Wine Dinner 3

Course 1: Dressed Crostini w/ Chianti

For this course, I paired a Chianti with a dressed crostini. I came across this beautiful olive rosemary sourdough loaf at a local bakery, and I thought it would certainly fall somewhere in my wine dinner tonight. I decided make a freshly baked crostini out of the loaf with some drizzled olive oil, goat cheese, pepper jam, and some crispy prosciutto.

Name: Toscolo Chianti

Variety of Grape(s): Sangiovese

Country of Origin: Italy

Region of Origin: Chianti

Vintage Year: 2022

Price: $18.99

Nose: Strong nose, tannins, red berries, earth

Taste: Very balanced, acidic, red berries, tannic, medium mouthfeel, pretty dry, tobacco, oaky, vanilla

Pairing: Jam hides sweetness of the wine while prosciutto hides acidity and dryness. Overall balance remains the same, but less pronounced flavors overall. Oaky flavors remain.

Course 2: Black Truffle Mushroom Ravioli w/ Sangiovese

For our second course, we enjoyed some black truffle mushroom ravioli with chicken meatballs from Trader Joe's. I also made a quick tomato, cucumber, mozzarella salad topped with basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, and salt and pepper. To pair, we decided to compare two seemingly similar wines. I chose a second Tuscan, sangiovese-based wine that I picked up from Vintage Cellar.

Name: Famiglia Corsettini Arbos Sangiovese

Variety of Grape(s): Sangiovese

Country of Origin: Italy

Region of Origin: Tuscany

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $12

Nose: Pepper, acidic, dry, tannins, dark berries

Taste: Sweet, yet balanced, cherries, dark berries, tobacco, dry, very peppery, spiced, light mouthfeel

Pairing: Absolutely amazing. Every single thing about it was perfect. Richness of cheese and black truffle cut by acidity and dryness. Mozzarella tasted super sweet and had a wonderful creaminess. Rosemary in the chicken meatballs went wonderfully with the pepper and spiced flavors of the wine.

Wine was a 4.3/5. I loved it!

Course 3: Bananas Foster w/ Sauternes 

For our final course, I paired my "Tyler's Famous Bananas Foster" with a nice sweet Sauternes at Trader Joe's.

Name: Louis Eschenauer Sauternes

Variety of Grape(s): Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

Country of Origin: France

Region of Origin: Sauternes

Vintage Year: 2022
Price: $9.99

Nose: Mild aroma, floral, citrus, fruits, grapefruit is strong

Taste: Very sweet, yet balanced. Apple, sugary, brown sugar, pear, fruity, less citrusy

Pairing: They go well together. Walnuts and banana pair super well with the sweetness. Creaminess of the ice cream is cut by the slight acidity in the wine.

Wine and Cheese 3

Pairing 1: Pinot Noir

Name: Meiomi Pinot Noir

Variety of Grape(s): Pinot Noir

Country of Origin: United States of America

Region of Origin: California

Vintage Year: 2023

Price: $40

Nose: Fruity, sweet, dark berries, cherry, no tannins

Taste: Very sweet, mild tannins, plum, cherries, strawberry, oak, vanilla, heavy

Cheese: Murray Honey Goat Gouda, Artikaas smoked Gouda, Point Reyes Tomarashi

Pairing:

Murray Honey Goat Gouda: Really good pairing, sweetness and saltiness of cheese pairs well with Pinot noir. Wine tastes sweeter and more fruity without being overpowering, cheese tastes saltier and milder.

Artikaas Smoked Gouda: kind of tastes like a hot dog alone. Wine tastes really good with smokiness, accentuates spices and vanilla. Cheese tastes creamier and saltier.

Point Reyes Tomarashi: I really didn't like this cheese. I don't have any pairing notes because I could barely stomach the flavor.

4.1/5 I really like this wine and I would happily have it again.

Pairing 2: Grenache

Name: Le Paradou Grenache 

Variety of Grape(s): Grenache

Country of Origin: France

Region of Origin: Mediterranee

Vintage Year: 2021

Price: $18.99

Nose: Floral, spiced, weak nose, cherry

Taste: Dry, minerals, non sweet berries, oak, earth, very smooth, non complex, thin

Pairing:

Murray Honey Goat Gouda: wine tastes sweeter, fruitier, removes acidity and spices

Artikaas Smoked Gouda: wine tastes heavier and sweeter

Point Reyes Tomarashi: wine almost loses all flavor, spices mix together and wine tastes like blackberry water

Pairing 3: Bordeaux Rouge

Name:  Mary Taylor Jean Marc Barthez Bordeaux Rouge

Variety of Grape(s): Merlot, Cabernet Franc

Country of Origin: France

Region of Origin: Bordeaux

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $16.99

Nose: Fruity, sweet, tannic, blackberry, red berries

Taste: Hot, heavy, tannic, fruity, sweet, lots of flavors

Pairing: 

Murray Honey Goat Gouda: almost no difference

Artikaas Smoked Gouda: Great pairing, smokiness goes so well with the dry fruitiness

Point Reyes Tomarashi: I am again struggling to taste this cheese because it is so bad.

Tasting - Spiced Wine

Name: Jamestown Cellars Settlers' Spiced Wine
Variety of Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Country of Origin: United States of America
Region of Origin: Virginia
Vintage Year: N/A
Price: $6.99 (Discounted from $18.99)

I saw this bottle in the clearance section of Kroger, and I thought it might be an interesting try. I hadn't had a spiced wine before, and it was also from Virginia, so I had to try it. After looking up the wine online, it seemed to have some solid reviews as a decent wine, and it was significantly discounted, meaning it would be a cheap way to try a decent spiced wine.

Wine Critic Review: Jennifer G-K on Vivino.com

"Way different than typical wines. Very spicy with cinnamon and nutmeg. Nice for special occasions. It really tastes better heated and with apple cider."

The aroma was very strong with all sorts of spices. It reminded me of fall flavors and pumpkin spice with a mix of fruits in there as well. The cinnamon was the strongest, and it reminded me of those hot cinnamon candies. Aside from that, it almost smelled like a plum/peachy coffee cake.

Upon the taste, it was identical to the nose, only stronger and supported by the body. It was very sweet and slightly acidic with low tannins and a heavier mouthfeel. I got more fruit notes of apple and apple cider, with a stronger peach flavor as well.

I would love to try this wine again heated as a mulled wine. It would probably go well with some orange slices, but it really doesn't need much more to support the flavor. I rate this wine a 3.25/5 since there is definitely a time and place for this experience, but it should be relegated to a chilly fall or winter evening served in a mug.

Tasting - Juggernaut Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Juggernaut Sauvignon Blanc
Variety of Grape(s): Sauvignon Blanc
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Region of Origin: Marlborough
Vintage Year: 2023
Price: $13.99

I was a bit nervous to try sauvignon blanc after seeing many reviews and descriptions mentioning cat pee as a flavor component. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'm not one of those people who goes out looking for cat pee flavored drinks, so I was a bit hesitant to purchase a bottle of fruity cat pee. Regardless, I found some great online reviews of this Juggernaut bottle, and I remembered that if my goal is to learn more about wines, I should probably face my fears and try it anyway.

Wine Critic Review: Amanda Hemond on Vivino.com

"Bright, crisp and acidic. Delicious! Citrus and pineapple on the nose. Notes of lemon, lime, pear, and green apple with a stone and minerals finish. Such a great sav!"

Nose: Red apples, vanilla, honey, floral, mandarin oranges, lemon, pineapple, melon

Taste: Acidic, apples, pear, vanilla, oak, clean, light, orange, citrus, melon, slight ammonia (I get the cat pee allegations, but it's really not that bad!)

I am so glad I tried this wine! I absolutely loved it. It had a nice acidity without making me pucker, and there were so many different sweet fruits I could taste. There was a nice apple flavor at the beginning that transitioned into a vanilla honey, floral flavor with a citrusy melon finish. I rate this bottle a huge 4.25/5 and would happily purchase it again.

Tasting - James Goddard Shiraz

Name: James Goddard Shiraz
Variety of Grape(s): Shiraz
Country of Origin: Australia
Region of Origin: Barossa
Vintage Year: 2018
Price: $9.99

My buddy Nate found this wine on sale from $23.99 to only $9.99 and told me it was amazing. He let me come over and taste it for my second weekly tasting, and I enjoyed it enough to grab a bottle for myself to keep. The 7 years of aging significantly mellowed out the tannins and harshness, and it was a wonderfully balanced bottle I thoroughly enjoyed.

Wine Critic Review: Tommy Yakas on Vivino.com

"Black pepper and blackberry with notes of oak and a bit of mint. Unfiltered and a nice earthy texture as a result. Really solid value."

The nose wasn't too complex, and I could pinpoint a couple of specific flavors clearly. I could immediately smell cranberry and pepper, and the tannins came through after that. The aroma lingered with some nice vanilla as well.

I found this wine to be perfectly balanced. The tannins were there, yet light, there was a nice fruitiness that was sweet to balance out the tartness of the cranberry flavors. The black pepper was still strong, and there was a nice smokiness that lingered. It was a bit hot and a little heavy, which I think would go really well with a nice steak and mashed potatoes.

Tasting - Dr. Loosen Riesling

Name: Dr. L Riesling
Variety of Grape(s): Riesling
Country of Origin: Germany
Region of Origin: Mosel
Vintage Year: 2023
Price: $13.99

After reading Zraly's chapter on French white wines, I wanted to try a new style I hadn't yet experienced. I went to Kroger, and I couldn't find any French Riesling, but I did find this German Riesling on sale.

Wine Critic Review: Bill D on Vivino.com:

"Pale straw in the glass. Nose of citrus and melon. On the palate it adds notes of green apple. Crisp and refreshing with a lingering finish. Very pleasant. 8% ABV. Yes I would buy this again."

I was immediately put off by the aroma. I am not sure if I was latching onto specific smells, however, i got none of the melon, and any citrus smelled like an old cleaning closet. There was a strong urine or ammonia smell that was nauseating. I found it very gross and almost moldy, and I was afraid the wine was bad. I could tell it was very acidic and yeasty with a very specific wet bathroom smell. I was nervous to taste it once the time came.

Taste: Completely different! Sweet, acidic, sour, green apple, floral, honey

To my surprise, the taste was nothing like the smell. It was very sweet and acidic, like a green apple, with nice floral notes that reminded me of spring flowers and a nice sweet, creamy honey finish. Besides the overpowering sweetness, the flavor was very well balanced, and it had a smooth mouthfeel.

I would really like to try this wine again. I am not sure why the smell was so off, and I want to know if that is an innate quality in the grapes that I am just discovering. Otherwise, maybe something went wrong with this bottle, but the flavor was preserved. Anyway, I'd give it a 2.8/5. It was pretty flavorful and nice, but the aromas coming off of it were quite nauseating and partially ruined the experience for me. I normally look forward to tasting the rest of my wine that I have leftover, but I have not had the same anticipation to try this one again.