Tasting - Chateau Morrisette Vin Gris

Chateau Morrisette Vin Gris

67% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon & 1% Petit Verdot

2014

Floyd, Virginia

 

Critic Review: Reminds me of vibrant fresh watermelon & strawberries with a few tart cherries.  The great thing about dry rosé is that it will pair with just about anything and everything that’s for dinner (or lunch) in every season, although I would probably a plate full of charcuterie or even fresh trout, lightly battered of course. 

 

Tasting: Has a decent nose of  strawberries with rare notes of ginger. The taste is very heavy with while peaches at the start and finishes with other red fruits, and has a clean finish.

Tasting - The Black Dog

Chateau Morrisette The Black Dog

Chambourcin, Cabernet, Merlot Blend.

2013

Floyd, Virginia

Critic Review: Aroma: Fruity. Palate: Berries, subtle spices. Finish: Smooth. Off-dry, medium-bodied.

 

Tasting: Has a nose of black fruits, with a taste of blackberries and strawberries with a smooth finish. My favoriate of the normal chateau red wines.

Tasting - Red Mountain Laurel

Chateau Morrisette Red mountain laurel

Red Wine Blend

2014

Floyd, Virginia

Critic Review: This is a distinctive dessert wine made from a blend of American native grape varieties. It exhibits flavors of fresh grapes and cherries, complemented by a sweet, smooth finish.

 

Tasting: Has a powerful nose of grapes with a heavy sweetness. The taste is that of fermented welch's grape juice with a crisp finish. A huge favorate!

Tasting - Frosty Dog

Chateau Morrisette Frosty Dog

66% Vidal Bland and 34% Traminette

2012

Floyd, Virginia

Critic Review: Warm floral notes give into a honeysuckle & guava burst in opulent style.  Subtle notes of mandarin orange & pear linger on the finish.  This wine doesn’t need any paring unless you’re craving roasted almonds or pecans.

 

Tasting: Slightly syurpy consistency with a heavy nose of guava and honey. The taste has notes of oranges with peaches and a very sweet finish. Desert in a bottle.

Tasting - Chateau Morrisette Chardonnay

Chateau Morrisette

Chardonay Reserve

2013

Floyd, Virginia

 

Critic Review: Lemon meringue and zest are full within its first breath.  A clean balance of toasted coconut & almonds, but not enough to overpower the crisp, butter-laced finish.  100% barrel fermented and aged Chardonnay to enjoy with the likes of Cesar salad, grilled pork chops, sharp cheddar cheese or better yet, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

 

Tasting: The nose has a very powerful lemony with slight hints of apple. The taste is very buttery with notes of tropical fruits and a crisp, slightly hot finish.

Wine & Cheese Pairing #2

 The Cheese Plate Selection

 Left: Stilton Blue Cheese 

Center: Whole Milk Brie Cheese

Right: Wensleydale Cheese with Cranberries

 The 3 Wine Choices

 

Cousino - Macul

Cabernet Sauvignon

Maipo Valley, Chile 

Critic Review: The smell has hints of spice and cherries, with a body of blackcurrants and is a perfect match for roasts and grills.

Tasting: Has an aroma of black berries, and slightly oaky. The taste is slightly fruity, acidic, and has a dry slightly hot finish.

Before Brie: Doesn't change the cheese flavor too much but gives it a slight acidity.
After Brie: Brings out the oaky flavor, but adds a slight spicyness to the wine.

Before Blue: Brings a spicy flavor to the blue cheese, an unexpected but good pairing.
After Blue: Gives the spicies in the wine a very good blue flavoring.

Before Wensleydale: Doesn't change the cheese taste much but gave it a wierd texture.
After Wensleydale: Sweetens the wine a bit and really brings out the red fruit flavor.

Woop Woop

Shiraz

2013

Australia

Critic Review: Woop Woop Shiraz has a bright violet color. Powerfully scented with blackberry and blueberry, with a more serious licorice character coming up in the glass. Flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry and mocha show both depth and verve, sweetened by a touch of vanilla. Gains firmness with air and finishes with good clarity and length. Definitely shows the polish I've come to expect from a Ben Riggs wine.

Tasting: Has a nose of smokey black fruit with a taste of spicies mixed with strawberries but with an odd middle flavor I could not figure out; but has a nice after taste, not too dry.

Before Brie: Gives buttery cherry flavor to the cheese.

After Brie: Cuts through most of the acidity, and brings out a lot of blackcurrant flavor.

Before Blue: Gave the cheese a very salty taste, not a good combo.

After Blue: Gives the wine a blue strawberry flavor, odd but interestingly good mix.

Before Wensleydale: Really sours the wine, not a good pairing.

After Wensleydale: Great pairing afterwards, really brings out the cranberries in the cheese.

Casas del Bosque

Sauvignon Blanc 

2013

Chile

Critic Review: The Casas del Bosque sauvignon displays energetic, precise lemon and pear qualities, with floral, herbal and mineral accents adding complexity; year in and year out, this wine punches far above its price point. It possesses the depth and power to work with richer foods, but also the finesse and energy to be enjoyable on its own, or alongside simply prepared salads or seafood, even sushi.

Tasting: Has nose of apples with gooseberries with uric acid and slightly green notes. The taste is that of cat piss on a gooseberry bush and a very nice finish of peaches.

Before Brie: Gives the a slight floral flavor but cuts most of the butteriness from the cheese.

After Brie: Brought out a yeasty flavor from the cheese into the wine and gave a slight ctriusy taste to the wine.

Before Blue: Gave the cheese a much stronger blue flavor and a salter taste, not a great pairing.

After Blue: Kind of a bland pairing. The wine cuts the left over blue flavor while the cheese cuts out all of the gooseberry.

Before Wensleydale: Brings out the cranberries in the cheese while leaving a sweet aftertaste.

After Wensleydale: Not much of a change to the cheese flavor but turns the wine to almost water. A bad pairing.

Homemade Cookout Dinner

The Dinner Plate

Pepperjack Burgers

Sauteed Collard Greens with Garlic

Country Style Baked Beans with Bacon & Maple Syrup

The 3 Wine Choices

Cousino - Macul

Cabernet Sauvignon

Maipo Valley, Chile 

Critic Review: The smell has hints of spice and cherries, with a body of blackcurrants and is a perfect match for roasts and grills.

Tasting: Has an aroma of black berries, and slightly oaky. The taste is slightly fruity, acidic, and has a dry slightly hot finish.

Burger: The relish from the burger makes the wine fairly acidic, really hurting the flavor of the wine. Not a great pairing.

Baked Beans: Cuts through the acidity and brings out the sweet red flavor from the wine.

Greens: Gives the wine a green flavor but doesn't change the wine flavor.

Woop Woop

Shiraz

2013

Australia

Critic Review: Woop Woop Shiraz has a bright violet color. Powerfully scented with blackberry and blueberry, with a more serious licorice character coming up in the glass. Flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry and mocha show both depth and verve, sweetened by a touch of vanilla. Gains firmness with air and finishes with good clarity and length. Definitely shows the polish I've come to expect from a Ben Riggs wine.

Tasting: Has a nose of smokey black fruit with a taste of spicies mixed with strawberries but with an odd middle flavor I could not figure out; but has a nice after taste, not too dry.

Burger: Cuts the odd middle flavor from the wine while giving the meat a sweetness.

Baked Beans: The beans really sweetens the wine while bringing out the flavor of blackcurrant, also adds a slight earthy note.

Greens: The greens gave the wine a peppery flavor, also brought out the tannins nicely.

 

Casas del Bosque

Sauvignon Blanc 

2013

Chile

Critic Review: The Casas del Bosque sauvignon displays energetic, precise lemon and pear qualities, with floral, herbal and mineral accents adding complexity; year in and year out, this wine punches far above its price point. It possesses the depth and power to work with richer foods, but also the finesse and energy to be enjoyable on its own, or alongside simply prepared salads or seafood, even sushi.

Tasting: Has nose of apples with gooseberries with uric acid and slightly green notes. The taste is that of cat piss on a gooseberry bush and a very nice finish of peaches.

Burger: Not much a change to the wine but gives the finish a slight hotness to it. Not a great pairing.

Baked Beans: The beans cut the acidity in the wine to bring out the flavors of peaches and grapefruit but gives the finish a sour note.

Greens: Gives the wine a completely sour flavor and takes out much the flavor of the wine. Not a good pairing.

Wine & Cheese Pairing #1

 The Cheese Selection

 New Bridge Garlic & Herb Cheddar

 Kroger Brand Pepperjack Cheese

 President brand Brie Cheese

The Wine Selection

 

Sweet Mountain Apple

Chateau Morrisette

Floyd, Virginia

Critic Review: Aroma of fresh apples with a palate of smooth, sweet apples a crisp refreshing finish.

Tasting: A very appley smell with a hint of hard cider. The last is straight apple cider with a very refreshing finish.

Before Brie: Gave an appley taste to the cheese.

After Brie: Cut the apple taste, very sweet, almost candy like.

Before Pepperjack: A sweet, peppery combo, one of my favorites of the night.

After Pepperjack: Spicy, apple taste, gave a notticable drier finish.

Before Cheddar: No real difference, not a good pairing.

After Cheddar: Give the wine a carmelly taste to the wine and a dry-ish finish.

 

Castle Rock Pinot Noir

ST. Helena, California

Critic Review: Elegant and medium-bodied offering aromas of cherry, tea and herbal spices. On the palate it is smooth with silky texture and mild tannins, giving floavors of blac cherry, plum and spice, and finishing long and harmoniously.

Tasting: Smells of oak and black fruits. Has a taste of smokey, acidic and woodyness with spices. Has a dry finish.

Before Brie: Gave a fruityness to the brie.

After Brie: Gave a buttery fruity taste to the wine with a slightly spicy finish.

Before Pepperjack: Not much a change, does not pair well.

After Pepperjack: Gaves the wine a slight spicyness, sweet, flavor with a woody aftertaste.

Before Cheddar: Slightly brought out the herbs in the cheddar but did not make much of a change.

After Cheddar: Gave the wine a floral, garlic, slightly sweet finish.

 5 Red Grapes

Chateau Morrisette

Floyd, Virginia

Critic Review: Aroma is loaded with cherry and graham crackers. The palate is well-rounded mid-palate with fresh acidity and has a long, smooth finish.

Tasting: The smell is that of cherry with brown sugar dough. Has a balanced, buttery taste with a lasting finish.

Before Brie: Gave the cheese a fruity flavor with a bit of a floral taste.

After Brie: Cuts the acidty of the apples and gives a sweeter taste.

Before Pepperjack: Really spicy pepperjack.

After Pepperjack: Much tarter a bit more acidic with a overly spicy finish.

Before Cheddar: Sweetens the cheddar, much better taste.

After Cheddar: A bit blander, cheddar overpowers the flavor, tart-ish finish.

Homemade Southern Style Dinner

 Cheese stuffed steaks

 Roasted-herb encursted potatoes.

 Peppered bacon southern style green beans.

The three wines choices

Girardet Pinot Gris

Umpqua Valley

Roseburg, Oregon

Critic Review: The rich fruit flavors of the umqua valley giv this pinot gris alluring aromas of melon pear and fresh citrus fruits. The crisp medium-bodied flavors of honeydew and pear delight the palate for a soft finish of apricot and sweet almonds. 

Tasting: Has very cirisy smell with a flavor of green apples and a earth slight fruity finish.

Steak: Has a bit more of a apple aroma with sweetened taste which really brings out the cheese in the steak.

Green beans: Really brings out the apricot smell. Much sweeter tast and crisp finish.

Potatoes: Not much of a change, but the dill over powers the apple flavor.

Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon

North Coast

California US

Critic Review: Elegantly layered with blackberry and ripe cherry complimented by rich roasted vanilla, mocha and baking spices, surrounded by smooth lush tannins.

Tasting: Has a very floral aroma with hints of black fruit. The tasts is that of black fruit and cherry with a slightly earthy hint but without much of a aftertaste.

Steak: Gives the wine a buttery taste with spices and gives a much smoother finish.

Green Beans: About the same aroma, the taste is "holy pepper." Not a very good pairing with the cab sav.

Potatoes: Gives a smooth mouthfeel, some spicyness but really brings out the garlic in the potatoes.

 The black dog

Chateau Morrisette

Floyd Virginia

Critic Review: Has a fruity aroma. A palate of berries and subtle spices with a smooth finish. Off-dry, medium bodied.

Tasting: Smells of cherries and blood oranges, with a very black berries taste, and dry finish.

Steak: Gives the wine a slightly tart taste and covers up much of the fruityness. Not a very good pairing.

Green beans: Gives the wine a slightly peppery taste that lingers which worked much better than excepted.

Potatoes: Much fruiter tastes to the wine and balances the after taste while mellowing out the garlic flavor in the potatoes.

Winery visit: Chateau Morissette

 

 

 This is where we meet the tour guide to start the tour and learned about the history of the winery. The most interesting fact we learned when starting the tour was story of how blue the dog became the symble of the winery for his love of red wine.

Here we were able to see all of the winess currently produced by the winery and even tired a couple of their more populur wines.

In there aging area morissette is able to produce over 200,000 gallons of wine. In the picutre are 5,00 gallon storage vates with two 50,000 gallon vates at the back of the rows.

Here they use french oak barels to store many of their againg wines. To have a quick way to tell between the againg whites & reds, they use a black paw print that is said to be place on the barels by blue trying to get into any of the reds.

In the above two pictures is where our tour guide showed us the area they bottle every wine produced at morissette. They are capable of producing around 5,000 bottles a hour which are all corked and labeled by hand.

 At the end of the tour we saw a barel that morissette is in the process of developing. The concept, which is in the process of againg a test wine, would use the same wood that composes the againg barels but would be able to be deconstured to shave the inside of the wood to expose the unused porition, thus becoming a new barel.

Tasting - Bolla Moscato

• Bolla
• Moscato

• Pavia
• Italy
• Price: $9.95

• Critic Review
• Loaded with juicy exotic fruit, mature apricot, yellow peach and tangerine flavors, this sweet and delightful wine is perfect for Sunday brunch or picnics.

• Tasting Review
• A standard moscato with a bouquet of peaches & fruits. A taste of tangerines & apricots and a crisp, sweet finish.

• Did not pair with food.

Tasting - Monte Degli Angeli

• Monte Degli Angeli
• Sangiovese (100%)
• 2013

• Puglia
• Italy
• Price: $7.95

• Critic Review
• The aromas are rich and dark, with lots of black cherry and a hint of balsamic. In the mouth the wine is round and energetic, with cherry and black raspberry fruit complemented by hints of damp earth. If you like Sangiovese-based wines like Chianti or our best-selling Colsanto from Umbria, you'll love this! The wine is ripe, fresh, and fruit-driven with a wonderful dash of earthy complexity at the end. Buy it by the case and drink with pizza, grilled poultry, and pasta.

• Tasting Review
• This sangiovese has a very floral, rosey nose with hints of black berries (cherry, strawberries). The taste is exactly that of a rose with earthy notes and a crisp finish. Great example of a nice sangiovese that is reasonably priced.

• Did not pair with food.

Tasting - 2013 Monte Aman Rosado Ribera del Arlanza

• Monte Aman Rosado
• Tempranillo (100%)
• 2013

• Castile and León
• Spain
• Price: $12

• Critic Review
• It has a cherry red color, live, fresh, clean. Very fruity, berries (strawberries, cherries), elegant and surprising. The palate is well balanced and fresh wine in step, with good acidity and is pleasant and enjoyable.

• Tasting Review
• This rosado has a very floral nose with notes of black cherries, the taste has parts of red berries and apple, with a slight spicy finish and nice acidity.

• Did not pair with food.

Tasting - Alvarez de Toledo Godello

• Alvarez de Toledo
• Godello

• Bierzo
• Spain
• Price: $7.95

• Critic Review
• Clean pale yellow color. Nose fruity, persistent and elegant armoas. Good backbone on the palate.

• Tasting Review
• Has a bouquet is heavly fruity with slight woody hints. The taste is light with apples and pears and a slight taste of greens. Clean finish.

• Did not pair with food.

Tasting - Villa Jolanda Brut

• Villa Jolanda
• Brut (100%)

• Italy
• Price: $8.95

• Critic Review
•  Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste.

• Tasting Review
• This burt wine has a nice flowery nose with hints of vanilla, the taste is strong with apples & grapes with a slight fizzyness and a tart, slight hot finish.

• Did not pair with food.