Dinner - 500 Sunridge Drive (Night in Italy)

Earlier this week, on Monday, seven great friends assembled at an apartment in Village Phase 2 to not only enjoy wonderful food/wine but also to share an experience that transcends the boundaries of taste.

Our wines:

Pinot Grigio Cavit Collection - delle Venerie

Cab Sauv - CV Mondavi

Belmont Moscato Puglia

Luckily, these friends are skillful when it comes to cooking. Here's a list of goodies they brought to the table (literally): 

1. Pasta (oil based, little sauce)

2, Bruschetta

3. Chicken

4. Catfish (bonus, wasn't used in the blog)

Pinot Grigio Cavit Collection with Pasta:

Blended with the pasta very well. Didn't make the pasta shine but the pasta helped the wine shine. The oily base seemed to supplement the fruitiness of the wine very well.

with bruschetta:

It shines with the bruschetta. There was a very tangy taste to the tomato element of the bruschetta that was not only reduced but refined by the wine.

with chicken: 

I did not like this combination. The alcoholic taste of the wine seemed to bite a lot harder when combined. Strong aftertaste.

Cab Sauv - CV MONDAVI

-       With brushcetta: clashes, doesnt taste good, made the wine too strong

-       With pasta: neutral taste, nothing special

-       With chicken: spicy tatse, slight cheesy taste

Belmont Moscato Puglia

-       Apple taste, very sweet, carbonated

-       With brushetta- neutralizes taste of the wine

-       With pasta-not a good pairing

-       With chicken- good pairing

By the end of the night, we were full and full-spirited. It was a great time and we look forward to doing it again (thanks for giving us an excuse to do this).

Tasting | Baci Dolci Marzemino Merlot

Name: Baci Dolci

Variety: Mosto Di Uve Parzialmente

Region: Marzemino Merlot

Country: Colli Euganei

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: A blend of 50% Marzemino 50% Merlot.  A delicate, slightly frizzante wine with an intense,

ruby red color. Fresh strawberry & black cherry

aromas with hints of roses. Cherry pie flavors,

medium-full bodied with refreshing sparkle to balance the semi- sweet finish.

My Review: I did not have this with food. Very interesting combination of Merlot and Marzemino. I cannot tell how this is much different from previous Merlots I have tasted. It is not as spicy and smoky. A little fruitier, maybe? This wine has me wanting to try more to fully analyze. I may have to buy the bottle.

Tasting | Oasis del Cuyo Malbec

Name: Oasis del Cuyo

Variety: Malbec

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Deep ruby color. Appealing red fruit nose with hints of tobacco. Medium bodied with a smooth and lush mouth-feel. Finishes dry with lasting flavors. Excellent choice for a young and fruity everyday wine. Enjoy as an aperitif or with meats and pasta dishes.

My Review: I did not have this with food. What a full-flavored wine. It seems to completely engulf the tongue and leave a thick coat in the mouth. Slightly floral aroma and medium-sweet on the palate.

Tasting | Terranoble Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Terranoble

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Year: 2013

Region: Central Valley

Country: Chile

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon offers an intense and deep color and lovely aromas of red fruit, pepper and tobacco. It has smooth tannins, very freshness and rich fruit, which gives the wine a good balance. Pair with barbecued beef ribs, grilled sea bass, or spaghetti alla Bolognese.

My Review: I did not have this with food. This tastes spicy and smoky. It does also taste of fresh strawberry and bell peppers. Great wine overall. I'd love to enjoy this at dinner.

Tasting | Terranoble Chardonnay

Name: Terranoble

Variety: Chardonnay

Year: 2015

Region: Central Valley

Country: Chile

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: This Chardonnay offers a wine with an attractive color and lovely aromas, such as ripe pear and pineapple, mixed with butter and vanilla notes. It is a fresh style of white wine, with medium persistence in mouth. Ideal as an aperitif.

My Review: I did not have this with food. This tastes like kiwi and watermelon. I also get hints of honeydew. No citrus on this but it slightly tart. Good balance of tart/sweet/dryness.

Tasting | Santola Vinho Verde

Name: Santola

Variety: Vinho Verde

Region: Vinho Verde

Country: Portugal

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Soft and creamy, although with just the right Vinho Verde bite, this is a crisp and clean wine, boasting light pear and pink grapefruit flavors. Off dry and very fresh.

My Review: I did not have this with food. One of the few Vinho Verde wines I have tried. Previously, I haven't been able to specify what about Vinho Verde makes them Vinho Verdes. However, this has a very crispy, sweet, asian pear aroma/taste about it. Tastes like fresh, light, fruit.

Tasting | Lost Vineyards

Name: Lost Vineyards

Variety: Moscato

Region: Piedmont

Country: Italy

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: Pale color. Confected, fruity aromas of yellow apple, honeysuckle, pear tartlet, and honeydew melon with a satiny, shy, spritzy, moderately sweet light-to-medium body and a sleek, fast yellow apple, candied pear, honeycomb, and sweet papaya finish with no tannins and no oak. Simple and approachable with sweet apple, melon and candied pear on a framework of gentle, delightful bubbles.

 

My Review: I did not have this with food. What an aromatic, sugary wine! Pure sweetness and bubbly bliss. Light-colored fruits like pear, I wish there was more oak to balance.

Tasting | Jip Jip Rocks

Name: Jip Jip Rocks

Variety: Shiraz Cabernet

Year: 2013

Region: Padthaway

Country: Australia

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: 87 – Robert Parker

This red wine is a well above average effort with lots of flavor as well as Australia's so easily obtainable, lush fruit. The 2013 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (55% and 45% respectively) exhibits a dark ruby/purple hue along with a layered, peppery, berry fruit-scented nose revealing licorice and meaty notes. From a much lighter vintage, it is a supple, easygoing red to enjoy now and over the next several years.

My Review: I did not have this with food. This is the an extremely pleasant blend of shiraz and cabernet. This spice is so wonderfully complemented by smoky/meaty notes.

Tasting | Alta Luna Pinot Noir

Name: Cavit Alta Luna

Variety: Pinot Noir

Year: 2011

Region: Vigneti delle Dolomiti

Country: Italy

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: 90 Points – Beverage Testing Institute

"Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper.  

My Review: I did not have this with food. This is the best Pinot Noir I have ever personally tried. It makes me think of pineapples and the beach. Nice little sour notes with plenty of fruit and finesse to balance.

Tasting | El Cortijillo

Name: El Cortijillo

Variety: Verdejo

Year: 2014

Region: La Monacha

Country: Spain

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: 90 Points – Beverage Testing Institute

"Golden straw color. Bright, attractive, tropical aromas of creme brulee and fruit tart with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a smooth, intriguing, snappy lime and apple finish with crunchy, fruit tannins and light oak. A super smooth and pure white sipper.  

My Review: I did not have this with food. It was a little too fruity for me. I like fruity flavors but I felt that the structure of this wine made it less pleasant to me when compared with the Trattoria Pinot Grigio.

Tasting | Trattoria Pinot Grigio

Name: Trattoria Busa Alla Torre

Variety: Pinot Grigio

Year: 2014

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Price: $7.95

Winery Review: A Venetian favorite!  It is crisp and dry, rich and spicy with hints of peach and honey…perfect with salads, pasta, chicken and fish!  Musaragno is an organic wine estate near Venice, Italy.

 

My Review: I did not have this with food. It made me want to eat my mom's classic oven-fried catfish dish. It was sweet and peary. The dryness was perfect.

Tasting | Maipe Malbec

Name: Maipe

Variety: Malbec

Year: 2015

Region: Mendoza

Country: Argentina

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: "The 2015 Maipe Malbec is another 100% Malbec, with a deep purple color and a style similar to the Lexicon, with chocolaty, blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, as well as touches of licorice and earth. It is delicious, soft and round."

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (March 2016), 87 pts - Excellent Wine Values for Under $25

My Review: I did not have this with food. Malbec is my second favorite type of red wine. This was one of the better Malbec bottle I have tried. It tastes like dark chocolate, cherries, and raspberries. It also tastes slightly woody and smoky.

Tasting | Manoir du Carra Beaujolais

Name: Manoir du Carra

Variety: Beaujolais Nouveau

Year: 2014

Region: Beaujolais

Country: France

Price: $4.95

Winery Review: A pretty, floral wine, with a rose petal note underscoring the rich pomegranate and sweet plum flavors. The fresh acidity is balanced, and a light spice note lingers on the finish.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted very full, almost spicy. Very aromatic. Dewy grass and flowers.

Tasting | Mapreco Vinho Verde

Name: Mapreco

Variety: Vinho Verde

Year: 2015

Region: Vinho Verde

Country: Portugal

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: The cherry color reveals a slightly fizzy wine that is a very fruitful rosé made from the traditional vinho verde white grapes. Adding a splash of red to offer flavors with notes of strawberry, cherry and berries. A delightful twist on the original.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It was very easy to drink. Sweet and pleasant. Super fruity and clean.

Tasting | Mapreco Vinho Verde

Name: Fetzer

Variety: Gewurztraminer

Year: 2014

Region: California

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: 87 – Wine Enthusiast

A rainy minerality on the nose of this sweet wine manages to cut through the sugared oranges, honeysuckle and ripe, tropical white fleshed fruit, from peach to cherimoya. The palate is full of honeyed apples, white peach and pineapple, but the decent acidity and chalky element stops it short of treacly.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It was pretty sweet and dry. I got a lot of sour grape and white grace juice. Many sulfury, earthy elements as well.

Tasting | Mars & Venus Chardonnay

Name: Mars & Venus

Variety: Chardonnay

Year: 2014

Country:  California

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: A very nice value Chardonnay that comfortably over-delivers vs. its modest price tag. No oak here, just bushels of clean, crisp, Chardonnay apple and stone fruit with a hint of caramelized pineapple.  Juicy and clean, this is a mid-weight white that's just perfect for parties or weeknight sipping.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted like broccoli and sour cream. With a hint of pear and citrus.

Beringer | Chenin Blanc

Name: Beringer

Variety: Chenin Blanc

Year: 2014

Country:  California

Price: $5.95

Winery Review: A fresh green-apple aroma and vivid citrus and crisp apple flavors are supported by vibrant acidity in this medium-bodied wine. The texture is smooth but crisp, making lots of good food pairings come to mind, from pre-meal cheese, to salads, seafood and veggie pastas.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted like a very average white wine. A little sour and it gave me heartburn. It was not overwhelming so it was pleasant to drink. I would recommend this for someone wanting to get into different varieties of whites.

Tasting | Carraia Aglianico

Name: Carraia Aglianico

Variety: Cortese

Year: 2013

Region: Campagna

Country:  Italy

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: The Washington Post

Produced in the Campania region of Italy, this Aglianico has delicious black fruit flavors with hints of licorice, volcanic soil and tar notes. Classic in nature, yet in a lighter, more crowd-pleasing style, the Carraia is made of the ancient Aglianico grape. This black grape originated in Greece and today is widely grown Siein Basilicata and Campania.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted like my favorite boxed wine that is a red blend. It gives off a nice sour grape/sweet cherry combination with a hint of blackberry.

Tasting | Siema Rosso

Name: Siema

Variety: Vino Rosso

Year: 2013

Region: Piemonte

Country:  Italy

Price: $9.95

Winery Review: Intense ruby red with soft garnet nuances in the glass, the Rosso is intriguingly fresh, fruity and spicy on the nose. Perfectly round and balanced, the wine is particularly soft and dry. Pair with simple dishes like fresh cheese, ham, salami, or pizza for a divine culinary experience.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted like watermelon and dried pepper. It was very "thin" and not dry at all but I enjoyed it.

Tasting | Foret Rose

Name: Domaine de la Foret 

Variety: Grenache Cinsault

Region: Provence

Country:  France

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: A stony, pure style, with a warm paving stone note framing the dried cherry and rose water notes. The long, watermelon rind—inflected finish is finely tuned. Shows length and cut, staying lacy in feel. 50% Cinsault and 50% Grenache.

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted sulfur and sour cream with a little hint of wood and dirt. Also put in some Snapple and this is what you've got in this Rose. Great stuff!

Tasting | Bricco dei Tati Cortese

Name: Bricco dei Tati

Variety: Cortese

Year: 2013

Region: Piemonte

Country:  Italy

Price: $6.95

Winery Review: The Washington Post

“Great Value! Treat this terrific little white like a red: Don’t chill it too much, then let it open for a half-hour to develop its enticing tropical fruit flavors. It’s dry, but the fruit gives an appealing illusion of sweetness. Great as an aperitif or with light seafood dishes.”

My Review: I did not have this with food. It tasted like sour cheese and dried pears. It also gave off a hint of green apple and black pepper. I enjoyed this very much.