[ Adventures in Wine and Cheese #1 ]
Sooo… August and I decided that rather than go somewhere this holiday for a vacation, we would stay in. We have our new apartment and love the place, so there was really no need to go and escape. Now, thanks to Bethie, we’ve been getting into wine a lot lately. Neither of us were ever big into the stuff before, but we’re getting to like it, and are having fun trying new things. As such, we decided to have a wine and cheese food vacation! We spent almost $200 on 4 bottles of really nice wine and an assortment of cheeses and crackers. We’re trying them all to see what goes with what, and what we do or do not like. ^_^
It’s a fun little concept, so I thought I’d share our thoughts as we go, in case you might find the info useful!
Wine
Venter: Sterling Vineyards
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon (red)
Cost: $25.95
This red had a surprisingly soft start and finish. Unlike some of the less expensive wines, this one was not at all harsh, but still had a wonderfully full bodied flavor. It was very light overall, with a soft finish and earthy aftertaste. We had Gouda and an herb goat cheese with it, which served to really bring out the smoky flavors of both the cheeses and the wine. They went really, really well together.
Cheeses
Type: Gouda
Brand: May-bud
Cost: $4.49
Light and creamy with a hint of a tang to it. We think it would make a really awesome soup base and are planning to work up a recipe.
Type: Basil and roasted garlic goat’s milk cheese
Brand: Chavrie
Cost: $4.49
This herb goat cheese was very deep and flavorful. The herbs didn’t take away from the flavor of the cheese itself, which is nice. It went particularly well with the savory crackers we had, and was a perfect match to the wine we had with it.