Dinner - Homemade (Italy)

Last week four of my friends and I decided to take part in one of these homemade wine dinners for some extra points and we went with Italy for our location of choice because, well, why not we all know Italy makes some amazingly dank dishes as well as some exceptional wines.  Italy produces the most wine in the world so the amount of food pairings with wines is almost endless to an extent so the options are definitely not slim.  Overall it was a very fun experience where I got to sit down with some friends, enjoy a nice 3 course dinner, and analyze how the wines of choice paired with the food. The final friend in the picture below is the one with the camera by the way and I'm the guy all the way to the left.

The first pairing consisted of a spinach parmesan cortini appetizer and a Cortenova Pinot Grigio 2014 Delle Venezie wine.  First the wine was analyzed without tasting any food with its light green color.  Its smell brought about pleasant characteristics of floral, citrus, apricot, and melon while its taste had features such as honeydew, melon, citrus, and tangerine as well as being enjoyably smooth on the pallet.  Next the wine was tasted while consuming the appetizer.  As an athlete this reminded me of tasting water after having gatorade right before it.  It actually made the wine taste worse in my opinion and added a more bitter aspect to it which I do not enjoy.

The second pairing involved an entree of spaghetti with meat sauce and a Chianti Classico 2013 Gabbiano wine.  This wine was a dark red wine that is also sometimes used in spaghetti sauces from time to time.  When analyzed without the food the wine presented a very strong effect on the nose.  It almost burned the eyes in a way with its heavy blackberry, raspberry,  and pepper aromas, which I was not a fan of.  It had a pepper, spicy, and blackberry taste while actually going well with the cheese that slightly carried over from the appetizer.  While tasting with the spaghetti entree the wine presented more of its berry flavors to the pallet, but the finish is a lot hotter.  I think the food actually made it a lot better.

The third and final pairing consisted of a chocolate Tiramisu dessert and a Canei Vino Italiano Rose no vintage wine.  The first thought that came to my mind when looking at this wine was "wow this looks like apple juice."  It primarily had a smell of fruity pear and bubbles when tested without any food.  It tasted like pop rocks, apricot, and peachy pear while going down easily (which always makes it get major bonus points in my opinion).  I enjoyed this wine the best of the three.  The dessert actually made this wine taste worse since it did not pair well with the chocolate flavors.  The wine would most likely go better with a fruity dessert of some sort.  

This was my experience and I hope you enjoy learning about it!

             

Tasting-Dona Sol

Name: Dona Sol
Variety: Shiraz, Petite Syrah & Symphony 
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 
Price: $6.95 

Winery review: Shiraz has a unique jammy fruit character that is well represented in the Sweet Red. Both on the nose and on the palate, jammy fruit, like strawberries, cherry pie and red licorice, entices the senses and pair well with cheeses and desserts.

My review: This fifth wine had a rather sweet aroma in which I could smell and taste the strawberries when it went through the palate.  This was my favorite of the 5 wines this week.

I tasted this on its own with no food

Tasting-Velvet Crush

Name: Velvet Crush
Variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Petite Sirah
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $18 regular, $6.95 sale

Winery review: Velvety smooth texture just like its name. Soft tannins and lush dark fruit character. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah bring backbone and character, while the Merlot balances out the blend for a soft, smooth texture.

My review: The texture of this wine is what stood out the most to me since it was very soft and smooth on the pallet along with its very dark fruit complex which led to a unique taste experience.

I tasted this on its own with no food

Tasting-Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Name: Grand Cru
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $6.95 

Winery review: This ruby-colored wine has aromas of raspberry, cherry and a hint of vanilla. Flavors of cherry and plum lead to a soft velvety finish. This wine can be enjoyed by itself. It is also an excellent accompaniment with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon. Lamb shanks and pork tenderloin are a favorite
main dishes to pair with this wine

My review: This red wine was an enjoyable wine to taste by itself with no food.  I definitely caught the scents of raspberry and tastes of cherry that were within it and it was rather soft on my palette leading to a smooth flow. 

I tasted this on its own with no food

Tasting-Prime Brume

Name: Prime Brume
Variety: Garganega
Region: Soave
Country: Italy
Year: 2014
Price: $11 regular, $6.95 sale

Winery review: Pale color. Fruity, floral minerally inviting aromas of passion fruit, white grapefruit, spice poached pear, and papaya with a lean, racy, bone-dry medium body and a smooth, complex, long lemon, passion fruit, raw hazelnut, and wet stones finish with no tannins and light oak. From the tantalizing nose full of exotic fruit, citrus and minerality thru to the long, crisp finish, this soave can seamlessly go from cocktail hour thru to vibrantly flavored dishes.

My review: This wine also like the first had hints of citrus in the aroma and gave off a tropical impression to me.  It was definitely more complex than the first wine and even confusing when trying to analyze the various ingredients within it.

I tasted this on its own with no food

Tasting-Quintas Melgaco Blue

Name: Quintas Melgaco Blue
Variety: Vinho Verde
Region: Vinho Verde
Country: Portugal
Year: 2013
Price: $10 regular, $5.95 sale

Winery review: Refreshingly crisp white wine from Portugal--Vinho Verde is soft, light and refreshing, and is an uncompromising and ideal wine for everyday pleasure. Its bright color and pineapple aromas are followed by citrus notes. The palate is clean and fresh. Vinho Verde is an excellent accompaniment to fish and shell fish, white meats and salads. 

My review: I personally found this wine rather enjoyable for a white wine and I enjoyed the tropical pineapple aromas followed by the hints of citrus.  Overall, it was a relaxing and smooth experience.

I tasted this on its own with no food