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.