Wine and Cheese #1 - Cheese with Friends

 

Our first wine and cheese adventure!

Cheese #1 - Parmigiano Reggiano

Name of Wine: Pinot Gris (Cline)

Variety of Grapes: Pinot Gris 

Bottle Description:
"Refreshing, bright with exquisite notes of tangerine, grapefruit, and a hint of honey with some vibrant acidity."

My Review:
The first thing I noticed about the wine was the smell of apples. Upon tasting, we noticed a dryness followed by a slight acidity. We paired this wine with parmigiano reggiano. This pairing made the wine less dry, and it balanced out the acidity of the wine. Overall this was a good pairing. 

 

 

Cheese #2 - Parisian Style Brie

Name of Wine: Dolcemente Binco (Cantine Gabrielle)

Variety of Grapes: 70% Chardonnay and 30% Malvasia 

Bottle Description:
"Dolcemente's secret is the blend of the refined character of the Chardonnay with the fruitiness and sweetness of the Malvasia. Tropical fruit with an excellent balance of acidity and sweetness."

My Review:
The first thing I noticed with this wine was its tropical fruitiness. I could not place the specific fruit, however. I also noticed a slight dry finish. We paired this wine with Parisian Style Brie. This was a good pairing as the creaminess of the cheese complimented the dryness of the wine. The wine and cheese did not overpower each other, but I could not taste any more flavor in the wine or cheese when consumed together. 

 

 Cheese #3 - Mild Cheddar 

Name of Wine: Simonet Sparkling Wine Rose

Variety of Grapes: Syrah and Grenache

Bottle Description:
"The selection of the best grape varieties, a natural second fermentation and all the attention of our oenologist! This is the secret of this sparkling wine, with fine persistent bubbles, sweet red fruit notes."

My Review:
The first thing I noticed with this wine were distinctive floral and rose notes. The bottle description identified red fruit notes, but I was not able to distinguish these from the overwhelming floral notes I tasted. We paired this wine with a mild cheddar cheese. I did not like this cheese separately, so I also did not like it when it was paired with the wine. The cheddar cheese flavor overpowered the wine and left an unpleasant flavor in my mouth.