Cheese Pairing 2 - Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot

 

Left to right: Me, Ryan, Bob

My roommate Bob is also taking this class, so we did this together along with our roommate Ryan.

Cheese Assortment: Cheddar, Havarti, Gorgonzola

Wente Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

My review alone:

This wine was very jammy with sweet berry flavors and aromas. It had the most unique mouth-feel of any wine I have tasted so far, feeling like I had lumpy grape jelly in my mouth. It was not very dry for a red.

My review with gorgonzola cheese:

This was a fantastic pairing. The gorgonzola completely removed any dryness in the wine, and the wine really tasted like some Welch's grape jelly. The thickness of the wine and the cheese complimented each other very well.

Mark West Pinot Noir

My review alone:

This wine had a very smoky and oaky aroma, and we all likened it to a campfire. The flavor was fruit-forward, and a little jammy like the Cabernet Sauvignon. I detected a hint of chocolate, and there was not that much dryness for a red.

My review with Havarti cheese:

This was an alright pairing, not as special as the gorgonzola with the Cab. The cheese brought out a little more fruit and a bit of chocolate before the fruit kicked in. This pairing was definitely overshadowed by the first.

Sterling Merlot

My review alone:

This Merlot was your typical red wine, nothing so unique as the jammy Cab or the campfire Pinot Noir. It had a dark, savory aroma with hints of coffee. It did not have many distinct flavors besides being bitter. There was a little dryness. Aerating the wine created a rush of chocolate flavor.

My review with cheddar cheese:

The cheddar cheese brought out a milky, chocolatey sensation. It also sweetened the wine a bit and introduced more general fruit flavors. There was nothing too complicated about this pairing. The virtue of this Merlot and this cheddar pairing is its simplicity, a nice, good quality red to enjoy without having to think too hard about it.