Wine and Cheese pairing April 16

 

My first wine choice was Giambellino Peach Bellini, Sparkling flavored wine, Germany, Vintage: 2020, 5.99$

Review: This wine was very good. I liked the sparkling factor combined with peach flavors because I had never had a wine like that. It was definitely incredibly fruity- almost too much but still not bad. Very very sweet. This is a perfect wine for summer time and I chose it because I knew it would interact with cheese interestingly, being so bold. 

Online Review: "Cloudy apricot color. Aromas of peach custard and sorbet with a sweet full body and a long candied lime and honeyed peaches finish. A superb peach Bellini that delights and satisfies with its rich natural flavor." (https://www.tastings.com/Wine-Review/Giambellino-Peach-Bellini-Germany-Germany-06-10-2020.aspx) 

I paired this peachy wine with the pepper jack cheese (far left in photo). I also topped it with salami and a club house cracker. This was surprisingly really good. The slight spiciness in the pepper jack was perfect to balance out all of the sweetness in the wine. It also gave the pepper jack more of a kick and emphasized the creaminess. 

Next up was: Winking Owl Savignon Blanc, Variety: Sav Blanc, California, United States, Vintage: 2020, 3.45$ 

Review: This wine was alright. Savignon Blanc is my favorite variety of wine, but this one might have been a bit too acidic for me. It had the usual fruitiness to it and I definitely tasted some citrus in it, which may have emphasized the acidity. Definitely not bad, just not my favorite.

 Online Review: "Layers of citrus, lemon and apple with elegantly balanced acidity. Pairs well with seafood, light pasta dishes and poultry." (https://www.aldi.us/en/products/alcohol/white-wine/detail/ps/p/winking-owl-sauvignon-blanc/) 

 I paired this with the cheddar cheese just because I didn't want to be too risky. This pairing was pretty good. I believe that the cheese made it taste a lot better. The wine brought out the slight tangyness of the cheddar cheese and the cheese seemed to emphasize more of the fruit flavors in the wine as opposed to just sourness. 

 Lastly: Pacific Fruit Vineyards Sweet Blueberry Wine, California, United States, 2022, 4.99$

Review: I really enjoyed this wine. I had been wanting to try another desert wine and this was perfect! It had a fuller body than the other wines but that made it almost kinda creamy which I enjoyed. And, obviously, I could definitely taste blueberries! I also just enjoy drinking darker wines that are served chill because it's different.

Online Review: "Experience a fruity, medium-bodied wine with delicious sweet natural flavors of vibrant blueberry. Perfect complement to a delicious meal, beautiful day, fun party, or on its own. Serve chilled." ( https://www.aldi.us/en/products/alcohol/specialty-wine/detail/ps/p/pacific-fruit-vineyard-sweet-blueberry-wine/) 

I enjoyed this wine with swiss cheese. This honestly was pretty good. The sweetness of the wine from the blueberry flavors matched well with the sweetness in the cheese. I topped this one off with salami and club house crackers for a second taste and it was even more delicious. 

Overall: This was a successful wine tasting! It made for a fun and relaxing Sunday... My roommate also made banana bread (pictured below) so I had to try it with the blueberry wine. 10/10!

Wine and Dinner pairing April 16

 FIRST COURSE

 

This as a little appetizer was very light and refreshing. This apple wine was absolutely delicious and tasted just like apple juice. I was a bit on the fence about pairing such a strong flavor with fruit, but it worked out great. The water in the watermelon made it so the flavors were not overwhelming and it was a nice touch to the apple flavor in the wine. This was very summery and was nice to snack on before the main course. 

Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple, Variety: Virginia Apples, Nelson County, Virginia, August 2022, 13.99$

Review Online: "Bursting with the vibrant fruitiness of just-picked apples, this wine is sweet and smooth, with a clean crisp finish." (https://www.abc.virginia.gov/products/virginia-wine/chateau-morrisette-sweet-mountain-apple?productSize=0) 

 

 SECOND COURSE

For my second course I paired Chardonnay with a fresh cobb salad and chicken wings with ranch. This was a great pairing. The salad had bacon bits, chicken and some egg with ranch dressing. The chardonnay complimented this really well because it added a pop of flavor. My chicken wings did not have sauce on them either so these two foods were perfect with a white wine that is a bit heavier than my usual. It may sound odd but the ranch and Chardonnay paired together really well and it brought out the creaminess in the ranch. 

Barefoot Chardonnay, Variety: Chardonnay, California, United States, NV, 2.99$

Review Online: "Barefoot Chardonnay is dripping with honeyed peach and Fuji apple flavors. It’s as smooth and golden as… gold. Medium-weight with a sweet vanilla aroma. Yum!" ( https://drizly.com/wine/white-wine/chardonnay/barefoot-chardonnay/p1832) 

FINAL COURSE

For my final course, I paired Pinot Noir with Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie dough. I usually love having a red wine with my deserts or a sweet treat but this wasn't my favorite. It made the wine taste a bit sour. I think this cookie dough would have gone great with a desert wine or maybe a blueberry wine. I believe that the chocolates made the pinot noir taste a bit off. 

Barefoot Pinot Noir, Variety: Pinot Noir, California, United States, NV, 2.99 $

Review Online: "Perfectly balanced, the pretty and bright-fruited Barefoot Pinot Noir offers seductive, red fruit flavors on the palate; smooth in the finish." (https://drizly.com/wine/red-wine/pinot-noir/barefoot-pinot-noir/p1839) 

Overall, this was a great meal! My favorite course was definitely the salad, wings and chardonnay. I will definitely pair those together again. I really enjoyed my first course as well and will be making more pairings like that for the warm weather. For my last course, now I know to try cookie dough or anything chocolatey with a desert or fruity dark red. 

Wine Tasting April 16

 French Fizz, Le Blanc, Variety: French Muscat, France, 2021, 6.99$

Review: "...a touch of white peach, finishing citrusy & crisp on the palate. The not-too-sweet, not-too-dry nature of this wine make it a swell companion to cool summer salads..." (https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/french-fizz-le-blanc-2021-072893) 

Wine Folly: "The wines of France have had a profound influence on new and developing wine countries. So, even if you haven't had a French wine before, you've had one inspired by France." (pg. 216)

Personal Review: I liked this because it was a bit different. I liked the slight bubbles it had in it ("fizz"). I could definitely taste the peach in this because I feel like I haven't really had that in other wines. Great wine for a great price

 

Wine Tasting April 16

 

Yellow Tail Savignon Blanc, Variety: Sav Blanc, South Eastern Australia, 12.99$

Review: "Featuring bold flavors of passionfruit and grapefruit, this white wine is light bodied and refreshing." (https://www.instacart.com/landing?product_id=126406&retailer_id=133&region_id=6680016334&utm_medium=sem_shopping&utm_source=instacart_google&utm_campaign=ad_demand_shopping_rp_alcohol_all-non-ca_nv&utm_content=accountid-8145171519_campaignid-16013833169_adgroupid-131420351934_device-c&utm_term=targetid-pla-904132510047_locationid-9008696_adtype-pla_productchannel-online_merchantid-178347322_storecode-_productid-126406&gclid=CjwKCAjwue6hBhBVEiwA9YTx8H8LxjItTLxGuBjjb_7dmRsvqhli7q9ahkkEmw9i8MqjgCNJaGmoShoCnuIQAvD_BwE) 

Wine Folly: Shows that South Australia covers almost half of the acres of all regions (pg. 202)

Personal Review: The first sip was definitely a bit "cat pee"ish like has been mentioned in lectures. Although it was super bold and bitter at first, after the first few sips it grew on me. I honestly could not taste the fruitiness much because it seemed overpowered by the bitterness. 

Wine Tasting April 8

 

Josh Zinfindel, Lodi, California, 2021, 17.99$

Review: "Complex scents of dark fruit, pepper, clove, and vanilla leap from the glass. The palate features flavors of blackberries, cardamom, black licorice, and pepper with a long, smoky finish." https://www.wine.com/product/josh-cellars-zinfandel-2021/1230431

Wine Folly: "California is charecterized by a climate similar to the Mediterranean, making it ideal for full-bodied red wines." pg. 284

Personal Review: I enjoyed this red wine. It tasted like some others I have had in the sense of dark fruit/berry flavors. But, it was a little different because I definitely tasted a bit of vanilla, like the other review said.  

Wine Tasting April 8

 

Cooper's Hawk Riesling, California, 2022, 19.99$

Review: "Incred­i­bly aro­mat­ic, bring­ing togeth­er scents of key lime pie, man­go, hon­ey­dew, bub­ble gum, and sea spray" https://chwinery.com/wine/catalog/white/riesling

Wine Folly: "...That said, areas closer to the Pacific Ocean receive layers of fog that allow great success wit cooler-climate varieties, including whites and Pinot Noir." pg. 284

Personal Review: I really enjoyed this because I don't think I had ever had Riesling before. It was fruity and light and reminded me of the beach. 

Wine Dinner

 

We started the night with 19 Crimes Snoop Dogg Cali Blanc. Variety: Savignon Blanc, region: California, 2022, 14.99 $

Review online: " Nose: Citrus notes with subtle hints of fresh-cut grass and grapefruit. Palate: Tropical fruit up front with lemon and green apple flavors. Round texture from fruitiness and some residual sugar lead to a crisp, long finish. " (https://drizly.com/wine/white-wine/sauvignon-blanc/19-crimes-snoop-dogg-cali-blanc-sauvignon-blanc-white-wine/p246844)

My opinion: I really enjoyed this wine, especially with my first course which was a ceasar salad. It was fruity but not too much. It was also pretty light as well. The flavor I got the most from it would be apple. It complimented the salad because both were very light so they went together well. I also especially enjoyed it with the croutons because the bread brought out some of the fruit tastes in the wine. 

 Kim Crawford Savignon Blanc light. Variety: Sav Blanc. Region: New Zealand. NV: 2021, 19.99 $

Review Online: " Pale yellow with lifted aromatics of passion fruit and guava, with some citrus notes. Elegant yet full flavored, its crisp acidity is highlighted with a refreshing herbal and citrus finish." (https://www.wine.com/product/kim-crawford-illuminate-sauvignon-blanc-2022/1198718?state=CA&s=GoogleBase_CSE_1198718_FREESHIP6_type_Wine_WhiteWine_SauvignonBlanc&showpromo=true&promo=FREESHIP6&region_id=000030&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Smart_Wine_20-50&gclid=CjwKCAjw5dqgBhBNEiwA7PryaM2C7o6piEJ24ys-GaihnJR5EsGj9eHYKjH-PpaOblLJFZx9gkpe6BoCbvYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#closePromoModal)

My opinion: This was the second wine we tasted. It was another savignon blanc but I could definitely tell the difference between the two. This might have been the lightest wine I've ever had- which I love. I got the same apple hints as the Snoop Dogg wine but this was a lot more toned down. We had this with our pasta that was pictured in the previous photo. My roommates and I had some mixed reviews on if they went together well or not. I thought that the lightness of the wine really brought out the pasta sauce and Parmesan well and emphasized it. We had texas toast with it as well and my roommate thought that it took away from the wine too much, since the wine was already very subtle.

Layer Cake Richly Layered Wines. Variety: Shiraz. Region: South Australia. NV: 2021. 14.99$

Review online: "The aromas of cocoa, warm spice and dark fruit are very powerful from the first whiff. In the mouth, the wine is layered with rich blackberry, dark cherries and hints of dark, creamy chocolate ganache. The finish lingers on, hanging on your palate while the fruit and spice flavors slowly change and fade." (https://www.wine.com/product/layer-cake-shiraz-2021/1063428?state=CA&s=GoogleBase_CSE_1063428_FREESHIP6_type_Wine_RedWine_Syrah%2FShiraz&showpromo=true&promo=FREESHIP6&region_id=000030&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Smart_Wine_19.99under&gclid=CjwKCAjw5dqgBhBNEiwA7PryaJwfAqLab4kVzgMnZ9sw_9Tiaq0AWG_iSM8VGgWJ34dx3a0QyJU1ixoCL1YQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#closePromoModal)

Personal review: This may have been my favorite wine of the night. We paired it with brownies and they were amazing together. The wine had a very subtle hint of chocolate but the blackberries were very apparent to me. The blackberry paired great with the soft, warm brownie.

This is just an overview of the table! I did this tasting with three of my roommates and we loved it! Great Thursday night.