Welcome to Atlanta-Super Bowl LIII-Food-Wine

Photo Credit: Justin Heirman

“Welcome to Atlanta jack and hammer and vogues”………………………..here we are on the cusp of Super Bowl LIII. There will be parties all over the city of Atlanta. This is my city, I grew up here so I am SUPER excited Atlanta is hosting the biggest sports event of the year.

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

Buffalo wings have some spice whether the level of intensity is mild, medium, hot, or INFERNO.

My wine pairing suggestions are:

·         Chenin Blanc (off-dry)

·         Gewurztraminer

·         Lambrusco

·         Riesling (off-dry)

All of these wines will round out the spice in even the spiciest chicken wing.and will make for a lovely wine/wing pairing.

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 or an old vine Zinfandel.

Sour Cream & Onion

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

Nachos

Chicken Nachos

So I am calling a Sauvignon Blanc or Rose for this pairing.  Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with poultry dishes.  Rosés with a little residual sugar pair very well with and rounds out any spiciness in your chicken nachos.

Beef Nachos

Beef is hearty and nachos made with beef pair well with a Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.

Are y’all ready for some football!!!!!!

Although my beloved Falcons are not playing in the Superbowl this year, I am so engaged in what the ATL has to offer as the host city for Superbowl LIII. 

Enjoy the game, enjoy the parties, and drink responsibly.

Happy Super Bowl and Cheers!

#cheers #mywinelife

Murrieta's Well - A Bevy of Beautiful Wines

Recently, I had the opportunity to taste a portfolio of wines from Murrieta's Well.  I was struck by the name Murrieta's Well and after tasting these lovelies was also captivated by the wines.  I had the pleasure of tasting six beautiful wines and decided to chronicle a few tasting notes for you.

The Whip

Wine #1 - 2015 The Whip White Wine Blend

This wine is not short on aromatics.   On the nose is a beautiful bouquet of white flowers, white peaches, golden delicious apple, and citrus.  On the palate, this wine is like a symphony with each varietal playing its own part to create a crescendo of flavors.  The Viognier adds the fragrance, the Sauvignon Blanc adds to the crisp acidity, citrus, and green apple notes, Chardonnay and Semillon adds the body and roundness, the Muscat Canelli adds a hint of honey.  It is a delightful wine that pairs well with roasted chicken and seafood.

Muscat Canelli

Wine #2 - 2016 Muscat Canelli

This wine is full of beautiful aromatics and flavor throughout.  On the nose this wine gives you flavors of citrus, spring flowers, and stone fruits.  On the palate you get a burst of white peaches and white blossoms all encompassed in a burst of acidity.  This lovely can be enjoyed now, but certainly has great opportunity for cellaring.

Dry Rose

Wine #3 - 2016 Dry Rose

Murrieta's Well Dry Rose is 55% Grenache and 45% Counoise.  I am always intrigued by the color of Rose's.  This wine has a very vibrant salmon color.  On the nose the wine has hints of red cherries, peaches, and strawberries.  On the palate, the wine is round, good acidity and is full of red fruits and melons.  Both varieties were picked by hand early in the morning and were whole cluster pressed.

The Spur

Wine #4 - 2014 The Spur Red Wine Blend

This lovely red blend is made up of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petite Sirah, 14% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.  On the nose, the wine has notes of baking spices, red berries, black cherries, and vanilla.  On the palate the wine is medium to full bodied, nice acidity, and firm tannins.  Flavors of red berries, black berries, and spice permeate throughout.

Merlot

Wine #5 - 2014 Merlot (Small Lot)

This wine is made up of 90% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot.  All of the grapes were grown on the Sachau location behind the vineyards tasting room.  This Merlot happens to one of my favorite of the six.  This Merlot has a personality and is a lovely expression of the grape.  Red fruits, black fruits, chocolate and vanilla all blend together for a very beautiful wine.  Firm tannins tell me there is only goodness coming in the years to come.

Cabernet Franc

Wine #6 - 2014 Cabernet Franc

Last, but certainly not least, the Murrieta's Well Cabernet Franc.  The grape make up is 88% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot.  Classic Cabernet Franc on the nose with tea bags, red and dark fruits.  On the palate the wine is medium bodied, dark fruits, baking spices, and vanilla.  You have a great cellaring opportunity with this one.

In summary, I had a great time tasting these wines and will certainly be stocking my cellar with several bottles.  Our goal always at Corks and Cuvée is to bring you best the wine world has to offer and with the wines of Murrieta's Well I think we have succeeded.

#Cheers  #mywinelife  

Happy Valentine's Day and Cheers!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

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.

Wine is a special part of this day.  So, what do you pair with all of the chocolates in those heart shaped boxes?

Dark Chocolates pair extremely well with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Malbec, Banyuls, Brachetto or a nice Sherry.

Valentine's Day sweets  

Milk Chocolate pairs well with Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sherry, Sauternes, and Madeira.

White Chocolate pairs well with Gewurztraminer, Sherry, and Moscato d' Asti.

One special touch to add to your 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.

Another tip take white grapes freeze them and use them to chill your white wine.

Happy Valentine's Day and Cheers!

#mywinelife #corksancuvee #mywinelife

Masthead......Wine by Wine Bloggers for Wine Lovers!

Masthead Sangiovese

I AM SO EXCITED to be able to write this post.  As you know I love sharing wines that are in my opinion worth sharing.  On this occasion, I get to blog about a wine that was created by other amazing bloggers.  I have admired many of these bloggers for quite some time so having them create a wine that I happen to love make this post extra special.

AS MANY OF YOU KNOW I attended the 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference in August.  I had an opportunity to taste Masthead at the conference, however, it was just a taste and I loved it then.  More recently, I was able to really spend some time with this wine.  I am so impressed by this beautiful wine.

THE 2014 SCOTTO MASTHEAD SANGIOVESE is made from 100% Sangiovese sourced from Lodi’s famous Mohr-Fry Vineyards.   

APPEARANCE:  Vibrant pale ruby with garnet sprinkled throughout.  

NOSE:   A red berry salad on the nose, minty, medicinal hints, minerality, cinnamon and brown sugar, and sweet tobacco.

PALATE:  Dry, medium bodied with red and black berries, cherries, and a hint of plum. Silky and smooth with good acidity.  Notes from the barrel of vanilla and butter.

THIS COLLABORATION proved to be a successful undertaking for everyone involved. This wine can be sipped now but definitely has the potential for aging. 

THIS ONE IS A RED FRIENDLY wine that I would recommend it is great with lamb, roasted chicken, and mildly salted cheeses.

Definitely a thumbs up!

#cheers #mywinelife #corksandcuvee #winewithregina

2014 Bianca's White............A Lovely White Wine!

2014 Bianca's White

I LOVE TO SHARE with you  great wines I experience.  I recently had the opportunity to taste a lovely white Bordeaux style wine out of Napa.  The wine is a beautiful expression of one of my favorite styles of wine.  Bianca's White is produced by 5th generation winemakers Natalie, Anthony, Paul, and Anne  Scotto - NAPA by N.A.P.A.

SCOTTO CELLARS is a 5th generation family owned and managed wine company.  I had the pleasure of visiting their tasting room and let me tell you I had a great time.  I can definitely tell you it is a family environment.  This is a family of hardworking responsible winemakers making great wines.

BIANCA’S WHITE is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  On the nose it gives you a bouquet of citrus, white flowers, white stone fruits, and a touch of honey.  On the palate the wine is full bodied with an unexpected complexity.  I was pleasantly surprised at the first sip.  I immediately tasted mild citrus and green apple.  There is medium-high acidity with full mouthfeel. The wines complexity lends itself to a great finish.  I LOVED IT!!!!  You could certainly enjoy this wine now but it has the potential for aging.  This lovely pairs well with your favorite seafood dish, chicken, and sharper cheeses.

Thumbs Up!

#cheers #mywinelife #corksandcuvee