Tasting - Wine Lab Port / Dessert Flight
For my second tasting this week, I decided to do something a little different. I was craving something sweet, so I headed to Wine Lab to try their Port / Dessert flight. I had never tried port/dessert wines before, and after learning more about them in class, I wanted to taste a few without having to purchase an entire bottle. I paired the flight with the Flourless Chocolate Cake. I even met the famous John Boyer and Katie Pritchard - a big thanks to them for giving me some great wine suggestions and being my servers for the afternoon!
For the lineup:
Name: Blandy's Bual Madiera 5 Year
Variety: Madeira, Dessert and Fortified Wine
Country of Origin: Portugal
Region of Origin: Madeira
Vintage Year: NV
Price: $10 for the flight, 3 50mL pours
Blandy's Tasting Notes: "Pale, bright topaz color with a golden tinge, fresh with dry fruit, wood and citrus flavors with a fresh and nutty persistent finish."
Wine Folly: Referenced from page 124, Madeira. I got the burnt caramel and walnut flavors. I did not get the peach or orange peel. High alcohol and large body, with medium-high levels of sweetness. I did not get high acidity, as referenced in the book.
Personal Review: Wine Lab was out of the Santa Julia Late Harvest, which is traditionally the first pour in the flight lineup. Katie substituted the Santa Julia with Blandy's Bual Madeira 5 Year, which was delicious. It was my favorite of the entire flight. Strong scents of butterscotch and caramel. Notes of caramel and vanilla to finish, with underlying flavors of bourbon and wood. Strong alcohol taste at first, which mellows out and ends with a smooth, sweet finish.
With Chocolate Cake: The chocolate cake brought out the caramel and butterscotch flavors, which was very pleasant with the cake. I actually preferred this Madeira with the cake, instead of alone. Would definitely have this pairing again!
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| Sam and I tasting the Blandy's Bual Madiera 5 Year |
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Name: St. Johns Commandaria
Variety: Commandaria, Dessert and Fortified Wine
Country of Origin: Cyprus
Region of Origin: Lemesos
Vintage Year: NV
Price: $10 for the flight, 3 50mL pours
Astor Wines Tasting Notes: I had trouble finding reviews online, but I did find the following tasting notes from astorwines.com: "A nutty wine with aromas of cocoa and baking spices. This wine contrasts beautifully with an aggressive, salty blue cheese."
Wine Folly: Referenced from page 154, Port. I could not find Commandaria in the Wine Folly book, so I referenced Port wine, as multiple sources online referenced St. Johns as a port wine. I got scents of chocolate. Notes of chocolate and cinnamon on the palate. I did not get plum or raisin.
Personal Review: Mild scents of maple and chocolate, which were very pleasant. Notes of apple and spices on the palate. My friend, Sam, notes that "it tastes like chocolate apple cider" which I agreed with. Slight notes of berry at the finish. I really enjoyed this wine! It tasted a lot like cider, however, which paired well with the cake but wasn't my favorite on its own.
With Chocolate Cake: The cake enhanced the sweetness of the wine overall. It overpowered the apple cider flavors and, instead, enhanced notes of butterscotch and maple. I also tried this wine with a strawberry, which enhanced the apple flavor and made the wine almost bitter.
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| Chocolate cake with the St. Johns Commandaria. |
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Name: Lambert Estate The Chocolatier
Variety: Port, Dessert and Fortified Wine
Country of Origin: Australia
Region of Origin: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Vintage Year: NV
Price: $10 for the flight, 3 50mL pours
Lambert Estate Tasting Notes: "The Chocolatier is lively and bright with amber hues, leading to aromas of dark chocolate, cherry, and toffee with hints of vanillin and walnuts. On the palate, butterscotch notes come alive with dried fruits and nuttiness. It's a luscious, rich, generous tawny with a lingering chocolate finish."
Wine Folly: Referenced from page 154, Port. I got the chocolate notes. I did not get the black plum, dried cherry, or raisin. High alcohol with medium levels of sweetness.
Personal Review: Strong scents of chocolate with hints of vanilla. Slightly bitter on the palate with notes of rich, dark chocolate, vanilla, and coffee. This was probably my least favorite of the three. It tasted strongly of chocolate but was slightly bitter. High alcohol on the palate created a slight burning sensation.
With Chocolate Cake: The chocolate cake with the chocolate wine was very rich. The cake enhanced the sweetness and the chocolate flavors of the wine. The wine tasted creamier alongside the cake, as it reduced the bitterness overall.
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