Tasting - Pizza Lovers Bianco

Name: Pizza Lovers Bianco

Variety: Chardonnay

Region of Origin: Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: N/A 

Price: $4

Winery Review: This unique Pizza Lovers White Wine was created by blending an internationally well-known grape such as Chardonnay with two traditional and characteristic varieties from Friuli, Ribolla Gialla and Friulano. Softness and harmony meld with the power and typical characteristics of the region. The three grape varieties are fermented into white wine separately before being combined into a single wine in different percentages depending on the year. The wine is stored in steel tanks for around 5 months to optimize the primary aromas of the grapes.

Wine Folly:  One of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from sparkling Blanc de Blancs to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak.

Chardonnay pairs best with subtle spices and flavors. For example, try matching it with creamy, buttery flavors and soft textures. Lobster is a winning match.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of fruit qualities, which I would relate to pineapple as many describe this type of wine. The wine additionally smells a little sweet like honey. The wine was sweet though it wasn't sickly sweet, but rather a nice sweetness as it was a little acidic. I don't get as much as the other yellow apple, starfruit, or any other qualities as described in the wine folly. I tried it with pizza as in the name of the wine and it brought out a little more acidity though apart from that it didn't do much. It was mute and did not have much flavor overall. The wine wasn't bad but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it again.

I tasted this on its own and paired it with pizza.

Tasting - Pizza Lovers Rosso

Name: Pizza Lovers Rosso

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region of Origin: Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: N/A 

Price: $4

Winery Review: A combination of two international grape varieties, Merlot and Cabernet, with unique blending properties. These two varieties were made to be blended, and each one brings all the right notes for a high quality red wine. The grapes are macerated for around 7 days, during which the colour and all the elements that make up the wine are extracted. The subsequent 9-month fining process in steel tanks brings out the notes of the two grape varieties.

Wine Folly:  The world’s most popular wine is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that originated in Bordeaux. Wines are concentrated and age-worthy.

The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of fruit qualities, which I would relate to black cherry as many describe this type of wine. The wine doesn't really have any other smells. The wine was a little dry but nothing else big. I don't get as much as the other black currant, cedar, or any other qualities as described in the wine folly. I tried it with pizza as in the name of the wine and it brought out a little more fruitiness though apart from that it didn't do much. It was mute and did not have much flavor overall. The wine wasn't bad but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it again.

I tasted this on its own and paired it with pizza.

Wine and Cheese Pairing 1

A couple friends and I decided to get together on a Saturday night to pair wines and cheeses together. When we start, I grab my Lactaid and hope that my lactose intolerance doesn't get the best of me. We have kind of tried this before in a previous tasting with aged gouda but now it is much more than on cheese and wine.

Cheers!

The first pairing was a sparking rosè combined with Murrays' Irish Cheddar.

Bottle of I Lauri Spumante Rosé Brut

Wine 1: I Lauri Spumante Rosé Brut

Variety: Montepulciano

Region of Origin: Central Italy 

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: Not Listed

Price: ~$10

The wine had a floral and vegetal smell, that I can't narrow down. The wine by itself tastes somewhat dry and has floral notes along with what seems like some grass. It was nice and bright by itself but it was then paired with Murrays' Irish Cheddar.

A Nice Aestic Setup of the Wine and Cheese

When paired with the cheese, the wine felt like it made the cheese stronger at the beginning as it was a good bit saltier. It also gave things a much creamier mouthfeel and allowed for the floral notes more visible within the wine. Though the carbonation seemed to detriment the other aspects of things as it ended up making things spicy causing things to contradict. It ended up being a good pairing.

The next pairing was a Riesling paired with a Brie Cheese.

Bottle of August Kessler Riesling

Wine 2: August Kessler Riesling

Variety: Riesling

Region of Origin: Rheingau

Country of Origin: Germany

Vintage Year: 2022

Price: ~$15

I've had a decent amount of Rieslings at this point as they are my favorite wine. This doesn't deviate from what they are normally as it smells like lime, green apple, and a little petroleum on the backend as described. When tasting, it tastes like apple juice with a little lime, and a little petroleum on the backend again. It was nice by itself but it was then paired with a Brie Cheese.

Another Nice Aestic Setup of the Wine and Cheese

The Brie Cheese was a strong cheese that was quite salty and soft. When paired with the Riesling they were not a pairing as nothing changed, it was just salty cheese with a Reisling. It was seen that the Riesling was not strong enough for the Brie as it was just being overpowered by the Brie. They did not work well together and it was disappointing as they both were great by themselves.

The final pairing was a Chianti paired with Manchego Cheese.

Bottle of Monte Guelfo Chianti

Wine 3: Monte Guelfo Chianti

Variety: 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino

Region of Origin: Tuscany

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: ~$15

This wine smells like darker fruit similar to figs and a little like a distinct new leather smell. The wine tastes hot and spicy, quite dry. It hits a little differently being jammy with figs. It was nicely balanced and I liked it already by itself, which is unlike most reds I've tried so far. It was then paired with a Manchego Cheese.

Final Nice Aestic Setup of the Wine and Cheese

The pairing made the wine much fruitier helping bring out the fig for confirmation and bringing out a nice and creamy texture. The pairing worked decently well and I liked it with the saltiness of the cheese. This helped balance things out well overall.

The wine-cheese pairing overall helped open my mind to the many things that wine can be paired with and helped give me an idea of what to try next. It also taught some lessons about experimentation and that sometimes it doesn't work out. It was overall a great experience. Cheers 🥂!

Dinner - Potluck

My Friends and I at the Start of the Night

It was on a Thursday night that a group of friends and I decided to do, what was pretty much a potluck but with a little organization. We brought together a good bit of food and wine with some coordination on what would pair well together. We then proceeded to start off the night with a Prosecco along with some roasted vegetables. 

The Cool Bottle of the Villa Jolanda Prosecco

Wine 1: Villa Jolanda Prosecco Extra Sec

Variety: Glera

Region of Origin: Northern Italy 

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: Not Listed

Price: ~$17

The wine smells quite floral and "bright" though apart from that nothing else could be picked out. On first taste, the wine was dry, floral, and a little spicy probably due to the CO2. It was still nonetheless quite refreshing especially after cooking for the dinner. It was paired with a small appetizer that I made of roasted vegetables.

The Roasted Veggies Start Dish I Made

This may be a little biased because I made the first dish but it was my favorite pairing of the night. The veggies were roasted and seasoned simply with salt & pepper along with some garlic powder plus a little lemon juice towards the end for a little zing. The two paired well with food due to the bitter taste of roasted veggies, helping mellow it out and helping make it lighter. They also kept well with the other parts of the veggie's sweetness with it not being overpowering and complimented well with acidity. The food made the wine much more light and floral by cutting down the acidity. This was an amazing combination and I would do this again but maybe with a different set of veggies.

The First Course has Been Served!

Moving on to the main course, a friend made butter chicken curry which was quite spicy, and this was paired with a rosè.

Bottle of Fabre en Provence Côtes de Provence Rosè

Wine 2: Fabre en Provence Côtes de Provence Rosè

Variety: Grenache

Region of Origin: Côtes de Provence

Country of Origin: France

Vintage Year: Not Listed

Price: ~$17

The wine smells fruity similar to a pear and a little floral. The wine tastes a little dry with citrus flavor that I would relate to limes. I would say that the floral aspects were there also and overall it was decently balanced with a light-to-medium body. It was paired with a spicy butter chicken and rice.

The Second Course of Butter Chicken and Rice

It paired ok with the food as it enhanced the spicyness, which I didn't really enjoy. It did bring out the butter chicken's other spices a little which was nice contrast to the spicyness. At least the butter chicken and its spicyness did help bring out the floral flavors of the wine after mellowing it out. It did help bring out the flavors of both but I wasn't a big fan of it enhancing the spiciness of the butter chicken. It was ok but it would be interesting to try it with other foods that are not as spicy or try the butter chicken with a sweeter wine like a white wine.

Having Some Food and Fun with Friends

Finally on to the well anticipated dessert, a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing made by another friend. This was paired with a sweet red wine that is really close to a dessert wine but isn't exactly one.

Bottle of Peter Mertes Platinum Dornfelder

Wine 3: Peter Mertes Platinum Dornfelder Sweet Red

Variety: Dornfelder

Region of Origin: Rheinhessen

Country of Origin: Germany

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: ~$20

It smells like honey and very fruity like some red fruit. It tasted quite sweet but a little dry still which is a nice balance. It also had fruity tastes with hints of cherry and strawberry, which I liked a lot. It is much more heavy body compared to the other which was a nice contrast.

The Delicious Red Velvet Cake

They paired quite well together as they both bring the best out of each other. It helps

enchance the taste of the red velvet as it brings out sourness within the cake to help balance out the sweetness of the cake and the cake helps bring out the fruityness of the wine. They both suprisingly paired well with each other and helped to work with each other. They were not too sweet for each other and was nice. It was quite unexpected but following advice from the lecture, we tried it out and was surpised and enjoyed it.

The Final Course and Close to the Night

This dinner was a lot of fun along with quite educational. It helped open my eyes to the endless possibilities when pairing wines with foods as this is the first time I've done that with any meal. I would love to try this again especially with other friends and it was great experience overall.

Tasting - Heinz Eifel Shine

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine

Variety: Gewürztraminer

Region of Origin: Rheinhessen

Country of Origin: Germany

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: ~$12

Winery Review: Light yellow, produced in an off-dry style with exotic aromas and flavors of lychee, rose petal, passion fruit and ginger.

Wine Folly: Treasured for its intense floral aromas, Gewürztraminer has thrived for centuries in Europe. Wines are best enjoyed in their youth when acidity is highest. 

The sweet floral aromatics and ginger-like spice paired with a fuller body make Gewürztraminer a great partner to Indian and Moroccan Cuisine.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of tropical fruit qualities, which I would relate to Lychee as many describe this type of wine. I also got some floral notes out of it along with something that smelled a little spicy. When tasting it has fruity qualities and the Lychee aspect is almost immediately recognizable. It also had some floral notes with spiciness there again. The wine was sweet though it wasn't sickly sweet, but rather a nice sweetness as it was a little dry. I don't get as much as the other grapefruit or tangerine qualities as described in the wine folly. It was overall nicely balanced and I would try this wine again especially with food due to its nice fruity and floral qualities.

I tasted this on its own and was not paired with anything.

Tasting - Catena Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Catena Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region of Origin: Mendoza, Argentina

Country of Origin: Argentina

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: ~$20

Winery Review: The Catena Cabernet Sauvignon shows a dark ruby color with violet tones. On the nose, it offers intense aromas of ripe raspberries and cassis with notes of pepper, clove, and a touch of cedar. On the palate, it is full-bodied and rich and displays layers of black currant and black raspberry with notes of cedar and oregano. This Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant wine with silky tannins that provide structure and a long and persistent finish

Wine Folly: The world’s most popular wine is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that originated in Bordeaux. Wines are concentrated and age-worthy. The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor.

Pair this Cabernet with red meats like steak or lamb, demi-glace sauces, or with Steak Frites for a simple bistro-style meal.

My Review: The wine hits you with a scent of fruitiness which I would relate to cherry. There is definitely a smell of something spicy like cinnamon or cloves. When tasting it has somewhat of a woody taste towards the end. The wine was tart and dry giving a mouth-puckery feel. I don't really get much of the graphite or black currant though I don't know what exactly black currant is really. The wine was dry but it had a good balance. I liked this wine with its nice balance and I would try this wine again.

I tasted this on its own and was not paired with anything.

DTN! - Lesson 1 Activity

My Friends and I Doing the Lesson

I recently did the Drink The Now: Lesson 1 with some friends at the Blacksburg Wine Lab. The objective is to taste red wine by itself and then see how cheese and meat affect the flavor of the wine when paired together. 

The Instructions Given for the Lesson

There was a set of instructions given to us there to follow. Step 1 is the main wine tasting. Step 2 is to try the wine with the cheese. Step 3 is finally to try the wine with the meat. 

The Wine Flight along with the Cheeses and Meat

Wine 1: Bocchino Barbera D'Asti

Variety: Barbera 

Region of Origin: Piemont

Country of Origin: Italy

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: $40/bottle

1) On the first smell, the wine had a fruity smell, which I would relate to cherries. Apart from that, there were no other distinguishing smells. When tasting, it was quite hot and dry though not all the way dry as it seems like there was some residual sugar left. It was a little herbaceous on the backend with the fruity, cherry flavor still there. It was a light-to-medium-bodied wine. 

2) When I tried it with the El Trigal Manchego Cheese, it definitely helped soften the tannins down a little and additionally helped reduce the dryness of the wine. It definitely helps make the fruitiness much more pronounced and it definitely helps confirm its cherry that was the fruit being tasted earlier. It also did help make the nutty flavors within the cheese more pronounced also which was interesting. 

When tried along with the Eru Spreadable Gouda Cheese, it was a similar experience but this time it made things much more silky and light which was really nice. 

3) When I tried it with the Speck, it definitely had a weird sensation that I couldn't describe. The pairing brought out a nice pepperiness along with a leathery taste. The speck helped contrast out the slight bit of sweetness within the wine making things much more pronounced and stronger, which was nice and I like it.

Wine 2: Diaz Bayo Ribera del Duero

Variety: Tempranillo

Region of Origin: Castilla y Leon

Country of Origin: Spain

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: $44/bottle

1) On the first smell, the wine had a fruity smell but this time it was much more tropical to me with some earthy undertones. When tasting, it was dryer than the previous wine but not drastically drier. It definitely has a cherry taste but there is still something with tropical fruits I can't seem to pinpoint. Additionally, there is still the earthy undertone. This overall helped give the wine a nice balance with a medium body.

2) When I tried it with the El Trigal Manchego Cheese, it helped mellow things out greatly along with making the wine less dry. This brought out other fruity flavors that I can't seem to pinpoint but the best I can say is that it was some darker fruits. There are still tropical undertones but more pronounced now. It overall worked really well.

When tried along with the Eru Spreadable Gouda Cheese, it was a similar experience but this time it made things softer and silky again.

3) When I tried it with the Speck, it made things much drier but that wasn't a bad thing as it brought out the pepperiness again. There was also a much more pronounced earthiness, which was interesting.

Wine 3: Terres d'Avignon

Variety: Tempranillo

Region of Origin: Côtes-du-Rhône

Country of Origin: France

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $40/bottle

1) On the first smell, the wine was quite different compared to the others as it had more of a black fruit smell and the earthiness was much more pronounced this time. When tasting it was seen to be quite dry but it wasn't unpleasant. Additionally, the wine had some acid which was surprising. The black fruit again was quite prominent with the taste. 

2) When I tried it with the El Trigal Manchego Cheese, it made things much creamier and helped bring out the fruitiness within the wine. This again made things dryer but it wasn't unpleasant. Overall was an amazing pairing and I like this the most.

When tried along with the Eru Spreadable Gouda Cheese, it was a similar experience but this time the fruitiness was seen as much jammier and licorice was added into the mix of things.

3) When I tried it with the Speck, it was ever so slightly softer and it had a smokier taste to the wine. Additionally, it had the expected pepperiness that was seen with the others. 

The Wine Flight along with the Cheeses and Meat at Another Angle

Overall this lesson was quite interesting and it allows me to see how cheese and meat paired with some red wines. It was seen the cheese worked really well with the pairings, this is probably due to how the cheese has a higher fat content compared to the meat. This probably helped the wine in pairing with cheese overall. I would love to try this experiment with white wines now to see how brighter wines change how these different meats and cheeses taste. Cheers!

My Friend and I After the Flight