wine wednesday – In Good Taste

Wine Wednesday: Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon & Sauvignon Blanc for Post-Golf

Maris Callahan — Wed, 24 May 2017 04:56:09 +0000

Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial kickoff to summer – is right around the corner. For most of us, that means it’s time to head outdoors to enjoy our favorite outdoor activities. In our household, Im more of a drinking wine by the pool or on the rooftop deck kind of outdoors lover, but Brad likes outdoor activities that are…you know, activities — hitting golf balls, going to baseball games, camping. Luckily, Gran Reserva is the perfect wine for sipping outdoors — especially after your golf outing. Why do I say that when there are hundreds of wine you could sip after your golf game? Bonus! Enjoy a $25 credit on a round of golf at major golf courses nationwide courtesy of Concha y Toro Gran Reserva. Find a specially marked bottle necker where you buy wine. And you can also enter the Tee Time sweepstakes to win – one year of free golf. I love to incorporate great food and drinks into just about every occasion. In my opinion, a homemade gluten-free chocolate naked cake will take a birthday party up a notch, while a festive wine and cheese spread will make a post-golf sip and snack feel like a special event. Last […]

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Wine Wednesday: Butter Chardonnay for Mother’s Day

Maris Callahan — Wed, 10 May 2017 05:00:03 +0000

There are a few things that I inherited from my mom: her witty sense of humor, her complete and utter inability to keep a surprise to herself (“I’m sending you a birthday present….do you want me to tell you what it is?) and also, her love for snacks. Especially when you can eat those snacks for dinner. I’m not sure if a love for the snack-dinner is something that every mother dreams of passing on to her daughter, but my mother passed that on to me. Both of us can make a full meal out of noshes — cheese, crackers, chips, dip, guacamole. One time, I spoke to my mom on the phone and asked her what she had eaten for dinner. Her response? A box of instant mashed sweet potatoes and a cucumber.” Well, maybe that was taking snack dinner a little too far. My favorite snack dinner is a demi baguette, a chunk of triple creme brie, some fig preserves and maybe a few thin and wispy slices of prosciutto. And of course, a great bottle of wine. JaM Cellars makes three easy-to-love, everyday California wines Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling. Second-generation Napa Valley vintners John and Michele are […]

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What You Need to Know About Organic Wine

Maris Callahan — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:00:28 +0000

We are used to seeing organic eggs, organic fruit and organic milk at the supermarket. Lately, organic wine has begun to appear on the shelves at wine shops. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or a social drinker, you might have wondered what exactly makes organic wine different than traditional wine. “Organic wine is the emphasis on growing grapes with natural remedies and enhancements, rather than manufactured fertilizers and pesticides,” said Erica Witte, owner of The Poison Cup, a wine and art boutique in Chicago. Some of the remedies that wine growers use as alternatives to pesticides include companion crops, which entice friendly animal and insect species that mitigate the population of other vine-damaging species; cover crops, that utilize crab grass, clover and poppies to help control waste water runoff, water usage, and soil nutrient levels; and composting, which helps to replenish soil nutrients with recycled plant and animal waste from the vineyard, such as grape skins that have already been pressed and crushed. “Anyone who is concerned about the planet’s lack of potable water should consider trading traditional wines for organic,” Witte said. “It’s also perfect for anyone skeptical of FDA-approved pesticides or fertilizers.” Organic wine also prohibits the use […]

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#WineWednesday: All About (Champagne) Bubbles

Maris Callahan — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:06:38 +0000

The average wine list has at least three sections: reds, whites and sparkling. We sometimes associate sparkling wine with Champagne when in fact, Champagnes are only produced from the Champagne region in France. That leaves a whole lot of un-categorized bubbles out there. Although they have heightened in popularity in recent years, champagnes and other sparkling wines are not new or rare. It is produced around the globe; however the United States, California, Oregon and New Mexico are leading producers of sparkling wine. While some sparkling wines are made from a combination of grapes, some are made from just one: Blanc de Blanc: is made only from Chardonnay. This type of bubbly is typically lighter in style, and perfect on its own or paired with with shellfish and seafood. If you want to go lowbrow, Barefoot Wines has a Brut Cuvee, made from Chardonnay grapes with hints of green apples and jasmine. A true wine lover might even pick up on hints of kiwi and peach. Trader Joe’s has a lovely version of this for a whopping $4.49 per bottle, if you want to class it up, Mumm Napa Blanc De Blanc is a Wine Spectator pic, known for being rich […]

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