Wine Dinner Blog Report #1

For my first wine and dinner blog report, I decided to head to Wine Lab for a nice dinner out.  My roommate took this course last year, and she suggested Wine Lab for this assignment specifically, as they offer wine flights.  So, I grabbed a friend and used this class as an excuse to indulge a little.

I chose a few different dishes and then decided on a wine flight to pair with the food.  Here's the food lineup:

Appetizer: Roasted Baby Potatoes - Marbled Potato Blend, Herb Aioli

    - I had previously had this appetizer before when visiting Wine Lab with my family and absolutely loved it.  So, I knew that I had to get it again!  The potatoes are delicious and the herb aioli adds a nice, creamy flavor to the potatoes.  The aioli did overpower some of the wine pairings, however, as the herb and garlic notes were strong. 

Entree: Chipotle Turkey Sandwich - Speck, Chipotle Aioli, Cheddar, Caramelized Onions, Focaccia

    - This sandwich was amazing!  I normally don't go for spicier foods (as I have a pretty low spice tolerance) but thought that the sandwich sounded really good.  I'm so glad that I branched out and tried it, as it was delicious.  I do think that the spice overpowered some of the wine pairings, however.

Side: Melty Mac & Cheese

    - The mac and cheese was recently added to the menu, according to my waitress, and it was my favorite dish of the night.  The noodles were cooked perfectly and the cheese was creamy and delicious.  Slightly peppered in taste and absolutely amazing with most of the wine pairings. 

And for the wine ...

Me with all six wines - two flights!

I decided on the Old World Flight ($15 for three 75mL pours) and Sam ordered the Radiant Red Flight ($16 for three 75mL pours).  I tasted all six wines on their own and with each food pairing.

For the Old World Flight:

The Old World Flight

(1) Casale del Giglio Viognier

    - Variety: Viognier

    - Country of Origin: Italy

    - Region of Origin: Lazio

    - Vintage Year: 2020

    - Wine Folly:  Referenced from page 186 - Viognier.  I got notes of peach, tangerine, and rose.  Did not taste the mango or honeysuckle.  

    - Personal Review:  I really enjoyed this wine.  Light, fruity, and citrus notes on the palate.  Bitter, acidic taste at the finish, with notes of lemon and mineral.

    - With Roasted Baby Potatoes:  The potatoes, especially the herb aioli, enhanced the acidity of this wine.  I got more notes of citrus and mineral and less fruity flavors on the palate.  The herb flavors almost completely masked the citrus notes, and the garlic emphasized the acidity overall.

    - With Chipotle Turkey Sandwich:  The spiciness of the sandwich almost completely masked the flavors of the wine.  I did find this wine to be more mineral overall while paired with the sandwich, and as a result, is my least favorite pairing.

    - With Melty Mac & Cheese:  I absolutely loved the Viognier with the mac and cheese.  The cheese brought out the floral and fruity notes of the wine, which hints of melon and peach.  It muted the mineral and acidic notes, leaving a nice, light finish. 

My meal with the Casale del Giglio Viognier

(2) Domaine Bellevue Rose

    - Variety: Rose - Blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Côt, Pineau D'Aunis

    - Country of Origin: France

    - Region of Origin: Loire

    - Vintage Year: 2020

    - Wine Folly:  Referenced from pages 86 and 87 - Cabernet Franc, pages 88 and 89 - Cabernet Sauvignon, and page 113 - Gamay.  I got notes of strawberry and raspberry.  I did not get bell pepper, crushed gravel, or chili pepper.  Scents of violet and cherry on the nose.

    - Personal Review:  This was my favorite wine of the three in this flight.  Scents of floral, pear, and apple.  Notes of pear, citrus, and red fruits on the palate.  Medium acidity leaving a nice finish.

    - With Roasted Baby Potatoes:  The potatoes and aioli brought out the floral and fruity notes of this wine.  Notes of strawberry and raspberry on the palate with minimal hints of citrus.  I really enjoyed this wine with the potatoes. 

    - With Chipotle Turkey Sandwich:  The sandwich completely masked the fruity and floral notes and enhanced notes of citrus and mineral.  Light notes of lemon and grapefruit on the palate.  Peppery finish, which may have been noted due to the spiciness of the sandwich overall. 

    - With Melty Mac & Cheese:  The mac and cheese enhanced the acidity of the wine.  The cheese flavors did not pair well with the wine overall.  The rosé did taste a bit fruitier with this dish, however, with notes of red fruits - strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry.

Meal with the Domaine Bellevue Rose

(3) Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre

    - Variety: Northern Italy Red - Corvina

    - Country of Origin: Italy

    - Region of Origin: Verona

    - Vintage Year: 2018

    - Personal Review:  Bold, dry red with notes of dark berries, stone, and smoke.  Hints of gravel, black cherry, and pepper on the nose.  Large bodied with woody, earthy flavors and a slightly sweet, jammy finish.

    - With Roasted Baby Potatoes:  The potatoes brought out the acidity of this wine while masking earthy, mineral notes.  Flavors of dark berries and cherry on the palate, which paired well with the potatoes overall.  I really enjoyed this pairing! 

    - With Chipotle Turkey Sandwich:  This wine paired best with the sandwich, out of the three in this flight.  The wine balanced the spiciness of the sandwich very well and was not overpowered by the spice.  The sandwich brought out the jammy flavors of the wine, which paired well with the dish.

    - With Melty Mac & Cheese:  This wine was not good with the mac and cheese.  The wine became very tart and bitter with the cheese.  Definitely my least favorite pairing.

And for the Radiant Red Flight:

The Radiant Red Flight

(1) Ken Wright Pinot Noir

    - Variety: Pinot Noir

    - Country of Origin: United States

    - Region of Origin: Oregon

    - Vintage Year: 2018

    - Wine Folly:  Referenced from pages 150 and 151 - Pinot Noir.  I got earthy and berry notes of cherry, raspberry, and mushroom.  Paired well with turkey and speck in the sandwich, as recommended.  I did not get vanilla or clove. 

    - Personal Review:  I really enjoyed this wine.  It paired well with all three dishes!  Light bodied with notes of strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, and cherry on the palate.  Mild and smooth finish overall.

    - With Roasted Baby Potatoes:  The potatoes brought out the sweetness of the wine and completely eliminated all tart and acidic notes.  Strong flavors of sweet berries.  Flavors paired well with the herb aioli.

    - With Chipotle Turkey Sandwich:  Balanced spiciness well, turkey and speck in the sandwich enhanced earthy and red fruit notes, and revealed an undertone of oak and pepper.  Very good! 

    - With Melty Mac & Cheese:  This pairing enhanced the flavors of both the mac and cheese and the wine overall.  Very strong cherry notes on the palate, contrasted with a peppery aftertaste from the cheese. Delicious! 

Very cheesy mac and cheese - delicious! 

(2) Pikes Shiraz Tempranillo

    - Variety: Red Blend - Shiraz/Syrah, Tempranillo

    - Country of Origin: Australia

    - Region of Origin: Clare Valley

    - Vintage Year: 2018

    - Wine Folly:  Referenced from pages 172 and 173 - Syrah and pages 175 and 176 - Tempranillo.  I got notes of blueberry, cherry, and tobacco.  I did not get milk chocolate, green peppercorn, or fig.

    - Personal Review:  Rich notes of blackberry, blueberry, and red berries on the nose.  Bold flavors of blackberry and cherry on the palate, with hints of oak and clove.  Dry wine with full body and medium tannins.  

    - With Roasted Baby Potatoes:  The saltiness of the potatoes enhanced the flavors of this wine.  Jammy, deep berry flavors on the palate.  Very good pairing! 

    - With Chipotle Turkey Sandwich:  I really enjoyed this pairing - the wine balanced the spiciness of the sandwich well, and the saltiness of the speck enhanced the dark and red berry notes of the wine.  Very bold flavors overall.

    - With Melty Mac & Cheese:  This pairing wasn't my favorite, the cheese brought out the bitterness of the wine.  Notes of oak, smoke, and pepper on the palate enhanced overall. 

(3) Lapis Luna Limited Reserve Red Blend

    - Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

    - Country of Origin: United States

    - Region of Origin: California

    - Vintage Year: 2020

    - Wine Folly:  Referenced from pages 88 and 89 - Cabernet Sauvignon.  I got notes of black cherry, cedar, and baking spices.  I did not taste black currant or graphite.  Pairs well with dishes with high flavor, as noted with the chipotle turkey sandwich and the roasted baby potatoes.  

    - Personal Review:  Bold, dry, jammy wine with notes of blackberry, black cherry, and oak.  Floral scents with undertones of dark and red berries.  Medium tannins and acidity.

    - With Roasted Baby Potatoes:  Softer, rounder finish and flavor overall.  Reduced acidity and tannins, enhanced berry and cherry notes.  Very good! 

    - With Chipotle Turkey Sandwich:  Balanced well with the sandwich, notes of blackberry, black cherry, and pepper.  Flavors of tobacco and oak were revealed with this pairing.  Delicious! 

    - With Melty Mac & Cheese:  Bitter, acidic taste overall with undertones of red berries.  Notes of cherry and pepper.

And here's the aftermath of our delicious wine and dinner tasting experience ...

The aftermath.

Everything was so delicious that we just had to try the dessert.  We ordered the Lemon Cream Pie to share. It definitely did not disappoint.

Lemon Cream Pie