The Weekend is Coming!!
It’s almost Friday and somewhere between catching up on our mundane chores, children’s activities and family obligations we really should sneak some time for us.
After the children have been fed or carpooled to their evening’s location, which I try and get the drive to, not pick up, it’s time for us. There’s nothing better after a long day than putting together a variety of no-fuss appetizers and opening a bottle of wine. Depending on how much we snacked during the day or what our “food mood” is, we can usually go with what we have in the house. A plate of cheeses and pepperoni, a nice Artisan bread and fruit can be quite satiating when paired with a good bottle of wine. I try to always make sure that we keep some of these on hand. I always have walnuts and almonds and if you through in some Craisens, there’s another snack. Pop in a movie, some relaxing music or catch up on your TiVo. For us this evening included a movie. All I was hoping for was a couple of house to unwind.
The wine of choice was a 2005 Louis Jadot, Pinot Noir Bourgogne, a red burgundy table wine. We were in the mood for a red but didn’t want anything heavy because of our dinner choice. The wine was very nice and was light enough for our appetizers but very flavorful. The cheeses we had were a Havarti, a hard cheese and marinated mozzarella balls, they paired up perfectly with the wine. We also had marinated olives and mushrooms that the wine complimented wonderfully. Along with the bread we put out some garlic infused oil which melded nicely with the slight spiciness of the Pinot Noir. We took our time sipping and picking at the appetizers, it turned out to be quite filling and very relaxing.
For dessert I put out Godiva chocolates, Hershey kisses and a really nice dark chocolate I bought in Napa. For those of you who have not experienced a good wine and a good chocolate, you are truly missing something. My husband is not a big fan of dark chocolate so I always put out a variety. He has come to discover the fine union of flavors that a piece of dark chocolate and a sip of wine produce together. The chocolate has a tendency to pull out the flavors of the wine and intensify them. As the chocolate warms on your tongue and combines with the flavors in the wine your taste buds reach another level of satisfaction.
What a perfect way to end a busy day!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Weekend Wines
Simple Time
Last weekend we got together with my sister-in law and brother-in law. Just the two couples, we hadn’t had the opportunity in a very long time. We wanted to keep it simple and just visit with each other.
I set out my usual walnut and Craisen combo but decided to add some white chocolate morsels to the mix. My sister-in-law does not believe that the words white and chocolate should ever be uttered in the same sentence. Needless to say she picked around the white…chocolate. I didn’t put out any appetizers because we were going to order in Italian.
The wines of choice that evening were a 2005 California, Blackstone winery, Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2005 Gloria Ferrer, Caneros, Chardonnay.
We all ordered something different for dinner. I ordered a tortellini dish with mushrooms, peas and ham in a white creamy cheese sauce. Also ordered was gnocchi with a red sauce with fresh basil and mozzarella, veal sautéed with baby spinach and pignoli nuts in a gorgonzola cream sauced and lasagna. Let face it, it’s Italian food, hardly light in flavor.
We thought that the Gloria Ferrer would get lost in the heaviness of sauces. The wine was clear with a full bodied taste. It had a wonderful oakiness about it that allowed a richer flavor to come through and stand up to the richness of the Italian food. The Blackstone Cabernet Sauvignon was also wonderful in flavor. It was very aromatic with a rich color and a slight hint of spice that lingered on the palette.
Both wines were surprisingly great pairings with meals that we had that evening. The Gloria Ferrer would be a great choice for someone who doesn’t necessarily like red. It was a chardonnay with a little attitude. The Blackstone Cabernet did not disappoint. It held true to a Cabernet Sauvingnon, full bodied and full of flavor!
Another great weekend.
Last weekend we got together with my sister-in law and brother-in law. Just the two couples, we hadn’t had the opportunity in a very long time. We wanted to keep it simple and just visit with each other.
I set out my usual walnut and Craisen combo but decided to add some white chocolate morsels to the mix. My sister-in-law does not believe that the words white and chocolate should ever be uttered in the same sentence. Needless to say she picked around the white…chocolate. I didn’t put out any appetizers because we were going to order in Italian.
The wines of choice that evening were a 2005 California, Blackstone winery, Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2005 Gloria Ferrer, Caneros, Chardonnay.
We all ordered something different for dinner. I ordered a tortellini dish with mushrooms, peas and ham in a white creamy cheese sauce. Also ordered was gnocchi with a red sauce with fresh basil and mozzarella, veal sautéed with baby spinach and pignoli nuts in a gorgonzola cream sauced and lasagna. Let face it, it’s Italian food, hardly light in flavor.
We thought that the Gloria Ferrer would get lost in the heaviness of sauces. The wine was clear with a full bodied taste. It had a wonderful oakiness about it that allowed a richer flavor to come through and stand up to the richness of the Italian food. The Blackstone Cabernet Sauvignon was also wonderful in flavor. It was very aromatic with a rich color and a slight hint of spice that lingered on the palette.
Both wines were surprisingly great pairings with meals that we had that evening. The Gloria Ferrer would be a great choice for someone who doesn’t necessarily like red. It was a chardonnay with a little attitude. The Blackstone Cabernet did not disappoint. It held true to a Cabernet Sauvingnon, full bodied and full of flavor!
Another great weekend.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Wine all year long!
Although I drink wine all year long for some reason I only visit wineries during the most popular months, September, October and November. We, my husband and I just did a tour of the Napa Valley and Sonoma regions. We chose the best time to go October. In September and November we did wine tasting and tours of many of the Connecticut vineyard. Then comes December and it seems that although we continue to drink the wines, we stop visiting the vineyard. Well that all changed this past weekend. My brother in law suggested that we visit a winery in Wallingford, Connecticut just off Rt. 68. I had heard about this winery and I see the signs in our travels of the area but I didn’t believe that it was anything to go out of my way to visit. Lets face it, I been to Napa and Sonoma. How surprised was I and excited to pull onto what was a beautiful piece of property. Gouveia Vineyards is a true hidden treasure. As we entered the main building we are greeted by a very warm rustic feeling, in part provided by the roaring fire in the fireplace. There are tables in the front area and just recently a new addition provides for even more tables, there isn’t a bad table. The room is surrounded by huge windows that look out over 140 acres. You truly forget that you are in Wallingford, Connecticut. There is a tasting area, where for $5.00 you can taste three white wines and two red wines.
We found ourselves a nice long table and my sister in law set out our goodies. See, what I didn’t realize about this place that everyone else there knew, was that you could come here with what ever you would like to eat, buy a bottle of wine or two, okay or in our case 4 but hey! don’t judge it was our first visit and we did need to try a good sampling. By the way when I said that we set out our goodies, I meant we had 3 different kind of cheese and a variety of crackers and nuts. The table next to us arrived with what I thought was a reception of some kind. They started unpacking a tablecloth, plastic ware then came hot appetizers, cold appetizer, fruits, cheeses and a variety of desserts. We did try and move our chairs closer but they noticed. Oh and by the way if you are hesitant to bring your own munchies on your first visit they have chips and salsa and a cheese platter. My advice is to pack it, leave it in the car if you’re shy. You will be fetching it.
Gouveia Vineyards, is a great place. The owner Joe Gouveia is very friendly. He walks around talking to all his guests, he’ll answer any questions you have about the vineyard or the wine. He’ll even let you in on some future plans for the vineyard.
Okay down to the wine. It is quite impressive the varieties that they put out.
It is hard to believe that just in our back yard is a vineyard that puts out 10 different varieties of grapes, Seyval Blanc, Vignoles, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cayuga, St. Croix, Cabernet Sauvingnon and Zinfandel.
The Seyval Blanc is a crisp white wine with a hint of fruit. It’s clean and crisp to the palate.
The Chardonnay Oak is a traditional varietal aged 12 months to release the favors of coffee, mocha and chestnut. This is a great wine with a surprisingly oakey flavor. It has a lot of flavor for a white wine.
The Cayuga White is a semi-dry white wine with a hint of citrus.
The Stone House White is a sweet wine that combines classic Chardonnay and crisp Seyval Blanc and Vignoles. This wine is aged in primarily steel tanks. For those of you who love to drink wine with every course, this is a great dessert wine.
The Stone House Red is a careful blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It really makes for a really nice blend.
The Merlot is a deep purple colored wine with complex aromas and a touch of spiciness and blackberry.
These are just a few of the wine choices you have. The prices are fair they range from $14.00 to $22.00. It’s almost like entertaining in someone else’s home. Bring friends and have a wonderful afternoon. The winter makes everything so cozy and the snow makes everything so beautiful.
We found ourselves a nice long table and my sister in law set out our goodies. See, what I didn’t realize about this place that everyone else there knew, was that you could come here with what ever you would like to eat, buy a bottle of wine or two, okay or in our case 4 but hey! don’t judge it was our first visit and we did need to try a good sampling. By the way when I said that we set out our goodies, I meant we had 3 different kind of cheese and a variety of crackers and nuts. The table next to us arrived with what I thought was a reception of some kind. They started unpacking a tablecloth, plastic ware then came hot appetizers, cold appetizer, fruits, cheeses and a variety of desserts. We did try and move our chairs closer but they noticed. Oh and by the way if you are hesitant to bring your own munchies on your first visit they have chips and salsa and a cheese platter. My advice is to pack it, leave it in the car if you’re shy. You will be fetching it.
Gouveia Vineyards, is a great place. The owner Joe Gouveia is very friendly. He walks around talking to all his guests, he’ll answer any questions you have about the vineyard or the wine. He’ll even let you in on some future plans for the vineyard.
Okay down to the wine. It is quite impressive the varieties that they put out.
It is hard to believe that just in our back yard is a vineyard that puts out 10 different varieties of grapes, Seyval Blanc, Vignoles, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cayuga, St. Croix, Cabernet Sauvingnon and Zinfandel.
The Seyval Blanc is a crisp white wine with a hint of fruit. It’s clean and crisp to the palate.
The Chardonnay Oak is a traditional varietal aged 12 months to release the favors of coffee, mocha and chestnut. This is a great wine with a surprisingly oakey flavor. It has a lot of flavor for a white wine.
The Cayuga White is a semi-dry white wine with a hint of citrus.
The Stone House White is a sweet wine that combines classic Chardonnay and crisp Seyval Blanc and Vignoles. This wine is aged in primarily steel tanks. For those of you who love to drink wine with every course, this is a great dessert wine.
The Stone House Red is a careful blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It really makes for a really nice blend.
The Merlot is a deep purple colored wine with complex aromas and a touch of spiciness and blackberry.
These are just a few of the wine choices you have. The prices are fair they range from $14.00 to $22.00. It’s almost like entertaining in someone else’s home. Bring friends and have a wonderful afternoon. The winter makes everything so cozy and the snow makes everything so beautiful.
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