School is almost out so that means summer is about to begin. Everyone starts coming out of the houses and making more of an appearance outdoors. What better way to gather people together than to host a wine tasting party. There are so many themes to choose from:
By Country
By Varietal
By a Letter in the Alphabet
GET CREATIVE!
Most of us are still not made of money so a neat idea is to have someone bring a dish their pairs with the wine they are bringing or if selecting wine by a country then have them make a dish whose origins are derived from that particular country. Also, there are TONS of trivia wine games that are fairly inexpensive and really break the ice.
In any case, wine is meant to be shared socially, so invite your neighbors, friends, and family and start a trend. The number of wine lovers are growing so you are bound to find that a passion for wine is something that most people will enjoy.
Drink Well! Eat Well!
Kim
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
"A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine."
While I was doing a wine delivery at the Leesburg Vintner in downtown Leesburg. At the register hung this nice wine picture with the saying "A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine" by Anthelme Brillat Savarin. It really got me thinking about how true that is. Whether with an appetizer, meal or dessert, one must make sure that we have the right wine with each food. Wine and food are meant to go together and when paired right...it is a pure delight!
Here are some of my favorite Corcoran wine pairings...
Viognier...with lots of fruit flavors, our 2008 is crisp so I pair it with my favorite; crab cakes or shrimp with old bay seasoning, but it will go nicely with most fish, tropical salsas or a wide range of lightly spicy foods.
Chardonnay...goes with a wide range of cuisine but I personally like it with popcorn on movie night, but of course the typical pairings would be cheeses, chicken, light pasta, or just enjoying sip by sip by the pool.
Chambourcin...with lots of cranberry and cherry flavors, try this wine with turkey, smoked salmon, BBQ hot dogs, or the acidity of a tomato like in pizza or spaghetti.
Cabernet Franc...this wine has a hint of black pepper and goes excellent with grilled red meats...a must have for your Dad's day BBQ's.
Malbec...my absolute favorite to pair because it goes the best with dark chocolate or desserts with chocolate and coffee like tiramisu...yum!
All you have to do is taste the wine to get it on your palette, try some of the food to be paired, then try the wine again...how was it?
Enjoy...Cheers!
Here are some of my favorite Corcoran wine pairings...
Viognier...with lots of fruit flavors, our 2008 is crisp so I pair it with my favorite; crab cakes or shrimp with old bay seasoning, but it will go nicely with most fish, tropical salsas or a wide range of lightly spicy foods.
Chardonnay...goes with a wide range of cuisine but I personally like it with popcorn on movie night, but of course the typical pairings would be cheeses, chicken, light pasta, or just enjoying sip by sip by the pool.
Chambourcin...with lots of cranberry and cherry flavors, try this wine with turkey, smoked salmon, BBQ hot dogs, or the acidity of a tomato like in pizza or spaghetti.
Cabernet Franc...this wine has a hint of black pepper and goes excellent with grilled red meats...a must have for your Dad's day BBQ's.
Malbec...my absolute favorite to pair because it goes the best with dark chocolate or desserts with chocolate and coffee like tiramisu...yum!
All you have to do is taste the wine to get it on your palette, try some of the food to be paired, then try the wine again...how was it?
Enjoy...Cheers!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Barbequing (Think outside of the box and into a wine bottle)
By now we have all dusted off our grills and had our Memorial Day cookout but you know that with summer coming there are many more to come. No need to stick with the same ole same ole...think outside of the box and think more into a wine bottle.
Wines can be a FANTASTIC source to marinate your meats in. Chambourcin, which is a popularly grown grape in Northern Virginia, is an excellent choice for marinating. It doesn't have a pungent amount of tannins and can give your meat a nice touch of cranberry. Also don't forget to catch the drippings from your meats while cooking them. All that left over loveliness can easily be simmered down with a cup or 2 of wine, then add some rue of flour or cornstarch to thicken and it will be better than any sauce you could by from the store.
Don't forget that wine can be the beverage of choice at a cookout too. Any neutral oak Viognier or stainless steel Chardonnay would be as refreshing as your typical American pilsner. And if you are a red drinker then go back to the one mentioned above and have a glass of Chambourcin.
Just remember one thing when you cook, only use wine you would drink just on it's own. So break out one of your bottles, use a cup or 2 of it and the use the rest of it to pair with your meal. It's an easy way to make sure your wine pairs well.
Eat Well, Drink Well
Kim
Wines can be a FANTASTIC source to marinate your meats in. Chambourcin, which is a popularly grown grape in Northern Virginia, is an excellent choice for marinating. It doesn't have a pungent amount of tannins and can give your meat a nice touch of cranberry. Also don't forget to catch the drippings from your meats while cooking them. All that left over loveliness can easily be simmered down with a cup or 2 of wine, then add some rue of flour or cornstarch to thicken and it will be better than any sauce you could by from the store.
Don't forget that wine can be the beverage of choice at a cookout too. Any neutral oak Viognier or stainless steel Chardonnay would be as refreshing as your typical American pilsner. And if you are a red drinker then go back to the one mentioned above and have a glass of Chambourcin.
Just remember one thing when you cook, only use wine you would drink just on it's own. So break out one of your bottles, use a cup or 2 of it and the use the rest of it to pair with your meal. It's an easy way to make sure your wine pairs well.
Eat Well, Drink Well
Kim
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