Wine Dinner Blog- Bruckner

    Our wine dinner consisted of a Gallo Family Sauvignon Blanc paired with macaroni and cheese, a Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and buttered bread rolls(barbeque sliders for them, as I am allergic to red meat), and a Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling paired with key lime pie.

The first pairing was the Gallo Family Sauvignon Blanc and the mac and cheese.

Gallo Family Sauvignon Blanc

    Year: 2020

    Region/Country: Modesto, California

    Price: $9

    

Shop Review: Our Sauvignon Blanc offers a bright balance of fruit notes- honeydew melon, citrus         and ripe apple- with a light, crisp finish

    Wine Folly: A popular and unmistakable white wine that’s loved for its “green” herbal flavors and racy acidity. Sauvignon Blanc grows nearly everywhere and thus, offers a variety of styles ranging from lean to bountiful.

    My Review: I was not a huge fan of this wine. It had a floral, almost bitter sensation with notes of green apple and citrus, as well as slight hint of ginger. It also slightly sparkling, which added a nice touch to it. I would say it had a medium body and a relatively dry finish. The redeeming quality for me was the tartness of the citrus. I could tell it was well crafted, but the flavor profile wasn't really for me. When combined with the mac and cheese, the creaminess of the cheese took the edge off of the strong tart citrus flavor. When I added hot sauce, it clashed with the dry edge- not necessarily in a bad way, but it was two very different strong flavors. Like I said, this wine wasn't really my cup of tea, but I enjoyed it more with the mac and cheese.

The second pairing was the Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and buttered bread rolls.

    Year: 2020

    Region/Country: California

    Price: $15

Shop Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon is the wine that started it all and set the exacting standards we hold ourselves to for all our varietals. Perfectly balanced and made to be shared, this California wine is round, juicy, and easily enjoyed. Blackberry, toasted hazelnut, and cinnamon, complimented by hints of vanilla and toasted oak.

Wine Folly: The world’s most popular red wine grape is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, France. Cabernet Sauvignon is loved for its high concentration and age worthiness

My Review: I really enjoyed this one. It had a dry, black peppery flavor that was almost spicy, yet still had a buttery feel to it. I would describe it as having a medium body, but lighter than I had expected. There were also noticeable hints of plum and cherry. The bread rolls really matched well with the buttery sensation and made it more pronounced. The moisture of the butter helped to undercut how dry it was, and it softened the "spice" of the black pepper.

The final pairing was the Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling with a key lime pie.

Price: $11

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington

Year: 2022

Shop Review: Aromas of honeysuckle and white flowers, juicy peach and pineapple flavors. Not shy around spice, this wine dares you to bring the heat. Refreshing acidity tames fiery fare and leaves you wanting more.

Wine Folly: An aromatic white variety that can produce white wines ranging in style from bone-dry to very sweet. Germany is the world's most important producer of Riesling.

My Review: This was a surprise. I tend to not like white wines, so I was shocked when I loved this one. This is the sweetest wine I have ever had, bar none. It was almost pure fruit juice, with peach, pineapple, and some mango notes being drowned out by an overwhelming sense of sweetness. Unfortunately, it did not pair with the key lime pie that well. They were both delicious, but two strong and very different types of sweet. The flavors did not compliment each other well and it felt disjointed.

As a fun aside, my roommate broke one of our friend's chairs- hope this gives you a laugh.