for the first time), adding subtle flavors and body without overpowering the flavor.Petite Amie is described as being a Muscat type wine. This would include rose and fruit flavors. It also typically has lower acids.Tonight, we are enjoying an Iowa Petite Amie and a California Chardonnay: 2023 Petite Amie purchased at the Soldier Creek Winery (https://www.soldiercreekwinery.com/) for $17.76. It has 11.0% alcohol and was aged in neutral oak barrels. Aromas of melon, pear, and rose with similar flavors. 2020 Z Alexander Brown Uncaged Chardonnay. This wine was purchased for around $19.00. White peach, floral orange blossom with hints of honey and baking spice. A rich, velvety mouthfeel is supported by core flavors of juicy stone fruit, vanilla, and toasted oak. Fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel, French oak, and American oak. Some of the wine goes through partial or complete malolactic fermentation. The wine comes from Monterey, CA.Next week we will continue to explore Hybrid wine grapes, and will taste:2019 Stone Hill Winery Chambourcin purchased at the winery for $19.00. Stone Hill is located in Hermann, Missouri.
Transcribe →"Yamas! (cheers) to Greek Wines
Jan 22, 202500:25:51Tap to summarizeTonight we are tasting our first ever Greek wines.Yamas is a Greek word that means “to our health” or “cheers”. (accent on the second syllable)According to retailers in Des Moines, good Greek wine is hard to find here. According to the “Oxford Companion to Wine” over 85% of Greek wine is consumed in Greece. We were also told that much of the better wine is sent to high-end Greek restaurants in the eastern US. Tonight, we are enjoying two Greek wines including:NV Merastri Red Wine. Blend of Kotsifali and Mandalaria. 12% Alcohol. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aromas of plums, leather, and pepper. Flavors of dried red fruit and round tannins. Serve with meat BBQ, sausages, and medium-aged cheeses. NV Merastri White Wine. Vilana, Vidiano, Moschato, and Moschofilero grape blend. 11.5% alcohol. Each variety is separately fermented in stainless steel tanks before blending. It has aromas similar to Muscat with citrus fruits, and tastes of stone fruits with lemon notes. Pair with seafood and white meats.Next week we have our first Iowa Wine Challenge. We will blind taste an Iowa Petite Amie and a California Chardonnay: 2023 Petite Amie purchased at the winery for $17.76. 2020 Z Alexander Brown Chardonnay purchased for around $19.00.
Transcribe →