Wine and Cheese Tasting 1

Rioja With Manchego

La Perla Red Rioja
2016
14.99
Rioja Alta
From theartisancollection.us Bright red in the glass with aromas of fresh red fruit and hints of vanilla. Well structured bodied with great complexity and a long balanced finish. 



Wine notes:  Medium bodied, semi sweet, light, plumy, bright acidity, low tannic flavor, spicy, cloves.

Cheese notes: Similar to parmesan, hard yet creamy, slight sharpness, lightly salty.

Pairing notes:  The sharpness of and light saltiness of the cheese cuts through the acidity of the wine and softens it.  The wine becomes less spicy and has a more sharp, abrupt finish.

Pinot Noir with Brie

Serbal Pinot Noir
2017
15.99
Mendoza

Wine Notes:  Wet hair smell, tannic, overly ripe strawberries, dark fruit, velvety body

Cheese Notes:  Light, soft, creamy, waxy

Pairing Notes:  Thought commonly recommended as a pairing, this Pinot Noir did not pair well at all with brie cheese.  When paired the wine tasted like strong alcohol with little other flavor.

Port with Blue Cheese

Sandeman Porto Fine Ruby
15.99
Douro
From Sandeman.com Brilliant red ruby in colour, with clean aromas of red fruits, plums and strawberries, Sandeman Porto Fine Ruby has full rich flavours and is very well balanced. Rich, round, balanced in the mouth, with overt flavours of fresh plums and red fruits.

Wine Notes: Strong alcohol smell, plum, black cherry, extremely sweet, short finish

Cheese Notes:  Earthy, wet grass or mud, salty

Pairing Notes:  The saltiness and earthy flavors tempered a large amount of the sweetness bringing out more jammy flavors in the wine.