On Thursday, my wife and I made a trip to Bagliani’s Market in Hammonton and picked up a few things (cheeses, pastas, a couple of Tuna Steaks, and some fresh veggies). We put one of the cheeses to good use during our at home happy hour. I pulled out a couple of wines to pair with the cheese and added another to enjoy with our dinner. Our happy hour wines are pictured above.
The Wine for Happy Hour
The two wines pictured above were great:
- Anthony Road 2020 Rose of Cabernet Franc (still enjoying my Finger Lakes wines from our trip in the fall). This wine had a wonderful rich mouthfeel and delicious strawberry notes and it paired remarkably well with the cheese.
- Unionville 2019 Amwell Ridge Pinot Noir (rated 90 by the Wine Enthusiast)-This is one of my favorite Pinot Noirs. It combines cherry and raspberry notes with very soft tannins and the ability to pair with an infinite variety of foods.
The Cheese
This is a terrific Spanish sheep cheese (great for those who share my lactose intolerance). It is a semi-soft cheese (pictured below).
The Dinner
I grilled our Tuna Steaks with some simple seasonings (soy sauce, a little garlic, salt, and pepper). I skipped the wasabi, since my wife still can’t eat anything spicy. We chose roasted potatoes and asparagus as our sides.
Wine with Dinner
- The Unionville Pinot Noir earned double duty. After pairing it with the cheese, it showed its versatility as an awesome food-friendly alternative to white wine to pair with the Tuna.
- I added Hawk Haven Vineyards 2019 Two Wire Reserve Chardonnay just to give us a choice (my wife often still prefers white wine with most seafood). This Chardonnay is one of our favorite New Jersey Chardonnays, subtly oaked with apple notes and a long creamy finish.
Cheers!
Editorial Comment
Finally, a pet peeve about the misuse/abuse of wine critic scores and reviews: First, you see an impressive score (like 95 or even 99 or 100). Then you read on to find out that the number is a score for the vintage, not the wine you are considering buying. In small print you find out the reviewer has not rated that particular wine, just the vintage. We all know the difference that a great winemaker can have in a good or bad year. Having said that, my other pet peeve that many wine shops are guilty of is placing a tasting note and score from a famous wine critic, only to find that the wine behind the card is a different vintage (perhaps a year very different from the vintage that won the high praise and score).
Bottom line: The vintage year is important, but not more important than the winemaker.
Coming Attractions
- What’s New at Laurita Winery
- Swedesboro Brewing Company
- New Wineries
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