Evan Hudgins Wine Blog

This week I decided to do a wine/cheese pairing with a few friends in class with me.  We had 3 different types of cheese, 2 red wines, and a white wine.  We had three rounds of pairing, one round for each wine.  For each round we got a slice of the three cheeses to see how it paired with the wine.  This was my first experience with this kind of pairing and, to my surprise, there were definitely some pairs I much preferred over others. The wines: Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio, Decoy Pinot Noir, and Robert Mondavi Merlot.  All three are 100% their respective grapes and are 2015 vintage. Turning Leaf California Pinot Grigio - this wine does not have any particularly strong aromas or flavors that are out of the ordinary.  I tasted many of the typical fruit flavors in white wine as well as some of the minerals and acidity that usually accompanies a pinot grigio.  Although these aspects were present, there were none that stood out to me in particular besides the lack of minerals and acidit

Name: Chateau Blouin Bordeaux 2014 Variety: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Bordeaux Country: France Year: 2014 Price: $11 "Produced in the Entre-deux-Mers region, this light, fresh wine has young tannins and stalky black-currant flavors. It is crisp with lively acidity and a juicy aftertaste." - www.winemag.com This wine has a very fruity aroma and isn't as full bodied as I expected.  Very fruity and lighter-bodied for a Bordeaux.  The acidity and crisp had some sips reminding me of a white wine.  This wine would pair very well with cheese but could also be easily consumed without food.  I would definitely recommend for a nice night glass of wine while watching a movie.  In the right setting, I would recommend Chateau Blouin to anyone!

Name: Trapiche Oak Cast Cabernet Sauvignon Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Mendoza Country: Argentina Year: 2015 Price: $13 "Ruby color. Fruity aromas and flavors of mixed berry jelly, cork board, and pie crusts with a medium body and a peppery, delightful, medium-length juicy cassis and sanguine, honey covered panna cotta, allspice, and cigar box finish with clunky tannins. A nice cab with a big oak presence." -www.tastings.com Very powerful aromas of fruit, pepper, and honey.  The usual fruit flavors but I also tasted a smoky finish that isn't as common among reds.  I agree about the clunky tannins but I thought it was more full-bodied than medium-bodied.  I didn't pair it with food but I wish I would have.  Good wine but a little more full-bodied than I prefer.  I would recommend to someone looking to pair with a heavy meal such as steak. 

Name: Bourgogne Pinot Noir Variety: 100% Pinot Noir Region: Burgundy Country: France Year: 2014 Price: $9 Review: " Colour pale ruby, medium legs on the glass. Aromas, cherry, cranberry, raspberry, pomegranate and dried herbs. Taste fruity, medium body, low tannin, mouthwatering acidity and low alcohol. A classic Pinot Noir from Burgogne table wine easy drinking. I like this wine as an introduction to French Pinot Noir" -www.nataliemclean.com Definitely got the berry smell and taste. Medium balance with medium tannins and not much acidity. I agree it is easy drinking table wine. Not as light in the body as some reds, but certainly not a full bodied red by any means. Very good mixture of taste, tannin, acidity, and alcohol. Every drink left me wanting another. One of my favorite reds I have tasted. 

Name: Leese-Fitch California Zinfandel Variety: 100% Zinfandel Region: Sonoma, California Country: USA Year: 2015 Price: $10 Review: " Flavorful and smooth in texture, this wine smells almost floral, with fruity and spicy notes like cloves. Full of ripe plum and raisin flavors, it has full body and a broad, soft feeling in the mouth." - www.winemag.com I don't agree that this is a full bodied red. It is sweeter than many other reds and balanced at a lower level. Because of this, it is very easy to drink with or without food and satisfies either way. I definitely taste the fruit and floral, but not really the spice. Perhaps this will come with more experience. Many other reds I have drank are fuller bodied and balanced higher. I would recommend to anyone wanting a nice glass to enjoy the wine itself.