Tasting- Damascus Brewery "BassMagic" Ale

Name: Damascus Brewery BassMagic

Variety: Light Ale

Region: Damascus, VA

Country: USA

Year: non-vintage

Price: I got a growler of this beer as a birthday present, so I do not know the price.

Critic Review: "This light ale was inspired by the famous Bass beer of England, but came out with fruity notes that makes you think of Magic Hat #9.  Delicious and very easy to get carried away with."

My Review: This was a sweet and tangy beer that was very light and refreshing.  I could taste some hints of peach and lemon.  I drank this beer with lasagna, which was a great compliment to the hearty meal.  It had a great flavor that became less fruity with the food.  This was my first beer from the local brewery and I was very impressed.  I am excited to try other beers from the Damascus Brewery.

Tasting- Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel

Name: Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel

Variety: Zinfandel

Region: Lodi, California

Country: USA

Year: 2011

Price: $7.95 (on sale)

Wine Critic Review: Grown in vineyards that are over 45 years old, this medium-bodied Zin has exceptional varietal character with lovely aromas of dark fruit and blackberry.  Subtle pepper spice mingles with richly concentrated fruit flavors of blackberry, ripe plums, and fresh red raspberries.  Barrel aging created its smooth, silky finish and unprecedented depth.  A wonderful wine pairing for a variety of dishes.

My Review: This wine really surprised me.  It had a very tannic and tart nose. The first taste was very dry and almost bitter.  The wine was spicy, peppery, and pleasantly dry.  I could taste hints of red fruit as well.  The more I tried the wine I really began to enjoy it.  I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico

Name: Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico

Variety: Gaglioppo

Reigon: Calabria

Country: Italy

Year: 2009

Price: $7.95 (on sale)

Wine Critic Review: Don't let the pale garnet color fool you: this is a substantial wine.  Aromas of red fruits and spice complement undertones of cranberries, wild berries, and plums.  On the palate, ripe tannins and good body make for an incredibly rich, yet easygoing red wine.  Pair this wine with sausage, spicy curry sauces, hot soppressata, and tandoori chicken.

My Review: This wine had a surprisingly pale color for a red wine.  It had a very sharp nose that allowed me to detect hints of tart berry.  The first taste was very sweet and I could taste hints of raspberry and strawberry.  The fruit flavors were not overwhelming, which was very enjoyable.  This wine was very pleasant on its own being very tart but not very tannic.  I did not eat any food with this wine.  I really enjoyed this wine and I look forward to purchasing it again.

Tasting- Angove Viognier

Name: Angove Nine Vines Viognier
Variety: Viognier
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: 2009
Price: $5.95 (on sale)
Wine Critic Review: Birght light straw in color with some green hues, this wine has a lush ripe tropical fruit aroma.  This is a fuller bodied white which fills the mouth with heady flavors of apricot, peach, and citrus.  Angove Nine Vines Viognier is perfect for today's relaxed life-style and is the ideal accompaniment to grilled prawns with chili and garlic or roast pork.
My Review: I could not detect many aromas from this wine on the nose, just some vague acidity.  This wine had more subtle flavors, and I could not pick up many strong fruit flavors at all.  It was a drier wine and a little tart.  As I continued to drink the wine it became surprisingly sweeter and I could taste a little citrus, especially lemon peel.  I did not eat any food with this wine, but I might buy it again because I think it could be a good accompaniment to the food.

Tasting- Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc Seaview Vineyard
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Malborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2008
Price: $7.95 (on sale)
Wine Critic Review: This aromatic wine shows lifted flavors of blackcurrant with underlying notes of wet stone and thyme.  The palate is elegant yet full with sufficient weight and texture, balanced by a flinty minerality.  This wine is a fantastic match with foods such as cheese, salad, poultry dishes, and a wide range of seafood dishes including freshly shucked natural oysters, prawns, green lip mussels, and creamy scallops.
My Review: This wine had a very vegetal nose.  I could smell a lot of herbs, grass, and lemon.  It had a very tart flavor of sharp citrus and green leaves.  This wine was light and refreshing.  I did not eat it with food, and i think it would have been better with some type of food dish.  This is a wine I might try again.

Tasting- Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine Riesling

Variety: Riesling

Region: Pfalz

Country: Germany

Year: 2012

Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: This drier-styled Riesling is bright, fruity, and floral with crisp acidity and clean flavors of apple, pear, and peach that compliment its stony minerality and earthy complexity.  It serves well as an aperitif and matches a wide variety of foods, like lighter salad dishes, shellfish, cream sauces, and also anything with a touch of spice.

My Review: This wine had a sweeter nose that tasted like honeysuckle.  It was very crisp, pleasant, and sweet but not overpowering.  It tasted like light peach, sweet berries, raspberries and sweet, overripe fruit.  I really enjoyed this dessert wine.

Tasting- Altas Cumbres Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Altas Cumbres Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Year: 2010

Price: $6.95

Wine Critic Review: Intense red color with violet highlights, with clean, fresh, and complex aromas of berries, plums, figs, and pepper.  Strong personality is in perfect balance with a medium body and pleasant tannins.  Ideal for: red meats, cheeses, and strong sauces.

My Review: This red wine had a very strong nose.  I could get notes of dark plum, old leather, and was bitey at the first taste.  It was drier and spicer with stronger pepper flavor.  I could also taste some fig and sour blackberries.  It was very dry and acidic and I would have liked it better if it was paired with food. I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Name: Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $3.95 (on sale)

Wine Critic Review: Balances and lightly creamy, offering pretty flavors of plum sauce and raspberry coulis threaded with hints of ground spice.  Elegant, with a floral finish. Drink now.

My Review: This wine was sharp and bitey on the tongue and very dry on the finish.  There was a little hint of cream, cherry and was very dry.  This is not an acidic wine that goes down easily.  It has a strong nose without a lot of fruit aromas.  This wine was ok, not one of my favorites.  I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- Bricco dei Tati Rose

Name: Bricco dei Tati Rose

Variety: Rose wine

Region: Piemonte

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $7.95

Wine Critic Review: Fresh with aromas of strawberries, cherries, and rose petals.  This is ideal with shellfish, salads, chicken, and with appetizers.

My Review: I thought that this wine had a very acidic nose and a great color.  It was surprisingly tangy, very sweet and tasted like tart raspberry with a strawberry finish.  This was a light and pleasant wine that was very good on its own.  I did not eat any food with this wine but it was very pleasant on its own.

Tasting- Frascati Volpetti

Name: Frascati Volpetti
Variety: Malvasia, Trebbiano, Greco
Region: Frascati
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95
Wine Critic Review: Straw yellow in color with a soft, delicate perfume, fruitful flavor, dry and harmonious taste.  Perfect with appetizers, soups, and fish.
My Review: I could not get a lot of aromas from the nose.  The wine tasted very acidic with hints of straw, hay, cut grass, and some citrus and lemon.  The floral notes became stronger the more I drank it. This was a very light wine that was not full bodied at all.  I did not eat any food with this wine.  It was ok, but it was not my favorite.

Wine Dinner #1

Wine Dinner

My friends and I got together for a potluck style dinner of good wine and good food.  Since we could not decide on a particular country/style of cooking, the theme of this dinner became "American Smorgasbord."

The Wines:

Name: Alice White Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz

Year: 2012

Country: Australia

Name: Main Street Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Year: 2011

Country: California, USA

Name: Cruz Garcia Real Sangria

Variety: blended wine

Year: no vintage year

Country: Spain

The Homemade Food:

Fried Chicken
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon
Sausage Dip
Sourdough Rye Bread

Tasting Notes:

The whole group at dinner! (No dining room table available so seating is where you can find it!)

The Shiraz on its own was a lighter red wine, tasted strongly of cheery and a little hint of pomegranate and raspberry.  It was surprisingly sweet and light for a Shiraz, and quite enjoyable.  I paired this wine with the homemade sourdough rye bread, which on its own was a very dense and bland bread.  The bread mellowed the wine out, making it more simple and easier to drink.  In turn, the wine made the bread taste sweeter and more flavorful.  It was an interesting combination, and one that I liked surprisingly well.  I also paired this wine with the scalloped potatoes.  This was a great complement.  It brought out the fruit flavors in the wine more, and made the potatoes taste heartier and more flavorful.

The Cabernet Sauvignon on its own was a really good wine.  It was sweet and simple with strong flavors of blackberry, plum, and dark, jammy fruit.  I paired this wine with the fried chicken and the sausage dip.  It worked well with both of the meat dishes at the dinner.  The hearty meat dishes made the wine taste sweeter and brought out the fruit flavors.  The food took away all of the acidity that I could taste when I drank the wine on its own, without food.  The contrast of this sweeter, fruity wine was a good pairing for the main dishes of this dinner.  The full flavors of both the chicken and sausage dip were brought out by this wine, which was a very enjoyable dinner.  Going into this, I did not think that fried chicken could be paired well with wine and I am happy to say I was proven wrong!

The blended Sangria wine was not very good on its own.  It was overly sweet and tasted of sugar, green apple, strawberry, and citrus (especially oranges).  I do not enjoy wines this sweet without any real body or richness of flavor and I would not recommend drinking it on its own.  However, once I drank the wine with the sausage dip and tortilla chips it improved the flavor.  The wine became more complicated and hearty and developed more of a fruity taste with less overwhelming sweetness.  This sweet wine was an average pairing with the sausage dip, not the greatest wine in general, but definitely improved when pairing it with a hearty meat dish.

This was a really fun experience! My friends and I had a great time cooking all our favorite foods and tasting a variety of wines to see which ones paired the best.  Some of combinations did not work out as well as expected and some were surprisingly good.  I look forward to experimenting more with various wine and food combinations to figure out which are my favorites!

Wine & Cheese Event

Wine & Cheese Pairings

The wines:
Name: Thorn- Clarke James Goaddard Barossa Shiraz
Variety: Shiraz
Year: 2011
Country: Australia

Name: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Year: 2012
Country: California, USA

Name: Gabbiano Pinot Grigio
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Year: 2012
Country: Italy

The cheeses:
(side note, I worked on a small artisan cheese making dairy for the last two summers, so the three Oak Spring Dairy cheeses are artisan cheeses that I helped make)

Name: Oak Spring Dairy Sundried Tomato & French Herb Derby
Type: hard cheese, cheddar variety
Aged: 8 months

Name: Oak Spring Dairy Marbled Colby
Type: semi-soft cheese
Aged: 6 months

Name: Oak Spring Dairy Yellow Cheddar
Type: hard cheese, cheddar variety
Aged: 16 months

Name: Vermont White Cheddar
Type: hard cheese, cheddar variety
Aged: 7 months

Name: La Bonne Vie Triple Creme Brie
Type: soft cheese
Aged: not aged

Name: Joan of Arc Brie
Type: soft cheese
Aged: not aged

Now for some fun….

The Pinot Grigio was pretty good on its one.  This is one of my favorite varieties of white wine, and I was a little disappointed in how it paired with the cheeses.  On its own, the wine tasted strongly of lemon, lime, and overall citrus notes.  It was light, dry and simple, with hints of straw flavor.  It was a pleasant and simple wine, nothing special.  When I paired it with the marbled colby cheese, it was not a good pairing.  It made the cheese taste sour and did nothing to improve the wine.  When I paired the Pinot Grigio with the Joan of Arc Brie it made the cheese sweeter and smoother, not as sour, and masked any off flavor in the cheese.  It made the cheese had a longer finish and was a great pairing with the wine.  The Pinot Grigio was paired with the Triple Creme Brie it had a similar effect.  It made the wine taste more acidic, tangy, and very strongly of citrus flavors.  This wine made the cheese creamier, smoother and much richer.  It gave the cheese a better aftertaste as well.  The soft cheeses were a much better pairing than the colby.

Next, I paired the Robert Mondavi Merlot with the cheeses.  On it's own this wine is hot, without a lot of standout flavor.  I could pick up hints of plum, dark fruit, raspberry.  At first this wine seemed hot but with the finish it comes across as more sweet, which was very interesting.  This Merlot with the Triple Creme Brie was the best pairing I had the whole night.  The Merlot made the cheese smoother, creamier and fuller flavor.  It improved the wine, making it sweeter and less hot.  With the other Brie, the pairing was not quite as good.  It made the wine more sour and hot.  It does not improve the wine flavor at all but it makes the cheese creamier and smoother.  I paired the Vermont White Cheddar with this wine as well, it made the cheese creamier and gave it more flavor.  This cheese was very mild on its own, and getting more flavor was an improvement.

Finally, we paired the Thorn- Clarke James Goaddard Barossa Shiraz with the cheeses.  On its own the wine is strong, dark and has berry flavors.  Interestingly, I could also taste strong spice flavor, especially clove and cinnamon.  Without food it is very strong and almost overwhelming.  I paired this wine with the hard cheeses.  It was an excellent pairing with the Sundried Tomato & French Herb Derby- bringing out the full flavors of the cheese while making the wine a little more balanced and easier to drink.  It made the Marbled Colby cheese seem more sharp and tangy, which actually made it a better cheese.  It made the Yellow Cheddar seem sharper, which is something that I enjoy.  However, it was not a good pairing with the Triple Creme Brie.  It made the flavor of the cheese seem off and the wine tasted musty and sour.

This was an interesting experience for me.  Overall I found that the Pinot Grigio did not pair well with the hard cheeses, but went better with the Bries.  Both of the red wines paired well with the hard cheeses, making them more flavorful and creamier.  The Merlot paired well with one of the Bries, but not the other.  The Shiraz was a good pairing for both of the soft cheeses, making them smoother, richer, creamier, and more decadent. This showed me that it can be difficult to pair cheeses with wines, and is not always straightforward. Red wines seem to be easier to pair with cheeses but I am going to keep trying to find a great white wine to pair with artisan aged cheeses!

Tasting- Toso Moscato

Name: Toso Moscato

Variety: Moscato

Region:  Piedmont

Country: Italy

Year: no vintage year given

Price: $9.95

Wine Critic Review: This Moscato is reminiscent of honeysuckle and rose petal.  The quality is equivalent to a top level Asti Spumante DOCG.  Sweet sparking wine obtained from a careful selection of the MOscato grapes.  It has a pale straw yellow color with fine foam and bubbles.  Tropical fruit flavors, refreshing.  Excellent to match desserts, fruit, and dried pastries.

My Review: I could not get a lot from the nose except for a little bit of strawberry.  This wine is very light and sweet, more crisp and not overwhelming.  I could taste white grape and hints of vanilla.  I did not pick up on the tropical fruit flavors as much.  I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- El Sierro Tempranillo/Cab

Name: El Sierro Tempranillo/ Cab
Variety: Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Valencia
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95
Wine Critic Review: Dark ruby in color with rich aromas of red fruit and light spices.  It is a real knock-out with delicious flavors of dark cherries, blackberries, and vanilla all perfectly integrated.  The Tempranillo provides wonderful spice and fruit, while the Cabernet Sauvignon gives structure and depth with the beautiful use of oak.
My Review: This wine tasted like sweet, dark fruit, especially like sweet blackberry.  It has hints of plum and cherry as well.  It was a very good and simple wine that was not hot or overwhelming.  I did not drink this wine with any food.

Tasting- Omo Ze Bel Merlot

Name: Omo Ze Bel Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Region: Sicily

Country: Italy

Year: 2011

Price: $6.95 (on sale)

Wine Critic Review: This bright, soft Merlot comes from a hilly vineyard on the Alcesti family estate in beautiful Sicily.  It has hints of red cherries and freshly cut hay.  Exceptional value.

My Review: This wine had strong fruit flavor with black cherries and red fruit.  The overall cherry flavor was the first thing to stick out to me, since it was almost overpowering.  I could also taste straw, dirt, bright overtones and hints of raspberry.  This wine was surprisingly sweet to me and very enjoyable.  I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- Atlas Cumbres Torrontes

Name- Atlas Cumbres Torrontes

Variety- Torrontes

Region- Northern Argentina

Country- Argentina

Year- 2010

Price- $5.95

Wine Critic Review- Yellow color with greenish nuances. Very intense aroma of fresh grapes, flower perfume, and mature peaches.  Fresh in the mouth.  This wine is very light and easy to drink.  It is ideal with seafood, Thai, and Chinese food.

My Review- This wine tasted strongly of green apple and had a flowery nose.  It was definitely a drier wine that would pair well with food.  I could taste a little hints of citrus, and almost earthy undertones.  It was a light and refreshing wine that was very pleasant.  I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- Avery Quinn Chardonnay

Name- Avery Quinn Chardonnay
Variety- Chardonnay
Region- Napa, CA
Country- USA
Year- 2011
Price- $6.95 (on sale)
Wine Critic Review- The 2011 vintage marks a return to form for this gray value Chardonnay.  The aromas feature creamy, mellow, golden apply, pineapple, fresh butter, and a touch of vanilla.  Then rich, ripe  flavors of yellow pear, pineapple, fresh apple, cream, and buttered toast swell up and fill your mouth before a juicy, apply and caramel inflected finish make your mouth water.
My Review- I absolutely loved this wine.  This is the best Chardonnay I have had to date.  It had a sweet nose with hints of lime, apple, and peach.  It was a very  smooth and creamy wine that was light and tasted strongly of vanilla and had hints of light fruit.  I did not pick up on the pineapple mentioned in the wine critic review.  I bought this wine at the tasting and will be looking for it again!  I did not eat any food with this wine.

Tasting- Andre Peach Moscato

Name: Andre Peach Moscato
Variety: Sparkling Wine
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.99
Wine Critic Review: This champagne is sweet and fresh with scents and flavors of fresh peach.
My Review: This is a very light and crisp sparkling wine.  It tastes sweet and strongly of peach and honeysuckle.  It has a some floral notes and a very smooth finish.  I drank this wine with orange juice as part of a mimosa with a hearty breakfast meal.  The sweet wine was a good complement to balance out the meal.

Tasting- Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay

Name: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Chardonnay

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: California

Country: USA

Year: 2005

Price: $14.50

Wine Critic Review: This Chardonnay's vibrant fruit, floral, and spice flavors make it an elegant match for roasted chicken, grilled fish, fresh salads, and creamy cheeses.  This wine offers fresh citrus, apple, and ripe tropical fruit character, with hints of orange blossom and spice.

My Review:  I did not enjoy this wine.  I think it had aged too long and was beginning to become spoiled.  It was a very dark gold in color and almost bitterly acidic in taste.  It was a very tart wine that tasted like lemon to me.  I drank this wine with a tomato-pasta dish, and the food did nothing to improve the flavor.  I would not recommend drinking this wine as an older wine, I am sure it is much better consumed young.

Tasting- A. Charbaut & Fils Champagne

Name: A. Charbaut & Fils Champagne

Variety: Champagne

Region: Reims

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $34.99

Wine Critic Review: This was a very smooth, "earth laden" champagne with a distinctive flavor of straw, apple, peach, and pear.  Very pleasant.

My Review: This was a very rich and smooth Champagne.  I enjoyed drinking this a lot.  I could taste the apple flavor very strongly, but did not pick up on the peach or pear as much.  I thought it tasted very much like sun-ripened green grapes.  Great Champagne that I did not drink with any food.  I will definitely be purchasing this again for special occasions.

Name- Charles de Cazanove Champagne Tradition Pere & Fils

Name: Charles de Cazanove Champagne Tradition Pere & Fils

Variety: Champagne

Region: Reims

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $26

Wine Critic Review: This is a very lightweight, smooth, and pleasant Champagne.  It has a crisp and refreshing finish and pairs well with light appetizers or fruit.

My Review:  I liked this Champagne a lot.  It was very crisp and had hints of sweet fruit and strawberries.  I did not eat any food with this Champagne, but it worked very well on its own.  I will definitely be buying this again.

Tasting- Carroll Vineyards Chardonnay

Name: Carroll Vineyards Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Virginia (Loudoun County)
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $21
Wine Critic Review: This is an unbaked Chardonnay that has been aged in all stainless steel barrels.  It has notes of Asian pear and citrus hints.  This is a very smooth wine with a crisp finish.
My Review:  I really enjoyed this Chardonnay.  It was very light and crisp and more dry than it was sweet.  This wine reminded me a lot of Pinot Grigio, which is one of my favorite varietals.  I drank this wine with a spinach salad.  The vegetables made the wine taste more tangy and acidic.  This wine was a little pricy for me but I would probably buy it again.