Tasting - Bera Asti 2011

Name: Bera Asti 

Variety: Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (Moscato Bianco in Italy)

Region: Neviglie, Piemonte

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: "90 pts, Decanter Magazine. Bera is a soft and plush wine with creamy foam, lemony mousse and loads of fragrant peach blossom, honey and sweet almond on the bouquet. You’ll love the intensity of elegant,  fresh, rich flavours and vibrant acidity."

My Review: Normally I do not like overly sweet wines, but I actually enjoyed this wine! Maybe it's just because the weather is getting warmer and I can find it refreshing! I think the main reason I liked this particular wine was because it was more complex than other sweet sparkling wines I've have, like Moscato. I didn't feel like I was just drinking carbonated fruit juice. This wine smelled of apples, peach, and something like pink lemonade. On the palate it was definitely sweet, but as I said before I surprisingly didn't mind it. It tasted citrusy with a hint of honey and strawberries. Overall, this was a very refreshing light wine. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Tarima Monastrell

Name: Tarima Monastrell

Variety: 100% Monastrell

Region: Alicante

Country: Spain

Year: 2013

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: "90 pts, Stephen Tanzer. Bright purple.  High-pitched red and dark berry scents show good clarity and pick up a licorice nuance with air.  Tangy and focused on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry and spicecake flavors with an exotic touch of candied violet.  Closes spicy and long, with silky tannins building slowly and adding gentle grip.  This is a fantastic value."

My Review: This was a nice little wine. At $10 a bottle, I could see myself buying this again. On the nose it smelled of butter, dark chocolate and dark ripe berries. On the palate this wine was super smooth with medium weight. It tasted like I was eating flower petals coated in dark chocolate...which was actually quite pleasant. This wine was tasted on its own without food. (It also gets the coolest label of the day award)

Tasting - Coreto Tinto 2013

Name: Coreto Tinto

Variety: Whatever they could find? (Caladoc, Alicante Bouschet, Castellan, Pinot Noir, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional)

Region: Not specified 

Country: Portugal

Year: 2013

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: "Great as an aperitif, is a perfect wine for the day-to-day. Excellent addition to dishes with meats, stews, roasts, barbecue, pasta, pizza, vegetarian dishes, Mexican food, Chinese, Thai and cheeses. Excellent with food or by itself. You can follow for example, roasts, barbecue, pasta and vegetarian dishes or made of cheese. Serve at a temperature of 14-16ºC which enhances the fruity, also being much more enjoyable in warmer weather, on a terrace or a party."

My Review: For a cheap wine, I liked it! I mean don't get me wrong, it's not out-of-this-world, but it's a solid little wine. On the nose this wine smelled only of berries. However the aroma was loud..it smelt so good. On the palate, the wine tasted mostly of berries. However, there was also this tangy component with a little spice, which gave it just enough complexity to make it interesting. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Tarima Blanco 2013

Name: Tarima Blanco 2013

Variety: 70% mereseguera, 20% viura and 10% moscatel

Region: Alicante

Country: Spain

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: "(70% mereseguera, 20% viura and 10% moscatel):  Light yellow.  Perfumed aromas of Meyer lemon, melon and white flowers show good clarity and a hint of ginger.  Juicy, open-knit citrus fruit and peach flavors are firmed by a zesty mineral quality and a touch of white pepper. The melon note repeats on the clinging but slightly warm finish."

My Review: On the nose this wine was very open. It smelled tropical, citrusy, and like a nice ripe pear. On the palate this wine was surprising! It tasted nothing like it smelled. It was overwhelmingly sour and acidic. So much that I couldn't taste much else except maybe a hint of lemon. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Dom de la Condemine Macon-Peronne “Le Clou”

Name: Dom de la Condemine Macon-Peronne “Le Clou” 

Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Region: Burgundy

Country: France

Year: 2012

Price: $19 (On sale for $7.95)

Winery Review: "Made from 100% Chardonnay. Sustainable agriculture: very low use of chemicals.  Their philosophy is to produce a wine in the traditional style of Mâcon, with minimal intervention and not use of Oak.  The soils is made of Clay and Limestone (Argilo-Calcaire) and the parcels are located right next to Viré Clessé Appelatio.  A light golden hue, floral aromas. Intense, clean and fresh on the palate. Citrus notes, bold acidity. Excellent match to seafood with butter or cream sauces or rich blue cheeses."

My Review: While I tend to not like chardonnays, this one was surprising pleasant. Maybe it's not that I don't like Chardonnays, but that I don't like New World Chardonnays? At any rate, on the nose this wine displayed an overwhelming floral aroma. It smelled as though I was walking through a field full of flowers, and breathing in their scent with fresh, clean, crisp air. On the palate this wine had a lot of acidity but somehow still felt...clean. It tasted of flowers and honeydew melon. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Wine and Cheese Pairing - Round 2!

A few weeks ago the same group of people from my first wine and cheese paring (plus a few more!) got together for a second round. We decided to do both the wine and cheese pairing along with the movie "Red Obsession."

  +   = 

It made for a pleasant, relaxing evening, and went much smoother this time than the first time. All of us definitely had more to say about the flavors, aromas, and pairings this time around. Here's what I had to say...

THE CHEESE:

The first cheese I tasted was an apple smoked gruyere. The cheese was semi-mild, and definitely had the smokiness component as the main flavor. Unfortunately the apple component was close to nonexistent. I think if the apple would have been stronger, it would have been a better balanced flavor. However this cheese definitely stuck to it's hardy, smoked flavor. This cheese was okay.

The second cheese I tastes was goat cheese. I was quite excited about this cheese, as I tend to like goat cheese's milder, creamier taste...I'm not that into cheese. However, I was quite disappointed to find that this cheese was super sharp and tangy, like swiss cheese. In fact, I could have sworn it was swiss cheese that was labeled wrong. I did not like this cheese at all on its own.

The third cheese I tried was gouda. I was expecting this cheese to be overly strong and pungent like the last smoked gouda (with bacon) I had, however this was surprisingly and pleasantly not the case. This particular gouda was very mild and did not have much flavor. To some that may be a negative, but to me it was not. I don't like strong cheeses, so this was much like eating a normal brick of craft cheddar cheese.

THE WINE:

The cheese was served with four different wines. Each of us chose three for cheese pairings. Each wine was first tasted on its own and then again with each of the cheeses for comparison regarding both the taste of the wine and the cheese.

Wine #1 - Malbec

Bodega Elena de Mendoza Malbec 2013
(Mendoza, Argentina)

Winemaker's Notes: "Our 2010 Malbec is rich and well-structured with flavors of blackberry, plum and dark chocolate. Soft, rounded tannins carry from the mid-palate through the plush and velvety finish. Pairs well with BBQ Brisket, Vegetarian Chili and New York Strip Steak."

On Its Own: On the nose this wine displayed berries, and slight hints of smoke and flowers. On the palate this wine was smooth with slight heat (but not in a bad way). It tasted of dark berries and chocolate. I'm not sure where the smoky scent came from, but for the most part I completely agree with the winemaker's notes.

With Gruyere: This wine was purposely bought to pair with this wine after looking at this website: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/13-can-t-go-wrong-wine-and-cheese-pairings. The pairing did not disappoint and was definitely complimentary. Both flavors from the wine and the cheese were very present. I didn't see much change however. In other words, I didn't get a new flavor from either the wine or the cheese with the pairing. It was a good solid pairing though, and the two definitely went well together.

With Goat: This pairing was mediocre. A Malbec is definitely not meant to pair with this type of cheese, in the way that is masks the cheese flavor completely. See I wasn't a fan of this goat cheese (I swear it's swiss cheese), I didn't mind how the wine masked it. It made the cheese much more bearable to get down. No bad flavors came of this pairing, but I would not recommend it.

With Gouda: On the contrary to the goat cheese pairing, the gouda masked the Malbec. Again, there was nothing "bad" about this pairing, but it definitely wasn't "meant to be." I did like this cheese, so I didn't mind tasting it, but I did miss the wine flavor....cause I love that more! Nothing bad, nothing good, just another mediocre pairing.

Wine #2 - Tuscarora Red 

Rockbridge Tuscarora Red (Virginia)

Winemaker's Notes: "Our Tuscarora Red a clear, ruby-red color, with a deeply fruited bouquet of cherries and fresh red fruit entwined with spicy, peppery notes. This wine is lively and fresh on the palate, with soft, rounded tannins followed by a long, fine finish. The fresh, well-structured character of this wine makes it an ideal complement to all types of Italian food." (http://www.rockbridgevineyard.com/wines.php)

On Its Own: This wine had a little something funky going on! On the nose, this wine displayed an overwhelming aroma of acetone, like nail polish remover. To taste, it was very closed off, tasted very tart, and had a lot of heat. It was kinda gross, to be blunt. Our group later found out from John Boyer that acetone is not a wine aroma, and that the wine was flawed! Wish I knew that before I kept tasting it! All of the pairings turned out to be bad. It's hard to tell whether that was because of the flawed wine, or just bad pairings.

With Gruyere: This pairing was not desirable. The two flavors completely contrasted each other. The wine was already bad on its own, but this pairing added a very sour component. 

With Goat: The goat cheese proved to be another bad pairing. This pairing exemplified how bad the wine was, making it more acidic and sharp. This pairing was definitely hard to get through, and I just had a sip and one tiny bite of cheese. No good!

With Gouda: As expected, the gouda was another bad pairing...perhaps the worst of the bunch. Why? Well beyond, the contrasting flavors just mixing to make nastiness, it physically made my tongue tingle. It was super tangy and sharp. I'd definitely advise against this pairing.

Wine #3 - Riesling

Manfred Breit Piesporter Goldtropfchen
Riesling Kabinett (Mosel, Germany)

Winemaker's Notes: "Riesling is without question Germany's favorite grape. Widely planted, though once derided, Riesling is the superstar of the white wine world at the moment. There is a lot of scope for versatility with this sweet, viscous wine, though you can expect to get hints of tropical fruit, nectarine, melon and pineapple from a solid Riesling."

On Its Own: This Riesling tasted like...a Riesling. What I mean is that all the flavors and aromas characteristic of Riesling were present. On the nose this wine was very tropical. On the palate it was sweet, although not sickeningly so, and sharp. It tasting of pineapple, green apple, and pears.

With Gruyere: I really can't say much about this pairing other than it WAS SO BAD. I literally wanted to throw up. Everything about this pairing was negative and the two flavors contrasted in a huge way. Don't ever pair these together. 

With Goat: The Riesling and the goat cheese (aka "swiss") was actually very complimentary. The sweetness of the wine softened the tangy and sharp components of the cheese, making it smoother to taste. This was the only time I didn't hate the taste of the goat ("swiss") cheese.

With Gouda: Although not as bad as the Gruyere pairing, this was not that great. While the two did not necessarily contrast each other, the Riesling brought out a smoky flavor in the cheese that I didn't like. Not horrible, but I personally was not a fan. If you only want to taste the smokiness of the cheese, I would pair this for you.

Even though many of my wine and cheese pairings were not desirable, it still made for a good night. This wine pairing was definitely a learning experience, and really made me see how much the wine and cheese pairings can affect each others tastes. While I would have preferred to learn this lesson with great tasting pairings, tasting the bad pairing definitely got the point across. 

Wine Dinner - 2013 Vintages (no food theme)

Before Blacksburg was blessed with 70 degree spring days, a group of my trustee wine friends braced the winter weather and gathered at my apartment for a night full of good food, great wine (well, we hoped), and even better company! The four people pictured below are all Geography of Wine students, and were joined by my boyfriend, Eric (not pictured), who loves to cook, and does a darn good job at it....lucky me! ;)

The crazy winter weather that left the roads
covered in ice...but that didn't stop us!

There was no set food theme for the night, other than darn good homemade food (well, almost all of it)! We did decide to buy all one vintage...2013! As opposed to our first wine dinner, which consisted of three different entree options, this dinner consisted of two appetizers and a main dish. Our dinner experience was a great way to start the weekend and get some food in our stomachs and a fancy pregame in before heading downtown!

From left to right: Erik, Randy, Ryan, & Rachel (me!)

THE FOOD:

The first appetizer was tomato bruschetta. This was the only dish that was not homemade and was supplied in a jar by "Private Selection." This bruschetta was unlike others I've had, in the way in which it was more like a puree instead of tomato chunks. That being said, it was pretty good and the different consistency didn't bother me. It had a bunch of basil and was a bit sweeter than I would've liked, but again, wasn't a bad way to start off the hors d'oeuvres!

The second appetizer was bacon wrapped asparagus, and my favorite of the night! I mean what's not to love about bacon wrapped anything!? Not only was this appetizer super easy to make, but it was jam-packed with flavor! Definitely hardier in taste, this appetizer did not disappoint. 

The third dish was the main course consisting of pork chops, corn and tomato salsa, and a side of broccoli. For tastings, the focus was the pork chops with the salsa topping. The pork chops, which on their own are sort of bland in taste, were seasoned with chili powder and paprika, which made it spicy with a bold taste. Pairing the seasoned pork chops with the corn salsa was super complimentary, and tasted like salsa with taco seasoning. The sweet and the spicy really worked well together. 

THE WINE:

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer
(Columbia Valley, WA)  

Winemaker's Notes: "A fan favorite, this Gewürztraminer is such a flavorful wine with beautiful, expressive fruit and clove spice. This is a lush style of Gewurztraminer with a lot of floral character, yet it still maintains the grape’s natural crisp acidity. Try this wine with Thai food or any cuisine with a little “bite” to it." (https://www.ste-michelle.com/shop/wines/2013-gewurztraminer) 

On Its Own: On the nose this wine smelled of citrus with a hint of pepper. On the palate this wine was sweet and tastes of pears, apricots, and lemon grass. The lemon grass component kept the wine from being overly sweet and provided some crispness and complexity. 

With Bruschetta: This was not a good pairing. I don't think the bruschetta had enough complexity or "bite" to pair well with the wine. The pair did not necessarily taste bad, but just canceled the flavors of both the wine and the food out. 

With Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: I had higher hopes for this paring, but it still did not work well. The bacon flavor completely overpowered the wine. Again, this did not necessarily taste bad, but it wasn't complimentary and you couldn't taste the wine at all.

With Pork Chops & Corn Salsa: This pairing was banging! The winemaker's notes were definitely correct in saying to pair the wine with any food with a little "bite" to it. The wine's different flavors were highlighted and it tasted way more complex, with more "layers." The pork chops did not loose their bite, but somehow managed to also get sweeter since the corn's flavor was definitely heightened. This was a really good pairing, and one that I would definitely seek out again. 

2013 Girl & Dragon Malbec
(Mendoza, Argentina)

Winemaker's Notes: "A fierce red wine with bright berry flavors and a soft, lush texture." (http://www.girlanddragon.com/wine) 

On Its Own: This deep violet wine was opened for 2 hours before tasting. On the nose, the Malbec was still a little closed up and hard to smell. The overwhelming aroma was that of black cherry and other dark berries. In addition, there was a slight floral component and something creamy, maybe like butter. On the palate, this wine was slightly acidic during tasting, but had a super smooth after taste. It had a nice medium weight and tasted of dark berries with slight heat. This wasn't my favorite Malbec ever, but definitely a decent one. 

With Bruschetta: This pairing was mediocre. Not bad. Not good. The wine did wash the bruschetta out a bit, but the wine flavors were still there. Not much to comment on the pairing, other than it wouldn't be one to pair specifically together, but works alright if the Malbec is meant to pair with the main part of a meal and the bruschetta is just a small appetizer to get through.

With Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: Wow! Awesome! This pairing was a surprise...in a good way! The fruits in the wine really complimented and balanced out the bacon wrapped asparagus. 

With Pork Chops & Corn Salsa: This was a decent pairing. Not anything spectacular though. The flavors of the entree and the wine were complimentary enough. There was no clashing or washing out of flavors. What makes me say that it was just decent, is the fact that no flavors of either the food or the wine were exemplified. Nothing about this pairing made me say WOW! Overall, it was okay.

2013 Apothic Red Blend (California)

 Winemaker's Notes: "A bold blend of primarily Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Apothic Red leaves a lasting impression of flavor and texture on the palate. Zinfandel offers bold dark fruit flavors and spicy notes, complemented by the soft mouthfeel of Merlot. The Syrah adds layers of smooth blueberry, while the Cabernet Sauvignon delivers ripe fruit flavors and a firm structure. This decadent blend is framed by hints of black cherry, vanilla, and mocha." (http://www.wine.com/v6/Apothic-Red-Blend-2013/wine/137002/Detail.aspx)

On Its Own: Holy cow! I love this wine! Definitely a must buy! The nose on this is big and bold; full of dark berries, cherries, plums, and floral notes. On the palate, this wine just gets better. It's super smooth, with medium weight, and tastes of berries, mocha, and a hint of spice! With low tannins and no heat, this wine is easy to drink down...but definitely not because of lack of complexity. This wine was way better on its own than when paired with any of the foods for this dinner. This wine was decanted for 2 hours before tasting. 

With Bruschetta: Before tasting, I though this pair would be mediocre to bad. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the two actually went quite well together. The wine was very complimentary to the sweet, basil, tomato flavors. Neither the wine or the bruschetta was overpowered.

With Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: Contrary to the bruschetta, I had higher hopes for this pairing. However, the pairing wasn't as nice as with the bruschetta...although it wasn't bad either. Just...okay. Overall, the flavors from both the wine, bacon, and asparagus were more subtle when tasted together, although nothing was lost. The two made for a "blah" pairing that wasn't bad, but definitely didn't have the "wow" factor that the wine did on its own.

With Pork Chops & Corn Salsa: Again, not a bad paring, but not great either. I would say the pork, as a plain meat, didn't pair well with the wine, as it is too bland and light. The spices used to season the pork chops definitely saved the pairing from being bad, as they added more complexity and depth to the pairing. I think a steak or ground beef would have been a much better match. Overall, not bad, but definitely wouldn't go seeking this pairing again. 

As always, the wine dinner was an enjoyable experience. Definitely a good start to the weekend! I really enjoy cooking for other people and being able to talk about the wine and food we are trying. Other people's opinions are certainly interesting...sometimes helpful for pinpointing what you are tasting, and other times just blow your mind, as you have no idea where they came up with something! Although this is the last wine dinner I am blogging about, we have had more than the three allowed for this class, and plan to continue doing so! We love some vino! 

Tasting - Peter Mertes Riesling Platinum

Name: Peter Mertes Riesling Platinum

Variety: Riesling

Region: Rheinhessen

Country: Germany

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: "This quality Riesling is crisp, clean and easy drinking. Floral and fruit aromas suggest sweet melon and honey with enough acidity to ensure a beautifully balanced and versatile wine."

My Review: On the nose this wine was very fruity. It displayed aromas of apples, peaches, and honey dew melon. To taste, this wine was semi-sweet and crisp at the same time. It showed a nice balance as to not be too sweet. Most of the aromas on the nose were lost to the palate, and the only taste was that of a granny smith apple. Overall, this wine wasn't bad, but definitely not my favorite Riesling. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone

Name: Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone

Variety: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre

Region: Rhone

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: "50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre. 56 Ha grown organically since March 2009 (in conversion). Part of the vineyard is plowed with horses. Average age of the vines : 30 years old. Clear ruby wine with overtones of red berry fruits. Round and supple with smooth aftertaste. A good all round red wine for meat courses, poultry and light cheeses. Best drunk now while fresh with good keeping up to 4 years."

My Review: When sniffing this wine, I smelled an overwhelming raspberry aroma. I also caught a small whiff of something like vanilla. On the palate, this wine didn't display much. The taste was very mild, with no real flavors standing out. It was light, and slightly dry while somehow still being smooth. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Terre di Poggio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Laude

Name: Terre di Poggio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Laude

Variety: Montepulciano

Region: Abruzzo

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: "This opens with dark aromas of leather, tobacco, cured meat, plum and prune. It shows soft tannins and loads of dark fruit on the finish."

My Review: On the nose this wine smelled of dark cherries and plums. I couldn't place the other smell, and just considered it "woody." However, seeing the winery review, tobacco and leather makes sense. On the palate, this wine was of medium weight, was slightly dry during sipping, and very dry afterwards. The actual flavors were hard to place. It was an interesting combination, that left me puzzled, and not sure what to think of it. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Sean Minor Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris

Name: Sean Minor Pinot Noir Rose Vin Gris

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Carneros

Country: California

Year: 2013

Price: $20 (Currently on sale at The Vintage Cellar for $8.95)

Winery Review: "The Vin Gris is a bright and vibrant salmon color with cherry, strawberry, cranberry and ripe watermelon aromas on the nose.  On entry, the wine displays bright strawberry flavors. Throughout the mid-palate and finish, raspberry and cherry fruit characters are balanced with spicy and crisp acidity that linger creating a refreshing and lengthy finish."

My Review: I think that the winery's review was completely off base. On the nose this wine displayed light hints of something floral, like roses, and some strawberry. On the palette this wine was watery, light, and really displayed no taste at all. I wish I would have gotten the taste of their description, because that sounds yummy! However, the wine I tasted was bland. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Grande Resereve des Bastides Gaillac 2013

Name: Grande Resereve des Bastides Gaillac

Variety: 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 50% Loin de l'Oeil, 30% Mauzac
Region: Gaillac

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: "A crisp and fruity blend featuring 20% of the herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, 50% creamy Loin de l’Oeil and notes of fresh apple and crisp pear, plus a touch of herb from the 30% Mauzac. It has a bright feel, with a hint of mineral on the finish."

My Review: On the nose, this wine was full of tropical notes and pineapple. I did not catch the apple or pear from the bouquet. To taste, this wine was sour like green apple, with no heat. This wine didn't do much for me and was very mediocre in taste. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Dinner - Italian (Homemade)

From left to right: Rachel (me), Erik, Eric,
Ryan, and Mallory

On a Friday night a group of my friends and I gathered for a homemade dinner served with our favorite thing...WINE! Of the five of us (shown in the picture to the left), only three were from the class. The other two were quite excited about joining, and made for excellent guests! I think they enjoyed just eating and drinking without the note taking the rest of us were doing!

The theme for the night was Italian. Dinner consisted of two different types of pizza, salad, two Italian red wines, and one Italian white wine. It was an excellent way to kick of the weekend with good food, great wine, and excellent company!

THE FOOD:

The first dish was a mixed salad, and was prepared by Mallory. The salad consisted of mesclun greens, red peppers, carrots, honey roasted almonds, mushrooms, and cucumbers. The salad was served with a raspberry walnut vinaigrette. It was light and refreshing, with a hint of sweet from the dressing and almonds. 

The second dish was pepperoni pizza, and was prepared by my boyfriend Eric and I. The pizza dough was made from scratch and topped with a pre-made pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. Upon serving, the pizza was sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. The pizza wasn't too heavy, and tasted like most pepperoni pizzas do. The sauce was not sweet and the pepperoni was a little spicy. 

The third dish was barbecue chicken pizza, and was also prepared by my boyfriend and I. Again, the pizza dough was made from scratch. It was topped with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, mozzarella cheese, onions, and chicken stir-fried in more BBQ sauce. This pizza was heavy, and would've been on the sweeter side due to the BBQ sauce. However, the onions cut the sweet and made for a perfectly balanced pizza.  This was my favorite dish of the night.

Sadly, I cannot tolerate much gluten, so both pizzas were made in gluten free versions as well. They were still mighty tasty!!

THE WINE:

Fontana Candida Frascati (Lazio, Italy)

Winemaker's Notes: A light, tasty wine with a dry, crisp finish that's built on a zesty citrus backbone.

Fontana Candida Frascati is the most popular Frascati in the world and has been a staple of Roman culture for almost 2,000 years. The grapes for this dry, clean wine are grown in the porous, volcanic soils located in the Frascati commune near Rome. Rich in potassium, this soil produces plump flavorful grapes. Fontana Candida is the only Frascati producer that uses cold filtration and cold bottling to preserve the wine's flavor and clarity. This easy-to-drink wine pairs well with salads, pasta, veal, chicken, vegetable soups, mild seafood dishes and mild cheeses.

(http://www.fontanacandida.com/frascati.html)

On Its Own: On the nose, this wine displayed aromas of pears, apples, tropical fruit, and a hint of alcohol. On the palate this wine was mild. It tasted overwhelmingly sour, with maybe a hint of lemon zest. It was very acidic, and a sort of let down after the scent of it was so strong.

With Salad: This wine was purchased to pair with the salad. After tasting it on its own, I was hoping to like it better with the salad. However, that was not the case. The wine neutralized the flavors from the salad and made for a bland pairing. 

With Pepperoni Pizza: Thankfully there wasn't high hopes for this wine with the pizza, because it was NOT good together at all. The wine and the pizza clashed. I don't have much to say beyond that.

With BBQ Chicken Pizza: Once again, this wine with the pizza was NOT good at all. There wasn't as much of a clash, as with the pepperoni pizza, but a definite washout of the BBQ flavor. 

Bocchino Giuseppi Arduine Barbera d'Asti
(Piedmont, Italy)

Winemaker's Notes: Asian spice, charred cedar and ripe, dried dark fruit aromas intro a balanced and lively, racy river of sour cherry and tangy red berry fruit on the palate. It's mid weight with nice texture and a solid spine of acidity throughout. It finishes dry and refreshing with prominent sprigs of herbaceous tones on the aftertaste. 

(http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/bocchino-giuseppi-arduine-barbera-d-asti-2011/343277#.VQYoJo7F_3Y)

On Its Own: This wine was decanted for 2 hours before tasting. On the nose this wine displayed aromas of plum, ripe black cherries, wood, and something like butter. To taste this wine was smooth and creamy, with hints of black pepper. It lost some of the fruity components that were smelled, and wad slightly dry with some heat. This was the favorite wine of the night, although not overwhelmingly impressive.

With Salad: This combo wasn't bad, but the wine definitely overpowered the salad. This would be a good pair if you are one to only eat salad for the nutritional value and not the taste. I like salad, especially with the raspberry walnut dressing, so I wasn't happy with the masking of its taste.

With Pepperoni Pizza: This combination was decent. There was nothing bad to really point out, but I am only considering it a decent pairing because the two did not bring out any extra tastes in each other or improve the flavors. Both the flavors of the wine and pizza were present. The did not clash, but did not necessarily compliment each other either.

With BBQ Chicken Pizza: Overall the paring of the wine with the BBQ chicken pizza was much like with the pepperoni pizza. I will say that this pairing tasted slightly better together, as I think the onions from the pizza complimented the spiciness of the wine. The spiciness was not out of control though, as the sweetness from the BBQ sauce and the berries from the wine calmed it down. 

Sir Passo Toscana Sangiovese
(Tuscany, Italy)

Winemaker's Notes: Late-harvest Sangiovese in the innovative technique used here. The result is an extraodinarily captivating wine which literally flows like finest silk over the palate. The predominant fruit character is that of black cherries, which though very ripe are kept fresh by Sangiovese's natural acidity. (http://www.500restaurant.co.uk/menu/item/42-wine)

On Its Own: This wine was opened for two hours before tasting. This wine was harder to smell than the others, as it wasn't as aromatic. The only scent I could gather was black cherries. On the palate was super smooth and creamy. It displayed the black cherry flavor profile again, with a hint of something like mocha. I wasn't impressed with this wine. 

With Salad: Much like the previous wine, this combination wasn't bad. The salad and the wine didn't outright clash, but were not complimentary, as the flavors of each were completely separate. 

With Pepperoni Pizza: This wine was chosen because I read that Sangiovese pairs well with pepperoni pizza. It held up to the expectation, and tasted wonderful together! The wine still allowed for the slight spiciness of the pepperoni to come through, and the combo brought out much more taste in the wine. I enjoyed drinking the wine with the pepperoni pizza in contrast to not liking it on its own.

With BBQ Chicken Pizza: This combination was better than with the salad, but not as good as with the pepperoni pizza. The BBQ chicken pizza and the wine had balanced flavors, with neither overpowering the other, but the BBQ sauce didn't work as well with the Sangiovese profile. This combination was okay, but not one I would knowingly choose again.

Overall, the night was super fun and the food was excellent! The wine variety wasn't our favorite of the semester, but wasn't bad either. I mean, all of the wine was finished! It was a great dinner, a good learning experience, and a good pregame! Oh, and don't forget to mouthwash before going downtown! ;) 

Mouthwash: Savior of the
wine-stained teeth and pizza breath.