Tasting - Oliver Camelot Mead

 Name of the wine: Oliver Camelot Mead

variety of the grape(s) in the wine: Honey!

country of origin: United States

region of origin: Indiana, Bloomington

vintage year: n/a

price: $11

Review from online: "My friend go to the vineyard in bloomington and brought me one bottle of camelot and Oh my gosh how delicious! Now is my favorite over the soft red and lime" -OliverFan(https://www.oliverwinery.com/wine/camelot-mead/camelot-mead)

Wine Folly Notes: "Traminette is related to Gewürztraminer and produces white wines with jasmine and spice notes (nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon). Purdue University has a wine grape team that supports Indiana wine grape growers with research on French-hybrid viticulture and enology in the Midwest." (https://winefolly.com/lifestyle/50-states-of-wine-infographic/)

My review: light and sweet, spreads through my tongue softly. Not overwhelmingly sweet, but the honey definitely comes though, as does a certain freshness. 9/10.

Tasting - 19 Crimes Snoop Dogg Cali Gold Sparkling Wine

Name of the wine: 19 Crimes Snoop Dogg Cali Gold Sparkling Wine

variety of the grape(s) in the wine: Blend (conflicting info online)

country of origin: United States

region of origin: California

vintage year: n/a

price: $18

Review from online: "I expected this to be awful and something that only appeals to people interested in the novelty of a wine from Snoop Dogg. I’ve tried other 19 Crimes wine but was not impressed. But Cali Gold Sparkling is light, with notes of apple, pear, and citrus. Lightly sweet but not syrupy. I really love it." -MM 1101 (https://www.totalwine.com/wine/champagne-sparkling-wine/sparkling-wine/19-crimes-cali-gold-sparking-by-snoop-dogg/p/346655750)

Wine Folly Notes: "Dry and zesty (sparkling) wines are made with non-aromatic grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They also typically come from the coolest climate wine regions.

To be dry, they have the least amount of sweetness added during dosage and are typically labeled as Brut" (https://winefolly.com/tips/sparkling-wine-explained-dry-to-sweet/)

My review: Strong citrus, tart taste of green apple? A little sweet, but not really my style. Light on my tongue, but a little too bright for me. 4/10.

Tasting - Stella Rosa Stella Berry

Name of the wine: Stella Rosa Stella Berry

variety of the grape(s) in the wine: Blend

country of origin: Italy

region of origin: Piedmont

vintage year: n/a

price: $10

Review from online: "Love this wine!!! I'm not a big drinker, but this wine does something to my soul. It taste amazing, and this price is right. I like to drink it chilled, and with good company. I've try all the flavors I can get my hands and I love them all. I finally have a wine brand that I love. I recommend this wine to everyone I know." -tiffanys252 (https://www.finewineandgoodspirits.com/stella-rosa-loriginale-stella-berry/product/000098973?bvstate=pg:2/ct:r)

Wine Folly Notes: "There are two major features affecting the weather in Piedmont: the ice cold Alps and the warm Mediterranean. The tug-of-war (a.k.a. Diurnal) temperature variation makes the whole area fill up with morning fog that slowly burns off during the day.

This means the land higher up on the hills gets more sun. More sun = happy grapes = good wine. There are good wines to be found north of the Apennines in the foothills of the Alps. But since this area (around Gattinara) is much cooler, expect much lighter tasting, higher acid wines."(https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/piedmont-wine-guide/)

My review: Distinct smell of sweet strawberry candy/jam. Underneath that initial hit, there's some nonspecific berry I can smell - maybe some blackberry. The taste itself is like juice - super sweet, with a little tartness peeking its head out at the end. Eating it with cheesecake really brough out the tartness! Delicious 10/10.

Tasting - Winemakers Selection Chardonnay 2022

Name of the wine: Winemakers Selection Chardonnay 2022

variety of the grape(s) in the wine: Chardonnay

country of origin: United States

region of origin: Monterey County, California

vintage year: 2022

price: $10

Review from online: "Yellow straw color. Aromas and flavors of green apple and yellow apple, creme fraiche, lemon curd, and white flowers with a medium body and a medium finish with notes of vanilla glazed apple, hazelnut, and toast points. Simple but tasty, this does good Chardonnay things with just enough complexity." (https://www.tastings.com/Wine-Review/Winemakers-Selection-2022-Reserve-Chardonnay-Monterey-County-USA-10-15-2023.aspx)

Wine Folly Notes: "Chardonnay is noted for its incredible versatility and range of flavors. This diversity can be attributed to the range of winemaking techniques and climates it is subjected to."(https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/chardonnay/)

My review: It smells strongly of pineapple, but I'm not really getting much vanilla. The taste is very soft, without any real kick. Creamy. Kind of vegetabley? Eating it with pita chips made the vegetable flavor go away, and altogether simpler and sweeter. I preferred it with the pita chips as opposed to by itself. If it had a texture, it would be soft and squishy, like watered down play-doh.