Cedar Mountain Winery is both old and new at the same time, taking advantage of the best of each. After a not-too-brief hiatus, their tasting room has reopened in a new location. We couldn’t wait to experience again a perennial favorite at the winery: the wine and Halloween candy pairing. Yes, that’s right, Halloween candy!
We have been fans of Cedar Mountain for many years. We frequently visited their tasting room when it was located on Tesla Road, where the Darcie Kent winery now stands. We were disappointed when Cedar Mountain closed and joyful when it reopened at its new location on Reuss Road. After a respectful delay to let them get the kinks out of their new facility, we excitedly found our way to their new parking lot.
The new facility is quite attractive, with nice outdoor seating for small groups and a bright and airy interior. We especially loved the tables and chairs made from wine barrels. The grounds are still something of a work in progress, and we learned that there is a large deck planned beside the building.
Many wineries have wine and cheese pairings. Some add chocolate, dried meat or fruit to the menu. Cedar Mountain goes the extra mile, so to speak, with a very topical Halloween candy pairing. This sounds absurd, but this pairing has been a crowd pleaser for many years. Here are the tasting menus from 2012 and today:
As in years past, the pairings were startling yet effective. We started with their 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, paired with Sour Patch Zombies. We were amazed by the positive synergy between the sweet/sour of the Sour Patch Zombies and the crisp citrus notes of the Sauvignon Blanc. The creaminess of the Candy Corn served their 2013 Chardonnay very well in counterpoint with the softness of the 50% oak- 50% stainless-derived Chardonnay. This was a very popular, albeit surprising, pairing with our group.
We then tasted their 2009 Reserve Syrah, paired with Good and Plenty. The herbaciousness of the Syrah and the anise notes in the candy danced a flavorful tango. Our final taste was their Tortuga Royale Port (made with Scharffenburger chocolate, no less) paired with Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins. In our tasting, the pumpkins were swapped out in favor of dark chocolate Hershey’s kisses. The two chocolates meshed well, with the hearty Port flavors dancing on top.
Full of Halloween cheer, we said our goodbyes and headed off for our next tasting. The Cedar Mountain legacy has been reinvigorated by this lovely new tasting room, and we look forward to many more wonderful visits.
Cheers, and Happy Halloween everyone!
About the Author: John grills a mean steak and is always in the market for another wine fridge. Believes that if a winery has more than 10 employees, it's probably too big. Buys wine faster than he drinks it, but who cares?
Thank you for visiting us at Cedar Mountain Winery. It feels so great to be open for tasting again. It was a long 2.5 years waiting. We look forward to seeing you soon!