Family Wine Dinner - Easter in Pennsylvania

This year my family and I were able to get together and have a nice dinner with lots of wine! It has been a really long time since this many of us have been able to be together for a holiday so it was really special. 

This is the table that my aunt and my mom set up in the morning with a nice little Easter basket full of Peeps, chocolate Easter bunnies and nonpareils. 

The family all raise a glass to Geography of Wine!

We had three particular wines with dinner that we were all able to taste and see which paired best with which food. For the food we had filet for the meat, green beans with garlic and butter, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, fresh rolls, roasted carrots and salad with a honey vinaigrette. The first wine that I tasted with the meat was the Citra Montepulicano D'Abruzzo. This is a 2012 vintage from Italy and was very good with the meat. It was a fairly dry wine but was very balanced. The meat was able to bring out more of the dark berries and cherries that were in the wine instead of just having a dry aftertaste of your palate. When trying it with the vegetables it mixed well with the sweet carrots but was a little too over powering for the salad since it did not really have too many other ingredients in it other than lettuce and some nuts.

Aunt Kim is pouring herself a glass of the Citra Montepulicano D'Abruzzo.

The second wine that I tried was the Fulkerson Diamond, which is a 2012 vintage from the great lakes region in New York. My aunt and uncle are from that area so I was able to actually go to the winery and taste this wine there over winter break, but I had not tried it with any food. On its own it is a very sweet wine and tastes just like big juicy green grapes. Its nose is very crisp and refreshing with floral and perfume like aromas. I thought I had liked this wine on its own, but then having it with food I loved it even more. When trying it with the meat, the sweetness was toned down quiet a bit, therefore being able to actually taste all the grapeiness and fruit in the wine instead of just sugar. It is a very light wine so it went really well with the salad as well as the green beans. There was not a funny aftertaste in the wine when trying it with food, there was more of a fresh palate cleanse when taking a sip of this wine with food.

The third wine that we had was Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a 2011 vintage from Chile. This wine was my favorite that went with the beef and the rest of the meal. The nose was deep, rich and slightly peppery, but I could still get cherries and plum out of it. I could taste strawberries and cherries but it was also slightly peppery and hot. The meat was a little peppery so the strawberry and cherry flavors were really brought out to be able to taste the complexity and feel the smoothness of the wine. The only food that was on the table that did not really pair well with any of the wines were the deviled eggs, which is not really surprising. Most of the wines that we had were fairly bold wines that went really well with red meat, so eggs really were not the best food to try and pair a wine with.

Although the eggs did not really pair well with wine, they were very good.

Last but certainly not least was dessert. In our family dessert is the most favored part of dinner so of course we have it right away. We had carrot cake and a berry tart type of dessert. I had a piece of the carrot cake, which was really sweet and paired it with the Fulkerson Diamond. I was incredibly surprised because it was actually not very good at all. Since the cake was so sweet, it took all of the sweetness out of the wine and made it fairly tart. Instead of the sweet green grapes that it was before, it was more of unripened green grapes. My Nana tried the berry dessert with and had a little of the Citra and thought that it was delicious. She said that the sweetness of the dessert made the wine really smooth and she could really taste more of the berries in the wine. She was also about 3 glasses of wine in by the time dessert came around. Over all this was the best wine pairing experience that I have had so far.

My mom, brother and myself after dinner

I was able to see my family whom I have not been able to see in a long time and we all learned a little something that we did not know before about food and wine. I am excited to be able to have more family wine dinners and see what the rest of them think about other wines as well as how they think they pair with food.

Happy Easter!

Tasting - Heinz Eifel Shine Reisling

Name: Heinz Eifel Shine
Variety: Reisling
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany
Year: NV
Price: $9.95

Winery Review: This dryer styled Reisling is bright, fruity and floral with crisp acidity and clean flavors of apple, pear and peach that compliment its stony minerality and earthy complexity. It serves well as an aperitif and matches a wide variety of foods, like lighter salad dishes, shellfish, cream sauces and also anything with a touch of spice.

My Review: I am generally a big reisling fan and this is nothing that diverts from that. It has a very crisp and refreshing nose with some lemons and other citrus flavors, along with some honey. In addition to that it also smelled a little like stream water. It was very fruity on the palate but not a typical sweet Reisling. It was more like a tart apple that had a little bite but still sweet. I would like to try this wine with a Caesar Salad to see how well it compliments it.

I did not taste this wine with food.
 

Tasting - Atlas Cumbres Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Atlas Cumbres
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Lagarde
Country: Argentina
Year:  2010
Price: $15

Winery Review: Intense red color with violet highlights, with clean, fresh and complex aromas of berries, plums, figs and pepper. Strong personality is in perfect balance with a medium body and pleasant tannins. Ideal for: red meats, cheeses and strong sauces.

My Review: I was not a huge fan of this wine because it was a little too bold for me. It was a very pretty deep red color when it was poured into the glass and had a very strong spicy nose. It smelled a little musty and some dried fruits. As soon as I tasted it I thought that it was fairly complex, but was very nicely balanced because it was not over the top with tannins or acid. I think that I would like this wine much better with some strong cheese or something to be able to take some of the dryness away.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Name: Georges DuBoeuf
Variety: Gamay
Region: Beaujolais Nouveau
Country: France
Year: NV
Price: $14

Winery Review: Balanced and lightly creamy, offering pretty flavors of plum sauce and raspberry coulis threaded with hints of ground spice. Elegant, with a floral finish. Drink now.


My Review: When this wine was poured into the glass it had a beautiful dark ruby reddish purple color, almost like opening a can of beets. The nose was strong with warm berries and spices, something like my mom would make to pour over pancakes. It was a lot smoother than I had expected it to be, but still had a nice balance of tannic structure. It was rich with juicy plums and blueberries.
I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Bricco dei Tati Rose

Name: Bricco dei Tati
Variety: Rose
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Fresh with aromas of strawberries, cherries and rose petals. This is ideal with shellfish, salads, chicken and with appetizers.

My Review: I am a huge fan of Rose because I think that they are typically easy to drink and are very fresh, which would be indicative on a nice spring day. This Rose was slightly tart, which I really liked and had a very strong floral nose of roses and fresh flowers from the garden. It was very fresh berry tasting, especially strawberries, almost enough to think I needed to put some whipped cream on top of it.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Frascati Volpetti

Name: Frascati Volpetti
Variety: Volpetti
Region: Malvasia Trebbiano, Greco
Country: Itlay
Year: NV
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Straw yellow in color with a soft, delicate perfume, fruitful flavor, dry and harmonious taste. Perfect with appetizers, soups, fish.

My Review: I have never had this variety of wine so I thought that it was a little different but I really enjoyed it. It had a very floral nose of violets and soft yellow roses. It was slightly dry but had a nice fruity finish with juicy apples and pears.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Toso Moscato

Name: Toso
Variety: Moscato
Region: Piemonte
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $9.95

Winery Review: This Moscato is reminiscent of honeysuckle and rose petal. The quality is equivalent to a top level Asti Spumante DOCG. Sweet sparkling wine obtained from a careful selection of the Moscato grapes. It has a pale yellow color with fine foam and bubbles. Tropical fruit flavors, refreshing. Excellent to match desserts, fruit and dried pastries.

My Review: I am usually a big fan of Moscato and this was a good one! It was sparkling which gave it some personality. It was very floral and peachy on the nose. I thought that it was very sweet just like honeysuckles and flowers. It was sweet but not overly sweet and had a dryer finish than expected which was nice.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - El Sierro Tempranillo/Cab

Name: El Sierro
Variety: Tempranillo/Cab
Region: Valencia
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $7.95

Winery Review: Dark ruby in color with rich aromas of red fruit and light spices. It is a real knock out with delicious flavors of dark cherries, blackberries and vanilla all perfectly integrated. The Tempranillo provides wonderful spice and fruit, while the Cabernet Sauvignon gives structure and depth wiht the beautiful use of oak.

My Review: This wine is 80% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and has a very bold dark color. The nose was spicy and dark fruit smelling. I thought that it was a little tangy with some black pepper in it. It was a lot of dark blackberries and dark berries but also fairly spicy.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Omo Ze Bel Merlot

Name: Omo Ze Bel
Variety: Merlot
Region: Sicily
Country: Italy
Year: NV
Price: $6.95

Winery Review: This bright soft Merlot comes from a hilly vineyard on the Alcesti family estate in beautiful Sicily. It has hints of red cherries and freshly cut hay. Exceptional value.

My Review: The color was really bold in the glass and was really pretty as it was swirled around. It was very spicy and cherry all at the same time. Even thought it was spicy it was also very smooth but had a very full body. I typically am not a fan of Merlot but this one was very good. It was slightly tannic on the finish but good overall.
I did not taste this wine with food.
 

Tasting - Atlas Cumbres Torrontes

Name: Atlas Cumbres
Variety: Torrontes
Region: Salta
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $5.95

Winery Review: Yellow color with greenish nuances. Very intense aroma of fresh grapes, flower perfume and mature peaches. Fresh in the mouth. Light and easy to drink. Ideal for seafood, Thai and Chinese food.

My Review: The nose was very lemony and it had a very pretty color that had a lemon lime color to it. It was slightly grassy and was a very dry but light wine. I tasted a lot of green grapes on my palate as well. I really enjoyed this wine.

I did not taste this wine with food.

 

Tasting - Avery Quinn Chardonnay

Name: Avery Quinn
Variety: Chardonnay
Region: Napa, California
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Price:  $6.95

Winery Review: The 2011 vintage marks a return for this great value Chardonnay. The aromas feature creamy, mellow, golden apple, pineapple, fresh butter and a touch of vanilla. Then rich, ripe, flavors of yellow pear, pineapple, fresh apple, cream and buttered toast swell up and fill your mouth before a juicy, apple and caramel inflected finish makes your mouth water (and smile!).

My Review: I got a very green apple and fruity nose. The color was very golden and looked almost like gasoline in the glass. I thought that it was a very floral palate and was very sweet at first but then slightly tart. It was a little too buttery for me but there were small hints of vanilla that added a nice touch.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Decoy
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Sonoma Country
Country: USA
Price: $20.95
Year: 2012

Winery Review: Alluring black cherry and raspberry jam aromas, as well as more subtle notes of nutmeg, spice and chocolate. On the palate, lovely layers of raspberry and plum are supported by excellent structure and seamlessly integrated oak.

My Review: When this was poured in the glass it was a really pretty magenta purple color. There were big aromas of black cherry as well as strawberries. Plum and black cherry were very evident on the palate. It was a very smooth wine but had just the right amount of clove and spice.

I did not taste this wine with food.

 

Tasting - Decoy Merlot

Name: Decoy
Variety: Merlot
Region: Sonoma County
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $20.95

Winery Review: Aromas of strawberry compote, plum and cherry wood are supported by hints of clove and cinnamon from the well integrated oak. The red fruit continues on the palate with layers of fresh strawberry and raspberry. Bright acid lengthens the finish, which concludes with soft, mature tannins.

My Review: I have not had that many Merlots but I really enjoyed this wine. It had a bold and fruity nose. It was fairly dry on the palate but a very smooth finish. It was full of dark cherries and plums with spices in the background. I think this wine is a little pricy for what it is but a decent wine.
I did not taste this wine with food.
 

Tasting - Urban Ribera Tinta del Pais

Name: Urban Ribera
Variety: Tinta del Pais
Region: Ribera del Duero
Country: Spain
Year: 2009
Price: $14.95

Winery Review: The 2009 Urban Ribera, from what looks to be a great vintage, was aged in oak for 4 months. Deep purple in color with an inviting perfume of violets, Asian spices, black cherry, and blackberry, on the palate it is layered, plush, and intense. While likely to evolve for 1-2 years, this outstanding value can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-6 years.

My Review: The first part of this wine that I noticed was its intense magenta color that beautifully stained the glass. The nose was very rich of dark berries and earthyness. It was slightly spicy and a very bold wine that I thought was slightly too dry for my taste, but the flavors of dark cherries and currents really showed through the wine.

I did not taste this wine with food.

Tasting - Decoy Pinot Noir

Name: Decoy
Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Sonoma County
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $20.95

Winery Review: Lovely aromas of ripe strawberry and raspberry, as well as subtle notes of sandalwood and spice. On the palate, it is elegantly structured with abundant red fruit, excellent mid-palate weight and a lingering finish with a hint of fresh earth.

My Review: I am a really big fan of pinot noir and I enjoyed this one a lot. The nose was like a bowl of fresh strawberries with some hints of light cherries. It had a very berry palate and was a perfect combination of light tannins and acidic structure to make it a medium dryness, but not too much.
I did not taste this wine with food.
 

Tasting - Decoy Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Decoy
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Sonoma Country
Country: USA
Year: 2012
Price: $16.95

Winery Review: Vibrant and fruit forward expression of Sauvignon Blanc with abundant aromas of pineapple, honeydew, lime leaves and lemon zest. The fruit continues on the palate, which is full and round with ripe melon flavors and bright refreshing acidity. It lingers in your mouth before ending with a hint of citrus zest.

My Review: The nose on this wine was very refreshing and crisp with a lot of melon and juicy fruits. It was a little too citrusy for me but had a nice melon and pineapple palate that was refreshing.
I did not taste this wine with food.