An evening in wine.

It all started about a year ago at our wedding…

As a token for their involvement in our wedding, Scott and I presented two of our groomsmen, Reed & John, with bottles of Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon. I believe John was the first to suggest that he and Reed hold on to their bottles and we all drink them together at a nice dinner.  Flash forward 10 months and four failed scheduling attempts and finally we all managed to congregate at our apartment for our “Stag’s Leap Wine Dinner.” However, in the time that it took us to plan this event, we found that we had another reason to come together and celebrate; our dearest friend Reed proposed to his girlfriend Kristina. Now we really had a reason to open those bottles of wine. (more…)

Sangria Sundays are back!  Now that Summer produce is creeping into local supermarkets, I have decided to reinstate “Sangria Sunday”.  On these heavenly days of the week, Scott and I test out new Sangria recipes.  Sometimes I create new recipes, other times I simply test existing recipes (this recipe is from Ingrid Hoffmann).  This week’s version, “Green” sangria, highlights kiwis, green apples, and green grapes and  is paired with orange liquor and a crisp, clean Sauvignon Blanc. (I used “2 Buck Chuck,” the value wine label distrusted by Trader Joe’s.   Each bottle is $2.99 – hence the name.)  I was pleasantly surprised by this light and refreshing sangria – definitely a winner!

Like most sangria recipes, this one is quick and easy to assemble.  For best results, I suggest allowing your fruit, sugar syrup, and liquor to “marinate” overnight.  This really helps to meld the flavors.  Because Sangria is best made the night before, it’s a great addition to any entertaining menu.  Your guests will love this fruity wine cocktail – no matter the occasion.  A brunch would benefit greatly from a light and refreshing sangria, (much like this particular recipe) while a casual, spicy dinner would pair well with a more traditional red sangria.

Enjoy this fun new Sangria twist that highlights some of our favorites green fruits!

Recipe: Green Sangria

As most of you know, Scott and I enjoy our monthly wine tastings through our local wine store, Manchester Wine & Liquors.  March’s subject, South African Wines, proved to be the best yet.  I admit that I had high hopes for this particular tasting.  I was interested to learn more about the wines from this region and was really hoping to pick up a couple of good bargains.  The little I knew about South African wines was simply that they are decent wines, relatively new to the market, but still have “undiscovered” prices (a.k.a. dirt cheap.)  I am happy to announce that the tasting did not disappoint – I learned quite a lot about the area and even more importantly, found some wonderful buys (both white and red) in the $10.00 range! (more…)

As some of you know, my husband and I have found a new activity for our Monday evenings (well one Monday a month, that is).  Our local wine store offers monthly wine tastings at a nearby restaurant.  February’s tasting focused on inexpensive wines from Bordeaux.  Read about January’s tasting of Ports.  Knowing very little of the region before the lecture, I was excited to not only learn more about a different type of wine, but hopefully find some new bargains.

Let’s start from the top, shall we?  The Bordeaux region of France is located in the southwest corner of the country.  It is a coastal growing region, and is marked by three rivers that define the region.   The rivers converge in a fork shape, creating the left bank, right bank, and the remaining land in between, the Entre-Deux Mers (the large yellow region on the map).  Translated, the region is literally “Between Two Rivers.”  Both the left and right bank have always been considered the premiere land, and therefore are home to the oldest and most prestigious Bordeaux wineries.  In recent years, however, wineries have begun to reinvent in the Entre-Deux Mers and are producing some decent wines.  Because this  “newer” wine growing region (Bordeaux has been producing wine since Roman times) is less known, you can get some spectacular deals on wine – this is where the inexpensive part comes in.  Most of the wines we tasted were from the Entre-Deux-Mers region. (more…)

My husband and I found a great little treat in our neighborhood.  Our local wine store, Manchester Wine & Liquors, offers monthly wine tastings at a nearby restaurant.  We noticed January’s topic was Port and knew we had to check it out.  Having traveled to Portugal a few years ago, both Scott and I have taken a particular liking to this fortified wine.  So we called, made our reservations for the tasting, and went in anticipation of some great port.

For those of you who aren’t already port fans, let me tell you a little about this dessert wine.  Port is a fortified wine, which means that along with the natural alcohol produced during the fermentation, it also has added liquor (usually brandy).  This mixture produces a sweet wine with a stronger kick….think red wine meets dessert meets cocktails.  Because of its powerful sweetness and extra alcohol, port is usually served in smaller wine glasses (dessert wine glasses or cordial glasses) and meant to be sipped – not unlike a cognac or brandy.  I like port because it tastes like an enhanced version of red wine.  With a lot of the same characteristics, I enjoy the fruit forwardness of a ruby port and the oaky, nuttiness of a tawny.  Paired with simple desserts, port makes a decadent addition to the end of any meal. (more…)

Last summer I instituted “Sangria Sundays” in our household.  A lover of sangria, especially on a hot summer day, I wanted to develop all kinds of variations of this Spanish wine classic.  I had some hits, (Blackberry Plum paired with a red wine, and Melon paired with a pino grigio) as well as some misses (Pink Grapefruit….something about this was just off)  Anyways, although its not exactly sangria weather outside, there are some great fruits in season now that I wanted to try to incorporate into this fun drink.  Blood oranges are a milder, slightly herbal orange with bright cranberry red flesh and juice.   Only available in the winter months, this citrus has a distinct flavor, but more importantly a very impressive color.  I love to use blood oranges in tarts, mixed with navel oranges for a brilliant color contrast.  (Tart ideas to come later)

For any of you who are not already avid sangria lovers, sangria is a sweetened wine with fruit and usually brandy.  As you can imagine, the possibilities are endless.  Traditional sangria is made with red wine and a combination of oranges, lemons, and limes (not surprisingly fruits that are common in Mediterranean Spain, where the drink originated).  With a hint of sweetness and a burst of fruit, sangria can be a fun alternative to cocktails or wine.  I think of it as a mixture of the two. (more…)