Wine and Cheese Pairing- Blacksburg Wine Lab

After getting my heart broken, I decided to drown my feelings into wine. Why not, after all. Wine is better enjoyed amongst people, but sometimes it can be just as enjoyable alone. I went to the wine lab in Blacksburg to experience their well renowned, wine and cheese flight.

 

The first pairing was a Zardetto Prossecco with a smoked gouda. Unfortunately the spreadable gouda was sold out at the time of my visit. The pairing, despite being different, was still successful in my opinion. The wine was bubbly, crisp, and acidic. Like most dry prosecco, my palate felt lifted and refreshed. It was a great start to my dining experience. 

The gouda, meanwhile, was just as light and refreshing on the palate. The pairing together proved to be a pleasant, experience, as the two mild yet easy on the tongue was an easy prelude to more complex pairings for the later experience. 

Name: Zardetto Prosecco

Variety: Glera

Region: Veneto

Country: Italy

Vintage: 2022

The next pairing was a Stemmari Nero'd Avola with a Manchego cheese. The cheese was surprisingly buttery, fatty, and soft on the palate. I loved the flavor, but it wasn't necessarily the most intense or sharp flavor I have had to experience. The wine, however, proved to be intense, bold piece. On the nose, the wine reminded me of a melody of raspberries and blackberries. Although bold and full bodied, I didn't find this to be too dry of a wine. In fact, I would even argue that it was primarily sweet. At the very least, I would call it semi-sweet. I felt like the sweetness and full body allowed for a more rich, bold flavor to be expressed in the Manchego cheese. Compared to the first part of the flight, I felt like these two pairings brought out secret flavors instead of merely being in balance with each other.

 

Name: Zardetto Prosecco

Variety: Nero d'Avola

Region: Sicilia

Country: Italy

Vintage: 2019

The final pairing was a Palacio Cabernet Sauvignon with a Cheddar. Now this wine proved to be the most bold and dry beverage of the night. It was full bodied, with this distinct dark cherry finish that punches at the back of the throat. Although bold and rich in tannic quality, I felt like it was still somewhat off dry. Don't get me wrong, it was primarily dry, but I felt like that cherry finish allowed for a sweetness to put these characteristics into balance. The cheddar, meanwhile, was just as bold and sharp, with a somewhat tangy finish to it. When put into balance, I felt like the two were able to keep these pretty bold and brash characteristics into check. Although I'm not saying a complexity was lost, I am saying that by mellowing each other out, I felt like the flavor profile made it easier on the palate. Especially since I was not necessarily eating a complex dish, the two made each other digestible on a clean palate.

Name: Palacio Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Castilla y Leon

Country: Spain

Vintage: 2017

Overall, I felt like this exercise was an interesting study on how two things can really influence how the other speaks to the taste buds. While some pairings have a more parallel relationship- like the first pairing- and others mellow the other out, it's interesting how wine truly changes based on what it is in harmony with. I hope to continue this study throughout my life, finding good or bad pairings based upon my own creative experiments. Hopefully, however, I won't have to do this journey alone.