Herbs and Wine

This is the time of year when it is so cold that all I want to do is stay inside.
We think about food and wine but what about planning for our garden.
Spring will come soon enough and we need to make sure we have thought about our favorite recipes and what HERBS we will need. 


Check out this video of Mary and I pairing wine and herbs in my herb garden ...


The Vintner & The Herbalist

Fall Wine ...

When the days get shorter and the nights seem to be longer/darker/colder, we tend to switch our wine selection to red wines.  These days at the wine tasting room we are mulling wine, using one packet of mulling spices (cinnamon, orange peel, all spice, nutmeg) 12 bottles of BlackJack (Chambourcin fermented with blackberries and a blend of Petit Verdot & Merlot added) warmed to 150 degrees and enjoyed by the glass.  Nothing better than warming up from the inside out :-)

Hard Cider!!

Hard Cider is now being produced at Corcoran. 
Lori has made her first batch of hard cider from locally grown apples.  This variety is off-dry making it crisp and refreshing. 
Come visit our new cider barn for a taste!
Cheers

Buffalo Chicken Dip with Viognier

You asked for and you got it!!
Last night at Corcoran we offered wine and dessert pairings and because not all of us have a sweet tooth, I made this spicy chicken dip and paired it with our Viognier and it was quite delicious!!

Mix all ingredients together, then put into oven safe baking dish:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
2 cups shredded chicken (I just bought a whole baked chicken which made it even easier)
1/2 cup Mexican style shredded cheese
Sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning on top

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
Enjoy with tortilla chips or crackers and a nice sized glass of slightly chilled Viognier.
Cheers!!