Our October weather has been a little unusual for upstate New York this year. One word sums it up: WARM. By this time of year there is usually a chill in the air and even a few snow flurries. I am used to the warm autumn season being from North Carolina so I love the weather right now and wish it would hang around.
Today is in the upper 60’s with blue skies that make this a perfect day for a wine tasting. So we are off to Casa Larga to sample their wines. Casa Larga was founded in 1974 by Andrew Colaruotolo. He started the vineyard as a hobby and wanted to produce wines that were like his family’s vineyard back in Italy. Casa Larga has been in business 35 years producing high-quality, award-winning wines and are one of the leading wine produces in the Finger Lakes Region where we live.
We got to chose five different wines and we also shared a chocolate and wine pairing where they pick five different wines. The wines we sampled are as follows:
WHITE WINES
- Vineyard Hill Chardonnay – A dry and crisp Chardonnay with fruity tropical notes you definitely pick up on. It is aged in stainless steel so there is no oaky taste. I don’t care for sweet wines at all so with the RS being 1.35% I had concerns. However, the sweetness does not overpower the wine. You pick up more on the fruit than the sweet and it comes across as pretty dry I have to admit. Really great Chardonnay! We came home with a bottle.
- CLV Chardonnay – This is a medium-bodied wine with a toasty finish. I did pick up on oaky notes but it was not overpowering. This was a rich and great-tasting Chardonnay I think anyone would be happy with.
- 2013 Medium Dry-Riesling – A lovely crisp tasting Riesling more on the sweeter side. Being sweet it wasn’t so much for us.
- 2013 Gewurztraminer – A traditional Gewurtz taste but lacking the spicy kick I really like. It is a lovely dry wine and would pair well with spicy foods.
RED WINES
- Tapestry – A light bodied, semi-dry red in the traditional rose style. It was nice but rather light and on the sweeter side at 1.8% RS. Would make a lovely table wine or a wine you could take to a party that would suite most anyone.
- Dry Rose – A very light-bodied red that didn’t do it for my husband. It did have a nice taste and a soft finish.
- Tramonto (CLV Red) – Medium dry with tart and fruity notes that you pick up on quickly. Had a dry finish.
- 2012 Pinot Noir – Dry and medium bodied with a slight fruity taste.
- Cab-Merlot – This was a full-bodied red that my husband really liked. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The RS is .3% and had a velvety finish.
- Meritage – We both had this red and loved it! It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc which gives this wine a full body with a long dry finish. The RS is 0%. This is one of our favorite reds now! You guessed it, we came home with a bottle! :o)
The wine tasting was a lot of fun. They were very friendly and knowledgeable. The chocolates were a treat and they paired well with the wines they chose. Overall it was a great way to spend an afternoon and enjoy some great wines!
