Wine and cheese pairings. Great for holiday entertaining and when you want to enjoy by yourself. Today I have two VQA wines, one from BC, and one from Ontario, that I am pairing with 3 "Entertaining Cheeses" provided to me by Saputo. The 2 wines are the @goldhillnavi Syrah 2016 from the South Okanagan and the Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling, Wood Post Vineyard, 2015 from the Beamsville Bench. The 3 cheeses are a #Cantonnier, a firm pressed cheese uncooked and surface ripened with a washed rind, a Mature #Cheddar, and a Cendre de Lune, a soft surface-ripened cheese with a velvety surface covered with vegetable ash. First let me tell you about the wines. Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling, Wood Post Vineyard, 2015 - Has a bright clear medium intensity lemon colour. A medium plus intensity nose with developing aromas of petrol, ripe lime, lanolin, a touch of lime and a hint of green apples. It's off dry, with medium plus acidity and body, and pronounced flavours. Petrol and lemon, with a hint of lime and some minerality. It is round with a light mouthfeel and an acidic prickle that continues to the finish. Add peach flavour to the finish. Gold Hill Syrah 2016 - A very deep, solid garnet at the core and 98% opaque at the rim.. A medium plus intensity nose with a mix of aromas; ganja + tea leaves, red fruits, cloves, plums, red cherries and sweet spices. Gets more dark fruit aromas with swirling. It is off dry with lower acidity. Medium fine textured tannins. Medium plus flavour intensity, is semi-round, and gets lighter mid palate. Black cherries, cloves, dark fruit, tobacco, raspberries and oak. There is some bitter flavour which I think comes from the oak and cloves, as it does lighten a bit. Will have to see what happens with extended decanting. FInishes with burnt rubber + dark chocolate bitterness, cocoa, vanilla, ripe black fruit, oak, cloves, and black pepper. Not enough space to give full cheese and wine pairing notes here. They will be on mywinepal.com. I can say that the Cendre de lune and the Cheddar worked very well with the Syrah, and the cheddar was best pairing with the Riesling, closely followed by the Cendre. More pairings to come. https://www.instagram.com/p/CIgW8zxhm06/?igshid=zqr471lbsgec
