Tasting - Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau
Beaujolais, France
2012
$3.95
"Bright and tangy, offering a classic banana note on the nose, with flavors of raspberry, wild strawberry, and light spice. Modest finish."

My opinion: It has a very red smell, but it's a soft taste for a red. Nice and light, but not overly fruity, which makes it mildly appetizing. Still not something too fantastic though, which of course matches the price.

Tasting - Mars and Venus Chardonnay

Mars and Venus Chardonnay
Spain
2011
$5.95
"A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple. Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping."

My opinion: this wine has the smell of champagne, a very dry smell. There's really not a ton of flavor in it, and the wine itself seems very watery (not in texture, but in flavor). This one was even less desirable than the Soave.

Tasting - La Cappuccina Soave

La Cappuccina Soave
White
Veneto, Italy
2011
$7.95
"Bright straw in color. Delicate on the nose, with notes of flowers and almonds. Dry, well-structured and delicately fruity, with hints of bitter almonds on the finish that is typical of Garganega-based wines."

My opinion: Fruity, slightly acidic smell. Very bitter taste, with a slightly less bitter aftertaste. Not the best white wine I've had, for sure. I did not have it with food.

Wine in life

I have been drinking wine for many years. My parents decided that if I was going to learn to drink responsibly, then I would need to start from an early age and learn what I was dealing with. This was a great idea on their part, as it gave me a long time to learn how to drink, and it gave me some idea of what I was talking about and what I liked as I moved further into the world of alcohol.
I've had wine with many dinners throughout the years, sometimes at home, and very often when over at parents' friends homes. I've experienced many different varieties since I've been exposed to the different tastes of many individuals, some of whom have been wine connoisseurs for decades. I've found out many things about my tastes so far with regards to wine. I definitely prefer red wine to white wine, except in the case of a good moscato. I also enjoy pink wines, or rosés, such as white merlot and to a lesser degree, white zinfandel. The wine I've come to like the best is cabernet sauvignon, since I've had very few that I dislike. I have also enjoyed some of the malbecs that I have had, and often there will be a merlot or other that I enjoy as well.
This class seems to have lots that would really interest me. I'm definitely looking forward to learning about good combinations of wine and food. I used to have a neighbor who knew just what wine went with what food, and would bring over multiple wines to match each course of the meal when we had him over. Getting into some of the pairings would be really cool, and would make meals even better! I'm also looking forward to learning about the process of making wine. I know the basics, but I've never really heard the behind the scenes stuff to know what really goes on, whether or not it's a complicated process, etc. Finally, I'm looking forward to learning about some of the regions that produce the wines I like to drink. I love geography and travel, and getting to know a bit about each of the places that produce certain specialties should be really interesting!