Three Pinots - Three AVAs

Theme:  

I love Pinot! On every wine trip my husband and I take we enjoy searching out and trying Pinots that we haven't had an opportunity to try in the past.With the Pinot grape being known for taking on the terroir of its vineyard, I thought it would be great to taste three 2012 Pinots from three distinct AVAs in California - Sonoma Coast, Green Valley, and Anderson Valley. And why not drink one of my favorite California Pinot producers!! Let's just say it was a delicious evening! And if you love Pinot, I highly recommend trying a MacPhail Pinot! You can check them out on line or visit them at their new Tasting Room in Sebastopol if you are visiting California wine country. www.macphailwines.com

The Wines:

MacPhail 2012 Wildcat Pinot Noir

• Color:  Pale brick red with great clarity
• Nose:  An aromatic wine with youthful, bright red fruit with a layer of earthiness and touch of white pepper.
• Mouth:  A light to medium bodied wine with fresh acidity and a finish that goes on and on. Cherry flavors "pop" in the mouth with mineral notes on the finish.
• Price:  $49
• Rating:  4.5 out of 5

MacPhail 2012 Toulouse Pinot Noir

• Color:  Clear brick red wine
• Nose:  Cherry, earthiness, a touch of mint, this is another aromatic wine
• Mouth:  Very different flavor profile than the first wine. A wonderful silky mouth feel that is balanced and fresh with raspberry and a hint of butterscotch. This wine has a lovely, long finish.
• Price:  $49
• Rating:  4.5 out of 5

MacPhail 2012 Sundawg Pinot Noir

• Color:  Medium, ruby red
• Nose:  Another wonderfully aromatic wine with darker red fruit, spice, and earthiness-the fruitiest nose of the evening.
• Mouth:  Spicy red fruit, this smooth wine has a medium body that is wonderfully smooth. Another fantastic finish!!
• Price:  $49
• Rating:  4.5 out of 5

The Pairings:

Lamb Chopper Goat Cheese:  Wow!!!! We love this cheese and it is a fantastic match with all three wines. We didn't think the finish could get any better on these wines but when paired with these wines the finish went on and on, especially with the Toulouse. The fruit was definitely accentuated with this cheese.

Rembrandt Aged Gouda:  We love this cheese but it was too big for these wines.

Brie Torte Cheese:  Another nice pairing that we liked best with the Sundawg Pinot but is definitely a nice match with the Wildcat Pinot-really brought the fruit forward in a pleasant way.

Mushroom Soup:  This wonderful soup from Fezziwig's Marketplace was another wonderful pairing with all three wines! Hard to pick a favorite pairing but we especially enjoyed it with the Toulouse. A perfect example on how food and wine can make each other even better. A bonus-this delicious soup is not only tasty but quick and easy to prepare!

Smoked BBQ Salmon:  A very nice pairing with the Sundawg bringing out the succulent fruit of the wine. We also enjoyed it with the Toulouse. When paired together we found the wine became a little smoky and there was an added spiciness to the wine. The salmon was a bit too smoky for the Wildcat.

Chuao Dark Chocolate:  Very nice with the Wildcat and Toulouse-definitely noticed some caramel notes in the Toulouse when paired with this chocolate.

Ghirardelli Intense Dark Raspberry Chocolate:  Yum! Raspberry flavors of the chocolate really brought out raspberry flavors in the wine!

Conclusion:

Beth:  Looking over my notes from the evening I see things like wow, delish, yum. That pretty much sums up the evening for me! First the wines were out of this world. As expected the characteristics of each of the wines was distinctive. The Sundawg from Green valley had wonderful spicy notes and had the deepest red fruit. I loved this one alone, but it also paired well with the Lamb Chopper cheese, mushroom soup, and the BBQ salmon. The Toulouse from Anderson Valley was silky smooth with fruit on the nose more restrained. This wine's flavor exploded when paired with food. The mushroom soup gave this wine's wonderful finish and extra kick! In fact the flavors of all the foods really enhanced this wine. Loved the nose on the Wildcat! All the wines were fantastic with the Lamb Chopper cheese, but this one was my favorite. All of the wines had wonderful, long finishes and all paired perfectly with the wonderful mushroom soup. I loved them all and can't pick a favorite.

Lisa:   Wow- what a difference location makes!  With the Wildcat from Sonoma Coast I could really pick out the cherry notes up front with mineral on the end and even had a late warm feeling that lingered.  When I tasted the Toulouse from the Anderson Valley, I felt like I was in Oregon with an herbaceous mouth, maybe since the valley is cooler.  As for the Sundawg, it was definitely the fruitiest and yet to me tasted least like a Pinot. Even though they were all unique I LOVED them all! When pairing food, we started with the Lamb Chopper Goat cheese and was blown away by how they made the already delicious wines really pop!  Of course the mushroom soup was a perfect match with them all too.  The Toulouse was my favorite with the smoked salmon.  Finishing with the Dark Raspberry chocolate, again a hit with all!  Overall, I can't really pick a favorite since they were all very different.  It sure was nice to be enjoying them with great company :)!  Thanks for a wonderful class Beth!! I'll miss you both! Come visit me for class in Texas!

Mary Jo:   Oh, MacPhail! We love drinking wines from places we have actually had the pleasure of visiting! These three were all amazing Pinots!  The wines were very different, with the Wildcat having mineral and cherry flavors and earthy on the finish; the Toulouse having minty freshness and, eventually, butterscotch and caramel on the nose, with a silky, strawberry flavor on the mouth; and the Sundawg having a sulfuric, dark red fruit and earthy nose and spicy flavors.  All of the pairings were so enjoyable, as well! As we know though, not every good goes with every food. Unfortunately, the Rembrandt Gouda was not a good pairing. The Lamb Chopper and Brie, on the other hand, were amazing!!!!! The Toulouse Anderson went very well with the mushroom soup, and the Sundawg Green and the soup really enhanced the flavors of the other.  The Ghirardelli dark chocolate was a total WOW! The dinner, wine, and especially the company, were top notch.  I am blessed to have enjoyed so many similar evenings with two great ladies!!!!  Thanks, Beth!

Wine School, Classic California Cabernet, March 19, 2015,

Theme:  Over the years, the Winos have enjoyed, and studied, many different varietals of wine.  Now, we could try forever and never be able to try every type, but we have worked our way through a bunch.  I decided that for this premium class, we would return to our basics.  We three love red wine, and Cabernet Sauvignon is a varietal that we can ALL agree on and Napa Valley has some great ones.  

The Wines:

Croze 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

• Color:  Deep ruby with a touch of purple
• Nose:  An aromatic wine with aromas of eucalyptus, cassis, oak, and vanilla
• Mouth:  A medium bodied dry wine with smooth acidity and round medium tannins. The wine is nicely balanced and flavorful with spice mid-palate to finish and tarty fruit up front. A long, delicious finish!
• Price:  $35.99
• Rating: 4.5/5

Stags' Leap 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

• Color:  Deep purple
• Nose:  The nose has a dusty, earthy aromas with a hint of bell peper
• Mouth:  A higher tannin, bone dry wine, medium bodied wine that is flavorful and nicely balanced. It has earthy flavors with a touch of tartness and pepper on the finish and medium finish.
• Price: $49.99
• Rating: 4/5

St. Clement 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

• Color:  Deep purple
• Nose:  An aromatic wine that definitely has the fruitiest aroma with notes of berries cocoa, and vanilla.
• Mouth:  The wine has medium tannins that is flavorful with pepper on the finish, blueberry fruit and a touch of spice with a long finish.
• Price:  $39.99
• Rating:  3.5/5

The Pairings:

Herb Brie Cheese:  This was a difficult pairing. It killed the lovely finish on the Croze and St. Clement.  A bit better with the Stags' Leap, but Lisa didn't enjoy the pairing with any of the wines.

Manchego Cheese:  This delicious cheese paired well with the Croze.

Amish Cheddar Cheese:  This paired a bit better. We enjoyed it the most with the Stags' Leap.

Tomato Stroganoff:  The pairing of the night! The dish was yummy and we enjoyed it with all three wines. Hard to decide which wine we thought paired the best with this dish. Mary Jo and Lisa really enjoyed it with the St. Clement while Beth enjoyed it best with the Croze.

Dark Chocolate:  Very nice with all three wines.

Smokin' Chipotle Chocolate:  We weren't a fan of this but pairing but found it interesting how the wines brought out more of the spiciness in the chocolate.

Conclusion:

Beth:  Such a fun and delicious class! I enjoyed putting our senses to the test trying to distinguish these Cabernets. I believe the "Rutherford dust" was definitely on display in the Croze Cab. Very difficult for me to pick a favorite for this class-they were all wonderful-but if I must, I enjoyed the Croze the most. The finish on this wine was just outstanding! All of the wines were a perfect match for the Tomato Stroganoff and they also paired nicely with the dark chocolate. It was another wonderful night with the winos! Thank you for hosting Mary Jo!

Lisa:  Seams you can never go wrong with a Napa Cab!  And yet they were all so very different. Starting with the Croze, I was amazed by the eucalyptus on the nose yet spice and tart fruit on the palette.  Then the Stag's Leap had such a dusty nose with an earthy mouth with high tannins. Venturing to the St. Clement, this one popped dark berries on the nose-most fruity of all, with blueberry and spice on the palette.  As for cheese pairings, nothing really said Wow to me.  Of course the hit of the night was the Tomato Stroganoff!  Starting with the Croze, I immediately thought "Now THAT'S a pairing"!  I enjoyed it with the Stag's Leap and it really brought out the fruit in the St. Clement.  No I always love chocolate but my favorite pairing was the Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt with Stag's Leap.  What a wonderful night. 

Mary Jo:  I enjoyed getting "back to basics" with cabernet.  They were very different and changed as the night went on, as is typical.  All three had vanilla on the nose, with the Stags Leap being a little more earthy than the other two wines.  The St. Clement was the fruitiest of the three wines and the Stags Leap had nice notes of bell pepper on the nose and pepper on the finish.  The Croze had tarty fruit and spice on the mouth.  All three had very nice finishes.  The St. Clement was most enjoyable with the tomato stroganoff.  I enjoyed the Croze most with the Manchego, the Stag's Leap most with the Amish Cheddar and the chocolates paired best with the Stag's Leap.  It was interesting to detect the "Rutherford dust" with the Croze!  A great class with great friends!

Wine School-Syrah, February 19, 2015

Theme:  Last class we covered wines of the Rhone Valley in France which is the birth place of Syrah. We studied the region so the wines were of various grapes or blends.  So for this class I wanted to cover 100% Syrah's from various regions including France, South Africa and California just to compare and contrast the differences.  Let's see how it turned out!

The Wines:

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave 2011 Offenus

• Color:  Deep purple
• Nose:  An aromatic wine with aromas of pepper, red fruit, bacon
• Mouth:  This dry wine is medium bodied with crisp acidity and flavors of tart cherry and mineral notes. 
• Price:  $29.99
• Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5

Keermont Stellenbosch 2011 Syrah

• Color:  Very deep purple
• Nose:  Less pepper on the nose than the first wine, this aromatic wine has notes of cocoa, meat, and dust
• Mouth:  A medium to full bodied, flavorful wine with medium to high tannins with a wonderfully long finish. Definitely not a fruit bomb Syrah, the notes of cocoa on the nose carry over to the mouth.
• Price:  $38
• Rating:  4 out of 5

Ojai Vineyard White Hawk 2010 Syrah

• Color:  Very deep purple 
• Nose:  Another aromatic wine with nice herbaceous notes, dark berry, bing cherry and a hint of floral notes.
• Mouth:  Definite spicy notes on this Syrah with blue berry notes, a bit of tartness and a nice finish. Tannins were medium to high.
• Price:  $43
• Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5

The Pairings

Emmentaler Cheese 

Emmentaler Cheese:  We absolutely loved this cheese, however it was a difficult pairing with the wines. We enjoyed it best with the Keermont Syrah. It brought out the lovely pepper notes but did take away from the lovely finish of this wine. Just too strong of a cheese for these wines.

Monte Enebro Cheese

Monte Enebro Cheese:  A wonderful cheese-a little nutty and a little sweet! Paired nicely with the the Keermont and definitely enhanced an already wonderful finish. It also paired nicely with the Offenus Syrah from France. Brought out the fruit notes of the wine.

Baby Back Ribs:  Was a great pairing with the Ojai Syrah and also delightful with the Keermont from South Africa.

Beef Brisket:  The brisket was the overall best pairing with the wines. 

Pulled Pork:  A nice pairing. We we enjoyed it best with the Keermont from South Africa, but was also yummy with the Ojai.

Ghiradelli Sea Salt Soiree Dark Chocolate:  This pairing was a moderate success. We enjoyed with the Keermont and Ojai, but nothing to write home about.

Lindt Dark Chocolate Caramel:  An interesting and enjoyable pairing with the Keermont and Ojai.

Salame di Cioccolato:  Hands down the best dessert pairing of the evening! Especially nice with the Ojai.

Conclusion

Beth:  What a fun class, exploring three distinct wines made with the Syrah grape. The class really emphasized how important terroir is to the wine. My favorite wine of the evening was the lovey Syrah from South Africa! The finish on this wine was amazing. Definitely not a fruit bomb like a Shiraz from Australia can be. This wine was refined with lovely dusty, cocoa notes. A close second was the Ojai Syrah from California. The herbaceous aromas on the nose were quite distinctive. I enjoyed the spicy finish as well. The Rhone wine was also nice and I would love to revisit that it in 2-3 years. I think a bit of age would really benefit this wine. Overall it was a great class. Always fun to explore the world of wine with good friends!

Lisa:  As Karen MacNeil in the Wine Bible stated "Syrah reminds me of the kind of guy who wears cowboy boots with a tuxedo.  Rustic, manly, and yet elegant--that's Syrah". Now that's a wine right up my alley! I think we were all in agreement on the ranking of the three as favorite to least favorite Keermont (South Africa), Ojai Vineyard (Santa Barbara, CA) and then Offenus (France).  Coincidentally, the higher the alcohol (15.5%, 14%, 13.5% respectively) the more we enjoyed it??  Drinking them alone, they were all wonderful and had different aspects I liked in each.  As for the cheeses,  the Emmentaler seamed to overpower the wines even though I loved the cheese itself.  The Monte Enebro which tasted a bit like Swiss did bring out the fruit in the Keermont which I loved the best.  As for the meats, of course the brisket was the best!  a manly meat with a manly wine :).  The chocolates were a wonderful pairing for all.  As always, it was fun enjoying different wines.  Best excuse for girl time!!  Thanks girls!!

Mary Jo:  Syrahs are such delicious wines and, as most wines, can differ so completely!  I couldn't wait for this class!!  I truly enjoyed all three wines.  Overall, of the three, my favorite was the Keermont from South Africa.  On the nose, it had some notes of pepper, a meaty or gamey aroma, hints of fruit and a dusty component.  On the mouth, I found delicious chocolate and a chewiness that was quite pleasant.  The lengthy finish created a warmth that I felt all the way down my throat.  My second favorite was the Ojai Vineyard, Whitehawk Vineyard.  On the nose it was herbaceous with notes of bing cherries.  On the mouth it was fruity and spicy with some pleasant tartness, blueberry notes and a nice medium finish with pepper.  My third favorite was the Offenus.  The nose was very peppery, with some fruit and earthiness.  On the mouth there was pleasant tartness with a chalky minerality and notes of cherry.  It had a nice medium finish.  With the food, first I have to say that the Emmentaler cheese was an absolutely delicious soft cheese.  Unfortunately, the cheese was a bit overpowering with the wines.  It did bring out some vanilla with the Keermont and fruit with the Ojai Vineyard.  The Monte Enebro brought out delicious fruit with the Keermont and melded well with the wine.  For me, the Ojai Vineyard was number one with all three meats.  With the chocolates, the wines were just okay with the Sea Salt Soiree.  I liked the Keermont the most with the dark chocolate caramel and the Ojai Vineyard best with the Salame di Cioccolato.  Overall, it was a wonderful class with delicious wines.  The food, as always, was amazing and red wines with two great friends....priceless!

Sweet Treat for Valentine's Day

2011 Tenuta Polvaro Dulcis

     Looking for a sweet treat to enjoy with your sweetie this Valentine's Day? I recently enjoyed a delightful Italian white wine that is perfect for your Valentine's Day dessert. I paired mine with biscotti and it was delicious!

     Povaro Tenuta Dulcis is a sweet wine made mainly from the native Italian grape Verduzzo Friulano and blended with other indigenous white grapes from the Veneto region. The sweetness of the wine is a result of  the harvesting process. In September the vines that carry the grapes are partially cut causing the plant and grapes to wither. The sugar is concentrated in the grape resulting in a sweet wine with a fresh acidity!

     Once you pour this delightful wine in the glass you will find aromas of vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel with a bit of nuttiness. This fruity wine has tastes of honey and apricot. Pair it this Valentine's Day with pastries, sweets, almonds, and of course my favorite, biscotti!

Cheers,
Beth

Happy Valentine’s Day

From the Stay at Home Winos

From The Seed to The Glass Part II

We learned a while back about all that goes into cultivating the grapes that will eventually become the delicious wine that graces your glass.  In this segment, we will learn how the grapes are harvested!  This process is an incredibly delicate balance!  

365thingsaustin.com

It is said that harvesting grapes is the most crucial time of the winemaking process, as well as the busiest!!!  Grapes have to be harvested at exactly the right time, depending on the varietal (think sugar, acid and tannin levels) and the weather during that particular growing season (think too much rain, frost, to little rain)  Another consideration when harvesting is whether to hand pick grapes or utilize mechanical harvesting.  The usual picking of the grapes is between August and November above the equator and between February and April below the equator.  

The precursor to this most important time in the winemaking process is veraison.  Veraison [vay-ray-ZON] according to Ken's Wine Guide, is defined as the point in the growing season when ripening grapes begin to soften and change color from green to either red or yellow, depending on the variety. In the northern hemisphere, veraison typically occurs anywhere from late June to mid August, depending on the climate.  (http://www.kenswineguide.com/wine.php?word=86)  This process does not necessarily happen at the same time throughout a vineyard, or, for that matter, even for all grapes on a vine or within an individual bunch.  Grapes exposed to more sun and warmth can begin to change before the grapes in shadier, cooler areas.

Wikipedia.org

Interestingly, and contrary to what common sense might indicate, if during veraison, the crop appears too large, the decision may be made to thin the yield.  The reason for this reduction of grapes is to speed the ripening process by removing unripened grapes, so as to allow the vine to devote its resources to the remaining grapes.  A vineyard may also decide to thin the leaves, so as to increase sun exposure, as well as aiding air flow.

As we said, the varietal is an important point to consider when deciding the proper time to harvest.  For example, sparkling wines are typically highly acidic and, thus, the grapes are harvested early while late harvest ice wines are at the other end of this spectrum.  According to Wine.About.Com, sparkling wine grapes are harvested first, then Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (to allow for decreased sugar levels or brix), then white wine grapes, red wines come next, then ice wines that have highly concentrate sugar for dessert wines.  

So, how will the grapes be removed from the vines?  There are two traditional methods, by hand or by machine, or a combination of the two.  Obviously, harvesting by hands allows for the most precise selection of the very best grapes.  However, for larger vineyards with an enormous crop, it may just not be possible.  Also obvious, is the fact that mechanical harvesting is a more cost effective and efficient method of harvesting.  Ultimately, the winemaker's style will likely be the deciding factor.  High quality, smaller production boutique wines are typically hand harvested.  With harvesting comes sorting the grapes, which is an important task that removes lower quality grapes from the bunches.  This has typically been done by hand, however, WineSpectator Magazine reports, that some of the top Bordeaux Estates have optical laser sorters!  As the grapes come down a conveyor, if they are not of the exact specifications desired, a puff of air from a cannon blows them off the conveyor.  (http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/45607)  Amazing!

Shutterstock.com

Finally, the grapes are crushed and destemmed.  The grapes are not smashed during this processed, but opened gently so as to allow the juice to flow as quickly as possible.  Typically, wineries utilize an automated crusher/destemmer which opens the grapes, but does not crush the stems and seeds.  The stems and seeds contain the tannins.  Destemmers can remove the stems before or after the grapes are crushed, it just depends on the winemaker's preference and the wine being made.  Tannins, add to structure and texture, but also contribute to the sense of astringency or bitterness in wines.  If the winemaker prefers a less tannic wine, the stems are removed sooner in the process.  For white grapes, they may go first to a press which separates the juice from the skins to avoid a contribution of color or tannins, or they may go through a crusher/destemmer.  

Thevintnervault.com

This is an exciting and exhausting time for wineries.  A lot of work and manpower goes into this process and it is extremely important that things go well.  Harvest season typically ends with a large party to celebrate this most wonderful culmination of hard work!

Stay tuned for Part III when we discuss the next step in winemaking, fermentation!

Cheers!
Mary Jo

Wine School-The Rhone Valley-January 20, 2015

Theme

We all enjoy Syrah and Shiraz, but we hadn't experienced these wines from the birthplace of Syrah so we traveled to the Rhône Valley (if only in our glass) to learn about these wonderful wines from France!

The Wines

Faury Saint Joseph 2012 Red Wine

• Color:  Clear, medium ruby red
• Nose:  Moderate intensity with cracked peppered that pops from the glass
• Mouth:  A bone dry, medium body wine with crisp acidity, medium tannins. Tart fruit with blackberry coming out as it opens up.
• Price:  $29.99
• Rating:  3 out of 5 (Mary Jo 3 1/5 out of 5)

J.L. Chave Mon Coeur Côtes Du Rhône 2012

• Color:  Clear, deep ruby red
• Nose:  An aromatic, youthful wine with dark fruit, and forest floor - the fruitiest of the three wines.
• Mouth:  A dry, medium body wine with fresh acidity, round medium-low tannins. This flavorful wine has good balance with jammy red berry fruit and a nice finish.
• Price:  $19.99
• Rating:  4 out of 5

Usseglio & Fils Girard Châteauneuf Du Pape 2012

• Color:  Clear, medium ruby red
• Nose:  A youthful nose with moderate intensity with aromas of red fruit and dust.
• Mouth:  Medium body dry wine with moderate tannins and fresh acidity. This wine has a powerful finish with tart, berry flavors and wonderful spice on the long finish. 
• Price:  $39.99
• Rating:  4 out of 5

The Pairings

Bucheron Goat's Milk Cheese - We really enjoyed this cheese with the Côtes Du Rhône. It brought out fruit and spice of the wine. It also brought out the fruit in the Châteauneuf Du Pape and rounded out the Saint Joseph.

Drunken Goat Cheese - Wonderful pairing with the Châteauneuf Du Pape - very smooth!

Clisson Tomme d'Auqitaine - This cheese is delicious - layers of flavor! It elevated the Saint Joseph and was enjoyable with the other wines as well.

Goat Cheese Flatbread - Wonderful with all three!

Beef Braised with Red Wine and Mushrooms - Very nice pairing with all of the wines. It very much elevated the Saint Joseph bringing out more fruit in the wine and rounding out some of the tartness. Really brought the spice out in the Côtes Du Rhône, an elegant pairing. Was also a hit with the Châteauneuf Du Pape. Not only was the wine better with the beef, but the beef had more flavor with the wine as well.

Lindt 70% Chocolate - Was best with the Châteauneuf Du Pape, but no wow factor.

French Madagascar 72% Dark Chocolate - Not a match for us.

Lindt Chili Infused Dark Chocolate - Wonderful pairing with these wines! Vanilla bomb and spicy finish with the Saint Joseph and the Châteauneuf Du Pape.

Conclusion

Beth:  It was wonderful to start the new year with wine school! I enjoyed all three wines. They really were a good example of how terroir has an impact on wine. It is difficult for me to pick my favorite, but the finish on the Châteauneuf Du Pape was so amazing I think that would have to be my favorite, with the Côtes Du Rhône a close second. The Côtes Du Rhône was definitely the best value of the evening at just $19.99 a bottle at The Wine Merchant in Clayton, MO. As for pairings, I very much enjoyed the wines with the Bucheron Goat's Milk Cheese,the braised beef, and the chili infused chocolate. Surprisingly, the inexpensive goat cheese flatbread that I threw in the oven at the last minute was a great pairing. Always a fun evening to get together with the Winos!

Lisa: Well the holidays are over and it's back to "work".  Wine tasting- it's a hard job but somebody's gotta do it!  And with my wino buddies it's always fun :).  Thanks, Beth for letting us try something new, at least for us.  All three wines were very good and very different!  I couldn't get over how the Saint Joseph had so much cracked pepper on the nose!  But the mouth was crisp with tart fruit and food opened it up.  As for the Cotes Du Rhone, I think this one was the most versatile, alone and with food, possibly making it my favorite of the evening.  However, the Chateauneuf Du Pape which was quite flavorful with some spice on the long finish made it a VERY close second. It was interesting how the cheeses worked so differently with each of the wines. And of course the Goat Cheese Flatbread was a winner with all!  Who could go wrong with the braised beef-delicious!!  Finishing off with the chocolate - all I can say is that the chili infused dark chocolate was a yes, yes, yes for me!!  Great class, Beth :) 
Mary Jo:  It was absolutely wonderful to get back to wine school after the holidays!  I had missed learning about new wines and, mostly had missed my Winos!  All three wines were amazing, let me just say that!  Each, as usual, had its own assets.  My favorite, I would have to say though, was the Chave Mon Coeur Cotes Du Rhone 2012.  It was deliciously earthy, with hints of jammy red berry fruit, spice and a wonderful medium finish.  It was my favorite with the Clisson cheese, Bucheron Goat Cheese, goat cheese flatbread and the dark chocolate. Ultimately, it tasted like it was meant to be paired with the braised beef.  I wasn't wowed by any of the wines with the French Madagascar dark chocolate.  While the Chave Mon Coeur was my favorite, I did truly enjoy both other wines.  Interestingly, the Faury Saint Joseph had an incredible amount of cracked pepper on the nose!  We kept going back after pouring all three wines and the cracked pepper aromas kept increasing!  It was wonderful!  The Girard Chateauneuf Du Pape was earthy on the nose, with a dusty, tart berry mouth and a spicy, powerful finish.  Overall, a completely enjoyable class and it was great to spend the evening with my Co-Winos!  Thanks, Beth!