Wine and Cheese Pairing #2

One of my friends and our delicious spread.

Last Tuesday, my two friends and I decided to get together and have a wine and cheese pairing! We each contributed one wine and wine cheese and tried them together. The wines we brought were: Starborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Hedgeline Vineyards Merlot 2014, and a Yosemite Road Cabernet Sauvignon in which we paired with the cheeses: herb chevre goat cheese, creamy muenster, and a sharp cheddar. 

From left to right: Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc.

From left to right: goat cheese,
 muenster, and cheddar cheese.

 The first pairing was the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc with the herb goat cheese. By itself, the Sauvignon Blanc had a very sweet and floral scent. The taste was very light and refreshing, with hints of tulip and pear. It had a medium acidity and was slightly dry. When paired with the creamy goat cheese the acidity was canceled out. The two paired very well together and I would definitely have these together again. 

The red wines: Hedgeline Vineyards Merlot
and Yosemeite Road Cabernet Sauvignon. 

 Next we moved on to the reds. The first red pairing was the 2015 Hedgeline Vineyards Merlot with the muenster cheese. I was very excited to try Merlot because, despite its popularity, I'm not too familiar with the crowd-pleaser. The smell was rather earthy and woody. The taste was full of spices, and dark fruits like cherry. It had a slightly dry finish, but it was very smooth. I am extremely fond of this Merlot and am looking forward to try more! When paired with the muenster, the flavors were enhanced. The muenster tasted even more buttery and the spices, like black pepper and cloves were heightened. This was my personal favorite out of the three pairings. 

My friend and I enjoying our wine
and cheese!

The last pairing was the Yosemite Road Cabernet Sauvignon and the sharp cheddar cheese. The Cabernet had aromas of dark fruit-cherry and blackberry and almost a plasticy tar scent. The taste was very sweet and fruity. The sharpness in the cheese definitely overpowered the wine, but it reduced the bitterness of the wine. I think the sharp cheddar was too strong for the wine, but it did bring out more of the spices in the wine. 


Overall we had a great time experimenting and hanging out. I'm so glad I got to try another Merlot and look forward to trying more wines and cheeses! :)