Jonathan's Wine Blog VT

Dinner - Steak dinner with sides of roasted carrots, mashed potatoes, and yeast rolls: After going home to see my family, we wanted to celebrate our gathering as a family with a large meal and wine! My family was celebrating my return home so I felt I could give back by cooking them a meal and pairing it with some phenomenal wines. From the commissary, my dad and I purchased a beef tenderloin to eat along with some carrots, and mashed potatoes. After thinking of this meal, I did some additional research to see what wines would go well with each dish. After my research and going over some good pairings, I decided to pair a Cotes de Rhone blend with the tenderloin, a Les Portes de Bordeaux with the mashed potatoes, and a dry riesling to pair with the savory roasted carrots! Our three wines - Les Portes de Bordeaux 2011, Cotes Du Rhone 2019, and Emma Reichart Dry Riesling 2022. Dinner Spread - Beef tenderloin, savory roasted carrots, mashed potatoes with heavy garlic and cream, and yeast ...

Name: Casillero del Diablo 2021 Red Blend Variety: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carmenere Region: Central Valley, Chile Country: Chile Year: 2021 Price: $9 Online Review: " The  2017 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Reserva Red Blend  begins with abundant aromas of black fruit with a touch of green pepper, a little anise, and some licorice and chocolate notes. The wine tastes very smooth with soft tannins and flavors that mimic the nose with a bit more oak apparent, but there's still tons of rich fruit. It's quite a satisfying blend. On the long finish, the sweet fruit gives way to more spice, chocolate, and licorice. While there's quite a bit of sweetness on the palate and finish, it handles it well and does the very popular semi-sweet red blend style proud without feeling manufactured." Wine Folly: Pg. 91 - Camenere grapes - One of the grape varieties in the blend is known as a more herbally and peppercorn-flavored form of Merlot grape. It is known to be pr...

Name: Josh 2021 Pinot Noir Variety: Pinot Noir Region: Napa Valley, California Country: United States Year: 2021 Price: $13 Online Review: " Josh Cellars never fails to impress, and their 2021 Pinot Noir from Central Coast is no exception. This wine is both charming and assertive and exhibits layers of red berries, plum, and a whisper of earthy undertones. The palate balances the bright acidity and subtle oak influence, creating a symphony of flavors that dance gracefully, urging for another sip. While many Pinot Noirs from the region boast of their elegance, this particular vintage carries a touch of rustic charm, reminiscent of the sprawling Central Coast vineyards from where it hails. At its price point, it offers remarkable value and is bound to be a crowd-pleaser, whether you’re a seasoned oenophile or a casual wine enthusiast. Highly recommended for those seeking a taste of Central Coast in a glass. Cheers to another successful creation by Josh Cellars!"  Wine Folly: Pg...

  Name: Gascon 2023 Malbec Variety: Malbec Region: Mendoza Country: Argentina Year: 2023 Price: $14 Online Review: " The first thing I noticed about the appearance of this 100% Malbec was its serious legs.  There were many, they were thick, and were very slow to fall in the glass.  In terms of the wine’s color, my friend described it as "Ruby/Onyx with a dark center that had little translucency.”  The wine’s deep aroma was immediately noticeable when the cork was pulled.  Upon first up-close sniff, we both remarked at the significant whiff of alcohol on the nose. " Wine Folly: Pg. 125 - Malbec in general is known to be an Argentinian wine. It is absolutely dominated in terms of production by Argentina in comparison with the rest of the world. Argentina produces about 83% of all Malbec wines. Malbec doesn't have a long finish like Cabernet Sauvignons, its a very dark wine and so its a great introductory red wine for many new wine drinkers. It has significant body...

Name: Josh 2022 Pinot Grigio Variety: Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) Region: California Country: United States  Year: 2022 Price: $12 Online Review: " Josh Cellars Pinot Grigio was a hit! I brought this bottle to an after holiday party to give to the host for a gift! We drank it with dinner and everyone loved it! I don’t know much about wine, but the host is a wine drinker and was very satisfied with it! I loved it as well! It was very crisp, and it tasted like pear and melon I would say, with like a little bit of a like citrus taste to it. It was really nice. It was like a light taste. I got this bottle complementary from influencer for my honest review, and I will definitely put it on my wine list for the future!" Wine Folly: Pg. 148 and 149 - Pinot Gris is mostly a sweet and/or dry white wine. The Josh Pinot Grigio was a perfect middle ground of dry and sweet containing the typical taste of melon but also having the crisp taste of pear. Pinot Gris is known for its presence in ...

  Name : Parkers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: California Country: United States Year: 2022 Price: $13 Store Review: " Cabernet Sauvignon is known as the King of Red Grapes, and this California Cabernet lives up to its title. It teases the nose with hints of vanilla and oak, and excites the palate with flavors of dark cherry, caramel, and coffee. It is royally smooth and bold. Pair it with grilled fish, pasta dishes, or chicken salad for the full royal treatment!" Wine Folly: Pg. 88 - Cabernet Sauvignons in general are known for their significantly rich flavors . They're known to go well with rich grilled meats and dishes that have peppery flavors that really grab you.       The same is true for the Parkers Estate 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon. Typically Cabernet Sauvignons are a very rich wine in flavor which could potentially clash with these pairings but the Parkers Estate is not one of those examples. It is a much more smooth w...

    Name: Yosemite Road Pinot Grigio Colombard Variety: Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) Region:  California Country: United States Year: 2021 Price: $6 Store Review: "Savor the crisp taste of Yosemite Road Pinot Grigio Colombard Wine, a delicious white wine blend with 12.5% alcohol by volume. Made with carefully selected grapes, this wine features a refreshing and light flavor profile that pairs perfectly with chicken dishes and light salads. This wine is well-balanced and easy to drink, making it an excellent choice for any occasion. Plus, it contains sulfites for added freshness and longevity. Enjoy this wine chilled on a warm day or pair it with your favorite meal for a delightful dining experience." Wine Folly: Pg. 149 - Pinot Gris is known for being a variety that is a pink grape mutation of Pinot Noir. It has a zesty taste in the range from dry to sweet. It's known for its best pairings being with white meats, seafood, and food with a fruit element. I certainly picked up ...

  Name: 2021 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Variety: Sangiovese, Canaiolo  Region: Chianti, Tuscany Country: Italy Year: 2021 Price: $56 Online Critic Review:  " Made with organically grown grapes, this delicious red has aromas suggesting underbrush, blue flower, eucalyptus and mature black-skinned fruit. The smooth, chewy palate shows ripe Marasca cherry, black plum licorice and hazelnut. Taut, fine-grained tannins provide the framework and generate a rather drying finish. - Kerin O’Keefe" Wine Folly: pg. 61 - Wine and Food pairings - Since this is a wine from a similar region and style to my previous review, I wanted to highlight it's differences. This Chianti classico is a bit different from the Gran Selezione. This version of the Chianti Classico is of a different year and lighter variety. Wine Folly advised a food pairing of stewed beef or lamb with a hearty mushroom based sauce. This is a lighter variety of red and as such doesn't pair the same as the G...

Name: 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Variety: 100% Sangiovese Region: Chianti, Tuscany Country: Italy Year: 2017 Price: $81 Winery Review: " Vibrant red in color. On the nose, intense and persistent; aromas of cherry and blackberry with floral notes - red roses, specifically. Dry with soft tannins and refined red fruits with a trace of mint on the mid-palate. Pairs well with traditional Italian foods, including pasta with tomato sauce as well as roast meats and aged cheeses." Wine Folly: pg. 248 - Wine varieties of Italy - Sangiovese is the main grape variety of Italy, this wine was created in the Mediterranean climate of Tuscany, red wines are known to shine and be considered top of the line rom this region because of the terroir of this region. Sangiovese is considered two of the highest quality varieties from this area as well as Montepulciano.  pg. 162 - Sangiovese in general - Sangiovese is Italy's most planted grape and the key variety in Chianti wine. It has ...

Wines: Dishes:                                                                                                                                      Appetizer: For the appetizer, my friend Milo and I had an Israeli Salad. The ingredients of an Israeli salad tend to be raw vegetables, herbs, and types of citrus dressings. In our particular variation of the Israeli salad, we used tomatoes, cucumber, onion, lemon juice, and a mix of different spices such as parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic. Israeli salad tends to be pretty acidic, so for this part of the meal we thought it would be best to pair it wit...