Wine + Cheese Pairing #1

On the beautiful evening of Saint Patrick's day, my friends and I decided to do a wine and cheese pairing. Though we were just experimenting, we had fun picking out different flavors and pairings from our leftover wine + cheeses. 

Name: Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

Variety: 100% Chardonnay, 2020

Region: Central Coast, California

Personal Review: This note of this wine is introduced with floral scents. However after tasting the wine, there were notes of saltiness to the palette.

Pairing: I thought that the garlic and herb goat cheese and mediterranean herb crumbles were too salty to compliment the salty notes of this Chardonnay. However, I thought that the light Brie balanced the notes of the wine exceptionally because of its creaminess.

Name: Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue 

Variety: Riesling Blend

Region: Floyd, Virginia

Personal Review: Starting with a fruity smell, I enjoyed this sweet Riesling for its combination of melon and citrus notes. Compared to other sweet Rieslings that I have tried, I enjoyed that there was a balance between the sugar and tannins, creating a a strong balance. 

Pairing: I particularly enjoyed pairing this wine with the Mediterranean Herb feta. The "kick" of the seasonings from the feta add to the sweet tastings of the Riesling. While it also tasted great with garlic and herb goat cheese, I found that that it was needing something more.

Name: Bay Bridge Pinot Grigio

Variety: 100% Pinot Grigio

Region: Central Valley, California

Personal Review: The smell of this Pinot Grigio startled me with a chemical and processed scent with notes of fruit. However, the taste did not match the smell and instead just reminded me of an plain old, average white wine. 

Pairing: The dryness of this wine paired well with a lighter cheese. I believe that the garlic + herb goat cheese and light brie were both pleasant when experimenting with the Pinot Grigio. Both did not overwhelm the palette but instead, added a component of flavor to the average wine.