tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88923947886491033962024-03-05T20:32:24.122-05:00Wild For WineWildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-59938437227801013002012-08-24T22:19:00.000-04:002012-08-24T22:19:44.300-04:00Cru Cellars, Tampa FloridaGood friends. Good times. WINE. I get together with two of my good friends of more than 18 years for dinner once a month. This month we went to one of my favorite haunts, Datz. For a post dinner treat, we went to Cru Cellars, just one block away. <a href="http://crucellarstampa.com/" target="_blank">http://crucellarstampa.com/ </a><div>
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I have always driven past Cru Cellars with intentions of stopping in to browse their wine shop. From the street, thats exactly what the location looks like, a wine shop. Tucked away in the back of the store is a quaint bar with 8 tables or so surrounding it. The menu offers a variety of wines by the glass, bottle, or for purchase. On Tuesdays, they have a no corkage day. Purchase a bottle from their store and enjoy with friends with no fee. The menu has two dozen or so wines by the glass. They also offer wine flights, if you want to taste a few...and get a wine lesson with it. My friend Leslie had the "study abroad" flight, which included wines from Argentina, Italy and France. Jessica and I went with wines by the glass. We did not eat while there, but the food being served looked scrumptious. They offer a nice variety of cheeses and meats. </div>
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My wine of choice for the night was a Petite Sirah Blend(shocker, huh?) Listed on the menu as the "1448, Red Blend from Califorina," you can actually find it listed for sale under the name Jeff Runquist Red Blend 1448. It is just 14.99 at Total Wine and can be picked up in store or shipped. The flavors in this wine are big, and if you hadn't told me the price, I would have guessed it to be a MUCH more expensive bottle. Hints of chocolate and blackberries are abundant. </div>
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According to the website, Cru Cellars has a garden opening in October. Sounds like a fun date night to me.....or another trip with the girls.<br />
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WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-69392329024352730062012-07-22T19:39:00.000-04:002012-07-22T19:39:40.162-04:00Judd's Hill 2007 Petite Sirah Old Vine Lodi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7drnQlVAwfnm7yGjXeIK8gTY3RnlhNRTFRt9aKHAlSpa6o-kelbEcc4Lx-nn4xl6OdYirXLK282D36vEmbcfe-VBklwhlLI-X3idsRaWizrVousjmk2qD6WACRV7_4YvMa58ttxXshLw/s1600/IMG_3033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7drnQlVAwfnm7yGjXeIK8gTY3RnlhNRTFRt9aKHAlSpa6o-kelbEcc4Lx-nn4xl6OdYirXLK282D36vEmbcfe-VBklwhlLI-X3idsRaWizrVousjmk2qD6WACRV7_4YvMa58ttxXshLw/s200/IMG_3033.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
In a previous post, I mentioned Judd's Hill winery as being one of our favorites on our trip to Napa Valley. We recently opened our 2007 Petite Sirah Lodi that we had brought home from vacation. IT WAS JUST AS GOOD AS I REMEMBERED!!!! We paired it with a goat cheese and chive covered steak, loaded baked potato and asparagus....YUM!<br />
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Although the 2008 vintage is currently the only Petite Sirah available with Judd's, it promises to be just as good. However, if you make it out to Napa...the 2007 is available in the tasting room.<br />
<a href="http://www.juddshill.com/scripts/winepg.cfm/_/4/Petite-Sirah,-Old-Vine,-Lodi/" target="_blank">http://www.juddshill.com/scripts/winepg.cfm/_/4/Petite-Sirah,-Old-Vine,-Lodi/</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstBFRXn4Ks4kz0pR_bUBgR7ku0dkW5MS5xNFdVAzI0YGwEy75jERI-EF4KI7qeMNpSNthz_v_GGb6XvqI6LFcrIs39qw0Aw48jT5pJn5eSUPFnt7YOINUBzp5ulTsp0kMs0uOa8hpgRY/s1600/photo-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstBFRXn4Ks4kz0pR_bUBgR7ku0dkW5MS5xNFdVAzI0YGwEy75jERI-EF4KI7qeMNpSNthz_v_GGb6XvqI6LFcrIs39qw0Aw48jT5pJn5eSUPFnt7YOINUBzp5ulTsp0kMs0uOa8hpgRY/s200/photo-2.jpg" width="200" /></a>The cool thing we learned about Judd's Hill is that they cater to small groups for events and will allow you to make your own wine and design a label. The indoor tasting room walls were lined with different companies and groups that had come in to participate. Kate Spade was one that I remember adorning the walls ;-)<br />
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While sitting down to write my post...my husband asked a good question...WHAT IS LODI? One of our favorite Ravenswood wines is a Old Vine Lodi...and looks like our favorite Judds is also a lodi. WHAT IS IT? I found a website that describes it to a T...but to sum it up....Lodi is actually a city in California famous for Zinfandels. In the area they have vines that date back to 1880!! SOOO it looks like some of our favorite wines are coming from these old and very rare vines!WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-74468496384713587802012-05-21T13:42:00.003-04:002012-05-21T13:42:58.257-04:00Summers- Napa Valley -2009 Cabernet SauvignonAHHHHHH WINE! I may have mentioned this before(ok a few times)...but I have not had wine since July 16, 2011! Post pregnancy I was put on blood thinners. Not just a pill you pop each night, no...it was injections in my stomach! Between that and feeding my sweet baby, I was not able to enjoy wine.<br />
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Last night my husband Brian and I enjoyed my first glass since pregnancy..ok half glass...of WINE! While I would have loved to have opened up a bottle of wine that I have been saving from my Napa Valley vacation... I didn't want to waste it on my half glass of wine that I was planning to enjoy. However, the bottle we purchased was WELL worth it and stacks up there with my favorites currently waiting for me in my wine fridge. <br />
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Brian recently stopped by a local store that reeled him in with their advertised craft beer selection and while he was there he made friends with the owner and talked wine. The bottle recommended to him was a Cabernet Sauvignon from Summers Vineyard in Napa Valley. More specifically, Calistoga. It was a 2009 and fabulous. Surprisingly it had silky tannins and went down very smooth. It has a hint of black cherry and cedarwood and a medium body. Retail cost was about $30. Check with your local specialty shop or wine retailer such as total wine to order :-) ENJOY!<br />
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<br /></div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-21733704267253748382012-04-07T09:57:00.001-04:002012-04-07T11:33:53.029-04:00Opening your wine... without cork fiascos!The best thing I ever did....was invest in a good wine opener. Sure, you need to know how to use the handheld cheapy ones, but being able to open your wine with ease and NOT damage the cork is a priority. (Especially because I know we are all saving our corks :-) !!)<br />
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The opener we own has been Brian's for about 9 years. ( I bought it for him as a gift - wink wink) He was drinking wine at the time...so I thought it was a nice gift. Who would have thought it would become mine someday too ;-) Ours is from Brookstone and came in a nice fancy box, where we still store it... and it looks and works just as good as the day we bought it. I went on their website and found one that looks comparable, but I bet these days it doesn't come in the nice fancy storage box. Any "lever opener" like this really will do...but I have been impressed with the quality of ours. The "rabbit" brand makes a similar opener and can be slightly cheaper on amazon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.brookstone.com/3-piece-deluxe-wine-pull-key-corkscrew?bkiid=SearchResults|CategoryProductList|749396p">http://www.brookstone.com/3-piece-deluxe-wine-pull-key-corkscrew?bkiid=SearchResults|CategoryProductList|749396p</a><br />
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However.....those cheapy openers I referenced. Well. You do need to know how to use those too...BLECK. When you go to someone's house, that a) might be all they have or b) you could save the day if you whip one out of your purse or pocket to get that wine opened...QUICKLY. I can't tell you how many times I wound up with a broken cork or the cork stuck in the bottom of the bottle when using one of those traditional openers....but the trick is all in the angle and making sure you start off in the center of the cork. Here is a quick and easy little video to show you how....<br />
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Still looking for more reviews? I found the following site to be useful... I also love how they share the same passion for lever openers. I think they are truly the best! http://www.consumersearch.com/wine-openers/best-wine-openers</div>
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<br />WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-90012136988357385772012-03-24T18:14:00.000-04:002012-03-24T18:14:57.890-04:00Nice Legs!I have been a little MIA lately with my wine blogging.....the final preparations for baby have been keeping me quite occupied to say the least. Now..... I am on maternity leave and the waiting has begun. It is HOT out in sunny Florida....and I am INSIDE so it makes for good time to catch up on blogging.<br />
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I hardly have NICE legs as my post title describes, more like a swollen cankle mess....BUT I bet you would love to know a little more about the legs on your WINE :-) I started to write up information on just what those legs mean about your wine...we learned quite a bit on our Napa Valley trip. Prior to that I thought it meant you had a REALLY good wine on your hands....but as I got to writing I found a great video that describes what I wanted to write, perfectly.<br />
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ENJOY!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/JxS7j9Z25rQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxS7j9Z25rQ" target="_blank">Legs on Wine</a><br />
<br /></div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-5569459301694444602012-02-11T11:03:00.003-05:002012-02-11T11:03:33.053-05:00Wine Apps...Yes theres an app for that!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeM0kqYBu9eJ8x96TfPZCIpeCTlDC7v7Q45m1vlmtI9w-bAIi_5DEWYxINT57Al3dLiC0JZFZ4jCH1xG3UKi8kIYslbBtTty2pGqDXkexc5yeZSoVTS6MA6SCExsFexUx3plxuo8cB_Y/s1600/wine_app.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeM0kqYBu9eJ8x96TfPZCIpeCTlDC7v7Q45m1vlmtI9w-bAIi_5DEWYxINT57Al3dLiC0JZFZ4jCH1xG3UKi8kIYslbBtTty2pGqDXkexc5yeZSoVTS6MA6SCExsFexUx3plxuo8cB_Y/s320/wine_app.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
Wine apps....no not appetizers....apps as in applications for your iPhone or iPad. I have found a few that really help you in finding the perfect wine, some that even allow you to purchase on the spot and others that are just great for reading up on wine. All of the ones I am currently using are free....so try them out and see if they help you! If not, it was free!<br />
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<b>Wines and Vines- Reference App</b><br />
Read up on the wine industry and other hot topics in wine through Wines and Vines magazine. The entire last years worth of magazines are available to scroll through for free!!! The July 2011 issue's cover story is even on the topic of how <i>mobile apps are changing Viticulture.</i> HA. I saw this AFTER I decided to do this weeks blog on apps. I am on it, huh?<br />
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<b>Vintage Chart- By Wine Spectator Magazine- Reference App</b></div>
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The key reason I use this app is to figure out which year is best to drink. Say you are at a restaurant and trying to decide between a 2004 and 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.....well this app will help you to choose which year is best to drink. It does not sort by specific wineries or labels, just by the type of grape and wine region. It also takes into account how the weather was that year and how it effected the grapes that particular year. Pretty nifty, huh? </div>
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<b>Wine.Com- A combo app of reviewing wines, rating wines, searching for wines and BUYING</b><br />
I saved the best for last. This app is my absolute favorite. I will say though, that it works best on an iPad to get the full experience. It is still pretty cool on an iPhone, but the graphics and searchability functions are just SO MUCH better on the iPad. With the wine.com app you can search by name if you have a particular wine in mind or search by region or type of wine. In my picture below I was searching for top rated champagnes in California. Once you have set your search criteria you can scroll through the wine bottles with a flick of a finger. You will then see the price, the rating on a scale of 0-100 and more winemakers notes....see something you like? BUY it! Add it to your cart and have it shipped to you! :-) How easy is that. OR you can add to your "cave" on the iPad or "cellar" on the iPhone and review later. The iPad version also has the option to show you the deals of the day. I LOVE IT!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywZGzxLqgGkxWjnSkTK-moYjzP831pecJeb7LCxr1MID48T9gZtdqCp7JKT4O2fuyYCNY3s6yFFRxeM_uFwFwjY95PBC3BMRt9PzSzzB6jTjDJQynFDC1WRQ_KPQWwBiMDPAV9udavFU/s1600/Wines+and+vines+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywZGzxLqgGkxWjnSkTK-moYjzP831pecJeb7LCxr1MID48T9gZtdqCp7JKT4O2fuyYCNY3s6yFFRxeM_uFwFwjY95PBC3BMRt9PzSzzB6jTjDJQynFDC1WRQ_KPQWwBiMDPAV9udavFU/s1600/Wines+and+vines+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-24503206883635791432012-01-26T17:33:00.000-05:002012-01-26T17:33:20.440-05:00Florida Wine- Keel and Curley Winery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR8Z4gkNwczjWTrLZ9Eua4-3O0RKZSAXc1zviQQ0qXiDDPIPuN4ggRBumqXF0YrODOz2equJOBL-XA7D8TGSl3JVKt4pofFMlLQMthMP7bWcIIKyk005CtI2qEFwdg7Fe0_bkEte0NM0/s1600/knc-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR8Z4gkNwczjWTrLZ9Eua4-3O0RKZSAXc1zviQQ0qXiDDPIPuN4ggRBumqXF0YrODOz2equJOBL-XA7D8TGSl3JVKt4pofFMlLQMthMP7bWcIIKyk005CtI2qEFwdg7Fe0_bkEte0NM0/s1600/knc-logo.jpg" /></a></div>I am normally not one to rave about a sweet wine, but I must say this past summer I truly enjoyed my experience at the Keel and Curley winery in Plant City, FL. Off Interstate 4 on Thonotosassa Rd. you will find the winery and BLUEBERRY farm. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBpUK_xTTZD8l1lAfy8QsDl4uJmJTiTMpZsFKgMlJR-x6rVuNORReJx65jICE3LdX_aEiFRJALiv2H5V4RiEuZ5IECgP62ib2JB4T_d9Eft-HfQ48mLblQhuy6uJYmu23e2fWaMx0acQ/s1600/Keel+and+Curley+compilation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="271px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBpUK_xTTZD8l1lAfy8QsDl4uJmJTiTMpZsFKgMlJR-x6rVuNORReJx65jICE3LdX_aEiFRJALiv2H5V4RiEuZ5IECgP62ib2JB4T_d9Eft-HfQ48mLblQhuy6uJYmu23e2fWaMx0acQ/s320/Keel+and+Curley+compilation.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I went with my husband, Brian, for the first time this past April when the winery hosted its annual bluberry festival. This particular weekend, usually the last weekend in April, first weekend in May they kick off blueberry season. The main parking lot to the winery was full of vendors, so we had a good quarter mile hike to the winery ...because man, there were a lot of people! On this particular trip we started with a pulled pork sandwich from one of the local BBQ restaurants that had set up shop for the day. We then immediately went out back behind the winery where we found acre upon acre of blueberry fields. Many folks were taking a trolley(thats how big this place is) to get out into the thick of the fields, but we chose to walk. You pick up your bucket, on a sting, and get to work. We picked about half a pickle buckets worth in a few hours. It was so relaxing.....and might I add we only spent about 6 bucks on blueberries. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It had to be at least 90 degrees outside and probably a "feels like of 100." You better believe when we finished picking blueberries we were HOT, sweaty, and I was probably a little cranky. A nice glass of a dark red wine, which I normally would love, was not so refreshing at the time. Instead, we sampled all Keel and Curley has to offer. Here is their wine list, all of which we tasted.....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="homehdr1" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Wine List</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/blueberry-dry.php">Dry Blueberry</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/blueberry-semi-dry.php">Semi-Dry Blueberry</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/blueberry-sweet.php">Sweet Blueberry</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/strawberry-riesling.php">Strawberry Riesling</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/wild-berry-pinot.php">Wild Berry Pinot Noir</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/tangerine-tango.php">Tangerine Zinfandel</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/key-west-key-lime.php">Key West – Key Lime</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/black-raspberry.php">Black Raspberry Merlot</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/peach-chardonnay.php">Peach Chardonnay</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/dry-blackberry.php">Dry Blackberry</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/wines/sweet-blackberry.php">Sweet Blackberry</a> </li>
</ul></div>My favorites were the Wild Berry Pinot Noir and the Key Lime wine. Hands down, my favorite thing there was a wine freeze. It was a pina colada mix with the Wild Berry Pinot Noir put in a blender with ice. You better believe we bought a bottle of each to take home. If you want to purchase and ship to your house...you can purchase the wine from the Keel and Curley site at: <a href="http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/">http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/</a> and then the wine freeze in Pina Colada at: <a href="http://www.thefloridawinery.com/wine-freeze.html">http://www.thefloridawinery.com/wine-freeze.html</a> At the winery, its about $19.99 for the set. Not bad, and it lasts for quite a while. <br />
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We haven't tried it out yet, but I have heard that the <strong><em>Friday night "uncorked" event</em></strong> that the winery puts on is really fun! They offer 2 for 1 beer and wine out on the back deck...along with live music from 6:30-10:30pm.....and even have some appetizers to munch on. Ahhhhhh......a lovely FLOIRDA FRIDAY NIGHT! <br />
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I never thought<strong><em> Florida wine</em></strong> was for me......but Keel and Curley is one worth trying! <br />
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</div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-60455766791773797472012-01-21T21:06:00.000-05:002012-01-21T21:06:29.495-05:00Salivating for my next glass of wine.......OK, so at 7 months pregnant I can still tell you the last day I had a glass of wine. July 16, 2011. And I am eagerly counting down the days until I can savor a nice glass of wine. Once I can, and do, I have full intentions of trying to rate and taste some wines that I will share with you!!! <br />
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You may also see my baby wearing this onesie, that I JUST HAD to share from etsy.com<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLScrepRs__DAcDJDuIZ_vhq4JknsQFaWassYi5SEaFoIOFnXcw-7FV6ulfeINEQ3Vd4AgR5c6o1vy4YwzrpZ_LZHiz0L3fW-mj9i5XwgJxB8O0IMR1jrpWQFKrIrWDS0xpFuYnHz2p48/s1600/il_570xN_295732276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317px" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLScrepRs__DAcDJDuIZ_vhq4JknsQFaWassYi5SEaFoIOFnXcw-7FV6ulfeINEQ3Vd4AgR5c6o1vy4YwzrpZ_LZHiz0L3fW-mj9i5XwgJxB8O0IMR1jrpWQFKrIrWDS0xpFuYnHz2p48/s400/il_570xN_295732276.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-5524020310895287482012-01-21T21:01:00.001-05:002012-01-21T21:10:06.386-05:00"Life is like a box of chocolates....you never know whatch-ur gonna get"And that is exactly the case with "Two Buck Chuck" wine....or as the label says Charles Shaw wine. No two bottles of the same grape varietal of Charles Shaw wine ever seem to taste the same. Now, before you read on, don't get your hopes of of immediately trying "two buck chuck wine." Trader Joes started carrying the wine in 2002 and seems to be the only major carrier to this day. If you are sitting in a state without a Trader Joe's grocery store.....like I AM RIGHT NOW...you are going to have to hold off on trying this fantastic economical wine until you can get to a state in which it is sold. I have tried scouring the internet for other retailers that carry it....no such luck. I even tried my local Total Wine store to see if they would order me a case....again no such luck. We were fortunate enough to have some friends from Atlanta DRIVE us a case when they were in town visiting and also were able to visit Trader Joes in Napa Valley to bring home two bottles !!!<br />
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Find a Trader Joes here....http://www.traderjoes.com/stores/index.asp<br />
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What makes it so cheap? There are a ton of rumors as to why it is so cheap. The real reason? The grapes are from California's Central Valley....as opposed to the more prestigious grapes from Napa Valley. However, the wines parent company owns a winery and bottling company in Napa Valley, they are able to put the "Napa Valley" distinction on the label of Charles Shaw wine. A ton of Napa Valley grapes can cost around $2,000 whereas a ton from the Central Valley can get as low as $60.....wow. <br />
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I do not claim to have tried any of the Charles Shaw whites, but have tried the Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz and all are tasty in my book. <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><strong>They really should call it Three Buck Chuck as it is now about $2.99 a bottle...but hey that's a bargain in my book. </strong></span><br />
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One of my sources....<a href="http://www.snopes.com/business/market/shawwine.asp">http://www.snopes.com/business/market/shawwine.asp</a>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-35413730605353367752012-01-14T15:48:00.002-05:002012-01-14T15:52:33.331-05:00Wine Glass Woes- Is it really better to buy that fancy crystal wine glass?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V8Jakp73dYS7pp4gcBxMWJm_AIVZHy_vjEDAgCoj66JcqoLS_iZsLtzM_wwdi4-xkSgTwVCuvx-Gzgt1-k_YlbQeifI76Qix0PYUBslI2NPxiprdBkbZFLXnnfqAId9bRlachJGNsOM/s1600/shopoholic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V8Jakp73dYS7pp4gcBxMWJm_AIVZHy_vjEDAgCoj66JcqoLS_iZsLtzM_wwdi4-xkSgTwVCuvx-Gzgt1-k_YlbQeifI76Qix0PYUBslI2NPxiprdBkbZFLXnnfqAId9bRlachJGNsOM/s320/shopoholic.jpg" width="175px" /></a></div>OK so the above glass is fun, girly, and just my style....a shopaholic wine glass? YES PLEASE.... the one above by Lolita will definitely make your wine experience fun....but will it help to make your wine experience better? Maybe or maybe not . Keep reading for more on what you should consider when choosing your next set of wine glasses. <br />
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<strong><u>Size</u></strong><br />
If you are drinking a red wine...which is my favorite, small glasses are all kinds of WRONG. Try and get and a good swirl and sniff with a smaller opening and my friend, its just not happening. For red wine you want a glass that holds at LEAST 12 ounces, but the best ones hold in upwards of 16 to 24 ounces. Those big bowl glasses let our red wine come into contact with more air, letting it breathe and intensifying its aroma. For white wines, you want a glass that holds 10 to 12 ounces and for sparkling wines you are fine with 8 to 12 ounces. I used to think it was ridiculous to get those gigantic red wine glasses... but now I know, they are the best for getting a good, stick your nose in the glass, sniff. Don't fill that puppy up all the way or you may be wearing your wine as you swirl.<br />
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<strong><u>Thickness</u></strong><br />
Go to a winery, invest in a tasting....and I guarantee you they will not be serving you wine from some thick wine glass like you would find at a cheap restaurant. They do this for good reason. The thinner the glass, the better your wine tastes. Go ahead and try it. Get one of those thick glasses and then a beautiful crystal one and I guarantee you it will taste better. There are conflicting reasons as to why it tastes better .Some argue it is because of the roughness of crystal as opposed to regular glass, some argue it is because we taste with our eyes and the thinner crystal just looks better. Whatever the reason I am a believer and will be sticking to my crystal wine glasses. <br />
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<strong><u>Color</u></strong><br />
Colored glasses are not for wine. Those big blue glasses. No. Don't do it..... please. PLEASE do not serve your wine in those!!! Use a regular clear wine glass. <br />
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<strong><u>My favorite selection....</u></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mHeDOWu38D8wdKizq0SwNBsORU8ZCvAe26-1XCgqVMIrozvoVRxlt42G1jtdamcAsUcmoh3NAaymGiPgm8HQVOm2zeXnmflVljXzkodACiqA6j9p2MoC2wKOywQuvpeXu0sP316ROes/s1600/pp_waterford_robert_mondavi_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mHeDOWu38D8wdKizq0SwNBsORU8ZCvAe26-1XCgqVMIrozvoVRxlt42G1jtdamcAsUcmoh3NAaymGiPgm8HQVOm2zeXnmflVljXzkodACiqA6j9p2MoC2wKOywQuvpeXu0sP316ROes/s320/pp_waterford_robert_mondavi_.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Are they pricey? Yeah, they are, but their quality speaks for itself. The Robert Mondavi collection for Waterford is my choice and what I choose for serving wine at my house! If you choose to shop at a convenient retailer, you can find them sold in a pair at Macy's for $50. If you prefer to shop around for a deal, you can get lucky and find them at Amazon.com or Overstock.com anywhere from $22.99 to $40 for the pair. Hard to find, but the Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon glasses are my favorite. Take good care of those glasses...you may want to hand wash them so you don't wind up crying over a broken wine glass. We have lost 2 glasses in our household. One to the dishwasher and one to my golden retrievers tail. Like I said they are not cheap, treat them well. <br />
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If those hand painted wine glasses are more your fancy...go for it...there are hand painted wine glasses for every occasion on the Lolita site....they meet the criteria of size, shape and thickness...but may make it hard for you to really swirl and check out the color and clarity of your wine. <a href="http://www.lolitawineglasses.com/lowigl.html">http://www.lolitawineglasses.com/lowigl.html</a>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-68733677974151891842012-01-08T10:58:00.006-05:002012-01-08T11:21:42.124-05:00Was your New Years Resolution to eat healthy? Drink more wine!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcxvb0hUTdhfrREERe8iyqr0c7-27oiXloWQHCIgtloMoaxi3cnbfQmi-SlbUgaNbCDez7T9bXVoOF-t4vozuDzdstjdscUnindmtyJvQQQA3avog-OcUa9Sk7_uVQr9Y10V3A7mI2LM/s1600/Docs+Orders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcxvb0hUTdhfrREERe8iyqr0c7-27oiXloWQHCIgtloMoaxi3cnbfQmi-SlbUgaNbCDez7T9bXVoOF-t4vozuDzdstjdscUnindmtyJvQQQA3avog-OcUa9Sk7_uVQr9Y10V3A7mI2LM/s400/Docs+Orders.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would love to say that I made a New Years Resolution this year....but I did not. However, the top resolutions for 2012 according to usa.gov....#1 Drink Less Alcohol and #2 Eat Healthy. Ok well. I say here is to moderation of your alcohol in achieving goal #2...to be healthy. I don't believe in diets, I don't believe in limiting yourself of what you love.....its all about moderation, right? AND WINE, in moderation, has been long proven to actually be good for you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to <em>Health Magazine</em>(<a href="http://www.health.com/">http://www.health.com/</a>) the <em>top 6 reasons Why a Little Glass of Wine Each Day Will Do You Good. </em></div><br />
<strong><u>1) Feed Your Head</u></strong><br />
Wine could preserve your memory. When researchers gave memory quizzes to women in their 70s, those who drank one drink or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all. Wine helps prevent clots and reduce blood vessel inflammation, both of which have been linked to cognitive decline and heart disease, explains Tedd Goldfinger, DO, of the University of Arizona School of Medicine. Alcohol also seems to raise HDL, the so-called good cholesterol, which helps unclog your arteries.<br />
<strong><u>2) Keep the Scale in Your Corner</u></strong><br />
Studies find that people who drink wine daily have lower body mass than those who indulge occasionally; moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink liquor. Alcohol may encourage your body to burn extra calories for as long as 90 minutes after you down a glass. Beer seems to have a similar effect.<br />
<strong><u>3) Boost Your Bodies Defenses</u></strong><br />
In one British study, those who drank roughly a glass of wine a day reduced by 11% their risk of infection by <em>Helicobacter pylori </em>bacteria, a major cause of gastritis, ulcers, and stomach cancers. As little as half a glass may also guard against food poisoning caused by germs like salmonella when people are exposed to contaminated food, according to a Spanish study.<br />
<strong><u>4) Guard Against Ovarian Woes</u></strong>When Australian researchers recently compared women with ovarian cancer to cancer-free women, they found that roughly one glass of wine a day seemed to reduce the risk of the disease by as much as 50 percent. Earlier research at the University of Hawaii produced similar findings. Experts suspect this may be due to antioxidants or phytoestrogens, which have high anticancer properties and are prevalent in wine. And in a recent University of Michigan study, a red wine compound helped kill ovarian cancer cells in a test tube.<br />
<strong><u>5) Build Better Bones</u></strong>On average, women who drink moderately seem to have higher bone mass than abstainers. Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels; the hormone seems to slow the body’s destruction of old bone more than it slows the production of new bone.<br />
<strong><u>6) Prevent Blood Sugar Trouble</u></strong><br />
Premenopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine a day are 40 percent less likely than women who don’t drink to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a 10-year study by Harvard Medical School. While the reasons aren’t clear, wine seems to reduce insulin resistance in diabetic patients.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And Finally ........A little <strong>Wine Reading Material to FEED YOUR HEAD !</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvoXJWF_rIEXYmzBmglfPfKNLv1JXCrfHyL8XxmMHJ4Exeis8PVyirDAo03gSFB1VDaZA6gLzqpTbkIIswXc_T_Bvu9MLh9xyOUehuXzVvJy7eorirsrKZQK9_-h8aghnIEFE9uwBye0/s1600/Red%252520Wine%252520Diet%252520Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvoXJWF_rIEXYmzBmglfPfKNLv1JXCrfHyL8XxmMHJ4Exeis8PVyirDAo03gSFB1VDaZA6gLzqpTbkIIswXc_T_Bvu9MLh9xyOUehuXzVvJy7eorirsrKZQK9_-h8aghnIEFE9uwBye0/s320/Red%252520Wine%252520Diet%252520Cover.jpg" width="212px" /></a></div>I have not yet read the book above, but have added it to my reading list for 2012 and just ordered on Amazon for a mere $3.48 plus shipping...not bad for a nearly 400 page paperback on the health benefits of wine. Now this book and red wine in general are not part of the "diet to help you lose weight," but instead maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. Roger Corder chronicles in this book the health benefits that red wine drinkers achieve. Wine drinkers are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, and dementia than non- wine drinkers. But also gets into what exactly is it about wine that keeps us healthy? Which is better for you, a California Cabernet or Syrah from the south of France? How can you choose wines that both suit your tastes and benefit your health? Happy Reading! <br />
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</div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-26281625452956466262012-01-08T10:38:00.000-05:002012-01-08T10:38:18.571-05:00Updates to Posts- Cork Creations and Sparkling Wine!<strong><u>Wine Cork Letters(from my 'Cork Creations' post)</u></strong><br />
I received a few emails and facebook posts about the wine cork letters....soooo for those of you that love the wine cork letters, you can find wooden letter cut outs(if you don't want to attempt yourself) at <a href="http://www.craftcuts.com/">http://www.craftcuts.com/</a>. I originally included this link, but have now ordered a wooden letter from them myself. I ordered a big "H" for my baby to be's nursery, and it was a very easy process.....you pick your font(and there are MANY to choose from), the height and the thickness of the wood. EASY PEASY. The choices of height range from 6" to 48" which makes it nice to choose based on the number of corks you have to work with and the wall size you have to hang your letter. Once the nursery is done, I will be making a letter out of corks myself, so stay tuned for my project!<br />
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<strong><u>Domaine Carneros Sparkling Wine(from my New Years Eve post on Champagne 101)</u></strong><br />
In shopping for a bottle of champagne to give for a friends 30th Birthday....we found a couple of bottles of Domaine Carneros at a local grocery store!!! We live in Florida and have looked at Total Wine, ABC Liquor and Publix Supermarket on many occasions with no luck in finding Domaine Carneros. I am not sure if it is readily available at other Publix locations, but keep your eye out! We found 1 bottle of the 2007 Brut Sparkling wine for $28.99 and a few bottles of the 2008 Rose Cuvee for $36.99...which is only a couple of dollars more than what you would spend if you were buying it on site at the vineyard and MUCH cheaper than the shipping cost in ordering online. HAPPY SHOPPING!WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-77836111058751240072011-12-29T21:40:00.003-05:002011-12-29T21:44:03.973-05:00Are you ready for New Years Eve? Champagne and Sparkling Wine 101<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will be celebrating New Years Eve this year with a glass of "sparkling grape juice." HARDLY the same as a glass of "bubbly." If I WERE to be drinking a nice glass of champage or sparkling wine this year...I have a few thoughts on what I might be enjoying. Below are a few to share. You may also be wondering the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine.....I will cover that too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here is the low down to help you sound uber knowledgeable and have everyone commending you on your fine bottle of bubbly at your New Years Eve celebrations. In trying to impress a larger crowd...know that champagnes and sparkling wines are classified by how dry they are. The most popular is "brut." Which also happens to be my favorite. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em><u>My favorites...I am sure these are not the best out there....just the best in my experience.</u></em></strong> I am including the label pictures to help.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Under $30</strong>- Mumm Napa Brut<img border="0" height="200px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggffdK6YHv-P-aM7pz_5_VamuNhY7l1ucuQ4woYbOJE8igJM5BSjK4lkhJh2gcCVw3SOPn4Ytza1FBhxpSwlYiJdOgeZFcpacxA6aYNoIyWO5qTzHP_liPqfxsQyQBs0_MBvWRJskqeZY/s200/mumm.jpg" width="61px" /></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;">If it wasn't cutting it so close to the Holiday...you would have had time to order a bottle from my favorite Napa Valley Sparkling wine vineyard....<strong>Domaine Carneros</strong>...as I am thinking of it…I may order myself a bottle to have in house for next year :-) If you visit Napa Valley, this is great place to stop on your way in to town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did the sparkling wine sampler, which was perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite is the 2007 Ultra Brut Sparkling Wine. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6Ieu0VqR_QKMYkeKXjy-jJVkcGcyqf-3YVXHAe70EBBMM0y6DO5LHnKf70kE4Mj78YFGgjN7QcCv6-VFEcefmLyvoLrhTHqHFnqEiLcHgZYS2m7jxG5Mm6WPbEgbhbzsckToxK18bRI/s1600/domaine+Carneros2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6Ieu0VqR_QKMYkeKXjy-jJVkcGcyqf-3YVXHAe70EBBMM0y6DO5LHnKf70kE4Mj78YFGgjN7QcCv6-VFEcefmLyvoLrhTHqHFnqEiLcHgZYS2m7jxG5Mm6WPbEgbhbzsckToxK18bRI/s200/domaine+Carneros2.jpg" width="200px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnOcXx6XF1yEJCKj4ffDBnHkb5u0-uP4yuZT9WQWyo8fL8fGDP09gXmu4et70i6VbSg1icutHoQZ38ptzcPYdGcj5CFqC9npfbxuOvsRL26B0lo4c89_8VEUCiRuIyjeJeTt68JClHfk/s1600/Domaine+Carneros.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnOcXx6XF1yEJCKj4ffDBnHkb5u0-uP4yuZT9WQWyo8fL8fGDP09gXmu4et70i6VbSg1icutHoQZ38ptzcPYdGcj5CFqC9npfbxuOvsRL26B0lo4c89_8VEUCiRuIyjeJeTt68JClHfk/s200/Domaine+Carneros.jpg" width="72px" /></a><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>The difference between Champagne and Sparkling Wine</u></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;">The difference is simple. Champagne is from the Champagne region of France. Any other bottle from the US, Italy, whatever…are all "sparkling wines." Enough said.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><u>How to best serve </u></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;">The best temperture to serve is 45 degrees. Easy enough. Place it in the fridge for about 3 hours before serving. </span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>What causes the bubbles in your bubbly?</u></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: small;">As part of the fermentation process the winemaker adds yeast and sugar….they combine to create carbon dioxide…which makes the bubbles and a lot of pressure when trapped in a small space!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><em>Enjoy your New Years Eve celebrations! Happy 2012 to all!</em></span></span></span></span> </div></div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-1795005751690461702011-12-26T16:47:00.002-05:002011-12-26T16:48:43.023-05:00Wine Tasting Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzqVpvpDfYy4klh4grPfIOaklJk0DbeydopyO8MX6xOLjxzhcEITK4wEhe3Ky9DPkueEuWtj5mMKBZo9wBGwOWEXBTfgy8U1fuDe_TiJeXSmXvYkMlWRgs_AvbwyvmR8eHkD2kusZqwI/s1600/Wine+tasting+party1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzqVpvpDfYy4klh4grPfIOaklJk0DbeydopyO8MX6xOLjxzhcEITK4wEhe3Ky9DPkueEuWtj5mMKBZo9wBGwOWEXBTfgy8U1fuDe_TiJeXSmXvYkMlWRgs_AvbwyvmR8eHkD2kusZqwI/s320/Wine+tasting+party1.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past summer we got together with friends for a night of wine tasting fun. We had all intentions of hosting <strong>one each month</strong>, but a) we started right before football season and weekends were very hard to plan this Fall when someones favorite team was not playing...and b) I got pregnant so I didn't pursue finding a date to get together. However, the concept was simple and so fun! I have all intentions of reinstating these such events as soon as I can drink and my life with a little one settles down in 2012. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em><u>How it works:</u></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1) Find a home to host the event</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2) Send out invites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">3) Each attendee brings 1 bottle of wine(conceal its label when you arrive)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">4) Place in paper bag and write a number on the front and the letter R for "red" or W for White</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">5) Place all reds in a row and all whites in a row</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">6) Give each attendee a scoring sheet</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">7) Each guest should sample each wine and rank them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">8) At the end all votes are tallied and ranked! The guest who brought the winning red and winning white receive a prize! In our case, the host bought gift cards to local restaurants on restaurant.com....but the choice is yours!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We found it fun to also add in the element of cost....it was interesting to see if the wine was a cheap bottle or a pricey bottle of wine! Here are some photos of our fun....and might I brag...my Frogs Leap Sauvignon Blanc won the winning white :-) </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMSIqVCvTi1H6gZanHak0m54UwBxwXnFhy05jssbmE2fNPzXSkhp_aVgRJgG20pin018jcf-kaQhyXFOUkUJn01A8ajuZ6geWZusZ3Og9DMxMCFnOrEljUsXXVZVlseQ4q9JZufi6LNU/s1600/wine+tasting+party+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMSIqVCvTi1H6gZanHak0m54UwBxwXnFhy05jssbmE2fNPzXSkhp_aVgRJgG20pin018jcf-kaQhyXFOUkUJn01A8ajuZ6geWZusZ3Og9DMxMCFnOrEljUsXXVZVlseQ4q9JZufi6LNU/s320/wine+tasting+party+3.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-35678165464955683422011-12-26T16:33:00.002-05:002011-12-26T16:35:12.239-05:00Cork Creations<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok silly, I know...but I get REALLY disappointed when I bring home a new bottle of wine, remove the foil wrapper and find that the cork...is not a cork, but synthetic plastic. Without a doubt, those will always find their way to my trash can. There are so many cool creations to decorate the wine lovers house with corks...the REAL corks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My first wine creation gift was from Brian's uncle Bill....a trivet for hot pans that also sits as a piece of decor in my kitchen. It is very simple to make,wine corks, a wooden frame, some hot glue and champagne corks as the "feet."</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HVxGtGWmHq8hn_BOymaOIr4pKHnEzGTXaUIaqw0-7XW_OVKaJxgy9iHnlnjg5WF3uOonqEYC-f91-foaElqOQNHMJuQNk9cLLHavzdCipVz_PYI5Srl7oVkTCa3PSHWqV5SgPdEo_Yg/s1600/DSC_8362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HVxGtGWmHq8hn_BOymaOIr4pKHnEzGTXaUIaqw0-7XW_OVKaJxgy9iHnlnjg5WF3uOonqEYC-f91-foaElqOQNHMJuQNk9cLLHavzdCipVz_PYI5Srl7oVkTCa3PSHWqV5SgPdEo_Yg/s320/DSC_8362.jpg" width="249px" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsM8E0cJsMTuD9FqZnVePTGtfyKeDLVC10DxY7bjWg12yc-coWve05yzLoBm1XTnu-JrTolcB_OVx8EarfXlunFytSb-l_6ppTNVxhjlpsblg4I3axqA7nf-dvK2Nc9a7VfOv2nCEnEPY/s1600/DSC_8364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsM8E0cJsMTuD9FqZnVePTGtfyKeDLVC10DxY7bjWg12yc-coWve05yzLoBm1XTnu-JrTolcB_OVx8EarfXlunFytSb-l_6ppTNVxhjlpsblg4I3axqA7nf-dvK2Nc9a7VfOv2nCEnEPY/s320/DSC_8364.JPG" width="320px" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Right now I am saving for something really cool....a big "B" initial to decorate the "wine room." Like this one from <a href="http://www.craftcuts.com/">http://www.craftcuts.com/</a></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6V1ZSovzFdGWpnlP7SpmH8T0Y5N-q78SyVPIwM9kYa1ASFIi82mzHdWv3hQnyhvydM113Q1elrtjcBy4VPomskIHCIlp7e6Hut_B6Jjh73BuO7mF-iSwRI6XQYYGxs0-yYufldD3UJfk/s1600/wine+cork+letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6V1ZSovzFdGWpnlP7SpmH8T0Y5N-q78SyVPIwM9kYa1ASFIi82mzHdWv3hQnyhvydM113Q1elrtjcBy4VPomskIHCIlp7e6Hut_B6Jjh73BuO7mF-iSwRI6XQYYGxs0-yYufldD3UJfk/s320/wine+cork+letter.jpg" width="238px" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A bath mat could also be cool.....like this one from </span><a href="http://www.craftynest.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.craftynest.com</span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45gu9xKtfeiY_DxnwQGk65vOKVSiikSgyeb5irq3Pamxtu5kOlNeUY0p9C-OvFQ2Gx_6i6htxEurY2PKAlYHU9AweJV8gHMbu6uQDXUHhTLQfNbANbB7M1PnScLzwhNzghAXeaNkETtQ/s320/bath+mat.bmp" width="320px" /></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Any other cool ideas for things I can make??!?!?!</span></div><br />
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</tbody></table>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-90696873452461165582011-12-26T15:20:00.008-05:002011-12-26T15:57:33.904-05:00The two key S's in wine....Storing and Serving<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whether you worked hard in Napa Valley to find the perfect wine for your collection, or you picked up a bottle at your local store.....you want to both serve it and store it properly. You will learn very quickly, especially if you live in a warm climate, that your wine will go bad, very bad, fast. Just open the bottle of a red wine that has been sitting in your 75 degree house for too long and you will smell the pungent aroma. BLECK. I would highly recommend to invest in a wine fridge. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Storing</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was lucky enough to get mine for free. I saved up some bank rewards points, redeemed them for Amazon gift cards...and bam I was on my way to my first wine fridge. Originally, I thought I would really like one of those dual, temperature controlled fridges, but a) I didn't have room for that in my minimal counter space and minimal cabinet space....kitchen.... and b) you want to SERVE white wines at a lower temperature, but they can actually be stored at roughly the same temperature. 55 degrees is a perfect happy medium in the world of wine fridge temperatures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em><u>My wine fridge....</u></em></strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZWR194/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZWR194/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now of course, someday, I would love to turn a closet into my own personal wine cellar. or maybe get a trap door in the floor like the below photo...but for now, my 18 bottle cooler will have to do. A girl can dream..... <a href="http://www.houzz.com/">http://www.houzz.com/</a> has a TON of really cool ideas....</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IfMRbKmu2sDcpur2RpM8x2rMKcIOucmulAzPgu0CYb4vtM8HgZF_se__rOhcy8xrRzLYOOgUmlflFelPp-VXvjpAzWMQw1boKvgcK0HRkEr69lU6A_PYno2jk777ZvQ9WAvbmyFa87c/s1600/Trap+door+wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IfMRbKmu2sDcpur2RpM8x2rMKcIOucmulAzPgu0CYb4vtM8HgZF_se__rOhcy8xrRzLYOOgUmlflFelPp-VXvjpAzWMQw1boKvgcK0HRkEr69lU6A_PYno2jk777ZvQ9WAvbmyFa87c/s320/Trap+door+wine.jpg" width="318px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/wine/trapdoor-in-the-kitchen-floor-spiral-wine-cellars-074465" jquery162047987600600037383="57" target="_blank">thekitchn.com</a></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Serving</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When you SERVE your wine....many think room temperature works for reds, but its actually way too warm. Below is a helpful chart for how to serve your wines. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4SBsFlnfrQtz5ZtR18VNj9eites6-dxGnFnar3C66i7MarvH580_21-1qM_ukKwBm4yrWfrRrMe6b8cqUBSi_hZXK16dsXI-EC5mkBFew2Vgaf175lP1CcGjLWvfzrDzUvnZh9d1MGY/s1600/wine%252520temperature.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4SBsFlnfrQtz5ZtR18VNj9eites6-dxGnFnar3C66i7MarvH580_21-1qM_ukKwBm4yrWfrRrMe6b8cqUBSi_hZXK16dsXI-EC5mkBFew2Vgaf175lP1CcGjLWvfzrDzUvnZh9d1MGY/s400/wine%252520temperature.gif" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8892394788649103396.post-83861714413695807872011-12-26T14:11:00.008-05:002011-12-26T14:46:45.382-05:00Vineyard Vacation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu6Gebhqx4hewD695b5zwpi3YwELpidrSapTHRxr0Q1Y_7J_igQgYmEqljkAWkTCtWobeg5AWfwOkAmEdbji0yM5yLpBgP4ffpKJVZ0b04OEDzN0-khJLgYvdb1RaE8xg5qXaiuLc8pk/s1600/napa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu6Gebhqx4hewD695b5zwpi3YwELpidrSapTHRxr0Q1Y_7J_igQgYmEqljkAWkTCtWobeg5AWfwOkAmEdbji0yM5yLpBgP4ffpKJVZ0b04OEDzN0-khJLgYvdb1RaE8xg5qXaiuLc8pk/s320/napa.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our last vacation before pregnancy was to Northern California. I was in heaven. We spent time in Napa Valley and Sonoma sampling wines.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you have never been to wine country. Make a trip. Book it. Plan it. Now. It is by far one of my all time favorite vacations. My husband, Brian, was looking forward to some time away from work and traveling to a new location...but the wine, was not at the top of his list, even with going to "wine country." He is a beer guy and the thought of swirling, sniffing and "chewing" wine made him think he needed to have his pinkie raised and his nose in the air. I must say, after our first vineyard, he was hooked. When we returned home, he began telling our family and all of our friends that he now only will drink the finest wines from Napa and learned that he liked wine "aged in a medium toasted, American Oak barrel." Well alrighty then. He also learned that the vineyards and tasting rooms are NOT stuffy and filled with stuffy people. To the contrary. We even found a vineyard with a large, wrap around porch, lawn games galore, and a dog running around named Abbey. I could talk or write for a week straight in detail about all of our favorites. FOR NOW....here are the highlights. I know, I know, it is pretty detailed for "highlights," but.....I was in love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><u><em><strong>Where we stayed: Napa Valley Lodge</strong></em></u></span>- <a href="http://www.napavalleylodge.com/">http://www.napavalleylodge.com/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Why we loved it? </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was a small, quaint hotel, located in Yountville....near great restaurants and close to all the fabulous vineyards. We also love a good game of bocce ball in the evening before dinner, and this hotel had a bocce ball pit. Not to mention it was nice to have a cup of coffee by the fire in the morning before our day of wine tasting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em><u>Vineyards we visited.....on our own</u></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Traveling around Napa Valley is not easy. Our first day, we did drive ourselves. How did we do this? We split tastings almost everywhere we went....and broke up the tastings with trips to eat. The second day, we had a tour with a driver....which is by far the best way to go, but economically speaking, you can only do this one day....stay tuned for day 2.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Day 1:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>1) Robert Mondavi</strong>- A GREAT beginner place to start. I recommend the <a href="http://www.robertmondavi.com/rmw/at_the_winery/tour/2">http://www.robertmondavi.com/rmw/at_the_winery/tour/2</a> (signature tour and tasting.) It was 75 minutes and gave you a detailed overview of what the grapes go through. A perfect way to start your trip. They even give you little snacks....how about that for a food and wine pairing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>2) Prager Winery and Port Wines</strong>- Not my favorite, but go here if you like Port wines. We learned after one sip. We do not. Like. Port. Wines. Enough said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>3) Beringer</strong>- VERY commercialized, but a gorgeous house to see....we took pictures of the front. That was the extent of our trip to Beringer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>4) Peju Winery</strong>- <a href="http://peju.com/">http://peju.com/</a> A smaller vineyard and winery...we did not do a tour...just a small on our own tour. They had some very tasty wines though! We bought two bottles here ...a 2008 Merlot and their 2008 Provence Wine. The Provence wine was served chilled and would be perfect for sitting by the pool on a warm summer day in Florida! I think I will pop this one open for my 30th birthday in June. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5) And I saved the best that day, for last....<strong>Del Dotto Caves</strong>. In our driving that day we passed Del Dotto and knew right where to go for our last tasting of the day. As soon as we walked in, it didn't seem like a place I wanted to go. It was the stuffy. Nose in the air. Pinkie raised kind of place that I didn't want to be at. We walked up to the table....nope, they didn't have our reservation. BUT. They quickly called the "other" vineyard of Del Dotto and bam there was our reservation. We had gone to the wrong location...The other, correct location was off the beaten path and we were very glad to make the trek out there. The best place to go, in my opinion, is the older,original caves in Napa on Atlas Peak Road. <a href="http://www.deldottovineyards.com/Del-Dotto-Caves.aspx">http://www.deldottovineyards.com/Del-Dotto-Caves.aspx</a> It is the historic, location built in 1885. We tasted roughly 15 wines here.....if you didn't like it....you just threw the rest of your glass on the wall of the cave. Come on now. Who wants to do that. </span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Day 2: Guided Tour Day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We heard from many people, tours are the way to go. It gives you a day where you don't have to split tastings and drive. Did we still split tastings? Well, yes, because we quickly found how easily the fees add up...and if you split tastings, well then you have more money to buy a bottle and take it home. More about taking wine home later. There are tons of tours out there, on buses, with 20-30 of your "closest" friends....but we found one for just about the same price....and a little bit more private. We booked the group tour with Holme Grown Tours. <a href="http://www.holmegrownbrand.com/">http://www.holmegrownbrand.com/</a> It was supposed to be up to 6 people riding in a mercedes, but somehow we lucked out and all of the other couples cancelled....we had a nice private tour for the price of a group tour!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1) <strong>Cliff Family Wines</strong>- Yes, you have had Cliff bars or at least heard of them...the energy bars you eat for working out....well they also make wines...and they are pretty good!!! We sampled a few here to start our day. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA07q7U8uUMs-s_DMLRD3lhtbPSGfWQ_6ZtclC9B16kQCIAMjT8OuOXDd_PfLOI0DrQMGRHPXuMf3NCbACOeTIZYAgOcc1eDB5cokK1kSRYfem82xMRhfV64yM3mli1pjDqGzoqztx5KA/s1600/ehlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA07q7U8uUMs-s_DMLRD3lhtbPSGfWQ_6ZtclC9B16kQCIAMjT8OuOXDd_PfLOI0DrQMGRHPXuMf3NCbACOeTIZYAgOcc1eDB5cokK1kSRYfem82xMRhfV64yM3mli1pjDqGzoqztx5KA/s320/ehlers.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">2) <strong>Ehler's Estate</strong>- <a href="http://www.ehlersestate.com/index.cfm?method=homepage.showpage">http://www.ehlersestate.com/index.cfm?method=homepage.showpage</a> a 100% Organic Vineyard. For two proclaimed lovers of red wine. Here we found that we do like SOME white wines. The Sauvignon Blanc was very tasty....we brought home a bottle...another one to savor this summer, poolside....We also went exploring behind the tasting room before we left...and the front of the building which is brick..makes it a complete surprise to see this very eclectic back.....I loved it. Took a picture. Hung it in my living room. :-) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">3) <strong>Silverado</strong>- Wines were just OK....but the view was pretty cool....We did not purchase any wine here....just did a quick tasting and took a picture of the view.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">4) <strong>Frog's Leap</strong>- <a href="http://www.frogsleap.com/flash/intro.html">http://www.frogsleap.com/flash/intro.html</a> <strong>Our Favorite</strong>! This is that wrap around porch, lawn game, dog running around vineyard I originally eluded to. My favorite in all of Napa Valley. They do require a reservation for a tasting...but if you are riding around with Dorsey from Holme Grown...he calls and gets you in. Loved it. We bought the 2008 Petite Sirah here. Like the others....its still waiting in my wine fridge to be savored...again. I am counting down the days till I can pop the cork. I recommend if you are going to go here....plan to spend some time. Sit on the porch, do the tasting, then hang out with your favorite glass by the fireplace, on the porch, exploring the vineyard(complete with a chicken coop and fish pond...) HEAVEN. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">5) <strong>Judd's Hill</strong>- <a href="http://www.juddshill.com/">http://www.juddshill.com/</a>A very small winery, but again, very tasty wine. Apparently they do a lot of events here during peak times. Events that the food network attends....big BBQ and music festivals where people sit outside in the grass by the vineyard and sip wine! We did not make it out there in peak time...so we had a private tasting on their back patio. We found another Petite Sirah here....another varietal that we had not had much of pre-Napa Valley.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In case you didn't realize....I included the links to the sites for the wineries <span style="color: #e06666;">that I really, REALLY, liked.</span> <grins></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><u>Getting a "food baby" ...the places to eat</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sometime after we got back from Napa...Brian also decided, not only that he was a wine-o....but now also a "foodie." We had some delicious dinners(and lunches) while in wine country....here were a few of our favorites...I am not going to spend time "bashing" some of the other finer establishments ...one of which he proclaims his food tasted like canned spam. For now, here were our top 3.</span><br />
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A word to the wise. Reservations. Reservations. Reservations. For many restaurants you will need a reservation. We booked our dinners about 3 months in advance. Most are done through Open Table's website, or App. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Brix</strong>- <a href="http://www.brix.com/">http://www.brix.com/</a>We enjoyed dinner the first night in Napa here....it was a quick 3 minute drive from our hotel in Yountville...love that!!! You have the choice to dine here outside viewing the vineyard, in a couples love seat(wine barrel) or a large table, fireside...for the larger groups. We sat side by side in wine barrel booth, looking out over the vineyard. Ahhhhhhh!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz7QZ35M_P541f6tZGiVUcv8w1-bS3hgV3uKyDSlhv5HLoXSkJVG1SoC9jhZQ690fnHVKBTFNaFSDSTVtgzX1R_S9kwSu0LaVKY-eRcK2WqAOM-V4NyG5d8NG5JEgzLXcvPLLYua_zkw/s1600/gotts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz7QZ35M_P541f6tZGiVUcv8w1-bS3hgV3uKyDSlhv5HLoXSkJVG1SoC9jhZQ690fnHVKBTFNaFSDSTVtgzX1R_S9kwSu0LaVKY-eRcK2WqAOM-V4NyG5d8NG5JEgzLXcvPLLYua_zkw/s320/gotts.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Gott's Roadside- </strong> <a href="http://gotts.com/">http://gotts.com/</a> This place was featured on the Food Networks, <em>Diners, Drive In's and Dives</em>, tv show.. and for good reason....the food is amazing. We enjoyed lunch here on our first day during or long day of wine tasting. I had a pulled pork sandwich and Brian had the fish tacos. Everything here is supposed to be really good, but no matter what.... you must get the garlic fries. Mmmm mmmm mmm. Fried and tossed in garlic butter and parsley. We sat out back at the picnic table on the lawn :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Mustard's Grill</strong>- <a href="http://www.mustardsgrill.com/">http://www.mustardsgrill.com/</a> This was probably the busiest restaurant we went to. People were turned away at the door without a reservation, so please. MAKE ONE. Brian enjoyed the salmon...and me...well I had to opt for a salad....and it was a mighty good salad. This was our last night in Napa...and the food...well we had self proclaimed "food babies" in our belly....or in other words...we were SO DARN full we couldn't eat one more bite. They grow all of their own herbs, veggies, etc right outside....how cool is that? You can explore the garden on your own before dinner. Small, but pretty neat!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em><u>and FINALLY SHIPPING WINE.....getting those treasures home</u></em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We worked hard tasting all that wine and figuring out our favorites that we wanted to make sure we had lots of memories and bottles of wines to savor at home in FL. You CAN go to wineries, enjoy wines, and have them ship home your favorite bottle. AND it will COST YOU. For example, if you buy a $40 bottle of wine at Del Dotto...the shipping is almost $20 a bottle. Well for that...you could be well on your way to another bottle of wine! We bought a large, Styrofoam enclosed box at Robert Mondavi(or first stop on day one)....the box was a mere $10 and held 12 bottles. Check with your airline, but ours let us check it as luggage for $25 for the WHOLE BOX. MUCH better than those hefty fees at the wineries!!!! Now. THEY ARE NOT responsible if it breaks, so wrap it well, label it well and make sure it gets to your home destination. We wrote our flight number, home address, "fragile," and breakable...on every side and every direction. AND added a little newspaper stuffing in between the Styrofoam encasing. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana;"><em><strong>NOW..... Get out there. Book your flight, book your hotel, book your tours and dinner reservations....and let me know your favorites. At some point post baby....I will be back in Napa Valley!!! </strong></em></span>WildForWinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245509437467785593noreply@blogger.com0