 |
| The whole group at 622 North |
This past weekend I had my family come visit me in Blacksburg. Both my parents, my Aunt, my sister, and my girlfriend all drove down to spend a couple days together. My parents and my aunt have always been very interested in hearing about my Geography of Wine class so I took this opportunity to take the group to 622 North to try out a wine and food pairing. 622 North is one of the nicest restaurants in Blacksburg and is well known for it's knowledgable servers and excellent choice of wines. We got two appetizers for the table and each got our own entree to go with the three wines recommended by our server.
 |
| Charcuterie |
The first pairing was a Charcuterie for the table. It was a variety of meats including sliced genoa salami, italian sausage, and mortadella with sliced asiago with spicy pepper jam, whole grain mustard, pickled peppers, and bread. I had never heard of or had Charcuterie before but it was an excellent variety of flavors and textures. We paired the Charcuterie with a Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel. This was one of my favorite Zinfandels I have had yet. It was very smooth with a buttery nose and initial taste. The red went very well with the meats and cheeses in the appetizer. My favorite thing to do was put some of the spicy jam and whole grain mustard on the bread with salami and 'chase' it with the wine. The buttery and fruity flavors went well with the meat and cut down on the spice from the mustard and jam. So far, 622's recommendation was 1 for 1!
 |
| Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel |
 |
| Peter Mertes Platinum Riesling |
 |
| Spinach and Artichoke Dip |
The next appetizer was a creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip. This was served with tortilla chips, but also went very well with the bread from the Charcuterie. To me, it was unique as far as spinach and artichoke dips go, because it was so creamy and had a lemony flavor or zest to it. According to the recommendation from the server, we paired the dip appetizer with a 2012 Peter Mertes Riesling. As far as Rieslings go, this was one of the smoother and easiest to drink. It wasn't too sweet and had a very nice, crisp after taste. The smooth, sweet flavor went very well with the lemon in the dip. This Riesling was my favorite of the 3 wines. Because it was so easy to drink and not too sweet, it actually went well with all three of the courses that we had. After talking with the server for a little bit while waiting for the main course, he told us that the Riesling is known to go very well with spicy foods, thats why it paired well with the Charcuterie. I made sure to save at least part of a glass for my main dish.
 |
| Pan Seared Duck |
Finally the main course, and by far the best of the night, maybe one of the best I have had in a while was the seared Duck. With so many good looking choices I asked the server for a recommendation and he suggested the duck- pan seared duck breast with rum spiced julienned carrots, parsnip puree, ginger jus, bacon cracklings, and brussels sprouts. This dish was so amazing because it was made up of so many different flavors and textures that I would never even consider combining together. The duck was cooked perfectly and there was a variety of spices from the carrots and ginger jus. The last wine recommended by the server to go with the duck was a Jason Stephens 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine had a very deep color with aromas that hinted at fruits and berries, with a hint of chocolate. It went well with the tender duck. It was very nice to sip to cut down on the spice from the carrots. It also went very well with the bacon (doesn't everything though.) Some of the other main courses at our table where a bacon wrapped Rockfish, beef, porn, and veal meatloaf, and a creamy portobello risotto. I heard nothing but rave reviews around the table and got to taste a little bit of everything. All in all, my favorite food was the pan seared duck, and my favorite wine was the Riesling. I would recommend 622 North to anyone who is looking for a nice meal in Blacksburg. Considering the amount of quality and variety we got as a table 622 is very reasonably priced also.
 |
| Cabernet Sauvignon |
