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Dinner - Garlic Bread, Pasta, Chicken Parmesan

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From left to right: Me, Bob, Ryan For our third and final wine dinner, we decided to try some pairings with a dish we already make regularly. We paired Prosecco with garlic bread, Cabernet Sauvignon with pasta with marinara, and Chianti Classico with chicken parmesan. Unfortunately, these pairings did not turn out as well as some of our past ones. Garlic Bread, Pasta with Marinara, and Chicken Parmesan Name: Cantina Montelliana Prosecco Treviso Variety: Glera Region: Treviso Country: Italy Year: None Given My review on its own:  This Prosecco had a sweet, crisp aroma. The foamy carbonation was prominent, but it also overpowered any other flavor in the wine as it seemingly dissolved in my mouth. My review with garlic bread: This was a pretty good pairing. The bread tempered the foaminess a bit, and the garlic caused the wine to taste a bit sweeter. Name: Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Columbia Valley, WA Country: United States Year: 2018 My review
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Cheese Pairing 3 - Chenin Blanc, Sherry, Port

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  Left to right: Me, Bob My roommate Bob is also taking this class, so we did this together. Cheese Assortment: Point Reyes Original Blue, Gorgonzola Dolce, Stilton Barton & Guestier Vouvray Chenin Blanc My review alone: This wine has strong, sweet aromas of pear with a hint of apple. It has smooth, creamy flavors of honey, and is sweet throughout. There is almost no acidity or bitterness to speak of. It is medium-bodied, with a slightly viscous mouthfeel. It has a strange aftertaste, some kind of semi-sweet fruit that I cannot identify. My review with Stilton cheese: This pairing made me nostalgic. The cheese had an odd mustiness to it, with flavors of old wood and nuts. When combined with the sweetness of the wine, it took my mind to a salty seaside scene of the preserved smells of staying on a WWII battleship in Charleston, SC with my old Boy Scout troop. The intense flavor of the cheese brought out a bit more acidity and bitterness in the wine. An excellent pairing. Morentia Cr
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Tasting - Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau

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 Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Manoir du Carra Beaujolais Nouveau Varietal: Gamay Region: Beaujolais, Bordeaux Country: France Year: 2021 Price: $4.49 (very much discounted) Tasting Notes from Drizly: "Nouveau is made with carbonic maceration, or whole-berry fermentation. This technique preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the grapes without extracting bitter tannins from the grape skins. Beaujolais Nouveau is a cherry-red, fruity, tasty, clean wine that is best served chilled." Source: https://drizly.com/wine/red-wine/gamay/manoir-du-carra-beaujolais-nouveau/p100620#:~:text=Nouveau%20is%20made%20with%20carbonic,that%20is%20best%20served%20chilled. Wine Folly Notes - p. 113 Pomegranate, blackberry bramble, violet, potting soil, banana Fruity, floral, and sometimes earthy Light body, sweetness, and alcohol Very low tannins High acidity My Review: This Beaujolais had intense aromas of a multitude of sweet fruits, with strawberry and banana among them. The fruitiness continu
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Tasting - Caparzo Sangiovese

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Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Caparzo Sangiovese Varietal: Sangiovese Region: Tuscany Country: Italy Year: 2019 Price: $8.54 Tasting Notes from Bishop's Cellar: "A fresh and bright wine with a medium body and classic elegance. The nose offers hints of blackberry and raspberry." Source: https://bishopscellar.com/product/caparzo-sangiovese/ Wine Folly Notes - p. 162 Cherry, roasted tomato, sweet balsamic, oregano, espresso Very high acidity High alcohol, tannins, body Very low sweetness Tastes quite different depending on where it grows My Review: This Sangiovese had primary aromas of cherry with earthy undertones, with not much biting alcohol smell. This wine was incredibly well balanced, with the fruity and earthy flavors combining to form a well-rounded experience. It was dry and acidic, but not too much of either, with a medium body. I also think I detected some roasted tomato flavors in the mix. After drinking the whole glass, I detected a nice raisin aftertaste in t
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Tasting - Larkspur Pinot Gris

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  Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Larkspur Pinot Gris Varietal: Pinot Gris Region: Oregon Country: United States Year: 2020 Price: $11.69 Tasting Notes from Larkspur: "Expressive aromatics of pineapple and honey suckle lead to floral flavors of green apple and juicy melon on the palate. This beautiful Oregon Pinot Gris is balanced with lively acidity that leads to a refreshing finish." Source: https://www.larkspurwine.com/ Wine Folly Notes - p. 149 White peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, crushed gravel Pink grape mutation of Pinot Noir Zesty, ranging from dry to sweet High acidity Medium alcohol Small body, very low tannins My Review: This was a weird wine. I would describe its aroma as pungent, not the usual sweet fruitiness of other white wines. I chalk it up to some floral smell because I do not know of any fruit that is on the rank side of the aromatic spectrum. It had a taste of sour green apple. I could not detect much under the sour acidity. It was less dry an
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Tasting - Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio

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Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio Varietal: Pinot Gris/Grigio Region: Modesto, CA Country: United States Year: 2021 Price: $8.09 Tasting Notes from Wine.com: "A classic Pinot Grigio that displays intense aromas of white peach, melon and pink grapefruit, with delicate hints of floral notes. Lively acidity with bright citrus and grapefruit notes lead to a crisp and refreshing finish. Enjoy a glass chilled by itself, or pair with your favorite Asian or shellfish dishes." Source: https://www.wine.com/product/clos-du-bois-pinot-grigio-2021/962476?state=CA&s=GoogleBase_CSE_962476NJ_PS106__type_Wine_WhiteWine_PinotGris%2FGrigio&showpromo=true&promo=PS106# Wine Folly Notes - p. 149 White peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, crushed gravel Pink grape mutation of Pinot Noir Zesty, ranging from dry to sweet High acidity Medium alcohol Small body, very low tannins My Review: This Pinot Grigio had a very prominent lemon character. The aroma had th
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Tasting - Chevalier du Grand Robert Bordeaux Clairet Dry Rose

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     Wine Label Me With Bottle Name: Chevalier du Grand Robert Bordeaux Clairet Dry Rose Varietal: Blend (grapes not given) Region: Bordeaux Country: France Year: 2020 Price: $13.99 Tasting Notes from Wine Enthusiast: "Deep rosé in color, the wine has a light tannic character to go with the red berry fruits. There is acidity, enough to give this wine a crisp aftertaste. Drink now." Source: https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/chevalier-du-grand-robert-2020-dry-rose-bordeaux-clairet/ Wine Folly Notes - N/A My Review:  This rose was much closer to a red, which I enjoyed. It was dry for a rose as its label would suggest, and along with the strawberry flavor like the Apothic rose it had an oaky flavor and aftertaste. It was also more alcoholic than the Apothic. The label described it as "velvety," which I agree with. I think the dryness complemented the strawberry flavor nicely.
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