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.