Sip, Snack, Repeat: A College Wine Dinner Adventure

 

Introduction

What’s a better way to spend the last Sunday in February than with a three-course meal with the wine gang? The tipsy troops (Reagan, Sydney, Nate, Tyler, and myself) gathered at my apartment to enjoy an evening of good food and great wine. We selected three wines and used AI (and the Wine Folly text) to determine what we should make for some successful pairings!

 

The Wines

1. Debonair Pinot Grigio - California

Variety = Pinot Grigio
Region & Country = Mendocino County, California (U.S.)
Vintage Year = 2022
Price = $8.99
Specific Flavors = Breathtaking notes of citrus fruits and honeysuckle notes combined with a mouthwatering finish
Pairs Well With = Light foods, mushrooms, cured meat, pork, and spicy food
-        Hoped it would taste good with cheese and crackers
My Review = This wine had strong fruity scents, giving off the vibe of being tart and acidic. After tasting it, I found this wine to be very smooth, with a watery-mouth feel. The flavors I noted included grapefruit, apple, and citrus, with a light honey aftertaste.

2. Storyteller – Once Upon a Dream Merlot

Variety = Merlot
Region & Country = Sonoma, California
Vintage Year = 2022
Price = $13.99
Specific Flavors = Vibrant aromas of herbs, chocolate mint, menthol, and blueberry crumble with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a zesty dried boysenberry and brown spice finish and chewy tannins. Nice spicy flavors. Others mention cherries, currants, and smoky oak.
Pairs Well With = Beef, lamb, and veal
-        Hoped it would taste good with pizza and maybe the brownies?
My Review = We decanted this wine for about 30 minutes (Sydney is featured above pouring it in). After pouring it from the decanter, it smelt dry and fruity with spicy, menthol hints. It tasted very tannic with blackberry flavors. Overall this was a very acidic wine with a cherry flavors and a spicy finish.

3. Roscato Rossa Dolce – Sweet Red

Variety = Lagrein, Teroldego, Croatina
Region & Country = Lombardia, Italy
Vintage Year = NA
Price = $17.99
Specific Flavors = Aromatic notes of cherry, blackberry, and red raspberry as well as violet
Pairs Well With = Barbecue dishes, pasta in red and cream sauces, breaded cutlets and spicier fare, and even desserts
-        Hoped it would taste good with pizza and maybe the brownies?
My Review = On the nose this wine smelt like sweet grapes. It had strong berry aromas and I was able to sense the carbonation based on smell alone. Very similar to the grape welch's fruit snack gummy. Once I tasted it, I immediately tasted the raspberry, blackberry, and cherry flavors. This wine was SUPER sweet, low-key tasting more like fruit juice than alcohol.

 

The Dishes

1. Cheese & Crackers

We paired mozzarella and goat cheese with buttery crackers (mine were gluten-free), adding a drizzle of honey for extra flavor. The mild creaminess of the cheese balanced well with the wines.

2. Pepperoni Pizza

I made a homemade gluten-free pepperoni pizza from a trader joes dough. The tomato sauce, melted cheese, and salty pepperoni made this a comforting pairing.

3. Chocolate Brownies

We finished with rich, fudgy brownies (and shocker they were gluten-free), the perfect way to test how wine complements chocolate.

 

How Each Meal Paired with Wine

Cheese & Crackers Pairing

• Pinot Grigio: The flavors were emphasized, with the acidity cutting through the creamy mozzarella cheese. It tasted bad with the chili fig spread, as the spread was too sweet and made the wine taste dry and flavorless. It tasted best with the goat cheese as it made the wine taste less sour while enhancing the goat cheese flavor.

Pepperoni Pizza Pairing

• Merlot: The tomato sauce complimented the fruitiness of the merlot. The wine tasted less tannic while keeping its spicy finish. Overall I enjoyed the pizza with this wine!

Chocolate Brownies Pairing

• Roscato Rossa Dolce: The sweetness of the brownie removes most of the sweetness of the wine. It makes the raspberry and cherry flavors more pronounced. I really enjoyed this pairing as I was able to notice the flavors of the wine much more. The chocolatey richness of the brownies and the raspberry sweetness of the wine was a perfect way to end the night.

 

Final Thoughts

This wine dinner was a perfect way to start the week. Even on a college budget, we were able to experience what went well (and what didn't) while spending quality time as a group. I really enjoyed experimenting with flavors with the tipsy troops, and next time we hope to have a more fancy and planned-out dinner. 

Would we do this again? Absolutely... and next time, we might get even more adventurous with our choices!