Wine And Cheese Pairing Blog Report

 WINE AND CHEESE PAIRING BLOG REPORT - 4/16 

So for my wine pairing blog I picked up some wines and cheese at random from Kroger and Natural Eats. I then decided to research in Wine Folly which pairs would go well together. I decided todo the pairing on my own. 

For my wines I have the 

1. 2019 14 Hands Merlot from Columbia Valley Washington

2. 2019 Cavaliere D'oro Chianti Classico from Italy 

3. Bin 65 Bright Chardonnay from Southeastern Australia

For my cheese selection I picked the 

1. Whole Milk Mozzarella 

2. Dutch Artikaas Gouda 

3. French Comte 

To begin, I started off with the Bin 65 Bright Chardonnay from Southeastern Australia and pairing it with the Whole Milk Mozzarella. Mozzarella was labeled a nutty hard cheese that pairs well with Sparkling Wine Light-Bodied White Wine Full-Bodied White Wine Aromatic White Wine Light-Bodied Red Wine Med.-Bodied Red Wine. This is why I went with the Chardonnay. The wine had a strong aroma of citris and more-so orange vibes. I picked up on the oak-taste a bit as well. I think it paired really nicely with the cheese because it toned down the really strong citrus notes in the wine. They both mellowed each other out a bit which I was quite surprised about. 

Up next I tried the 2019 Cavaliere D'oro Chianti Classico from Italy. I paired this with Gouda which is a Fruity Umami cheese. These cheese go well with Med.-Bodied Red Wines and Full-Bodied Red Wines. I got very strong notes of dark plum and red currents. I thought this wine was was naturally medium bodied and had a tannic taste in the mouth. When paired with the cheese they clashed. The cheese was overly salty and drowned out the wine, not making for a strong pair in my opinion. 

Finally I tried the 2019 14 Hands Merlot from Columbia Valley Washington with the French Comte. This cheese was also labeled a Nutty Hard Cheese that paired well with Sparkling Wine Light-Bodied White Wine Full-Bodied White Wine Aromatic White Wine Light-Bodied Red Wine Med.-Bodied Red Wine. This wine had notes of plums and black cherries. I also picked up on flavors of cherries and berries as well as mocha and spice. This wine was a bit sweeter than the previous. When paired with these cheese I thought it brought out a lot of the nutty flavors and made the wine taste even more sweet. I thill thought it was a solid pair but wasn't may favorite. 

Wine Dinner Blog Report

 Wine Dinner Blog - Zeppoli's 4/11 

For Dinner i decided to head to Zeppoli's with my friend and participate in a dinner blog. We each had three courses that I will go into detail about below. The overall experience was nice, tough I must say I expected more from the wines. 

I started off with a white wine which ended up being the Canyon Road Sauvignon Blanc. The vintage was 2021 and funny enough I remembered this wine being the house wine at the bar I used to work at last summer. Anyway, it was extremely underwhelming and had little to no flavor. I was expecting it to be on the light side, but I barely picked up on any flavors. I smelled citrus and floral notes, and very dry on the taste. I had this with the fried mozzarella and the house bread. They were okay together, not too complimentary. The lighter more acidic wine may have been better for the heavier fried cheese however. I would not have this wine again. Again there was barely any flavor in my opinion so nothing was really present to bring out the best or worst in the apps. 

We then moved on to our main dishes and I ended up going with a creamy garlic, bacon, and spinach pasta. It was really good, but supper rich. I paired this with Cavaliere Doro Chianti from Italy with a 2021 vintage. I thought the two went well together but nothing to write home about. The pasta sauce was a bit sweeter for some reason which I think was entirely brought out from the wine. I was also really underwhelmed with the chianti, it didn't bring any bold flavors with it and wasn't very memorable. Since it was lighter I think it made the pasta a little more enjoyable. If it was a very heavy tannic bold wine I think it would have overpowered the entire meal.  I picked up overarching notes of red current and plum. I wouldn't recommend this wine either. 

We finished off with dessert. I got the house made cannoli's which were excellent and for my last wine I went with the Canyon Road Cabernet Sauvignon. This was the best wine of the evening but still nothing that I would go out of my way to purchase. The two went nicely together, It was a smoother more tannic wine, and the sweet dessert brought out a lot more of the fruit flavors. It had a rich smell with notes of Blueberries and strawberries. Definitely more fruity. I think my nose is a bit off right now though from allergies.  

Appetizer

Overall I really enjoyed the experience, I always have a good time with my friend but It was nice to go back and forth on what their views of the wine were. We had similar dishes so I think we arrived at similar conclusions. If I had the budged, I would splurge for some nice wines next time. 

Wine Tasting - 1000 Stories Zinfandel Bourbon Barrel Aged

Wine Tasting - 1000 Stories Zinfandel Bourbon Barrel Aged 4/11

This is the 2020 1000 Stories Zinfandel Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel blended with Petite Sirah. This wine comes from California, although I could not find specifically what region in the state. This wine retails for about $15 a bottle. 

Total Wine gave this wine a 4.6/5 and wrote that "Select parcels of Zinfandel are aged in American and French oak and then finish used Bourbon barrels, giving the wine rich flavors of vanilla, dried herbs, caramel, and clove." (https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-wine/zinfandel/1000-stories-zinfandel-bourbon-barrel-aged/p/151258750) 

From Wine Folly, "Petite Sirah is loved for its deeply colored wines with rich black fruit flavors and bold tannins. The grape is related to Syrah and the rare French-Alps grape, Peloursin.  Given Petite Sirah’s sometimes aggressive tannin profile, it pairs best with fat- and umami-driven dishes—be it steaks from the grill or a plate of beef stroganoff." (Wine folly, pp.147). The book recommends to decant this wine to bring out the sugar plum, blueberry, dark chocolate, and black pepper flavors (p.147) 

I found this wine to be enjoyable with rich tannic flavors. I picked up on some vanilla undertones almost and I'm not sure if that came from the bourbon barrel thing or not. I also felt like I tasted some spices put I couldn't put a finger on what they exactly were.

Wine tasting - Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue

Wine Tasting - Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue 4/11

This is the Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue White blend made from Riesling, Traminette, and Vidal Blanc. The vintage is 2015 and retails for about $13. This wine is from more local, coming from Floyd, VA. 

Total wine reviewed this a 4.5"This popular white wine is a semi-sweet Riesling-Traminette blend, using Vidal Blanc for added depth. Aromas of melons, citrus fruits, apricots, and delicate flowers highlight the soft finish of this soothing wine. Serve chilled with fruits and cheeses, fish, or spicy foods." (https://www.totalwine.com/wine/white-wine/white-blend/chateau-morrisette-our-dog-blue/p/18551750) 

From the grapes in this blend, Wine Folly states that "A late harvest sweet wine that can only be made when grapes naturally freeze in the vineyard. Popular varieties include Riesling, Vidal Blanc, and Cabernet Franc." (Wine Folly, p. 121). Riesling is "An aromatic white variety that can produce white wines ranging in style from bone-dry to very sweet. Germany is the world’s most important producer of Riesling." (p. 158). 

I thought this wine was pretty good and it was my first VA wine that I've sampled this semester. I found it to be a bit on the sweeter side but still rich in flavor that balances out nicely. I picked up on floral scents with sweet fruits such as apple and pears. 

Wine Tasting - Pinot Evil

Wine Tasting- Pinot Evil 4/9 

This is the 2015 Pinto Evil Pinot Noir. It's from the central valley of Chile. The bottle retails for about $8 

Total wine gave this pinot noir a 3.5/5 and said that the wine is "Chile- Soft, richly jammy and crisp flavors of raspberry, cherry, beet and coffee flavors. A light, silky creamy mouthfeel texture, lush on the palate and an easy-drinking wine". (https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-wine/pinot-noir/pinot-evil-pinot-noir/p/15676750) 

Wine Folly states that pinot noir is "The world’s most popular light-bodied red is loved for its red fruit and spice flavors that are accentuated by a long, smooth, soft-tannin finish.  A versatile red wine for food pairing given the higher acidity and lower tannin. Pinot Noir tastes like it was meant for duck, chicken, pork, and 

mushrooms." (Wine Folly, p. 150). 

I wasn't really a fan of this wine compared to others I have had. I picked up on notes of red fruit, earthy tones, and tobacco. I thought the flavor was very underwhelming and I wouldn't necessarily recommend this wine to a friend. 

Wine Tasting - Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red

Wine Tasting - Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red 4/9

This is the 2018 Red Blend Purple Cowboy Tenacious Red. Its from the Central Coast area of California, USA. A bottle usually retails for around $13.

Total Vine reviewed this wine 4.5/5 and said that is was a 

"A rich, full-bodied wine with aromas of crushed red berries and cherries, notes of cola and cinnamon, and a hint of earthiness. Berry flavors explode in the mouth with cinnamon and cassis in the mid-palate leading to slight cocoa powder tannins on the finish.". (https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-wine/red-blend/purple-cowboy-tenacious-red/p/111138750)

Wine folly states that red blends of this variety can have notes of grilled plum, tobacco, raspberry sauce, dried herbs, and vanilla)" (Wine Folly, pp. 232). Additionally red blends can be a variety of flavor profiles making each one unique. 

I thought the critic review was quite interesting because I did not pick up on hints of cola. Moreover I sensed a lot of dark or red berries and a drier flavor. It was on the lighter side, something I enjoy from reds more-so than heavier more tannic blends. 

Wine Tasting - Santa Margherita

Wine Tasting - Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 4/2

This is the 2021 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio (375ML half-bottle!) from the Valdadige

Trentino-Alto Adige region of Northern Italy. Average small bottle goes for $25 . 

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Vinvino reviewed this vintage a 3.7/5 and reviewed that you can expect "can expect a light-bodied, delicate white wine that is a natural pairing for light dishes such as appetizers, salads, or fish" (https://www.vivino.com/US/en/santa-margherita-pinot-grigio-valdadige/w/1184502?year=2021)

I picked up tree melon from Wine folly and noticed apple, pear, and nectarine as well as citrus hints of Grapefruit (Wine Folly p. 31). This makes sense seeing that "Pinot Grigio is a pink grape mutation of Pinot Noir that’s most famous for its zesty white wines that range in style from dry to just plain sweet." (p. 149) 

I enjoyed this wine, however I dont really have any incentive to spend $25 on this little bottle again. I liked this citrus and fruity combination but wasnt a fan of how dry the wine was. I would like something a tad sweeter, but overall a great flavor and nice aroma as well. 

Wine Tasting - La Vieille Ferme

  Wine Tasting - La Vieille Ferme Rose 3/29 

This is the La Vieille Ferme Rose from the Rhone region in France. It is a rhone blend made from Rose & Blush Wine. The vintage is 2020 and averages about $8 a bottle. 

   Total Wine reviewed this wine as "an expressive, particularly fruity nose with notes of red fruit and citrus. On the palate, this wine shows a beautiful aromatic richness and a perfect balance between the body and the freshness." and gave the wine a 4.3/5.   (https://www.totalwine.com/wine/rose-blush-wine/rhone-blend/la-vieille-ferme-rose/p/117130750) 

This wine is "more savory than others and have many non-fruit smells including herbs, flowers, and minerals." (Wine Folly, p. 28) and less fruity. Although there were also strong hints of citrus aromas (p.31) such as grapefruit and lemon. 

I might be a bit biased to this wine because it is one of my favorites, especially when the weather starts to warm up. My mom and I are a big fan of this rose because we find that its quite dry and not very sweet, which tends to be somewhat refreshing in the summer. We call this the Chicken Wine! Love it.