Wine

Venter: Markham Vineyards
Type: Napa Valley 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (red)

Cost:  $29.95

This wine was really interesting because as we tried it with the different cheeses and crackers, the flavor changed dramatically. At first, it had a really soft start, which turned a little fruity, then finished soft. However, as we tried the cheeses, the flavor changed with it. For a while, with the sharper cheese, it became almost spicy! That opening was soft still, but the body of the wine took on a very spicy flavor that carried through to the finish. However, if tried with preserves, it took on a totally berry and sweet body with a spicy pepper finish. I found it to be rather dry as a whole, though August didn’t think so, so it may just be me. Over all, it was a beautifully full and dark wine.  August liked it even better than the Sterling.

Cheese

Type: Dubliner

Brand: Kerrygold

Cost: $5.99

I thought this was an awesome cheese! It was a very sharp white with a bold body and a really rich finish. It went really well with the wine we had. We thought it would be totally delicious in a grilled cheese sandwich on herb faccasha bread. Add a little avocado and you have the nearly perfect lunch! 

Type: Irish Gouda

Brand: Erin Gold

Cost: ? (it was part of the gift basket Bethie gave us for Christmas. ^_^)

This was a really soft and buttery cheese, much less tangy than the gouda we had earlier today. It was creamy and soft, just this side of a mozzarella or other lightly flavored cheese. 

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.