A number of years ago The Wine & Food Society of Jacksonville started a series of informal wine classes at Royal Palm Village Wine & Tapas. Prior classes included: Wine: What you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask; Taking it to the Next Level; From the Mountains to the Valleys; and Old World vs. New World Wines. These classes were very successful and we decided to resume the classes with a new theme.
Five pairs of wines which explored lesser-known wines, many located next door to a famous vineyard were selected by Jeff & Judy. All wines were poured and tasted blind so names did not influence the decisions.
First Pour - Alsace Pinot Blanc vs Italian Pinot Bianco
Melanie Pfister-Paar Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France vs. Tiefenbrunner Merus Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
The favorite was Tiefenbrunner (11 to 9 votes)
Second Pour - Sancerre Rouge vs. Burgundy
Steve Millet Sancerre Rouge, Loire Valley vs. Domaine Pierre Gelin Fixin, Burgundy
The Burgundy was the favorite (26 to 2 votes)
Lump Crabcake with Spanish Romesco
Third Pour - Cahors Malbec vs. Argentinian Malbec
Chateau Haut-Monplaisir Tradition Cahors Malbec vs. Catena Zapata Catena Appellation La Consulta Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
The Argentinian malbec was the favorite (25 to 3 votes)
Miniature Beef Empanadas with Soffrito
Fourth Pour - Chinon vs. another Cab Franc
Charles Joguet Chinon "Les Petites Roches" Single Vineyard vs. Bodega Garzon Reserva Cabernet Franc, Maldonado, Uruguay
The Uruguayan wine came in first (26 to 2)
Cast Iron Seared Pork Ribeye with Chimichurri, Fresh Greens, Tomato
Fifth Pour - Bergerac vs. Bordeaux Blend
Chateau Michel de Montaigne (20% cab franc/20% cab sauv/60% merlot) vs. Chateau du Val d'Or Saint Emilion Grand Cru (81% merlot/ 12% cab franc/7% cab sauv)
The Saint Emilion won this round (21 votes vs. 7)
Blue & Black Truffle Cheese with Dark Chocolate