We have 8 wines from different regions you will be tasting. Your challenge is to identify the region and the grape you have in your glass. It's a fun and tasty experience. We hope you are up for the challenge!
#1: This wine displays a light pink color with white/orange hues. The nose offers a delicate blend of tart red berries, light smoke, and slate. The palate is light-bodied with mouthwatering acidity, with raspberry and cherry throughout followed by a brief tart, minerally finish. Hint: You might want to think of the grapes before the region on this.
#2: The wine displays a medium pink color. The nose is filled with various minerally notes interwoven with tart, crunchy raspberry. The palate displays considerable heft for a rose, with fleshy cherry notes and a touch of blue fruit cut by hints of tannin, medium acid, and tons of savory minerality. Hint: The grape will be hard on this one, think to the region first instead and go from there.
#3: This medium ruby wine displays garnet and orange hues. The nose is intensely savory, with notes of black pepper, cured meat, anise, and dried cherry. The palate is deliciously quaffable, with a medium body and zippy acidity enveloping juicy cherry and raspberry notes. Hint: This might be the first “gotcha” wine. Where does it get cold enough to make a red like this?
#4: This wine pours a medium-dark ruby with purple hues. The nose offers a medley of red and blue fruits accented by fresh herbs. The palate displays present, but supple tannins and medium-low acidity. Jammy plum and raspberry meshes well with the notes of earth, bramble, and warm baking spices. Hint: There are very few winegrowing regions in Europe that get hot enough to produce big, juicy reds like this. What are they and what are their native varieties?
Gold Club Members may taste through the Platinum Wines for $15 a person.
#5: This wine pours a medium straw-yellow color with green hues. The nose is very complex, offering notes of beeswax, aromatic herbs, and minerals. The palate is light-plus bodied with racing acidity accenting fleshy stone and citrus fruits, honey, wet stone, and a hint of yeast. Hint: This wine has some years on it. Which regions make for long-lasting, acid-driven white wines? What varieties do they like?
#6: This wine pours a deep ruby with purple hues, offering aromas of reduced cherry and plum accented by sweet baking spice. The palate is medium-plus bodied, with medium acidity and spicy, sweet tannin. The macerated fruit continues to the palate, with notes of licorice, hay, thyme, and earth accenting it all. Hint: This is a rich version of one of the most widely planted grapes in its native country.
#7: This wine pours a strikingly deep purple color with ruby hues. The nose is filled with new leather, cassis, blackberry, and intense floral notes. The palate is full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins and medium acidity. Fleshy blueberry and plum notes are accented by baked earth, slight tar, black pepper, and Chinese five spice. Hint: There is only one grape can get this kind of extract and fruit, and it has its home in a relatively new winegrowing country.
#8: This wine displays a deep ruby color with lavender hues. The nose offers black cherry, cassis, graphite, and cigar smoke. The palate is rich in body and tannin, with restrained acidity. Cherry and cassis are blended with subtle plum notes, in addition to the heaps of savory baking spice, oak, and vanilla. Hint: This might be the easiest wine for some of you….or will it?