Dinner - On a Budget

While this review may be the epitome of struggling in college, I had a blast making it and couldn't have done it in a more cost-effective manner. I was able to buy some pretty nice wines from Kroger on sale, and pair them with one of my favorite budget dishes, a cookout tray.

The tray contained a double cheeseburger (with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard), a honey mustard chicken wrap, and cajun fries. While it may look a bit tired in this photo, trust me, the flavors were alive.

The first wine I decided to crack open and try was the 2014 Cline Zinfandel from Lodi, California. I truly did enjoy this wine a lot. It only cost me $9.79 for a 750mL bottle, and I say only because it tasted like a very fine wine (to my inexperienced palate). The wine was very fruity upon smell and taste with what I would call a medium body. I enjoyed the extra flavors it brought to the meat on my burger as well as the new flavors it helped expose within the cajun fries. It was a bit clashing with the honey mustard on the wrap however. All in all, this wine paired very well.

The next wine I decided to pair with my dishes was the 2015 Big House Wine Co Pinot Grigio. While I usually like Pinot Grigio, this $7.79 bottle of wine disappointed me. I am not familiar enough with wine to say, but I upon tasting the wine a few times, I kept tasting yogurt. And I mean, a very strong flavor of yogurt to the point that it was almost as if I was eating a plain Dannon's yogurt cup. I didn't find it pleasing with either the burger or the cajun fries, but it did mesh very nicely with the honey mustard and tortilla combo of the chicken wrap. To sum up, I would not recommend buying this wine.

The last wine I decided to pair with my dinner was something I had never tried before, a sparkling red. The 375mL bottle I chose was a 2014 Rose Regale from Piedmont, Italy. This wine was very interesting to me, but I don't think I will buy it again. When I first began drinking wine, I liked champagne and the bubbles within it. Now, I feel that the bubbles turn me off, especially because of the fact it was so sweet. I tasted and smelled flowers and sweet fruits. It paired well with the sweet honey mustard chicken wrap, but definitely was not a good match for the spicy cajun fries. I wouldn't say it was good or bad with my cheeseburger. I feel it paired well with parts of the burger, like the cheese, but didn't go too well with all of the ingredients. After this experience, I think I will stay away from rose.

While this may be the cheapest meal I could find, I tried to spend a decent buck on my wines to get somewhat of an experience. All in all, I had a blast trying all of these wines, especially with a meal that I always get because it gave me a new angle on the flavors. I cannot wait to make another review!

Tasting - "Cline" Zinfandel

Name: Cline
Variety: Zinfandel
Region: Lodi, California
Country: USA
Year: 2014
Price: $9.79 for a 750ml bottle at Kroger

Personal Review: Upon uncorking the bottle, I smelt fruit on the cork and proceed to pour myself a glass. As I tried the wine, I got a medium-body feel as well as some dark fruit flavors. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine with a dinner, as it did a fine job of complimenting the meat on my burger and the spice to my Cajun-seasoned french fries. The wine had a nice color, as it was not too dark or light. I was very glad that I was able to find this bottle on sale.

Critic Review: "Delight your palate with the smooth complexity of supple tannins that mingle with flavors of dark berry, black cherry, strawberry, spice notes, and a lasting vanilla finish. Selecting fruit for the Lodi Zinfandel program is a daunting task; the primary focus is harmony, with an emphasis on early drinkability and an elegant structure. The 2014 vintage of the Lodi Zinfandel continues to draw from 11 superb Zinfandel vineyards. The grapes come to us from the famous Zinfandel growing area of Lodi where warm days and cool nights have ripened Zinfandel to perfection for over 100 years." - Cline Cellars

Tasting - "Night Harvest" by R.H. Phillips

Name: Night Harvest
Variety: American Cabarnet Sauvignon
Region: Acampo, California
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Price: $9.79 for a 750ml bottle

Personal Review: After uncorking the bottle, I smelled some vinegar on the cork and proceeded to pour a glass. The wine smelled fruity to me and upon my first sip, I instantly loved the wine. It had some some harsh tannin taste with a very smooth finish. I tasted some more fruits and berries in the wine. The wine had an awesome color and a medium body. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. 

Critic Review: "This is the kind of inexpensive Cabernet you can serve at big parties. It's dry and full-bodied, with simple blackberry and cherry flavors leading to a spicy finish." - Wine Enthusiast 

Tasting - Yosemite Road Pinot Grigio

Name: Yosemite Road
Variety: 51% American Pinot Grigio and 49% Colombard
Region: Livermore, California and Ripon, California
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $4.99 on sale at 7/11

Personal Review: My poorest decision of last Wednesday is that I decided to buy the cheapest bottle of wine that I could find at 711. Even though this bottle was only $4.99 plus tax, I would not purchase it again. It lacked any sort of powering flavor to me. In the scent and initial taste I got some pear and then tasted a little bit of oak I believe. It quickly began just tasting watery and depressed, lacking any real body or flavor. The color was very clear and unconvincing. I felt like I was drinking the Keystone Light of wines. I wasn't surprised under further inspection to find out that 711 actually produces this wine themselves to compete with Barefoot wine buyers.

Critic Review: "The Yosemite had more off-tastes than some of the Trader Joe Two Buck Chucks I’ve tried, which are just thin and watery as opposed to off-putting. It didn’t seem as well done as Walmart’s $3 wine, but I haven’t tasted that one in almost two years. And I’ve had some $6 wines, like Barefoot, which aren’t appreciably better than any of these." - Wine Curmudgeon 

Tasting - "Two Vines"

Name: "Two Vines"
Variety: Merlot-Cabernet
Region: Columbia Valley, California
Country: USA
Year: 2013
Price: $7.79 on sale at Kroger

BLEND: 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
TOTAL ACIDITY 0.47 g/100 mL
PH: 3.86
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 13.5%
BARREL AGING: 10-11 months
FERMENTAION: 6-10 days on skins

Critic Review: "The Cabernet Franc matches well with the Merlot in this blend. Dark fruits and polished tannins elevate this well-defined wine. It has no frills but plenty of flavor." - winemag.com

Personal Review: I was able to enjoy this wine with three kinds of food pairings. I had soy ginger tacos from Cabo Fish Taco, with a side of loaded jalapeno mashers. I also had a burrito bowl from Qdoba to pair with the wine. This wine tasting truly showed me how much flavor wine ACTUALLY brings out of food. I was able to taste the herbs and spices within the burrito bowl like I had never been able to before. The wine also complimented the soy ginger shrimp very well; however, the contrast between the spice of the jalapeno and the neutral flavor of the potatoes, I was not a fan of pairing the wine with the mashers. The wine tasted and smelt very fruity to me. I was not able to pick out particular flavors as I am still learning, but I did for sure taste LOTS of different flavors with this meal.

Tasting - "Rex-Goliath"

Name: Rex-Goliath
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Acampo, California
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Price: $5.95 on sale at Kroger

Critic Review: "A whiff of a plastic, chemical note mars the simple black cherry and earth aromas. The palate is fruity but flat and dull up front. Chocolate and cola at the back of the midpalate sitting on a ripple of acidity give the wine some life carrying through the short but pleasant finish. Tannins are very soft. A touch of sweetness but not too cloying, the balance assisted by that tart note that creeps in to remind you that this is wine, not grape juice.

Another decent but unremarkable wine, it isn’t big and juicy but also avoids excessive sweetness. If you’re not allergic to a mildly tart finish you might find this refreshing.

The last time I checked in with this wine they were sourcing grapes from Chile. These grapes are at least 75% American. It’s basically the same flavor profile but slightly less oaky than in the past." Source: https://foodandwineaesthetics.com/2017/01/27/wine-review-rex-goliath-cabernet-sauvignon-nv-american/

Personal Review: I personally enjoyed this wine. At first, all I could smell was vinegar. But upon tasting and resmelling, I could smell some cherry as well. I tasted lots of chocolate and cherry in the in the wine. It was what I think to be a medium body, medium viscosity. It was not too dry and left me very content. I would like to try and pair it with some other foods.

Wine Tasting - February 2

*Note: I accidentally only "saved" this blog post instead of "publishing" it to the page, it was from 2/4.

This Thursday I made it out to the Vintage Cellar to my first wine tasting. At the tasting, they were serving five wines: a Soave, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir, a Malbec, and a Gewurztraminer. Before this tasting, I had only drank wine with the intention of tasting it about two times so it is still new and honestly, very hard for me.

The first wine was a Prime Brume Soave made from 2015 Garganega grapes. It is from Soave, Italy and only costs $6.95 a bottle. I honestly enjoyed this wine; however, the pourer skimped me a bit so I didn't really get my 2 oz. Either way, the wine was dry, which I usually like, but it still was fruity to me. I couldn't truly point to one specific fruit, but it was definitely full of flavor.

The second wine was a Douglas Hill Sauvignon Blanc from 2014. This was made in California and only costs $5.95 a bottle. This wine was not bad to me, but it was just not my favorite. It seemed sweet and balanced, but I think it lacked some sort of punch. It smelled like citrus to me, but I didn't get much back on the taste.

The third wine was a Grand Cru Pinot Noir from 2014. This wine is also made in California and also costs $5.95 a bottle. To begin, I traditionally do not like red wines, but I did like this wine. It seemed to be thicker in viscosity than the previous two white wines I had tried. I smelled cherry and a little bit of spice when I tried it. I definitely tasted some more cherry when I tried it, but it was not too much. I really enjoyed this wine because I see my palate expanding with it.

The fourth wine was an El Ganador Malbec from 2015. This wine was made in Mendoza, Argentina and costs $7.95 a bottle. Again, I am not usually a fan of red wines and I was not really a fan of this wine. It didn't make me want to stop sipping it, but it just did not do the trick for me. I got a lot of plum tastes and smells and wasn't really feeling it. A lot of others at the table said they enjoyed it however.

Lastly, the fifth wine was a Crane Lake Gewurztraminer from California. This wine costs $5.95 a bottle and was quite good in my opinion. I really enjoyed the light, peachy taste that stuck around in your mouth after. This is definitely a wine that I will buy and try to pair a dinner in the future. Again, I felt a bit skimped on this pour, but maybe it is just because the wine has me coming back wanting more.