Dinner - Garlic Bread, Pasta, Chicken Parmesan

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 on its own:

This wine had a big alcoholic and chocolate aroma. It was fruit-forward with raspberry, then had a nice chocolate flavor afterward. It was dry, velvety, and had a medium body.

My review with pasta:

Not a good pairing. The high acidity of the tomato in the marinara removed all the flavors of the Cabernet Sauvignon and left it tasting like water.

Name: Cavaliere D'Oro Chianti Classico

Variety: Sangiovese

Region: Chianti Classico

Country: Italy

Year: 2019

My review on its own:

This Chianti had a strong alcohol smell. It did not have many distinct flavors, and most of its character came from its dryness and warmth in the mouth. There was a hint of berry flavor, but I could not quite place it.

My review with chicken parmesan:

Another subpar pairing, and another case of acidity tomato sauce completely overpowering the wine. It caused the Chianti to taste caustic, but at least the food was good.