Redemtion Of The Bubbles!

A while back I had a really bad experience with a bottle of Sparkling Wine. It was at a pretty big party, and the bottle of Champagne was bad, and I mean very bad, no bubbles, brown color, just awful. It was pretty bad, the party got initiated by an event that I wanted to celebrate, and I had this bottle sitting in the fridge waiting for the right opportunity to pop the cork. So you might understand that it kind of bothered me, that the original theme of the party (it became bigger and better than my original thought, by the time we got it together) was a disaster.

Anyway, I have been looking to redeem the bubbles, because I like Champagne, it just shouts “let’s celebrate”, and if any of my friends from when I was a teenager reads this, you may remember how much I like Champagne….

I hit the jackpot the other day. How about $2.99 for a bottle of wine, or 5 for $10! Looking thru the sales items, I couldn’t find 5 bottles that I wanted, so I ended up with only two, but they had some Sparkling Wines they were selling for $4.99 a bottle. I picked a bottle of Arbor Mist Raspberry Sparkle.

The perfect “bubbles event” came yesterday, my friend’s birthday dinner. And we didn’t even wait, we popped the cork right away, and what great bubbles! Very enjoyable, sweet and fresh, not dry as a lot of Champagnes are. I absolutely loved this bottle of Sparkling Wine, and the little hint of raspberry was perfect. We paired this deliciousness with smoked salmon, and a dill salmon spread, for a moment I thought I was back in Norway…. my kind of treats.

For dinner we had chicken marinated in teriyaki, but since it was poring down rain, it was cooked in the oven, and not on the grill. Not that it really mattered, it came out perfect anyway. We also indulged in a super summery dish, zucchini topped with tomato and mozzarella. So good, and so easy to make, it will be a staple in our dinners this summer. We went with my new go to winery when I need something I can count on, Robert Mondavi. This time a Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, from the Private Selection, that didn’t let me down. Just a little dry, but nice and smooth and fruity.

Whenever I go to dinner at my friend’s house I usually leave with a care package. Last night was no different. So today I was able to whip up a delicious dinner with chicken, wild rice and broccoli. I paired it with a bottle of Chilean Pinot Noir from Frontera. It was my first Chilean Pinot Noir, and it didn’t disappoint me, nice cherry flavor with a hint of vanilla. And as a typical Pinot, very food friendly.

Here’s to another great food and wine weekend; Cheers!

 

 

 

Holiday Wine Tastings!

Got to try several new wines this holiday, some better than others, but overall pretty awesome. The other day I met a friend of mine, that just moved back to the area, for our favorite pizza. It’s this great Italian restaurant that makes a brick oven pizza that is absolutely awesome. They also serve fresh bread that you dip in olive oil mixed with spices, and it is very good. And for dessert….tiramisu of course. All this deliciousness was paired with nothing other than an Italian wine, 2011 Cavit Pinot Noir, a very nice, easy to drink, wine that went very well with our meal.

Next was my dinner party where I served a wine that I have been waiting to try, a 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau, as a welcome drink, and to go with appetizers. This wine is the first pressing of this years grapes (the second pressing of the same grapes is Beaujolais-Village Burgundy that I really liked) and it is a very light and fruity red wine.

With dinner wich was a fish casserole, I picked a white wine, 2010 Yellow Tail Chardonnay. This wine was very sweet, and didn’t go to well with the meal, but quite good by itself.

And of course there was Champagne at midnight New Years Eve. Alway great with some bubbles.

Happy New Year to all my followers! Lets make 2013 a great one! Cheers!

Going Sparkly for the Holidays!

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy bubbles. I prefer seltzer water over plain water, and soda over juice. I do enjoy a cold beer now and then. There is just something refreshing about the bubbles. I don’t drink a lot of Champagne, but when there is something that needs to be celebrated, nothing makes a statement like a real sparkly Champagne.

Even when I was a little kid, my Mom and Dad used to give me a glass of Champagne on New Years Eve. Just a small glass, so me and my sister could toast the new year. And back in Norway, everyone has fireworks. The sky was lit up for at least an hour around midnight.

What really bothers me is the glasses that some people use for Champagne. They use those really wide, shallow glasses with short stem. Now you are pretty much forced to hold the glass itself, wich warms up the Champagne. And with the wide shape, the bubbles escape, what’s the point then?

I like a stem that you can hold on to, and a slim tall glass that will preserve the bubbles. We have some amazing Champagne glasses at www.finewineglassesandmore.com. Don’t let your bubbles escape. Ravenscroft Crystal has hand blown glasses that will compliment any Sparkling Wine.

Check out our selection http://www.finewineglassesandmore.com/sparkling_wine_glasses.html

Cheers!