Sunday, March 15, 2015

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.




Sunday, March 1, 2015

Tasting - Crane Lake Riesling 2013

Name: Crane Lake Riesling
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: "Punchy lime and lemon mark this off-dry Riesling with a staccato rhythm, adding edge to honeyed tones of peach and honeysuckle. Exceptionally priced, it’s satisfying and elegant."

My Review: I disagree with the winery's description of this wine being off-dry, as everything about it seemed sweet. The bouquet was full of pears, melon, and plain fruitiness. On the palate this wine portrayed tastes of peaches and apples. This wine was lackluster and disappointing, as I usually enjoy Riesling. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Crane Lake Petite Syrah 2013

Name: Crane Lake Petite Syrah
Variety: 100% Petite Syrah
Region: California
Country: United States
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: "Shows a certain rustic simplicity now, with youthfully jammy flavors of blackberries, cherries and currants, sprinkled with cocoa and pepper and wrapped into dusty tannins."

My Review: This wine hit the nose with a very jammy cherry smell. On the palate, it was slightly dry, and tasted of dark chocolate, jam, plums, and dark berries. I was a little disappointed with this wine, as I thought petite syrah was supposed to have big, bold flavor..which was not the case. Mediocre wine. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Yellowtail Reserve Merlot 2010

Name: Yellowtail Reserve Merlot
Variety: 100% Merlot
Region: Southeastern
Country: Australia
Year: 2010
Price: $12 (Currently on sale at the Vintage Cellar for $6.95)

Winery Review: "Round, velvety and mouthfilling, this is a satisfying Merlot at a bargain price. Aromas of black cherries and herbs fold in hints of cinnamon and mocha, while the flavors are generally fruity, but with a slightly tomatoey note. Soft on the finish. Drink now."

My Review: This wine portrayed a bouquet of wood, berries, and mocha. On the palate, this wine was very dry, but not acidic, and tasted of black cherries with a hint of chocolate. This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Takutai Pinot Gris 2009

Name: Takutai Pinot Gris
Variety: 100% Pinot Gris
Region: Nelson
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2009
Price: $21 (Currently on sale at the Vintage Cellar for $6.95)

Winery Review: "Since this wine weighs in at 14%, the fruit was clearly very ripe. That ripeness is reflected in the flavors as well, which feature nectarine and honey accented by hints of white pepper. It’s full bodied and lush, with a long finish that mingles the sensations of sweet and spicy."

My Review: I don't know where this came from but I smelled dirty socks, or something like fungi. On the palate this wine was slightly acidic, and had a distinct taste that, to be honest, I just couldn't put my finger on. The aftertaste was full of heat and pepper.This wine was tasted on its own without food.

Tasting - Mars & Venus Sauvignon Blanc 2013

Name: Mars & Venus Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2013
Price: $10 (Currently on sale at the Vintage Cellar for $5.95)

Winery Review: "Citrus and gooseberry aromas are mild but typical of the variety. A basic citrus palate delivers modest tange-rine and nectarine flavors which lead to a mild, pithy finish showing light citric notes."

My Review: This wine was a light golden color. The bouquet displayed apples, apricots, and maybe hints of grapefruit. Unfortunately the wine lacked flavor. It was a bit sour. Nothing too impressive. This wine was tasted on its own without food.