Reflexion is a blend of Muscat Canelli (for sweetness), White Zinfandel (for expressive aromas) and Merlot (for color and roundness). Here’s what Alex, our winemaker, says about this wine:

Our Lumière de Vie Réflexion has a bright pink color. The wine has a lot of clean and fresh aromas of light red fruits, candy, licorice and Ruby Red grapefruit. The attack in the mouth also brings up those light red berries notes. The wine is fluid and pleasant with more candy like flavors and a hint of acidity in the finish.

We opened a bottle of Reflexion last night, and enjoyed it with Havarti cheese, crackers and popcorn. It also pairs well with appetizers, Asian or Mexican food (the sweetness will balance the heat in these foods), and Gouda, Swiss or Edam cheeses.

Sunday supper at the Link house always includes a great wine. This week: Lumiere de Vie Reflexion

Express your love with a Valentina Rose Wine from Fikardos Winery.

Fikardos Valentina is a fresh, fruity, medium sweet rose wine with distinctive strawberry, cherry, pomegranate and rose aromas.

Φρέσκο, φρουτώδες, ημίγλυκο ροζέ κρασί με ευδιάκριτα αρώματα φράουλας, κερασιού, ροδιού και τριαντάφυλλου.

For more info
please call as at
26949814

or

Find us on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fikardos-Winery/226159594067154?fref=ts

La Frenz Rosé 2009, 12.0% ABV – 750ml, (Penticton, BC, Canada)

from the La Frenz website:

“This dark salmon pink rosé is brimming with a kaleidoscope of red fruits including freshly picked strawberries and cranberries. Enjoy chilled with salmon and fresh summer salads.”

• Style: (Vintage) Rosé
• My Rating: C+
  
• Taste Profile: fruity strawberry/acidity -> herbacious cranberry/tart/sour -> warm alcoholic finish.
• Where I got it: Direct website order
• How much: $18, Aug 2010
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
  
• Would I recommend this to rosé wine aficionados: no
  

Tasting notes: pours light cranberry red with a pinkish hue. Alcoholic sour strawberries on the nose. Drinks with the fruity strawberries as advertised, 6/10-acidic sourness, light herbaciousness, cranberry aroma and 7/10-tartness, 3-10/sweetness, finishing with a lingering tart/sour off-dry, warm alcoholic finish. Medium complexity, med depth, good transitions, decent drinkability. An easy-going wine.

I’m not sure if I just grew much older during the last months (well, in someway maybe =P) of if I just started to realize that wine is quite a nice drink. And when dealing with wine or reading about it, I found the topic really interesting and that there is a lot to learn as well as to taste. I also want to find the best wines for my favorite vegetarian meals. When I reading information about certain wines there is mainly written with which fish or meat it goes well but rarely with veggies which is quite important to me…

Wine collection

My idea from now on is to try out different wines and learn about them. Today I actually started with that thanks to a nice offer in a supermarket. So I grabbed some small bottles which contain only one glass. I think that’s a nice possibility to taste one wine after another without spending a fortune on a big bottle which might not taste that well (the red wine I just enjoy right now I most likely won’t buy in a 0.75l bottle because it’s not my favorite ;) ). I’m also thinking about participating in tastings, courses or masterclasses to widen my horizon about wine. As a student / intern that might be quite an expensive thing to do but I just have to keep my eyes open where affordable events are offered.

Red wine

I also want to keep a little wine diary to just write down what I drink at home to remember what was good and what not as well which food matches well. But let’s see how long that diary idea lasts. Soon I should know anyways what’s a good wine and which not… ;)

Bye Bye, vi ses! =)

Rosado wine, Hondarrabi Beltza, Ameztaoi ‘Rubentis’, Getariako Txakolina, 2011. $12
Tinto, Palm Springs CA

Red wine, Tempranillo, Senoriode de Valdehermoso ‘Joven’, Ribera del Duero, 2011. $10
Mmm, the wines at Tinto were pretty good and they were all from Spain so they went perfectly with the meal!

Rainmaker Fountain at night, North Palm Canyon Drive.

Recently I was delighted to meet up with a rep for Skinnygirl and I have to say she was a doll of a person.  I got the chance to pick one or 2 products from Skinnygirl wines, cocktails and liquor.  So today I am doing a review of the 2 wines I have not tried yet from the collection. 

First up we have the California White Wine 2011.  This is a very refreshing wine and you can enjoy a glass for only 100 calories.  We all start out the year wanting to watch our calorie intake and this is a great glass of wine to enjoy and not feel bad about.  The wine is primarily Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.  I think this goes great with a seafood dish.  I give it an 8 out of 10.

Second up we have the California Rose Wine 2011.  I am not really a rose drinker I prefer either white or red as my preference.  This is a great wine for people who really don’t enjoy that stong taste of wine. Its smooth and yet very light. Fruit flavors of refreshing strawberry lemonade. The wine would go great with a salad dish.  I give it a 7 out of 10.

Stay tuned because I will be reviewing more Skinnygirl drinks.

Disclosure:  This review is based on Homemade Delish’s own opinion this was not a sponsored or paid review.

Red wine – Guinness beer – Dirty vodka martini -White wine – Rosé wine

Gwyneth mentioned on Chelsea Lately that she likes to drink. She mentioned her drink choices. She’s also said that she likes to drink Guinness beer before an Awards show to ease her nerves.

Bruschetta

Her favorite food.

Chozen ice cream

She’s half-Jewish so it makes sense she likes these yummy ice creams based on Jewish desserts.

You Will Need..

• Half a pack of fresh or dried spinach linguine
• A large glass of rosé wine
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• Mussels
• Prawns
• Meaty white fish (cut into 1 inch chunks)
• Salmon (cut into 1 inch chunks)
• Squid rings
• Black pepper
• Dried, mixed herbs (or fresh if you have them)
• Olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic

Step 1

Place half a pack of linguine in a pan of water over high heat and simmer until al dente.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat a little olive (or coconut!) oil in a large frying pan or wok. Finely chop the garlic and fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the seafood and fry for a further one minute.

Step 3

Add the wine, then the tomatoes and season with herbs and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

]]> http://winetalksandtastings.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/a-year-of-wine/ Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:08:55 +0000 Bristol Wine Blog http://winetalksandtastings.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/a-year-of-wine/ What was the best wine you drank last year? Oh dear! It’s the question I hate most. Especially as the ‘best’ wine and the most enjoyable is not always the same thing. For enjoyment, how can you possibly judge between a delicious, crisp, refreshing rosé in the garden on a delightful summer’s day and a rich, warming red to go with a steaming casserole in the middle of winter? And, if both are enjoyed with good friends, how much harder the decision! As for the best wine – well, no doubt, many would choose something from a tasting of classic (and very expensive) reds. Yet, if (as so often) this was held in a freezing cellar surrounded by a group of wine bores, you might be drinking great wine – but enjoyable? I don’t think so!

Rather than looking back, I prefer to look forward to the wines I’ll be drinking in 2013. I’ll make sure there will be plenty of variety – we drank bottles from 15 different countries (including Lebanon and Uruguay!) at home last year, and we’ll be hoping to find a few more in 2013. But there are some wines – or more accurately, some regions that I come back to time after time: the two ends of Italy – Trentino/Alto Adige in the north and Campania and Puglia in the south, Galicia in Spain and much of Portugal are favourites. In France, Alsace, the Loire, the Languedoc and the south-west are always happy hunting grounds, rather more so, I think, than Bordeaux and Burgundy – there seems to be just so much better value elsewhere. And Greece and Austria are worth exploring, too.

Outside Europe, New Zealand is getting better and better (and not just the Sauvignon Blancs), as is South Africa, but I find Australia rather mixed these days and I suspect that we still don’t get many of the most interesting Californian wines over here – American wine lovers clearly keep the best for themselves, and who can blame them?

With so much to choose from, how can you ever say that just one is the best? But, if you want to be brave and nominate one, I’d like to hear from you.

Delicious spicy seafood pasta

I love pasta, especially spicy pasta. And what is very refreshing in a tropical climate? A seafood pasta. That would be my answer to the question, what to eat?. All kinds of fresh garden salads can be consumed with such pasta. All of this is easy to make, a quick kitchen, so to speak, and, needless to say: it’s all delicious

The question, what wine to drink with this meal, I answer with a counter question: have you tried a rosé from Thailand? Have you heard about Gran Monte Sakuna rosé?

If not, then it is high time that you familiarize yourself with new latitude wines in general and Thai grape wines in particular.

2012 Sakuna rosé by Gran Monte Estate

This wine, made by wine-maker Nikki Lohitnavy of Gran Monte Estate, has the most amazing colour, you can imagine. Lollypop, lollies and bonbons come to mind. The colour entices you to learn more about this wine.

It is made of 100% Syrah grapes, strictly following traditional rosé-making methods and rules. The strawberry aromas are fresh and crisp. This off-dry wine and it’s discreet and subtle sweetness are the perfect accompaniment to a hot and spicy dish, either of a Thai or a non-Thai descent.

We had the above spicy seafood pasta for lunch, and it turned out that the selected wine was a perfect match. This young wine, which was already awarded a silver and a bronze medal at international wine shows, is the just perfect for hot days and with spicy food.

What a beautiful colour

PS: The new Gran Monte wine collection of the 2012 vintage will be released soon.

The current season’s pours have the palaver or promise and the eviglio of accumulation to thank for the opportunity. The VINTAGES releases of 2012 perpetuate this promulgated philosophy. The year’s buys have migrated to the cellar, to wait there in abstemious behaviour of maturation. They too will one day climb the steps to a welcoming table, set with family and friends.

Here are my favourite under and over $30 wines of 2012.

Under $30 VINTAGES released wines

Under $30 VINTAGES released wines

1. The grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah

Where: Côtes du Rhône, France

Domaine Les Grands Bois Cuveé Maximilien Cairanne 2010 (286336, $21.95) is extraordinary for the appellation. Pitch purple, world-class milk and dark chocolate swirl, creamy silk. The stuff of recent phenomenon, where rocks, dreams and raspberries are crushed and scattered like cake bits over the loam.   91

2. The grapes: Garnacha, Carinena and Syrah

Where: Montsant, Spain

Celler Besllum Besllum 2008 (283515, $15.95) of Cubist Picassan, “cut up, Maria,” heavenly body struts its stuff as an enchantress with an alluring Spanish, violaceous visage. A black cherry, carboniferous quartzite Popsicle for Mr. Jones.  “We all want something beautiful.”  90

3. The grape: Petite Sirah

Where: Alexander Valley, California

Trentadue La Storia Petite Sirah 2010 (291047, $23.95) is massively concentrated out of the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, as if it were packed with five centuries of the Italian American experience. Manages 14.9% alcohol with George Bailey-esque, heady grace. Tasted blind I commented, “if this is under $30 it’s an outrageous deal.” “Well whaddya know about that!!!. “ 92

4. The grape: Riesling

Where: Clare Valley, Australia

Pewsey Vale Riesling 2011 (686600, $19.95) shimmers an iridescent emerald-green on gold patina. Cracks like a whip straight in your face with lemon, lime and slate than lowers a sledgehammer of petrified wood. Snake-like Sasak fruit tang and acidity “goes dancin’ in,”  “builds that power” and lingers long after its skin has been shed.  91

5. The Grape: Sangiovese

Where: Tuscany, Italy

Dei Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2008 (285510, $28.95) is a wow wine. Viscous, sweet nectar, full on concentrated berries and polished rocks au jus. An opus dei call to vinous holiness and sanctity. Rapturous feeling of punch drunk love falls over me after sipping this noble Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile).  92

6. The grape: Chenin Blanc

Where: Loire Valley, France

Marc Brédif Vouvray 2010 (685362, $19.95) perches high atop a parched, molecular hilltop. Bread starter nip promises stuffed pastry filled with friable, early harvest apples. Wonderful, classic and dehumidified Vouvray.  91

7. The grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot

Where: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Lulu Island Meritage (277566, $23.95) just sounds like an Aussie moniker when in fact it hails from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Maybe the most lustrous B.C. red I have ever laid eyes on. Hard not to forbear a crush on its purple profile, hued like a $100, Single-Vineyard Argentinean Malbec. A bit reductive due to its infantile youth but this is appurtenant to the samphire, currants and peppery Merlot scents. Less weight buoys the palate. Bites back in the end. Follows varietal rules of proportion vis-a-vis the dry martini. Massive CVR** complexity from this massif assemblage.  91

8. The Grape: Cabernet Franc

Where: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Hinterbrook Rosé 2011 (275818, $16.00) is simply brilliant. Top Ontario Rosé to date. Goes well beyond descriptors like “playful” and “quaffable.” A four-day Cabernet Franc cold soak was the ticket to serious pink success, the choice of grape an engineering master stroke. Hinterbrook’s dark side of the moon. Moody, ambient, rich in tone, lyric and extended play. Rosé needs some mystery and here it is.  ”There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it’s all dark.”  91

9. The Grape: Riesling

Where: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 2009 (0197186, $21.95) races out of the nuss pit with peerless Bergweiler CVR** Spätlese speed. The late harvest drupe is so focused you would never know how sweet the middle ground really is. Never struggling against circumstance, it slides effortlessly into Spätlese orbit. Searching and finding the German Riesling dream. Sonnenuhr vineyard is here and “the time is right, for racing in the street.”  91

10. The Grape: Chardonnay

Where: Casablanca Valley, Chile

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010 (738393, $17.95) will be your best IVR* bet for Chardonnay day on May 26. Wild yeasts make cause for a weird resemblance, reminiscent of February’s Furmint. Delicate, expressive and unusual, the mint flint, brioche and smoked pineapple effect leads to thoughts of Blancs de Blancs. A little malo just might turn this into good bubbly!  89

Over $30 VINTAGES released wines

Over $30 VINTAGES released wines

1. The grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault

Where: Southern Rhône, France

Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (700922, $53.95, SAQ 10817461, $50.50) will dare you to claim any better value from the storied appellation. “Da price boss, da price!” Like I’ve landed on Fantasy Island where Châteauneuf is flowing and it’s always affordable! Kirsch galore, a Rhône cat, sensuous and gorgeous. Goldfinger garrigue, with herbs and acidity so alive and purring. Approachable now, the heavenly structure will see the Donjon through 2025.  94

2. The grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Where: Napa Valley, California

Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (193763, $99.95) is a flat out brilliant composition by the voice of one who once “traded love for glory.” This Cab reverts back to its singer-songwriter, Napa Valley pioneering form. The ’08 is a crooning balladeer intent to hold out its best in a graceful lucubration of layered, dark fruit, restrained restlessness and a vision of long life. Put the Dunn away and look to be rewarded 15+ years on with as good a California Cabernet as you will ever taste.  96

3. The Grape: Syrah

Where: Northern Rhône, France

Delas Frères Francois De Tournon Saint-Joseph 2009 (17525, $33.00) is both militaristic and the stuff of gushing Renaissance literature. Serious Syrah and foxy, Faerie Queene.  Cardinal colour, striking and dreamy. Augustinian diplomat meets allegorical fantasy. Crushed berries, truffles caked by earth, sol de la foret. Built of elegance and power, “such endlesse richesse, and so sumptuous shew.”  92

4. The Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

Where: Napa Valley, California

Dominus 2008 (212381, $145.95) solicits riposte for parry, to buy or not to buy. The omnipotently voluptuous one resides in a tramontane locale, beyond reach and also the pale. A shocking parade of profound, hyper-purple personality. Even if it suffers “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune“, a lucky man this Dominus, “all dressed in satin,” “nor woman neither.” Colour field shockingly crimson and amarinthine, textured with rich and layered brush stroke, as if Red on Maroon. A Lama, “the flowing robes, the grace, bald…striking.” To me this ’08 leans more Ornellaia than Pétrus.  97

5. The grapes: Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignan

Ridge Lytton Springs 2009 (982413, $46.95) will live in infamy like the ’92 and ’99. Immediate waft of freshly shucked vanilla bean. Ambrosial, earthy, briary fruit. Precise distillation inclusive of 23% Petite Sirah results in an impossibly lambent cordial. Not to mention you gotta love that Draper perfume. Open the magazine in 10-15 years time for the best read.  93

6. The grape: Nebbiolo

Where: Piedmont, Italy

Gemma Giblin Riserva Barolo 2005 (185025, $36.95) has begun to brick at the edges. Mouth rosewatering acidity binged by sour cherry and shellac. Wisp of Monte Cristo and withered rose only Barolo can smell of.  This Gemma is beautiful like a turning season, like something you know won’t last. For now and no more than two to three more years.  92

7. The grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Counoise

Where: Southern Rhône, France

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (711317, $89.95) enters no confected, over-extracted or OTT danger zones. The most floral Beaucastel, a doffing of Stoechas Avignon and the omnipresent Rhône garrigue. Persimmon and lavender share time imparting the wine with fumes from les galets roulés of the argilo-calcaireous vineyard beds. Basic hedonism here from such an extraordinary, complex and balanced blend.  95

8. The grapes: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon

Where: Bordeaux, France

Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2008 (581033, $59.00) is possessive of febrile gooseberry imagination. Blows sweet peach and apricot in and out of the glass in alberge de tours waves. “Hungry like the wolf” and his lycopersicon esculentum. A white PL for the ages.  92

9. The grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

Where: Tuscany, Italy

Ornellaia 2009 (722470, $189.95) is more approachable than the unparalleled 1998. A silky smooth and velvety texture puts super-ripe fruit at the forefront. While that ’98 rocked my world, this vintage offers immediate gratification, less dominating hard lines and edges. The balance is impeccable but the acidity is tempered, like the finest chocolate. The window is open now, though it may soon close, to drink beautifully for the next five years.  94

10. The Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara e Altri Vitigni

Where: Veneto, Italy

Remo Farina Le Pezze Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008 (171587, $33.95) underwhelms as a no kicker. Needs no Euro hype nor boozy heft to make itself understood. Modish mocha java speaks fluent huttish, communicating by lingua franca vernacular to the initiated. “Goopta mo bossa!“  92

Good to go!

Don’t be timid, all in. It’s the holidays for goodness sake. Headaches notwithstanding, Champagne is by far the winner in the Christmas party category. I like the pink ones but you don’t have to. And it really does pay off to spend a little extra. Really. Here’s a couple of lovelies- tried and true, always delicious, not hard to find, impress your friends.

Happy Bubbly

But that’s only just scratching the surface of a very diverse wine region which, in terms of quality wine production, is the 2nd largest in France (after Bordeaux). Stretching from Chablis in the north, through the Côte d’Or (or golden slope – well-named as all of Burgundy’s most expensive wines come from here!) to the intensively cultivated Beaujolais to the south – all is Burgundy.

And just four main grapes: Chardonnay and Aligoté for the whites, Pinot Noir and Gamay for the reds and also – it may surprise you – for the very occasional rosé. And it was one of these that prompted this blog: a lovely, delicate strawberry fruited Pinot Noir from Marsannay, one of the less well-known villages at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits. Not cheap, of course (£11.50, Wine Society); sadly, very little from Burgundy is, but a delicious example of a dry, food-friendly rosé that can be enjoyed throughout the year and not just on a sunny, summer day.

And, with the festive season just around the corner, don’t ignore another of Burgundy’s diverse styles: their fizz. Known as Crémant de Bourgogne, it can be found as either a white or a rosé and, made mainly with two of the Champagne grapes (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), it is a very pleasant (and, unusually for Burgundy, good value) alternative to its more famous neighbour, just a few miles away to the north.

Milbrandt Cabernet Sauvignon was a gift from my dad, as well as their Traditions 2010 Syrah (quite good, but I didn’t take any notes).  I wrote on their Rosé earlier this year, but it is their Syrah Rosé that stands out most in my mind.  I hope they bring it back (hint, hint!).  On the nose, this Cabernet presents with dark chocolate and cherry.  The first sip opens up with chocolate and blackberry. As it really begins to open up, the blackberry is met with cassis  (berry, tobacco), helping to really round out this smooth wine, before leading into a  deep espresso, slightly lingering, finish.  The tannins are soft in this medium-full bodied wine.  I found this wine to be very enjoyable and will certainly buy it again.  It is widely available in stores for around the price of $15. This is not a pure Cabernet (only 77%): 11% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Syrah.  Wine Spectator gave this Cabernet 90 points! Congrats, Milbrandt!

Winemakers notes: aromas of ripe plum, blackberry and subtle notes of mint. Layered dark cherry and mocha flavors, paired with gentle tannins and a full, luscious finish (pulled from http://www.milbrandtvineyards.com).

Milbrandt Traditions Cabernet Sauvignon

Milbrandt Traditions 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon:  ★★★★ great wine 

Milbrandt Pinot Gris 2011 is another wine I would recommend picking up.  I have felt quite hit-and-miss (or really, just “miss”) with Pinot Gris/Grigio lately and so I wasn’t sure if I was terribly hopeful for this one or not.  Actually, I haven’t touched this white varietal since earlier summer, and chose instead to explore other white wines.  Vin du Luc Pinot Gris is one I had with a friend a while back, and I really enjoyed it.  Sadly, I can’t find it anywhere!  But back to Milbrandt:  On the nose, this white welcomes you with crisp notes of honeydew and pear.  The palate brings the melon forward, along with peaches.  The body is crisp with a light minerality, semi-dry, and the finish is of green apple and grass. Being a young 2011, it has a brightness to it that I greatly enjoy in white wines.  As with many whites, it pairs well with light seafood or a nice salad (as I enjoyed it).  My husband won’t touch white wines, so day two of this wine was really not too bad.  It was a bit drier (common for whites, in my experience), but not “zap your mouth” dry, and the notes of pear in the sip were more pronounced.  Certainly still drinkable!  Also widely available, Milbrandt Pinot Gris retails for around $12-$13, and is currently sold out online.  Must be good! I will buy this again.  100% Pinot Gris, 12.5% alcohol.

Milbrandt Traditions Pinot Gris

Milbrandt Traditions 2011 Pinot Gris: ★★★1/2 pretty good wine

Winemakers notes: dry and refreshing style with fruit aromas of Anjou pears, white peaches and notes of honeysuckle. It’s medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with lively flavors of melon.  (pulled from http://www.milbrandtvineyards.com).

For every wine there is a palate, and for every palate there is a wine….

Have you tried this wine before? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Cheers to you!

White

Cakebread Cellars, CA 2009 Sauvignogn Blanc   After reading an article last year about this “Savvy B” in Bon Appetit, I stalked this wine for months at my local BevMo. When they finally got it in for more than 3 days, I bought a few bottles and gave it a whirl. Rich and buttery, this vintage has skyrocketed to the top of my list for the year. Who knows what the coming years will bring, but at $40 this was well worth it for a special-occasion white.

Donovan Parke, CA 2010 Sauvignon Blanc - Browsing Bevmo’s 5 cent wine sale, I grabbed this little bottle for about $15 for two during the sale. Clean, crisp and dry with a hint of fruit … great for a causal dinner. 91 points Wilfred Wong.

Main & Geary, CA  2011 Pinot Grigio – Like the label, this wine is clean and whimsical without being too sweet. Pairs nicely with peaches. And I like the label. About $12-15 Bevmo, and also featured a few times in their 5 cent wine sales. 93 points Wilfred Wong.

Valdo Prosecco – I had some at a friend’s sushi party and, unlike the way I feel with most sparkling wines, I didn’t suffer with a headache and a tummy full of regret the next day. A toast!
Red

Michael David Winery CA,  2009   7 Deadly Zins – I’m constantly judging books by their covers, and overly-clever or edgy wine labels turn me off. So when I spied  7 Deadly Zins on sale at Whole Foods, I googled reviews of it. This one by Kim and Tonic sold me and I quickly bought two for the bargain price of $14 total. Folks, I became so enamored that the next day I went back and bought up 4 more bottles. It’s jammy, it’s jewel-y, it’s a berry-licious, yummy good time. Get it while you can.

Ramey, Napa Valley CA, Claret 2010 – So technically this was a 2011 experience, which you can read about in my Thanksgiving post from last year, but I had to blog about it in more detail here.A dear friend Jason brought this wine to our holiday table. Not one to reach first for a claret, I can say I really enjoyed this lively, berry-ridden bottle, which though young still had enough acid and nose to cut through all the rich flavors of our Thanksgiving turkey. Great color, and a nice little compliment to a heavier fall or winter meal. Good to drink sooner rather than later.

Russian River Valley, CA  2010  En Route Pinot Noir- My brother and sister-in-law claim to have a secret in to getting this wine. Since they buy up just about every spare bottle in the San Fransisco area, to get your hands on this one, sign up with En Route or inquire at your local wine shop.This mouth-staining, fruity, intense yet mellow pinot noir knocks my socks off every time.

Crane Lake Cabernet - Not sure of the vintage (probably a 2010 or 11), but this has been my go-to glass at happy hour. At $8 a glass (instead of comparable Cabernets costing $14), it’s got the legs to fortify me through the social time, but it’s not too heady for the drive home. Deep berry notes with nice tannins and a hint of spice.

Orin Swift Cellars, Napa, CA  The Prisoner 2010 – I was generously gifted this bottle for my birthday, and it can be seen gracing the pages of Hosting With Style. I’ve had the 2007 before, but the older this wine gets, the headier it becomes, and, for me anyway, develops too much of an alcohol in the nose. I find that this 2010 is the perfect age this year to enjoy without the sting. Deep, rich, and a great balance of berries and oak with a fruity, tannin-y finish.

Aaaaand here’s the stuff that didn’t trip my trigger.

For all the love I give Cakebread’s white, the Cakebread 09 Cabernet (at a whopping $80) gets none. This flat, heavy, purple potion and its hefty price tag left us with buyer’s remorse. Too bad, perhaps it was just a bad bottle?

Chateau Grande Cassagneto, France  Granache/Syrah Rose 2011  Apparently Rose is trending right now, and though I was skeptical, I decided to put my White Trash associations aside and give a nice dry French blend a chance. So, for our Bed Picnic Date one evening, I brought a bottle of  Chateau Grande Cassagne to bed with some fruit and cheese. I wanted to like it, but I just didn’t. A friend suggested that I try DuVal LeRoy, a sparkling Rose, which he deemed “A bit pricey, but good.”

Husband asked “So do you have it out of your system, now?”

Hey, man, it’s my journey.

No prompting needed this time around. Even the most serious and dedicated wine geek has a soft spot, whether they admit it or not, for packaged sweets. If Twinkies are on the verge of extinction, do they not deserve a proper toast? The issue is that the iconic sponge cake with the synthetic cream filling is a tough pairing for the fermented grape, as are other sugary snacks. Dessert wines do not work. The sugars compound and the cloying factor flies off the charts. Cake, sugar and laboratory invention is a difficult match to dry, savoury and tannic substances.

Look for wines that hint at sacchariferous behaviour but are actually of a dry table sensibility. White blends and Rosés first come to mind but some fresh and fruity reds will also do the trick. And I would be dissing 82 years of snack service were I not to include some bubbles for the Twinkieapocalypse. Here are four current releases to wash down the last of the great Twinkies.

Four current releases to wash down the last of the great Twinkies.

The grapes: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay Musqué

The history: The aromatic white blend is becoming a signature Niagara wine style

The lowdown: Nobody does it cheaper or more effectively than wizard winemaker and potions master Richie Roberts

The food match: What else? The endangered Hostess Twinkie

Fielding Fireside White 2011 (303040, $13.95) will lead you to dance a firelight waltz. The pale, seemingly sweet nectar aromatically reminds me of fun and fizzy Moscato D’Asti. Gorgeous and grapey as if fountaining through the press, tropical blossoms blooming. Like the snack itself, the blend is “a tune from your childhood and a soft yellow moon,” even if it’s waning.  87

The Grapes: Gamay and Cabernet Franc

The history: Pink discrimination is a thing of the past

The lowdown: Ontario Rosé is extremely versatile so why not pair it with packaged confection or  match it as a sweet and savoury apéritif

The food match: Strawberry and Fior Di Latte Bruschetta

Featherstone Rosé 2011 (117861, $14.95)  stops just short of day-glo in a pastel, strawberry hue. The ever-bearing, mild candy fruit gives way to a salty, savoury middle and finishes with subtle yet pungent pink grapefruit. Vastly improved pinky.  88

The grape: Cabernet Franc

The history: The Saumur-Champigny appellation was created in 1957

The lowdown: Though Cab Franc has been cultivated for centuries in the area, this is the modern Loire in action

The food match: Hush Puppy Hot Lips Pocketbook Rolls

Domaine Langlois-Château Saumur-Champigny 2010 (7179, $17.95) is cracker correct Cabernet Franc befitting the appellation’s modern directive. A pepper electric, beet red, currant current runs through it, like a rolling river of stones. Sweet and sour hot lips, cinnamon spicy and playing a lick in open G. Rock ‘n roll Cabernet Franc.   88

The Splurge

The grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

The history: Classic 50/50 blend from an outfit that dates back to 1811 and makes a boatload of fizz

The lowdown: Excellent quality in under $50 Brut

The food match: French Fries, followed by Twinkies

Charles De Cazanove 1er Cru Brut Champagne (299750, $43.95) shows off a very distinct ripe, golden delicious apple aroma and a white grapefruit twang. The pettilement, subliminal tinkling of bubbles comes from a persistent, fine mousse. Toasty seltzer, dry and dusty with just a hint of poutine. A charmer and potential lady killer.  90

Good to go!

I’ve been stocking up on this particular rose..everytime I go to the grocery store I always make sure to buy one..just in case..you never know.

Why is this my favorite rose?..because it is sweet and delicious but also very dangerous…which I LOVE because you can be having fun drinking some rose only to find out that you already finished the bottel..whaaaa..how did that happen. VERY PAMP that’s how. haha. They also have other flavors..peach, lime and lemon. I have never tried them…I should but then I would feel that I was cheating on my grapefruit rose.

that’s all for now. next week i’ll make sure to review some Los Angeles restaurants.

ciao!

We like rosés for Thanksgiving. Not only do they pair well with all the food, but they look pretty on the table, too.

There’s a lot of advice out there on what to drink on Thanksgiving.  We of course think you should be drinking wine with your meal.  Thanksgiving food is a tough pairing for a single wine, since the meal is a unique combination of savory and sweet.  You need wine that will cut through the richness of the turkey and gravy, but stand up to the sweetness of the side dishes, particularly sweet potatoes.

We think French rosés fit the bill.  They’re kind of chameleon wines — when you have a bite of turkey, they taste dry and crisp.  When you take a bite of candied sweet potatoes, they bring out the sweetness (even if there are marshmallows).   And when you pair them with the cornbread and chestnut stuffing in the recipe we’ve got here, well, there’s pretty much nothing better.  This is the recipe people ask us for most often, and it’s delicious.  You can serve any of our fabulous rosés — Cave la Romaine Tradition ($10), Cave la Vinsobraise ($12), or Bodega Hiriart ($13, and it’s wonderful even though it’s not French) and you won’t go wrong.

But when we have gatherings of family and friends, we sometimes hanker for a cocktail.  I had one that was perfect for fall holidays when I was out in Portland, OR for the Wine Bloggers Conference and ate at Little Bird, a French Bistro.  The drink was called Dent-de-Lion, which means dandelion in French.  (I’m guessing that the jagged leaves of the plant reminded some French person of lion’s teeth — probably someone who had had too many cocktails…)  It tastes like fall, with allspice and cinnamon flavors and hints of orange.  Perfect before Thanksgiving dinner or after you have your pumpkin pie.

The bartender at Little Bird very kindly gave me the recipe.  It’s definitely a luxury item since it contains cognac and Grand Marnier.  You might be tempted to skimp and use ordinary brandy and another orange liqueur, but you’ll be sorry if you do.  Dent-de-Lion also has two ingredients that may be hard to find:  Orgeat, an almond-orange syrup, and Allspice Dram Liqueur, which comes originally from Jamaica.  They’re also on the expensive side, and I’m always reluctant to buy liqueurs and mixers that I can pretty much use for only one thing (cognac and Grand Marnier are staples in my house, since I like Crepes Suzette).  Luckily, though, you can make relatively small amounts of both of these at home.  In fact, if you start this weekend, you can have everything ready to serve the cocktails on Thanksgiving Day.

No need to raid the cellar for dusty bottles for the Dent-de-Lion cocktail, but do use cognac and Grand Marnier, please!

Start the allspice liqueur on Saturday morning.  You’ll need a quarter-cup of whole allspice berries, which just happens to be the amount in a 0.75 ounce container.  Grind or smash the berries into large pieces and let them steep in rum with a cinnamon stick you’ve broken in pieces. Make and chill the sugar syrup on Wednesday, then on Thursday morning strain the allspice and cinnamon out of the rum and mix it with the sugar syrup.

You can make the almond syrup on Wednesday evening.  Add the orange flower water if you have it.  Or you can use a couple of drops of orange extract instead.  Since there’s already orange liqueur in the drink neither is strictly necessary.  But if you make Middle-Eastern food at home you probably have the orange flower water anyway, and it adds a nice aroma.

You may think this recipe is a lot of work for a cocktail. But since my kitchen looks pretty much like this for a week before Thanksgiving, it’s not that much extra work.

Some of you are probably reading this and thinking I’m totally nuts to go to this much effort for a drink.  But if you’re like me, you’ll be making things for Thanksgiving Day all week, so a little more won’t make a difference.  And a drink with homemade ingredients — especially one that tastes this good and goes with the holiday — is worth it.  If you’re having guests who don’t mind doing a little home mixing, ask them to make and bring the syrup and the liqueur.  It definitely beats having everyone show up with green bean casserole.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and safe travels!

Tom

Dent-de-Lion Cocktail (adapted from Little Bird Bistro in Portland, OR)

Makes 8 cocktails

1-1/2 cups cognac (12 fluid ounces)

1/2 cup Grand Marnier liqueur (4 fluid ounces)

1/2 cup almond syrup (4 fluid ounces, use Orgeat or the recipe below)

1/4 cup allspice liqueur (2 fluid ounces, use St. Elizabeth’s brand or the recipe below)

3/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (6 fluid ounces)

Plain seltzer

Combine all the ingredients except for the seltzer in a pitcher.  Add ice and stir.  Strain into eight highball glasses filled about two-thirds with ice.  Top with a splash of seltzer, stir, and serve.

Almond Syrup (makes about 1-1/2 cups)

1 cup sliced or slivered raw almonds

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon orange flower water, or one drop of orange extract (optional)

2 tablespoons vodka (1 ounce)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned.  Spread the almonds out on a plate to cool, then grind finely in a food processor (don’t go too far, you want small pieces, not a paste).

Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils.  Add the ground almonds and stir until the mixture just boils again.  Turn off the heat and cover the pan.  Let the mixture steep for at least 3 hours or overnight (no more than 12 hours).

Strain the mixture through a coffee filter, then gently squeeze the filter to remove more liquid.  Stir the orange flower water (if using) and the vodka into the syrup.  Put the mixture in a covered jar and chill until you’re ready to use it.

Allspice Liqueur (makes about 1-1/2 cups)

1/2 cup light or golden rum

1/4 cup whole allspice berries (a 0.75 ounce container)

1 long or 2 short cinnamon sticks

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

Put the allspice berries in a ziplock-type bag and close all but an inch of the fastener.  Put the bag on the counter and pound it with the bottom of a heavy pot until you have pieces of allspice in the bag.  Don’t go too far, you don’t want a powder.  Put the allspice pieces in a jar and add the rum.  Break the cinnamon stick(s) into small pieces and add them as well.  Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5 days, shaking it vigorously for 30 seconds once per day.

The night of the fourth day, combine the water and brown sugar in a small saucepan.  Heat and stir until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture just comes to a boil.  Turn off the heat and let it cool.  Then put the sugar syrup in a jar, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The fifth day, strain the rum mixture through a coffee filter.  Add it to the cold sugar syrup in the jar and keep the mixture in the fridge until you use it.  It will keep for a couple of months before the flavor starts to fade.

The first snow of the year.

Braids. In all shapes and forms, I just can’t get enough of it.

Wine. Red, white or pink, I love them all.

Blueberries, and strawberries, and raspberries as well.

Coffee, absolute must in the morning.

Salmon sashimi, paired with avocado. Porfavor!

Soft bed sheets. Theres nothing like laying down in a new and soft bed sheets. The little things in life.

Summer holidays. If only they could last a little longer

XX J

A fine organically grown courgette

I like to BBQ courgettes. Slice longways, lightly salt and sprinkle liberally with herbs of Provence. Place on BBQ grill. Remove when they start to char. Season with olive oil. Eat. Goes very well with fresh goat cheese and chilled rosé wine. Preferably Cotes de Provence

Edward Sellers Rose
Paso Robles, CA

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a time that many take an active role to raise money and awareness for this disease. Pink has become its trademark color, so I would like to take this opportunity to raise a glass of wine in a toast of remembrance and thanks to all who have been touched by this disease and to those who have devoted their life’s work to treat patients and find cures.

Choose your favorite Rose wine, or pick from these 12 I’ve been sipping this year to toast your Hero!

1. Edward Sellers 2011 Rosé

Paso Robles, CA | 50% Grenache | 50% Syrah | 13.9% Alcohol | $20

2. Talbas Creek Vineyard 2011 Rosé

Paso Robles, CA | 58% Mourvèdre | 30% Grenache | 12% Gounoise | $14.5% Alcohol | $27

3. La Cabriole 2011 Cabernet De Saumur

Cabernet de Saumur, FR | Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon | $10

4. Bessert de Bellefon “Cuvée des Moines” Champagne Brut Rosé

Epernay, FR | Champagne Blend | 12.5% Alcohol | $40- $50

5. Chateau de Nage Costieres De Nimes 2010 Reserve

Costieres de Nimes, Fr | 60% Grenache Noir | 40% Syrah | $10

6. Domaine Guy Mousset Côtes du Rhone 2011

Côtes du Rhone, FR | Grenache & Syrah Blend | Alcohol N/A | $10

7. Thanksgiving Farm 2009 Rosé

Harwood, Maryland | 53% Merlot | 40% Cabernet Franc | 7% Cabernet Sauvignon | Alcohol 11.6% | $15

8. Argyle 2008 Brut Rosé

Dundee Hills, OR | 50% Pinot Menunier | 40% Pinot Noir | 10% Chardonnay | Alcohol 13.5% | $35 – $40

9. The Crusher 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir

Clarksburg, CA | 100% Pinot Noir | Alcohol 13.6% | $18

10. Chateau Ballan Larquette 2009 Rosé

Bordeaux, FR | 45% Merlot | 40% Cabernet Sauvignon | 15% Cabernet Franc | Alcohol N/A | $16

11. Santa Julia Brut Rosé

Mendoza, Argentina | 100% Pinot Noir | Alcohol 12.5% | $13

12. Charity Case 2008 Rosé

Napa, CA | Made with a blend of donated juice from dedicated Napa Winemakers | Alcohol 14.1% | $12 | 100% of proceeds benefits charities in and around Napa County California

Which Rosé wines would you choose to toast your Hero? I would love to know.

Doing the Yam Cha Cha

It’s confusing, I know, when they are even mislabeled at the grocery store.  But, trust me, a sweet potato is a sweet potato and a yam is … not.

Here in the US, we see 2 main varieties of sweet potatoes.  One has a golden skin with creamy white flesh and a crumbly texture. The other has a copper skin with an orange flesh that is sweet and soft. All sweet potato varieties generally have the same shape and size — they are tapered at the ends and much smaller than yams (which can grow very large –  up to 7 FEET long) !

Americans have been calling the orange-fleshed variety of sweet potatoes “yams” since colonial times when Africans saw similarities between them and the yams they remembered from home. The USDA decided to label them as “yams” to differentiate the two varieties. Both varieties of sweet potato, including “yams” can be widely found in supermarkets.

Yams are native to Africa, Asia and other tropical regions. Yams are starchy tubers that have an almost black bark-like skin and white, purple or reddish flesh and come in many varieties. The tubers can be as small as regular potatoes or grow to be taller than most humans.  Yams are also generally moister and sweeter than sweet potatoes. 

True yams can generally be used in any sweet potato recipe. Yams, unlike sweet potatoes, are toxic if eaten raw, yet perfectly safe when cooked.  Another way they differ from sweet potatoes is they are virtually impossible to find in your average grocery store.  You can usually find them at places like HMart, Caribbean or African grocery stores, or in places like Mexican Fruits in the old DC market  at 1236 4^th St, NE.

Craving some yams/sweet potatoes now, are you?  Here’s a recipe with a bit of autumnal flair – African squash & Yams.  Serve it as a side dish with sliced Virginia ham and a spicy, full rosado – like First Vine’s Bodega Hiriart Lágrima Rosado 2010 ($13).   This rosado is fruit forward while still retaining a nice tannic bite for balance.. . a perfect choice to complement both the sweetness of the squash and yams and the saltiness of the ham.

Ingredients:

 1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 pound winter squash, pared and cut into 1″ pieces

2 yams, or sweet potatoes, pared & cut into 1″ pieces

1 cup coconut milk

salt, black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground allspice

Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until

tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring

occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Original oil on canvas, 24×18″ – Framed in a Black Floater Frame, Wine Painting by Napa Artist Penelope Moore
in live online art auction Nov 4th. Ships same day of payment.

Attend our live online art auction on November 4th, 2012 to bid!.

RSVP today and you will be notified one hour before the auction starts at 11:00 a.m. EST

Here is the link to attend the auction: http://tophatter.com/auctions/7666?campaign=community

Wine On Wall, oil painting by Penelope Moore, 1 of 3 paintings by the artist in our live online art auction Nov 4th

My Thoughts, oil painting by Penelope Moore

Penelope’s paintings are a reflection of her passion for food, wine and joie de vivre. They are contemporary in style with an emphasis on color, mood and light. Through her subject matter, Penelope portrays a unique twist on life’s simple pleasures. Penelope’s exhibits her work at wineries throughout Sonoma and Napa Valley. Her paintings are in the permanent collections of the Staglin Family, Ehlers Estate, Benziger Family, Eric Ross Winery, Malibu Family Winery, Thomas Arvid, Robin Quivers and Danielle Steele. http://www.penelopepaintings.com

joie de vivre |ˌ zh wä də ˈvēvrə| noun exuberant enjoyment of life. ORIGIN French, literally ‘joy of living.’