Florence, Italy
I never tried too many wines before i left for Europe. If anything I would chose a sweet Moscato or Chardonnay. While in France we were able try a few Pino Noirs, I really enjoyed the rich flavor of this new thing also known as red wine. My favorite wine I tried in Europe while was in Porto Portugal, but it was not Port Wine! It is a light summer wine called Vino Verde. It is a lighter white wine because it is grown overhead on structures in the fields. I split the bottle with three friends in a very small town between cities. The chef of the restaurant was excited to meet Americans and suggested the wine , and the amazing burgers to us. The last wine experience that really stuck out to me was tasting Chianti in Tuscany. The flavors were as rich as the landscape. One sip was saturated with flavor so I could not drink too much. It paired really well with the heavy pasta meals.
From these experiences I seem to enjoy fruitier flavors and wines served cool, but when paired with the right dish or in the colder seasons a rich red is something I also enjoy. It is not so much a flavor that I do not enjoy but a the dry sensation from certain reds I have tried. I buy and try different wines often, at restaurants or trying a new bottle. Honestly I usually choose bottles based off their graphics, I am studying architecture after all!
I hope to learn a lot more about wine in this class. I also hope to better refine my palette. I really enjoy cooking and wine paring and etiquette would be a great skill for the future. Excited to share some new wine experiences.
