Food and Wine Pairings: Sally's Cake Batter Blondies and Moscato D'Asti

What better way to follow a post on beer than with a post on dessert - dessert and wine pairings to be exact! With that statement, I guess I may finally know what it's like to be a politician. Why? Because by posting on food and wine pairings (especially a dessert pairing), I swear I am contradicting an earlier posting where I decidedly disapproved of dessert pairings. 

If I did, I now stand corrected. I have recently attended a couple food and wine pairings that have forced me to reevaluate my stance on dessert pairings. 

Sally's Cake Batter Blondies

Recently, one of my sorority sisters and fellow blogger posted a recipe for Sally's Cake Batter Blondies, check out her full and the recipe here. Frankly, the minute I heard "cake batter," I was sold. But, then again, I was a bit weary. Honestly, cake batter based blondies are not my forte. I usually tend to add too much milk, resulting in a weird cake-brownie cross. But this recipe seemed so delicious (and easy) I had to give them a try. 

The result: buttery deliciousness. Seriously. This dessert was so decadent, I am almost afraid I am losing my sweet tooth. (Not quite!) So after tasting this delicious dessert, my first thought was - what wine would pair well with this? 

Mia Dolcea Moscato D'Asti

Where it's From?  Moscato D'Asti is easy to remember where it's from because has it's origin in the name! This wine was produced in Asti, which is part of the Piedmont wine region of northwestern Italy.

Grapes?  Moscato, also known as the Muscat grape.

My Thoughts.  Who would have thought that I would be advocating for Moscato on the blog. Moscato is very trendy right now, but it also makes a delicious dessert wine. I like it because it usually has some effervescence, or is even frizzante in style, which definitely livens up any dessert. Plus, it typically has a perfume like aroma of orange blossom, honeysuckle, citrus, and honeyed apricots that is definitely addicting. The Mia Dolcea Moscato was light and refreshing, with a juicy peach or apricot aroma that finished with a sweet honey flavor. The finish was definitely complimented by the buttery sweetness from the blondie. Together, the two made a truly decadent dessert that is worth repeating.

Looking forward to your comments on Moscato or wine and dessert pairings!

Cheers!

Benchmark Wine Tasting Class: Aromatic Whites

Back in mid-January, I had the privilege to participate in a Benchmark Wine Tasting at Penn State University with the Penns Woods Winery crew. Needless to say, for a wine-nerd like me, it was an awesome experience! First of all, I got to taste approximately 30 different wines - made with different varietals and produced in different regions. But as an added bonus, it was interesting (and somewhat refreshing) to not be the biggest wine nerd in the room!

This series will discuss the wines that were tasted and provided an overview of the region and/or grape of each wine. To keep the posts (relatively) short, the series will be broken up into multiple posts, organized by the flights we tasted. First up, we tasted a flight of aromatic whites, including three Rieslings and two Gewürztraminers. I will also discuss the two Moscatos that we tasted at the end of the day, since Moscato (while sweet) is typically a highly aromatic white wine.

(Above are some of the labels we tried. These images are intended to identify the producer and not necessarily the specify wine/vintage).

So what is the definition of aromatic?

Webster's tells us that, generally, the term "aromatic" means "having a pleasant and distinctive smell." But, we know know that when it comes to wine - everything has multiple definitions. When I hear aromatic, I think white wine. I expect a strong, fruit-forward or almost floral, aroma from the wine. Officially speaking, wine professionals agree the most common winemaking techniques used in the production of "aromatic wines" include: fermentation in stainless steel or concrete and harvesting the grapes later in the harvest to yield high acidity and low alcohol wines.

So what should you look for in the wine store if you want an aromatic white? The most popular varietals include: Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Viognier. For now, our discussions will stick to a comparison of Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Moscato.

Photo Source. The International Riesling Foundation (a fine foundation indeed!)

Riesling.

Call me a broken record, but Riesling has a bad rep... especially in the United States. Americans either love it or hate it, but most assume its a honeyed sugar bomb. I can not say it enough -- drop the Riesling assumptions and taste with an open mind. The blog has discussed Riesling a few times, check out the feature here, but we have yet to dedicate a full tasting to this noble grape. Before I give you my thoughts on the individual Rieslings, remember the grape's best qualities, including:

• Ability to withstand cooler climates, 
• Notably food friendly, and
• Light body and naturally high acidity.

Nimble Hill Riesling 2011

Where it's from. Pennsylvania, specifically Sugar Holland Vineyard.

My Thoughts. The room was amazed at the complexity of this Pennsylvania Riesling. I thought it was tart (in a good way), astringent and high acidity, with flavors of stone fruit and citrus.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2011

Where it's from. Columbia Valley, Washington.

My Thoughts. This wine was tart as well, but not nearly as astringent when tasted. The group thought it tasted of citrus, grapefruit and even petrol. (not sure where some get this taste from - I'm looking into it!)

S.A. Prum Kabinett Riesling 2009

Where it's from. Mosel, Germany.

My Thoughts. I think one of the reasons Americans (and wine-drinkers internationally) fear Riesling is the ever-daunting German wine label. Germans are nothing if not thorough, and so are the wine labels. So when you see "Kabinett" on the label, remember that the wine was made with late harvest grapes that can be semi-sweet or dry (trocken). When I tasted this wine, I was definitely intrigued. When I heard "Kabinett" I assumed it would be on the sweeter side - I was so wrong. It had a subtle sweet apple flavor without the overpowering honey.

Photo Source.

Gewürztraminer.

Gewürztraminer is distinguishable from Riesling because it has only moderate acidity and is full-bodied. It's primarily grown in the Alsace region of France. I notice the prominent bouquet of aromas from this grape, including: rose, passion fruit and lychee. 

Paul Buecher Gewürztraminer 2011

Where it's From. Alsace, France.

My Thoughts. This wine was awesome. It had a powerful floral aroma including rose and honeysuckle. But the taste was completely different from the aroma. It had an almost hoppy flavor, spicy up front with a mellow finish.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewürztraminer 2010

Where it's From. Columbia Valley, Washington.

My Thoughts. This wine was mild in flavor. Drinkable but nothing to write home about.

Photo Source. 

Moscato.

"Moscato" is the Italian name for the Muscat grape. It is known for making semi-sweet, lightly sparkling, and low alcohol wines

Montefiori Moscato

Where it's From. Piedmont, Italy. Moscato is most commonly grown near the northern town of Asti (hence the term Moscato D'Asti, meaning Moscato from Asti).

My Thoughts. This wine totally surprised me. As a fan of red wine and dryer reds I was expected to not enjoy this wine. But I loved it! (As did most of the room). It had a beautiful aroma of rose water, honeysuckle and lemon. It tasted similarly to it's smell and was wonderfully fresh. We compared it to Barefoot Moscato, which even given the price, was flat and less enjoyable than the Montefiori version.

All in all -- it was a great day of tasting wine! Stand by for follow up posts from this benchmark tasting series!

Cheers!

Wine and Chocolate: The Results!

Wine and Chocolate: The results are in!

In honor of the Oscars, I figured I would share the results of the latest Enthusiasts wine tasting! And - oh my! - will the results surprise you! This week the Enthusiasts tasted wine with chocolate and below are the list of wines we paired with chocolate and some comments from the group:

(1) Trader Joe's House Chardonnay

About the wine:

a.k.a. "formerly known as two buck chuck." Since the tasting was based pairings with chocolate, we tried to save money where we could on wine. This chardonnay is known for its pear aroma, medium body, and perfect price.

Paired with:

 White Chocolate

Comments from the group:

 Most of the group was surprised how much they liked this pairing and how the buttery aspects of the wine and chocolate were featured when paired together.

(2) Trader Joe's House Sauvignon Blanc

About the wine:

 See above, but with a touch of acidity and bright fruit.

Paired with:

White chocolate

Comments from the group:

 No one in the group disliked this pairing, however, it wasn't anything to write home about and most felt white chocolate and chardonnay paired better.

(3) Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel

About the wine:

 On its own - this was a great wine worth mentioning to friends. It had everything you want in a zinfandel - a well rounded taste with spice and berries.

Paired with:

 Dark Chocolate

Comments from the group:

 Many in the group thought this was a weird pairing. In fact, most thought the flavors of the wine clashed with chocolate. Ultimately, the group concluded that perhaps zinfandel generally does not pair well with chocolate.

(4) Mark West Pinot Noir

About the wine:

Most reviews on this wine salute its balanced taste and affordable price. Its aroma includes cherry and plum. The taste includes ripe cherry, plum, strawberry and earthiness.

Paired with:

 Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate.

Comments from the group:

 Generally, the group thought both pairings tasted nice and balanced. Most concluded pinot noir is a great red to pair with chocolate.

(5) Dante Merlot

About the wine:

 This lovely merlot has an aroma of raspberry, strawberry, cherry and vanilla spice. The taste is bold upfront with bold red fruit and a pleasant tart cherry finish.

Paired with:

 Dark Chocolate.

Comments from the group:

 Despite the group's apprehension for chocolate paired with red wine, many in the group enjoyed this pairing. In fact, I thought the dark chocolate actually enhanced some bold fruit flavors in the merlot - one of my favorite pairings!

(6) Trader Joe's House Cabernet Sauvignon

About the wine:

 See above - drinkable, affordable, red, with bold fruit flavor.

Paired with:

 Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate

Comments from the group:

 Similar results as with the pinot noir - both chocolates paired well with this wine. 

(7) Dr. Hans Von

M

üller Riesling

About the wine:

Check out the label - there is a lot to see and learn! First, what is Mosel? Well, its foremost a river in southeastern Germany and the wine region is known for producing some of the most famous rieslings around. The soil in this region varies from sandstone/limestone to clay slate and stone. This terrior plays a major role in the famous acidity and balancing sweetness of riesling. Second, what is auslese? Translated from German, it means "selected harvest." Generally, it describes a category of German wine that is very sweet, made from late-harvested grapes.

Paired with:

Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate

Comments from the group:

 Most in the group enjoyed riesling pair with milk chocolate and said it emphasized a buttery taste. However, riesling paired with dark chocolate was everyone's favorite! The dark chocolate brought out the fruit flavor of the wine.

(8) Old Vine Tawny

About the wine: 

The good thing about the Enthusiasts

 is that the group can taste new wines and learn what they love - and what they don't. While the label describes this wine as a murky brick red color with spiced berry and ripe plum flavors. Unfortunately, the group only seemed to notice a murky flavor and it did get better when paired with chocolate.

Paired with:

 Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate.

Comments from the group:

Do not recommend this wine to a friend :(

(9) Girl Go Lightly Moscato

About the wine:

I was very excited to open this wine for two reasons: (1) the label is so freaking cute. I know what your thinking - c'mon Kelley how can a wine enthusiast like you get hung up on the label. True, I generally urge my friends that the quality of the wine is in no way associated with the label art. However, sometimes the label is a little piece of art in its own right and is worth mentioning, and (2) its the first time the Enthusiast! gets to discuss Moscato! 

Moscato is actually made from the muscat grape variety. This grape is known for its pronounced sweet aroma and multiple varieties and synonyms. For example, Muscat is known in Spanish as Moscatel, and Moscato in Italian.

Paired with:

 White Chocolate

Comments from the group:

 The group thought this wine paired nicely with white chocolate!

And the award goes to... wine and chocolate!

Cheers!