Bogle Sirah w/cheeseburger

Name: Bogle - Petite Sirah

Variety: Petite Sirah

Country/Region: California

Year/Price: 2021, $11 

Critique Review: This wine is rich, concentrated with aromas of blackberry, cumin, dried herbs and florals. The palate offers black cherry, peach, clove and white grapefruit intertwined with mineral, earth and a dry finish. Pair with your favorite burger. — Tonya Pitts (91pt, wine enthusiast)

Reference Flavors: Blackberry, Black Cherry, Plum, Salty Caramel, Oak, Spice

My Review:
This Bogle Petite Sirah pours a dark, inky purple. On the nose, there’s a strong blackberry aroma with a noticeable hit of alcohol.

At first sip, there’s a touch of sweetness, followed by a tart blackberry kick in the back of the throat. There’s also a hint of salty caramel that lingers on the tongue. The finish is bold and sticks around, but the texture feels a bit thin as you swallow. It’s not super complex—or maybe I’m just missing something—but it’s still easy to drink.

I paired this with a smashburger-style cheeseburger and seasoned fries, and it worked out pretty well. The wine’s tartness cut through the richness of the burger, while the caramel notes matched up with the crispy, salty fries. It’s not the most layered wine, but for a casual meal, it got the job done—not sure why this was a 92 pint wine, but it's still a steal for the price! 

Steak You Can't Fake (Dinner #2)

Our Dinner Table:

Our Three Wines:

Name: Moon X Pinot Noir
Variety: Pinot Noir
Country/Region: California
Year/Price: 2023, $

Taste/Smell (w/out food):
On the nose, rich aromas of black currant, plum, black cherry, and pomegranate. The palate is smooth and juicy, with dominant flavors of plum and pomegranate. Not very berry-forward, leaning more toward stone fruit.

Name: Josh Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel
Variety: Zinfandel
Country/Region: California
Year/Price: 2020, $

Taste/Smell (w/out food):
Aromas of black currant and strawberry/blackberry jam. On the palate, this wine is fairly hot with bold black currant flavors, balanced fruit jam spiciness, and a strong oak and bourbon tannic finish.

Name: Cooper's Hawk Chocolate Almond Red Wine
Variety: Red Blend
Country/Region: USA
Year/Price: NV, $

Taste/Smell (w/out food):
Strong chemical almond scent reminiscent of maraschino cherries and almond extract. The taste is sweet and syrupy, with pronounced maraschino and chocolate-covered cherry notes.

Our Three Foods:

Name: Charcuterie with Cotija, Bourbon Bellavitano, Crackers, and Herbed Mixed Nuts

Taste/Smell (w/out wine):

• Cotija: Salty, smooth, creamy, and crumbly.

• Bourbon Bellavitano: Dense, creamy, and rich with a flavor reminiscent of Parmesan Reggiano.

• Herbed Mixed Nuts: Savory with aromatic herbs complementing the crunchy texture.
  
  

Name: Perfectly Seasoned Chuck Steak with Bourbon Brown Sugar Rosemary & Pinot Noir Pan Sauce

Taste/Smell (w/out wine):
The steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare—slow-roasted to 130°F and then flash-seared for a crispy exterior. It offered rich, sweet rosemary marinade flavors with a perfect salt balance and delicious roast beef undertones. The potatoes accompanying the steak were very spiced, with bourbon notes, strong rosemary, and a creamy garlic texture.

Name: Cinnamon and Black Currant Dark Chocolate & Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate Icing

Taste/Smell (w/out wine):
The dark chocolate was luscious, with a grainy texture from the black currant and cinnamon powder. The chocolate pound cake was rich and dense, with a sweet chocolate icing providing extra indulgence.

Wine & Food Pairing Notes

Moon X Pinot Noir & Charcuterie

Taste/Smell of Wine with Food:
The Pinot Noir paired perfectly with the Cotija—the saltiness balanced the smooth, juicy wine. The Bourbon Bellavitano, though, was a bit too dense and strong, making the wine feel lighter and less rich by comparison.

How the Pairing Works:
The Cotija’s saltiness and creaminess matched the Pinot Noir’s smooth fruitiness. The Bourbon Bellavitano was a little too bold for this wine, throwing off the balance.

Josh Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel & Steak

Taste/Smell of Wine with Food:
The Cotija didn’t work with the Zinfandel—the saltiness clashed with the wine’s heat. But with the Bourbon Bellavitano, both the wine and cheese mellowed out, and the bourbon flavors came through nicely as the cheese softened the tannins. With the steak, the wine’s fruitiness cut through the rich, savory flavors, and the rosemary brought out the wine’s spice.

How the Pairing Works:
The bold Zinfandel was tamed by the Bourbon Bellavitano, making the pairing smooth and balanced. It also worked well with the steak, especially with the shared bourbon notes in both the sauce and the wine.

Cooper's Hawk Chocolate Almond Red Wine & Dessert

Taste/Smell of Wine with Food:
This wine was awesome with the cinnamon and black currant dark chocolate—each flavor stood out but blended well together. It also paired nicely with the chocolate pound cake, balancing the sweetness without being too heavy. If you ate a raspberry after sipping the wine, it made the flavors pop, but having the raspberry first overpowered the wine.

How the Pairing Works:
The almond and maraschino flavors in the wine matched the cinnamon and black currant in the chocolate. Its syrupy sweetness paired nicely with the chocolate pound cake, keeping the balance between sweet and rich.

Knocks to the Black Box?

Name: Black Box - Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Sauvignon

Country/Region: Chile 

Year/Price: NV, $5 (500ml)

Critique Review: Deep cherry color and slight oak on the nose. Low expectations but this aligned well with my taste buds. Berry forward cab that is nice with my rib eye. A very simple wine, red berries, low tannin and white pepper, but enjoyable enough.

Reference Flavors: Black Cherry, Black Currant, Plum, Cedar, Spice, Vanilla, Oak, Caramel, Raspberry

My Review: This Cabernet Sauvignon pours a deep ruby red with noticeable viscosity. On the nose, I picked up black currant, a little plum, and some cedar spice. The taste is rich and smooth, with dark fruit flavors and a slightly dry, tannic finish. It’s got a decent structure, but it’s still easy enough to drink.

I had this with country-style chicken tenders and honey mustard, which actually worked pretty well. The wine’s dark fruit and oak flavors contrasted nicely with the crispy, salty breading, and the sweetness of the honey mustard balanced out some of the tannins. It might not be the perfect pairing, but for a budget-friendly Cab, it held up fine with a casual meal... for the price, no knocks to black box!

Stel + Mar (emphasis on the mar)

Name: Stel+Mar - Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Sauvignon

Country/Region: California, Central Valley, Lodi

Year/Price: 2022, $20 

Critique Review: Light to medium bodied, lots of blackberry, some espresso, spices, some chocolate, surprising amount of tannins towards the end... light and easy to handle despite some complexity

Reference Flavors: Black Cherry, Black Currant, Plum, Cedar, Spice, Vanilla, Oak, Caramel, Raspberry

My Review: On the eyes, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep ruby red, with a strong viscosity. On the nose I get black currant and a hint of plum along with a cedary spiciness. On the tongue I get a rich, balanced, savory red with a slight tannic finish.

This wine’s bold structure makes it an excellent pairing choice rather than a casual sipper. The salty caramel and briny notes add depth, enhancing the richness of the prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella while complementing the herbaceous basil. The wine’s tannins and acidity cut through the creaminess, creating a well-rounded contrast.

With the butterfly shrimp, the wine’s dark fruit and cedar spice meet the shrimp’s delicate sweetness and crispy texture. The brininess in both the wine and seafood ties the pairing together, though the Cabernet’s strength might slightly overshadow the shrimp on its own. Overall, this is a solid, well-balanced Cabernet that truly shines when paired with the right foods.

Alamos Malbec Minerally as Heck

Name: Alamos - Malbec

Variety: Malbec

Country/Region: Argentina, Mendoza

Year/Price: 2023, $12

Critique Review: In the glass, this wine is very dark plum in color.  It’s quite leggy with quick falling tears on the sides of the glass. The wine’s aroma reminded me of caramel candy apple.  It’s very aromatic and noticeable from afar. When swirled in the glass the darker notes were temporarily subdued, with a hint of spice being noticed.  Once settled, the darker aromas returned.  Very little alcohol was noted in the aroma.  Very complex and enjoyable! Alamos Malbec gave forth flavors of muted blackberry.  Upfront it’s a smooth wine, with some dryness on the back end.  I also noticed just little bit of pepper in the taste. The wine’s tannins were bright and most noticeable on the tongue and the back of the mouth.  As the wine had a chance to breath, the tannins became less bright and more balanced.  Certainly not a silky mouthfeel, due to the dryness, but not wool like either.

Reference Flavors: Blackberry, black cherry, plum, blueberry, dark chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, clove, licorice, leather, graphite, smoky, mocha

My Review: Visually this is a dark, but not black, red wine. On the nose I get subtle blueberry and blackberry as well as faint clove. On the first taste, there are strong tannins and a well balanced acidity also paired with minerality. There is a bit of tobacco and cedar flavor that presents itself on the finish. This wine definitely hits like a strong malbec at first, but after sipping a little bit, the wine definitely calms down and you can detect a lot more nuance. This wine paired ok with the creamy sundried tomato chicken past recipe I made; you really just tasted the dish and then the wine but the flavors went ok together. For $12, I really do think this bottle is a steal.