Wine/Cheese Pairing

I tried pairing three wines with four different cheeses to see how the tastes of both the wines and cheeses would change when combined.

The three wines that I chose were:

•  El Coritjillo 2015
• Villa Vitas Ribolla Gialla
• Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon

I paired the wines with Swiss, Parmesan, Colby Jack, and Pepper Jack.

El Cortijillo:

Alone: This wine was ruby in color, very fruity and tannic, with a woodsy, earthy taste to it. It was very dry.

With Swiss: This combination made the wine less panic, and brought out the cherry flavor in the wine.

With Parmesan: I liked this combo the best; it made the wine softer and the flavors of both the wine and the cheese complimented each other, so that the best flavors of each stood out more.

With Colby Jack: These two did not combine well at all, it made the wine taste more bland and generally the flavor of both the wine and the cheese were dulled.

With Pepper Jack: This combination heightened the spiciness in the cheese, but generally lessened the flavor, particularly the fruitiness, of the wine.

Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon:

Alone: This is a dark, almost purple colored wine. The smell brings to mind cherries and blackberries, but the leather and plum tastes are what really stand out. There is also a leafy, earthy hint to it.

With Swiss: This combo made the cheese taste sharper and the wine taste fruitier; the plum taste was particularly brought out - not necessarily a great thing in most cases, but it worked with the Swiss.

With Parmesan: This brought out the tannins in the wine, and was a bad combo because it made both the wine and cheese taste awful; the flavors definitely clashed.

With Colby Jack: More earthy, leafy flavors were present when combined with this cheese, and the cheese taste itself was much stronger.

With Pepper Jack: A darker, smokier taste was present when paired with this cheese - tobacco perhaps? Earthy, leather flavors.

Villa Vitas Ribolla Gialla:

Alone: It smelled almost like grass, honeysuckle, and flowers; it definitely tasted floral and fresh.

With Swiss: It seems strange to describe a taste as "musty" but that is what I got from this combination. The floral taste was stronger as well.

With Parmesan: The parmesan was stronger, as was the grass flavor in this combo. 

With Colby Jack: This was a good mix, a lemon-like flavor seemingly out of nowhere cropped up when paired with Colby Jack.

With Pepper Jack: Nothing really of note changed - they did not clash, nor did they compliment each other.

Notes:

The reds definitely interacted with the cheese better than the white did. I also have a preference for parmesan, so my judgement of the wine interactions with the cheeses may have been influenced by that. My roommates also joined me in trying the different wines and cheeses, but as they are not in the class they did not pay as much attention to how the flavors interacted, but two of them had strong preferences for the pairing of the Black Box and the Swiss, interestingly enough (as my personal preference was for the Tempranillo and parmesan).

Smoking Loon Blue Loon Moscato

Name: Smoking Loon Blue Loon

Variety: Moscato

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2015

Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "The 2015 Smoking Loon “Blue Loon” Moscato opens with enticing aromas of honeysuckle, overripe honeydew melon, sundried apricot and a touch of honey, peach and mandarin. The palate presents ripe melon, peach nectar and orange blossom honey. The bright flavors and refreshing acidity make this Moscato the perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of foods. Enjoy “Blue Loon” Moscato with brunch, light chicken dishes or summer appetizers. It’s also delicious served with biscotti, creamy desserts, or fresh fruits such as yellow or white peaches."

My Review: This was sweet, but less flavorful than Moscatos I have had in the past. It smelled floral and citrusy, and the taste was one of peaches, apricots, and generally the smell of summer. It would not be my first choice, as I prefer dry wines, and if I were going for a Moscato I would want it sweeter than this, but it was still refreshing. I did not have this wine with food.

Los Dos Syrah

Name: Los Dos

Variety: Grenache Syrah

Region: Campo de Borja

Country: Spain

Year: 2015

Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: "Almira’s 2010 Los Dos is a blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah fermented and aged in tank. Blue and black fruits, pepper, and incense inform the nose of this savory, layered red. It is a very good value meant for drinking over the next 3-4 years."

My Review: Can I just say I love the design of the bottle? I love how the dark bottle and red wine combine with the hors at the bottom, it's really ingenious. I also liked the taste of cherries, and I could smell a bit of spice in it, which came out in the aftertaste. I did not have this wine with food.

Vinterra Pinot Noir

Name: Vinterra

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Marlborough

Country: New Zealand

Year: 2015

Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: "The Vinterra Pinot Noir displays ripe, sweet plum notes with an edge of complexity on the nose. The palate is rich and round supported by fine grain tannins."

My Review: This wine was an interesting mix of fruits and minerals. It tasted a bit metallic at first, but the aftertaste was more fruity. The pear smell and a metal, iron type smell were noticeable, and those tastes were the most present in the taste, though there were other fruit flavors there as well. I did not have this wine with food.

Acronym Chardonnay

Name: Acronym

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "Simple and soft, this Chard is a juicy, forward with hints of tropical fruit and a touch of vanilla. A nice acidity balances the rich fruit flavors."

My Review: This wine smelled citrusy and a bit like orange juice. It was light and sweet, and a bit more acidic than I prefer, but still good. The combination of sweetness and acidity made it rather tart. I did not have this wine with food.

¡Buenas! Viura

Name: ¡Buenas! Viura

Variety: Tempranillo

Country: Spain

Year: 2015

Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: "¡buenas! Viura offers alluring notes of ripe, red grapefruit that intermingle with flavors of pear and wild flower on the palate. This refreshing white has invigorating acidity with a crisp, clean finish."

My Review: I was told this was a Tempranillo, which was interesting because I've never had a white Tempranillo before. I could smell the grapefruit mentioned in the review, but I didn't taste it very much. It was very light and reminded me of summer, and I could taste the acidity - it balanced nicely with the light, flowery yet vaguely citrusy taste. I did not have this wine with food.

Dinner - Palisades (Italy)

Palisades Restaurant

On Wednesday, my roommate and I went to the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, Virginia. The theme of the wine pairings this week was Italy - I may be attending grad school in Italy next fall, so I was particularly excited about this. My roommate is also in Geography of Wine with me, so both of us were eager to compare notes on how we thought the wines tasted with the food. Our pallets are very different, so we expected our reactions to the food/wine would be pretty different as well.

 The town where the restaurant is located is tiny - it took my roommate and I all of 2 minutes to walk its length. Despite the size of the town, the restaurant itself was pretty busy, so we spent our time waiting to be seated exploring outside. This building apparently used to be an ice cream parlor, according to a local who stopped to talk to us. He was quite friendly, and in addition to telling us a little about the history of the town he also told us local ghost lore! 






















Eventually, we were seated. The inside decor of the restaurant is lovely, so I couldn't help but take a picture of our table. 

 

The menu was Ricotta with Smoked Almonds & Lemon Honey, Mushroom Brushetta, Shrimp Fra Davolo, and Venison Bolognese with Rigatoni. My roommate is a vegetarian, and I am allergic to shrimp, so we asked for our portions to be switched - I ended up with double venison and she had double shrimp. I was particularly excited to try the venison, as I had never eaten it before.





The wines for the night:

Centorri Moscato Provincia di Pavia, 2016
Pale yellow in color, this moscato has aromas of peaches, rose petals and ginger. The palate is lightly sweet and sparkling with a modest acidity and finishes with notes of fresh apricots.

Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo Masciarelli, 2014

This wine offers subdued aromas of red berries, cherry, red currants, violets, and a hint of tobacco. The palate is straightforward and enjoyable with hints of tart cherry, baking spice, taut tannins and licorice with bright acidity.

Bellamico Falanghina Beneventano, 2014

Named after the town, Benevento, in eastern Campania. The wine from the Falanghina grape is flower and stone-fruited. It offers flavors of rich fruit such as peach and apricot and has a clean, zesty finish.

Volpare Valpolicella La Giaretta, 2015

A warm, velvety full-bodied wine that has aromas of cherry jam, baked plums and sweet/spicy notes. The palate offers red berries and ripe plums that are complemented by a discreet freshness and has a spicy finish.

The first wine, the Moscato, smelled like peaches. At first taste it was sweet and light, and I could taste apricots and something floral. After trying it with the first dish, the Ricotta with smoked almonds and lemon-honey, I could taste a bit of smokiness in the back of my mouth. I thought it paired very well, and the wine brought out the taste of the almonds in the dish. The wine was very smooth, and the flavors of the wine and the dish complemented each other as they brought out stronger tastes for both.

The second wine, the 2014 Masciarelli, was a purple-red wine that was very dry and big on tannins, and felt almost heavy on the tongue. When paired with the mushroom bruschetta, the wine highlighted the buttery garlic taste of the mushrooms, probably because the wine itself was so dry.

The third wine was supposed to be paired with the shrimp, but because I am allergic to shrimp I tried it with the venison instead. The Beneventano smelled like flowers and was a very nice golden color, in contrast to the pale Moscato we tried first. It was heavier and smoother in both look and taste, and it tasted fresh. It paired interestingly with venison, but I didn't notice anything particular about how they interacted, other than it tasted more acidic after eating the food.

The fourth wine, the 2015 Volpare Valpolicella La Giaretta, was a ruby colored wine that smelled like bricks and smoke, and was sweeter and fuller than the other red. The taste of cherries and plums was present, and when paired with the venison, the cherry taste stood out even more.

In comparing notes with my roommate, I discovered that her personal favorite was the Moscato - no surprise to me, as I know she prefers sweet wines and dislikes reds in general. Meanwhile, my favorite dish and wine pairing was the 2014 Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo Masciarelli with the Mushroom Bruschetta. I thought the two contrasted in a way that brought out the best flavors in each other, and I liked that. 

White Peach Penna Cotta

After dinner, we decided to get dessert because we just weren't finished with the Palisades. I had a little of the Beneventano left over, so I tried it with my dessert - a White Peach Penna Cotta - and found that I liked that pairing much better than with the venison (which, given that it was never intended to be paired with venison, makes sense). The sweet dessert brought out a much sweeter and fruitier taste in the Beneventano, and so I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Somehow only remembered to take one selfie.
Samantha (left) and me (right)

Cantina di Casteggio Moscato

Name: Cantina di Casteggio
Variety: Provinicia di Pavia Moscato
Region: Lombardy, Italy
Country: Italy
Year: Not Labeled
Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: "This fun dessert wine has delicate aromas of citrus, tropical fruit and fragrant white flower. The bright foaming palate offers juicy yellow peach, candied nectarine zest and a hint of rose. It's sweet, but it also has enough fresh acidity to stop it from being cloying. Perfect for the afternoon, weekend, or any other time."

My Review: Moscato was first suggested to me when I was starting out drinking wine and had no idea what I would like. This was because it is very sweet, and while my pallet has expanded since I first had a sip of wine, I still appreciate the sweetness that dessert wines bring. This wine was pink, and smelled like roses, oranges, and lime. The sweetness could be tasted under the tongues on the side, and I quite enjoyed it - enough to buy it. I did not have this wine with food.

Oxford Landing Shiraz

Name: Oxford Landing
Variety: Shiraz
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2014
Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: "For such a competitively priced offering, this delivers a lot of complexity. Dried herbs, anise, chocolate and coffee notes add nuance to the raspberry fruit. It's medium bodied and supple, with a lush, lingering finish. Drink now–2020."

My Review: I noticed the smell first, and I was not a fan. It was a bit metallic. It tasted a bit like cranberry, black berry, and wood, with a bit of a darker, bitter aftertaste. Nothing made me hate it, but nothing really appealed to me either. I did not have this wine with food.

Indwe Pinotage

Name: Indwe
Variety: Pinotage
Region: Coastal South Africa
Country: South Africa
Year: 2015
Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: "A disclaimer: I have never cared much for Pinotage, the indigenous South African grape variety, but this Pinotage from Indwe, named after the country's national bird, the blue crane, comes across like a light Pinot Noir. Subtle notes of cherries, spice and forest floor are followed by a round, light to medium-bodied, pure, seductive, well-crafted wine that should drink well for a year or so."

My Review: This wine looked Chicago Maroon - the maroon that makes up part of Virginia Tech's colors. It smelled very sweet, almost like Welches grape juice, which made it quite a surprise when it did not taste sweet at all. This was my least favorite of the wines I tasted. I did not have this wine with food.

Aveleda Praia

Name: Aveleda
Variety: Praia, Arinto, Loureiro, Trajadura, Azal
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: Not Labeled
Price: $8.95

Wine Critic Review: "It's rare to find a Vinho Verde – the famously light and refreshing "green" white wine of Portugal – that isn't delightful, but this is one of the best of the breed. And there's no better time to quaff these wines than in the spring and summer. This version is lightly effervescent, with a lively acidity that wakes up the palate. It combines lime and peach flavors with a whiff of sea breeze. Somehow it manages to be both ethereal and penetrating."

My Review: This smelled softer than the first, a bit flowery and vaguely like oranges. It tasted sharper though, and a bit like white grape juice. I did not have this wine with food.