Tasting - Les Clos Francs Vouvray Chenin Blanc

Name: Les Clos Francs Vouvray Chenin Blanc

Variety: Vouvray Chenin BlancRegion: Loire ValleyCountry: FranceYear: 2013Price: Regular Price $21 - Sale $7.95


Winery Review:   The cool climate in the Vouvray appellation area insures good acidity, which is balanced by the distinctly fruity character of the Chenin Blanc and the mineral qualities imparted by the soil. Thanks to these natural elements, this Vouvray combines elegance and vigor with honey dipped pears and an inherent freshness.      


My Review: The color is very clear. The smell is a little dryer and citrusy. Very obvious acidity to the wine which hits the sides of the tongue when tasting. I did not try this wine with food. 

Tasting - Dynamite Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Dynamite Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Lake County, California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: Regular Price $13 - Sale $5.95

Winery Review: Melon, green apple and citrus flavors are lively and refreshing, with a spicy, floral nuance.

My Review: When I smelled this wine I was struck with a strong peachy and fruity aroma. The wine was definitely refreshing and I tasted a little bit of sour apple-y taste which I was happy to find out was one of the shop's reviews too. I tend to enjoy red wines more than white, and I don't think I could have more than a glass of this wine. The fruit was very powerful! I didn't try this wine with food.

Tasting- Crane Lake Gewürtztraminer

Name: Crane Lake Gewürtztraminer
Variety: Gewürtztraminer
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $5.95

Winery Review:  Slightly high-toned notions of rose petal mingle with lemon on nose and palate of this lightly sweet, richly textured yet balanced Gewürztraminer. This is not as heady as you may expect and will be a treat with spicy Asian dishes. Lychee and rose petal make another very fetching appearance on the finish.    

My Review: This wine truly smelled like white Welch's grape juice. It smelled sweet and fruity. The wine was extremely smooth on the palate. The taste was crisp, sweet and fruity.

Wine & Cheese Pairing 1

The Cheeses:

·                Munster

·                Mild Cheddar

·                Sharp Cheddar

The Wines: 

·                Riesling - 2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi

·                Sweet Red Blend - Barefoot California

·                Pinot Grigio - 2014 Twisted Cellars 

The way we did our tasting was by choosing a cheese, and then trying each wine with it, and then moving to the next cheese. But first, we tasted the wines by themselves to get a feel for those first!

Riesling - This wine had a smooth and clean smell, but also very fruity! Being a riesling, we expected some mild sweetness, which it did. The taste was pear and apple notes, and the color was light and golden. 

Sweet Red Blend -  Did not smell good. The group decided it tasted like a fruit roll up. There is nothing to this wine, and was actually a gift! We were happy we had friends to share it with so we could get rid of it quickly, it was not good.

Pinot Grigio- The smell was very citrusy and acidic. The taste was a bit metallic which was interesting, but once you got past that it was a nice light, crisp glass of wine. Definitely my favorite of the evening! 

Now... for the cheeses 

Munster

Munster & Riesling - Good!! The riesling brought out the creaminess of the cheese, and wasn't in contest with any similar flavors between the two. They created a warm yummy taste together! We really enjoyed this pairing. 

·                Munster & Sweet Red Blend - Is this cheese magic? This made the wine more tolerable... i think you could pair this cheese straight vinegar and it would taste delicious. The cheese felt like it was melting in your mouth with this wine! 

·                Munster & Pinot Grigio - STOP EVERYTHING!!! This is magic. The wine that is light and crisp, paired with the creamy warm cheese was a perfect balance. The creaminess of the cheese dulled the acidic metallic taste that we had experienced. The saltiness of the cheese and the dryness of the wine was also just delicious. 

Mild Cheddar

·                Mild Cheddar & Riesling - These two together were just o.k. The munster definitely paired better with this wine. The taste initially was good together, but the after taste was pretty bad.

·                Mild Cheddar & Sweet Red Blend - These two I wouldn't even call a "pairing". it was like eating things from two different worlds. I felt like we were eating cheese, and then our drink that happened to be there was this wine and it was just very underwhelming. The texture and feel of mild cheddar is so strong, the sweetness just kind of masked it and had a weird filmy feeling. 

·                Mild Cheddar & Pinot Grigio - Ehh.. starting to think this cheese just pairs well with crackers. It felt like the cheese and wine together were just dehydrating my palate and it was so uncomfortable! 

Sharp Cheddar

·                Sharp Cheddar & Riesling - The sharp cheddar masked the entire experience and taste of the wine. The cheese is thick and chalky and it made it hard to swallow. We did not go back for seconds with this pairing!! 

·                Sharp Cheddar & Sweet Red Blend - I literally closed my eyes dreading these two together... our group was all dreading this cheese!! We needed Gary's spit bucket for this one!! The wine truly  made the cheddar taste like rubber. It was miserable to swallow. 

·                Sharp Cheddar & Pinot Grigio - "Can we just eat more munster?!" Yikes. Last one. The effects of the mild Cheddar and pinot were just heightened with this pairing.  Super bitter and chalky, and left a residue on our palates. Yuck!! Sharp cheddar.. stick with the crackers. 

After we finished the pairings, we all dove into the munster. This experience truly opened my eyes to how much chemistry and trial and error there is in pairings, and that when you have a great piece of cheese with a great wine that pairs well together, it's magic!!