Wine & Dine

“Wine is bottled poetry.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Hello Wine Tribe!

Let’s talk about wine, shall we. Clink! Clink! & Sip! Sip! Ya’ll already know how much I like this subject. There’s just so much that can be said about a good glass of wine. I feel so classy and elegant when sipping on a refreshing glass of wine. It makes me wanna say in my Shananay voice “cuz I’m a lady. LOL!!

Short Story Time ~ February 2021, I took a trip to California and spent a few days in Napa Valley and a couple in San Francisco. When the trip was over, both me and my travel companion agreed that we wished we had spent the entire time in Napa Valley <tear>. It was absolutely beautiful!! There were so many nice places to enjoy wine tastings in very close proximity to our hotel. We spent a lot of time in Napa Town Center. At a cigar lounge, we met a gentleman who worked for Freemark Abbey Vineyard. He invited us to be his guest for a wine tasting. It was about an hour drive to the vineyard and it was such a beautiful scenic ride. The vineyard was BEAU-TI-FUL! The wine was so good we both ended up with memberships. On this trip the food was amazing, the weather complied, and the wine was divine. I was able to capture so many great pictures and videos to lock in great memories. The drive across the Golden Gate Bridge was breathtakingly serene!! It was an amazing time!!!! If you haven’t visited you should definitely plan to and if you have then you know what I’m talking about. Post some of your pics and tell us about your experience. We’d love to hear it!

Intro ~ Okay, so I have a diverse line up for you! My lips are watering already thinking of this lineup of wines I’m going to chit chat about. <smacks lips> Aight folks, grab yo debit cards because I’m about to send you to the sto…LOL!

White Wine ~ Friennn, when you’re in the mood for a good white wine and your debit card akin’ funny….go to your nearest Aldi and grab you a bottle of the Landshut Riesling. It is umm umm good. And it’s very inexpensive. Saving a few coins is always a plus! It has an alcohol content of 9.5% and it’s origin is Germany. It’s mildly sweet in taste, medium-bodied, and best served chilled. This exquisite, well balanced Riesling has a fruity bouquet with flavors of apricot and peach. The bottle’s label suggests pairing this wine with a light meal, desserts, or simply by itself. Ima have to agree. The Cupcake and I have had this all by its lonesome sitting on her front porch on a nice breezy spring afternoon. It was a whole vibe! We had the speaker playing some good tunes and we sipped until our hearts were content. I’ve also had this with a homemade salad for lunch one afternoon. My salad consisted of arugula, feta cheese, cucumbers, honey glazed walnut halves, parmesan garlic salmon and zesty italian dressing. I see you drooling…take this napkin..LOL! Listen!!!! When I tell you it was licious goudt….I’m providing you with straight facts. Now, I’m not one to drink and eat anything sweet so I’ve not had it with a dessert. I typically replace my desserts with sweet wine. A Riesling is really about as sweet of a wine that I’ll drink. I prefer a dry wine. So, when you grab your bottle let us know how it pairs with a dessert if it's your jam.

Sparkling Wine ~ Okay, so now you want some bubbles. Let’s get you some then. While you’re at the Aldi, see if you can spot the Giambellino Italian Style Peach Bellini. Baybee!!!!! Now you done found something…okrrrr! This one won’t cause anger in your checking account either. It is soooo good. It’s 9% alc./vol and you can find these words on the Aldi website about this sparkling goody. “With a sunset hue, fresh sun ripened peach flavor, and vibrant, sparkling finish, this colorful and fruity cocktail will brighten any brunch or gathering. This was a hit February 2022 when I hosted our book club meet-up! Get you a flute, some ice, and pour you up some of this and this is a good sip. Now, I didn’t have any tequila or Tito’s because I would have certainly splashed one’um in this. This will go well with any assortment of brunch foods. I’m thinking maybe a breakfast quiche, fruit, and danishes for a brunch menu. Or french toast, eggs, bacon, home fries, and fruit would work really well. It also went well with the pizza and wings we had at our book club meetup….LOL! This will probably become a part of my regular rotation for brunches at my home. If you live in Richmond, Va. and have been to The Boathouse (any location) this almost gives the tastes of the drink they have called the “Sea Ghost”. Oh my goodness it’s yummy and refreshing. We want to hear your thoughts and see some pics if you happen to check this one out. Let’s move on to Rosé.

Rosé ~ Let’s treat our taste buds to one of my favorite wines, the Cooper’s Hawk Bubbly Rosé. Now this right here will make you stingy. You will not want to share. It’s also moderately priced. It provides such a mouthgasm! Here’s what Copper’s Hawk has to say about this wine. This is a blend of Syrah and Chardonnay from Washington State. Syrah adds a unique spicy profile to the wine but overall this is a fruity style. A very small amount is blended with the chardonnay to add spice and a pretty pink color before the wine undergoes the second fermentation in the bottle (use the link for more details or to purchase https://shop.coopershawkwinery.com/Bubbly-Rose.html). The ladies and I met for lunch as we often do and shared a bottle of this. We were all pleased with the choice. I’m sure Nic@Nite had her usual, the over the border egg rolls. The Cupcake likely had crispy brussels, crab and lobster bisque, and a salad and I’m sure I went with what never fails me, the Soy Ginger Atlantic Salmon, wasabi mashed potatoes, and asian slaw. It went well with all of this. Cooper’s Hawk states it pairs well with Oysters, sushi, Soy Ginger Atlantic Salmon, Mexican Drunken Shrimp, and their Chopped Wedge Salad. I was happy to see that I paired it well, not knowing their suggestion. I can’t remember the alcohol percentage for this wine but I remember it making us happy. I also see why this is one of my favorites because it's a blend of Syrah and I thoroughly enjoy a good petite syrah. Wine Tribe, I’m going to give this one two snaps and kiss! On to the next one.

Red Wine ~ During any of our podcasts you will have heard me say I’m definitely a red wine lover. Last but not least, let me tell you about another favorite of mine that you can find at your local Target. The Ménage à Trois Silk Red Blend. If you are not a dry wine drinker but looking to broaden your taste buds, this is a good introduction to the world of dry wines. It is just as its title says, silky. It is Made using Pinot Noir, Malbec and Petite Sirah varietals sourced from vineyards in California's Central Coast, North Coast and Lodi-Delta appellations. It’s a full-bodied red wine with 13.6% alc.vol. In my Saweetie song voice, “that’s my type, folks that’s my type”! It’s recommended to pair well with roasted chicken, steak, or salmon. I made tuna steak, seasoned red potatoes, and broccoli with cheese accompanied by this wine and it was excellent. I also made baked chicken thighs with cream of mushroom, baby red potatoes, and asparagus coupled with this wine and it was phenomenal if I do say so myself. My dinner companion thoroughly enjoyed it as well. I’ve introduced this bottle to quite a few people, some who like red wines and some who don’t and no one has not liked it. When I gave it to Nic@Nite, I poured it over ice with a splash of ginger ale and she loved it. She then started to drink more reds using this remedy. You just can’t go wrong with this one whether you consider the taste or price! Grab you a bottle and let us know what you think.

“Wine improves with age. The older I get, the more I love it.” author unknown

Bottom of the Bottle ~ Okay, so I’ve shared a few of my favs with you with the hopes that you will enjoy them as much as I have. Please..Please.. Please..give one or all of them a try. Wine is such a great treat for yourself and it’s also a really nice gift when attending a gathering that you’ve been invited to. In my 20’s you could not pay me to drink wine at all. For most, it’s definitely an acquired taste. Now that my taste buds have matured, a glass of wine is my go to drink.

Especially if I’m out and do not know the bartender, I always go with wine because you won’t waste money buying a watered down mix drink from a stingy, selfish pouring bartender. <HARD eye roll> What was disappointing about recalling these to write about was I couldn’t drink any of them so I could stay focused to write..LOL!!! But errr ummm…now that I’m done chit chatting, let the pour begin <pops cork>. Keep mine folks, It’s always wine o’clock somewhere!

Share your comments, the box was added with your thoughts in mind. I’m out of here, PEACE & BLESSINGS!