I’m pretty new to wine tasting, but I really enjoy trying new wines and figuring out what makes each one special. When I taste, I start by looking at the color and clarity, then check out the “legs” on the glass—those little drips that can give you a hint about how sweet the wine might be. Next, I smell it and then taste, trying to pick out the different flavors in my own way. I like to do this before reading any descriptions to see how close I get. Usually, I miss a bunch of the notes the first time, but then I read more about the wine and try again to catch what I didn’t notice before.
I’m part of a wine club called Naked Wines, where I get to discover new and unique wines to taste. This time, I’m trying The Halo, a late-season Viognier from Australia. I’m excited to explore its flavors and share my thoughts with you!
Going into the tasting, I expected The Halo to be sweet—something I’ve learned often happens with late-season wines.
My take on the wine: Visually, it’s a light gold, resembling filtered apple juice—clear, bright, and clean with no sediment. The legs, or tears, flow slowly down the glass. The scent is fruity, reminiscent of apple cider, which carries through to the taste. True to its character, The Halo is very sweet and could easily be enjoyed as a dessert wine.
Now, let’s head over to Naked Wines and see how my tasting notes compare to the official description—and just how different my experience was! According to Naked Wines, The Halo is packed with rich flavors like cedar spice, honeysuckle, and candied apricot, making it feel like dessert in a glass. While I didn’t pick up on those notes myself, I did come across a review mentioning hints of apple—so maybe I wasn’t completely off after all!
Reading the label, I realized there were many nuances I missed, like apricot and honey, nutmeg and toastiness, all enhanced by aging in French and Russian oak barrels.
The talented winemaker behind this delightful dessert wine is Sam Plunkett from Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed The Halo, even though I’m usually not a fan of sweet wines. It’s sweet and smooth—a wine meant to be savored slowly. The flavors reminded me of cozy fall evenings, and I’m already planning to order a couple of bottles to enjoy during cooler nights. If you appreciate a good dessert wine, I highly recommend giving The Halo a try.
Happy Wine Tasting!
KathieyV