Wine and Cheese Pairing 2

Pairing #1

 Name: Mirassou Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2012   
Cheese: Roquefort, Goat, and Gruyere

This Cabernet was a very delicious wine on it's own. It was full of big fruit and oaky flavors that played well on the palate. It was slightly tannic, but not overwhelming. There was also a hint of cocoa in the aroma. When paired with Roquefort the cheese brought out the spiciness of the wine, which I did not like. I found that it masks the wine's taste. The Goat cheese complimented the Cab very well. It really brought out the oaky flavor of the wine. Finally, the Griere was paired with the Cab. Honestly, it did nothing for the wine and the wine did nothing for the cheese. It was not a good pairing.

 Pairing #2

Name: Bodega Elena de Mendoza Malbec
Variety: 100% Malbec
Country: Argentina
Year: 2013  
Cheese: Gruyere and Rocquefort

The Malbec by itself had a strong alcohol flavor. There was also a hint of pine needle flavor when I tasted it, which reminded me of a car air freshener. There was definitely some tannic components in the wine. Finally, I believe I may have tasted some sort of cinnamon flavor within the wine. The Gruyere cheese was not a great pairing with this wine. I was told this would be a really good pairing, but I think the smokiness just overpowered the wine. The Rocquefort complimented the Malbec very well. It cut the sharpness of the wine and brings out the sweetness in the Malbec. This was definitely the better of the two pairings.


Pairing #3

Name: Manfred Breit Piesporter Goldtropchen Riesling Spatlese
Variety: 100% Spatlese
Region: Mosel
Country: Germany
Year: 2012  
Cheese: Smoked Gouda & Goat

 This wine has great components of apple and pear. It definitely had an aroma of flowers about it. This wine tasted almost like a sweet pine. I love riesling so I especially enjoyed this wine. The smoked gouda paired with the Riesling really brought out the smokiness of the cheese. It was an okay pairing, but I think it would pair better with other cheeses. The goat cheese was a good combination of sweet and salty. It was a very delicious combination especially with the hard goat cheese. I thought this pairing was very delicious. 

Tasting Notes- Podere La Marronaia Chianti Colli Senesi

Name: Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir

Variety- Pinot Noir
Region- Sonoma, California, USA
Year- 2012
Price- $21

Winemakers Notes: This Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Coast wine is 100% Pinot Noir and displays the hallmark aromas of red cherry, strawberry, black tea and notes of tanned leather. The inviting aromas lead to a juicy palate where the red fruit flavors ring true along with touches of cinnamon and allspice. The generous core of fruit is balanced with the bright acidity you would except from a cooler climate.

Critic Notes: "After years of producing a basic Sonoma County Pinot, the winery turns to the coast for this blend of several vineyards. The results are wonderful. The wine is rich and expressive in raspberries and cherries, with touches of bacon, cola and the sweetness of new French oak. Drink this silky wine now.

My Review: The color was a lighter red than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Had a fruity but spicy smell. It actually burned my nose when smelling. The taste was overwhelming and the spices came through very easily. After it subsided you could taste a strawberry flavor but I couldn't get passed the spice. I am personally not a fan.

Winery Visit- Chateau Morrisette

My first official winery tour was of the infamous Chateau Morrisette. We went for one of my best friend's birthday and it was a wonderful experience!

Tasting Room

Chateau Morrisette was founded in the 1978 by the Morrisette's. The couple's son, David, was the winemaker who traveled to Mississippi State to learn more about Horticulture. Upon his return, he adopted a black Labrador retriever named Hans, who followed him all around the vineyard. One fun fact about Hans: When he was found in the cellar acting oddly sluggish and tired, David soon realized that Hans was drunk off of the leaking wine from the barrels! Once Hans passed, the Morisette's decided to honor him by placing a picture of a black lab on their label on a blend that wasn't doing well and named it The Black Dog. With this new marketing, the winery saw an increase of 200% in sales for this particular wine. The family also did the same with the next dog they adopted, Blue, and revamped their unsuccessful Riesling and renamed it Our Blue Dog; they saw a 600% increase in sales.

Since we arrived at the winery with about half an hour to spare, my friends and I decided to do the wine tasting before the tour. Below are the ten wines we sampled:

• 2008 Star Dog:  The aroma was full of fresh citrus fruit and the taste was filled with beautiful green apples and kiwi. I really enjoyed how refreshing it was with the carbonation aspect. I will definitely enjoy this wine again. 
• 4 White Grapes: This wine was not a good follow up to the Star Dog. The smell of limes and vanilla were really inviting. However, I think the alcohol overshadowed the flavors of this wine. At 12.5%, I felt like it was a bit much for a white wine as Gary says "it was too hot" for my pleasure. 
• 2012 Vidal Blanc: This wine was very similar to the Star Dog in that it had apple and light fruit flavors. The pineapple aroma just screamed summertime to me. The finish was smooth but I think I would have enjoyed this wine more if I had some food to pair with it
• 2011 Pinot Noir: The cherries were in full force in this wine. This was a lighter Pinot Noir than I am used to and I could tell that it was not too dry due to less skin contact from the skins of the grapes. The finish was smokey and smooth without too much tannins. 
• Chambourcin Reserve: This wine was full of black cherries and an oaky flavor. I really enjoyed it but it would taste a lot better with a big, juicy medium rare steak.
• The Black Dog: This wine wasn't my favorite. It was fruity and full of berry flavors but I did not like the spicy finish. That would be my biggest complaint about red wines. I think I would need to try this again with food. 
• Our Dog Blue: I absolutely love rieslings and this was an excellent one! The flavor exploded with melons and citrus. The acidity and finish was perfect. I could definitely see myself enjoying this wine all summer long.  
• White Muscadine: This wine is definitely meant for beginner wine drinkers. Because my palette has transformed since my early days of sticking to Moscato, I immediately had an aversion to this wine. I felt like I was drinking a liquid jolly rancher or a pink starburst. This wine was too much of a fruit attack for me. However, sweet wines are meant to pair with spicy foods so I would reconsider this wine in that situation.
• Farmhouse Sangria: I've never had a Sangria from a bottle before. I am used to Sangria served in a pitcher with plenty of fresh fruit. However, this wine was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect blend of fruit with a lower alcohol content that would make it perfect for a summertime bbq. 
• Heritage: This was my first high alcoholic wine and wow it was delicious. It is a dessert wine meant for sipping, which I did have to do. This wine was filled with dark chocolate and plum. It had so many levels that I wanted to keep trying more. Most of my friends didn't like it but I would love to go back and buy this wine!

Machine used to crush grapes

 After the tasting, my friends and I proceeded to take a tour of the facility, with a couple of us purchasing a glass to sip while on it. The grapes are usually harvested in October. However, not all of the grapes are grown on-site. The same goes for the fruits that are characteristic to their wines such as the Sweet Mountain Apple and the Blackberry wine. Chateau Morrisette is known for outsourcing their cherries, apples, and blackberries. 

   

Storage barrels for the grapes

Once the grapes are harvested, they are placed into machines for crushing. This machine pictured here is most often used for crushing white grapes. A smaller machine to the right, which is not pictured, is used for crushing red grapes. There is also a third machine that is used to pluck the grapes from the stems, which is still an arduous process in itself.

As we moved through the winery, we also got to see the storage vats where all the wine was fermented. The winery currently produces 28 wines which requires this much storage.The storage vats are made of stainless steel. Here, the grapes are processed into wine and are fermented with yeast.

 After the grapes are crushed, they are moved to barrels for aging. The winery uses three different kinds of oak: American, French, and Hungarian. The cheapest American oak barrel costs $500 while the the cheapest French or Hungarian barrel starts at $1200. Typically, these barrels can get about 3-5 years of life before they are no longer useful to the winery. Before they are used, the are sterilized with Aristocrat vodka. The tour guide also mentioned how a school in Maryland is designing a prototype barrel that would not only last longer, but also be more environmentally friendly. They had one on site but it was broken so I unfortunately did not get a picture of it. The winery is currently waiting on a new model to test out.

Vats used to ferment the wine

When the wine is ready to be bottled, it goes through a machine where it is corked and properly pressurized to avoid any oxidation. The cork is inserted using a machine but the owners preferred that every bottle be foiled by hand. This is a boring and arduous task. The tour guide mentioned that people who are assigned to this task usually get stir crazy after two hours so the staff usually works it in rotation. Once the wine is bottled, they are placed in cases that fit 12 bottles each. Each crate and hold 75 cases and then subsequently shrink wrapped. Chateau Morrisette has employed a new winemaker earlier this year and by 2015, he hopes to have produced 90,000 cases.      

After the tour my friends and I decided to head by to the tasting room to grab a few bottles for ourselves. I bought the Sangria, Our Dog Blue, and was recommended to buy Archival 1. Overall, it was a successful day and a great time trying wines!

Palisades Wine Dinner 4/22

My friends and I made a trip out to the Palisades restaurant for Germany Wines of the World night. A side note, we had tried to do Wines of the World on Italy night (two weeks prior) and waited 2 hours to be seated and they ran out of food. Needless to say, we ended up at Sal's for big bowls of pasta and loads of Chianti. Feeling unmotivated to try again, we made a reservation for Germany night. Luckily we were seated right away, but we still waited an hour and a half for our food. Overall, the experience was less than enjoyable and I will not return. But here is what I thought of the food and wine pairings.

The first dish was a German potato salad. It was potatoes with caramelized onions, paprika, celery seed, and bacon. It was delicious and reminded me of a dish I have tried in Austria when I was abroad. The wine paired with the potato salad was a Riesling Loosen "Dr. L" The wine by itself tasted light and fruit and had a peach finish. It was very sweet by itself. When paired with the salad the fruit flavor was completely cut and it had a more refreshing taste on my palate.

The second dish was called Sauerbraten. It is a tangy beef braised in vinegar and spices with spaetzle (a German pasta). The dish was paired with Dornfelder Red Wine Bretz. This was a semi-sweet red wine with a strong flavor. The wine by itself was extremely sweet and full of acidity. Definitely not what I like in a red wine. It tasted like cranberry apple juice only warm. Not a fan. The meat dish was delicious and very tender. The wine enhanced the flavor of the meat and made a drier piece taste delicious. The spaetzle didn't really have much of a flavor so the wine didn't change anything.

The last dish was Brat Pizza. It was bratwurst, onions, and sauerkraut on a pizza. We were given a very small slice but it was delicious. I usually wouldn't try that combination but I enjoyed it. The wine pairing was a Pinot Noir Rose' Villa Wolf. The color was a very pale pink. It's flavor was light and drier than the previous two wines. It also was bubbly and didn't really taste like too much. Together the pairing was terrible, the wine did nothing for the pizza. It would have tasted better with a pint of stella in my opinion.

Overall, the food was delicious but I was underwhelmed by the wine. Also, I was still hungry after so I split The Palisades pizza, which was beef tenderloin, mozzarella, and Gorgonzola cheese. It was delicious and flavorful. It would have tasted delicious with a Cabernet. As I said before, I won't be returning back to this restaurant but the pizza was delicious.

Tasting Notes- Borie-Manoux Beau Rivage Bordeau

Name: Beau Rivage Bordeaux

Variety: Red Bordeaux

Region: Bordeaux, France

Year: 2011

Price: $10

Winemaker's Notes- Beau-Rivage Premium with its ruby red color, has a charming nose of red and black 
berries, plums,  redcurrant and raspberry, 
orange marmelade, black cherry, a light touch of 
barrique notes, soft tannins 
on the palate and elegant in the finish.

Critic Reviews-Bordeaux has a cool marine coastal climate, with mild weather and no dry season. Bordeaux reds tend to be lower in alcohol and are slightly lighter in body. Stylistically, they exhibit more nuanced flavors and less up-front fruit. Sophisticated and elegant, they pair well with game meats, roast lamb, or hearty beef stews.

My Reviews- Wow this was difficult to drink. I really wanted to try a bordeaux wine and found one in the "good finds under $10" in Kroger. The color is a deep red and when the bottle was first opened it smelled like a V8 juice. It has a vegetable smell with hints of black cherry when it has time to open up. The first taste when opened is dirty root vegetables, very dry, and difficult to drink. I let it sit for a half hour and when I tried again it has a full body with still a very potent root vegetable taste but with a mild fruit after taste. I would not drink this again but it was interesting to see an old style wine. I definitely am a new world style wine girl. 

Tasting Notes- Katsaros Domaine

Name: Kastaros Domain 
Variety- 85% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Merlot
Region- Krania, Mount Olympus, in Northern Greece
Year- 2008
Price- $80

Winemakers Notes: Winemaker Evripidis Katsaros has winemaking in his blood. Born in Larisa in Northern Greece, he grew up in the vineyard at his family's estate located on the slopes of Mount Olympus. Evripidis holds a degree in General Biology from Bordeaux University Victor Segalen, Viticulture Diploma and National Diploma of Enology from Burgundy University. From 2002 to 2004 Evripidis spent time expanding his skills in viticulture and winemaking at Domaine Roulot in Meursault and at Domaine G.Roumier in Chambolle Musigny. Since 2007 he has been working at his family estate.


Critic Notes: Deep black reddish color with tinges of blue and violets. On the nose, black cherry, black currants, cedar, leather and black pepper and cacao. On palate, the wine is full bodied, acute tannins with spicy dark chocolate and defined blackberries with hints of dried herbs. Great potential ageing for ten years plus.


My Review: I absolutely hated this wine. It was spicy and harsh on my palate. Also, the tannins really changed the wine and made it very tart and unenjoyable when it was poured in your glass. I was extremely disappointed because we were talked into the Greek wine by the Sommelier. Definitely will not be drinking this again. 

Tasting Notes- Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir

Name: Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir
Variety- Pinot Noir
Region- Sonoma, California, USA
Year- 2012
Price- $21

Winemakers Notes: This Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Coast wine is 100% Pinot Noir and displays the hallmark aromas of red cherry, strawberry, black tea and notes of tanned leather. The inviting aromas lead to a juicy palate where the red fruit flavors ring true along with touches of cinnamon and allspice. The generous core of fruit is balanced with the bright acidity you would except from a cooler climate.

Critic Notes: "After years of producing a basic Sonoma County Pinot, the winery turns to the coast for this blend of several vineyards. The results are wonderful. The wine is rich and expressive in raspberries and cherries, with touches of bacon, cola and the sweetness of new French oak. Drink this silky wine now.

My Review: The color was a lighter red than the Cabernet Sauvignon. Had a fruity but spicy smell. It actually burned my nose when smelling. The taste was overwhelming and the spices came through very easily. After it subsided you could taste a strawberry flavor but I couldn't get passed the spice. I am personally not a fan.

“Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it.” Cheers!