Happy Valentine's Day - Chocolate, Strawberries, and Wine

Each year on February 14th, many people exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special “valentine.” The day of romance we call Valentine's Day is named for a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century, but has origins in the Roman holiday Lupercalia.

On this day we also drink wine.  So, what do you pair with all of the chocolates in those heart shaped boxes.

Fellas, the pairing options below will give you some major brownie points, plus you will have a beautiful chocolate wine experience.

Dark or Bittersweet Chocolate

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Grenache
• Malbec
• Banyuls
• Sherry

Milk Chocolate

• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Sherry
• Sauternes
• Madeira

White Chocolate

• Gewurztraminer
• Sherry
• Moscato d' Asti

Another special touch to add to you special day - take 2 champagne flutes place strawberries in the bottom and fill the flute with your favorite Champagne or Sparkling Wine and you will have a beautifully, decorated wine treat.

Happy Valentine's Day

#cheers  #mywinelife  #corksandcuvee

Super Bowl - Patriots or Seahawks? The REAL question is what wine do I serve with my wings??

I love football even though my beloved Atlanta Falcons are not in the Super Bowl, I am all in for a great Super Bowl party.

While there will be a lot of beers being poured, I stay faithful to liquid grapes.  So, you don’t typically think of pairing wines with party foods like wings, chips, nachos, etc… I am here to tell you that you there are delightful wine pairing opportunities.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

So it has been my experience Buffalo wings have some spice whether the level of intensity of spice is mild, medium, or hot. 

My wine pairing suggestions are:

• Sparkling wine

• Rose

• Sweet Red

All of these wines will round out the spice in even the spiciest chicken wing.

Potato Chips

Plain

Champagne is a perfect match for salty chips.  The wine’s high acidity and the prickle of those bubbles are the ideal preparation for the next chip, and the next, and the next, and so on.  A sparkling wine will also absolutely work.  

Barbecue
Barbecue chips get their flavor from a weird range of ingredients—honey powder, onion powder, garlic powder, hickory smoke powder, barley malt powder, tomato powder, the list goes on. But one thing that’s common to a lot of them is yeast extract, which essentially imparts a savory, umami note—the sort of thing that’s ideal with an earthy, spicy Pinot Noir.

Sour Cream & Onion

Simply put a buttery, oaky, Chardonnay will pair well with your Sour Cream & Onion chip.  This happens to be one of my childhood favorite chips.

 Nachos

So I am calling a Zinfandel or Rose for this pairing the sweetness from the fruit in the wine will offset any spice that comes with the nachos. 

Getting ready for some football!!!!!!

#cheers #mywinelife

Burgundy -Continued 2011 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Premier Cru

To round out our January theme of white Burgundies, is a review of a 2011 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Premier Cru.  We also added a small bite plate pairing.

This wine is medium bodied with a nose of golden delicious apple, citrus, floral, and minerality.  On the palate you get more green apple, citrus, white spices.  I really enjoyed this wine especially paired with garlic, olive oil infused mini crostinis with brie and honey drizzle.  A perfect pairing. I previously only paired Chablis with seafood more specific oysters.  The crostini pairing was actually very nice and very little preparation. 

I definitely recommend both the wine and the pairing :-)  #cheers #mywinelife

Burgundy - Continued! 2010 Maison Roche De Bellene Premier Cru Review

In keeping with the theme of wines from the esteemed Burgundy region, I have reviewed yet another wine from the region.

This 2010 Montagny is delightful.  Definitely age-worthy for another 2-4 years.  This wine upon uncorking gives you floral and minerality on the nose right out the gate. 

On the palate you get a medium bodied, floral, mineral infused, mouth.

I paired this lovely offering with mini baguettes, brie, and honey drizzle.  Definitely a must try. 

Burgundy - Wines from the Cote de Beaune - 2007 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin Premier Cru

As many of you know I love Chardonnay :-)  For the month of January I will be reviewing wines from this acclaimed area. 

The Cote de Beaune area is the Southern part of the Cote d'Or.  The great name of white Burgundy such as Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet have made this area known for the most exquisite Chardonnays ever made.

2007 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin Premier Cru.

This wine is full bodied, with the taste of baked fruits and minerality.  Despite its age the wine still has good acidity.

 I really love the taste of this wine.  It's complex aromas and taste on the palate makes this wine a true gem.

I would definitely recommend this wine for a special evening served with a chicken or seafood dish.

#cheers #mywinelife