Wine Dinner Extravaganza

On a windy Thursday night, five wine enthusiasts gathered to drink some wine, eat some food, and be merry. These are notes of one particularly beautiful wine enthusiast. 

Buttons the cat wants to join the wine enthusiasts. 

The Appetizer

For the first course, we had a crescent roll wrapped baked apple brie and chose to pair it with a white wine blend, the Frascati shown in the picture below. 

Crescent Roll Baked Apple Brie

Frascati Volpetti

Name: Frascati DOC

Variety: Malvasia, Trebbiano, Greco 

Region: Frascati

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $7.95

Food: Crescent Roll Baked Apple Brie

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/crescent-wrapped-baked-apple-brie/2dd12626-35e3-451e-ba1d-14465f8537b8

The Frascati smelt like lemon, grapefruit, and all around varying citrus notes. The taste however was very different than the smell. It had a plant and vegetable taste, similar to a mix between grass and broccoli. I didn't like the taste so much, as I don't prefer very vegetable aromas and tastes. The crescent roll baked apple brie was fantastic on it's own (and the chef was particularly beautiful). The dish took away the vegetable taste from the wine, and left behind the citrus notes. It also cut the acidity of the wine and made it much smoother.

The Main Course

Thankfully, I have a really great friend who cooks amazingly tasty and healthy foods. She prepared the main course which included basil balsamic chicken, spiraled zucchini Pasta with red sauce, caprese salad, and garlic bread. We paired the food with a Pinot Noir from Oregon. 

Dinner made by my wonderful friend Sara and eaten by me (and her and three others).

The wine we paired with the main course.

Name: Ponga.

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Marlborough

Country: New Zealand

Year: 2013

Price: $12.00

Food: Basil Balsamic Chicken, Spiraled Zucchini Pasta with Red Sauce, Garlic Wheat Bread 

When I took a sniff of this wine I sensed blackberry, black cherry, and black peppercorn. The taste, without trying the main course, was spicy, acidic, and full of black pepper. It had a heavy body and a long finish. I did not enjoy how spicy the wine was on its own. The wine brought out the sweetness of the red sauce when trying the zucchini pasta and the basil in the chicken. However, it was still extremely spicy, which I felt overpowered the wine and the food sometimes. It was such a spicy wine that didn't even want to finish it. 

The Dessert

The lovely Shanel made a very simple and yummy dessert for us all, taking advantage of the season by using strawberries. She made a Strawberry Icebox cake, which we paired with a rose wine. 

Strawberry Icebox Cake

Bellafina Rose Wine

Name: Bellafina Pink Moscato

Variety: Muscat

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Food: No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

http://www.thekitchn.com/summer-recipe-nobake-strawberry-icebox-cake-117900

The Bellafina smelt like grapefruit and honeysuckle. It also had a grapefruit taste, but did not have much acidity like most citrus tasting wines. It was sweet and bubbly, but the sweetness was not overpowering. There was nice balance between the sweet and bubbly. There were more floral notes in the taste as well. With the cake, neither of the flavors really transformed, it just highlighted the best within one another. The cream in the cake helped to smooth out the wine and give it a creamier mouth feel. 
                                                                                  

Wine & Cheese Night #2

On a rainy Thursday night, three wine enthusiasts gathered to taste wine and cheese pairings. There are the notes of one particularly beautiful wine enthusiast.

The wines are mentioned from right to left across the picture.

Name: Belle Ambiance

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $7.99

Cheese Paired: Brie

The wine was a beautiful golden color and had very fruity and crisp aromas. I smelled notes of pear and nuts. It had a light body and was sweet, refreshing, and had a tart finish. There were again notes of pear and apples in the taste, which added to the crisp taste. 

The addition of the Brie added a beautiful nutty taste to the wine, while also sweetening it. It also made the wine much smoother, perhaps due to the texture of the cheese itself. It was overall a good pairing, but not my favorite. The taste of cheese ended up overpowering the wine completely, so instead of complimenting one another the wine got lost.

Name: Tilia

Variety: Merlot

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2013

Price: $10.99

Cheese Paired: Monterey Jack

Initially we tried the wine straight after opening the bottle, which turned out to be not the best idea. The flavors were extremely aggressive and tannic with notes of spice and wood. After decanting the wine it was much more mellow. It still had a strong spicy aroma, and when tasting it I was able to identify notes of black pepper. While it was less harsh than before, it was still spicy and very complex. 

The addition of the Monterey again added a nice creaminess and smooth texture to the wine. It also took away some of the harsh spiciness and bitterness of the wine. Because the Monterey is so mild by itself, it really accentuated the flavors of the wine. The wine and cheese did pair well together.

Name: Little Black Dress

Variety: Cabarnet Sauvignon

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2012

Price: $8.99

Cheese Paired: Romano

The aroma of this wine was woody, like oak, and also smelt of dark berries, specifically black cherry. The taste was slightly dry and had notes of dark berry once again, this time I could taste a mix of cherry and blackberry. 

Like the two previous wine and cheese pairings, the wine became much smoother when paired with the cheese. It also dulls the acidity of the wine. It also brings out nutty flavors in the wine and cheese. Overall, this pairing went well together because they brought out interesting flavors in one another without one overpowering the other. 

Tasting - Jam Jar Sweet White

Name: Jam Jar Sweet White
Variety: Muscat
Region: Western Cape
Country: South Africa
Year: 2014
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: 
This charming, easy-drinking Moscato offers flavors of peach, apricot, lychee and orange blossom. A lively jolt of acidity keeps it fresh and fruity. Fancy enough for a special occasion toast, yet sweet-natured enough to enjoy every day, our bright cheerful sweet wines are sure to capture your heart. 

My Review: 
The aroma from this wine reminded me of raspberry jam. I'm not sure if the name of the wine itself was influencing my thought process, but oh well. The taste was very light and had notes of tropical fruit, like maybe mango or pineapple. 

I did not have any food while tasting this wine. 

Tasting - Rare Red

Name: Rare Red
Variety: Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot, Merlot
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: --
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: 
A multi-vintage blend of Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Petite Syrah, and Merlot that is full-bodied and fruit forward with a spicy and complex finish. This wine has been partially barrel aged for eight months in American and French oak. 

My Review: 
I did not like the nose on this wine at all. It smelt of a combination of capers and salmon. The taste was also initially full of capers and bitter, but it ended sweet. Overall, I did not particularly enjoy this wine. 

I did not have any food while tasting this wine. 

Tasting - Breca Tovana

Name: Breca Tovana
Variety: Old Vine Garnacha
Region: Munebrega
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $8.95

Vintage Cellar Review: 
Gnarled vines, grown without irrigation, are a mainstay of Spain's winemaking tradition and produce small clusters of perfectly ripe Garnacha grapes. Aromas of blackberries, plums, and cherries fill the glass and develop into luscious flavors of black stone fruit. Long, supple tannins complete this extraordinary wine. 

My Review: 
Immediately, when first initially smelling the wine, I felt like I had walked into a bakery that had just put out some cherry danishes. There was also a slight spice on the nose. The taste of this wine starts of dry and then ends in a pleasant sweet note. It had notes of cherries and spice. 

I did not have any food while tasting this wine. 

Tasting - Marques de Caceres

Name: Marques de Caceres
Variety: Verdejo
Region: Rueda
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: 
Vivid straw colour. Fresh, clean and intense bouquet enlivened by notes of citrus fruit with a depth of pears and apples. Deliciously fresh and full in the mouth where racy, focused flavours deliver notes of minerals, lemon rind and green apples. Good length and refreshing finish. Has all the character of the best from its appellation. 

My Review: 
The nose of this wine was creamy and buttery, with slight notes of citrus. The wine was smooth with tastes of light lemon. It finished with slight heat, which I found a pleasant contrast to the sweet taste. 

I did not have any food while trying this wine. 

Tasting - Dibon Cava

Name: Dibon Cava 
Variety: 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada
Region: Catalonia
Country: Spain
Year: --
Price: $9.95

Vintage Cellar Review: 
88 points - Wine Enthusiast
Made from 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada, the nose offers regal yeast and richness, while the palate has complexity to prop up apple, citrus and grapefruit flavors. Solid from front ot back, with health and freshness. Cava, Catalan sparkling wine, is made mostly in the regions of Penedes, and the capital of cava is Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. Dibon is located in Vilafranca del Penedes, approximately 20 km from Sant Sadurni. The Dibon vineyard is in the process of becoming fully organic. It consists of 75 hectares of trellised vines 1000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea. 


My Review: 
This wine had a very light nose, with fragrances of citrus. The taste was sweet, but not so sweet to the point that it was overpowering, and slightly tart with notes of green apple and mango. It was a very crisp and fresh tasting wine. 

I did not have any food while tasting this wine.