Dinner- Sal's (Italian)

Front View of Sal's

Sal's Italian Restaurant has actually been ranked the number one restaurant in Blacksburg, VA for many years. Though I had been to Sal's many times before, I had never been as a 21 year old wine drinker. Since I absolutely love their cannolis, I thought it was about time to see if I would love their wine as well.

After a long Thursday filled with tests and stress, my friends Bri, Bryce and I sat down at Sal's to enjoy an authentic Italian meal complete with copious amounts of alcohol. The atmosphere was delightful! I really enjoy the artwork they have around the restaurant.

Window inside of Sal's

Unlike our previous dinner, the wine menu at Sal's did not intimidate me. There were just the right amount of choices. (And perhaps I've just gotten more adapt at reading and understanding wine menus.)

Wine Menu

We each chose a different dish and wine for dinner. 

Bryce's Linguini and Meatballs

Bri's Spicy Rigitoni and Sausage

My Grilled Chicken Wrap 

From left to right: Borgo Pinot Grigio, Boneyard Rosé, Borgo Chardonnay

The Borgo Pinot Grigio was made from 100% Pinot Grigio in the Friuli-Venezia region of Italy. It  was bottled in 2012 in 750mL bottles. It had a 12% alcohol content. It had a citrus, mango nose and a light body. The finish was a little choppy but overall enjoyable. When paired with food, the choppiness of the finish subsided and the overall flavor of citrus enhanced. 

The Boneyard Rosé was made from 65% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 10% Syrah in Leesburg, VA. It felt good to support the Virginia economy with this meal. The wine was bottled in 2012 in 750mL bottles. It had an 11% alcohol content. The nose on this wine had hints of melon, pineapple and floral aromas. The finish was very smooth. When paired with food, notes of orange blossom became apparent. 

The Borgo Chardonnay was made from 100%  Chardonnay in the Friuli-Venezia region of Italy. It was bottled in 2012 in 750mL bottles. It had an 11% alcohol content. The nose had hints of vanilla and apple. Overall the wine was very crisp with the major flavor being a red apple without the skin. This wine also had a bit of a sparkle to it, making it a bit more fun to drink. When paired with food this wine lost some of its carbonation which was disappointing. 

I enjoyed this experience. My favorite wine that we tried was the Chardonnay. The Rose was too sweet and the Pinot Grigio was too harsh. Just like Goldie Locks, I prefer things right in the middle, where the Chardonnay was. 

Bri and I (before all the wine was gone)

We almost forgot to take pictures of our dessert!

Tasting- Dom Roger Perrin, Cotes du Rhone

Name: Dom Roger Perrin, Cotes du Rhone
Variety: 60% Granache, 40% Syrah/Cinsault blend
Region: Rhone Valley
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $15

Winery review: Displays deep blackberry, cassis, smoked meat, pepper and our signature sage spice. The silky finish lingers from the ripe tannins. 

My review: The nose of this wine is had hints of cheese. The idea of drinking cheese does not appeal to me, so we started off on the wrong foot. The primary pallet had a very strong smokey taste while the mid pallet let this sensation mellow. Surprisingly, the finish was enjoyable. It had large notes of cherry. This wine confused my pallet and I do not think I will try it again. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- Courege Lounge Buzet

Name: Courege Lounge Buzet
Variety: 65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: South West
Country: France
Year: 2011
Price: $17

Winery review: Old vines on excellent terroirs with sandy-gravel and clay soils, David decided to make his own wines instead of selling his fruit to the coop and focus on terroir-driven, distinct wines of high quality rather than blending his meticulously grown fruit in that grown by others lesser ambition. Courege-Longue farms all their fruit under strict organic standards. For those bemoaning that Bordeaux lost all its soul due to a shift toward an interantional style and became a poor value, give Courege-Longue's Buzet a try. 

My review: This wine was unremarkable. It had a small nose that hinted of dirt. Overall it had very high tannins and was much too dry for my pallet. The finish was harsh and unwelcoming. Perhaps it would have been better with food to help cut the acidity. I would not try this wine again. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- Cherry Cove Pinot Noir

Name: Cherry Cove Pinot Noir
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Willamette Valley
Country: Oregon
Year: 2011
Price: $18

Winery review: The ruby color of this wine suggests classic Pinot as the nose opens with fresh lavender and plum jam. Across palate are vibrant tones, from explosive red cherry on entry to the lush strawberry on the lively mid-palate. Lingering floral tones hang for just a moment and carry though the soft finish. 

My review: I honestly had no idea what the winery review is talking about. The nose of this wine is reminiscent of rotten vegetables and moldy cheese. Across the pallet it tastes like licking a cellar floor. Lingering tones of mothballs make you reach for the nearest gallon of water to cleanse your newly assaulted pallet. I highly recommend 
staying away from this wine if you love your taste buds. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- gPG Gargenega/Pinot Grigio

Name: gPG Gargenega/Pinot Grigio
Variety: 80% Gargenega, 20% Pinot Grigio
Region: Veneto
Country: Italy
Year: 2012
Price: $9

Winery review: A blend of two of Italy's best white wines grapes: Pinot Grigio and Garganega. The Grigio brings crisp apple and melon fruit to the party while the Garganega serves up a creamy texture and a hint of toasted nuts. It's super refreshing, easy to drink, and pretty darn delicious, all at a terrific value price. 

My review: The nose of this wine was very inviting. It had hints of orange, mango and other citrus fruit. It had a light body and a nice mouth feel. The overall taste was green apple. I would try this wine again, perhaps with a nice summer salad. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- Delaunay Savignon Blanc

Name: Delaunay Savignon Blanc
Variety:  100% Savignon Blanc
Region: Lorie Valley
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $12

Winery review: Savignon Blanc from France's Loire Valley are wonderfully aromatic and bursting with minerality and freshness. Thierry Delaunay harnesses these characteristics magnificicently in their Savignon Blanc from the Touraine sub-region that borders Vouvray. Clay and gravelly soils help give this great Savignon its zest and complexity. 

My review: The nose on this wine is very nutty. It had a mid-weight body and a distinct sour apple mid pallet. The finish was semi-smooth. I would not try this wine again. I feel like it was trying to do too many different flavors  and feels at once without having mastered any of them. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- Barefoot Pink Moscato

Name: Barefoot Pink Moscato
Variety:  100% Moscato
Region: South Coast, California
Country: United States
Year: 2012
Price: $10

Winery review: Aromas of Mandarin orange and sweet jasmine crash into each other to create a deliciously sweet sea of pink goodness. Subtle flavors of cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate wash ashore in the flavorful experience.

My review: The nose of this wine has huge citrus notes. Grapefruit is the most prevalent scent on the nose. The primary pallet is light and slightly sour. The mid pallet amplified the sourness and added hints of lemon. The finish was smooth. I would definitely drink this wine again. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- 2009 Mil Piedras Malbec

Name: Mil Piedras Malbec
Variety:  100% Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2009
Price: $10

Winery review: Supple in texture, full bodied and very fruity in style with blackberry, plum, toast, and cassis aromas/flavors. 

My review: This wine has a big nose! There was a large plum scent mixed with currant. The texture was full with a moderate amount of tannins. When I coated my mouth with this wine, it became somewhat watery. The finish was smooth with hints of oak. I did not care for this wine. 

I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- Chateau Morrisette Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Chateau Morrisette Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Blue Ridge Highlands, Virginia
Country: United States
Year: 2011
Price: $18

Winery review: Aromas of raspberry, blackberry, spice and mint lift from this dense red wine. On the palate, it is full-bodied and features firm tannins, with intense Aromas of raspberry, blackberry, spice and mint lift from this dense red wine. On the palate, it is full-bodied and features firm tannins, with intense flavors of red cherry and blackberry. The finish features soft notes of blueberry and black currant,.blueberry and black currant.

My review: This wine has a very strong aroma. It seems to create a two foot aura around the wine glass. The nose sweet with hints of currant. The primary pallet is very strong and bursts with oak flavor. This wine has a heavy weight with a blackberry mid pallet. The finish was very bitter. Overall this wine had a bit of acidity that I did not care for. 

I tried this wine with chocolate. The chocolate brought out sweeter notes of the wines, as opposed the the acidity I had tasted before. 

Tasting- Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple

Name: Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple
Variety: Apple Blend- Winesap, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious 
Region: Blue Ridge Highlands, Virginia
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $11

Winery review: Our Apple Wine is made from crisp and juicy Virginia apples. Bursting with the vibrant fruitiness of just-picked apples, this wine is sweet and smooth, light bodied, with a clean crisp finish. Aroma: Fresh apples. Palate: Sweet, smooth, apple Finish: Crisp, refreshing. 100% Virginia apples. Serve chilled.

My review: The nose smells of granny smith apples, it has sour hints but is still sweet. The primary taste is of red apples, it lacks the sourness of the granny smiths. The mid pallet is light and fruity. The finish is reminiscent of peanut butter. In fact, the more I drank this wine, the more peanut butter I tasted. I absolutely loved it! I tried this wine without food. 

Tasting- Chateau Morrisette Blackberry

Name: Chateau Morrisette Blackberry
Variety: Blackberries, not grapes!
Region: Blue Ridge Highlands, Virginia
Country: United States
Year: 2010
Price: $9

Winery review: Sweet and smooth, our Blackberry Wine is packed with the vibrant fruitiness of succulent, sun drenched berries. Aroma: Dark berries Palate: Sweet, smooth, vibrant, sun-drenched berries. Finish: Smooth, blackberry.

My review: The nose was sweet with a definite blackberry scent. The body was actually lighter than I expected since the scent seemed so heavy. The finish was smooth. It was obvious that the wine did not go through extensive filtering. There was a fair amount of precipitate at the bottom of the bottle. I tried this wine without food. 

Dinner- Our Daily Bread (France)

Our Daily Bread in Blacksburg, VA is a French inspired bakery and bistro. In the evenings, they have a dinner menu full of quaint items like duck, rabbit and chicken fricassee. With these dishes, ODB serves some marvelous French wines. 

I went to this restaurant on a whim with two of my friends, Bri and Bryce. The restaurant is a two minute drive from my apartment. I've often gone to the restaurant for lunch and baked goods, but before this trip, I had never had their wine. The ordering process was not something I particularly enjoyed. Instead of a waiter coming to the table and taking my order, I had to stand in line, order and I was given a number to put on the table for the waiter to know where to bring the food. This did not impress me. If I'm going to pay $25 for a dinner, I should be waited on properly. Perhaps this is how real French restaurants work?

While the ordering style was unimpressive, at least the number was on an adorable wooden spoon!

Bryce and me with our order spoons. If we hadn't decided to go last minute, I would have been wearing a much cuter outfit! :(

On to the food! I enjoyed the selection of food. It was not overwhelming like some menus can be. The wine menu, however, was extremely long and very overwhelming. However, I guess part of being an adult is being able to make decisions for yourself. Ugh!

The wine menu was long and overwhelming. It's not exactly what a wine novice wants to see. 

The food menu was simple with few choices and many unique dishes.

Here is the break down of the food and wine:

Sourdough bread appetizer! DELICIOUS!

We began with an amazing appetizer! I know most restaurants bring out bread before a meal, but ODB takes this practice to a whole new level! Their sourdough bread made me want to cry from joy! Surprisingly, the waiter delivered the bread to our table. To his dismay, we had him deliver a basket three different times. It was just that good. 

2012 Rosé d'Anjou, Champteloup

The first wine we tried was a 2012 Rosé d'Anjou from Champteloup. It was made with a blend of rosé grapes, comes in a 750mL bottle and had 10.5% alcohol content. I smelled nodes of peach, cherry and apricot in the nose. The body was light and the mid pallet seemed hollow. The finish was smooth. The overall flavor of this wine was peach. When I tried this with food, the tastes of alcohol and peach intensified.

2012 Muscadet Sevré et Maine, Chateau de la Chesnaie

The second wine was a 2012 Muscadet Sevre et Maine from Chateau de la Chesnaie. It was made with 100% muscadet grapes, comes in a 750mL bottle and has 12% alcohol content. On the nose, I smelled citrus, peach and melon. The primary pallet had a strong taste of orange followed by a smokey mid pallet. The finish was smooth. When I tried this wine with food, the finish was harsher and there was a new taste of lemon in the mid pallet.

2012 Cote du Rhone, Domaine de Grange de Payan

 The last wine of the evening was a 2012 Cote du Rhone from Domaine de Grange de Payan. This wine is made from an unspecific blend of red Rhone grapes. It comes in a 750mL bottle and has an alcohol content of 11%. The nose of this wine had hints of blackberry that were overwhelmed by a sharp acid sensation. This wine had a low content, giving it a watery feel. The overall body was light. The taste of this wine was smoke, which was very disappointing after I had smelled the blackberries in the nose. When I tried this wine with food, the smoke taste just increased. I would not try this wine again. 

Duck with a Balsamic Glaze

The meal I had was a duck balsamic glaze with sides of mashed potatoes and fired sweet potatoes. The duck was a little tough but not as gamey as I expected. I really enjoyed the sweet potatoes.


Overall I enjoyed the dinner! My favorite wine was the Muscadet. I would definitely drink it again!

Tasting- Angove Zibibbo Sparkling Moscato

Name: Angove Zibibbo Sparkling Moscato
Variety: Moscato
Region: South Australia
Country: Australia
Year: Unspecified
Price: $15

Winery review: This is a tasty and generous Moscato  that opens with plush aromas of honey, peach syrup, white flower and fragrant exotic fruit. There’s a nice sensation of fullness and creaminess in the mouth that is backed by the foamy effervescence of this sparkling dessert wine.

My review: The nose was soapy with hints of rosemary and flowers. The primary pallet tasted of peach. Overall the texture was bubbly and inviting. The finish was a bit more acidic than I expected. I was disappointed in this wine. I expected it to be sweeter with a more fruity nose. I tasted this wine without food. 

Tasting- Fetzer Malbec

Name: Fetzer Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2011
Price: $15

Winery review: Delicious Malbec is 100% from Mendoza, Argentina. It has a vibrant red color with violet tones. Subtle and delicious aromas with an intense mixture of red fruits, plum and cherry jam. On the palate it’s juicy and has intense wood-like tannins that make it a rustic, yet versatile wine. Long finish. 

My review: The nose had a strong suggestion of ripe plums. The primary pallet had hints of cherry and was light for a red wine. The finish was soft. Overall the wine had a low tannin concentration. If I was going to choose a red wine to drink, this would be the one! I tasted it without food. 

Tasting- Tres Ojos Garnacha

Name: Tres Ojos Granacha
Variety: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre
Region: Calatayud
Country: Spain
Year: 2011
Price: $6.95

Winery review:"This semi-opaque ruby, custom cuvée of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre is made specifically for Fran Kysela. It exhibits very fresh, ripe dark red fruit with very good palate weight and depth and ends with rich fruit notes. Made from organically grown grapes. Incredible value!"
- I-WineReview (December 2013), 90 pts.

My review: The nose had hints of raspberry and plums. The primary pallet seemed very watered down. This added to the lightness of the wine's body. The finish was very dry. I tasted this wine with no food. I honestly did not care much for this wine due to the finish. 

Tasting- The Royal Old Vines Chenin Blanc

Name: The Royal Old Vines Chenin Blanc
Variety: Chenin Blanc 
Region: Costal Region
Country: South Africa
Year: 2012
Price: $7.95

Winery review:90 Points – Robert Parker

"One of the greatest buys I have tasted this year is this under $10, 100% Chenin Blanc from the Western Cape. A super flowery-scented nose includes notions of ripe honeydew melons and pears. This medium-weight, fresh, fruity, crisp, dry, textbook Chenin Blanc will provide immense pleasure over the next 12 months." 

My review: The nose was sweet with hints of orange and other citrus fruits. It had a light body with a melon mid pallet. The finish was very soft and enjoyable. I really enjoyed this wine. I tasted it with no food. 

Tasting- Norton Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Norton Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2012
Price: $5.95

Winery review: Aromas of pithy citrus and pineapple are decent but unrefined, while flavors of tangerine and pineapple are tropical, zesty and what they are. This is nothing more than a fresh, simple, citrusy white to sip on the patio.

My review: The nose was very sweet and had hints of tangerine. Overall the wine had a light body and a bit of a hollow mid pallet. The finish was very dry, something I do not particularly care for. I tasted this wine without food.