Wine Dinner-Homemade Get Together

On Tuesday, April 23, my roomate and I decided to have our own homemade food and wine pairing dinner. We bought three bottles of wine, and made ourselves some appetizers and dinner to go with the wines. For dinner we made french bread, olive oil and cheese for an appetizer while we made our main course. Then for dinner we had angel hair whole wheat pasta with shrimp, and scallops topped lightly with olive oil. We had a side spinach salad with fresh tomatoes and no dressing. Below is a picture of the main course.

Wine #1:
Name: Fetzer Shaly Loam
Variety: Gewurztraminer
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95
   
Winery review: Seasoned. it's often called "gavurtz" because its hard to say, and even harder to spell. This wine through is a secret weapon for taming spicy foods or sipping on its own. Enjoy the honeysuckle, apricot and peach flavors in the glass, and breathe deeply to capture the aromas of rose petals and honeysuckle. Lots of of people enjoy this wine, even if they'll never spell it. Just as for "gavurtz" and they'll know what you mean. (04/23/2013- Wine Label)

My review: I was very excited to try this wine because I have never had a Gewurztraminer before and we had talked about it in class and how to pronounce it. We started with this wine since its a lighter white that we wanted to pair with our bread and cheese for the appetizer. The wine itself had a nose of pears and peaches. It tasted very light and sweet. I really liked this wine a lot and is probably one of my favorite white wines. I thought it pared nice with the cheese, because the cheese took away a little bit of the sweetness.

Wine #2:

Name: Tisdale Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: N/A
Price: $8.99    
Winery review: With flavors of ripe blackberry and plum, our experienced winemakers have crafted this Cabernet Sauvignon to an enticing, full-flavored wine with medium body and an impressive finish. Perfectly paired with your favorite pasta or grilled meat, we invite you to enjoy Tisdale Cabernet Sauvignon and share in life's endless possibilities. (04/23/2013- Wine Label)

My review: I have seen Tisdale wine at the grocery store multiple times but I had actually never bought it, so I decided that I wanted this to be one of the wines, since the label recommended that you could pair it with pasta. The wine itself had a nose of darker fruits as well as a slight pepper. I thought it went extremely well with the pasta. I really really liked this wine a lot and I think its because I thing Cabernet Sauvignons go really well with a dinner type meal like pasta. Because it has more of a body compared to the light angle hair pasta, the combination was perfect and not too heavy. I definately plan on drinking this wine again with a pasta dish.

Wine #3:

Name: Bitch
Variety: Aragon Grenache
Region: Napa Valley, California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: N/A    

Winery review: Dark cherry and raspberry aromas are underpinned with spicy, peppery notes with hints of anise. Aragon Grenache displays extraordinary natural acid balance, even at elevated ripeness levels. I have selected wines, which convey vibrant, juicy fruit together with a very soft, sweet-fruited palate structure. Bitch Aragon Grenache is very approachable now, but don't be deceived into thinking that it won't age. I predict that the wine will develop further personality with 3 to 5 years in the cellar.(04/23/2013- FineWineHouse.com)

My review: When I was at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA last week this bottle of wine stood out when I was just looking at all of the wine on the shelves. I thought the title of the wine was funny and it was a very girlie and cool looking bottle. This was the last wine that I had tasted with this dinner. I had never had a Aragon Grenache before that I could remember. It had a peppery nose, especially when compared to the Tisdale Cabernet Sauvingon that I had just tried earlier throughout the dinner. It tasted a little less in body compared to the Cabernet Sauvingon and was less smooth and more sharp. It had a mixture of spiciness and cherries. Even though this was different than the last wine I still really liked how it paired with the pasta. Because we were eating fish and olive oil on the pasta, I felt like this added some spicy flavor to the dinner. I also thought the title of the wine was interesting because towards the end of the dinner we just drank more of this wine as us girls were talking and complaining about meaningless things in life, which goes great with the title "bitch".

Lastly, Below is a picture of myself and with the last wine we had with our dinner.

Tasting-Rioja Antano Tempranillo Garcia Carrion

Name: Rioja Antano Tempranillo Garcia Carrion
Variety: Tampranillo
Region: Rioja
Country: Spain
Year: 2010
Price: $9.95
   
Winery review:  The wine is a bright but deep magenta, and offers a nose of mint, tobacco and ripe black fruits. On the palate you'll find ripe red berries and a full-body with a rich velvety texture, cleansing acidity and minimal dusty tannins. Bright, fresh and fun to drink, it ends with a long and satisfying finish. This is the biggest selling wine in Spain. (04/24/2013- http://www.garciacarrion.us/ficha-us-Antano_Tempranillo.php)

My review: I had this wine at Bordeaux's in Blacksburg during their Wine Wednesday Happy Hour. This wine had a nose of dark berries, like raspberries and cherries, but were not super strong. I really liked how this wine tasted because it was not super sweet. I was having a sweeter white wine before this, so I was tired of the sweetness of the wine before. I also had their gumbo yaya soup and spinach crab dip with this wine. The wine went down very smooth, however it definitely did not have as much body to the wine as I would have liked. I thought it paired really well with the spice in the sausage of the soup.

Fork and Cork

Wine #1
Name: Trump WineryBlanc de Blanc
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Charlottesville, VA
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Price: $25.00
   
Winery review:  Brut sparkling wine mad from 100% Chardonnay, using the traditional French methode Champenoise. Nose of green apple, brioche and slight pear. On the mouth there is crisp acidity with citrus notes. Aged 22 months on the lees. Pair with mild cheeses, sushi, or serve as an aperitif. Jefferson Cup Best of Sparkling, Double Gold Finger Lakes International, Gold VA Governor's Cup "Governor's Case".(04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review:This sparkling wine poured extremely bubbly. It was the very first wine I tasted at the Fork and Cork event so I was excited to try it.  It had a very light nose, and it tasted and smelled like apples. I liked this wine a lot for a sparkling wine.


Wine #2
Name: Trump Winery Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Charlottesville, VA
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $17.00
   
Winery review:  90% in stainless steel and 10% in french oak barrels. Vibrant grapefruit, pear and citrus aromas that are lush and crispy on the palate, finishing with a subtle creaminess. Refreshing, crips and clean, this wine is easy to drink by itself and stands up well to food. Pair with gazpacho, caprese salad, and quiche. (04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review:This white wine had a very clear, light yellow color when poured into the glass. It had a slight citrus nose, and it tasted very light with hints of pears, apples and nature. I did not think this wine was anything special.

Wine #3
Name: Trump Winery Rose
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Cabernet Franc
Region: Charlottesville, VA
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $10.00 Festival Special
   
Winery review:  Dry rose blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Nose of strawberry and flowers. Raspberry and grapefruit on the palate. Excellent balance between acidity and volume. pair with anything off the grill, pizza, charcuterie, and cheese. Silver Jefferson Cup; Top 37 Great American Wines Saveur Magazine. (04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review: I thought this rose wine smelled absoultely discusting right with the first sniff. I was not expecting this at all because I usually like how rose wines smell. It tasted better than it smelled, however it was hard to get past the smell for me to enjoy it. It tasted like strawberries and flowers.

Wine #4
Name: Trump Winery Simply Red
Variety: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, & Petit Verdot
Region: Charlottesville, VA
Country: USA
Year: 2008
Price: $17.00
   
Winery review:  48% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Lightly toasted aromas of black currant, blueberries and cherries. Smooth, medium bodied with flavors of black cherry and cocoa with a long finish. Pair with chicken, pork tenderloin, and soft cheeses. Silver Virginia Governor's Cup, Silver Jefferson Cup. (04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review: This red wine had a rich nose of chocolate covered strawberries. It tasted like darker red fruits, with a slight pepper flavor as well. I really liked this wine, and I even considered buying this wine when I was at the tent. I think I would like this wine with a nice dinner as well.

Wine #5
Name: Trump Winery CRU
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Charlottesville, VA
Country: USA
Year: N/A
Price: $28.00
   
Winery review:  100% Chardonnay juice fortified with brandy, and then aged in bourbon barrels. Try it on the rocks or mixed for a sweet treat with a kick. 14% rs. Platinum Virginia Wine lover Magazine, Silver New World International, Silver Monterey, People's Choice Award Virginia Wine Showcase. (04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review: This wine tasted completely different than any other wine I have ever tasted. It had a strong kick to the nose with hints of caramel and dark liquor. I could taste that it had a lot more alcohol than the other wines. It if was not as expensive I would have considered buying this wine.

Wine #6
Name: Horton Cellar Peach
Variety: Viognier
Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $12.00
   
Winery review: 
These fruit wines are the result of my hobby gone wild and the long lost dream of Chateau Le Cabin finally coming true.  In the early 1980's the great Horton experiment began in my log cabin in Aroda, Virginia.  The cabin's cellar was full of home winemaking gear and very small barrels full of the first tastes of Horton wine.  That little cabin was the start of this endeavor and these fruit wines celebrate that home wine making spirit- Dennis Horton. (04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review: This wine is definitely different than most wines because it is a fruit wine. It had an extremely strong nose of peach, however this is exactly what I had expected. It also tasted sweet like peaches; yet again, exactly what I had expected. I however do not think I could drink a lot of this wine because it was pretty sweet.

Wine #7
Name: Horton Cellar Blackberry
Variety: Petit Verdot
Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $12.00
   
Winery review: 
These fruit wines are the result of my hobby gone wild and the long lost dream of Chateau Le Cabin finally coming true.  In the early 1980's the great Horton experiment began in my log cabin in Aroda, Virginia.  The cabin's cellar was full of home winemaking gear and very small barrels full of the first tastes of Horton wine.  That little cabin was the start of this endeavor and these fruit wines celebrate that home wine making spirit- Dennis Horton. (04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA- )

My review: Blackberry wine is the only fruit wine that I have tasted multiple times in the past so I was excited to compare this wine to others that I have tasted. Luckily, like all of the other blackberry wines I've had, I thought this one was very good as well. It had a nose and tongue of blackberry that I had expected. I regret not buying a bottle of this wine when I had the chance.

Wine #8 With Food
Name: Verita's White Star
Variety: Viognier, Traminette, Chardonnay & Vidal Blanc
Region: Virginia
Country: USA
Year: NV
Price: $18.00
   
Winery review: White Star is gleaming with flavors of ripe tropical fruits as if they were kissed by the sun. The fruits are layered with fresh peaches, pineapple, mango, and hints of coconut. The light residual sugar is perfectly balanced with the clean acidity, leaving the palate wishing on a shooting star for more.(04/27/2013 Fork and Cork, Blacksburg, VA)

My review: I had tasted quite a few wines at this point in time of the day, therefore I had decided to eat some food and have it in line and while I got to taste test this wine. This white wine had a strong nose of mango and sweet fruits. Normally I do not like super fruity wine, however I liked how this wine smelled. It tasted like and fruity just like it smelled. I had this wine with cheese pizza. It does not sound like the absolute best paring, however I still really liked the wine with the food paring. I think the crust went really well with the wine.

Favorite Wine of the Day
My favorite wine of the day was most definitely the Trump Winery CRU. I liked it because I have never tasted something like this ever before. I have been taste testing wine and getting into it all this semester and it was awesome that I got to try something new. I definitely could not drink a lot of this wine at once though.

Below is picture of my friend Michelle and I at Fork and Cork.

Tasting- Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone

Name: Reserve Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone
Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2010
Price: $38.95/ 3L
   
Winery review:  As for thier other values, the 2010 Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Reserve (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault) displays loads of ripe flavors. It is very concentrated for a Cotes du Rhone, and is actually an amazing wine. Classic garrigue, black cherry liqueur, lavender, licorice and spice box are all present in this full-bodied, intense, and rich Cotes du Rhone. this is a sensational effort to drink over the next 4-5 years, although it might last even longer. (04/25/2013- Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg, VA)

My review:This red wine  was a very dark redish black wine in color. It smelled like chocolate covered cherries. It was a very sweet chocolate smell, almost like a white chocolate. It tasted very dry but was smooth. It was not super heavy in texture. I am curious as what this would taste like with food.

Tasting- Lobetia Tempranillo

Name: Lobetia Tempranillo
Variety: Tampranillo
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $10.95
   
Winery review:  Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terrior to stand out cleanly. It shows a nice cherry color with a violet shade because of its youth. Red berries and cherries on the nose. On the palate it is fresh, slightly astringent and harmonious with a long finish. (04/25/2013- Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg, VA)

My review:This red wine  had a nose that I really liked right away. It had a nose of raspberry and cranberry candle. It tasted like these berries as well including strawberries as well. It was a little dry and had a very very slight pepper taste as well. I did not have any food with this wine tasting.

Tasting- Lobetia Chardonnay

Name: Lobetia Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: La Mancha
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $10.95
   
Winery review:  Organically and naturally grown and made, this wine allows the varietal and the terrior  to stand out cleanly. Clean, bright color with a greenish-yellow tone. On the nose, exotic fruits like pineapple. Full flavored, fresh, with good acidity in the mouth, it finishes with tropical fruits.(04/25/2013- Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg, VA)

My review:This white wine is not an ancient oak like most Chardonnay's are. It smelled like B.O. on the very first sniff, however after that it got much better. It smelled like peach and pineapple; a lot more fruity than the first smell. It tasted tart, and was not super dry or super sweet. It also had a slight taste of melons as well.

Tasting- Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre Da Lele
Variety: Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $7.95
   
Winery review:  Named after the famous restaurant in Italy! This si their house white wine! Coppery color from extended skin contact, round and rich texture with juicy melon aromas and flavors with a sweet fennel note on the ultra smooth finish. Great value Grigio! Drink now. (04/25/2013- Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg, VA)

My review:This white wine was a very clear and light golden color. It smelled exactly like a Pinot Grigio that I always drink. It had a flowering and slight tart and citrus nose. It tasted smooth and was not super sweet or super dry. It tasted like nature as well. I did not have any food with this wine tasting.

Movie Review- Blood Into Wine

Blood Into Wine, is a documentary about Maynard James Keenan and his friend Eric Glomski who went into the wine making business in Arizona. I was a little hesitant on watching this movie at first because I wondered how could a movie be about wine that is 90 minutes long be any good. However, from the very beginning I thought it was funny with its dry humor, and got me hooked to watch the rest of the movie.

Maynard, whom most people have heard of used to be a part of the band Tool, that has sold thousands of records throughout the years. However later in his career, he decided to give music and break and move towards a new passion of wine making. This documentary follows him throughout his winery, explaining his entire process of his new passion.

Because wine making is completely different than being a rock star, many people questioned why Maynard would even want to go into wine making in the first place. However, Maynard explained how it was not just some short phase of being bored with his music career; instead he found a true passion for wine when he was drinking wine with the right food and the right place. This is very interesting because wine can have different effects of different people in various ways. Sometimes just the type of atmosphere and mood a person is in can affect how they will like the wine. For example, if someone had just heard great news and wanted to drink wine with a celebratory dinner and the person loves how the wine tastes, it may not just be because of the wine. Maynard was also asked in the documentary, why he thinks people in general like to drink wine. Maynard had a hippie response, saying that a grape is like a DNA strand with its complexity and how far it has evolved in history. He also gave a second response that people like to get drunk. I believe these are two very accurate responses about wine in general. Wine has been around for an extremely long time compared to a lot of things on earth today. The grape is one of the most complex fruits, and there are multiple different types of grapes as well. In addition people like to be happy and socialize, and wine can help people let loose and get into that type of mindset.

Arizona is another major focus of this documentary. The town in which Maynard and Eric decided to grow a vineyard is right outside of Jerome, AZ. This because extremely difficult in the wine making business, because Arizona is not known for wine at all and has a completely different climate than California. In addition, not that many people have tried growing wine in Arizona before, so therefore there is no one to learn from, and they have to put money into experimenting and changing a few things in order to try and become successful. I believe that this says a lot about how wine has changed throughout history. Especially with New World wines, it is now not so much out of the ordinary to branch out and for wine makers to try different things to make their own name for themselves. This is extremely different from Old World wines, where there are strict rules and government agencies controlling the labeling policy, as well as the wine making process in order for a certain wine to be made from a specific region. Jerome, AZ is located in northeast Arizona on the side of a mountain. The subsoil of where they are growing grapes has soil that may have possibly been an ancient lake bed. Some of the rocks are very smooth due to possible erosion sediment of a river. This is very interesting because this type of soil could have a great effect on how the grapes will grow and taste. Maynard’s business partner Eric was the experienced wine grower from California. Yes, he did know how the whole grape growing wine process worked, however he had to fix a few things here and there to adjust to the different environment like humidity, mid-summer monsoons, and loosing vines to cold winters.

Throughout the documentary, they talk about the different phases of the grape growing process. One of these seasons they talk about is the pruning season. This occurs in late winter and early spring. Here a person goes around the vineyard and trims some of the vines in order for them to be ready to grow correctly when the weather starts to become more warm. Around two buds are left for each branch, and the vines can even be tasted to see if they are sweet and ready to grow successfully. Another part of the grape growing process that the movie talks about is Veraison. This occurs in late summer, where some of the grapes on the vines are still green. These grapes will eventually darken over time. This is very interesting because it helps the audience learn about the grape growing process. Maynard even says that he is still learning how this works correctly, and it will most likely take him about two decades to really be able to master the knowledge of the process on his own. This just goes to show that making wine does not only cost a lot of money, however it takes quite amount of time as well.

Lastly, not only does Maynard have his own vineyard, he has a winery were he makes the wine, and has a store to promote and sell the wine as well. This adds in a whole other concept to wine. The business side of wine can require a whole new set of knowledge. There are strict selling and labeling guidelines, as well as just being able to successfully understand the consumers. Most of the time in the wine making business, one must lose a lot of money, or invest a lot of money, before any type of profit is made. This also happens over a long period of time before one receives any type of returns. This is because certain wines may take five to seven years to mature. This documentary does a nice job of portraying this concept.

Overall, Blood Into Wine, is a very interesting, and funny documentary. I feel that it can entertain to wide range of audience; people who do not know very much about wine, and for people who understand wine. The humor that is brought into the movie also makes it entertaining on top of being knowledgeable as well. I would definitely recommend Blood Into Wine, to any level of wine drinker.

Wine Region- Champagne

Throughout the world and history there are hundreds of different wine regions around the world. In the old world, there are even multiple wine regions within each country of Europe. France alone has approximately 14 major wine regions. Within these major regions, the region Champagne has become an extremely well known wine region, even for the non wine drinkers. 

Located in the north eastern part of France, the Champagne region covers a pretty large area of land. The location can be seen in the map of France below, as well as a more zoomed out map of Europe.

It is obvious that the Champagne region is very large, and therefore is broken down in several sub-regions. These four major sub-regions consist of The Mountain of Reims, The Marne Valley, The Cote des Blancs, and The Cotes des Bars and Montgueux.  These regions can be seen in this zoomed in map of just the Champagne region itself below.  Geographically, Champagne is actually relatively pretty close to the city of Paris; just 90 minutes northeast of the city. 

Historically, Champagne has been an official wine region since 1927, when the first appellation of Champagne was created. However, this region has a history of growing wine since the third century A.D.  This region has been comprised of approximately 43,680 acres of vineyards.  Today , there are over 20,000 growers throughout the region. Champagne in the United States has become the famous sparkling wine that everyone makes a toast to and drinks on New Year’s Eve. However, the bubbles and sparkling aspect of the wine was not originally intentional. It was only discovered when the popping of the bottle opening occurred, and a process of making Champagne because intentional to create the bubbles. Today, the correct amount of CO2, fruit, and acidity are what makes Champagne a good Champagne.

Champagne historically became an official region in 1927 when the Champagne Appellation of Controlled Origin (AOC) came about. This government-sponsored control agency protects the reputation of Champagne only allowing wines that come from the specified region, maintaining the high standard of quality and fermentation process, to be called Champagne. This basically protects the historical name of Champagne, and keeps anyone from outside the region to replicate it. In addition, the Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) helps regulate the production of Champagne as well as distribution, promotion, and research of Champange. Below are two pictures of different Champagne labels, that must meet all of these government agency requirements in order for Champagne to be used on the label.

There are three main grape varieties that contribute to Champagne. These include Pinot Nior, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. With these wine varieties, there are three major different types of Champagne as well. The first is non vintage/multiple vintage Champagne wine that consists of a blend of two or more harvests. Second is a Vintage Champagne that comes solely from a single vintage. Lastly is  “Prestige” cuvee, which consists of only one vintage, however it has longer aging requirements.  This type usually is more highly rated out of all three Champagne types. This is because “Prestige” cuvee Champagnes are made from the best and first pressing of the grapes, aged longer in the bottle, and made solely from vintage years. Lastly there is not as much of this type of wine produce, therefore it creates a higher demand for this wine.

Lastly, in order to even be able to create these different types of Champagne, there is a reason of wine Champagne is the way it is and that the region is located where it is as well. Climate and soil play a huge role in the creation of Champagne. First of all, the Champagne region is relatively north from the equator compared to other wine regions throughout the world. Because of the slightly northern climate, the grapes picked for Champagne usually have a higher acidity than other grapes. The soil here is known to be chalky. This soil mixed with a climate of random sunshine, harsh climate, and shorter growing season, is what makes Champagne the way it is. The four different sub regions mentioned early also all bring slightly different soil characteristics and climate to the Champagne region as well. This is slightly because of the Marne River that runs through the middle of the region. Below are examples of two different pictures of vineyards throughout the Champagne region. 

Lastly Champagne has very unique characteristics that make the wine from this region stand out compared to the others. For example, probably the most obvious is that it is a sparkling wine that requires a specific bottle cork.  It is famous for popping the cork and letting the bubbles explode out of the bottle. However there are methods of opening the bottle in order to avoid this. Champagne also has a specific type of glass wear including the flute and the tulip shaped glass, in order to keep the bubbles in the glass longer.

WORKS CITED

"Champagne Map Wine Region." Champagne Map Wine Region. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.             <http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/champagne_map.htm>.

"Champagne Region « Wine Origins." Champagne Region « Wine Origins. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. <http://www.wineorigins.com/?page_id=44>.

 

Zraly, Kevin. Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. New York: Sterling, 2012. Print.