Wine Dinner #1

Name: Blue Fin
Variety: Petite Sirah
Region: California
Country: United States
Price: $5.00
Year: 2012

Winery Review: "Round blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry fruit is nicely balanced by cedar, espresso, and boysenberry. Finishes smooth. An excellent value."

My Review: This is the first Petite Sirah I have ever had. The wine had a dark color to it. It had very distinct black fruit taste with a hint of a woody taste. This wine also had a lot of heat on the finish.

We bought both the wine and the cheese from Trader Joes. The clerk we asked said this particular cheese had been soaked in petite sirah. They ended up pairing beautifully. The cheese had a distinct parmesans taste to it. When pairing the cheese with the wine it ended up heightening the black fruit taste from the wine. 

Name: Les Portes De Bordeaux
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Price: $5.99

Year: 2012

Winery Review: "The nose is very much like a Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc with plenty of herbal, grassy citrus. But, there is some "Old World" civilized restraint as it crosses the palate. Very golden for a Sauvignon. Kiwi nose, but this wine is French! Just barely medium bodied, the weight across the palate is disappointing considering the color and the nose. But, as we get to the finish, this value priced wine gets a big thumbs up with a lingering acid meets fruit commendable character. More time in the glass reveals some apricot and peach."

My Review: The label on this bottle makes the wine have more color. In the glass it is pretty clear. The wine has a small citrus and lemon flavor that paired very well with chicken. 

This chicken was amazing! I have to admit that Ashley, of whom I ate the meal with, did the cooking. The chicken was cooked with union and chive cream cheese, jalapeños sprinkled on top and then wrapped in bacon. The jalapeños went very well with the white wine, especially the herbal and grassy citrus features on this particular bottle. I also enjoyed the lemon flavor of the wine with the chicken.

Name: Ponti
Variety: Vermouth
Region: Italy
Country: Italy
Price: $4.99

Year: 2012

Winery Review: "The color of the Ponti vermouth is a dark, dull red, almost nut brown. The tinge around the edges is a whiskey brown color. The nose is a delight: burnt caramel raisins is an aroma I'd like to smell everyday. On the palate, a very familiar taste appears, one I had a bit of trouble identifying. It's reminiscent of Blackjack gum, something I may not have had since childhood. Clove and cinnamon mingle with charred candy flavors and coffee. The finish reminds me of a marshmallow burnt over a campfire. There is a lot of sweetness here, but the spice profile puts enough of a bitter spin on it that it does not seem overly sugary."
My Review: The vermouth had a light to dark brown color in the glass. It also had a very loud and distinct smell along with a very strong and unpleasant herb scent. The taste was just as strong and I could on sip a couple ounces of it without being disgusted. I don't believe I have ever disliked a drink so much. 

We paired the vermouth with some home cooked banana bread. The bread had baked bananas in the middle. The bread helped take away the herb taste and calm down the flavors however it was still gross. We still have a lot of the vermouth left over and plan to mix it with other things to get a better taste out of it in the future.