Wine Dinner: Homemade Italian

This week a bunch of friends in my Geography of Wine class got together for a wine dinner! Shout out to Tracy Laux for hosting this delicious Italian-themed dinner!

For dinner, Tracy made an appetizer of bruschetta, a main course of Italian sausage and pasta, and some delicious brownies for dessert!

Let's get this party started!

For my first wine, I started with:

Name: Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneti La Selvanella

Variety: 100% Sangiovese

Region: Tuscany 

Country: Italy

Year: 2008

Price: $22

Shop Review: The nose is complex, pervasive and elegant, its fruit notes mingling with very intense, unusual mineral and smoky sensations. The gutsy palate displays well-balanced acidity, sweet, tight-knit tannins that are never woody, and extraordinary length.

Before I paired this wine with the appetizer of bruschetta, I had a few sips of it by itself. On the nose, I smelled bold, strong fruits coming through with a hint of smokiness. The nose was huge! On the palate, the fruits were evident and the wine was somewhat lighter than I predicted with subtly tannins.  The acidity was almost a little too much, but ended up with a long finish.

Ready for Bruschetta!

By itself, the bruschetta was nice and crunchy with such a fresh and savory. The bruschetta had tomatoes, basil, garlic, and balsamic vinaigrette. When I tried the Chianti with the bruschetta, I thought it was a nice pairing. I thought that the bruschetta brought out a lot of the flavors in the wine since we had an earth, fresh fruit and a somewhat smoky wine. They were both a nice, light treat that complemented each other well. This pairing had me coming back for seconds! I would definitely pair these two together again.

Simply devine!

Next, we moved on to our main meal with this wine:

Name: Gen 5 Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Lodi, California

Country: USA

Year: 2011

Price: $12

Shop Review: The Gen 5 Cabernet is solid and firm on the palate; well balanced; displays attractive black fruit flavors that show excellent ripeness.

We decanted this wine at the beginning of our adventure!

Decanting the Cabernet Sauvignon

Before I had this wine with the main course of Italian sausage and pasta, I gave it a few sips by itself. On the nose, I could not distinguish a particular fruit flavor.  On the palate, this wine was pretty dry with more acidity toward the end.  It had flavors of cherry and dark fruits with maybe a little raspberry. Definitely a solid wine.

Italian Sausage and Pasta with Parmesan on top!

Our main dish had Italian sausage, ground beef, tomatoes, and garlic served with pasta and parmesan cheese. Overall, I thought the tomatoes and the spiciness of the sausage worked well with this wine! I think both of these foods helped make the wine a little less dry and complemented the body of this wine.  So delicious!

Name: Lodali Moscato d'Asti

Variety: 100% Moscato

Region: Piedmont

Country: Italy

Year: 2014

Price: $11

Shop Review: A delightfully aromatic wine, with loads of fresh fruit flavors bursting from the glass. It is sweet, but beautiful balanced by the wine's effervescence and acidity. Being frizz ante, it has only about half the effervescence of a sparkling wine, and is hard to resist. This wine males a wonderful accompaniment to many desserts, especially those with fruit such as peach, pear, apple, and berries.

Before the delicious dessert of chocolate brownies, I resisted drinking the entire glass of Moscato and focused on this wine's characteristics. Upon pouring the wine, I noticed it was very fizzy which was appealing when it was swirled. On the nose, the wine was very floral and had traces of melon and honeydew.  These flavors were evident on the palate as well and rounded out with a delightful crispness.

Heaven in a pan.

Before trying the Moscato and brownies together, I thought it might be a little too sweet.  Luckily, the brownies were sweet but not overly and in-your-face sweet which I think worked perfectly with this wine.  The brownies also made the Moscato just a little less sweet and made for a delightful pairing of the two!

Even though we only needed one dessert with the Moscato, I also wanted to pair some strawberries with it!

Strawberries from the parents

I have to say, these strawberries paired so well with this Moscato! The strawberries were the right amount of sweet and tasted so good with the Moscato and its sweetness. I will definitely have to try this Moscato again with the other fruits the review recommended!

A successful wine dinner!

Overall, I absolutely loved this Italian-themed dinner! I thought every single wine paired perfectly with its dish.  Italian has always been my favorite type of cuisine and it was such a great experience to start pairing wines with these foods I love and some great friends!!

A "family" portrait with some great people.

Wine & Cheese Pairing: Classmate Edition

Welcome to my second Wine & Cheese pairing, featuring some of my favorite people from our Geography of Wine class!  Today we have another three great wines to pair with three delicious cheese: Creamy Havarti, Muenster, and Cheddar!

Name: Chateau Ste Michelle Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $11

Winery Review: The mostly stainless steel fermentation makes this a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The wine offers bright fruit character of melons and herbs. This wine is a favorite with oysters.

Name: Anciano Tempranillo Reserva 'Aged 5 Years'
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Valdepenas, Castilla La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2008
Price: $12

Shop Review: Fuller-bodied, dry. Ruby red in color topped with tawny edges, followed by a fruit nose and a palate of spices, licorice, minerals, and plenty of rich black fruit. The finish is long and dry with nice tannins. Pair with grilled red meats, mature cheeses, and beef stew.

Name: Narcisi Gewürztraminer
Variety: 100% Gewürztraminer
Region: Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $18

Winery Review: Ideal to grow in Pennsylvania, this German grape delivers a wine with distinct spicy, earthy notes. Literally "spicy Trainer: this wine brings a truly unique aroma with decadent richness and exotic fruit qualities. A dry wine, despite smelling like a sweet one, with a "biting" finish.

Time to get the party started!

Dante wanted to decant the Tempranillo

I started off with the Chateau Ste Michelle Sauvignon Blanc and tasted it without any cheese first. On the nose, I smelled mostly lemon with some floral components. On the palate, I tasted lots of lemon and citrus. The midpalate and finish had a bit too much acidity for my taste, but after a while the finish was nice.  I tried the Creamy Havarti cheese with this wine and noticed it cut the acidity right away.  I thought the cheese also helped to bring out more of the apple and pear components that this wine had to offer.  With the Muenster cheese, I noticed overall this cheese was very similar to the Haverti cheese, which I was not expecting. I got a lot of the same components from the wine using the Muenster cheese that I found with the Havarti cheese, but the Muenster cheese did seem to make this wine a little softer overall. Finally, I tried the Cheddar cheese and noticed right away that I did not think it was a good pairing.  The cheese was a bit too sharp to go with the wine and the wine and cheese flavors just did not seem to mix well.  I definitely think the softer Havarti and Muenster cheeses complimented this wine better.

The yummy Gewürztraminer!

Next up was the Narcisi Gewürztraminer! On the nose, I noticed pear, melon, and floral components.  On the palate, I mostly tasted lemon and honeydew.  This wine has a somewhat watery consistency for the first part but then the acidity hit at the end.  This wine was also interesting because it started off pretty sweet but then became more dry toward the finish. When I tried the Gewürztraminer with the Havarti cheese, I did not taste too much of a difference in the wine.  The cheese did seem to work well with it though since both were absolutely delicious, there was just nothing mind-blowing about the pairing.  Next up was the Muenster cheese,  which I mentioned before was similar to the profile of the Havarti cheese. Because of this, I got the same results when pairing it with the wine.  Both were delicious separate and together, but again, nothing was out of this world about the pairing.  Finally, I tried the Gewürztraminer with the Cheddar cheese. I noticed that this cheese did seem to do something with the wine.  For the most part, it seemed to make the wine a little less floral, which was sad.  I thought the sharpness of the cheese and the sweetness would go well together, but not so much with this wine.  It seems there was not a clear winner of the night for which cheese went well with the wine, but there has to be something out there! This wine was simply delicious.

We had to restock the cheese...

We finally got around to the Anciano Tempranillo Reserva, which had decanted for just about an hour before we drank it. On the nose, I noticed this was a very intense nose mostly filled with red fruits and cinnamon. On the palate, this wine was very bold and in your face.  On the palate, I tasted black cherries, spices, red fruits, and some oakiness.  The tannins were noticeable and the wine had a long, dry finish.  The first cheese I tried with the Tempranillo was the Havarti. I thought this cheese seemed to help mellow out the intense flavors I was experiencing at the beginning as well as the dryness.  Next up with the Muenster, which gave very similar results to the Havarti and was definitely a good pairing for this wine.  Finally, I tried the Cheddar cheese.  Instead of the cheese influencing this wine, I thought the wine actually helped to cut the sharpness of the cheddar cheese.

Looks like a successful wine night to me!

Overall, I was kind of disappointed that the Havarti and Muenster cheese had similar profiles.  The night would have been a little more successful if we picked a different cheese to replace one of these to have a range of sharpness, spiciness, and soft cheeses.  However, we loved all of the wines and cheeses that we tried and know more about pairings from this experience.  Here's to a night of friends, laughter, and wine!

Tasting - Peter Mertes Riesling Platinum 2013

Name: Peter Mertes Riesling Platinum
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: Rheinhessen
Country: Germany
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95

Shop Review: This quality Riesling is crisp, clean, and easy drinking. Floral and fruit aromas suggest sweet melon and honey with enough acidity to ensure a beautiful balanced and versatile wine.

My Review: On the nose, I smelled rose petals and hints of lemon.  On the palate, there was melon and also rose petal.  This wine was very smooth to drink as there were no tannins or acidity.  It was quite refreshing and was not overly sweet but also had the right amount of dryness. I picked up a bottle for myself!

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone 2013

Name: Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone
Variety: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre
Region: Rhone
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95

Shop Review: Cleary ruby wine with overtones of red berry fruits. Round and supple with smooth aftertaste. A good all around red wine for meat courses, poultry, and light cheeses. Best drunk now while fresh with good keeping up to 4 years.

My Review: On the nose, I didn't detect any distinct flavoring except red fruits.  On the palate, I was surprised that this red wine had a watery consistency at the beginning but then was reminded at the end that I was drinking wine.  This wine was fairly tart and had a good amount of acidity at the end. Despite all of the hype that these vines were around 30 years old and it is organic, this was not that special of a blend.

I did not have any food with this wine.

Tasting - Terre di Poggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Laude 2012

Name: Terre di Poggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Laude
Variety: 100% Montepulciano
Region: Abruzzo
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $8.95

Shop Review: This opens with dark aromas of leather, tobacco, cured meat, plums, and prune. It shows soft tannins and loads of dark fruit on the finish.

My Review: This was a hard nose to distinguish and I mostly picked out red fruits.  On the palate, I noticed right away that this wine was very tart and seemed to be over-oaked.  I was surprised that it did not have very strong tannins but it did have a very long finish.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Sean Minor Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris 2013

Name: Sean Minor Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Region: Carneros

Country: California

Year: 2013

Price: $20

Winery Review: The Vin Gris is a bright and vibrant salmon color with cherry, strawberry, cranberry, and ripe watermelon aromas on the nose.  On entry, the wine displays bright strawberry flavors. Throughout the mid-palate and finish, raspberry and cherry fruit characters are balanced with spicy and crisp acidity that linger creating a refreshing and length finish.

My Review: On the nose, I smelled a combination of fruits, mostly strawberry and watermelon, and almost a "barnyard" smell.  This wine has an interesting consistency as it could have been almost mistaken for "sweet water."  Overall, it left me interested with its long finish and I'll definitely need to try this one again.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Grande Reserve de Bastides Gaillac 2013

Name: Grande de Bastides Gaillac

Variety: 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% Loin de l'Oeil, 30% Mauzac

Region: Gaillac

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $9.95

Shop Review: A crisp and fruity blend featuring 20% of the herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, 50% creamy Loin de l'ceil and notes of fresh apple and crisp pear, plus a touch of herb from the 30% Mauzac. It has a bright feel, with a hint go mineral on the finish.

My Review: On the nose, I got mostly lemon with a bit of the herby-earth scent.  On the palate, there was almost a tangy feel to this wine with the mineral at the end.  However, there was a bit too much acidity on this palate for my taste.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Bolla Moscato NV

Name: Bolla Moscato 1.5L
Variety: 100% Moscato
Region: Pavia
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $9.95

Winery Review: Color: Lovely straw yellow. Bouquet: Ample and very intense with a fragrance of sage and ripe fruit. Taste: Soft and delicate on the palate with a persistent and lingering fruit finish that hints of musk (where the grape name comes from).

My Review: I could not think of much else to say for this wine except for two words: Orange. Peel. This flavor was so apparent on the nose and on the palate. This flavoring was a delightful change compared to other Moscatos I have had that are all basically the same flavor.  Other than that, the main characteristics of the wine, like its crispness, sweetness, and lightness, were pretty standard to just about any other Moscato.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Monte Degli Angeli Sangiovese 2013

Name: Monte Degli Angeli Sangiovese
Variety: 100% Sangiovese
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: The aromas are rich and dark, with lots of black cherry and a hint of balsamic. In the mouth the wine is round and energetic, with cherry and black raspberry fruit complemented by hints of damp earth. The wine is ripe, fresh, and fruit-driven with a wonderful dash of earth complexity at the end.

My Review: At first glance, I noticed the beautiful purple-red colors this wine was flaunting. On the nose, I detected red mostly red fruits.  I was surprised how light the tannins were in this wine.  I stalled this wine with a bit of a pucker but it did have a long finish.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Monte Aman Rosado Ribera del Arlanza 2013

Name: Monte Aman Rosado Ribera del Arlanza
Variety: 100% Tempranillo
Region: Arlanza, Castille y Leon
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $3.95

Winery Review: It has a cherry red color, live, fresh, clean. Very fruit, berries (strawberries, cherries), elegant and surprising. The palate is well balanced and fresh wine in step, with good acidity and is pleasant and enjoyable.

My Review: On the nose, I mostly picked up hints of lemongrass but my nostrils felt like they were burning from all of the strong citrus.  On the palate, I noticed it was a light rose wine but with too much acidity at the end.  There was not much else going on besides lemon on the palate.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Alvarez de Toledo Godello 2013

Name: Alvarez de Toledo Godello
Variety: 100% Godello
Region: Bierzo
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Clean pale yellow color. Nose fruity, persistent, and elegant aromas. Good backbone on the palate.

My Review: On the palate, I was picking up earthy and barnyard smells (maybe even cat pee?).  On the palate, there were hints of citrus.  This wine was very light and almost had the consistency of water and zero tannins. It was not until the acidity at the end that reminded me that this was wine and not flavored water.  I don't think I would drink this one again.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Villa Jolanda Brut NV

Name: Villa Jolanda Brut
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral banquet with a hunt of pears, apricots, and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste.

My Review: On the nose, I picked up tropical fruits. On the palate, I noticed this was a crisp and bubbly wine.  However, I did not pick up many other flavor descriptors than the tropical fruits because this alcohol content of this wine was burning my nostrils and palate too much.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio 2013

Name: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio
Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Central Coast, California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $9

Tastings.com Review: Pale golden silver color. Mellow aromas and falcons of yellow apples and nectarine with a soft, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, brisk finish with shades of lemon and nutskin with fruit tannins and no oak. A nice relaxing sipper.

My Review: On the nose, all I could really pick up was citrus.  On the palate, I was overwhelmed with bitterness and a watery consistency that was not pleasant.  This wine is the closest thing I have tasted to cat pee. There must be a reason this wine has been kept "private."

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - The Independent Petite Sirah 2013

Name: The Independent Petite Sirah
Variety: 100% Petite Sirah
Region: Clarksburg, California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $13

Club W Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4gp1HgU-6k
(This was the only review I could find and it's in video format!)

My Review: On the nose, I mostly smelled red fruits and bits if black pepper. These flavors were evident in the taste as well. The wine was smooth with very little tannins but became a bit bitter toward the end.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Woodbridge Chardonnay 2013 by Robert Mondavi

Name: Woodbridge Chardonnay by Robert Mondavi

Variety: 77% Chardonnay; 8% French Colombard; 3% Viognier; 4% Muscat; 8% Other White Varieties

Region: Woodbridge, California

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $8

Winery Review: Our Woodbridge Chardonnay displays aromas of tropical fruit with a hint of cinnamon and maple, leading to a rich toasty finish.

My Review: The first thing I noticed about this wine was its beautiful golden color. On the nose, I picked up citrus and lemon. The wine was light and smooth. On the palate however, I was overwhelmed with somewhat of a sour taste and lots of oak. Overall, it was a pretty disappointing wine.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Barefoot Red Moscato NV

Name: Barefoot Red Moscato
Variety: 100% Moscato
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: Non-Vintage
Price: $9

Winery Review: Refreshingly sweet, Red Moscato dances with all the right fruits. Juicy flavors of red cherry and raspberry shimmy with a sweet citrus until the last sip. If you're looking for sweetness, this is the perfect partner for any song.


My Review: On the nose, I smelled honeydew and tropical fruits.  The wine was crisp, light, and did not have any tannins.  Basically, it was just liquid sugar and not the best Moscato I have had.

I did not have food with this wine.

Tasting - Stellar Organics Pinotage 2014

Name: Stellar Organics Pinotage
Variety: 100% Pinotage
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $9

Winery Review: A deep, ruby red wine with a dark cherry tobacco nose. There is a slight sweetness up front on the palate with coffee and dark chocolate notes. Firm tannins and acid round out this wine and give structure.

My Review: On the nose, I got some fruity flavors but not a distinct kind. On the palate, I was surprised to find myself tasting marshmallows and some chocolate.  Unlike the review, I did not find any tannins in this wine but did find it to be pretty light in its feel.  Overall, I thought this was a pretty interesting wine to try because it is Organic and Vegan Friendly. I have never tasted a wine that reminds me of marshmallows so I'm wondering if this flavor is due its being organic!

I did not have food with this wine.

Wine Dinner - "Homemade Smörgåsbord Dinner in Richmond"

This weekend I did a lot of traveling and made a pit stop overnight in Richmond to visit my sister and  brother-in-law.  Conveniently, they were already planning to have a wine & dinner night with some friends so I brought a bottle and the party and pairings got started!

Since there were so many people coming and everyone was bringing something, our dinner turned into a Smörgåsbord of many appetizers (I focused on cheese!), a main dish of buffalo chicken croissant, and a delicious yellow cake with chocolate icing and sprinkles for dessert!

The dinner table setup before all of the other food and wine showed up!

For my first wine, I started off with:

Name: Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 

Variety:  100% Montepulciano 

Region: Abruzzi

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $5

Winery Review: Dark ruby color with plums and strawberry components.

Before I paired this wine with my cheese, I tried it by itself.  On the nose, I smelled mostly red fruits.  On the palate, the red fruits came through but also with some pepper.  There were very little tannins and it was a bit acidic at the end.

(Left to Right) Wisconsin Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Vermont Cheddar, Aged Asiago, and Havarti
Appetizer

Even though I did end up trying all of the cheeses with wines later into the night, I have tried most of them before with wine. I decided to focus on pairing the Pepper Jack cheese appetizer with the Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.  This Pepper Jack cheese definitely had a bite to it before trying it with the wine, so I was interested to see how they would pair.  At first with the wine, the cheese had a bite more of a bite but then it seemed to level off as I had more pieces of it with the wine.  After a while, I noticed the wine became less acidic due to the cheese.  Overall, I don't think Pepper Jack was the best choice for this wine, if any.  I think the softer wines I tried a bit later seemed to suit this wine much better.

Next on the wine list:

Name: Sterling Vintner's Collection Meritage

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 60%; Merlot 25%; Cabernet Franc 8%; Petit Verdot 5%, Malbec 2%

Region: Central Coast, California

Country: USA

Year: 2010

Price: $10

Winery Review: Big flavors of blackberry jam, black cherry, and chocolate accented by a spicy finish.

Before I tried this wine with the main dish of buffalo chicken croissant, I sampled it by itself.  I first noticed that this wine was more or a purple color than the wine I had with my appetizer.  I tasted black cherries and noticed it was overall light in my mouth.  It did have a bit of a spicy kick on the end though!

Buffalo Chicken Croissant - absolute yum!
Main Dish

For our main dish, we had the delicious buffalo chicken croissant above! This dish is made up of chicken, cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and a little bit of hot sauce.  I was interested to see how the spiciness of this dish would pair after I figured out the Sterling Vitner's Collection Merritage had some spiciness at the end.  I actually thought these two complemented each other pretty well. Maybe their spiciness canceled each other out!  I also found that the dish helped cut out some of the wine's acidity as well and made it a bit smoother.  I would definitely pair again!

The last wine on this list: 

Name: Cavit Moscato

Variety: 100% Moscato

Region: Trentino

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $10

Winery Review: With notes of apricot, white peach and sage, a wonderful sweetness, and its vibrant and refreshing quality, it's no wonder America loves Cavit Moscato.

Before I had my dessert, I tried this Moscato by itself.  On the nose, I detected tropical fruits and melons.  On the palate, these tropical fruits were evident and I found the wine to feel fizzy and carbonated.  Overall, it was light and crisp.

A delicious yellow cake with milk chocolate frosting and sprinkles!
Dessert

As my final course for this wine dinner, I paired this Yellow Cake & Milk Chocolate Frosting with the Cavit Moscato.  I found that the wine seemed to go pretty well with the chocolates, but it was almost a little too sweet for my liking (and I like sweet!!).  This pairing could be a bit better if the frosting were a dark chocolate instead.

Overall, this Homemade Smörgåsbord Dinner with wine pairings was a success in my book!  We had a great time talking about all of the wines together.  It was wonderful to hear what other people thoughts of the pairings and what new pairings they found themselves!

Tasting - Beringer White Zinfandel NV

Name: Beringer White Zinfandel
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: Napa Valley, California
Country: USA
Year: Non-vintage
Price: $5

Winery Review: Fresh and delicious with berry-like fruit flavors and aromas of citrus and honeydew. Enjoyable with a wide variety of foods, to pairs especially well with today's spicy cuisine.

My Review:  I ordered a glass of this at a restaurant rather than seeing the bottle, so I was surprised that this wine was a rose color since I was expecting a "white."  The color was gorgeous though with a beautiful pink hue.  On the nose, I smelled citrus fruits.  On the palate, I tasted melon and and berries.  This wine was very smooth with no tannins and very little legs on the glass.  Definitely a good choice for the impending warm weather that is coming our way!

Wine and Cheese Pairing: Spring Break Edition

Welcome to my first wine and cheese pairing (starring me and my family)!  We had three wines (see below) and paired them with 3 cheeses: Havarti, Colby, and Cheddar.

Name: Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling 

Variety: 100% Riesling

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Price: $10

Winery Review: It offers beautiful crisp Washington Riesling character with rich flavors of ripe peaches.  The fresh fruit and decadent character is balanced with crisp acidity to keep the wine in harmony.  This is perfect patio sipping wine or would be a great match with Thai food.

Name: Espuela Del Gaucho Malbec

Variety: 100% Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2014

Price: $11

Winery Review: No other wine reflects the land of the Gaucho like this Argentinean Malbec. Rich flavors of dark carries and sultry notes of vanilla and chocolate, carrying this esteemed wine to a passionate finish, leaving one wishing that night would never end.

Name: Biltmore Cardinal's Crest Red Wine

Variety: "Rare Red Blend," unable to find specifics

Region: North Carolina

Country: USA

Year: NV

Price: $13

Winery Review: Soft and easy-to-drink with dried herb aromas, rich blackberry flavors, and smooth tannins.

Let's get started with the pairing!!

Just beautiful!

I started off with the Harvest Select Riesling and tasted it without any cheese first.  On the nose I smelled lemon and a hint of floral.  On the palate, I tasted a bit of peaches and noticed that the wine was very light and with little tannins.  Eating the Havarti cheese with this wine was simply delicious! I noticed that the wine became a little sweeter and detected more tropical fruits.  The wine also seemed more crisp.  With the Colby cheese, I was able to notice that the wine seemed to have a distinct beginning, midpalate, and finish, but I was not able to pinpoint these exact flavors.  When I tried the Cheddar cheese with the Riesling, I found this was my least favorite cheese to pair with the wine.  The sharpness of the cheddar and the sweetness did not seem to fit as well together as the Havarti or the Colby.  Pairing the Havarti with the Riesling was definitely the best choice for this wine.

Emma wanted in on all of the fun

 Next up was the Malbec!  The first thing I noticed about the Malbec was the beautiful violet and ruby colors.  The picture above does not do it justice! On the nose and the palate I detected red fruits.  The wine was smooth with very little tannins and a bit of acidity toward the finish.  When I tried the Malbec with the Havarti cheese, I found that the wine did not have as fruity of a taste and that the wine seemed a little more acidic toward the end.  But for one reason or another, I still liked this pairing!  Next up was the Colby cheese.  I found that even though there was still some acidity in the wine, the Colby made this Malbec have a smoother finish than the Havarti did.  Finishing up with the Cheddar cheese, I found the Malbec to have a lighter feel in my mouth and I think it actually brought out some of the fustiness of the wine a little more.  Overall, I think all 3 cheeses worked fairly well with this Malbec, but maybe there are a few other cheeses I will need to find to get the perfect match.

Look at those legs! And our Easter decorations...

Last on the list was the Biltmore Cardinal's Crest.  Before eating any cheese, I smelled and sipped this wine.  On the nose, I could tell right off the bat how potent this wine was.  It seemed a nutty aroma was taking over what was supposed to be fruit.  To be fair, this bottle was not newly opened that night, but the flavor was still surprising to me. On the palate, the flavor was bitter, acidic, and the tannins were noticeable.  I went to the cheeses to see what they could do with the wine.  I started off again with the Havarti cheese again and this seemed to help some of the bitterness I was feeling when the wine was by itself, but it still did not seem to completely change the wine.  Next up was the Colby cheese, which was not a great pairing at all.  The wine's flavored seemed even more bitter and it was hard to get the wine down.  Finally, the Cheddar cheese seemed to help out the wine's acidity and flavor a little bit, but not as much as the Havarti.  This is a wine I will need to try again newly-opened to make more accurate and fair observations.

Smelling the Cardinal's Crest and hoping the Cheddar will be a fit...

Overall, I consider this wine and cheese pairing night to be a success! I have only ever tried one wine and cheese together at a time so it was a great experience to mix and match and see which cheese complement which wines.  I will definitely need to do another one of these in the future!

Tasting - Crane Lake Riesling 2013

Name: Crane Lake Riesling
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: Lake Region, California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Punchy lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle. Exceptionally priced, it's satisfying and elegant.

My Review: This wine had a big nose full of papaya and lemon. On the palate, the wine started off sweet and ended up dry with a tiny bit of acidity in the mid-palate. Overall, it was a delightfully light and elegant wine with a cheap price to enjoy after dinner.

I did not have food with this wine.