Overall Impression
of the Experience:
This was a literal
TASTING, with only enough wine to taste (as measured out by one of those fancy
little tasting portion toppers). Unfortunately,
that meant that the wines could not be tasted with all the foods. But that's okay, as the food was in short
supply as well (insert sarcasm here).
Apparently, they only budgeted for 10 people but somehow ended up
letting 24 participate. So eating was
first come, first serve, survival of the fittest kind of an experience. And trust me, some girls who seemed to be
regulars had four plates heaped full, while other people only got one. While I appreciate that they tried to
accommodate people, really, what was the point
requiring reservations then anywho?
The whole thing ended up being rather cramped and disorganized. And I have a feeling this is why it all
seemed to move by too fast. I would have
liked to take my time tasting the wines with all of the foods, but first as
mentioned there wasn't enough food or wine to do this (even with tiny, tiny
sips and tastes) and by the time they shoved everyone in this cramped space we
didn’t get started and they were rushing for the time crunch. So then we sat wayyyy too long with the food
before we got any wines. You didn't want
the food to get cold and horrible (plus I was starving!) so it was really hard
to save any for the wines. Though still a good bargain for the money.
The Foods:
(Too many courses and foods all on one plate!
... but a representative picture of all of the foods offered.)
5 or 6 different
cheeses, including a horseradish and chive cheese (which was strong and
terrible), cheddar, as well as others
Personal
Review: These were all very good, minus
the horseradish and chive cheese which was awful and paired with all of the
wines horribly, taking them over with its strong, pungent taste. The was a great selection of cheese and I
saved most of these for my reds, mixing and matching as I went.
3 different types of
crackers
2 breads, a French
baguette and a sweet olive bread (both served with oil)
Personal
Review: the sweet olive bread was
fantastic (and I don't even like olives)! Especially so with the oil (and I
typically don't like that either). The
combination complimented the wines well.
Greek salad with
tomatoes, olives, egg, and feta
Personal
Review: This was really good. I didn't really pair any of the wines with
it, but it was delicious all the same.
Pita bread with a
small amount of red sauce, gorgonzola cheese, and green garnishing on top
Personal
Review: I only got one small sliver of
this, and it was good, but I didn't pair it with any wines.
Tiny stuffed
manicottis
Personal
Review: Quite good.
Sweet and sour
meatballs with pineapple and red peppers
Personal
Review: Good, but an odd pairing with
the rest of the food, as well as with all of the wines. There wasn't a single wine that these went
well with, and trust me I tried.
Chicken teriyaki
served over rice with sweet sauce
Personal
Review: This was good, but also didn't
really do anything for any of the wines, while also didn't hurt them either.
The Wines:
(all the bottles together, in the order tasted)
Whites:
Firesteed 2011 Pinot
Gris Oregon
Shop Review: 12.6% alcohol. Tropical aromas of kiwi and mango followed by
flavors of perfectly-ripe summer melon and citrus. With each return to the glass, the flavors
expand on the palate with increasing complexity and texture.
$13.50
Personal
Review: Smells of fresh fruit and
citrus, but didn't get the kiwi and mango.
Kind of dry and bitter mid palate.
However, best Pinot Gris I've tasted.
Tastes exact same with the manicotti.
Lamplighter
Chardonnay 2009 California
Shop Review: 13.5% alcohol. Aromas and flavors of citrus balanced with
topical fruits and honey apricot notes.
With just enough vanilla oak and creaminess to know it’s a California
Chardonnay. Recommendation: Pair with chicken, seafood, or enjoy on its
own.
$9.99
Personal
Review: More of a crisp taste than the
previous wine. I didn't get the honey
and apricot, but did get a hint of creamy and vanilla oak kick at the end. Not as good with meatballs--more kind of a
weird aftertaste. But good with one of
the cheeses that was soft, squishy, and kind of resembled the texture of fat
but had a slight soft white provolone esque taste to it.
The White Knight
Voignier 2011 Clarksburg
Shop Review: With blonder color, stone fruit aromatics
dominate this blend and aromatics. Ripe
peach skin, apricots, and hints of green apple aromas lead toward flavors of
the similar description. This blend is
medium weight with bright acidity to keep the finish refreshing. Tropical fruit sings throughout this wine
from start to finish. A perfect summer
sipper with your favorite cheeses and fresh fruit.
$11.99
Personal
Review: Smells kind of off to me
personally. Peach with something I can't
seem to place but makes me feel like not even tasting the wine. Slight bitter and dry and then transforms
into fruity which compensates for the bitter and the aroma that put me
off. Not good with meatballs. Better with the pineapples but not
fantastic. Much better by itself than
paired with anything, even the cheeses.
Beringer 2011 Chenin
Blanc California
Shop Review: 11% alochol.
A well-balanced wine with aromas and flavors of crisp citrus, melong,
and smpicy ginger. Its meant to be
enjoyed with a variety of foods, from Asian and Mexican foods to a casual
backyard barbecue with friends.
$8.99
Personal
Review: Rather sweet with slight bitter
and spice mid palate. Actually, tastes a
lot like a Moscato in ways. The bitter and spice is temper by the foods, making
it more Moscato like.
Red Wines:
Simple Life Pinot
Noir 2011 California
Shop Review: Pleasantly fruity with aromas of boysenberry,
candied cherry and baked apple highlighted by notes of baking spice. Flavors range from bright raspberry and lemon
preserve to cherry cola accented with a bit of English toffee. Moderately light bodied, the soft tannins and
fresh acidity strike a nice balance, creating a light but lingering
finish. Pinot Noir easily pairs with a
wide variety of foods both lighter and richer fare.
$12.99
Personal
Review: Includes 2-3% of a lot of
different wines, but 77% Pinot Noir.
Fruity, red wine aroma with baking spice, but didn't get the baked
apple. Pepper and spice flavor which
makes aroma that on next taste.
Meatballs increase this reaction. Ten times worse with bread but at
least has bread aftertaste. Good with
cheddar but awful with horseradish cheese.
Riven Rock Cabernet
Sauvignon 2011
Shop Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon from California is an
exceptional value and a perfect interpretation of what a traditional Cabernet
Sauvignon should taste like--with a good flavor profile, light and drinkable but
with a good body.
$9.99
Personal
Review: Smells of fruit and
berries. Very good. A little less pepper than some of the other
wines. Tastes all kind of blend together
and hard to distinguish mid palate and finish.
Tastes about same with all cheeses, which is hardly different than the
taste by itself.
Renwood Syrah 2008
Sierra Foothills
Shop Review: "Classic aromas of berry jam and
truffle. The wine has medium tannins, a
refreshing acidity and along finish. The
fruit flavors dominate, and the oak character is subdued. This is a nice example of Syrah grown in the
Sierra Foothills."-winemaker
$12.99
Personal
Review: Berry jam, fruity aroma. Long finish of spice. Spicy out the nostrils with cheese, which
enhances the spice.
Cypress Vineyards
2010 Merlot Central Coast California
Shop Review: 13.5% alcohol. 80% Merlot, 16% Malbec, 2% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 2% Petite Sirah. A garnet red
color of medium density with hues indicative of full maturation. Fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, and
passionfruit are complemented by a bouquet of tasted oak and cocoa powder. A large portion of Malbec in the blend
increases the fruit signature with a hibiscus character. The round texture and comfortable weight of
this wine is followed by a sweet, mature finish. 2010 Cyprus Vineyards Merlot would pair
wonderfully with beef filets with a red wine sauce or barbecued Ribs. The wine can be enjoyed in its youth or
cellared up to five years.
$12.99
Personal
Review: Smells good. Aroma remiscent of Merlot, Malbec, and
Sirah. Tastes bitter and dry for a very
small about of time and then its so much better as it smooths out. Worse with cheddar, awful with meatballs,
and so much better by itself. This was
my favorite wine of the tasting.
Trentadue 'Old Patch
Red' Lot #34 2010 California
Shop Review: The 2010 Old Patch Red Lot #34 is comprised
of 41% Sinfandel, 25% Syrah, 24% Carignane, and 10% Petite Sirah. This is a delicious 'bistro" style blend
with abundant jammy berry flavors, black cherries and plums. Peppery and spicy with a long juicy
finish. Named in honor of the original
1896 estate plantings, this is very typical of the field blends traditionally
produced by the Italian farming families that settled in Sonoma County in the
early part of the 20th century. This
versatile wine has rich, plummy fruit with hints of vanilla and red cherries.
$13.50
Personal
Review: Tasted last because this was the
servers favorite (so that’s why he ordered it last). Jam with subtle pepper on the nose. Very subtle pepper and spice flavors but I
got that more so than the jam or the long juicy finish. Not bad, but not something I'd want several
glasses of. Tasted with all the cheese
and was not good with cheddar, but paired decently with all the white cheeses
(though did not taste very differently with all of them). No change with bread either.
(Nice, new friends met in the tight sitting quarters.
They were enjoyable to talk about the food and wine with!)
