Wine Dinner 2 Blog- Bruckner

 Our second wine dinner consisted of a Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc- Viognier blend with chicken tikka masala, a Yosemite Road Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon with hamburgers, and a Josh Cellars Merlot with brownies.

The first pairing was a Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier blend with chicken tikka masala. 

    Name: Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc+Viognier

    Price: $15

    Region: Napa, California

    Year: 2022

Shop Review: Our distinctive white blend marries the crisp, honeyed citrus fruit of Chenin Blanc(80%) with the plush body, soft floral and juicy peach notes of Viognier(20%) for a lush, versatile and delicious wine. Enjoy a glass on its own of try it alongside your favorite seafood or spicy dish.

Wine Folly:It’s hard not to love Chenin Blanc’s diversity; sparkling sensations, crisp dry whites, oaked full-bodied delights, and sweet treasures with aging potential. 

(Viognier): A rich, oily white wine that originates in the Northern Rhône and is rapidly growing in popularity in California, Australia, and beyond. Wines are often aged in oak to deliver Chardonnay-like richness.

My Review: I thought this wine was just okay. It definitely reminded me of a Chardonnay, being rich and buttery but with a more citrusy, fruity flavor. I got slight notes of green apple and grapefruit, and a generally floral character, oddly enough. It was not super tannic or overpowering dry, but it was definitely more dry than sweet. Combining it with the tikka masala neutralized the spice of the tikka masala and softened the wine. The flavors definitely complimented each other, but it made it harder to get any more notes out of the wine. Overall, I didn't love the wine by itself but the pairing worked well and was enjoyable.

The second pairing was a Yosemite Roads Cabernet Sauvignon with hamburgers. 

    Name: Yosemite Roads Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

    Price: $5

    Year: Did not say

    Region: Livermore and Ripon, California

Shop Review: Blackberry, Lingering Medium Body, and Smooth Finish

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: We did not like this wine at all. It smelled and tasted cheap and chemically. There were some plum notes early, but immediately overpowered by a wave of black pepper. It was very dry, there were some coffee notes, and after a few sips I got some tobacco notes. It didn't pair super well with the hamburgers, either. The pairing didn't bring much out either. If anything, it made the burger taste kind of burnt.

The third pairing was the Josh Merlot with the brownies.

    

    Name: Josh Cellars Merlot

    

    Price: $13

    Region: California

    Year: 2021

Shop Review: Our Merlot is soft and inviting with balanced flavors of blueberry, raspberry, and milk chocolate and scents of fragrant violets and vanilla.

Wine Folly: Merlot can be a bit of a chameleon; ranging from fruity, smooth and easy-going to age-worthy, full-bodied, and sophisticated. Often mistaken for its blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is not one to be underestimated.

My Review: I was surprised by this wine. I'd never had a Merlot before, so based off of the shop review, I expected a much juicier, sweeter wine(like a Zinfandel). I was very wrong- but not necessarily in a bad way. This was easily the driest wine I've ever had. It had very strong tannins, with subtle milk chocolate, black pepper, and blueberry notes being hard to find due to how overpoweringly dry it was. The brownies accented the black pepper flavors and gave it an even spicier sensation. Weirdly enough, it neutralized the chocolate flavor in favor of the "spicy" flavor.