The wine that pulled me through anatomy exam: Sokol-blosser Meditrina {7}

It all started when I picked this wine for its standout bottle design from the dull racks at Wegmans. And I was blown away. It literally blasted me through the final exam of the Head + Neck block of my anatomy class. I wish I had it not for my Limb block exam :-/

Nose: warm, robust, and filled with depth. Notes of milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and s'mores. A whiff of spice

Tongue: sweet, light bodied, with light tannins and a citrusy finish. Velvety, mellow, smooth, and very balanced. Flavors of cherries, muscat, and brown sugar. Simple and drinkable by itself or pair it with a nutty cheese.

Price: $12

Rating: 4/5

FYI, Meditrina is a masterful blend of 50% Syrah, 22% Zinfandel, and 20% Pinot Noir. The bottle also doubles as an elegant vase ;)

Parducci Petite Sirah 2007 & MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc 2009

This is a small-priced wine with a big taste. I got it on wine.com using a Groupon. It retails around only $9-$13. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth and sophistication of this wine. As a plus, the grapes are sustainably grown, and the label is pretty :)

Nose: Yummy flavors of chocolate, caramel, coffee, and oak. Earthy

Tongue: big, bold, dark, and very dry - not for the faint of heart. Structured and long lasting tannins, but not overwhelming. Very well balanced. A bit raw for now. It could use a bit more time on the shelf. Notes of wet earth, truffles, dried currants, with a hint of smokiness. Definitely drink this with a substantial meal (mmm...I'm thinking of bloody steaks).

Price: $11

Rating: 4/5

 

While I'm not a huge fan of whites, I've definitely had better Chenin Blancs than this. It was way too bitter - I think it was sitting in my fridge for more than a month before I finally finished it! I guess you can't always have the luck of running into cheap good wines (like the Parducci).

Nose: fragrant, warm floral, and nutty, with notes of peaches, honey, and vanilla

Tongue: sweet at first, with a tangy aftertaste. Top notes of toasty honey grahams and apricots, but has a overwhelmingly bitter and stemmy aftertaste. 

Price: $8

Rating: 2.5/5

Med School and Revival of Wine reviews

I'm back from a long hiatus getting used to the med school lifestyle. Hiatus from this blog does not mean hiatus from wine drinking. No way. Wine gets me through exams, so as a consequence, I've been able to savor even more than I used to  ;) After all, it's good for my cardiovascular system! (and helps me sleep)
Anyway, here are two of my recent bottles:

2009 Argiolas Perdera

 

The 2009 Argiolas Perdera is a Sardinian wine made with 90% Monica grapes, a varietal I have never heard of. When you think of Italian wine, Tuscany or Puglia comes to mind, or even Sicily (Nero d'Avola!), but definitely not Sardinia, or Monica grapes for that matter. So this was a bit of a stretch on-the-whim buy for me. 

And yes I am so glad I got this wine. It was amazing, and only $12!

Nose: spicy, with notes of young oak and dark chocolate

Tongue:velvety, smooth, purple and bright. Top notes of apricot, strawberry, toffee, and chocolate.  Nice velvety finish, very yummy. Round tannins. Light to medium bodied. Highly recommended!

Price: $12

Rating: 4.5/5

 2008 Azienda Agricola Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico

 My parents got this as a present. Seeing as they do not drink wine, I kindly saved it from going to waste :) It turns out that this was one of the more expensive wines for me, retailing at around $25 (yeah I'm a cheap shot). Maybe it was a bad idea to google the price, because I got overly excited with high expectations, which it didn't quite live up to...

Nose: strong warm and woody. Notes of wet earth, mulch, old world oak. Vinegar, milk chocolate, nuts, toffee flavors.

Tongue: juicy, slightly spicy, mouthfilling. Medium bodied, very mellow and creamy. Flavors of marshmallows. Yeasty and briny. Unfortunately it smells better than it tastes. A bit too acidic.

Price: ~$25

Rating: 3.5/5