Tasting 2/28: The Williamsburg Winery Cabernet Franc

 

Name: The Williamsburg Winery Cabernet Franc

Variety: Cabernet Franc

Country/Region of Origin: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: $20

Review (from Cellar Tracker): "89/100. Medium ruby with raspberry, herbs, spice and vanilla. Classic profile. Good mouthfeel and medium finish."

My Review: We had this wine served at room temperature. When I smelled the wine, I mainly got a faint smell of raspberry and some herbs, but overall I thought it was not a very fragrant wine. When I tasted the wine, I thought it tasted pretty earthy and full of spices, and I got some berry flavors in the background. I felt that this wine was near the middle of the sweet-dry spectrum but a little closer to the drier side. I thought this wine was mildly acidic and had a medium body. I had this wine with dinner, which was homemade pizza. I thought the spices and earthiness of the wine paired very well with the herbs and fresh tomatoes of the pizza, and I thought each played to the other's strengths. This was my first time having cabernet franc (and the first time I've had wine made in Virginia), and I was very impressed. I could see this wine being a go-to wine, especially with dinners because it paired so well with the pizza. 

Tasting 2/27: Duplin Scuppernong Blush

 

Name: Duplin Scuppernong Blush

Variety: Scuppernong

Country/Region of Origin: Rose Hill, North Carolina, USA

Vintage Year: Not Displayed

Price: $8

Review (from Wineaux): "3.5/5. Grapes, watermelon, strawberry. Sweet with balanced acidity, nice fruit on a medium finish. Enjoy with other sweets for dessert."

My Review: We served this wine chilled and did not have it with any food. When I first smelled the wine I was struck by how sweet it smelled. The smells I felt the most were of peaches and cotton candy. When I tasted it I again felt that cotton candy-like sweet taste, and I also tasted some watermelon and peach. The wine was probably one of the sweetest wines I have ever had, and it was not dry at all. It was not acidic to me and I thought it had a crisp and light body. Overall, I really liked the taste of this wine but I probably could never have more than one glass in one sitting because of how sweet it is.

Tasting 2/27: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir

 

Name: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir

Country/Region of Origin: Napa Valley, California, USA

Vintage Year: 2019

Price: $11

Review (from Wilfred Wong of Wine.com): "90/100. The 2019 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir is on point with its delivery of elegance. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits attractive aromas and flavors of pure, red fruit. Pair it with grilled salmon fillets. (Tasted: August 31, 2021, San Francisco, CA)"

My Review: We had this wine served at room temperature. When I first smelled the wine, I was getting a distinct smell of strawberries and cherries with a slight floral smell. When I tasted the wine, I got a primarily strawberry taste, and I also tasted some blueberry and raspberry flavors. This wine was drier than I expected and was not very sweet, so I didn't think it was great on its own. I felt that it had a medium body and that it was pretty acidic. The back of the bottle recommended trying it with lamb burgers or pot stickers, so I had it with some pot stickers. I thought that the two did actually pair well together, as I thought the food made the wine less tannic and more pleasant-tasting, and I thought the wine brought out some more complex flavors from the pot stickers.

Wine Dinner 1

 

Appetizer: Vegetable Fried Rice with Monte Guelfo Chianti (2019)

Impressions of the wine: Chianti is another wine I've never tried before, and overall I was impressed by it. The first aromas I was getting were of raspberry and blackberry, but it wasn't as strong of a smell as with other wines I've had. The main flavors I was getting when I tasted the wine was strawberry and raspberry. It was definitely on the drier and more bitter side, and I think it had a pretty high level of acidity with a medium body.

Taste profile of the food: In the fried rice, we included some scrambled egg, some mushrooms, onions, and carrots. The crisp and lightness of the veggies in the rice balanced out nicely with the heaviness and savory tastes of the eggs and rice. The soy sauce added at the end gave the rice a lot of saltiness as well.

How the two paired: As soon as I tried the two together I felt a clashing of flavors going on between the two. I felt that with a dish that is this salty and savory, a dry, bitter, and acidic wine is not the right wine to drink with it. I think the saltiness of the dish kind of drowned out the fruit flavors of the wine, and I also think that the wine muted the flavors I was getting from the vegetables. Also, the acidic nature of the wine combined with some acidity from the food meant that I was getting an acidity overload, giving me a sort of burning feeling when I had the two together. Does not pair well.

Entrée: Spicy Pork Dumplings with Noble Vines 515 Rosé (2018)

Impressions of the wine: I thought that the rosé tasted way better than I was expecting it to, since I had the impression that all rosés were very sweet. The first smells that I felt from this wine were a floral smell as well as a peach smell. When I tried the wine, I was getting a pretty strong peach taste, and I still got that floral feel that I had when smelling the wine. I felt that it was right between sweetness and dryness and kept a good balance between the two. The wine did not taste very acidic to me, and it had a medium to light body that allowed it to have a refreshing aftertaste.

Taste profile of the food: Overall, I thought that these dumplings tasted very good. The sauce within the dumplings had a lot of spiciness to it which I enjoyed. I felt like the pork inside was on the fatty side and it had some seasonings that added to the spice and sharp taste. 

How the two paired: At first, I wasn't sure how to feel about this flavor pairing, because somewhat sweet and floral wine combined with spicy food didn't seem like a natural fit to me. However, the more I had of the two together, the more I enjoyed it. I felt that they both were equal in contribution, and one didn't overpower the other. I thought that the strong spiciness of the dumplings on their own was mellowed out to a pleasant level with the addition of the wine. I also think that the spicy food helped me feel more flavors of the wine, since I also started getting a berry taste from the wine. I also think that the fact that the wine had a crisp and fairly light feel to it, while the dumplings were on the heavier and fatty side, meant that they balanced each other. Pairs well.

Dessert: Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling (2020)

Impressions of the wine: This was my first time having Riesling, so I was not sure what to expect. The first thing I noticed when I opened the bottle was that this wine would be on the sweeter side. The main smells I noticed were a honey-like sugar and apples. Tasting the wine confirmed that it was very sweet to me, even though the bottle said it was in between dry and sweet. I got some hints of citrus flavors and a strong green apple flavor that gave it tartness. I thought that the wine had a very light body, and I thought it was mildly acidic. Overall, I can definitely see myself buying it in the future.

Taste profile of the food: The dark chocolate chips made up a large part of the cookie and had a bitter flavor, but it was kind of drowned out by the rest of the cookie. In my opinion, the cookie as a whole was very good but turned out a little too sweet and sugary. 

How the two paired: After trying the wine by itself and seeing that it was quite sweet on its own, I was a little worried that the sweetness of the two together would be overwhelming. However, I was surprised to find that they worked very well together because the sweetness of the Riesling wasn't as noticeable when the two were together. I thought the tart citrus/apple acidity of the wine complemented the honey and sugary sweetness of the cookie really nicely. I also think the Riesling brought out more of the bitterness of the dark chocolate chips which helped the cookie feel more complex and less like pure sugar. Pairs well.

Tasting 2/17: Kunde Merlot

 

Name: Kunde Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Country/Region of Origin: Sonoma Valley, California, USA

Vintage Year: 2018

Price: $20

Review (from Natalie MacLean): "90/100 A savoury, delicious, sumptuous Californian Merlot from a respected family winery in the cool climate Sonoma Valley. Aromas of fleshy ripe dark plums and smoke. Pair with grilled pork chops or lamb."

My Review: I did not have this wine with any food, and we had the wine at room temperature. My first impressions when smelling the wine were strong aromas of cherry and raspberry. I thought the wine also tasted very fruity, and I tasted mainly cherry with some hints of strawberry. The wine was pretty sweet, with a medium body, and I didn't think it was very acidic. Merlots are some of my favorite wines, so I'm not surprised that I really liked this wine. Next time I'd really like to try it with some food, maybe a pasta.

Tasting 2/17: Black Box Chardonnay

 

Name: Black Box Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Country/Region of Origin: California, USA

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $25

Review (from Wine Mag): "This is a rich style of Chardonnay that shows pear and apple aromas, with vanilla and butter flavors. The palate offers a good balance of ripeness and natural acidity. It's medium in body and smoothly textured without feeling too soft. 88 Points - Jim Gordon"

My Review: We let this wine chill in the refrigerator before drinking it, and I did not have it with any food. The main smells I got when I first smelled the wine were apple and pear. When I tasted the wine, the pear kind of went away and I was mainly getting a tart, green apple flavor. I also got a faint oaky taste. Because of the tartness, I thought the wine tasted acidic, and I also think it has a nice sweetness and light body. This was my first time having chardonnay, and I really enjoyed the tastes and feel of this wine and could definitely see myself buying more in the future. I think that boxed wines get a bad reputation and after trying this wine, I don't think that's justified, because this is on par if not better than similarly priced bottled wines I've had.

Wine & Cheese Pairing 1

Pairing 1: Bar Dog Pinot Noir (2019) with Cabot Clothbound Cheddar Cheese

Impressions of the wine: Our first impression when smelling the wine was sort of shocking, and not in a good way, since it smelled pretty spicy and the main smell we were getting was cinnamon. The first taste was acidic, filled with spices, and did not have a lot of fruit or sweetness, so I didn't like the wine at all initially. However, after sitting open for a little while, I think the spices mellowed out and I started to get a more pleasant strawberry/cherry taste.

Impressions of the cheese: The cheese tasted very good in my opinion. It was pretty dry so it wasn't very creamy or fatty, but I did get some nuttiness, sharpness, and some saltiness.

How the two paired: When I tasted the cheddar and pinot noir together, I think the best characteristics of the cheese were brought out. I felt like the cheese had a more bold taste, and I think the wine even brought out some sweetness from the cheese that I didn't taste before. As for the wine, while it still wasn't my favorite, I think the cheese paired well with the spices of the wine, and I think the fruitiness of the wine was a nice mix with the cheese. Overall, I think if I were to have this pinot noir again, it would be with cheddar cheese or others like it. Pairs well.

Pairing 2: Fetzer Gewürztraminer (2020) with Drunken Goat Cheese

Impressions of the wine: This was my first time having gewürztraminer, and I was very impressed, since it was definitely the best wine out of the three. The first thing I noticed was that the wine was extremely fragrant, and it had a floral smell. It was on the sweeter side, which I like in my ideal wines, and the wine was light and had a crisp, refreshing taste. The flavors I got the most were peaches/apricots and apples.

Impressions of the cheese: Goat cheese is something that I've had before and enjoyed, though not nearly as much as I have had most other cheeses, so it's still sort of new to me. Since this cheese was infused with wine, I thought it tasted somewhat sweet, and I also thought that it was very creamy and had a hint of fruitiness to it. Overall I though it was a very good cheese.

How the two paired: This pairing was tough to judge, since I liked both the wine and the cheese so much that I still think the two tasted vey good together. However, I don't think this means that the two pair well together. I think that the wine was so floral, fruity, and strong that it masked the flavors of the cheese, since the cheese had extremely identifiable tastes that I did not get as much when I had it with the very flavorful wine. Does not pair well.

Pairing 3: Calvet Sauvignon Blanc (2020) with Brie Cheese

Impressions of the wine: This was my least favorite wine of the three by a relatively wide margin. When we opened and smelled the wine we all got a pretty strong ammonia-like smell and weren't really smelling anything else. We waited a bit for the smell to go away and it did not get too much better. When I tasted the wine, I got more of the same, since I got an ammonia taste along with a pear taste, and I think there was a sort of rubbing alcohol-type taste in the background. The wine wasn't very dry, and it had some mild sweetness to it.

Impressions of the cheese: I really liked the brie cheese. The cheese was very soft, so I think it was extremely creamy and had a fatty feel to it. It wasn't very salty or sweet, but the word that came to mind when I tasted it was tangy. At the start, it also had an ammonia-like smell, but it went away with time.

How the two paired: Although I did feel some similarities in the two's taste, I don't think either enhanced or took away from the other. I got basically the same taste profiles from the cheese and the wine as I did when they were separate. I also think that since the flavors were somewhat similar, the wine and the cheese did not clash with each other either. Does not pair well.

Tasting 2/6: Ferrari-Carano Pinot Grigio

 

Name: Ferrari-Carano Pinot Grigio

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Country/Region of Origin: Sonoma County, California, USA

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $12.99

Review (from Wine Spectator): "89pts, This Pinot Grigio is created when you take grapes primarily from vineyards along the river in cool-climate Russian River Valley in Sonoma County and ferment them only in stainless steel -- a crisp, clean refreshing wine. This wine has delicious aromas and flavors of lychee, honeysuckle, white peach, dried apricot, mango and lime zest with a touch of minerality. Full-bodied and bright at the same time, this Pinot Grigio's concentrated aromas, flavors and refreshing acidity linger to the finish."

My Review: Since the back of the bottle said this Pinot Grigio was best served chilled, we let in sit in the fridge for a few hours, and I did not have it with any food. When I smelled the wine, I was mainly getting a sort of bitter, orange peel-type smell. My first impressions when I was tasting the wine was that it was very dry and had a pretty light body. The wine tasted acidic to me, and two tastes that stuck out to me the most were lemon/lime and pear. This wine didn't really fit with the tastes I like in a wine, so I probably won't buy it again, but for the price I thought it was a very solid white wine.