Ringing in 2008

Hi everyone and my sincere apologies to all. I can not believe that I have not posted since October!!! Well, I can believe. There have been SO many changes going on in life, that I have unfortunately put my blog on the backburner.

I will be back in the New Year!!! I want to be back in the New Year. I always enjoyed my blog and I hope that others have as well.

Have patience (always easier said than done).......

CHEERS and be safe when ringing in the New Year!!

The Lady in Blue

Remember this one.....flashback to the 70's! I was in BevMo, browsing thru the wine isles and in the German section a description card caught my eye. I think in it somewhere it mentioned peach....and I zoomed in on it. Unfortunately, there were no bottles in stock. When I read the name, it rang a bell, but I could not place it. I continued shopping, purchased a couple of other bottles and was on my way. I had to do some grocery shopping and passing by the liquor section, it caught my eye. The tall blue bottle with the "Blue Nun" on the label! My memory awoke!! I had never drank the wine (I was not old enough at that time), but I recall my parents having it in the house. Of course, I grabbed the bottle and could not wait to give it a try! It needed to be chilled, so in the fridge she went, waiting to be had with dinner.

When the time came, I uncorked the bottle and poured it in my glass. It was a light straw color, and the aroma fruity. Upon tasting, it is a crisp wine with the ripe peach fruit flavor. Very nice...

I read where the company had gotten a bad rep and went thru some hard times, but they are making a comeback.

Next time when you are looking for a very nice white wine, why not give this one a try...."Blue Nun Qualitatswein Rheinhessen 2005".

Cheers to the memories.......

"Toogood"

I have returned! We made it back from our trip to the Placerville area. I had never been there before, and I really enjoyed it! It was about an 8 hour drive, so by the time we arrived, we were at first excited, then exhaustion set in. Before turning in for the evening, we broke out the food and wine. Bread, cheeses, salami, fruit and a go-to favorite Fetzer Gewurtztraminer. A feast set for a king!! The next day was going to be a busy one, so lights out.

Saturday's itinerary, first called for a drive out to Auburn. It was a beautiful drive. The trees were just starting to turn to their warm reds and oranges......fall, what a wonderful season. The air was crisp and clear.....heaven.

Next stop....the wineries! There are just SO MANY of them. We headed towards the Fairplay area. We only had to go to a few before we found the one that we thoroughly enjoyed. "Toogood Estate Winery". The tasting room is in a man made cave where they have the tasting bar, a small store and also barrel tasting. The wines were wonderful! I purchased a bottle of "Block Five" 2005 Herbert Zinfandel and also a half case of "Porto Zino Futures", which will be bottled in the spring, from the barrel tasting. A special shout out to Seth, who was just an awesome guide.....Thanks!

Next, we headed to Apple Hill to meet up with a (new) group of friends. We met them for the first time here. We chatted, laughed, took in some of the local events, laughed some more, then we headed back to the room, fore we had a long drive back the next day. We stopped off and picked up a pizza to accompany the Zin that was just waiting to be uncorked! I"ll tell you, this was the best Zin I have had. Bold and delightful....wish I had a had purchased two........

If you are in the area, this is a definite winery to visit and enjoy.

CHEERS!!

Dry Spell

Hey everyone! Sorry that I have not posted in a while, but I have had a bit of a dry spell. Haven't had any new wines, no wine tasting events, NOTHING! But, that is all going to change SOON!! This weekend I am headed up north to the Placerville area. The main reason for going is a get-together with a group that I belong to, but another reason is the wineries in the area. I did not know just how many there are! I also plan on taking a couple of bottles with me, so maybe I will purchase something new. I do have an unopened bottle of Bogle Phantom that I was saving.....for what I don't know.....HAHHAHAAA!!!
OK, it is time to break this dry spell and get back into the swing of things!!

BOTTOMS UP!!!!!

Viva Espana!!

I was not sure what to expect when purchasing this wine, but if "peach" is in the description, I am there! It is Albarino Condes de Albarei 2006. This is a very good wine. Peach bouquet, crisp, refreshing. I have enjoyed this with roasted chicken and steamed vegetables, Caesar salad and sushi. It paired wonderfully with all. Pick up a bottle and enjoy....

CHEERS!!

Red, Red Wine

I picked another winner! This is a Mouton Cadet Red 2004 Bordeaux. A wonderful blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc. They could not have been more precise with their description of being "an elegant bouquet of flavours". I loved this wine and will definitely enjoy again and again.

CHEERS!

My First Jug

I just finished the first step in making my first gallon jug of wine....WOO-HOO!! How exciting! It was not as difficult as I had anticipated. Granted, it is just a basic fruit wine, but I DID IT! It now has to sit for 24 hours, then I add the yeast, then let time do its magic. So, in a few months I will have some wine. AWESOME!!

CHEERS!

What A Red!

I haven't had a red wine in a while, but yesterday I had one which was WONDERFUL! It is a Gallo of Sonoma Cabernet Barrelli 2002. Fruity...oak aged....it glided over the palate. This is one I would definitely recommend (and buy over and over again!). I enjoyed this wine with a vegetable (mushroom/garlic) and peperoni pizza (which was tasty as well!).

Pick up a bottle of this one. You won't be disappointed.

CHEERS!!

Unexpected

Last night I opened a bottle of 2006 Gewurtraminer and expecting the usual sweetness, was surprised by the dryness of this particular wine by Firestone Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley. It was not bad, just unexpected. It offered bright flavors of mandarin orange, pear and spice that unfolded into a crisp , off dry finish.

I served this wine with sushi, shrimp, and raw fresh vegetables. If you are looking for something different in a Gewurtz, give this one a try.

Cheers!

A Pleasant Surprise

Last night I was pleasantly surprised by a new wine that I had purchased. It is a Beaujolais, which I have never tasted before. I am not sure where I picked it up from but I do know that it was under $10. It is ChiroUbles Beaujolais Georges Duboeuf 2005 - France. It has a fruity aroma and taste, but it was drier than I had anticipated. I liked this wine!! I had my glass with dinner which was a broccoli and cheese omelet (made with egg whites I might add!). If you come across this wine, try it, I think you may like it!



CHEERS!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Football season is here (WOO-HOO!!) and it starts tonight with The Colts going up against The Saints.

Yes, that is a beer in the picture. A Kostritzer, a German black lager....and I plan to be enjoying it soon!!



Prost!!

Not So Good

The other day at our local market I picked up a bottle of Crane Lake Sangiovese 2005. It was on sale (couldn't pass up the bargain!) and not having it before, thought I would give it a try. So, Saturday I prepared a turkey breast with steamed vegetables and opened the bottle. When giving the wine a sniff, I could tell that this was not going to be good. Taking a sip.....yep, I was right....it was not good. I believe it had gone bad...a bit of a taste of vinegar. Should I give it another shot.....probably won't...not in the near future anyway.

I'll Be In The Kitchen

Yesterday I received in the mail a new book "The Joy Of Home Winemaking" by Terry Garey. No, I wasn't in the kitchen all night working on my first batch....but I can't wait to get started!! I will definitely keep everyone posted on my progress.

On a separate note, Wednesday/Thursday I went on a camping trip. I have not been in years!! Had a great time.....maybe the bottle of Sangria had something to do with it!!!


CHEERS!

Top Chef

Well, maybe not Top Chef, but I even surprised myself on this one (for a first try!). Last night for dinner I prepared seared ahi that turned out quite well!! Perfectly cooked...nice searing on the outside and wonderfully pink on the inside. I served it over a white cabbage salad with a wasabi vinaigrette. The wine I chose was Hogue Late Harvest White Riesling Columbia Valley 2005. This wine was wonderful with its honeyed peach and apricot flavors. After I finished, I thought to myself why pay $$$ when I can prepare the same thing at home for less than half the cost! This may become a habit!!

CHEERS!

Maui Eats

While in Maui, we had some wonderful food. Especially the fish...it was FANTASTIC! We pretty much stayed out of the larger touristy restaurants and went for the small local places. If you are ever in Maui and are looking for a good place to eat, here is a list of the locals we visited;

The Fish Market Maui - Honokowai

Penne Pasta Cafe - Lahaina

Aloha Mixed Plate - Lahaina
Old Lahaina Luau - Lahaina

Beach Club Restaurant at The Kaanapali Shores Resort - Honokowai **Jamie makes KILLER Mai Tais!!**

We also had a few beverages while we were there (as you can see!)

Cheers!!

Ahhh....Much Better

I have been sipping on a wine this week that I really enjoy. It is New Gewurz 2006 North Coast Gewurtraminer. It is refreshing with its pear and citrus flavors. Always a pleasure to drink a good wine.


Tomorrow my sister and I are going to The Wine Tailor for Wine Tasting 101: Exploring White Wines. They'll be exploring how white wines are made and the taste profile of the varietals that make them. Looking forward to learning something new and, of course, tasting the wines!!


Saturday evening, we are headed to the 20th Annual Flashback Classic Car and Motorcycle Show. Gee, I have been in the area just about that long and have never heard of it...haha! They will be having the car and bike show, trophies will be awarded and entertainment by the group The Answer. Sounds like a good time!


Cheers!

This Was Just Plain BAD!

Before I left on vacation, I purchased this wine from Trader Joe's. I was looking for something different, but not THIS different!! It is "Zarafa Pinotage 2005". Says to have "a fruity, plummy nose with soft tannins and a lingering aftertaste". A lingering aftertaste it had....not a good one. It smelled and tasted of pepper. Very strong at that. I even put it in a decantor, thinking it needed to breathe, but it never got any better. What an experience to have with my first dinner back home. I am just glad I wasn't offering it to others!

Back From The Island

Aloha.....I decided to come back. HaHa...as if I had a choice! It was a great trip. Beautiful sights, gorgeous weather, FANTASTIC food, excellent mai-tais (thanks Jamie!) and yes, a few bottles of wine. I'll go into more detail in a later post as I am still settling in and on Maui time....ho-hum.....

Cheers!

Aloha!

Well everyone, I am headed for beautiful Maui!! I have been there on one other occasion and love it! We, my sister and I, have rented out the same beachfront condo that my husband and I stayed in when we visited a few years ago.
I will be returning on August 16, hopefully relaxed and refreshed with adventures to share!

Cheers and Aloha!!

The Good & The Not So Good

Last night was the Concert at the Park. I had picked up a couple of wines, which I had not tried before, to go with our picnic. The first was a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc '06. "Concentrated and complex, with vivid passion fruit, grapefruit and tangy peach flavors". Everyone liked this wine. It went very well with our Chicken Cesar salad. To go with dessert, I had purchased a BV Muscat de Beaulieu. Full of ripe apricot, honey and citrus flavors. This wine did not fare so well. I believe the problem was that it was not sweet enough to hold itself up against the fruit and cheese we had for dessert. The cheese was a white stilton with apricots. It was wonderful!!
Overall the evening was a success. Good food, good wine (well, one anyway....), good music and good company.

Until next time.....
CHEERS!

Friday Night Wine

Last night I had sushi and the wine choice was a Leitz Riesling Dragonstone '05. This wine was wonderful! Very refreshing. "Full of ripe apple flavors with notes of pears and peaches" was the description. The peaches are what grabbed me. I would definitely recommend this wine and it was under $20 ($15.99 at BevMo). Try a bottle during these warm months and enjoy!

CHEERS!

Another Vine....a Different Wine

I just had to have it......another vine!! This time a Chardonnay. Keep those wine jugs handy!

Yesterday I purchased a few new wines that I had not tried before. For Friday evening, I will be opening a Leitz Riesling Dragon Stone '05 - Rheingua, Germany. I will be having this with Japanese and I think it will be a good pairing.


Sunday evening, I will be going to Concert in the Park, so I picked out a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc '06 - Marlborough, New Zealand. For dinner I am preparing a Chicken Cesar Salad and fresh bread. I also think these two will be a good match.


For dessert I chose a Beaulieu Vineyard Muscat de Beaulieu - California, USA. With this I will be having fresh fruit, nuts and cheese.

In a later post, I will give my opinions on these wines. If anyone has tried these wines, or have other selections you enjoy, please feel free to post your comments.

CHEERS!!

My Merlot

Yesterday I planted my first Merlot vine!! This is a new venture for me and I am fairly excited! Now I'm not expecting to be bottling anything, it is just for my personal joy if any grapes happen to grow. (Hey, it doesn't take much for me to get a thrill!!)

Tomorrow night is "Chocolate Decadence" and I am wondering what wine they will be serving. Chocolate can be one of the quickest ways to kill off a good wine. It is going to need to be a very sweet & powerful wine to cut through the sweetness and the mouth-coating effect of the chocolate. A Muscat or an aged tawny port would work well. We shall see!

Now, get your glasses ready for some Merlot!!
Cheers!

A Quote

"Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing."

-Ernest Hemingway

Something New

Last night with dinner I had a Samuel Smith Taddy Porter (gasp....you mean there are other beverages besides wine?!). I had never heard of a Porter until I saw a beer special on TV not long ago. I enjoy dark beers, so when I saw it in the Sprouts market, I picked it up. Pouring it into the glass, it is a rich, dark color. The taste was not as heavy as say a Guinness. It was lighter and more enjoyable. My husband thought it was bitter, but I did not find it so. I would have it again if the occasion called for it. Give it a try!

Prost!

Wine Tasting at The Sheraton

Last night we attended the wine tasting at The Sheraton/Fairplex. We were surprised that there was not a large crowd compared to last months gathering. That was OK, more wine for those that were there! The wine was being represented this evening by Concannon Vineyards. They had a wide variety of whites and reds to taste. Unfortunately, the gentleman serving did not have a list of what was being offered. From what I can recall, there was Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, what he called a "Mutt" white (a blend of several whites), Pinot Noir, Merlot, Petit Sirah and a "Mutt" red. I think my favorite was the Pinot Noir. Since there was a small crowd, by the end of the evening we were being served half to almost full servings!! There were also appetizers; platters of various fruits, cheeses, crackers. Servers also brought around finger foods such as spinach or ham quiche, chicken & bean burritos and meatballs (they were WAY too salty...only had one bite). Overall, it was a success and are looking forward to next month!!

Prost!

The Perfect Match

Last night I had a wonderful dinner. It was my choice, so I chose to dine Japanese.....sushi to be exact. Started out with edamame. I could just about make a meal out of these tasty little soy morsels. I was making it a light night, so I had a spicy tuna roll. Mmmm...mmmm.....good! I paired the meal with Chateau St Jean Gewurtztraminer Sonoma County 2006 (Fresh and blossomy, the peachy Ch St Jean Gewurztraminer is a bright wine in all aspects). Oh, this was heaven. The spiciness of the sushi and the medium-sweetness of the wine was the perfect match. To finish off the meal was mango mochi....ahhhh.


Tonight is wine tasting at the Sheraton where we will be sampling wines from Concannon Vineyards.


Prost!

COWABUNGA!!!

Yesterday my mom and I attended the OC Fair. We had fun checking out the livestock, crafts, artwork and all that the fair has to offer. I had wanted to take my camera, but unfortunately, it wasn't available to me....sniffle. Oh well, we had a good time!! As you enter the park there was a wonderful sand sculpture of cows surfing a large wave. There were various other cow sculptures "on the beach" playing in the sand, relaxing on a bench, enjoying their day! It is quite amazing the artistry that is involved in such a creation.

Then there is the food. Oh my gosh....so much to choose from! They had a new gastric concoction called a "Cowabunga Burger". I think it was 1 1/2 lbs. of angus burger. Three patties, with melting cheese, 6 inches high!! I swear you could feed four with it! And can they think of anything else to deep fry? From vegetables to Twinkies, to Oreos, to peanut butter something-or-other, they will deep fry it! I am in general a healthy eater, so it was a bit tough finding something that sounded good to me. My mom had a hot dog and a "Bud" and I had a chicken taco that was quite tasty! I also had a glass of Fetzer Gewurztraminer Valley Oaks '05 (Tastefully aromatic, the flowery, slightly spicy, medium sweet Fetzer Gewurztraminer is a delicious sipping wine; great all by itself.) For dessert, we each had a non-fat yogurt in a waffle cone.....yummy....my favorite!

That had topped off our visit to the fair this year. The LA Fair will be here in a few months....I'm sure I'll plan a day there too!

CHEERS!

Concert in the Park

Sunday night was "Concert in the Park" night. The Silverados were the band that performed and they were much better than I had anticipated! It was billed as country/rock, which I thought was going to be leaning towards country, but it was a good mix of country pop and rock. I would definitely check them out at other performances in the area. The evening was not only about listening to the music, we also had food and wine (of course!). We started out with a green salad with tomato and feta cheese. Next, was pizza from Petrillo's (they are THE best!!! in my opinion). I picked up a pizza which we had not tried before. It was their Pizza Bianca which was brushed with extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella and romano cheeses, fresh tomato and fresh basil. It was excellent!! Dessert was fresh strawberries and blueberries topped with Cool-Whip......yummy!! Our wine selections were Barefoot White Zinfandel (my mom's favorite), Foothill Vineyards Peachard (which is a Peach Chardonnay....I am a peach fan!) and Cycles Gladiator Pinot Grigio.
It was another relaxing evening of entertainment under the stars. Looking forward to another one in a couple of weeks!
See you there.....CHEERS!

Class Postponed

My sister and I arrived at the Wine Tailor only to find that the class had been cancelled. BUMMER!! Oh well, all was not lost. They had their tasting going on so we had a taste of a New Zealand Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir and a Strawberry White Zinfandel, which would be a perfect compliment to a summer picnic or sitting by the pool. They also had an Ice Wine for tasting which we had a full glass of. They offered a glass of our choice for the inconvenience of the class cancellation. We thought that was considerate of them.

After chatting and relaxing there for a bit, we went over to Victoria Gardens to eat at Kings Fish House. It was our first visit there, and it won't be my last!! I had the King's Seafood Combo; a brochette of Yellow tail, Shark, and Ahi with Thai Chili Sauce. I chose to have the "sidekicks" of sauteed spinach and Northwest vegetables (shallots, carrots & snow peas). The meal also came with a heavenly sourdough bread. My wine selection was a nice Riesling (forgive me for not knowing the name.....I'm terrible!).

So, tonight is Country/Rock music at our local park.........Yeehaw!!!!!!
Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend and until next time....CHEERS!

Friday Fun Facts

We finally made it to Friday!! Here are a couple of fun facts that I recently ran across in QRW;


Seniors who drank moderate amounts of wine (six to 13 glasses a week) are likely to have lower Medicare expenses than non-drinkers, according to a study published last fall in Health Care Financing Review, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources journal.
(start raising those glasses!!!)

U.S. consumers purchased a record 300 million cases of wine in 2006, prompting wine industry analyst Jon Fredrikson of Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates to note that "Wine is finally entering the mainstream of American life". What a brilliant observation.
(you think?!)


Looking ahead to the weekend, my sister and I are going to The Wine Tailor, where we will be attending a class on white wines. I'm sure we will be doing some tasting also!! I'll report back as to how much we learned....hmmm.....I better take notes!
Sunday I may go to our local Concerts in the Park. I believe they are having a country/rock band. Not normally the music I listen to, but it is usually a relaxing evening. We usually bring, cards, food and a couple of bottles of wine. I do have some that I have been wanting to open stashed away, so now may be the time. If I do, I'll review them in my next post.

Everyone have a great weekend.....Cheers!

Two Buck Chuck Wins It!

It had been a while since I had purchased a bottle of Charles Shaw or lovingly known as "Two Buck Chuck", but after I heard the news on the radio that their 2005 Chardonnay was awarded Best Chardonnay from CA, I ran over to my local Trader Joe's and picked up a bottle. Arriving home, I popped it in the fridge and waited until the dinner hour to have a taste (it was a bit early in the day to break it open when I bought it or I would have tried it then.....but then again....is it ever too early?) After an afternoon of anticipation, I popped the cork and poured the yellow gold. It has a very nice, light fruity flavor. I can say it passed in my book. I have read where many wine enthusiasts have scoffed at this award winner. I say let them scoff!! Leaves more bottles on the shelves for those of us who trust our pallets, whether it be for $2 or $200.

Here is a link to the article which was written in the Napa Valley Register regarding the win at the Commercial Wine Competition.

Cheers!

A Weekend of Wine, Food & Music

What a wonderful weekend! Saturday evening my mom, sister and I attended the California Philharmonic Festival on The Green . The title for the night's concert was Music Theater; 100 Years of Joy. It consisted of music from Jesus Christ Superstar, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof and Annie Get Your Gun. The conductor is always a delight adding his insightful, and at times comical, tales of the composers or the events of the time. We also enjoyed fabulous wine and food. Starting out our evening with Korbel Brut Rose....what a better way to start than with a nice, light Champagne on a warm summer evening. Also included in the night's beverage list was my fruity Sangria and the Summer Splash which was a watermelon red wine. Our dinner for the evening was provided by Burger Continental. My mom had their famous Chicken Tavouk Kebab. My sister and I had the Stuffed Breast of Chicken “Corinthian” with feta cheese & fresh spinach in filo dough. Each dinner came with Greek salad, hummus, taboule, eggplant, rice pilaf & pita bread. There was more than enough...we were stuffed!! For dessert I brought fresh fruit and baklava. Ahhhh....heaven.

Sunday afternoon, my mom, husband and I went to The Wine Tailor for a Caribbean BBQ. We purchased a bottle of cold, refreshing Ice Wine and headed for the patio to listen to Steel Drum music provided by Ray McNamara. The BBQ was catered by Carl's Cajun Catering and it was mighty tasty! We had chicken, hot links, beans, green salad, bread and a wonderful potato salad with mangos....yummy!! After a couple of relaxing hours we headed home, but of course had to stop by 21 Choices for a frozen yogurt (Fat free French Vanilla with Blueberries for me....love it!)






It was such a great weekend, but now it is Monday, so back to the daily grind!!!





Cheers!

Cool & Refreshing

Summer is here and as the mercury rises, we look towards cool drinks to refresh us. One of our favorites is Sangria. The wonderful sweet fruit......mmmmm......tasty! I had a recipe that I was going to share that included Rioja, Grand Marnier, etc., but I can't seem to find it. Must have misplaced it after the last batch...haha! A simple way to to enjoy the fruity nectar is to buy a jug of Carlo Rossi, a bit of Grand Marnier and add your fruit of choice. I plan on doing this tomorrow as we are going to see the California Philharmonic perform at The Festival on the Green at the Arboretum in Arcadia, CA. It is a wonderful evening listening to the music on the lawn under the stars. Everyone takes a picnic or places advanced orders with some of the local restaurants that cater the event. We are starting our evening out with a bottle of Korbel Brut Rose. This year we ordered our food from Burger Continental in Pasadena. They have wonderful Middle-Eastern food (I don't think they even have burgers on their menu!). Of course, we have my Sangria and also a Watermelon wine that my sister purchased from The Wine Tailor in Rancho Cucamonga. That is something different! We have been going for the last few years and it is such an enjoyable event! I definitely recommend it to anyone that is looking for something a little different and entertaining.

I'll let everyone know how the evening went in a later post and I may be going to a Caribbean BBQ at The Wine Tailor on Sunday. Hopefully I'll have a positive report on that event as well!
Till next time.....CHEERS

My Blog is Uncorked

Wow! My first post! How exciting!! I'm looking forward to telling everyone about my adventures in wine tasting...searching out those gems of lovely tasting wines. First let me tell you that I am a novice at this. I had always enjoyed "drinking" wine, but I never took the time to appreciate it. There were a few years where I had stopped drinking it all together. But then, a few months ago, I visited a local winery where I enjoyed the experience and thought how much I was missing the taste of a good wine. Since then, I have been to a few tasting events, winery tours and also found one local winery where they assist you in making your own wine! That will definitely be on my agenda in the future! I have not stopped there in my quest for knowledge. I have also subscribed to "QRW (Quarterly Wine Review)" and am currently reading "Wine...an introduction" by Joanna Simon. I find it to be an excellent book which covers all aspects of experiencing the world of wine.



As I forge ahead, I want to bring my thoughts to all of you who may also be interested in enjoying the grape in all its glory. I hope I may also learn from others along the way.

So, let us all sit back and relax until next time.....CHEERS!