Winery Visit-Chateau Morrisette

Tristan, Ginny, Peter, Katie, Dillon, Me, and Douglas

 As soon as the weather had started to not be frightful we filled two cars with people to make the trip to Chateau Morrisette. A trip filled with lots of extremely slow moving vehicles on windy back country roads with no opportunity to pass. I'd definitely try to allocate more time to the trip then you would at first think.

Chateau Morrisette is off the blue ridge parkway in Floyd county. This location is where they have their winery and restaurant, isn't actually where most of the grapes come from. They do have several Virginia wine made from Virginia grapes, some of which they grow, but many of the wines are made from grapes/grape juice from other states since Virginia has such a grape shortage within the wine industry.

Apollo came on the tour with us.
He found it enormously interesting.

The winery welcomes dogs, which make sense taking into account the owners attachment to their own canine friends resulting in the wine names of The Black Dog and Our Dog Blue. The sales of both those wines skyrocketed after being named for the family pets.

Tours of the winery are complimentary and happen 3-4 times a day everyday. You meet in the winery tasting room/gift shop and are taken around by one of the employees.

The tour starts with the winery building itself. They're very proud of all the exposed wooden beam construction, which is quite beautiful. The beam above the tasting bar came from a single tree, but was so large that it had to be cut into three pieces to make it up the blue ridge parkway

From the tasting room we were taken out on to a patio with some of the juicing machines.




After the patio we were lead into a room behind the tasting room where the wine was being aged in barrels, both oak and steel. Chateau uses both french and american oak barrels for some of their different wines. They're also currently experimenting with Hungarian oaks. You can see the big steel compartments behind the barrels which are used for wines that have already been oak aged or ones that do not have oaky tastes in their design. The exposed giant beam construction was also done in this part of the winery. Unfortunately they were in the process of bottling wine when we visited so we could not see the bottling facilities due to health and safety.

Tastings are 8 dollars for 10 wines. The lineup of wines is rotated, but they also offer a more extensive tasting for 30 dollars if you make a reservation. We went with the cheap one, especially since you can get a free tasting if you meet some of the workers while they're sampling wine at Kroger, which is what happened to us.


2011 Chardonnay: 13% alcohol, 750ml bottle is $17.99, $8 a glass. French oak and then steel fermented.

• Aroma: Green Apple, pear, vanilla, caramel
• Palate: toast, butterscotch, pineapple, grapefruit.
• Finish: Smooth, creamy
• Pair: Seafood, roasted poultry, white mushroom sauces. 

my notes: It smells oaked and buttery with that off smell a lot of white wines give. It's also a bit astringent. It tastes like that astringency smell with just a hint of the butterscotch coming through. This one is overly hot. 

2011 Cabernet Sauvignon: 12.5% alcohol, 750 ml bottle for $17.99, $8 a glass. 

• Aroma: Raspberry, blackberry, spice, mint.
• Palate: Firm tannins, red cherry, blackberry.
• Finish: Long, blueberry, black current. Full bodied.
• Pair: Lamb, grilled meat,s marinara sauce. 

my notes: It's got that classically nasty cab sauv smell. Smokey grossness, I don't think this will ever be my thing. The taste confirms my suspicions. I can't do it. It's just all ick. 

2011 Merlot: 12.5% alcohol, 750ml bottle for $20.99, $8 a glass.

• Aroma: Smoky, cherry strawberry.
• Palate: Tart cherry, cranberry, herb and spice.
• Finish: Long, raspberry, dusty tannins, black tea. Medium bodied.
• Pair: Heavier game, grilled meats, mushroom based sauces/stews

my notes: Smell pretty similar to the cab sauv, its not that smokey tannin bite coming though. It tastes pretty similar too. Not quite as bad, but still not something I would drink voluntarily.

2011 Petit Verdot: 12% alcohol, 750 ml bottle for $19.99, $10 a glass.

• Aroma: Cherries, raisin, toast.
• Palate: raspberry, velvety tannins.
• Finish: Sooth, blackberry, herbal tea, spices, oak.
• Pair: Steak, lamb, beef, sharp cheeses.

my notes: It's got some smokey tannin smell to it like the other reds, with the addition of some vinegar. Tastes like any other nasty red, not quite as offensive as the others. 

Angel Chardonnay: 12.5% alcohol, 750 ml bottle fr $12.99, $5 a glass. Steel fermented Chardonnay, blended with Vidal Blanc. Serve chilled. 1% residual sugar. 

• Aroma:Citrus, pineapple
• Palate: fruit forward, soft, apple
• Finish: Smooth, acidic
• Pair: Seafood, lighter meats. 

my notes: It smells quite sweet with that white wine off aroma. There's no butter like many chardonnays have, but there's no citrus either which is what they were aiming for. It's got a really crisp start, but the taste is rather watery. It's completely unobjectionable. There's a very slight lingering, but not unpleasant, citrus flavor at the end. 

Our Dog Blue: 12.5% alcohol, 750ml bottle for $10.99, $5 a glass. 1.75% residual sugar. Semi sweet blend of Riesling, Traminette, Vidal Blanc. Serve chilled.

• Aroma:Melon, citrus, apricots, flowers.
• Palate: Sweet, firm acidity
• Finish: Soft.
• Pair: Fruits, cheeses, seafood, spicy food.

my notes: The smell is light, but sweeter than the Angel Chardonnay and with a fruity component. The taste isn't very strong. I get some melon for sure. It's got a good sweet finish. This one gets better the more you drink it. I think this would be a really good Virginia Wine to give as a present. It's good but also not overpowering so no one could find it too offensive. 

Cherry Wine: 10.5% alcohol, 750 ml bottle for $10.99. $5 a glass. No grapes were used in this production. It's 100%fermented cherries. Serve lightly chilled.

• Aroma:Cherry (I love that they didn't stress themselves too much with that one.)
• Palate: Sweet Cheery, but not too sweet.
• Finish Long and lingering. 
• Pair: Grilled spicy meats or chocolate. 

my notes: It smells of sweet cherry pie filling. I'm excited. It tastes a bit like cherry cough syrup, but the good kind, that wasn't meant to be an insult. Not too sweet, which was something I was worried about. They gave us chocolate with this wine to experiment with pairing. The wine tastes less sweet after eating chocolate. I'm not sure I like that development. 

Red Muscadine: 10.5% alcohol, 750 ml bottle for $10.99, $5 a glass. This is made with a native North American grape rather than the standard vitus vinifera strain. Most of these wines are made dessert wines and are extreemly sweet, but Chateau Morrisette aimed to make sure it wasn't sickly sweet. The addition of carbonation helps cut that sweetness. 

• Aroma: Fruity
• Palate: Sweet, lightly sparkling.
• Finish: Crisp, refreshing.
• Pair: Barbecue, spicy southern fare.

my notes: It smells confusing, kind of like grape juice concentrate. I like the taste but there's definitely an element of welches concord grape juice happening in this. I think it makes a nice change, its sweet, but not overly so with the carbonation. This one is my favorite.

Blackberry Wine: 12% alcohol, 750 ml bottle for $10.99, $5 a glass. Made 100% from blackberries.

• Aroma: Dark berries.
• Palate: Sweet, smooth , vibrant, sund-drenched berries.
• Finish: Smooth, blackberry.
• Pair: Grilled spicey food.

my notes: It smells very very sweet like fruit syrup. The fruit definitely isn't grape, but I'm not sure how much blackberry I get either. This is extremely flavorful. Big ol' fruit bomb at the end and I like it. Not as overly sweet as I thought it was going to be. The finish is absolutely lovely. At the suggestion of our pourer we made brownies using this wine instead of water and it was a FANTASTIC idea. 

Heritage: 18% alcohol, 375 ml bottle for $19.99, $10 a glass. Aged in stainless steel then america oak before fortification.

• Aroma: Dried berries plums, chocolate, backing spices.
• Palate: Raspberry, blackberry, chocolate, and cinnamon.
• Finish: Smooth and clean. Pair: Cayenne-dusted chocolate, rich beef dishes, and blue cheese.

my notes:  Smells like alcohol, but you can catch hints of plum and backing spice through the burn. It's definitely got some heat on the palate too. It's like spiced fruit syrup. We had tasting chocolate with this one as well, it made the wine worse because it dulled the sweetness making the alcohol even more prevalent. 

Overall it was a pretty good trip. Especially since they give a 30% discount if you buy 12 wines, which between the eight of us wasn't difficult. 

Dinner-Palisades

This was the final Wines Around the World with a Hop pairing at the Palisades. 

All the food, wine, and beer comes out at once in tasting sizes. The tan corn husk holds the tamale and the metal dish is full of the queso, the Ceviche and avacodo is the green scoop, and the dessert ice cream is the pink shooter on the plate. Wines and beers are arranged from left to right in order of the pairings.

FIRST PAIRING: Roasted Corn and Black Bean Tamales with Poblano Queso

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine.

            This vineyard covers the hillsides lining the Rivers Loire and Cher. This 100% Sauvignon               Blanc wine is grown on clay-limestone soils. This sauvignon is pale in color with green tint,             is delicate and fruity and has complex aromas of broom buds and white peaches.                           Distinguished and delicate in the mouth is is lively and fresh. 

Beer: Wolters Pilsener

             Hofbrauhaus Wolters is a 380 year old brewery based out of Brunswick Germany. On the              pour, Wolters Pilsener presents a crystal clear, bright straw color with a fluffy bright white              head. On the nose expect pale, crackery malt aromas, notes of hay, and a grassy and                      lightly floral noble hop character. In the mouth we found this brew light bodied and crisp                with a nice soft bite from the carbonation. The mildly floral and grassy hop aromas come                through on the palate too, in perfect balance with the light pale malt sweetness hinting                    toward white bread dough. 

First Pairing: Wine on top Beer on bottom

WINE

• Without food: Smells of pee with sour acidic fruits. I'm wondering if the fruit is gooesberry, I've never had one so I can't know but I've smelled this fruit in other Sauvignon Blancs and that seems to be the most common descriptor. It's taste is pretty much all acid. Very tart. The after taste isn't half bad so I don't regret it after I drink it, but I still don't particularly enjoy the initial experience
• With food: The food makes it worse. It makes the queso taste as if it's got five times the spice in it, which makes it way too much. It's like the opposite of refreshing. The tart acid finish of the wine is replaced with a hot spice explosion. 

BEER

• Without food: Smells quite light and airy. There's a vaguely sweet note and it's noticeably crisp. Actually smells pretty good for a beer. The taste is foamy and chewy. It's not half bad. Light enough that I could easily drink it without any objections. Still not my first choice of beverage, but not half bad
• With food: The food doesn't really go well. The spice and cream from the queso completely overpowers the lightness of the beer. Water would have been just as effective a pairing. 

Main Course Tasting

SECOND PAIRING: Shrimp Ceviche with Lime Cilantro and Avacado

Wine: Mokoroa

           Drinking Txakoli or txakolina withing about a year of bottling is recommended ans when                served it is traditionally poured from a height. This is done in order to decrease some of the            effervescence, causing it to be soft and light on the palate. Found most often in the Basque              region, this white wine is dry with a low alcohol content and high acidity. 

Beer: Alewerks Brewing Company White Ale

           Our light, hazy take on a Belgian White ale. This beer has an aroma of coriander and                      orange peel with a flavor of wheat, orange coriander and fruit. Very refreshing on a warm              sunny day!

Second Pairing: Wine on top Been on bottom

...not my favorite wine

WINE

• Without food: There's really not much of a smell at all, but that might be effected by the fact that its in a shooter glass not a wine glass. They were out of the small wine glasses at this point. There may be a hint of tartness on the little nose there. It tastes tart, sour, and extremely acidic. Hugh pucker factor with this one. Not a fan.
• With food: It's not quite as bad as it was before the food, but it's still pretty nasty. There's just too much acid everywhere. Overloaded acid in the wine paired with too much lime in the Ceviche just doesn't add up to a good thing. My mouth is burning after this. 

Tristan liked the beer too

BEER

• Without food: It smells like sweet butterscotch. Tastes sweet too, the butterscotch is present on the pallet but not overwhelming. This is actually pretty tasty, but it is quite thick. This type of beer is for sipping not for drinking. 
• With food: This is actually a very good pairing. The creamy beer goes well with the tart acidity of the ceviche. The beer helps clean your pallet so you can taste your food more.

THIRD PAIRING: Cactus Pear Ice Cream with Chipotle White Chocolate and Candied Lime

Wine: Historias

             This naturally sweet wine comes out of an extremly complex winemaking process invented              by the Phoenicians in the year 800 B.C. 100kg of greapes are needed just to make 16                    liters of wine. This golden treasure is the synthesis of the wisdom of the ancients and he                  technology of the New World.

Beer: Pacific Pear Fox Barrel

            Naturally fermented using 100% pear juice, not form pear juice concentrate or pear flavor               hard apple cider. Filtered cold for extra purity and smoother with pear juice. With no added             colorants, sugar, sorbet or benxoate preservatives. no added malt, spirit, grape, or apple                 alcohols. Naturally elegant and refreshingly adult with a sparkling clean natural pear finish,               and a subtle woody complexity, completed by an intense fresh pear bouquet. 

Pairing 3: Wine on top Cider on bottom

WINE

• Without food: It smell of straight alcohol. All burn leaving no room for anything else. It tastes like medicine. A nasty syrup sweet alcohol. Just so much ew. You can't hold it in your mouth to try to glean more flavors from it because it would just burn a hole in your tongue. 
• With food: The food makes it even more a disaster, even more like medicine. The dessert itself is basically pepto-bismal in color and in flavor and especially viscosity so adding the medicinal alcohol burn of this wine just round it all of to bizarrely unpleasant experience. 

BEER

• Without food: It smells light a very light candy. Like pear flavored cotton candy. The taste is quite sweet as well, very sugary feel with some fruit mixed in. 
• With food: The shot of spicey limey pepto-bismal erases the sweetness of the cider and turns it completely into vaguely carbonated water. There's just nothing left to taste after you eat that pink muck.

Overall the food and drink ended up being pretty sadly disappointing. I've heard great reviews from many people of this restaurant so I'm willing to believe this was just an off day. Or perhaps they were experimenting with new things on us poor college kids who were only there to get points for class. 

No matter what happened with the food it was a great time. 

Tristan and Ed

Douglas and Katie

Me and Peter

Tasting-IronStone Variety: Old Vine Zinfandel (red)-

Name: IronStone

Variety: Old Vine Zinfandel

Region: Lodi

Country: California

Year: 2011

Price: $15

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Grown in vineyards that are over 45 years old, this medium-bodied Zin has exceptional varietal character with lovely aromas of dark fruit and blackberry. Subtle pepper spice mingles with richly concentrated fruit flavors of blackberry, ripe plums and fresh red raspberries. Barrel aging created its smooth, silky finish and unprecedented depth.  A wonderful wine pairing for variety of dishes. Any type of meat - whether its pork, beef or game - is ideal with this wine. Cioppino is another amazing complement or try it with tomato-based pastas, hearty stews or a plate of strong, aged cheeses.

My review: The smell is pretty standard red wine, maybe a bit of spice. There’s definitely some tannin ick in here but it’s not overpowering. There’s a BIG raspberry finish, really really tasty. The first and mid tastes are standard gross red wine, but that fruity end is awesome. It's also a really gorgeous purple red color, just in case you're in the habit of spilling on your clothes.

CONCLUSION: Wouldn’t drink again.

Not tasted with food

*I could be wrong but I think there may have been a bit of confusion with this wine and the sheet that was posted online. I wrote down that we tasted Garnacha de Fuego Old Vine Grenache, but the posted sheet says Zinfindel as shown above. Not really sure who got it wrong.

Tasting-Rosemount Estate Variety: Moscato (white)*

Name: Rosemount Estate

Variety: Moscato

Region: N/A

Country: Australia

Year: 2012

Price: $12

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Clear, medium-lemon yellow in appearance; lovely citrus and honeysuckle aromas with lemon, honeysuckle, apple and ripe yellow plum flavours.  Serve chilled with angel food cake or fresh fruit and mild cheeses.

My review: It smells like it’s going to be sickly sweet, kind of like melted lemon drops. The taste is very pleasantly surprising, it’s lemon soda. Not too sweet like I suspected, actually the very slight acid to it makes it rather refreshing. I’m a fan.

CONCLUSION: Would pay money for (And did)

Not tasted with food

Tasting- Librandi Ciro Variety: Rosso Classico (red)-

Name: Librandi Ciro

Variety: Rosso Classico

Region: N/A

Country: Italy

Year: N/A

Price:$14

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Don’t let the pale garnet color fool you:  this is a substantial wine.  Aromas of red fruits and spice complement undertones of cranberries, wild berries, and plums.  On the palate, ripe tannins and good body make for an incredibly rich, yet easygoing red wine.  Pair this wine with sausage, spicy curry sauces, hot soppressata, and tandoori chicken.

My review: The smell is very light for a red, there’s a bit of smoke and it’s pretty dry on the nose. There’s not much taste either. It’s pretty much just the light nose liquefied, dry, small amount of smokey. There aren’t detectable tannins. It’s not bad, doesn’t make me gag like many reds, but it’s certainly not good and it’s definitely boring.

CONCLUSION: Wouldn’t drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Angove Family Winemakers Nine Vines Variety: Viognier (white)-

Name: Angove Family Winemakers Nine Vines

Variety: Viognier

Region:N/A

Country: South Africa

Year: 2009

Price:$15

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Bright light straw in colour with some green hues, this wine has a lush ripe tropical fruit aroma. This is a fuller bodied white which fills the mouth with heady flavours of apricot, peach and citrus.  Angove Nine Vines Viognier is perfect for today's relaxed life-style and is the ideal accompaniment to grilled prawns with chilli and garlic or roast pork.

My review: It smells of slightly sweetened wet straw. The taste is almost entirely that off wine experience that a lot of whites give. It’s a bit tart with a strangely chalky component and then an acid finish.

CONCLUSION: Would not drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Yealands Estate Variety: Sauvignon Blanc (white)-

Name: Yealands Estate

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Seaview Vineyard

Country: New Zealand

Year: 2008

Price:$21

Shop/wine critic/winery review: This aromatic wine shows lifted flavours of blackcurrant with underlying notes of wet stone and thyme. The palate is elegant yet full with sufficient weight and texture, balanced by a flinty minerality. This wine is a fantastic match with foods such as cheese salad, poultry dishes and a wide range of seafood dishes including freshly shucked natural oysters, prawns, green lip mussels and creamy scallops

My review: This one had definitely got so pee pungency on the nose, that paired with some minerality and medicinal qualities, plus an added component of dead sea creature does not make me hopeful for the taste. It’s got some serious acid pucker on it and ends with the strangest taste of cheese puff dust. Unfortunately that cheesy dust finish sticks around for a while too. Aaaand the pee part isn’t just in the smell.

CONCLUSION: Wouldn’t drink again

Not tasted with food

Dinner: Home-cooked with Parents

PAIRING 1: Sweet Riesling with Brie appetizer

WINE: Manfred Breit Piesporter Goldtropfchen, Kabinett Riesling. 8% alcohol. $15

This wine was picked out with help from the Vintage Cellar employees. I asked for the best sweet German Riesling with student pricing. I think it may have slightly hurt him to pick out something that wasn't the best regardless of price or sweetness level, but he did his best.

The pairing was made with the suggestions in Drink This Now! It mentioned mild cheeses as a good match to Rieslings. The appetizer had two possibilities, a plain baguette with brie, or one with brie and balsamic vinegar drizzled on top. Trying both made it easier to see what exactly worked with the wine and how. This way we could taste what the brie was doing by itself and then taste the effects of adding the balsamic vinegar.

WITHOUT FOOD

• Smell : It smells like sweet honey nectar. Very rich but somehow light at the same time like a really good ripe honeydew melon. Chilling it was definitely the right call, the cold coming off it already goes with the aroma. There may be just the very slightest hints of the riesling petrol, but if I didn't know to look for it I wouldn't have noticed. It mostly smells of apple juice, and not the typical granny smith associated with wines. Actual motts apple juice. 
• Taste: I love this. It's certainly the best Riesling I've ever had if not the best wine I've ever had. It's awesome apple juicy refreshing wine. The slightest of slight hints of that off wine taste right in the mid pallet, but that gets washed away immediately with a pleasant fruity powdered sugar after taste. Plus to be honest I'm reaching for a fault to come up with that to begin with. This might get too sweet for some people especially if it's not chilled so I would definitely suggest keeping it in a fridge before consumption. Absolutely lovely. 

WITH FOOD

• Plain Brie with Baguette: The wine is significantly less sweet after a bite of this. The saltiness of the brie cuts though the end of the wine so there's not longer that fruity finish and there's no wine aftertaste anymore. This doesn't seem like a great pairing. It's like the flavors are interrupting one another. I'd say it takes away from the wine. The brie tastes pretty much the same, and the wine certainly doesn't become unpleasant it just looses complexity and flavors.
• With balsamic drizzle: Now this is a good pairing, waaaay different from when there was no vinegar. The dark sweetness of the balsamic goes fantastically with the light white sweet of the Riesling. Instead of the salt of the brie cutting though the end of the wine the richness of the balsamic comes in instead mixing with the tastes of the Riesling instead of covering them. I'd definitely recommend this together. 

This one was Moms favorite by far. She was completely surprised to find a wine she's actually excited about drinking. Most things she's had she drinks because it's interesting not because she actually liked the taste.








PAIRING 2: Pinot Noir with Roast beef crispy onions and potatoes Main Course

WINE: Canyon Road Pinot Noir. 13% alcohol. $7

This is one of the wines the Vintage Cellar had us try at one of their Thursday tastings. I was intrigued by it because it's one of the only real reds I've had that didn't make me gag. I wanted to see if food would make it even better, possibly even make me want to drink it completely voluntarily.

Roast beef is one of the suggested pairings for Pinot Noir given in Drink This Now!





WITHOUT FOOD

• Smell: There's a lot of smoke with this. Some hints of berries coming through the campfire. Also some hot spice. Like cooking spices not baking spices, no pumpkin pie types of things.
• Taste: It's a bit dusty. Maybe ashy is a better word considering the smoke that's still coming through. Leaves a bit of a dry mouth feel and then there's that spice at the back end. It's like some sort of meat rub herb blend. I'm less happy with this than I remember being when I had it at the Vintage Cellar. It was opened maybe 15 minutes before consumption so maybe it needed to have more air contact or something along those lines. 

WITH FOOD

• This might not be the best of pairings either. I feel like this wine needs something more rich more fatty to make it less musty and spicey. It'd be better with a fattier cut of meat or maybe some cream sauce. It doesn't have any sort of negative effect on the meal, and the food doesn't make the wine any worse, but they don't really interact at all. Each basically stands alone. I suppose the spice at the end of the wine goes alright with the roast but really the flavors just aren't interacting at all. Just...eh.

Dad wasn't particularly thrilled with any of the wines, but this one came the closest. He likes dryer more interesting reds and wasn't thrilled with the dusty nature of this Pinot Noir. According to him it improved greatly the more he drank, but it never really got up to being good. 

I got to learn how to use rabbit ears to open a wine bottle with this one. The Riesling was a screw top so it was too easy. 

PAIRING 3: Casorzo Ricossa with Cherry Turnovers or with Dark Chocolate and orange peel

WINE: Casorzon Ricossa. 5.5% alcohol. $15.

This wine purchase is the result of me telling a Vintage Cellar employee that I had never found a red I could stomach and was only really capable of drinking Moscato. I'm not proud of this fact, but that's mostly where I am in the wine world (Although that Riesling we had with the appetizer was amazing). He took that statement as a challenge and presented this sparkling dessert red with a guarantee that I would like it.  This wine is made in the same style as Moscato d'Asti and is advertised as being the Moscato lovers red choice. Which I'm guessing is why it was suggested to me.

A google search revealed suggested pairing of dark chocolate or berry desserts. It is also recommended that you serve it chilled.

WITHOUT FOOD

• Smell: It's a sweet grape and pomegranate aroma. All juice with no off wine smells at all. It's not syrupy like I was expecting, but really is more airy and refreshing like real juice. Maybe that's the carbonation though. 
• Taste: This is straight up welches sparkling grape juice.There are some bits of other red fruits mixed in, I'd say predominately cherry but there are some others in there too. Very very fruit driven, you can barely tell this is wine at all. There was the very slightest hint of that off wine flavor that distinguishes from just being juice in the mid pallet with the very first sip, but after that first sip it's all fruit all the time. You could easily give this to children. It still has 5.5% alcohol so it might not be the very best choice if actual juice is easy to obtain, but if there was ever a child approved wine it would be this.

WITH FOOD

• Cherry Turnover: I liked this wine before, after the cherry turnover I LOVE it. This is an absolutely brilliant pairing. Both the wine and the dessert are made better by the addition of the other. The wine was very sweet before the turnover, but after it becomes refreshing and lighter in comparison to the buttery pastry and thick cherry filling. The wine reflects the cherry tastes to enhance them and keep your pallet tasting it even after you've stopped eating it. The cherry filling brings out other fruit notes in the wine by making a contrast of red fruit. These two things are perfect together. This wine might not be the most complex or sophisticated but it's hard to imagine something going better than this with anything. Simply excellent. 
• Dark Chocolate with Orange Peel: There was just no chance this would even approach being as good as the turnover, but we had it so might as well try it. The chocolate completely overpowers the wine. You can barely even tell you're drinking something flavored after a bite of it. Just coats your pallet too much for a sweet sparkling wine to overcome. 

CONCLUSION

I'm not very good at pairing wine, but the people at the Vintage Cellar really know what to pick.

Tasting-Frascati Volpetti Variety: Malvasia Trebbiano Greco (white)-

Name: Frascati Volpetti

Variety: Malvasia Trebbiano Greco

Region: N/A

Country: Italy

Year: N/A

Price: $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Straw yellow in color with a soft, delicate perfume, fruitful flavor, dry and harmonious taste. Perfect with appetizers, soups, fish.

My review: Smells honey sweet with just a hint of acetone. It’s tastes tangy and tart but is surprisingly not crisp at all. There’s a fruity finish that doesn’t stick around very long.

CONCLUSION: Would not drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Bricco dei Tati Variety: Rose +

Name: Bricco dei Tati

Variety: Rose

Region: N/A

Country:  Italy

Year: N/A

Price: $7.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Fresh with aromas of strawberries, cherries and rose petals. This is ideal with shellfish, salads, chicken, and with appetizers.

My review: This smells fantastic. Super fruity and sweet, slightly reminiscent of a strawberry dum dum. It’s still sweet on the palate, but nowhere near as much as the nose suggested. There’s a bit of a tang and an overwhelmingly berry feel too it. This would be better more chilled.

CONCLUSION: Might drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Georges DuBoeuf Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau (red)-

Name: Georges DuBoeuf

Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Year: 2013

Price: $15

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Balanced and lightly creamy, offering pretty flavors of plum sauce and raspberry coulis threaded with hints of ground spice. Elegant, with a floral finish. Drink now.

My review: The Vintage Cellar has actually used this wine in a previous tasting. They still had too many bottles and claim that the ageing has changed the wine significantly so this should be a good experiment to see how much my pallet/the wine has changed in this time.

Previous Review: The smell is very distinctly strawberry banana, there really isn’t another way to describe it. The aftertaste is the same strawberry banana that was present in the smell. This isn’t bad for a red. There’s a sweet beginning, still a bite in the middle like all reds do, but I get the impression that this would improve quite a bit if I continued to drink it.

Current Review: It smells very rich with a refreshing end, but with a slightly syrupy feel. It’s got a fruity start with a tannin end. Definitely give you a dry mouth feel.

Looking back at the old review I did get strawberry this time, but the banana was nowhere near as prevalent. Still has the same basic structure but the fruitiness seems to have dulled a bit.

CONCLUSION: Still wouldn’t really want to drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting- Atlas Cumbres Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (red)-

Name: Atlas Cumbres

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: N/A

Country: Argentina

Year: 2010

Price: $15

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Intense red color with violet highlights, with clean, fresh and complex aromas of berries, plums, figs and pepper. Strong personality is in perfect balance with a medium body and pleasant tannins. Ideal for: red meats, cheeses and strong sauces.

My review: There’s an extremely strong smell and I would be able to tell I’m going to hate this before even realizing it’s a Cab Sauv. I feel like I can smell the tannins it’s so strong and there’s a vinegar bite to it as well. It tastes…bad. Not surprising considering my reaction to every Cab Sauv I’ve ever been served. It needs food, needs softening, maybe aging to mellow some of the tannins. It’s just a nasty typical tannic red.

CONCLUSION: Would not drink again.  

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Heinz Eifel Shine Variety: Riesling (white)-

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine

Variety: Riesling

Region: N/A

Country: Germany

Year: 2013

Price: $9.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: This drier-styled Riesling is bright, fruity and floral with crisp acidity and clean flavors of apple, pear and peach that complement its stony minerality and earthy complexity. It serves well as an aperitif and matches a wide variety of foods, like lighter salad dishes, shellfish, cream sauces and also anything with a touch of spice.

My review: It smells like a sweet moscato with a bit of that off smell that comes with many whites. There’s no hint of that Riesling petrol. I have no idea what wine that reviewer tasted, but this certainly isn’t dry. This is very very sweet. In fact I’d say it would benefit greatly from being a sparkling wine to cute some of that sweetness. I do get a bit of the minerality the review mentioned.

CONCLUSION: Wouldn’t drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Gouguenheim Variety: Torrontes (white)-

Name: Gouguenheim

Variety: Torrontes

Region: Chilecito in La Rioja

Country: Argentina

Year: 2012

Price: $9.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: The 2012 Torrontes comes from Chilecito in La Rioja. It has a light floral nose with touches of lemon peel and nectarine. The palate is crisp and taut, showing far more vivacity and fruit that the nose implied, finishing with a flourish of apricot and white peach. Drink now

My review: It smells very mildly of lemon, there really isn’t much of an aroma at all coming from this one. There’s an acidy fruit first and a spice finish that sticks around quite some time. Not much complexity or fruit involved.

CONCLUSION: Would not drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Santa Julia Variety: Malbec (red)-

Name: Santa Julia

Variety: Malbec

Region: N/A

Country: Argentina

Year: 2012

Price: $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: The nose is full of mellow raspberry and cherry, while the palate is fleshy and round, with blackberry and a touch of raisin. Plump, not edgy, and ready to drink, with coffee and mocha notes on the finish.

My review: This smells of malbec, good news is I’m starting to be able to recognize malbec, bad news is that’s all there is to it. It tastes…nasty. There’s some fruit, maybe cranberry, then a bit of a tannin bite.

CONCLUSION: Would not drink again

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Weinert Carrascal Variety: 40% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot (red)-

Name: Weinert Carrascal

Variety: 40% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot

Region: N/A

Country: Argentina

Year: 2008

Price: $13.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Aged for two years in cask, the 2008 Carrascal is a blend of 40% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. It has a rustic blackberry, scorched earth and leather-scented bouquet with touches of pressed flowers. The palate is well-balanced with crisp tannins, expressive black tarry fruit and a Bordeaux-like finish. Drink now-2016.

My review: Just from the smell I know I’m about to be very very unhappy quite soon. It smells of wine vinegar, not even balsamic, there’s no hint of fruit or any redeeming anything. And it tastes of smoked leather dipped in vinegar. There’s still no fruit present. Just…bad.

CONCLUSION: Would not drink again.

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Bellafina Pink Moscato (pink)*

Name: Bellafina

Variety: Pink Moscato

Region: N/A

Country: Italy

Year: N/A

Price: $9.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: A blend of Moscato and Rabosos grapes it has a pale rose color, notes of red berries (strawberry and raspberry), with the characteristic and fragrant bouquet and palate that is typical of the Moscato grape.

My review: It smells of fruit juice, light raspberry and quite airy. It’s one of the best moscatos I’ve ever tasted. There’s no off wine taste and it’s not too sweet. It may become too much if you let it get flat but with the carbonation it’s delicious.

CONCLUSION: Would spend money on

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Cantina Di Casteggio Sangue Di Giuda Variety: Bonarda and Uva Rara (red)*

Name: Cantina Di Casteggio Sangue Di Giuda

Variety:  Bonarda and Uva Rara

Region: Lombardy

Country: Italy

Year: 2012

Price: $8

Shop/wine critic/winery review: A refined sweet red, the fruity Casteggio Sanque de Giuda is a fine wine simply to enjoy; the sweetness in end is well placed and bright; tasty, red fruit flavors.

My review: I got this wine because I mistakenly told one of the vintage cellar guys that I had never found a red that I didn’t think was gross. He took it as a challenge. And he succeeded. It smells like straight up welches grape juice, crisp for a red. It tastes like fizzy grape juice too. Dry for grape juice, enough that children would notice but not enough that they would reject it. I like it. Good alternative for when you’re tired of moscato but is in the same realm.

CONCLUSION: Paid money for, would do so again

Not tasted with food

Tasting-Santa Julia Pinot Grigio (white)-

Name: Santa Julia

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Region: N/A

Country: Argentina

Year: N/A

Price: $8.95

Shop/wine critic/winery review: Light and clean, which compared to other Argentine Pinot Grigios is not something to dismiss. Feels solid and punchy, with orange and mango flavors. Has nice overall clarity and balance, with a citrusy finish.

My review: It smells crisp with a hint of what might be described as herby? Like lemon grass, cilantro, mint kind of herb not savory. Then theres a bit of nail polish, that’s not a good sign. The taste all bite and citric acid. It’s not even refreshing like a lot of whites will be it’s just ouch. There’s no counterpoint to the acid it’s one not and the note isn’t a good one.

CONCLUSION: would not drink again.

Not tasted with food