Wine and Cheese Pairing Blog

Wine and Cheese Pairing at Blacksburg Wine Lab🧀🍷

My friends and I went to Blacksburg Wine Lab and had a flight and paired it with three different cheeses. Overall, it was very delicious, fun to try, and a nice experience out!

Wine 🍷 

I got the "white light flight" from Blacksburg Wine Lab. The first wine was Colleleva Verdicchio from Italy and the vintage year is 2021. This one was super light, fresh, crisp, and refreshing. This was really nice because it was chilled before being poured and it was so refreshing on my palette. It tasted acidic on its own but not unbearable. I was really enjoying it drinking on its own because of how crisp it was. It was light on the nose, smelt a little like lemons/limes similar to that sort of citric acid. In this wine, I didn't taste any floral notes, mostly just acidic flavors and aromas. 

The second wine of the flight was Micheal Shaps Viognier from Virginia and the vintage is 2021. Truthfully, this one tasted similar to the first. I really liked it, it was crisp and acidic, but I think out of ranking, this would come into second place. It tasted more full, almost more rich like a chardonnay but not quite. Again, there were no floral notes but tasted acidic and maybe a little fruity when paired with the cheeses. 

Lastly, the third wine was Remhoogte First Light Chenin Blanc from South Africa and the vintage is 2022. Out of the three, I didn't love this one. It was heavier and not as nice when pairing it with the cheese. It didn't taste very acidic compared to the other two and I definitely think that I wish there was more of acid in it. I am not sure if I have ever had a Chenin Blanc and wasn't very pleased by it. 

Cheese AND Wine 🧀🍷

We got three different types of cheeses: pimento cheese, wild blueberry lemon thyme, and 2 yr. gouda. We also had bread and olive oil. 

Colleleva Verdicchio 2021 – Italy: This wine was incredible with the cheeses. Specifically the wild blueberry lemon thyme because it was acidic with the lemon and the two paired well together. It was tangy, but sweet with the blueberry. It also tasted like it affected the fattiness because this one was goat cheese. It paired well with the gouda and pimento as well, but the wild blueberry lemon thyme was a stand out. There weren't any noticeable flavors that I tasted between the gouda and pimento with this wine, but it did taste well together. It made the gouda taste sharper and went well with the creamy pimento cheese because the flavors were nice and smooth. 

Micheal Shaps Viognier 2021 – Virginia: Similar to the first wine, this one was nice, acidic, and crisp. Because this wine tasted richer, it made the wild blueberry lemon thyme and pimento stand out the most out of the cheeses. It paired well again with the acid of the wine and the lemon, but then was balanced out with the fruit and herbal flavors in the cheese. The richer taste of this wine made the pimento cheese taste richer too, if that is even possible. On the cheese board, there were pickled onions and I made a bite of wild blueberry lemon thyme, garlic, and pickled onions on bread followed with a sip of this wine. That bite was SO good because it was creamy because of the goat milk cheese but also acidic with crunch because of the pickled onions. I feel like the gouda cheese flavor was masked a little by this because I didn't notice much of a distinction with the two of them together. The gouda was still super sharp and good, but didn't pair with the wine in any significant way. 

Remhoogte First Light Chenin Blanc 2022 – South Africa: Honestly, this one wasn't a stand out to me with any of the cheeses. The most notable was the pimento cheese because it brought a level of smoothness and creaminess to the wine and went down easily. However, having it with pimento and pickled onions made the wine taste more acidic which I loved. Having more acidic cheeses like the wild blueberry lemon thyme cheese brought more acidic flavors with this wine which again was a nice touch. I had this wine with finishing touches on the board like olives, garlic, pickled onions, etc. which was all good. I think that the gouda overpowered all of the wines simply because it was so sharp and strong. It was a good cheese, but didn't pair well with the wines I ordered. 

 

Tasting - La Tremenda Monastrell

About the wine 

This wine is named La Tremenda Monastrell from Alicante, Spain. The vintage year is 2019, it was $12.99 and the grape variety is monastrell (mourvèdre).

Wine.com Review

On Wine.com, it says that this wine is bright red and ruby in color with notes of black cherries, toast, cocoa, and sweet spice. On one of the professional reviews, it says that there are notes of red plums, berries, and white pepper. It also says that there is a silky texture and liveliness with the wine. It says that the wine has a spice on the nose and is firm, juicy, and a little tart. 

Wine Folly Review

On page 133 of Wine Folly, it says that the aromas are blackberry, black pepper, cocoa, tobacco, and roasted meat. The tannin and body levels are high while the alcohol, acidity, and sweetness are medium to low. It says that this wine is traditionally from Spain and it deeply bold and smoky. Lastly, it is mentioned that this would pair well with smoked meats and barbecue which reveals flavors of black fruits and chocolate. 

Personal Review 

This wine was good and fun to try because I haven't had this grape varietal before. I tasted a lot of chocolate in this wine, similar to the other one I tried this week. I paired this wine with some meats and cheeses at a wine night and they all tasted very good together. I didn't find that this wine was spicy at all which was nice because I don't prefer spicy wine. I didn't decant like it was recommended, however it still tasted great as is! I have been enjoying trying different reds and I was happy to try a new variety, too. 

Tasting - J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon

About the wine 

I tasted the J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, California, U.S. I bought the split from Kroger and it was $10.99. The vintage year is 2021 and the grape variety is cabernet sauvignon. 

Wine.com Review

Wine.com review says that this wine is dense and dark. They say that the aromas are black cherry and currant with notes of toasted hazelnut, pastry, and vanilla and that it is barrel aged. There are professional reviews on the site that give this wine 90+ points and says that it has a rich array of berries with a woodsy, spiced finish. 

Wine Folly Notes 

On page 88 of Wine Folly, it says that cabernet sauvignon has aromas of baking spices, black cherry, and black currant. It recommend to decant for 60+ minutes which I finally did! It also says on page 88 that the high amount of tannins give the wine the rich flavor. 

Personal Review 

I really liked this wine when I tried it. I think decanting it really helped and made the wine taste richer. I tasted notes of chocolate and dark cherries. I had it over the span of two nights and on the second night is when I let it decant and it tasted a lot better than the first night I drank it. The spice wasn't as prominent and the notes of the oaky/woodsy were easier to taste. 

Tasting - Javier San Pedro Randez Tempranillo

About the wine

This wine was 100% tempranillo from Trader Joe's. The region is Rioja and the country of origin is Spain. It was $7.99, is Javier San Pedro Randez Tempranillo, and the vintage year is 2020. 

Reverse Wine Snob Review

The aromas they spoke about on this review were black cherry, spice, plum, and a bit of coffee. They said the berries and spice integrated well together, it was tart, dry, and savory, and was overall a good price point for the quality. They said it was smooth and sweet and gave it an overall rating of 8.3/10.

Wine Folly Review

On page 175, Wine Folly said the notes in tempranillos are cherry, dried fig, cedar, tobacco, and dill. The body, alcohol, acidity, and tannins are all relatively high. The sweetness is low and it says to decant for 60 minutes. It is primarily from Spain, Rioja being a top region!

On page 280, it mentions that Rioja Alta wines are more elegant, while wines from Rioja Baja are richer and meatier. It also mentions aromas and tastes of leather, vanilla, and roasted tomato which is neat.

Personal Review

I liked this wine but not as much on its own for some reason. I noted the darker fruit tastes like cherry and plum, but literally nothing else. I didn't decant it which is a mistake I always make and need to take note of before having a glass of red to see if I can taste a difference. I had two glasses during the Bachelor finale (team Kelsey) and could feel it a bit more than usual so I do feel I noticed the higher alcohol content on this one. I really like tempranillos in sangria so I will probably stick to that, however, for the price it was fine. 

Tasting - Charles & Charles Cabernet Sauvignon

About the wine

I picked this wine up from Kroger because it was high in points and it was under $20. It is the Charles and Charles Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley, Washington, United States. The vintage year is 2020 and it was $11.99. The grape variety was cabernet sauvignon. 

Winemadeeasy.com Review

Since I got this wine from Kroger, I didn't talk to anyone about it. It did have a small tag on it though that emphasized the taste of red berries in the wine and that it was a good wine for a low price point. On Winemadeeasy.com, the wine enthusiast review said that there were notes of red berries, orange blossom, salted black licorice, and freshly cut grass. They said it was balanced well, with a good tannin structure and acidity. Another reviewer said the notes of black cherry are strong and good toasted espresso flavors. 

Wine Folly Review

On page 289, Wine Folly says that there is a heavy focus on cabernet sauvignon in Washington. It says that these wines offer a nice floral and minty overtone with pure black cherry fruit. On page 88, it says that the body is high for cabernet sauvignon and has flavors like black cherry. It does say it is recommended to decant for 60 minutes before serving. It also has flavors of black currant, cedar, graphite, and baking spices. 

Personal Review

I really liked this wine and am happy I tried it. The flavor profile was very good and I liked how strong the body is. I noticed the flavors of red fruit while I was trying it, but nothing else that was mentioned. The smell was strong and had a nice, clean aroma. I do agree with winemadeeasy review about it being well-balanced. It tasted as if everything was at a good level (acidity, tannins) and I think that made it taste complex which is maybe why I couldn't taste other flavors like orange blossom and freshly cut grass. I didn't eat a meal with this, but I snacked on popcorn while drinking it. The two paired well and I feel like if the popcorn was saltier, it might've brought out more flavors. I would 100% have this again! 

Wine Dinner Blog Report

Course 1: Appetizer

For my appetizer, I made a small plate of brie and rice crackers and rice crackers with mussels calabrian chiles, and lemon juice. I paired this with Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc and the vintage year is 2022. 

Excuse the low quality photo, I have an iPhone 11. HOWEVER, this pairing was super super good. The mussels were tinned and brined in olive oil and vinegar and came from Spain, specifically Galicia. The brie I picked up was softened to perfect so it was pretty easy to spread on the rice crackers. I chose rice crackers because of dietary restrictions, but I also loved the crunch of them with the soft brie and mussels. The chiles on top of the mussels were super good too and paired well. For the wine, the two paired well together! I chose Sauvignon Blanc because as we have been learning, it pairs well with seafood. I think the flavor of the mussels and lemon brought out bright, lemony, crisp flavors of the wine which was good. This wine didn't overpower at all and there was a great balance. I think that when I had it with the brie and rice crackers, it made it taste almost creamy and smooth like the brie itself. I don't necessarily think that the chiles were paired well with the wine just because it was pretty spicy and brought some heat. Followed up with the wine, it made the wine taste weird when it was in my mouth, almost like there was too much heat. The fat of the olive oil paired with the acid of the wine and lemon juice made it all a really good flavor. I would 100% have this again! I wouldn't say anything overpowered each other and it all complimented well.

Course 2: Main Dish 

For my main dish, I made pasta with ground turkey, spicy arrabiata sauce, and zucchini. I paired this with the Alaia Marisa Red Blend from Spain and the vintage year was 2020. 

This dish was really good. I used a mandolin to get my zucchini super thin and it was a great addition to the pasta. The spiciness of the meal was tolerable and added a nice kick. I really like spice so I enjoyed this! However... this dish did not pair well with the wine. I had the Alaia "Marisa" Red Blend from Spain and didn't enjoy it which was a bummer. I picked it up from the Vintage Cellar because on the label it mentioned how it was a stand out wine for the price and was pretty good. However, it had a lot of spice and pepper flavors that just didn't pair well with the spiciness of the dish. It also smelled a little bit like rubbing alcohol so I think that threw me off, too. I think that the wine was too heavy for this dish and needed to be paired with red meat like steak. The acidity was high and it tasted like the tannins were too. I usually don't mind that, but it didn't pair well. They clashed for sure. The wine had a big bitter bite to it too. The blend was 85% prieto picudo and 15% tempranillo. I have never had prieto picudo before so maybe I just don't like the grape! I couldn't find anything in the Wine Folly text giving me a descriptor on the wine, but it was tasting like it has a super unique taste that I had never had before. I felt like I was tasting notes of dark berries and graphite. 

                              

Course 3: Dessert

For my final course and dessert, I had a slice of limoncello cake that I picked up from Earth Fare! I paired this with a small bottle of Italian sparkling wine, Villa Jolanda I LOVE YOU wine. 

This pairing was interesting. The cake was a lot sweeter than I expected. I was excited for a bright lemon flavor and it lacked on that. The sparkling wine was good, but I don't think the two paired well. The wine was not very crisp but was also sweet, so when pairing it with the cake, the flavors weren't really complimentary of one another and I feel like they were almost drowned out. The wine was bubbly, fresh, and had notes of fruits like apples and pears. I think if it was more crisp, it would've paired better. The sweetness of the cake didn't pair well with the fruity flavors of the wine. It wasn't acidic at all and pretty mellow which I was a little disappointed in. It tasted like the two overwhelmed each other and I couldn't get a good read on either! I also think the bubbles were a little too much for me and something like a crisp white would've been better with this. 

Tasting - Les Portes de Bordeaux

About the wine

This wine is from Trader Joe's and is named Les Portes de Bordeaux. It was $7.99, was 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot grape varieties. The vintage year is 2022, and is from Bordeaux, France!

Cork and Fizz Review

Since I bought it at Trader Joe's, I didn't speak to anyone about the wine. I picked it up because I really like cabernet sauvignon and thought I would give it a try. Cork and Fizz said that this wine is a "swell" and they would recommend it to friends. They said that it had notes of cherry, blackberry, and strawberry. They mentioned it was very fruit forward and was lighter than they expected. Pairing wise, Cork and Fizz said it would be good with meat like a meat pizza or a burger. 

Wine Folly Review

On page 219, Wine Folly says that Red Bordeaux Blends have savory flavors including graphite, black cherry, and cigar. It says that it is supported by firm but balanced tannins. On page 88, it recommends to decant for 60 minutes which I did not do. 

Personal Review

Overall, I really liked this wine. For the price, it was good and a solid wine. I wish I had decanted it because I wonder if it would bring out more of the flavors. I tasted the darker fruit like cherries and blackberries, but none of the graphite or cedar aromas. It smelled good but honestly, I didn't get much aromas from smelling it. I had never had a red bordeaux blend so I am happy I tried it. I didn't eat this with anything but after reading Cork and Fizz and Wine Folly, I wish I tried it with a red meat.