Wine and Cheese #3

 For my last wine and cheese tasting, I tried a Sangria, Rose, and a sparkling wine. The cheeses I used were Silton with apricot pieces, whole milk mozzerella, and mini horn pepperjack. Below are the three wines that I tried:

Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine – This wine smelled like pear. It was very sweet with both pear and apple flavors. 

• Silton with Apricot – the creaminess of this cheese complimdnted the sweetness of the wine
• Whole milk mozzerella – this cheese was very salty and a bit tangy, which complimented the wine's sweetness, but it wasn't a great pairing overall
• Mini horn pepperjack  – the spiciness of the cheese completely overwhelmed the wine's flavor

Rancho Alto Sangria – This wine smelled a bit oaky and like tobacco. It tasted a bit sweet and like peaches, but not as sweet as expected. It also had flavors of cranberry. 

• Silton with Apricot – This pairing didn't really bring out any flavors in either the wine or cheese, it was okay but not the best pairing
• Whole milk mozzerella – the saltiness of the cheese complimented the sweetness of the wine very well, this was a great pairing
• Mini horn pepperjack  – the spiciness of the cheese brought out the fruit flavors in the wine

Free Seaker Rose – This wine smelled like kiwi with a bit of an off smell. It was very dry and tarte with flavors of watermelon. It had a light body.

• Silton with Apricot – This pairing brought out the tartness in the wine too much, so it was not complimentry 
• Whole milk mozzerella – This pairing also brought out the tartness of the wine too mich, I would not have this combo again
• Mini horn pepperjack  – the spiciness of the cheese totallyoverpowered the flavors in the wine

Wine tasting - Ogio Prosecco

 Name: Ogio Prosecco      

Grapes:  100% Glera              

Region: Veneto                                                                                         

Country: Italy                                                                                   

Vintage: not listed                                                                                                  

Price: $4.99

 

Wine critic review: "Aromas of pear, apple, and a hint of orange blossom. Nice acidity with flavours of pear, peach, apple, citrus and a hint of orange blossom.." — Jessica Seitz

My Review: This wine had a very strong smell of apples; it did have an apple flavor but it mostly tasted like pears. It lived up to its label of being dry, however it was also a bit tarte which was nice. Compared to the first prosecco I tried this week, this one had more of a medium body. Overall, I preferred the first prosecco that I had this week, but this one was still very good.

Wine Folly: Wine Folly catagorizes Prosecco as being a light bodied wine with high acidity and low to high sweetness (page 246). It has flavors of green apple, honeydew, and pear (page 247). It pairs well with cured meat, antipasto, and almonds. As Wine Folly suggested, this Prosecco had low sweetness and also a light body. However, it did have more tannins than expected, as tannins are rated low according to Wine Folly.

Wine Tasting - Castello del Poggio Prosecco

Name: Castello del Poggio      

Grapes:  100% Glera              

Region: Veneto                                                                                         

Country: Italy                                                                                   

Vintage: not listed                                                                                                  

Price: $10.99

Wine critic review: "Fresh and fruity, with a strong minerality. Sweet honey notes make this wine balanced and elegant.Its golden apple notes pair best with fresh seafood, cured meats, guilt-free desserts, and unconditional joy." — Leukens Wine and Spirits

My Review: This wine smelled like apples and citrus. It had strong flavors of pear and while it was labled as "extra dry", my friends and I found it to be a little bit sweet. Overall, it was very light-bodied and smooth and I would have it again.

Wine Folly: Wine Folly catagorizes Prosecco as being a light bodied wine with high acidity and low to high sweetness (page 246). It has flavors of green apple, honeydew, and pear (page 247). It pairs well with cured meat, antipasto, and almonds. This wine was very heavy on the pear flavor, and was light-bodied like Wine Folly suggested.

Wine Tasting - 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvingnon

 Name: 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvingnon     

Grapes:  86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Malbec              

Region: Washington                                                                                         

Country: USA                                                                                   

Vintage: 2020                                                                                                  

Price: $16.99

Wine critic review: "Aromatically, this Cabernet Sauvignon, which includes small amounts of Merlot and Malbec, is one big black cherry, with traces of earth and tomato leaf. Dark plum and saline flavors are joined by a touch of roast pork and a lot of wood spice. Might work nicely with a bánh mì packed with Vietnamese ham". — Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

My Review: This wine was very dark in color. It had notes of blackberries, plums, and a slight okay flavor. Overall, it was very mild and dry with a little sweetness and high tannins. I enjoyed the flavor of this wine and would have it again.

Wine Folly: Wine Folly catagorizes Cabernet Sauvingnon as having full body and a high ammount of tannins (page 136). It ranks low for sweetness, but higher for acidicty, which I found to be true for this wine. It's described as having flavors of black cherry, black currant, and cedar (page 136). It is primarily grown in France, but also grown in several locations in the USA, including Washington (page 138).

Wine Tasting - French Blue Rose

 Name: French Blue Bordeaux     

Grapes: 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot                      

Region: Bordeaux                                                                                         

Country: France                                                                                   

Vintage: 2021                                                                                                  

Price: $14.99

Wine critic review: "Light and bright, this open wine revels in its soft texture and lively red-fruit acidity. It is immediately accessible and ready to drink" — Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast

My Review: This wine was more orange in color than other roses that I've tried. It had a slight cheesy/milky smell. It was very dry, tarte and had a light flavor. I picked up notes of apple and lemon. This wine had a very light body, it almost felt a bit watery. Overall, I really enjoyed the lightness and complexity of this rose. I would definitley have it again.

Wine Folly: Wine Folly catagorizes Cabernet Franc as being medium in body and having low sweetness (page 135). It is most commonly grown in Bordeaux, France (page 137). Merlot is catagorized as having high tannins and acidity (page 208). Wine Folly states that it is often grown in Bordeuax as well, and mixed with Carbernet Franc. Both grapes have fruit-related flavors, such as strawberries and plums.

Wine Tasting - Chateau Morrisette

 Name: Chateau Morrisette     

Grapes: Pinot Grigio                        

Region: Virginia                                                                                         

Country: USA                                                                                   

Vintage: not listed                                                                                                  

Price: $11.99

Wine critic review: "Pale lemon-straw hue. Medium body and medium acidity. Nose of honeysuckle with apple and peach palate. Minerals on finish. Bit of an odd aftertaste. Serviceable. Tartrates/wine diamonds left in glass." — Alexis G., Vivino

My Review: When I first smelled this wine, I got notes of honey and pears. It had a medium body and was fairly dry. Upon tasting, I picked up strong flavors of pear and apples, with a little bit of honey as well. The wine is tarte, but not so tarte that it makes my mouth pucker up. Overall this wine was really delicious and I would buy it again. It's awesome that it's a local wine as well.

Wine Folly: Wine Folly catagorizes Pinot Grigio as having a varying level of sweetness, with medium to high acidity (page 236). The tannins were ranked lowest on the scale, which I thought was true for this wine. The flavors associated with Pinot Grigio are white peach, lemon zest, and cantaloupe (page 237). The wine did have a citrusy/fruity element, so it makes sense that lemon zest and white peach would be associated with it.

Wine Tasting - Josh Chardonnay

Name: Josh Cellars     

Grapes: Chardonnay                        

Region: California                                                                                         

Country: USA                                                                                   

Vintage: 2022                                                                                                  

Price: $6.99

Wine critic review: "Subtle oak spices and a lot of ripe, delicious pear and peach flavors drive this medium- to full-bodied wine. The texture is broad and mouthfilling while a crisp apple acidity keeps it lively" — Jim Gordon, Wine Enthusiast

My Review: When I first smelled this wine, I got notes of citrus and pears. It had a medium body and tasted very similar to how it smelled. I picked up on flavors of pear and citrus, particularly a little orange. Overall, this wine was pleasent but a bit too sweet for me. It did have a sourness which counteracted the sweetness, but overall it was mostly sweet. I felt like it didn't have a lot of flavor when compared to other wines, but it was easy to drink and fairly mellow.

Wine Folly: Wine Folly catagorizes Chardonnay as having a lower level of sweetness, which was surprising based on this wine (page 149). The body is shown as medium, which I felt was true based on this wine. However, I was surprised that "pear" was not a flavor associated with Wine Folly's description. On the other hand, I was not surprised to see "yellow apple" there. It also recommends to pair the wine with something rich and buttery, which I think would be a great combination considering this wine's sweetness (page 149).