Wine and Cheese Pairing #1 - Adventures of Tom and Jerry TM

I had a wine and cheese night with my friends ... guess who ... you guessed it ... Josh (middle) and Simran (right)! We each brought a wine and a cheese to share with everyone. The wines are as follows: Pinot Gris, Dolcemente Bianco (Cantina Gabrielle), and Simonet sparkling wine rose. The cheese are as follows: Parmigiano Reggiano, Parisian Style Brie, and a mild cheddar. 

The first wine that we tried was the Pinot Gris (see below). From the get-go, it had a crisp apple smell. When tasted, there was noticeable acidity with followed by light fruity flavors. We all thought it tasted like apple though it was not listed as one of the flavors. The wine was dry but not too dry on its own. Josh brought Parmigiano Reggiano to pair with the wine and I think that it paired well. The wine was not as acidic and tasted smoother, more rounded, and balanced. Overall, good choices Josh and this is something that I would consider buying again.

The next win that we tried was the Dolcemente Bianco (Cantina Gabrielle), or the Chardonnay & Malvasia (see below). This was a confusing wine for me. I got initial hints of fruit, but I could not distinguish the exact fruit. However, I got a tropical array of fruits. The flavors were light, and it was not very dry. If anything, the dryness was more of an aftershock and was quite nice. Simran brought Parisian Style Brie to pair with the wine. The creamy cheese paired very well with the wine, and it was overall, well balanced. I think this would have tasted slightly better is this were a 100% Chardonnay. Overall, Simran had a great choice of wine and cheese and would try again, but with a 100% Chardonnay.

The last wine that we tried was mine which was the Simonet sparkling wine rose. I did smell anything to be honest. But the initial flavor was alcohol and roses which I really enjoyed. I brought a mild cheddar to taste with the wine. Personally, I did not really enjoy the cheese the with wine and would have preferred to have had them separately. The cheddar overpowered the wine and they did not complete each other. I think that my wine tasted the best :), but my combination of wine and cheese was not the best :( It seems that I am never enough. You can confirm that with her... I seems that I will never be good enough, either for pairing wine and cheese, or for me ... Now if you will excuse me, I have lots of wine to drink by myself.

Dinner #1 - Steaks, Friends, and Good Times

 

My friends and I (me - left, Josh - middle, and Simran - right) are all taking the Geography of Wine course this semester, and this is our first dinner where we paired three wines with our meal. 

Our appetizer was a homemade Bruschetta, courtesy of Simran, as seen above. The flavors included tomato, basil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. To be honest, I mainly smelled the balsamic vinegar, but it was delicious!

The main dish was a New York cut of steak. I cooked this x3 using a sous vide and then seared it on a cast iron. The steak was a perfect medium rare (big thanks to the sous vide) and tasted perfect! I cooked the steak seasoned with just salt and pepper and sous vided it with garlic and Irish butter, which gave it such a rich flavor and herbal fragrance. 

For dessert, Josh prepared chocolate covered strawberries. These were delightful and the stems tased even better! (Do you think I am joking or not?)

Name: Rosso Dolce (Roscato, NV)
Variety of the grapes: Lagrein, Teroldego, Croatina
Country of origin: Italy
Region of origin: Northern Italy
Vintage year: NV
Price: $13.95
Vintage Cellar: “Northern Italian. Violet-hued red with aromatic notes of cherry, blackberry, and red raspberry. A touch of sweetness and bright acidity underlies the appeal of this charming wine. Traditional style compliments regional “heart and soul” cuisine: bruschetta, calamari, pasta in red and cream sauces, breaded cutlets spicier fare. Enjoy chilled”

My Review:
The Roscato had a strong berry smell with a hint of cherry. Another note is that there was a noticeable smell of the alcohol which I have not noticed thus far with any of the red wines that I have tasted. For the taste, it was a light cherry flavor with a little dryness. The dryness and the cherry flavor balanced well, and it was enjoyable. This paired well with the Bruschetta. It was less dry which can be accounted for by the balsamic vinegar. 

Name: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Variety of the grapes: Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero
Country of origin: Italy
Region of origin: Tuscany, Italy
Vintage year: 2017
Price: $19.95 Vintage Cellar: “This Vino Nobile is produced and refined in the heart of the production area, between Val D’Orcia and Valdichiana. Characteristic bouquet, delicate with notes of violets and typical aromas of tobacco and leather. The linear palate features black cherry, cassis and oak-driven spice alongside agile tannins.”

My Review:

The Vino Nobile did not have a distinct smell aside from the alcohol. It was much drier than any of the wines I've tasted and was bitter. It tasted very earthy with flavors of tobacco and dirt. I could not drink this by itself ever again, unless it was for an assignment of course. The wine did pair well with the steak. It was significantly less dry with the steak and I could actually enjoy the wine. It was less bitter and smoother. This is probably not my favorite wine, though it was good with the steak.

Name: Pear Dessert Wine
Variety of the grapes: Blend of white grapes (not specified) 
Country of origin: United States of America
Region of origin: Horton Vineyards, Virginia
Vintage year: NV
Price: $17.95 Vintage Cellar: “This fortified Pear Dessert wine is unique. A blend of white wines and pear juice combined with brandy. This dessert wine has sweet pear flavors and a warm brandy finish. Serve as a dessert, use to poach pears or combine with a cheese plate or cinnamon ice cream. Residual sugar: 14.4%”

My Review:
The pear dessert wine had a strong smell of brandy. I guess my nose is good and reliable so far because this wine is fortified with brandy. There was a very light smell of pear, but I mostly smelled brandy. As for taste, it again is dominated by the brandy. After sipping the wine, I felt a surge or warmth down my body. Almost like happiness, but I wouldn't know that feeling. But for real, there was also a pear flavor present, but it was very hard to distinguish with the brandy. I do not think it peared (HA GET IT BECAUSE PEAR NOT PAIR?), with the strawberries since the wine was so dominant in taste. I did enjoy the wine but dang it was STRONG. Just like me after the gym. 

Tasting - White Zinfandel (Canyon Road)

• Name: White Zinfandel

• Variety of the grapes: Zinfandel

• Country of origin: USA

• Region of origin: California

• Vintage year: 2021

• Price: $7.95

Vintage Cellar: “This wine is light bodied with hints of strawberry, cherry, and watermelon flavors and a smooth crisp finish. Serve chilled with appetizers, fresh fruits, or summer salads”.

Wine Folly: Zinfandels have flavors of blackberry, strawberry, peach, cinnamon, and sweet tobacco. They are generally lower in acidity and sweetness while higher in tannins, body, and alcohol content. Page 189 was used as a reference.

My Review: Okay, so honestly, I was intimidated at first because my friend picked this out. Last time he picked it wasn't my favorite. At the same time, I did enjoy the last white zinfandel, so I thought to myself, "Wine not?" Overall, I actually did enjoy this wine. It has a sweet watermelon taste and was not too dry for my liking. I did not taste the strawberry and cherry. I did not eat anything with this but definitely think and will try it with some light appetizers!

Me with the wine, but this time I remembered to take the picture :)

Tasting - Roscato Rosé Dolce

 

• Name: Roscato Rosé Dolce

• Variety of the grapes: Pinot Noir, Teroldego, Croatina

• Country of origin: Italy

• Region of origin: Northern Italy

• Vintage year: NV (No Vintage)

• Price: $13.95

  

Winery Review (Roscato): From the spectacular backdrop of northern Italy comes this delicate Roscato Rosé Dolce. This charming wine exalts fresh notes of strawberry and raspberry combined with a touch of sweetness. Rich and refreshing, it is wonderful on its own, but also a great pairing either with spicy foods, barbecue dishes, fresh fruit and dessert. Enjoy chilled.

Wine Folly: This is a rose wine which has strong hints of pinot noir. This grape has a fruity, strawberry, flavor which a smooth soft tannin finish. Page 150 was used as a reference.

My Review: This was a solid wine I will not lie. This was a little more tannic than anticipated which I think comes from the Pinot Noir grapes. I honestly could not taste anything other than strawberry, but it was less aromatic than other wines than I have tasted. I did not pair this wine with food. My final thoughts were that I am happy and better off without her. Like I now have the opportunity to grow as a person and try all of these wines with my really cool friends. Like now I can buy Pokémon cards and not get yelled at for "wasting my money". Ah who am I kidding... I MISS HER SO MUCH

Me and my friends finished the wine before we took a picture :)