Have an Outdoor Wine Party Today!

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us.html

Memorial Day is the perfect time to invite your friends and family over for an outdoor party. It's a good opportunity to fire up the grill and pair wines with your grilled foods. It's also a good time for you to start drinking your favorite "warm" weather wines, as well as try new ones. Have your friends each bring over their favorite warm weather or outdoor wine to share. If 10 people come over, that's ten different wines for everyone to try! Go around and talk about which wines work best with the grilled food, or other spring time foods you prepared. (How about a watermelon salad with a crisp Chenin Blanc?)

Happy Memorial Day, and thank you to all who have served this Country!

Stay Classy My Friends

Can anyone guess what the photo is to the right? If you guessed a can of sparkling wine, you would be correct! I happen to be making my "weekly" trip to the wine shop and stumbled upon this little can. As a huge fan of sparking wines, it was a no-brainer that I had to try it.

Infinite Monkey Theorem, Sparkling Muscat $6.99.  (http://theinfinitemonkeytheorem.com/). This local Denver winery makes good wines with unique bottles. (Glass corks!). So, it was no surprise to me that they would make a sparkling wine in a can. It had a slightly sweet bouquet and tasted of tangerine and grapefruit. While it was not on par with most traditional" sparkling wines out of a bottle, I thought that it was a good wine for something that came out of a can. (It was like drinking an adult version of a soda).

This wine would be good for outdoor bbq's, picnics, or sitting on the couch and watching tv. $6.99 per can is pretty expensive, and I do think you can get better sparkling wines for just a few dollars more. However, it is a good conversation starter, and a unique/convenient way to enjoy wine. 

Wine Spectator

http://www.winespectator.com/

I have been a subscriber to the Wine Spectator magazine for over two years. Back then, I knew very little about wine. This magazine was a wonderful introduction into the world of wine. Every month they feature  a wine region from around the world, and give you a list of the best wines for every person's budget. I also enjoy reading articles about today's wine industry trends, and top wine makers.

I have also kept every month of Wine Spectator for the past two years as a reference guide. Many of my ideas and inspirations for this blog and my business have come from this magazine.

This is a great magazine for wine enthusiasts and experts alike!

Another Virginia Winery

http://www.williamsburgwinery.com/

My husband and I took a weekend trip to Williamsburg this past weekend to see his brother Jamie graduate from William and Mary. (Congrats Jamie)! I was told by my in-laws of a winery there, and I just had to try it out!

http://www.williamsburgwinery.com/

The Winery is fittingly called Williamsburg Winery (http://www.williamsburgwinery.com/). It was a beautiful scene. You could tell that someone, or some company, had spent millions of dollars on this winery. I was very impressed as we arrived to the tasting room. Since it was early in the day, we got a tasting in a private room. (I felt famous!)

The tasting guide was very nice and knowledgeable. We tasted 3 of their reds, 3 whites, and 1 dessert wine. As with most Virginia wines, their wines were very young. Their whites were better than their reds because of the type of climate Virginia has. (White wines fair better in warmer climates).

The tasting seemed to take a turn for the worse as I did not have much time to think about the wines.  They "rushed" us out in 10 minutes! Yes, we had to taste 7 wines in 10 minutes! (If the owners of this winery are reading this post, I really hope you take into consideration that most people like to take their time and enjoy the wine!)

All in all, I think their wines have huge potential. The reds need at least 10 more years of aging, and the whites about 3-5 more years. If you happen to be in Williamsburg in the near future, I would recommend visiting the winery.

2 Wines with Spice!

I love wines that are spicy and have a zip to it. Spice can turn an average wine into a very complex wine. I have two great wines to share with you today:

Klinker Brick, Lodi Old Vines, Zinfandel, 2009 ($18): This wine comes from the Lodi region in Northern California; about an hour South of Napa Valley. (http://www.klinkerbrickwinery.com/index.htm). It has smells of baked cherry pie and mixed berry jam, with a hint of smoke and vanilla. It also has a taste of baked cherry pie, with tobacco smoke and spice. This is a very big, bold wine. It is great served alone, or can be paired nicely with steaks, grilled meats, and vegetables.

Marques de Caceres, Rioja, 2008 ($13): This Spanish wine comes from the Northern part of Spain; just North of Madrid. (http://www.marquesdecaceres.com/). It has a sweet bouquet, with smells of blueberry and baked mixed berry pie. It is smooth in your mouth, but full bodied. It tastes of blackberry and spice. Again, this is a big, bold wine that can be served alone, or paired with hearty meals or dark chocolate.

Wines to Pair with Grilled Meats and Veggies

http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/04/grilling-tips.html

Spring is in full bloom, and Summer is just around the corner. It's the perfect time for us to sit outside and fire up the grill. The great thing about grilling is that many fabulous wines pair well with grilled meats and vegetables. For most of us, we like a little bit of char grilled into our meats. That smokey flavor pairs well with smoky and earthy wines. You don't want to pair a very acidic or tannic wine, as that will strip away the flavors of the grilled foods. Instead, pick a wine that will compliment the flavors of the food, while bringing out the characteristics of the wine.

Great Examples Include:

- Sauvignon Blanc: This crisp, acidic wine, has earthy and tropical flavors that pair well with any grilled meal.

- Tempranillo: This wine has soft tannins and flavors of tobacco and leather that will pair well with the charred flavors of the grilled meats and veggies.

- Zinfandel: Like the Tempranillo, this wine has soft tannins, and a nice tobacco flavor. In addition, this wine has big, bold, jammy fruit flavors that compliment the spice and smoke of the grilled meal.

Sparkling Wine on a Budget

I love sparkling wine. Something about the carbonation mixed with the fancy glasses always puts a smile on my face. The only problem is that sparkling wine can get very expensive! And, you don't want to buy the "cheap" stuff, because it tastes awful. I'm constantly on a quest to find affordable, great tasting sparking wines, and I have one to share with you today.

Segura Viudas, Torrelavit, Brut Reserva: $8.99 - (http://www.seguraviudasusa.com/brut-reserva-sparkling-wine.html). This Spanish sparkling wine was made in the Traditional Method, (which is the same method for making Champagne, but outside the Champagne region). This is a wonderful, dry sparkling wine. It has tropical fruit notes, with a nice acidic finish.

Don't be fooled by the price; this is an excellent sparkling wine! Perfect for those of us who have Champagne wishes and caviar dreams!