Tasting - Landshut Riesling 2019

Variety: 100% Riesling

Country: Germany    

Region: Mosel

Vintage: 2019

Price: $5

Winemaker's Notes: "This exquisite, well-balanced Riesling has a fruity bouquet with flavors of apricot and peach. Perfect accompaniment to light meals, desserts, or simply on its own." 

Wine Characteristics: "An aromatic white variety that can produce white wines ranging in style from bone-dry to very sweet. Germany is the world's most important producer of Riesling." -p.158 Wine Folly

My Review: This Riesling was surprisingly delicious and exceeded my expectations. I opted to pair this wine with spicy buffalo chicken wings because I have enjoyed the sweet wine/spicy food pairing in the past. The tangy, spicy notes from the chicken wings were complimented by the sweet, fruity notes from the wine. This was not the sweetest Riesling I have ever had and I thought it struck a good balance between sweetness and flavor. 

Visual - Straw

Nose - White Peach, Pear

Palette - Ripe Pear, Ripe Peach, Apple

Food Pairing - Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings

Tasting - Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: United States    

Region: North Coast, California

Vintage: 2018

Price: $15

Winemaker's Notes: "Our Cabernet Sauvignon was the first wine we made. This is the wine that started it all, setting the exacting standards that we hold ourselves to for all of our varietals. Round and juicy, our Cabernet Sauvignon has flavors of blackberry, toasted hazelnut and cinnamon, complemented by hints of vanilla and toasted oak." 

Wine Characteristics: "The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor." -p.88 Wine Folly

My Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon was underwhelming compared to the other Cabs I have tried during this course. My immediate thought was that this wine was out of balance. For a young Cab, I expected it to be a tannin bomb, but this was a tannin bomb with nothing to balance it out. There wasn't adequate acidity or fruit to balance out the tannins. This wine could be great in 10, 15, 20 years, but I just don't think it was time yet. 

Visual - Ruby

Nose - Blackberry, Blueberry, Wet Gravel

Palette - Gravel, Blueberry Jam, Oak

Food Pairing - Salami

 

Dinner - Salmon (American Fare)

Wine and Dinner Pairing No. I

Last night, a few of my friends and I got together and decided to do our first dinner pairing. We agreed about a week ago that we wanted to have salmon, which gave us plenty of time to find our pairings of choice, with the help of the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg. 

Our private chef for the evening was our friend Brent, who was kind enough to make dinner for everyone. He prepared baked salmon with a lemon glaze, sauteed asparagus, and spicy roasted potatoes. Lemon was a prominent flavor in the dish, so we knew that we wanted to find a wine that had lemon-forward notes. 

Lemon Salmon Dish with our Selected Wines

Wines and Pairings

Tasting - Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz 2018

 

Variety: 100% Shiraz

Country: Australia

Region: Limestone Coast, South Australia

Vintage: 2018

Price: $11

Winemaker's Notes: "The nose shows lifted mulberry, chocolate and clove aromas, enhanced by cedar and vanilla notes from the influence of oak. A medium to full-bodied palate showcases the classic varietal plum and forest berry flavors complemented by light vanilla and regional chocolate notes. The supple ripe tannins are typical of the best Barossa Shiraz, culminating in a long, satisfying finish" 

Wine Characteristics: "A rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhone Valley of France. It's the most planted grape of Australia, where it's called Shiraz. Darker Meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with lamb shawarma, gyros, Asian five-spice pork, and Indian tandoori." -p.172 Wine Folly

My Review: This Shiraz was a very pleasant wine that paired nicely with some pepper-coated salami. The black pepper on the salami brought out black pepper notes that enhanced the flavors of the wine. I tasted notes of plum and molasses alongside the harsher notes from the pepper. Overall, this was a delicious wine and I would love to try it paired with gamey meat such as goose or venison to bring out different notes. 

Visual - Ruby

Nose - Plum, Tobacco, Blueberry

Palette - Black Plum, Black Peppercorn, Molasses

Food Pairing - Black Pepper Coated Salami

Tasting - Williamsburg Winery Cabernet Franc 2017

 

Variety: 90% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petite Verdot

Country: United States

Region: 49% Winchester, VA; 20% Williamsburg, VA; 14% Franklin County, VA; 11% Crozet, VA; 5% Waterford, VA; 1% Amherst, VA

Vintage: 2017

Price: $14

Winemaker's Notes: "The fruit aspect of this wine offers a complexity of blueberry, dried apricots, strawberry and green apple that pairs well with the cinnamon and spice notes. Just behind the fruit are some wildflowers which help accentuate the floral aspects. Additionally, there is the old-world earth character of leather and suede. A juicy mouthfeel with a fruit-forward sensation rounds out the wine

nicely. The tannins and oak are well balanced while not overpowering the fruit, and contribute to the overall complexity of the wine." - Matthew Meyer, Winemaker

Wine Characteristics: "Cabernet Franc is the parent grape of both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. it may have originated in the Basque County of Spain but this fact is up to debate. Higher Acidity makes it possible to pair Cabernet Franc with tomato-based dishes, vinegar-based sauces, or rich black beluga lentils." -p.86 Wine Folly

My Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this gentle Cabernet Franc as it paired very nicely with my filet minion, caesar salad, and baked potatoes. This wine was aged for 12 months in French Oak barrels and this came out nicely, especially in the nose. The 2017 vintage in Virginia produced very nice grapes and was about 5 degrees warmer on average. These warmer temperatures allowed the grapes to be harvested earlier and hold their acids nicely. Overall, I would buy it again, especially since it supports local businesses. 

Visual - Light Ruby

Nose - Oak, Campfire Smoke, Raspberry Jam, Strawberry

Palette - Vanilla bean, Raspberry Jam, Pepper

Food Pairing - Filet Minion, Caesar Salad, Baked Potato

Tasting - Sean Minor 4 Bears Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Country: United States

Region: Paso Robles, California

Vintage: 2019

Price: $16

Wine Critic Review: "Ruby in color and displays aromas of cassis, black cherry, mocha and violets. Ripe flavors of blackberries and raspberries combined with a touch of white pepper to coat the palate. The soft tannins and sweet oak balance lead to a long and lingering finish." - Total Wine

Wine Characteristics: "The rich flavor and high tannin content in Cabernet Sauvignon make it a perfect partner to rich grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor." -p.88 Wine Folly

My Review: I ordered this wine to pair with my brie burger and was absolutely blown away. The brie burger was slathered in a delicious, homemade fig jam that brought out strong fig notes in the wine. The peppery and mustardy flavor of the baby arugula on the burger brought out notes of pepper from the wine. Its mellow tannic structure and jammy profile allowed it to cut through the fat in the burger perfectly. I was extremely impressed by this wine and can't wait to pair it with another burger. 

Visual - Dark Ruby

Nose - Ripe Raspberries, Raspberry Pie, Strawberry Jam

Palette - Fig, Ripe Raspberry Jam, Blackcurrant, Blackberry, Pepper

Food Pairing - Brie Burger with Fig Jam, Baby Arugala, Bacon, and Roasted Garlic Aioli

 

Tasting - Mionetto Prosecco

Variety: 100% Glera

Country: Italy

Region: Veneto

Vintage: Unpublished

Price: $8

Wine Critic Review: "A straw-colored wine with brilliant reflections. The aroma is fruity, reminiscent of pear and citrus with a slightly floral bouquet. The wine is fresh and crisp with apparent apple and peach flavors. This lightly sparkling (Frizzante) wine typifies the traditional wine-maker's Prosecco. Finished with easily opened crown cap" - Winery Notes

Wine Characteristics: "Italy's most popular sparkling wine is created with Glera grapes grown in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The best Prosecco wines come from Valdobiaddene" -p.155 Wine Folly

My Review: I thought this Prosecco tasted very nice was quite refreshing as an afternoon libation. I felt like this Prosecco had mild yet pleasant notes of honeydew melon. I did not pair this wine with any food, but I think enjoying this with a spicy Italian pizza or lasagna would have tasted delicious. Overall, I would buy this Prosecco again but would like to pair it with authentic Italian cuisine to get the full experience. 

Visual - Pale Gold

Nose - Beer, Honeydew Melon, Cantelope

Palette - Honeydew Melon, Cantelope, Butter

Food Pairing - None