Wine and Cheese #1

Of all the blog assignments, this is the one I was most excited about. I love cheese, and I have always heard about wine-cheese pairing, but have never done it for myself. For this tasting, my typical group got together and went out on shopping trip. We picked up the cheeses first, then headed down the block to the Vintage Cellar to pick up some wines to pair with them. We retuned home, at which time we cut up the cheese, opened up the wine, and got down to the tasting!

First Tasting

Wine: Peirano Estate Chardonnay 2018 Lodi, California, USA

Cheese: Bruggie Comtess

The wine was a medium dark gold, and was mostly clear. It had notes of apple, pineapple, and little bit of barrel must on the nose. On the palate, I got creamy butterscotch and some slight fruit notes, along with a slightly spicy finish. The wine had decent body, given the barrel character and dryness. The cheese was pretty hard, with a very creamy texture and slightly sweet overall taste. I really liked the cheese by itself. Together, the wine and cheese were not greatly changed by each other. The wine had less butterscotch characteristics, allowing the fruit flavors to come forward, but that was about it. Maybe I am just inexperienced and don't know what to look for, but I found this pairing to not be very interesting. 

Second Tasting

Wine: Summarroca Brut Bubbly Piont Noir Rose Cava, Spain 2020

Cheese: Sartori Bellavitano Garlic and Herb

This wine was a golden-pink color, which was mostly clear and had medium-fine bubbles. On the nose it was light and fruity, with notes of raspberry and strawberry. I had a hard time getting a good smell off this wine, since the carbonation would cover up much of the other smells. On the palate it had notes of strawberry and pear. The carbonation and dryness gave it good body and kept it from being overly sweet. The cheese had a lot of flavor, mostly from the herbs on the outside. It was softer than the previous cheese, and was less sweet. Together, I can't say I noticed a profound difference. With the cheese, I though the wine tasted drier and had less fruit notes, but that's about it. I'm not sure this was the best pairing, but it was still enjoyable.

Third Tasting

Wine: Palacio de Arganza Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Cheese: Sharp White Cheddar

The third and final wine was probably the best we had that night. It was a very dark, opaque ruby color. On the nose it had rich notes of blackberry and other dark fruits along with a little smoke. On the palate I got mostly dark fruit, like blackberries, along with chocolate and a slight spiciness on the finish. Decent tannins and slight acidity gave the wine good body. The cheese was typical sharp cheddar, soft and creaming with some acidic bite to it. It was not as sharp as I typically like, but it was still very good. Together, I thought they did pretty well. The wine become less tannic and smoother with the cheese, while the cheese got an extra boost to the sharpness that I really like. Overall this was the best pairing we did, and I would not hesitate to have it again in the future.

Overall, I had a great time with my first wine and cheese tasting session. I got to have good food and good conversation with good friends. I am looking forward to the next one!

DTN! Lesson One

 The objective of Drink This Now! Lesson 1 was to taste a red wine at different times after opening it, as well as with cheese and meat, to discover and learn more about how these factors impact the taste of the wine. My friends and I decided to do this lesson together, so we made a journey down to the wine store to pick out one of the bottles from the list. We settled on a Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone from 2019. I will start from Step 1, a basic wine tasting, and then work my way through the lesson step by step

Step 1: Wine Tasting

Name: Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone
Variety: GSM Blend
Region: Rhone Valley    
Country: France
Year: 2019
Price: $15

Winery Review

The color is purple-tinged garnet. The bouquet of aromas offers fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) and hints of spices. The palate is big and full-flavored, with silky-smooth tannins and red and black fruit flavors. The finish introduces touches of licorice and pepper. A Côtes-du-Rhône with great complexity for everyday drinking.

My Review

We opened up the bottle and immediately pour ourselves a glass each. The wine was a dark ruby, and was completely opaque in the glass. On the nose I got hints of strawberry jam, cocoa, as well as some spiciness. On the palate I noticed  dark cherry and blackberry. It had decent body, with good tannins and a medium length finish. 

Step 2: Let it breath

The second step of the lesson was to leave the bottle open and out of the counter to allow oxygen in to "open up" the wine. We did just that, and upon tasting it we did notice a change to the wine. The tannins were less harsh, making the wine a bit smoother and allowing other flavors, like fruit and spice, to come through. The wine was still recognizable; there wasn't a radical change, but defiantly a noticeable one.  

Step 3: Mouse Style

The third step challenged us to then try the wine with some cheese. We chose to go with an Asiago cheese for this tasting. The pairing of wine and cheese brought out a significant change in the wine. Overall we described this as "mellowing out" the wine. The tannins become much less harsh, and some fruit and spice notes which had previously been muted came forward. The cheese greatly changed the character of the wine, I would say for the better. 

 

Step 4: Bring out the Meats

The fourth step of the lesson instructed us to try the wine with something spicy. We chose pepperoni for this step, and shortly after the cheese was tasted, we dug into the meat. The pepperoni, though not as spicy as we had hoped, still had a profound effect on the wine. This effect was equal, but opposite to that of the cheese. The tannins became heavier, and the wine overall less sweet. Many of the weaker, fruiter notes were gone. Though I found this pairing interesting, I think I preferred the cheese. 

Step 5: One Day Later...

For the final step, we had to leave the wine out overnight and taste it to see how extended periods of oxygen exposure impacted the wine. So the next evening my friends and I reconvened and gave the wine another try. The color was the same as the day before, but the smell was very different. Overall it was stronger, and some pickle or olive notes to it. behind that was increased notes of dark fruit compared to earlier. The taste was likewise very different from the day before. The wine was overall lighter bodied, with lower tannins and more fruity notes. However, the finish was much harsher at this point, which some of my friends found very off-putting. I personally didn't think it was that bad. 

I found this lesson the be an interesting and enjoyable experience. I was honestly skeptical of the whole concept of oxygen changing the nature of the wine. I thought at most there would be a slight difference after a day, or else it would be completely ruined. However, I learned that in the right conditions, oxygen, and especially food, can have a positive impact on the wine drinking experience. 

Tasting-Calazul

Name: Calazul
Variety: Albarino
Region: Rias Baixas
Country: Spain
Year: 2021
Price: $10

Winery Review

Lemon green wine, with golden hues ,clear and bright with intense fruit flavor highlighting pear, apple and peach. On the palate it shows an integrated acidity on the whole, thick, and very balanced. The freshness of pome fruit is wrapped by the smoothness of the stone fruit, which gives the whole great harmony, releasing crisp sensations and finishing fresh and clean.

Winefolly

My tasting did align particularly well with the Winefolly text. I got some slight notes of lemon zest and nectarine, but none of the other flavors mentioned. 

My Review

The wine was a dark gold and a bit cloudy. On the nose, I got hints of apple, pear, and some slight earthiness/saltiness. On the palate I got strong notes of apple, pear, as well as a light, lemony finish. This wine was light bodied and refreshing. I liked this wine and I am interested in pairing it with a seafood dish in the future.

This wine was served alone, without food.

 

Tasting-Baron Herzag Chenin Blanc

Name: Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc
Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Region: California
Country: USA

Price: $10

Winery Review

The grapes used to produce this wine originate from California's famous Clarksburg appellation. It displays all the wonderful elements characteristic of this varietal. Specifically, this wine exhibits intense fruity notes of gooseberry, white peach and nectarine. To experience the intense, fresh fruity aromas and flavors, Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc should be enjoyed young and chilled. Best served with veal, poultry, Oriental dishes or alone as an aperitif.

Winefolly

Winefolly mentions primary flavors of yellow apple and pear, which I notice myself. The book also mentions honey and chamomile, which I didn't notice 

My Review

The wine had a light to medium straw color, and was mostly clear. On the nose I got some earthy notes as well as hints of light fruit. On the palate, the fruit notes came out, with notes of apple and clementine standing out to me. The wine was light bodies, with a quick, slightly bitter finish. I liked this wine, but it didn't stand out to me, so I will probably not get it again. 

The wine was served alone with no food. 

Wine Dinner #1

Last Friday, myself and four of my friends had our first wine dinner. We decided to do something of an Italian dinner, which consisted of bread and oil for an appetizer, Chicken Penne alla Vodka for the main course, and chocolate cake for dessert. With this in mind, we made a journey to the Vintage Cellar and asked one of the employees what they thought would pair best with each course. They recommended pretty much anything for bread, a white wine for the main course, and a rich red wine for the dessert. We settled on a Pinot Noir for the appetizer, a Chardonnay for the main course, and a Port for the dessert. 

Below I will give a description of each dish, wine, and how they paired. 

Appetizer

Food: French style baguette with olive oil. I used extra-virgin olive oil and seasoned it with ground pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a balsamic vinegar reduction. 

The bread was typical baguette. A bit salty and dry, with a tough crust. The oil added some perceived moisture, spice from the pepper and oregano, as well as a bit of tartness from the balsamic reduction. 

Wine: Beringer Pinot Noir, California, 2020

The wine was a medium to dark ruby color, and was almost completely opaque. On the nose I got tart, almost balsamic vinegar smell at first, which I think was due to me having just prepared the reduction. I also got notes of red fruit, specifically raspberry. On my first I immediately noticed the astringency. The wine was medium bodied, with notes of light fruit, I specifically noted clementine. It had a quick finish with a hint of spice. Pairing the two, I didn't notice much of a difference in the bread, but I did for the wine. With the bread and oil, the wine lost some of its fruity flavors and the spiciness was more prominent. Overall, my friends and I greatly enjoyed the food, wine, and pairing of the two. I would definitely have this appetizer with a future meal. 

Main Course

Food: Chicken Penne alla Vodka

Wine: Robert Hall Chardonnay, Paso Robles, California, 2019

My roommate made the Penne alla Vodka at home, using store bought ingredients, and a recipe he found on the internet. I think he did a pretty good job. The noodles were cooked correctly, and the sauce was creamy with a little bit of spice. The chicken was a tad dry, but the sauce made up for it. I would definitely have it again. The wine was a light golden color and was very clear. I got scents of light fruit, including pineapple, apple, and pear. on the palate I got a somewhat buttery sensation, characteristic of oaked California Chardonnay. I also got notes of apple and pear, with a medium length finish.  With the dish, I found that the wine lost some of its fruity flavor, becoming more bitter. The pasta became much more spicy when paired with the wine, which I quite enjoyed. Myself and my friends enjoyed this part of the meal, and it was probably the best example of wine changing the nature of the dish I noticed throughout the meal.

Dessert

Food: Chocolate Tuxedo cake

Wine: Taylor Fladgate Fine Ruby Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal  

The cake we got was store-bought. It was a tuxedo style cake, with multiple layers of different alternating being white and dark chocolate. The cake was good on its own, not being to rich. However, I was pretty full from the previous courses, so it took me a while to finish my slice. The port wine was very dark red and opaque. On the nose, I got a good amount of alcohol, along with rich notes of red fruit and sweetness, almost like grenadine syrup. On the palate I was hit with a wall of sweetness and dark/red fruit. The wine was full bodies, both due to the richness of the flavor and the strength of the alcohol. This was the first time I'd ever tried port, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Though I did like it, I would not want to have more than a glass of it at a time, given how rich it was. Paired with the cake, I didn't notice a big difference in the taste of either. The wine was a little bit sweeter, with a slightly different flavor profile, more like raspberries. I think that this pairing was not ideal. I think we should have chosen a lighter bodied wine, or a richer cake. This does leave me wanting to try more dessert and wine combinations.

All together, I enjoyed the experience of the wine dinner. Finding the wines and the ingredients for the food was a fun little adventure, and having a dinner at home with friends was a pleasant departure from my typical quick and cheap college student meals. I look forward to the next couple of wine dinners!

Tasting-Casas Del Bosque Rosé

 

Name: Casas Del Bosque Rosé 
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Casablanca Valley
Country: Chile
Year: 2020
Price: $9

Winery Review

Pale pink in color with an orange hue, showing classic aromas of strawberry and redcurrant complemented by floral notes and a hint of cedary oak. Elegant and refreshing in the mouth, with bright red fruit flavours, decent weight and some minerality through the clean finish.

Wine Folly

Pinot Noir is more commonly made into full red wines, while this is a Rosé. I smelled and tasted some of cherry and raspberry notes, and detected some of the earthy mushroom notes described in the text. 

My Review

The wine had a rusty pink color, with a light but earthy nose. On the palate, I tasted light notes of red fruit, along with some earthy, mushroom notes. This is the first Rosé that I have tried, so while I liked the wine, I'm not sure how it compares to other Rosé style wines. Overall I liked it, and I am anxious to try more wines of a similar style.

This wine was served alone without food. 

Tasting-Principe

 

Name: The Prince Charming Blue Frizzante Verdejo wine
Variety: 100% Verdejo
Region: Rueda
Country: Spain
Year: Unknown
Price: $10

Winery Review

This wine, The Prince Azul Frizzante Verdejo, like all white Verdejos has a tropical fruit flavor. It is a soft and very pleasant wine thanks to its carbonic touch. Its aroma is tropical and with a touch of floral notes. In view it has a bright blue color, very attractive to take at night in summer. Its content in alcohol is very low (7º), reason why its consumption in summer is very pleasant.

Wine Folly

I noticed the honeydew and peach mentioned in the book. This wine was very sweet, so I didn't notice the sour lime or fennel notes. 

My Review

The wine is aggressively blue, with light body and slight carbonation. On the nose, I got some notes of apple and pear, but no hint of alcohol. On the palate, the wine was very sweet, with notes of tropical and light fruit. Pineapple and pear come to mind. 

I found this wine to taste good, but it doesn't taste like wine. It is very sweet, with none of the complexity or secondary flavors that I am used to experiencing with wines. It reminded me of drinking Kool-Aid with a hint of vodka. I personally would not buy this wine again, but I can see how it would appeal to some people.

This wine was served alone without food.  

Tasting-Abelis Lui

Name: Abelis Lui Crianza   
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Toro
Country: Spain
Year: 2018
Price: $20

Winery Review

Rich and layered, with aromas of elderberry, black plum, and eucalyptus. The palate is concentrated and complex, full of dark fruit, with hints of chocolate, spice, and aromatic herbs, supported by earthy minerality and bold, chewy tannins.

Wine Folly

I noticed the cherry and fig, along with slight cedar notes mentioned in the text. Specific to aged "Crianza" wine, I noticed some of brown sugar, but didn't notice any tobacco or dill notes which were described.

My Review

Dark ruby with light edges shows some aging on this wine. On the nose I got notes of Raspberry Danish, as well as notes of cherry and black pepper. The wine had good body and tannins, with notes of spice, chocolate, and red berries. It was decidedly dry with a quick, tart finish. 

I liked this wine, but I found it very complex, with a lot of flavors coming on at once. It was difficult for me to pick out specific flavors, especially during the quick finish. I would like to revisit this wine after I have some more experience.

The wine was served alone without food. 

Tasting-Les Champauvins

 

Name: Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Les Champauvins
Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre
Region: Cotes Du Rhone

Country: France
Year: 2019
Price: $20

Review from Timeless Wines

Intense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a "baby Châteauneuf" than a Côtes du Rhône.

A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.

Drink between 1 and 6 years.

"The Grenache dominated (there is 30% Syrah) 2019 Côtes Du Rhône Les Champauvins is perfect for readers looking for a wine that over-delivers and won’t break the bank. A great nose of black cherries, currants, roasted garrigue, licorice, and Provençal spice notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, balanced, straight up terrific and pleasure bend Côtes du Rhône that will deliver the goods for 4-6 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020), 91-93 pts

Wine Folly

Grenache

I got the deep ruby color and and strawberry mentioned in the text. I also noticed some spice or herbs, but not the leather or blood orange.

GSM Blend

I noticed raspberry as well as hints of  spices and floral notes, as described in the text. 

My Review

Medium ruby in color, the light edges indicate some age on the wine. On the nose, I got strong red fruit, especially strawberry. I also got hints of chocolate and spice, as well as some floral notes. On the palate, I found this wine to be complex, making it difficult for me to draw out flavors. It had good body with decent tannins. I also noticed hints of cherry and raspberry, with a slightly bitter finish. 

I enjoyed this wine, but it was complex and I felt that I was not able to enjoy it completely. I may come back to this wine after I gain more experience.

The wine was served alone without food