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Sweetheart Dinner at Pearmund Cellars

January 26, 2017 – 3:43 pm

Barrel room at Pearmund Cellars, Virginia

If you want to romance the love of your life, you may want to consider enjoying a Valentine’s Sweetheart Dinner at Pearmund Cellars in Virginia on February 11. The winery is within easy driving distance of Washington, DC.

The Valentine’s Sweetheart Dinner begins at 6:30pm and continues until 8:00pm

This very special dinner includes a four-course dinner from Savory Faire and will be paired with Pearmund Cellars  and Effingham Manor wines.

The menu:

  • Hors d’oeuvres: Brie Bites & Beef Crostini
    Effingham Sparkling Wine
  • Lobster Bisque
    2014 Pearmund Cellars Chardonnay
  • Seared Sesame Tuna over Mixed Greens
    2015 Pearmund Cellars Viognier
  • Duet of Filet Mignon in Shallot Demi-glaze with Tuscan Chicken, Basil Whipped Potato and Roasted Asparagus
    2013 Pearmund Cellars Cabernet Franc Reserve
  • Sweethearts Crème Brulee with Chocolate covered Strawberries
    2015 Effingham Rose

This elegant Valentine’s dinner is $199 per couple.
For reservations email john@pearmundcellars.com or call 540-347-3475.

For an extra special Valentine’s event, you will want to consider the Sweetheart Dinner at Pearmund Cellars.

Cheers!
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Winery Events | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

4 Special Cocktails For Valentine’s Day

January 25, 2017 – 1:12 pm

Valentine’s Day Cocktail Recipes

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, invite someone special or  a few friends over and try one of these four cocktail recipes.

Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it.  Gather the ingredients for the cocktails below ahead of time.  Whether you plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, February 14, the weekend before or the weekend after, you may want to include one of these following colorful cocktails.

Note: Recipes are included for one or a small group. All recipes and photos were provided by Santa Margherita  and Sparkling Ice.

Raspberry Peach Prosecco Punch

Raspberry Peach Prosecco Punch

Ingredients for 10

12 oz. frozen raspberries
2 cups peach nectar, chilled
1 bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG, chilled
Ice

 

Directions

  1. Place frozen raspberries in a large glass pitcher or bowl.
  2. Top with the peach nectar and Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
  3. Fill remainder of the pitcher with ice cubes. Stir and serve cold.

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

Ingredients

Bottle Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
1/8 Cup Sugar
1/8 Cup Lemon Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Rind, Grated
1 Cup Muddled Raspberries

Directions

  • Combine sugar and juice in a small saucepan, bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
  • Stir in lemon rind and ½ cup of mashed raspberries.
  • Combine mixture and Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore in pitcher.
  • Sprinkle remaining lemon rind and raspberries among the glasses.

Grapefruit Rosemary

Grapefruit Rosemary

Ingredients

1 oz vodka
.5 oz elderflower liqueur
2 oz grapefruit juice
.5 oz vanilla syrup
Sparkling Ice Essence of Water
Rosemary sprig, for garnish
Grapefruit slice, for garnish

Directions

  1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
  2. Combine vodka, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, and vanilla syrup- shake until cold.
  3. Strain into an ice filled glass and float with Unflavored Sparkling Ice.
  4. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and grapefruit slice then serve.

Pomegranate Champagne

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Sparkling Ice Pomegranate Blueberry
1 cup pear nectar
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
1 bottle (750 ml) Champagne

Directions

  1. In a large pitcher, combine Sparkling Ice Pomegranate Blueberry, pear nectar, and orange-flavored liqueur.
  2. Slowly add Champagne. Serve over ice.
  3. Garnish with mint and blueberries.

Drink in moderation.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Cheers!
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Spirits: whisky, tequila, bourbon, rye, vodka, Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Maryland’s Winter Wine Event Update

January 23, 2017 – 9:56 am

Maryland Winter Wine event location: B&O Railroad Museum

Don’t miss one of Maryland’s best kept secrets taking place this coming Thursday, January 26 at the B & O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. The annual Maryland Winter Wine Festival is a delightful way for wine enthusiasts to ward off the late cold and dreary days of January.

As we wrote back in December, the Maryland Winter Wine event is a

Inside the B&O Railroad Museum Roundhouse

stylish event so plan to dress up. You will be dazzled by the location of the main wine tasting taking place in the roundhouse of the museum. The wines, yummy appetizers and desserts, conversation and music all add to the magic of the night.

The Maryland wineries participating in this one-of-a-kind event include:

  • Basignani Winery
  • Big Cork Vineyards
  • Black Ankle Vineyards
  • Boordy Vineyards
  • Catoctin Breeze Vineyard
  • Chateau Bu-De Vineyard & Winery
  • Crow Vineyard
  • Elk Run Vineyards
  • Great Frogs Winery
  • Great Shoals Winery
  • Knob Hall Winery
  • Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery
  • Linganore Winecellars
  • Old Westminster Winery
  • Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery
  • Port of Leonardtown Winery
  • Rocklands Farm
  • Royal Rabbit Vineyards
  • Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
  • Thanksgiving Farm
  • The Urban Winery
  • The Vineyards at Dodon
  • Turkey Point Vineyard

Taste wine and talk with winemakers

Maryland wineries are producing numerous types of wines and guests will have the opportunity to taste varieties such as: Albariño, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Barbera, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Norton.

Five dessert wines will be poured. Orchid Cellar Meadery and Winery will offer Mazer and Hunter. Big Cork Vineyards will pour Black Cap Port. Port of Leonardtown Winery will offer The PORT of Leonardtown and Thanksgiving Farm Winery will pour their Petit Verdot Dessert Wine.

Al Spoler from WYPR is the guest curator. Music will be provided by David Bach, a jazz musician.

A sparkling wine pre-reception occurs before the main wine tasting with traditional and non-traditional sparkling wines. This portion of the Winter Wine Showcase takes place from 6pm to 7pm. A limited number of tickets are available for the Pre-Reception. Crow Vineyard & Winery, Elk Run Vineyards, Great Shoals Winery, Knob Hall Winery and Old Westminster Winery will participate with their sparkling wines.

Tickets that include the pre-reception and the main tasting are $70. The tickets for only the main Roundhouse tasting are $55. Event information is available online.

Wine lovers will discover this is one annual event you don’t want to miss!

Cheers,
Kathy

 

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Naples Wine Festival Supports Children in Need

January 22, 2017 – 1:30 pm

The Naples Winter Wine Festival in Florida takes place next week from January 27 to January 29, 2017. The purpose of this annual event is to support the Naples Children & Education Foundation. NCEF focuses on helping the children at risk in Collier County to improve their lives.

The festival will highlight more than 30 wineries from around the world. World regions represented will include: Argentina, France, Italy, Spain and the US. The US wineries taking part in the festival are located in California and Oregon.

This year the Naples Winter Wine Festival will feature 18 celebrity chefs.

In addition to the elegant dinners in private homes, the Naples Winter Wine Festival will have a large auction with 63 lots available to bid on. A large variety of lots for auctions include fine wines, travel, and dinners. Check out the list of the 2017 auction lots online.

Events at the festival include:

  • Wine down, Bid Up! Online Auction
  • The Vintage Cellar
  • Meet the Kids Day
  • Vintner Dinners
  • Live Auction
  • Wine Down
  • Celebration Brunch

Tickets are sold only for the complete festival. Tickets are limited to approximately 580 guests.

It should be noted that since the beginning of the festival in 2001, the Naples Winter Wine Festival has garnered $146 million to help needy children.

Cheers,
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

January 20, National Cheese Lover’s Day

January 20, 2017 – 4:58 pm

National Cheese Lover’s Day!

If you enjoy wine and cheese, what could be better than celebrating National Cheese Lover’s Day which is today, January 20? One of my favorite cheeses to pair with a red wine is Manchego crafted in the La Mancha area of Spain. The Manchego cheese offers a light taste and therefore does not cover up the taste of the wine. What type of cheese do you enjoy with wine?

In celebration of National Cheese Lover’s Day below are two interesting cheese notes:

 

Kerrigan Brothers Winery

Kerrigan Brothers Winery located in Wisconsin offers some unique wines. Cheese lovers will enjoy meeting Troy, the winemaker who is also a competitive master cheese sculptor. He carves 1,000 pound cheese blocks for festivals. Check out our article about Kerrigan Brothers Winery. While visiting we discovered that Troy likes to experiment with making wines. Wine lovers should note that the winery produces wines such as: strawberry, cherry, blueberry, cranberry, raspberry  and apple. Troy also produces Merlot, mead and Chardonnay.

World’s Fair 1964

In the 1960s the World’s Fair displayed the largest cheese block. As might be expected the cheese was from Wisconsin. This cheese was described as 6 1/2 feet wide, 5 1/2 feet high and 14 1/2 feet long. It weighed 34,591 pounds. Eventually the cheese toured the United States. More details are available online.

Cheers!
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Alessandro di Camporeale Donnatià

January 18, 2017 – 9:12 am

Alessandro Donnatià Sicilia DOC 2015

On a cold and wet winter’s day, we received a sample of the Alessandro di Camporeale Donnatià Sicilia DOC. This wine is made of 100% Nero D’Avola grapes. It just happened that we were having lasagna for dinner on this dreary day, so we opened the bottle looking forward to a red wine from Sicily. Sicily is one of the Italian wine regions that we have yet to have a chance to visit. Perhaps one day . . .  .

Alessandro di Camporeale has 50 hectares (123.5 acres) of vineyards on rolling hillsides about 400 meters above sea level. The ground consists mostly of clay and limestone. The vineyard is farmed organically and all vineyard work is done by hand. Native varieties grown include the Nero D’Avola grape. As far as Italy goes, the winery is new. The winery was built in 2000, the same year the Nero D’Avola vines were planted.

Nero D’Avola is a red grape. The 2015 Donnatià was an opaque dark ruby to black color. It had a black fruit aroma that was reminiscent of a fruit salad made with predominately black-colored fruits. On the taste there were notes of blackberries, blueberries, black cherries and baking spices. The wine had a velvety mouth feel with medium to full body and medium tannins. The finish was fruity on the onset then yielded to baking spices on the aftertaste. It paired nicely with our lasagna. An Internet search of prices in the United States range from $12 to $16.

Donnatià is an easy to drink red wine. It would pair well with tomato-based Italian dishes. The wine would equally match with a rocking chair on a porch or a easy chair in front of a roaring fire on a wintery day.

Wine Tourism

Alessandro di Camporeale is southwest of Palermo, about a 45-minute drive. The winery has four distinct tasting that include wine and a tour. Some of the tastings include local foods. Another tasting possibility includes a vertical tasting of three vintages of Syrah and other wines paired with bread and olive oil made from olive trees on the estate. A fourth tasting includes lunch. Tastings are priced from €10 ($11)  for the basic tasting to €35.00 ($38) for the lunch.

Cheers,
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

It’s National Hot Buttered Rum Day!

January 17, 2017 – 3:23 pm

January 17th is known as National Hot Buttered Rum Day. Rum has been made for centuries and dates back to before the founding of the United States. Looking for a Hot Buttered Rum recipe? Check this one out! Some recipes for hot buttered rum call for ice cream but this one does not.

In celebration of Hot Buttered Rum Day, try this recipe provided by Prichard’s Distillery.

Prichard’s Hot Buttered Rum

  • 1-1/2 oz. Prichard’s Fine Rum
  • 1 tsp sugar syrup
  • 1 pat of butter
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spices (cloves, cinnamon & nutmeg)

Stir in rum, sugar and spices into mug.  Fill with hot water, float butter on top and stir gently until butter is dissolved.  Serve hot.

Prichard’s Distillery has two locations in Tennessee. The first location is in Kelso. The second location is in Nashville. According to the Prichard’s Distillery website, “Our original distillery located in Kelso, Tennessee is in an old schoolhouse where the basketball hoops still hang on the wall. Or visit our second distillery (Prichard’s Distillery at Fontanel) located in Nashville, Tennessee on the beautiful Fontanel grounds on Whites Creek Pike.”
Cheers!
Kathy
By Kathy | Posted in Spirits: whisky, tequila, bourbon, rye, vodka | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

January 16th, National Fig Newton Day

January 16, 2017 – 12:49 pm
Springhill Winery vineyards in Kentucky

Springhill Winery vineyards in Kentucky

Today is National Fig Newton Day. The Fig Newton cookie was first created and marketed in the early 1890s. The first cookies were filled with a fig jam. Today Nabisco has changed the name to Newtons and consumers have the choice of fig, strawberry or triple berry fillings.

A few years ago we visited several wineries in Kentucky. One of our stops was at Springhill Winery, a boutique winery, in Bloomfield, KY. The owners are Eddie and Carolyn O’Daniel.

Springhill Plantation Bed & Breakfast

Springhill Plantation Bed & Breakfast

Next to the winery is a historic manor house, Springhill Plantation Bed & Breakfast.  The manor house has a tragic story about the Civil War which involved soldiers believing it was a safe house. To find out what happened visit Springhill Winery or read the Wine Trail Traveler article.

One of the wines the winery offered during our visit was a Chardonnay which they suggested pairing with Fig Newtons. We wrote, “Chardonnay Plantation White is the best selling wine. The wine produced from a blend of French hybrids has a light floral aroma. The sweet taste has floral nuances. The finish has floral notes as well. Eddie suggested pairing Fig Newtons with Chardonnay.”

Our article about Springhill Winery is available online.

So open your package of Fig Newtons and decide what wine you should pair with this well known cookie.

Cheers!
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine/Food/Recipes | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

January 11th, National Hot Toddy Day!

January 11, 2017 – 10:33 am
It's National Hot Toddy Day!

It’s National Hot Toddy Day!

Today is known as National Hot Toddy Day. If you do a short internet search, you will discover numerous recipes for a hot toddy. It seems to be a matter of opinion as to what a hot toddy recipe should or should not include.

I remember as a child hearing someone advise a member of the family who was sick with a terrible cold, that they should try drinking a hot toddy. I suppose they thought the lemon and spices just might help with the symptoms while the vodka or whiskey might help one sleep. (Reminder: some medicines should not be mixed with alcohol. If you aren’t sure, ask your doctor.)

But don’t drink a hot toddy just to treat a cold, just enjoy it for the warmth it brings on a cold winter day.

Below is a recipe for a hot toddy from Belvedere Vodka.

Belvedere Toddy

Ingredients

1 oz Belvedere Vodka
1.5 oz hot water
1 oz Lillet Blanc
.5 oz lemon
.5 oz honey
1 cinnamon stick
Fresh grated nutmeg
Orange wedge
Cloves

Directions

1. Add hot water to heat glass mug, then honey to melt.
2. Add remaining liquid ingredients.
3. Garish with a cinnamon stick and orange wedge and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Option to pierce orange wedge with 3 cloves.

Recipe and photo provided by Belvedere Vodka.

Cheers!
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Spirits: whisky, tequila, bourbon, rye, vodka | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

A Cesari Amarone Wine Chocolate Pairing

January 9, 2017 – 9:25 am
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Cesari Amarone wine paired with chocolate

In 2016, we received a 750ml bottle of Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012. Late in 2016 we participated in a chocolate tasting and tour. This was the perfect time to open the bottle of Amarone and match it with the unique chocolates crafted in Portland, Oregon.

Close to Thanksgving, we visited a unique chocolate shop, Ranger Chocolate Company, in the middle of downtown Portland. A few days earlier our family in Oregon suggested that we might like to sign up for a tour at this one-of-a-kind chocolate and coffee shop where we were able to carry in a bottle of wine. With a group of about ten family members, we arrived at  the coffee and chocolate shop with a  bottle of Cesari Amarone that was paired with the chocolates.

The Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012 is a special wine from Northern Italy. The wine was a translucent dark ruby color. It was very fruity with notes of cherry.  This Amarone was medium-bodied with medium tannins. The wine was crisp with a fruity finish. The wine was 14.5% alcohol. Suggested food pairings include red meat and game.

The Cesari  Amarone della Valpolicella was produced with Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grape varieties. To craft this wine, the grapes are  dried on racks until the middle of January. Eventually the wines are aged in barriques and large oak barrels.

Ranger chocolate crafted in Portland, Oregon

Ranger chocolate crafted in Portland, Oregon

At the end of our insightful chocolate tour, the Amarone wine was paired with five different bites of handcrafted chocolates, each with a different percentage of cacao. We discovered that the first chocolate bite had cherry notes reminiscent of the Amarone wine. Everyone participating in the wine and chocolate tasting enjoyed different tastes one had as a result of the chocolate and wine.

About the Cesari Winery

Gerardo Cesari established the winery in 1936. It was his son, Franco Cesari, who established worldwide distribution. Currently, Cesari has 100 hectares in the Valpolicella and Lugana regions.

Cheers!
Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

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