Food Pairing - #3

 

The three wines that I chose were a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, and a Shiraz. I had never tried a Shiraz before so this was exciting for me! 

The three courses consisted of an appetizer of spinach and artichoke dip with tortilla chips, a pasta and meat sauce, and for dessert some mini eclairs. 

To begin by discussing the wines on their own. The Cabernet Sauvignon smelled very dark, it had notes of dark ripe cherries and it was very pungent smelling of alcohol (understandably because it was a 2$ bottle from Kroger). This is a wine I would use for a chuck roast and I can already tell it would pair nice with red meat. The taste is extremely overwhelming for just having it on its own. It tastes heavily of alcohol but the dark fruit notes of cherry and maybe a little acidity from red currants. For the Merlot, it was definitely not as heavy smelling as the Cab. It smells of cherries but not that dark red cherry of the Cab. It is quite sweet and has notes of red apples, like the red delicious kind. It also tastes of blackberries, the juicy overripe ones. The Shiraz surprised me. The first smells, I could only smell alcohol. Tasting this wine, I felt like I went through the 5 stages of grief. As first I thought it was pleasant but then I got hit with a spiciness that I was not expecting. It tasted like black pepper, very reminiscent of a red Zinfandel. Then I got flavors of musk and old leather, like you're chewing on an old shoe. My first thought was that the Merlot is my favorite out of the three because of the mellow and more complex fruit flavors that it has. 

Now on to the appetizer! Spinach artichoke dip has to be my favorite appetizer to exist, I even make this recipe for dinner sometimes because it is just that good. But to begin with the Cabernet Sauvignon. The brininess of the artichokes does compliment this wine, the creaminess cuts through that dark red overpowering fruit flavors and makes the wine more suitable to drink. The salty and sweet pairing does well to compliment and it tastes almost as if I am having some fig jam with some creamy cheese. I knew the Merlot was going to be my favorite and I was right. The mellowness of the Merlot pairs perfectly with the creaminess of the dip. The little acidity the wine has does well to cut down on the sharpness that the parmesan has in the dip. The wine retains its sweetness, it's even elevated by the salt and the cream of the dip. I did not have high hopes for the Shiraz. The peppery and spiciness of the wine really works against the dip. It feels like I put two things that should never go together in my mouth. The red fruit flavors do nothing to improve the dip, the dip almost turns sour with this wine. It tastes bitter and the creamy dip almost curdles in the mouth. 

For the main course, I made my favorite comfort meal of pasta with meat sauce and LOTS of parmesan cheese on top. I chose all red wines to go with the heaviness of the carbs and acidity of the sauce for this pairing. To begin, the Cabernet Sauvignon was very pleasant with this dish. The heaviness of the wine swirls to mix with the acidity of the tomato sauce and both become sweet in the mouth. The sweetness of the sauce compliments the sweetness of the dark cherry flavors and it's very reminiscent of having a nice roast. The Merlot was once again my favorite pairing. The mellowness of the wine does well with the acidity of the sauce. Both wine and food do not clash, but work to bring out more flavors in each. I used a lot of onion and garlic in making the sauce and the sweetness of the onion is brought out while the wine takes on a riper, fruity flavor. The sharpness of the parmesan cheese is cut down by the sweetness of the wine. The Shiraz was my least favorite, I think I just do not like this Shiraz... Anyway, the spiciness of the Shiraz overpowers the sweetness of the sauce and it turns a bad acidic, like the aftertaste of throw up. The spice flavors of pepper in the wine do little to bring out the black pepper I used in the sauce which I had been hoping would remedy the Shiraz for me. But alas, any of the red fruit flavors of cherry disappeared and all I could taste is that astringent flavor. 

Finishing off with the dessert, I absolutely love eclairs. I bought mini pastry shells and made my own filling for the eclairs which was a process of its own... custard is hard to make! But I think I did a pretty good job! The Cabernet Sauvignon was pleasantly surprising as the dark chocolate I used as the eclair topper paired extremely well with the dark fruit flavors of the wine. The chocolate worked to bring out the jammy and fig flavors of the wine. The custard filling also cut through the alcoholic taste and softened the harshness of the tannins in the wine. The Merlot was again a favorite. Wine Folly has "fruit cake" (page 132) listed as a possible flavor note of Merlot, and this is very accurate to how the Merlot tasted with he chocolate covering. The custard also cut through any of the "cheapness" of the wine, by cheapness I mean that these cheap red wines all have a very strong alcoholic flavor. The Shiraz was again a disappointment. I do have to say this was my favorite pairing for the Shiraz but it still was not great. The spiciness is cut down by the custard but the red fruit flavors turn almost rotten and too ripe, like biting into an overripe strawberry, it just has that taste. The chocolate does well to pair with the first sharpness of the wine and cuts down the wines acidity. 

To conclude my thoughts, the next time I try a Shiraz I think I will have to have someone more experienced pick out a bottle for me to try. Red wine has always been a little heavy for me and I do not often drink it but I think when I cook with red meat, I would rather have a red wine than a white. Overall, the Merlot exceeded my expectations and I would buy that bottle again. 

Tasting - Sauvignon Blanc

Name: King's Family Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc 

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Crozet, Virginia

Country: United States

Year: 2021

Price: 33$

Like Professor Boyer has hammered into our heads, the New World wines are known after the winemaker and the grape variety. This wine had no name to it other than the vineyard and the grape variety. This was interesting to see this in real life and not just as a lecture fact. 

The vineyard describes the wine as "Inspired by the white wines of the Loire Valley, this Virginia Sauvignon Blanc has nuanced complexity, bright acidity, and pronounced citrus characteristics. It is a versatile food pairing wine that will continue to age well in the bottle for several years." 

My Review using Wine Folly: I usually like white wines and Sauvignon Blancs but this wine was so extremely acidic that it was hard to get through. The winery said that this wine was inspired by Loire Valley wines and Wine Folly (page 166) notes that Sauvignon Blanc's from Loire Valley are lean, crisp, and oaky. This wine was heavily crisp for sure, but I cannot begin to describe how much of a let down this wine was. The acidity tasted of grapefruit and lime but that acidity overpowered any other notes I tried to taste. It was very green and grassy but it did not have a buttery or smooth taste that I am used to with Sauvignon Blancs. Overall, I would not recommend this wine to anyone that does not like citrus or acidity. 

Tasting - Crosé

 

I recently visited King's Vineyards in Crozet, Virginia with some friends and tried two wines there. The first wine was a Rosé.

Name: Crosé

Variety: Merlot

Region: Crozet, Virginia

Country: United States

Year: 2022

Price: 22$ 

It was difficult to find a wine review online but this is the description from the vineyard "Our dry, Merlot based rosé is fresh and crisp with notes of grapefruit, lime, watermelon, and a light grassiness on the nose. Throughout the palate, a lifting acidity carries flavors of bitter cherry, peach, and rose petal. Friendly with lighter fare, this wine is also a great companion for the porch or patio." 

My Review using Wine Folly: To begin, this wine is very acidic and dry. There is no sweetness which helps the acidic citrus flavors of grapefruit come out. There is also a lot of floral notes, like the winery describes, of rose petals. Wine Folly describes Merlots (page 132) as having a new leather taste, which I can say that I could taste. It had that distinct first hit of smell and taste as a new leather belt or shoes. There were some red fruit tastes of cherry but it was not dark red, like the first cherries of the summer season. Overall I enjoyed this wine, but it was a little too acidic for my palate. 

Wine and Cheese Pairing #3

For this wine and cheese paring I chose a Sauvignon Blanc, a Rosé, and a Riesling. For the cheeses I chose a white sharp cheddar, a Colby Jack, and a Fromager D Affindis.

Trying the Sauvignon Blanc, the first notes that I smell are floral, like gardena and it has a more green smell. It’s extremely white in the glass and it almost looks like water. Having my first taste it was not very acidic, it was a little buttery, the acidity does come out as an after taste. It still has strong floral notes but also some fruit notes of green apple. 

When smelling the Rosé first, it smells a little musty like wet laundry left out for too long but it also smells fruity and floral. When tasting, it was very mellow in flavor and it was hard to pinpoint exactly what I was tasting. It does have some red fruit notes like raspberries and strawberries and there is little to no acidity, and it even smells more acidic than it tastes. 

Immediately smelling the Riesling, right off the bat, I could immediately smell the distinct smell of elderberries and echinacea. It's a very nostalgic smell from my childhood when I would get sick and my mom would give me cough syrup. Tasting the wine, it was very sweet, and who would have guessed... It tastes like echinacea and elderberry, and the wine feels thicker, so it really resembled cough syrup. 

Now for the cheeses. The cheddar is not my favorite cheddar I've ever tried, it is very sharp and not creamy at all. It's also very brittle. The Colby is very mild, there is a sharpness that tastes like cheddar but it is also very soft and chewy. The last cheese I selected is called Fromager D Affindis. I usually like creamy cheeses but this one has a very distinct flavor of rotting lettuce in the fridge, I don't know how else to describe it, it was not a pleasant first taste.   

To begin the pairings, I'll begin with the Sauvignon Blanc. Trying this wine with the cheese, my immediate first thought was these do not compliment each other. The flavors do not mix, the sharpness of the cheddar brings out an acidity in the wine that tastes bitter and acrid. There was no mixing of flavors in the mouth, and the wine turned into something rather unpleasant. I was expecting the same to be with the Colby but I was surprised at how the sweetness of the wine is brought out. The wine mellows out the slight sharpness of the Colby and both the wine and the cheese turn into a slightly sweet, mellow taste. The greenery of the wine is not as noticeable and the acidity mellows out as well. I did not have high hopes for the Fromager but the creaminess of the cheese comes out from the wine, this wine transforms the cheese into something I can tolerate, the rotten taste subsides and the earthiness comes out. The wine mellows out and theres a buttery feel on the mouth. The green flavors of grass are heightened and I enjoyed this cheese way more with this wine than the cheese on its own. 

For the Rosé, I was also surprised as to how the cheddars sharpness compliments the fruity strawberry and raspberry flavors of the wine. This is a lovely pair, it felt like I was eating a strawberry off a fruit plate with some cheese. The cheddar is very distinct and the sharpness is complimented by the sweetness of the wine. 

I was expecting something similar with the Colby but the wine turns bitter with this cheese. It feels very slimy on the mouth and the acidity of the wine is brought out. The sweet fruit flavors are hard to find as the cheese kind of coats the mouth with this wine. For the Fromager, the the creaminess of the cheese is brought out, and the rotten garbage taste goes away. The fruit flavors compliment the earthiness of the cheese and it feels like this pairing is enjoying a summer salad. 

I did not have high hopes for the Riesling because of the cough syrupy tastes I got earlier. For the cheddar, the sweetness of the wine turns to a metallic penny taste, which I’ve noticed happens with a lot of Rieslings, these two don’t pair. The sweetness of the wine overpowers the cheese and the floral notes of the wine are heightened and it just tastes too strongly of elderberry. For the Colby, I had to choke down this combination, it’s awful. There was absolutely nothing that complimented this pairing. The wine almost curdles the cheese and both the wine and cheese being sweet, it just overpowers the palate. For the Fromager, the creaminess of the cheese cuts through the sweetness of the wine and the earthy flavors are able to tone down how much this wine tastes like cough syrup. There is no acidic taste but the metallic taste of pennies still remains. 

Overall my favorite pairing was the Sauvignon Blanc and the Fromager. I probably won't be buying Fromager in the future because how much it reminds me of the smell of rotting lettuce but now I know! I think the Rosé best paired with the Colby and the Riesling paired best with the Fromager. The cheddar can beat it, it was not the best cheddar I have ever had but it left a lot to be desired. 

Tasting - Hive & Honey Riesling

 

Name: Hive & Honey

Variety: Riesling, Gewürztraminer 

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2022

Price: 9.99$

Wine Review from Drizly: "At first sip, this mouthwatering Riesling charms with aromas of citrus blossom, nectarine and Meyer lemon. Enticing flavors of pear; pineapple and passionfruit play across the palate. Light bodied with crisp acidity, it is balanced by the perfect amount of sweetness and a refreshing fruit finish."

My Wine Review using Wine Folly: I'm on a Riesling kick. First, the smell of this wine is very warm and yeasty, like green apples. There are aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossoms. Wine Folly on page 159 describes Riesling having citrus notes of lime, lemon, citrus zest, and pink grapefruit. Upon my first sip, I definitely tasted the citrus zest. This wine has a little more acidity to it, which adds a nice component and gives it some complexity. I also heavily taste a sweet honey as a main flavor and letting the wine linger in the mouth has a more green vegetable flavor, like green apple or grass. I enjoyed this wine but I would probably would not buy it again because I did not really enjoy the acidity. 

Tasting - Bee You Riesling

 

Name: Bee You

Variety: Riesling

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2022

Price: 10.99

Wine Review from Wine Enthusiast: "Fresh caviar lime and lemon aromas make for an electric nose on this bottling. It's slightly sweet on the sip, with stonefruit and citrus flavors zesting up the honeyed core."  — Matt Kettmann

My Wine Review using Wine Folly: First, I absolutely loved this wine. Smelling the wine, it was very mellow, and it smelled like honeysuckles. Wine Folly on page 159 has a chart of the tastes of Rieslings. There are a lot of tropical fruits such as pineapple and mango. When I first tasted the wine, I tasted immediately floral notes of honeysuckle and what Wine Folly would describe as jasmine on page 157. The flavor was very crisp and sweet, it did have some tropical notes of pineapple but without the acid that pineapple has. The taste surrounds the mouth and feels slippery. I did not get very many citrus flavors from the wine that the review noted, although it was crisp there was no acid which made the wine feel mellow and like a refreshing glass of cold juice on a hot day. This wine has made me a fan of Rieslings, and I'd like to try more! 

Wine and Cheese Pairing - #2

If I had to choose one kind of food I had to eat for the rest of my life, it would be cheese. I've had some wine and cheese before but during those times I was not actively using my senses and knowledge to apply descriptions to what I was tasting. After conducting this assignment, I understand now that both the wine and cheese matter to the eating experience. 

The cheeses I selected were a Saint Angel triple cream, Kraft mild cheddar, and a double cream Brie. The wines I selected were 2021 Pino Grigio from California that was 7.99$, a 2021 rosé from California that was 7.99$, and a 2021 Riesling from Germany that was 10.99$. 

The way I conducted this tasting was I did the sniff and taste test with each wine, tried each cheese, and then I tried the first cheese with each wine, the second cheese with each wine, and so on. 

Let's begin with each wine on its own beginning with wine number one, Pino Grigio. When conducting the sniff test, I first smelled a lot of green, like green grass, and green vegetables, with a little sour smell mixed in. When tasting, it was very dry and light, the taste lingered on the tongue. Specific notes are that it tasted very floral and green, like a cucumber. There was not a lot of acidity. 

For wine number two, the rosé, the first smells were that it smelled very sweet like a warm spring day. It smelled of roses and ripe raspberries. When tasting, it was almost startlingly very mild, there was not a lot of flavor and the flavor that existed did not last long. There was a little acidity which came in the flavor of strawberries. 

For wine number three, the riesling, there was not a lot to smell! Unlike the other wines in this tasting, the smell was very one dimensional and smelled on honey. The taste was quite sweet and it had an overwhelming mouth feel which tasted metallic. Honestly, it tasted like I was licking pennies. This was a little disappointing but thats what I get for falling for the marketing of the bottle. The bottle is in the shape of a cat! Can you blame me? It was too cute to pass up!

For the cheeses, cheese number one was the Saint Angel triple cream. I have never had Saint Angel before but WOW! It was incredibly decadent. It was so creamy that it was sticky. But it tasted of rich cream and had a little earthy taste. 

The second cheese is the Kraft mild cheddar, I've had this cheese before, it's the cheese that us broke college students pick up when they need a cheese fix for cheap. It was very mild but did have a little signature cheddar sharpness. 

The third cheese is the double cream Brie. Brie has been my favorite cheese for as long as I can remember. This cheese was creamy, very earthy, and had some mushroom flavors to it. 

Now on to the pairings, starting with wine number one, Pino Grigio. I began with the Saint Angel, and it was actually very delicious! The flavor of the wine completely changed and the greenness of the wine compliments the sweet and creamy taste of the cheese. The wine definitely cuts through the richness of the cheese, which makes it very easy to eat. There was no bitterness or acidity with the pairing. For cheese number two, the mild cheddar, it was very jarring when tasting them together. The cheese is so mild and the acid of the wine is brought out and it feels like it’s curdling the cheese in your mouth. That is a sensation I will never forget. The green flavors disappear and there’s a bitter acidity that lingers in the mouth even after a few minutes. For the third cheese, the Brie, the pairing was not as palatable as the Saint Angel but it was still enjoyable. The creaminess of the cheese mellows out the wine and unlike with the Saint Angel, the wines floral notes come out. It tastes like smelling a daffodil, not too floral but you know you're smelling a daffodil. The cheese makes the wine taste very fresh and clean. It had a green apple taste and feel, like that tart mouth pucker feel but it's an enjoyable feeling. 

Moving on to wine two, the rosé. Beginning with the Saint Angel. Both the wine and the cheese and quite sweet, with no bitterness. But tasting them together the wine becomes very bitter, and that bitterness lingers on the tongue. The aftertaste was not pleasant, it tasted like the aftertaste of throwing up, like that stomach acid type taste. The fruit notes of the wine disappear. The wine and cheese kind of clash in the mouth, never truly mixing. For the second cheese, the mild cheddar, the strawberry flavors are brought out immensely. The wine becomes more fresh and the sharpness of the cheddar increases with this wine. I felt like Remi the rat in the scene in Ratatouille when he tastes the cheese and strawberry together and fireworks go off in his head. The wine with the cheese is not as sweet but thats not a bad thing. The acidity is also brought out in the wine with the mildness of the cheddar. For the third cheese, the Brie, the immediate feel is a mouth pucker, but like a bad alcohol pucker that feels like you just took a shot of vodka. The cheese is earthy, the wine brings out the mushroom and earth flavors of the cheese. The wine doesn’t over power the cheese but I wouldn’t say it compliments it either. The strawberry taste leaves and it almost tasted like blackberries. 

Finally, wine number three, the riesling. With the Saint Angel, my initial reaction was that the flavors of the wine and cheese do not blend, you can distinctly taste both. But the cheese changes the flavor of the wine and makes it taste like what the inside of a refrigerator smells like. It is not unpleasant but the wine does not cut down the cheese, it doesn't increase, it's just separate. But I will note that there’s also a floral note to the wine with the cheese, like of violets, fresh and green. For the mild cheddar, my first reaction was wow, the acidity is very pungent with the cheese. This cheese seems to bring the acidity of the wine out. The wine has no sweetness to it with the cheese, I can taste metallic flavors, and again, the aftertaste of throw up. This cheese almost makes this wine taste like a Chardonnay, it’s very acidic with the cheese. There was also a mouth pucker feel to it. For the Brie, the wine just cuts through the fattiness of the cheese, like an immediate cut but not in a pleasant way. The wine got rid of creaminess of the cheese, which is why I enjoy Brie, for the creaminess. Maybe I just don’t like this wine but it just tastes like pennies and refrigerator. The earthiness of the cheese is brought out by the wine and it turns very mushroomy but it is clear that the wine and cheese do not compliment each other.

My final thoughts are that by far my favorite pairing was the Pino Grigio and the Saint Angel. I'm the biggest fan of Pino Grigio but this pairing has changed my mind. My second favorite pairing was the rosé with the mild cheddar, I enjoyed the contrast of sweet and sharp, maybe next time I will go for a sharp cheddar and a rosé. For the riesling, I honestly just did not like the wine itself.