Theme: I decided since we had not had Washington wines for a while, to do a blind Washington Cabernet Sauvignon tasting with a blend thrown in for comparison. Washington wines are so delicious, we really enjoyed all three!
The Wines
- Color: Deep purple
- Nose: Aromatic with fruit, mocha, and allspice
- Mouth: Dry, medium-bodied wine with smooth, round tannins. A nicely balanced wine with raspberry and spice on the finish. Mouth not as fruity as the nose would indicate.
- Price: $28
- Rating: 4 out of 5
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Canoe Ridge Estate 2010 Cabernet
- Color: Deep purple
- Nose: Youthful aromatic with definite aromas of vegetable and green pepper and a bit of mustiness. Very inviting aromas that we couldn't wait to taste!
- Mouth: Medium bodied with tannins a bit softer than the first wine. Fruitier on the mouth than expected with mineral notes on the finish. A nicely complex wine with a long finish.
- Price: $28
- Rating: 4 out of 5
Efeste Final Columbia Valley 2009 Cabernet
- Color: Deep purple
- Nose: Youthful nose with pepper, vegetative notes and oak
- Mouth: Medium-bodied wine with good balance. We liked the mouth better than the nose. Nice fruit, cassis with a medium finish.
- Price: $28
- Rating: 4 out of 5
The Pairings
Irish Cheddar: Very nice pairing. The wine definitely enhanced the cheese. Our favorite cheese pairing of the night!
Cheddar: Nice pairing-especially with Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Gorgonzola: The cheese and wine really fought with the first wine, but we enjoyed better with Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Roast with Carrots: Great pairing! Was especially delish with Chateau Ste. Michelle and Efeste.
Dark Chocolate: Wonderful with Chateau Ste. Michelle! We also enjoyed with the J. Bookwalter.
Conclusions
Beth: Mary Jo thanks for a great class. Let's just say the roast was delicious and the wines were a treat as well. Very difficult to come up with a favorite for the evening - they were all enjoyable. If I have to choose a favorite I will go with the Chateau Ste. Michelle, but as I said, I enjoyed all of the wines. It was fun to challenge ourselves and pick out the wine that was closer to a red blend than a traditional Cabernet. As always-the company was my favorite!
Lisa: I always love it when we do a little blind tasting! And getting right was fun too :). I kept going back and forth on which was my favorite overall because they each paired best with different foods. It seems lately I have really been enjoying blends, so I think I'll have to go with the Foreshadow (loved it with the Irish cheddar too!). My very close second was the Chateau Ste Michelle which was "OMG" with the dark chocolate. All they were ALL delicious with the roast! Yummy night-thanks Mary Jo!
Mary Jo: I thought it was interesting that we were able to pick the blend. It is always good to compare different types of wine, because it challenges you to be able to pick out the different aromas and tastes that make each wine their own. My favorite was the Chateau Ste. Michelle, but each wine had their own wonderful attributes. I will agree with Lisa in that the Foreshadow was amazing with the Irish cheddar. The Gorgonzola cheese really overpowered the Foreshadow, but was a bit better with the Chateau Ste. Michelle. Overall, a wonderful evening with my Winos!!!
