Drink This Now Blog _Chapter 1, Lesson 1: Why We Drink Wine with Meals and How Food Alters the Taste Perception of Wine

For this lesson, I wanted to try a foreign wine and pair it to with food. I visited the Vintage Cellars where I get my weekly wine tasting and great wine recommendationsThe recommended wine ( although different from the DNT lesson 1 recommendations) is PSÂGOT, Cabernet Sauvignon from Jerusalem, Israel. Bottle (750ml), Price:  $28.39

After my first pour, I noticed a very dark red color. I then swirled and sniffed the wine a couple times before tasting the wine. The wine was dry and had some fruity smell and taste that I associated to cherries and blackberries. The wine was tannic and aggressive, although not as aggressive as the other cabernet sauvignon I usually taste. It had some earthy feel to it that made me think of the calcareous and desert like soil of Israel.

After two hours, the wine had more pleasant aromas to senses. I could smell more floral  scents and the acidic-tannic flavor faded away a bit. This could be due to the fact that the wine had aged( oxidized) or I had sipped a little bit more wine at this point. However, one thing remained! This wine is unique and my palate seems to like more and more. For the try wine with cheese portion, I tried a French brie ( 60% double cream cheese). After tasting the wine, it felt a lot lighter and more fruitier. I could taste hints of oak and more earthy contents. I could say with confident this wine tasted better although it was already great and it felt more oaky.

For food Pairing, I made a steak, potato salad and bought coleslaw to pair with the wine. The steak wine pan sired and coated with compound butter. I will start with the food. the steak was more tastier. I could taste less acid with the food. I could also feel the salt and pepper distinctly. The coleslaw was a bit thicker and tastier. Its like my sense were more aware. I could feel the mayo in the coleslaw and the viscosity of the dish. The potato salad flavor also stood out in a unique way. I could taste the sulfur heavy yolk. I could still salivate even after a few bites. Its like wine is meant to be paired with foods!! spicy foods!!

Finally, I tested the wine the following day. I could not taste much different except the wine was less tannic.(No tannic feel almost)