Wine and Cheese Pairing #1

What could be better than wine an cheese? The two seem to be made for each other! I had a fantastic time tasting with my friends at our Wine and Cheese night. The three wines we tried were a Moscato Bianco Sparkling Wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Shiraz. The price ranges for these wines were between $10-20. Very affordable for a group of college students! The three cheeses that we paired with the wine were a Brie, an Aged Sharp Cheddar, and a Gouda. The Brie was specifically chosen to pair with the sparkling wine. The cheddar was meant to pair well with the Cabernet Sauvignon. The gouda was selected to go with the Shiraz. 

First up, we tried Martini & Rossi Moscato Bianco Sparkling wine from the Piedmont Region of Italy. The aromas from the wine consisted of peach, apple, and something very sweet. The butter yellow colored wine on its own was very pleasing to taste! I got notes of elderberry, peach, and sage specifically. It was nicely sweet, smooth, and not acidic.

Brie: This was by far one of the best pairings of the evening! The creaminess of the cheese is very fun with the bubbles in the wine. Brie is also a little sweet which I think went well with the sweetness of the wine. This cheese also brought out a more tangy component of the wine.

Cheddar: The sharpness of the cheddar absolutely assaulted the palate when paired with the bubbles of this wine. It was WAY too strong to go with a sweeter wine.

Gouda: The gouda cheese was very plain compared to the wine. Almost too plain for my taste. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. The gouda was just kind of there.

Second, we tried 2020 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon from Central Coast, California. The smell of this wine was very pleasant! I detected aromas of blackberry, mocha, cherry, and some kind of spice. The taste on its own was also fantastic! It was an awesome full-bodied, tannic, acidic wine with notes of cassis.

Brie: THIS WAS TERRIBLE. What is the opposite of a match made in heaven? A match made in hell? If that's not a saying, it should be for this pairing. It had an awful aftertaste that I swear tasted like a goat. I think the sweetness of the brie clashed with the bold, young red characteristics of the wine.

Cheddar: After the brie, I think I would have enjoyed anything else. But, this was actually a good pairing! The sharpness of the cheddar balances well with the strong flavors of the Cab.

Gouda: Once again, I would say that the gouda was a neutral cheese. I did notice that this helped tone the wine down somewhat to make it a little less aggressive.

Lastly, we tried 2019 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz from Barossa Valley, Australia. This cherry red colored wine might have been my favorite wine by itself. The aromas of the wine consisted of blackberry, plum, clove, and oak. The taste was full-bodied with dark fruit, spice, and smooth tannins.

Brie: After the reaction between the brie and the Cab, I was very suspicious of this pairing. However, the sweetness and silkiness of the brie cheese balanced nicely with the Shiraz.

Cheddar: The cheddar was way too sharp to pair well with this wine. Since both wines are strong, they were constantly competing with each other for the top spot on my palate. However, it was not the worst thing ever. I would give another chance.

Gouda: This is where the gouda cheese shined! It's neutral characteristics were finally a blessing in disguise. The cheese softens the tannins of the wine and allows for flavors to emerge from underneath.