Wine and Cheese Pairing

The six cheeses (taste described without wine):
-Bel Gioiso Mozzarella: One of my favorite cheeses, very plain, soft texture
- Hennings Mango Fire Cheddar: My favorite, had the smell of mango but a spicy after taste
- Jarlsberg: Smooth, creamy and smelled like milk
-BellaVitano Merlot: pungent smell, creamy at the end, really tasted like a merlot
-Muenster: Had a distinct smell
-Van Kaas Gouda: Smoky, full and creamy

Wines: 
- Pinot Grigio: One the nose I got citrus flavors, it was sharp and acidic
-Pinot Noir: On the nose I got blackcherry and burnt leather. I got hints of burnt leather and smooth cherry. The finish was smooth and velvety.
-Rheinhessen: One of my favorite wines! on the nose I got hints of ginger, flower, lemon, citrus and honey. The taste was smooth, citrus and a touch of acidity in the finish.
-Riesling: On the nose I got honey and flowers. It has a sweet but tart taste. Overall it was a great wine!
-Sauvingon Blanc: One the nose I go lemon, grass and citrus flavors. The taste of the wine was grassy, green, leafs and mineral. It was sharp and acidic.

 Pairings: 
-Pinot Grigio and the Gouda: The Gouda is smoky and full. It really cuts the acidity of the wine leaving a lemony after taste. This was the first paring that we did and it worked the best! I was pleasantly surprised by how much both the wine and the cheese influence each other!
-Pinot Noir and the Cheddar: This paring did not work as well. The cheese was spicier then regular cheddar. The cheddar and bits of mango that made it sweet. Overall the wine overpowered the cheddar.
-  Rheinhessen and Munster: This was probably one of the worst parings. The wine had the cheese smell funny. Both by itself was a good pair. However, together it did not work.
-Rheinhessen and Jarlsberg: This was an okay paring. The flavors complimented each other nicely. However, I am not a fan of Jarlsberg, so I did not enjoy this paring as much as others did.
- Reiesling and Merlot Cheese: The cheese is sharp, pungent and creamy. It pairs well with the Riesling because it was sweet but tart and cut the strong flavors of the cheese. This was the second best paring that we had.
-Sauvingnon Blanc and Mozzarella: The mozzarella is not strong enough to be paired with the Sauvingnon Blanc. The lemon, citrus and grass flavors of the wine overpower the mozzarella. This was not a good paring.  


Overall, this was a great learning experience. I did not realize that wine had such an effect on the taste of cheese! This has changed my perception of wine and cheese. Both of which I did not really like before this class! However, I have learned to enjoy and indulge in both!

Jon and I enjoying our wine and cheese parings!