Dinner: Homemade (American Foods, Worldly Wines)

Woohoo! It't time for a family wine dinner. To start off, my family doesn't drink a lot of wine. They DO drink, but they're more beer people. My parents wine cabinet is full of bottles they've received as housewarming gifts that remain untouched.

Mom, Dad, and brother with our dinner. We used so many wine glasses.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to teach them a little about drinking, pairing, tasting, and enjoying wine. Although the wines are from different regions, we found foods that would go specifically well with each one. They had a Pinot from California, and a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, (accompanied by one German riesling from Target that I bought today.) Hopefully these wines from around the world will make for a great combination...

We chose foods that would go well with each wine according to this course and the amazing internet. This is a well-balanced American family dinner for us with a brown sugar ham, asparagus, mashed potatoes and cheesecake for dessert.

Our three wines in order. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir,
and Riesling.

Name: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2015
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand

Name: Mark West Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2014
Region: Appellation, California
Country: USA

Name: Cupcake Vineyards Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2017
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany

PAIRINGS:

The ham and asparagus stayed in the oven a bit too long, but
were good despite the extra heat.

My mom is not a wine drinker
but participated fully. Her
favorite was the Riesling.

Sauvignon Blanc & Asparagus: Before the asparagus, the Sav Blanc was sour, and extremely heavy on the tannins. It's an intense flavor, but has a mild aftertaste and doesn't linger. It paired extremely well with the asparagus, which is surprising because I didn't even know I liked asparagus. The tannins really brought out the seasoning and intensified the flavors in the vegetable. In addition, the sav was less bitter after the asparagus and had a softer flavor. Great combo the whole family enjoyed. 9/10

We had both chocolate and New York style
cheesecake with Riesling, which my brother
described as tasting as sharp as a
McDonalds Sprite. 

Pinot Noir & Sweet Ham: Alone, this Pinot Noir isn't too overly sweet or tannic, and is a nice compromise between the two. I get hints of oak and black cherry, along with a bit of spice. It's not too heavy but is a nice solid red. I would drink it again. With the ham, the pinot wasn't sweet enough to complement the brown sugar on the ham. If I did it again, I'd choose a sweeter red or make my ham a little more savory to balance it out. I think it was an okay combination, they didn't add too much to each other. 6/10

Riesling & Cheesecake: This riesling smelled weird before trying it (my whole family noted). Surprisingly, this was all of our favorites. It's sharp, quick, and goes down smoothly. It's a bit tart and citric, my brother even noted a bit of orange when combined with cheesecake. The tannins in the riesling brought out the subtle sweetness in the cheesecake. It was a great pairing as both aren't too sweet, and the riesling was definitely the family favorite. 6/10

Me with my wines and a notepad I wrote
down flavors on! My family was so excited
about this activity. 10/10

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This was the best family dinner in a while. The pairings were all good, but by far the best was the asparagus and Sauvignon Blanc which created a savory party in my mouth. For people who don't enjoy wine, my family seemed to enjoy the sort of game-like aspect of trying pairings and comparing tastes. This was a great way to bring the family together and try something new without being too adventurous.

My brother thought he looked cool in this pic
and requested it in the blog.

Tasting: Barefoot Pink Moscato

Name: Barefoot Pink Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: California
Country: USAYear: NVPrice: $5

Winery Review: Barefoot Pink Moscato is a perfect wine option for those hot summer evenings! It provides the traditional flavors and aromas of Moscato with additional sweet layers of vibrant red fruit. The best aromas of Mandarin orange and sweet jasmine crash into each other to create a deliciously sweet sea of pink goodness. Subtle flavors of cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate wash ashore in this flavorful wine experience. What foods do you eat with moscato? When it comes to pairing moscato with foods, you need to remember that its flavors are sweet and sugary, with hints of orange blossom, peach, and other fruit flavors.

My Review: This pink moscato is sweet, but not overly so like other dessert wines. It's light, crisp, and goes down exceptionally easily. I can definitely taste a bit of cherry or raspberry, but it's also got some citrus hints in there as well which stop it from being too sweet. I wouldn't say it's dry, but it does have a slightly tannic taste. It's something every college student has tried so there isn't much special about it, but it's generally likable and good for the price. Will have again. 

Tasting: Banfi Rosa Regale Sparkling Red

Name: Banfi Rosa Regale Sparkling Red 
Variety: Brachetto d'Acqui
Region: Piedmont
Country: ItalyYear: 2017Price: $20

Winery Review: To be honest, the aromas from this wine don’t do much for me.  It’s slightly floral with strawberry and raspberry aromatics.  But the palate is where this wine shines. As I said, this is a dessert sparkler, so it’s on the sweet side.  It has loads of strawberry and raspberry flavors, which is typical of this variety.

It goes great with chocolate.  Try pairing this one with some chocolate mousse, with which I think it would be divine.

 - 86 Points Tim Lemke

My Review: Like others have said, this wine is SWEET and you can tell that right upon opening it. It smells like berries and tastes like them too. It's my first sparkling wine besides champagne, and the sharpness of the carbonation pairs well with the strawberry sweet taste. If it weren't so bubbly, the sugar might be too overwhelming but I think they mix well. Would try again. 

Tasting: Simi Winery Chardonnay

Name: Simi Winery Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Sonoma, Cali
Country: US
Year: 2017
Price: $20

Winery Review: Aromas of green apple, pear and pineapple, along with some caramel and oak notes. Full bodied with more fresh fruit on the palate with a more creamy and caramel hinted finish. Enjoy with roasted chicken or turkey. 89/100. Jennifer Havers

My Review: Immediately after I opened the bottle I got a buttery-oaky aroma. It is extremely full bodied and probably the first wine I could easily get that sweet oaky taste without having to search for it. It's fairly fruity which gives it a bit of an acidic / tannic beginning, but the aftertaste isn't too dry. This chardonnay is a bit too buttery/oaky for me, but it has an overall nice taste. 

Tasting: Dreaming Tree Chardonnay

Name: Dreaming Tree Chardonnay
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Central Coast, California
Country: US
Year: 2017
Price: $16

Winery Review: In the glass, this Chardonnay emits hues of early fall hay barrel.  Crisp light yellow straw with a subtle mustard hint.  On the nose we get crisp pear and green apple aromas with lightly toasted… toast.  Overall a medium bodied wine. the opening palate of the Dreaming Tree Chardonnay is inviting, refreshing, crisp and melon-forward.  Lemon-peel, more pear and white Asian spice creep around the taste buds.  Mid-palate, a subtle smokiness shows a bit more of itself with some playful notes of thyme and spring flowers.  Towards the finish, the wine rises in brightness and we get some very refreshing acid over a medium finish of lemon-spice and grapefruit. - Grieg 4/5 

My Review: This is Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band wine, so that's fun. This wine is very crisp and fruity, but it doesn't hit you in the face with sweetness. It's very intense, and I get hints of citrus but mostly tree fruits like peach and apple. It's not too light for a white and has some body, and I wish I got more of an oaky flavor but didn't quite get there. Would try again, perhaps a different vintage, 

Tasting: Oak Leaf Vineyards Merlot

Name: Oak Leaf Vineyards Merlot
Variety: Merlot
Region: Ripon, California
Country: US
Year: Non-vintage, I'm assuming a very recent year. 
Price: $3 (sorry)

Winery Review: An initially decent mouthful of light fruit is palatable, but it ultimately gives way to some bitterness and green, vegetal notes. Again, that punch of raw alcohol, though much slighter here than in the white. It’s passably drinkable in a way that the Chardonnay is not, but it’s hardly something to treasure and hang on to for when you’re grilling a filet mignon. Let’s call it a C+. - Christopher Null, Drinkhacker

My Review: I am kind of embarrassed to write about a Walmart exclusive wine but it was too cheap to not try it. It's fairly dry with some slight fruitiness. I get hints of a dark / berry fruit like a blackberry, but something vegetal is making it bitter. It's very middle of the road for me in most aspects - not a strong acidity and not too heavy for a red. A medium wine that I probably won't drink again unless I have to. 

Tasting: J Vineyards Pinot Gris

Name: J Vineyards & Winery Pinot Gris
Variety: Pinot Gris
Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Country:  California
Year: 2017
Price: $18

Winery Review: Hints of spearmint and minerals on the nose and ample ripe-apple and honeydew flavors on the palate add up to a substantial and well-balanced wine. Bright acidity lends a tangy undertone. 88 Points - Jim Gordon

My Review: Immediately I get a tangy and acidic taste - almost sour. It's dry and heavy on the tannins. I can definitely get a very green or ripe apple taste, but besides that I don't get much of any other fruit. The concept of minerality is confusing to me, but I think mineral is a good way to describe this wine. I did not pair with food, probably would try again.

Tasting: Starborough Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Starborough Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Year: 2016
Price $11.99

Winery Review: The quality of the vintage shows through in this wine, which is being produced in ever-increasing quantities. It's plump in feel, marked by ripe fig and melon flavors, with hints of grapefruit and nectarine. Drink now. - 88 Points  - Joe Czerwinski

My Review: The first word that I could think of to describe it was crisp. This white wine is on the drier side, and although it is slightly fruity it really doesn't have a sweet taste. I definitely get a melon taste and it's a bit tangy from the tannins (kinda acidic/punchy) - I personally wouldn't say it's plump. It tastes nice chilled, and I drank it without food. Would drink again.

My Introduction

Hello and Welcome to Hayley Can Wine! I am very excited to start learning more about wine because right now I know virtually nothing. I just turned 21 recently, and I really like being able to look over the drink menus at all the possibilities and just feel like a fancy adult. A wine menu is still pretty intimidating to me, and especially since it can be expensive at restaurants, I usually don't order any.

My experiences with wine are few - because most of the time whenever I go out to dinner I prefer a fruity cocktail. When I do have wine, it's a $10 barefoot bottle from Target (which I do enjoy) or a sangria. I've had red wine, rose, white, and even some bagged wine unfortunately. Right now, I think I prefer sweeter wines as I prefer sweet alcoholic drinks in general. I'm not a fan of dry wine, but maybe if I learned how to properly taste it I'd like it. Also, I like my drinks cold, so I think it's interesting that red wines are best at room temp but maybe I will learn to love it.

When I graduated from high school my dad bought me a bottle of red wine and told me we could open it when I graduated college. I have no idea what type of wine it is but I'm excited that by the time I graduate I'll actually know about it. I love random facts and sharing what I know, so I'm excited to learn a little wine trivia that will impress my family and friends. I don't think I'll ever be a wine snob, but I want to enjoy wine in as many ways as possible and have a better grasp of what I drink.