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!