First wine Dinner Pairing

For dinner we had steak, pasta with Alfredo sauce, broccoli, and two flavors of ice cream sandwiches for desert. First off the apothic red was paired with everything. I did not like this wine with the steak. It did nothing. It was just drinking wine and eating steak, nothing complimented by each other. However, the apothic red went well with both the broccoli and the Alfredo pasta. The broccoli detracted from the bitterness, and the pastahad a weird taste that I have trouble describing, but I though it made the wine better. Next the Beaujolais. This I had mixed feelings about with the steak, the berry flavors didnt pair well, but there was a nice peppery flavor I got with the steak. The creamy flavor from the Alfredo went nicely with the berry flavor from the Beaujolais. With the broccoli, it didn't do anything. neglected to bring any flavors out. Now the Little Bosco was a dessert wine so we had this with two flavors of ice cream sandwiches. The first was the mint flavored ice cream sandwiches. Here the mint made the wine taste very very weird, and not in a good way. However, the Little Bosco with the cookies n'cream flavor paired very, very nicely. The vanilla flavors from both exploded and was a perfect dessert.

Hahn

Name: Hahn Piesporter Michelsberg
Variety: Riesling
Region: Piesport
Country: Germany
Year:
Price $9.95

Winery Review: This wine’s light, airy mouthfeel belies its sweetness and intensity of flavor. Honeyed pineapple aromas; similar flavors on the palate, adding gentle citrus notes toward the long, sweet finish.

My Review: As most Reslings it was sweet and dry, but had a little bitterness. It made it more interesting, and I really like earthy Reslings, which this also had a little of.

Tres Ojos

Name: Tres Ojos
Variety: Garnacha
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2012
Price $6.95

Winery Review: 88 points – Robert Parker
"The 2012 Tres Ojos Garnacha contains 15% Tempranillo (I wonder why), and unoaked cuvée of 200,000 bottles that matures in vat for at least seven months before bottling. What I tasted was a very honest, fresh and fruit-driven red with aromas of cherries, garrigue and thyme with a medium-bodied palate, some weight and tannins that would do better with food. This is a red that sells for a song.”

My Review: I got a really cool rubber scent on the nose of this wine. It was pretty heavy, but i'm afraid that the taste was as unique as the nose.

Torre Castillo

Name: Torre Castillo
Variety: Monastrell
Region: Jumilla
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: 89 points - Stephen Tanzer
100% Monastrell, aged in American oak for four months. Bright ruby. Powerful, spicy aromas of dark berry preserves and lavender. Fleshy and round on the palate, offering spicy blackberry and blueberry flavors and gaining sweetness with air. Finishes smooth, long and slightly warm. "

My Review: I did not like this wine. It was very tarte and dry, like I needed water afterwards. It had some spice notes in the taste as well as some berry flavors.

Chateau Suau

Name: Chateau Suau
Variety: Bordeaux rose
Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Year: 2013
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: 88 points - Stephen Tanzer
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Light, lurid pink.  Tangerine, raspberry and white pepper on the fragrant nose.  Juicy and focused in the mouth, offering zesty red berry flavors with a refreshingly bitter edge.  Closes clean and tight, with lingering spiciness and a touch of orange zest.

My Review: This wine had a very pleasant floral nose. A nice wine with floral tastes, some oak, raspberry, and pretty tannic. Overall, a nice wine, but nothing special. 

Terre di Poggio Laude

Name:  Terre di Poggio Laude
Variety: Pecorino

Region: Terre di Chieti 

Country: Italy

Year: 2013

Price: $8.95

Winery Review: Bright and savory, this floral scented Pecorino offers juicy tropical fruit and lemon drop sensations accented by notes of mint and thyme. The ripe fruit is balanced by brisk acidity that leaves the palate feeling cleansed and refreshed.  

My Review: Hints of floral notes, like rose petals on the nose. Got some nice acidity coming through, and and I did taste some of the mint. This wine just didn't do enough for me to want to come back and buy some.