bdenniswineblog

This week I decided to do a Wine Dinner with my family. I decided to theme it as Italian due to the ingredients and wine I already had. This was a fun assignment to do as it got everyone involved and interacting. Everyone really enjoyed the meal and giving their opinion of the wine and how it went with the food. The wines used.  For the first course I decided to make an Italian style salad and some garlic bread with some Italian bread. I made the salad with roma tomatoes, black olives, feta cheese, cucumbers, and a vinaigrette dressing. As a pairing I used an Italian Moscato. This wine was quite acidic and sweet. It was really crisp and light with notes of pear. This wine paired really nicely with the salad. The sweetness and acidity of the wine complemented the acidity of the dressing. This also helped to offset the bitterness of the greens. This was a really refreshing way to start the meal. Everyone enjoyed the wine and drinking it with the salad and toasted bread. Th...

On the left is where the wine is made with the main vineyard on the right.  For my winery visit I had the privlidge of visiting " The Canadian River Winery ". This was a small winery about 20 min from campus. The winery had a fair amount of vines perhaps about 2 or so acres. We entered the tasting room and were greeted by an older man who turned out to be the owner. My girlfriend an I had fun sampling the different wines and learning about them. I was surprised by how good some of them were. This is the building where they make their wine, with a small tasting room to the left. The first one I tried was a 2016 Merlot. This wine was very tannic and much more oaky than any Merlot I had ever had before. This wine also smelled very oaky and had been barrel aged for 2 years. This wine was my girlfriends favorite. The second I tried and my favorite was a Red Zinfindel. This wine was also very oaky and had been barrel aged for three years. This wine had mild fruit not...

Name - Flaco Tempranillo Variety -100% Temprannilo Region - Vinos de Madrid Country - Spain Year - 2017 Price - $9.00 Critic Review - " Light, bright strawberries with an attractive floral, rose-like edge. Tangy, bright red-fruit flavor and easygoing tannins." James Suckling, with score of 88.  My review- I was a little disappointed with this wine. This wine was recommended to me as being a good introductory Tempranillo for a good price. I decided to pair this wine with a pulled pork sandwich, as the bottle recommended pork. This wine smelled very fruity. Upon tasting the wine it was even more fruity. I was greeted with a jammy taste of strawberry and blackberry. I thought I might have tasted a bit of an earthy aftertaste, but this was very subtle. I thought this wine was very one dimensional with it just being jammy tasting. I think someone who does not enjoy or drink red wine often would find this wine to their liking. Paired with th...

Name - Schild Estate Shiraz Variety - 100% Shiraz Region - Barossa Valley Country - Austrailia Year - 2015 Price - $19.99 Bottle Review - Our Shiraz comes from our vineyards around Lyndoch and Rowland Flat and is a fine representation of Southern Barossa Shiraz. The nose has dark cherries, ripe black fruits and savory, new leather elements. Fine, elegant tannins and complex characters from 18 months of french and American Oak maturation, ensure the palate has dark fruits, chocolate and great length.  My Review - I got this wine at Corkscrew wine & Spirits, at the recommendation of an employee. This wine was also recommended by Zraly. I was looking for a unique, quality wine within my budget. This wine was fantastic and one of my favorites so far. Upon smelling the wine I picked up on dark berry, oak, and even a little chocolate. Upon tasting the wine these smells were confirmed. The wine had a very oak leathery taste to it. This taste was not quite as s...

For this pairing I decided to do it with my family several hours before thanksgiving. My family already had a Tuscan sangiovesse and a Chardonnay from an acquaintances' vineyard. I went to  Forward Foods  to pick out some cheeses. For the red she recommended an " Organic Taleggio",that was from the same region in Italy as the wine. For the white she recommended a "Bonde D' Antan" as Chardonnay pairs easily with many types of cheese. For my third cheese she recommended a Cremeux De Bourgogne" and recommended to pair it with Brut Champagne. My local liquor store was able to help me find a quality sparkling wine within my budget. My Cheeses and wines - The Tasting - After I got everything set up and prepared I was finally able to drink some wine. I gave everyone a little background information and a notepad and we got to work. Tuscan Sangiovese and Toleggio - Cheese - This cheese had a strong smell and an even stronger ...

Name - Gabbiano Chianti 2014 Variety - 90% sangiovese, 5% merlot, 5% colorino Region - Tuscany Country - Italy Year - 2015 - Price - $13.00 Critic Review -  "Made with 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Colorino, this juicy wine opens with aromas of blue flower, black-skinned berry and a whiff of tobacco. The savory palate doles out Marasca cherry, licorice and black pepper alongside velvety tannins. Enjoy over the next few years." Rated 89 points and # 66 of the top 100 best buys of 2018 by  Wine mag . My review - I got this wine as a recommendation from my local wine seller. She recommended this as a quality and unique wine within my budget. Upon smelling this wine, I smelled a leathery, planty, earthy smell. This was backed up by what I tasted. I tasted a leathery, burnt wood, almost cigar taste to this wine. This wine was mild in tannic structure and I was surprised by the lack of dark fruit flavor. I drank this wine with a pizza - this is what the Zraly textb...