Wine

Sparkling Holiday Champagne Punch

by liz · Dec 16, 2018

This is a delightful winter holiday punch with pears, cranberries and Sparkling Wine. You can use Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Crémant or any other type of bubbles you can find—we especially love all the latest Central Coast Sparkling Wine. If you use a drier sparkler, just use less ginger ale. You can also adjust the amount of pear juice to your taste—especially if you like a fresher, crisper libation. On the other hand, many folks prefer a sweeter punch, and pear nectar or soda will pack more punch in that area.

Sparkling Holiday Punch – recipe adapted from Meals.com

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of fresh pear juice or purée (or 2 cans pear nectar or soda)
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 can (12 oz) ginger ale, chilled
1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling wine
1/2 cup frozen cranberries

Directions:

PLACE nectar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

REFRIGERATE for 4 hours or until chilled. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves with slotted spoon. Pour mixture into large punch bowl; stir in ginger ale. Float cranberries on top.

Sparkling Holiday Champagne Punch

Author: Meals.com

Recipe type: Drinks

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 8 cups

This is a delightful winter holiday punch with pears, cranberries and Sparkling Wine.

Ingredients

3 cans pear nectar
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom, (optional)
1 bottle (1 liter) ginger ale, chilled
½ cup frozen cranberries

Instructions

PLACE nectar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
REFRIGERATE for 4 hours or until chilled. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves with slotted spoon. Pour mixture into large punch bowl; stir in ginger ale. Float cranberries on top.

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Vin Chaud: Heavenly Mulled Wine

by liz · Dec 6, 2018

I once attended Christmas Eve Mass in an old cathedral built in the 1100s in Lausanne Switzerland. What I loved the most about this was the musty, mystical feel of the church filled with villagers in the cold night, the fact that I could understand much of the sermon in French, and the vin chaud (mulled wine) they served everyone at the end.

Being a new wine drinker, I’d heard of mulled wine but never tried it. This “warm wine” is heated and steeped with spices like clove, cinnamon and anise and then served hot, steaming with fragrant spices. It tasted like Christmas in a glass, but also of the vineyards. It was heaven. And I was drinking it in the perfect place.

I found mulled wine all over Europe during the holidays and through the cold winter months. It reminds me so much of winter holidays that I now make mulled wine at the end of every year, and into the new year too. I like to make it with local wines, especially young table wine and freshly-ground nutmeg to keep the experience original.

For a more modern, fusion vin chaud you can use white wine (making it more cider-like), add different combinations of fruit juices, grate fresh ginger into the mix and experiment with herbs to create different flavors. Make your own unique winter concoction and settle in for the winter.

Recipes to start:

from Nestlé Kitchens (easy)
from Food Network (easy)
from Epicurious (more involved)

Summer Wines: Rosé from Provence, Rioja & Santa Ynez

by liz · Jul 1, 2016

My favorite summer wine is rosé. Its lovely pink hue and delicate flavor win me over at almost every meal, as it flirts with me from the bottle; I just can’t’ say no to it. It’s as refreshing as a crisp white on a hot day, but slightly big enough with a few tannins and flavors from the red grape skins to complement grilled meats, heavy meats, grilled vegetables and summer desserts. Rosé will pair up with almost anything, making it the summer wench of wine.

My favorite rosés are those that are light in color and alcohol, but medium to high in acidity. Rosés from Provence are the originals, and could easily be called the best. Triennes rosé is a favorite of mine, made from Cinsault blended with Grenache, Syrah and Merlot. It’s light yet flavorful and is the perfect accompaniment to a summer dinner.

Another rosé I love is from Bodegas Muga in Rioja. This one is a darker pink color; a rosy-cheeked minx, with a heavier flavor that can stand up to meats and cheese, but still having that bright kick of acidity.

And finally, a California rosé I love is from Verdad Wines in the Sana Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara county. Louisa Lindquist makes this European style rose from the Garnacha grape of Spain, with an alcohol level of 11%. It rivals these French rosés in all the things I love about rosé wines, with the bonus that I can buy locally! My local harlot…

Try finding one of these rosés, and pair it with your favorite summer meals. You’ll see that even though she gets around; she really is the best companion on a summer evening.

Greek Wines: Drinking History with Elegance

by liz · Dec 18, 2014

I’ve always been a fan of Greek wines. They’re lean, racy, elegant and complex, all at the same time. Greeks still possess a vigorously old-world wine-making mindset and I, for one, am thankful. You won’t find any fruit bombs here, but you’ll find wines that can compete with Bordeaux’s best blends or nuanced whites from Sancerre, France.

Here are a few highlights from Domaine Porto Carras, showcasing Greece’s largest vineyards with Greece’s most gorgeous view (imported by Old World Vines).

2013 Malagouzia (indigenous Greek varietal)

This Greek grape was almost extinct until the late 1960’s saw its return in Domain Carras. Malagouzia is highly aromatic and creates a soft, elegant wine. It reminds me of the perfumed nose of Italy’s Malvasia Bianca with the body of a full, rounded Chardonnay or Viognier. Refreshing and flavorful with hints of flower blossoms, mint and peach.

2011 Limnio (indigenous Greek varietal)

Limnio is an ancient varietal from the island of Lemnos that has been mentioned in the works of Aristotle. It’s also been said to be referenced in the works of Homer and Plato. This would make it the oldest recorded varietal; drinking Limnio is drinking history! Limnio, being an elegant medium-bodied red wine with notes of blackberry and pepper with delicate tannins, goes well with a wide range of red meats, rich sauces and grilled foods.

2005 Chateau Porto Carras

This classic-style Bordeaux blend adds Limnio to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot for a stellar effect. Deep color, complex aromas of dark fruits, vanilla and tobacco gives way to a lean mouthfeel and integrated tannins and leaves you with a long, rich finish. An excellent wine for any Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon lover!

If you’re on California’s central coast, try the Greek country board at Meze Wine Bar & Bistro in San Luis Obispo along with one of their Greek wines.

Is it Triennes Rosé Season Yet?

by liz · Jan 23, 2013

I know it’s not rosé season. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I sit in front of a roaring fire as I write this, but I can’t stop thinking about drinking a frosty glass of Triennes rose. I’m thinking about how its soft melon-colored floral acidity flushed down slow, languid bites of luscious Morbier cheese in a crisp green salad.

And what better to go with maple-cured bacon steak along with fish tacos and sandwiches made from roast turkey or hammered pork? It’s perfect for brunch!

In winter, it’s versatile enough for carrot soup or bloody mary meatloaf. Or both in one sitting. It’s even hearty enough to accompany the strong and melty raclette cheese. And I’d drink it with a light fruit dessert such as stone fruit clafoutis.

So turns out, it is rosé season after all.

Greek Wine Goes Best, Even in Wine Country

by liz · Jan 22, 2013

They say local wines, and cocktails, go best with the local food. So what to do when dining at an authentic Greek restaurant in the middle of Santa Barbara county wine country? Go Greek.

Petros in Los Olivos is the third of Petros Benekos’ restaurants in southern California, where he serves up high-quality, delicious and authentic Greek dishes in beautiful spaces. But one of the most beautiful things in this space is the Greek wine list.

Greek White Wines

The Greek whites are my favorite, with two outstanding choices:

1) Moschofilero Grape, from Monemvasia or Boutari Wineries – this wine can be compared to a Viognier with its apricot, melon and floral notes. My white-Rhone-loving friend can attest to this. This wine is lovely with so many Greek dishes, as the wine’s floral notes and food’s Mediterranean character take you to blue summer seas.

2) Sigalas, Assyrtiko, from Santorini – with its dry, crisp, volcanic taste, this wine is more of along the lines of a Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis. I love mineral notes, acid and freshness in white wines, so this one is a perfect palate cleanser for everything you order.

The red Greek wine list is much longer than the white, and the 2 reds available by the glass are good choices, especially for the lamb dishes. But if you really want to be authentic, try the Boutari Grand Reserve, Xinomavro from Naoussa 46, a Greek varietal, or Tsantalis, Metoxi, Cabernet-Limnio from Mt. Athos, a Cabernet Sauvignon variety.

And did I mention the Kourtakis, Retsina from Attiki? Named for the taste of pine resin, this is very typical wine of regions throughout the country, just a little bizarre and a must-try. Right before you finish with a Classic Ouzo. Opa!

What to Drink with Foie Gras: Monbazillac Dessert Wine

by liz · Jul 1, 2012

Monbazillac is really the great foie gras wine. Neighboring Sauternes (you know it, Château d’Yquem from Bordeaux) is usually regarded as holding this position, but Monbazillac is indeed from the same region as the French home of foie gras, the Dordogne. This region is well-known by foie gras lovers — producing 90% of all foie consumed in France — as well as wine lovers, as it’s Bordeaux’s thoroughly respectable wine-neighbor. This means high-quality wines from down-to-earth wine makers in a range of easy-to-palate prices.

Monbazillac is the gem of Bergerac (yes, the town from which the famous writer and lover Cyrano came) and is made from mostly the same grapes (Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle) plus noble rot as Sauternes. The major difference is that Muscadelle does particularly well in this region, making these wines somewhat lighter and full of life, as well as nuttier.

This wine goes well with rich French cheeses, fresh fruit tarts, nutty desserts, and also works as an aperitif in the garden before dinner. And, of course, with foie gras. There couldn’t have been a better wine than Château Montdoyen Monbazillac on my Day of Foie (5 kinds of foie gras in one day!) in this most delicious French region; it shone sweetly, like the French spring sun, rounding out a perfect day of wine and foie.