Dinner - Bull and Bones (USA)

For my final wine and dinner experience, my roommate and I decided to try Bull and Bones Brewhaus and Grill, a newer establishment in Blacksburg located on South Main Street. I had dined there once before, but it was before I turned 21 so I was not able to enjoy the amazing selection of beers or wines quite yet. That's what made this experience different - I realized what a delicious combination it is to pair a great wine with a juicy steak!

We decided to go with two reds and one white wine to accompany our meals that evening. The first red was called The Show Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena winery in Napa Valley, California. It displayed a very dark reddish maroon color in the glass. After swirling it around, releasing its bouquet of scents, I could sense a really nice smell of grapes mixed in with alcohol. When I tasted it, it was oaky and reminded me a little bit of plastic. This wine is full bodied and dense, with an intense grape taste that seems a little bit overwhelming. I wasn't quite a fan of this wine on its own. Although, when I paired it with one of Bull and Bones's most popular dishes, rosemary and garlic cream sauce Tri-Tip medallions, it tasted a lot better. More grape flavor was brought out and the mouthfeel was less dense, making it more enjoyable for me. It went well with the spicy, peppery taste of the steak. I thought it was a great pair!

The next red wine we chose was a Fat Cat Merlot, also from Napa Valley. This red had more of a ruby color that sparkled like a gem in the glass. It smelled buttery to me, that savory smell that I've been experiencing with a lot of red wines that I've tasted lately. Its scent also seemed cool and fresh, something I wouldn't expect from a red wine. The Merlot was medium bodied and light on the tongue. It tasted really good! It was almost sweet, not quite like a Riesling or Moscato, but sweet for a red, with notes of fruits and berries. I really loved this wine. It even went well with the 8oz. Sirloin that I paired it with. The spices from the steak were really brought out by the wine. The combination also increased the flavor of the wine, making it seem bigger and even more delicious.

Lastly, our white wine was a Chateau St. Michelle Riesling from Columbia Valley in Washington. It was golden in color and had a scent that made me think of pears, guava, grapefruit, and stone fruits such as peaches and apricots. It was citrusy with a crisp apple taste, really nice on the mouth. There was no aftertaste which I enjoyed, so I can see myself drinking this wine again. I paired this one with the Steak & Shrimp Pasta, garlic cream sauce covered fettuccine topped with sauteed shrimp and wood-fired tri-tip steak. This was another great combination. Having these together brought out fresh oceanic flavors from the seafood. There was white wine in the pasta sauce already, which went perfectly with the Riesling. All in all, these flavors really complimented each other and worked well together. White wine with seafood is always a great way to go!

Sadly, we were too into taking notes on the wine and hungry at the time that we forgot to take photos of our plates before we devoured them. Here are the only pictures of our food that I was able to capture - the last bite of the sirloin and our yummy dessert.

             

I really enjoyed doing these wine and dinner pairings. Even though I'll no longer be receiving credit for them, I plan on continuing this tradition for a long time. Learning about all the wines we discuss for this class helps me gain a better understanding of what will pair well together when it comes to food, and I am thankful for the course to teach me that! Maybe I'll even continue writing in this blog about my experiences. Who knows!