Dinner Blog: 3

Dinner:

Cheese Pizza
Sushi (half california roll and half tuna roll)
Chicken Quesadilla
Brownie with cream cheese frosting

Wines:

1. Ecco Domani, Italian, 2014, Pinot Grigio
2. Reserve Perrin, France, 2001, Red
3.  San Elias, Chile, 2013, Red
4. Rex-Goliath, California, 2013, Sauvignon Blanc

Here are my notes from the dinner:

Pinot Grigio - Apple and pear with a lemon zest, good to pair with the sushi because it is light.  I don't like it with the pizza, it makes the wine taste really bad, like BO.

Reserve - good with the pizza, brought out the red sauce taste...there was a little spice tasted in the wine that helped make the pizza taste better than it probably was.  The wine did taste a little vinegary

Sauvignon Blanc - Tastes like really sweet pears, or green apples, the actual wine itself does not smell.  It brings out the cheese taste in the quesadilla, also kind of brings out the cream taste which seemed a little weird but tasted good.

San Elias - Very, very oaky wine.  Seemed smokey on the nose and also could smell a lot of cherries.  Reminded me of the outdoors.  It paired perfectly with the brownie, the sweet and oak tasted really good together.

Santa Cristina Annata

Santa Cristina
Annata
Tuscany
2012
18 US Dollars

Description on the back of the bottle.

My opinion: This wine took me back to my days traveling abroad in Italy.  The taste was incredibly rich and I almost felt like I was tasting parsley and basil in the wine (while that may be absurd, we also were drinking this wine with pizza, so maybe that was the taste of the pizza coming through but they paired perfectly)

Decoy Zinfandel

 

Decoy
Zinfandel
Sonoma County
Zinfandel
2011

See description on the back of the bottle.

My opinion: We had this wine with salmon after we had had the previous red wine in my blog.  I liked the sweeter flavor of the wine, but I didn't like that there was almost a little sour zing to it. It was almost like there was an apply flavor infused where it was not supposed to be.

Bacio Divino Red Wine

 to preface this, obviously my parents and I went a little wine crazy in the one weekend I was home. But they were more than eager to help me out for my wine class.

Bacio Divino
Red Wine
Napa Valley
2006
25 US DOLLARS

(see tasting notes on the back)

My opinion: The first thing I noticed was how strong the wine smelled on the nose and how much of a campfire smell came through.  Once I tasted the wine I really enjoyed the campfire taste (aka the really oaky taste).  I'm a sucker for a heavy wine and this was the perfect wine to pair with our Easter weekend chocolate.

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Red Wine

 Sugarloaf Mountain Vinyard
Evoe Red Wine
2011
Maryland
30 US Dollars

See tasting notes on back of the bottle picture.

My opinion: This wine was one of my more favorite wines I have ever had. Maybe I am biased because this vineyard is only a short 20 minutes from my house at home, but I loved the smooth taste.  I was impressed that while it was a blend of so many different things, they blended perfectly well together.  It was a flavor that was sweet but also had a little bit of bite that I could taste in my nose.

I had this wine with cheese and really enjoyed it!  I will be writing that cheese blog later.

Pinotage Fleur Du Cap

Pinotage
Fleur Du Cap
2012
South Africa
US Dollars: $18.99

(tasting notes in bottom picture)

My opinion:
This was definitely not my favorite wine. I got to drink it with my parents while I was home for easter and we did not drink it with food. It had this really bizarre after taste that is hard to explain, it almost tasted like some kind of spice but some kind of spice that didn't sit well on my nose either.  I would not recommend it! (neither would my wine loving parents)

Dinner Blog: 2

For dinner on Wednesday April 9th my friends and I decided to go to the Palisades for the first time! Luck for me it was Italy night, and I got to eat foods and drink wines that were familiar to me.

The three wines pictured on the left:

La Carraia Orvieto Classico (2013)
Tiamo Chianti (2013)
Bonaventura Rosso Toscano (2009)

The foods we tried were:

Potato Gnochhi
Braised Chicken
Taste of Italy Pizza

My notes from the dinner:

La Carria Orvieto Classico -
I tasted a lot of pear in the wine and before I even read in the description that there was apple was surprised how much of the apple I could taste! I enjoyed that the wine was not too sweet.  I found that the wine paired perfectly with any of the foods on the table because of how light it was.  I particularly enjoyed it with the Gnochhi.

Tiamo Chianti -
This Chianti tasted incredibly oaky.  The color was lighter than I thought a Chiani normally would be. It also kind of tasted like a bonfire. I thought this wine was my favorite of the three and that it paired perfectly with each of the entrees!

Bonaventura Rosso Toscano -
This wine was my least favorite of the bunch.  I thought that it was a little too strong for my taste, but interesting that I could taste so much of the licorice coming through.  Since I didn't like it I tried not to drink as much but interestingly enough I thought that the strong taste paired well with the pizza.

Dinner Blog: 1

 The Three Wines I Drank:

Naked Grape
2012

Bay Bridge
White Zinfandel
2013

Rex-Goliath
Sauvignon Blanc
2013

I paired each of these wines with sushi, macaroni and cheese, as well as a mini pizza creation of mine. (I am a broke college student functioning on a budget)

I found that with the sushi the best pairing was the Naked Grape.  However, take that with a grain of salt, because I did not believe that wine really went well with sushi at all.

 With the pizza (as well as the chocolate chips) I thought that the best pairing was the Bay Bridge wine.  Again though, these were all white wines, and I thought that a red wine would have paired much better with both of these food items.

With the macaroni and cheese I actually did not think any of the wines paired well at all.  I was having trouble eating both at the same time honestly.  If I learned anything from this little dinner experiment, it was that a cheap college student's food budget does not mix well with wine.

Barefoot Pinot Grigio

Barefoot
Pinot Grigio
California
$6 US Dollars
California

Tart green apple flavors get down with a white peach undertone. Floral blossoms and citrus aromas do the tango.  Barefoot's Pinot Grigio is light-bodied with a bright finish.

My opinion: While I used to like barefoot a lot, I feel like my taste has changed since starting this class.  I did not enjoy this wine at all.  I was too sweet for me and not dynamic at all, it seemed to have only one favor which was a a kind of sour undertone coming through.

I did not have this wine with food.

Woodbridge Chardonnay

Woodbridge
Chardonnay
2008
California
$11 US Dollars

This vibrant, medium- bodied Chardonnay is lovely to pair with appetizers, including grilled summer vegetables and fresh fruits.  Additionally, the wine can be enjoyed with heartier dishes such as lemon pepper chicken. Best served lightly chilled.

My opinion: I loved the taste of this wine with chicken.  I was nervous that it was going to be a little to light for me, but it ended up being the perfect amount of heaviness for the chicken.

Clos du Bois Chardonnay

Clos du Bois
Chardonnay
California
2011
$15.00 US Dollars

This wine has a brilliant silver straw yellow hue.  Intense aromas of apply blossom, ripe pear, and sweet lemon drop are complimented by toasty oak, spice and cream.  The silky texture of the wine is overlaid with bright and juicy flavors of rich ripe apply and pear finishing in a long fresh aftertaste.

My opinion: I enjoyed that the wine was pretty light feeling on the tongue, however I did not appreciate the spice aspect of the wine.  I felt that it was out of place for a chardonnay.

I did not drink this wine with food.

Apothic Red

Apothic Red
California
$8.99 US Dollars
2012

A masterful blend of rich Zinfandel, smooth Merlot, flavorful Syrah and bold Cabernet Sauvignon creates layers of dark red fruit complemented by hints of vanilla and mocha.

My Opinion: My first thought with this wine was that I could definitely taste the vanilla.  I thought that it made the wine very sweet which I enjoyed with steak over a salad. I don't think it paired well with the dressing but that it would have been perfect with just steak.

Bay Bridge Chardonnay

Bay Bridge
Chardonnay
California
$3.99 US Dollars
2014

Did not have sufficient tasting notes.

My opinion: I was surprised by the lack of flavor in this wine.  I knew that it was going to be a little lighter, but I think that the price of the wine matches the taste in this case.

I did not have this wine with food.

Sledgehammer Zinfandel

Sledgehammer
Zinfandel
Lake County, California
2008
10 US Dollars

This is not the elegant, delicate sipping wine that you'd find at your grandma's bridge club.  To the contrary, Sledgehammer Zinfandel is big, bold, and spicy. It pairs well with grilled meat and loud music.

My opinion: The wine was a little to much for me.  There was a lot of flavor in it and I could barely tell what was what. The spices came through on my nose and I thought that they were way too strong.

I also had this wine when I was eating salad and it did not pair well at all.

Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon

Sledgehammer
Cabernet Sauvignon
2012
Northern California
10 US Dollars

Never mind the French-sounding name, this Cabernet Sauvignon is All-American.  Grown in Northern California, the Sledgehammer Cab offers a smooth, rich flavor that pairs well with prime steaks, not baguettes and pate.

My opinion: I absolutely loved this wine.  I love that I could taste a lot of blackberry coming through as well as smell the blackberry when I sniffed.  It was fruity, not to heavy, but had a small bite like I like.

I paired this wine with a salad, I feel like it would have gone much better with chicken or steak.

Oak Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon

Oak Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon

2012

US 6 DOLLARS

California

This medium-bodied, soft Merlot has a captivating nose of blackberries and ripe plum, complemented by a satisfying finish.  Pair with hearty lasagna.

My opinion: I thought that the wine was a lot heavier then I was expecting and I had trouble drinking it sip after sip.  I felt like it could have paired well with dark chocolate but you can't drink a lot of it at once.

Oak Leaf Vineyards Chardonnay

Oak Leaf Vineyards
Chardonnay
California
2012
4 US Dollars

This medium-bodied, round Chardonnay has aromas of green apple and pineapple, a touch of oak and a smooth finish.  Pair with Garlic Shrimp

My opinion: I really like how there was a little bit of a zest behind the wine, and that it wasn't just a sweet wine.

I had the wine with scallops and it paired perfectly.

Oak Leaf Vineyards Sweet White

Oak Leaf Vineyards
Sweet White
California
2012
3 US Dollars


Has bright aromas of lemon and fresh melon with a clean, crisp finish.

My opinion: I thought that the wine was too sweet to handle. I have come to like a little more of a bite in my wines and this tasted essentially like sweet grapes without any alcohol.

I did not have this wine with food.

Rex-Goliath Savignon Blanc

Rex-Goliath
Savignon Blanc
California
2012
7.50 US Dollars

With bright lively citrus and summer fruit flavors - like honeydew melon, nectarine, and pair - our Sauvignon Blanc is perfect for picnics, entertaining on the patio, or rewarding yourself after a long day. 

My opinion: I though that the wine was very light and crisp, but did not have a lot of flavor to it.  I think that it would be a perfect wine for a hot summer day, but that drinking it in the middle of winter did not do it as much justice.

I did not have this wine with food.

Naked Grape Pinot Grigio

The Naked Grape
Pinot Grigio
California
2012
12 US Dollars

Aromas of pear and lemon.  A light go everywhere and with everything style.

My opinion: This wine was not to sweet as well as not too dry, I liked that it went down really easy without any bite at the end. I could absolutely taste the pear in the wine, that was easily the strongest flavor of all of them.

I did not have this wine with food.

Rockbridge Lexington and Concord

Rockbridge
Lexington and Concord
Virginia Sweet Red Table Wine
11 US Dollars

This wine is 100% Concord grapes grown in neighboring Augusta County and has a nostalgic taste of summertime on the farm.  

My opinion: I thought that this wine was a bang for its buck.  While only 11 dollars this was one of my favorite reds I have ever had. I thought that it tasted different then any other red, and I want to say that it is because the wine was from Virginia and I had never had a wine from somewhere so local.

I had the wine with London broil and I thought that it was a good pairing.  I especially liked the wine with the mashed potatoes on the side as well.

Little Black Dress Merlot

Little Black Dress
Merlot
California
2007
10 US Dollars

Shows plenty of lush, ripe fruit, wrapped in soft tannins and balanced with crisp acids. The forward black cherry, red licorice, orange and smoky vanilla flavors are rich, and the price makes it a great value

My opinion: I thought the wine was a lot heavier then I was expecting.  However even with the heaviness I could taste a lot of the fruit coming through. 

I paired this wine with steak and it went absolutely perfect.

Le Poesie Cabernet Sauvignon

Le Poesie
Cabernet Sauvignon
Veneto
2011
8 US Dollars

*no description online

I also had this wine in Venice, Italy. I did not particularly like this wine because I thought that the makers tried to push too many flavors into the wine and that it was overwhelming.

I had the wine with the seafood pasta and thought that the kind of wine went well but the fact that I didn't like the wine overshadowed that.

Collio Pinot Grigio

Collio
La Reata
Pinot Grigio
Collio Goriziano DOC
2012
10 US Dollars

On the palate, the wine has crisp acidity and a smooth and pleasant finish.  A rich and fruity Pinot Grigio, with bursting fruit flavors and toasty notes.

I actually got a lot of lemon through this wine.  This was a wine that I had with dinner in Venice, Italy. According to my notes the taste was a little bitter going down but still had a buttery finish.

I had this wine with a seafood pasta and it paired perfectly.

La Brunesca Primitivo Rosato

La Brunesca
Primitive Rosato
Puglia
8 US dollars

*could not find description online

The first thing I noticed about this wine was the color. I was surprised to see such an orange and pink color in the bottle.  I thought the tastes was interesting, because I could taste some of the orange and zest coming through the wine.

I had this wine with pasta and creme sauce and I thought that it paired really well because it was a little more light on the tongue.

Fattoria Poggio Alloro Vino Biologico

Fattoria Poggio Alloro
Vino Biologico
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
2012
25 US Dollars

*the are not producing the wine currently so I was not able to find a description

This wine was another one of the wines that I tasted while I studied abroad.  Again we were at a farm in Tuscany, Italy in the San Gimignano region.  This wine was light and crisp with an after taste of sweet flowers.  In my description in my journal I wrote that it was one of my favorite wines I had tasted on my whole trip as well (which is saying a lot because I had a lot of wine!)

We drank this wine with the pasta as well and I would have thought the wine paired better with a white sauce instead of the red sauce that we were eating.

Fattoria Poggio Alloro Chianti

Fattoria Poggio Alloro
Chianti
San Gimignano
2012
20 US dollars

Grape blend: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino and Ciliegiolo
Vinification: soaking on the skins with repeated repassing of must over the grape dregs, alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats and maturation in the bottle
Broad and elegant with pleasant odors of red fruit, cherry, blackcurrant and raspberry with final flowery notes of sweet violets.

This was a wine that I tasted on my wine tour in Tuscany, Italy.  It was a sweet wine that did not have any bite. I enjoyed that I could very much taste the hints of cherry in the wine and even thought it was black cherry.

We had the wine with pasta and bread, and it paired very well with the red sauce on the pasta.

Barefoot Sweet White

Barefoot
Sweet White
Pinot Grigio and Moscato Combined
California
$5.75

It seems Pinot Grigio and Moscato get along swimmingly. This blend is fruity, lively and light-bodied, starting with notes of peach and tangerine and finishing on a sweet note—just like every day should

My opinion: This was another very very sweet wine but I actually liked that I could taste some of the flavor coming through.  I got a lot of pear from the wine and even some tangerine it seemed.

I did not have this wine with food.

Yellow Tail Moscato

Yellow Tail
Moscato
$5.75

Bright fruit flavors of freshly crushed grapes, peach and passion fruit with a refreshing finish.

A sweet white with tropical fruit flavors and a lil fizz for an extra kick.

Moscato is a great easy drinking wine. Its tropical fruit and lil fizzy flavor is a welcome friend at the end of a long day at the office.

My opinion: This was my favorite wine before I studied abroad, I enjoyed how sweet it was and that it almost tasted like grape juice.  However, now that my taste has become more mature I cannot stand drinking this wine anymore!

I drank the wine with chocolate and it was a lot of sweet to handle.  You need to have a real sweet tooth with this wine!

Barefoot White Zinfandel

Barefoot
White Zinfandel
California
$5.75

Southern flavors like Georgia peach, sun-ripened strawberries, succulent pears and (even further south) pineapple create perfection

My review: The wine had no flavor at all and was a really light wine.  Even though it was so light I could taste a lot of the alcohol coming through and I really did not like it.

I had the wine with steak and mashed potatoes and I think that a red wine would have gone much better with that.

Manfred Breit Riesling

Manfred Breit
Piesporter Goldtropchen
Riesling Spatlese
2012 Mosel
$18.95

The late harvested Spatlese wines are medium bodied but still very flowery, with good aging potential.  This Goldtropfchen Spatlese is very fresh with a nice tropical fruit flavor balanced with the acidity.  This wine has good potential for aging at least 8 years.

My opinion: This was definitely a sweet wine.  I thought there was a lot of flavors in the wine, and almost too many flavors going on for my taste. It was a good wine to pair with a lighter meal I thought.  Fish or maybe a good chicken.

I did not drink this wine with food.

Oliver Hill

Oliver Hill
Red Silk
Shiraz 2012
McLaren Vale
$19.95

91 pts Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate. Full-bodied and packed with concentrated blackberry preserve and menthol flavors, it has a good backbone of medium to firm rounded tannins.

My opinion: I absolutely loved this wine.  I could taste a lot of the blackberry and the flavor was really strong.  Had a little too much bite for my tasted but I enjoyed that I could sense some of the oak coming through too.

Picket Fence Cabernet Sauvignon

Picket Fence
Alexander Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon
2012
$16.95

Classic Sonoma Cabernet characteristics of cassis, green olive and hints of chocolate, French Oak aging contributes vanilla, clove and hazelnut aromas which create a unique foil for the robust blackberry and raspberry fruit flavors leading to a round, flavorful finish.  Pair with aged and semi-hard cheeses, or try lamb with a dry rub of rosemary, shallots and fruit olive oil.

My review: To me there was nothing unique about this wine that stood out to me and made me truly remember it.  I remember thinking that there was a little too much going on in the wine for me.

I did not pair it with food.

Anciano Tempranillo

Anciano
Gran Reserva
Tempranillo
Valdepenas
2004
$13.95

Anciano wines are matured for years in cellars stacked floor to ceiling with oak barrels.  This slow, controlled maturation guarantees the perfect balance between ripe fruit and mellow oak character.  Great things come with age!

My review: I tasted this wine right after the Pinot Noir that I liked so much, so I was not as impressed by this wine.  When the review says mellow, it meant mellow.  I could almost have this distinct taste of alcohol which I really didn't like because it meant that the wine did not go down very easy for me.

I did not have it with food.

Picket Fence Pinot Noir

Picket Fence
Russian River
Pinot Noir
2012
$16.95

Aromas of brandy-macerated red cherries, bay laurel, duck fat, forest floor, toasty baking spices and warm vanilla.  The chewy red and black fruits come through in the mouth with layers of fine tannins and just a whisper of smoldering French oak.  A delicious finish ends this wine on a lush note of creme brulee topped with plum compote. (92 points Wilfred Wong)

My review: I absolutely LOVE THIS WINE. I loved it so much I bought a bottle for myself.  When I first smelled the wine I would smell this kind of campfire smell that must have come from the French oak. It to me was a very musky kind of wine, and while at first smell you think it would be heavy, it had a lot of flavor but still felt light to me on my tongue.  I give it two huge thumbs up!

I did not have it with food but I plan on splitting the bottle with a friend and some chocolate in the near future.

Picket Fence Russian River

Picket Fence
Russian River
2013
Chardonnay
$14.95

Picket Fence Chardonnay is classic Russian River. Citrus blossom, hints of ripe stone fruit, creme brulee, and a bright balanced acidity.  Lightly toasted french oak enhances the structure and spice, coalescing into a round juicy wine with an attractive lingering finish.

My review: Quite frankly I thought that the wine tasted as close to water as you could get.  I could tell hints of fruit but for the most part there was nothing to the wine.

I did not have it with food.