Blog Post #100!

I reached a milestone in my blogging journey with blog post #100. Before I started the adventure with my website FineWineGlassesAndMore about a year ago, I would have never believed that I would actually sit here today, and write my 100th blog post. I used to struggle with a text message… but I enjoy it, and I’m learning a lot. I remember when I was a kid I loved to write stories, and in school when we got and essay assignment, I would always find a way to make my story about horses (my biggest passion in life).

My stories are not about horses anymore, but I still like to sneak in a little “horse talk” now and then about these majestic and gorgeous animals that I love so much. And since I’m on the subject, it is the biggest day of the year in Harness Racing on Saturday (Aug. 3rd). I would like to promote our great sport, because the place to be is The Meadowlands, in East Rutherford New Jersey, where the biggest trotting race in the World, “The Hambletonian” is on the program.

Witch wines will mark my mini anniversary? How about a Bordeaux and my first ever Rose. The Bordeaux, a 2009 Mayne Sansac was a little strange at first, but this wine grew on me. A full-bodied, quite bold wine, that was excellent paired with a marinara sauce. I only paid $10 for this bottle, so I thought it was great value.

I was told that I’m missing out by shying away from the Rose wines, so I figured I would get one while the weather is still worm. Ended up with a Spanish wine, 2010 Protocolo, from Eguren. Not a bad summer sip, light and crisp, easy to drink. Perfect on a hot day, when you look for something cold and refreshing. This bottle was only $8, so how could you go wrong?

I would like to thank my followers, and everyone else that has helped getting me over 1000 views on my blog. It is a totally new and exciting adventure for me that I’m hoping to continue for years to come. The world of wine is so complex and full of history, it just makes you want to learn more, and of course, the most important thing, taste more. Cheers!

We Put Some Wine Glasses to the Test, and WOW!

Ever since I started my webstore Fine Wine Glasses And More, I have been wanting to do a taste test with different wine glasses. And I have heard about how much the glass can enhance a wine. Finally last night we had a chance to do this. Using our favorite Cupcake Red Velvet, we were testing some new Cachet Tulip 19 oz glasses (You can see the glasses by using this link http://www.finewineglassesandmore.com/catalog/item/8603146/9493913.htm) And comparing with a smaller thicker glass, probably around 6-8 oz and not very wide.

All four of us did the test, and I absolutely could not belive it. What a difference…. if I didn’t know it was the same wine in both glasses, I would have thought someone was trying to trick me. The Cachet Tulip glass made the wine much rounder and smoother tasting. Awesome!

These glasses are also very elegant looking, with the long stem and thin glass. You can check out these glasses, and many more at www.finewineglassesandmore.com

After this eye opening experience, I will definitely be doing more testing. Would be fun to see how a glass would affect a Cabernet or a Pinot. I know that they suggest a wider glass for Pinot Noir and Bordeaux. So stay tuned for more fun tastings. Cheers!

Bordeaux in New York City!

Went to a Bordeaux wine tasting in New York a couple of days ago. We had to fill out a questioner when we signed up, so they could “match” us with the right Bordeaux. The event was called Bordeaux Matchmaking. Must say I got a tiny bit confused at times, when some of the questions seemed to have nothing to do with wine…. do you like to travel? Starting to think that they were trying to match me with people, not wine.

When we got there, it was a really nice setup. You received an envelope with the number of the table that you would be tasting from. They had 10 tables, and we got 4 tickets to use at our table. Then we were told that we could swap tickets with other people, and taste from other tables, and that way we would be interacting with other tasters to get to know them….. another clue that we were not just being matched with wine….

Then, when I exchanged my first ticket, I was extremely surprised to get a full glass of wine. I was expecting a little in the bottom of the glass, like most wine tastings. needless to say, after using my 4 tickets, I was a very happy wine taster. Glad I took pictures of the bottles I tasted, otherwise there is no way I would be able to remember the fancy French names of the Bordeaux wines.

Well, they were better at matching me with wine than people… Absolutely loved the wines on my table. They were all nice and smooth, medium to full-bodied. And after some research, the prices are between $9 and $17. Didn’t really get to pair these wines with food (the hors d’oeuvres were tiny, and far between, left the party hungry) But I would imagine these wines would pair well with a lot of different food, especially red meat.

I’m very glad I went to this tasting, it was quite an experience, with great wine and atmosphere. But I’m just wondering what the idea of the event was. There was very little promotion of the wines, and they didn’t sell anything there. The event was free, and when the complimentary tasting was over, hardly anyone went to the bar, because they already drank 4 glasses of wine…. With a 150 people attending, that would be close to 150 bottles of wine….. hmmm….doesn’t seem like good business.

I was looking forward to trying Bordeaux, my experience with the French wines so far has been very good. And in my mind French wines seem very exclusive, and should be enjoyed in the right setting. What I mean is, don’t have a nice French wine with a take out burger…. So, that they served the wine in plastic stemless wine glasses was wrong. It takes away some of the glamour of the wine experience. I would have prefered to drink my wine out of Ravenscroft Crystal handblown Bordeaux glasses. Check out these glasses http://www.finewineglassesandmore.com/catalog/item/8603122/9498188.htm

and for other gift ideas visit us at www.finewineglassesandmore.com.

Overall this was a fun event, and I would go again. I love the City, and look for any excuse to go, there is just something fascinating about this place.

Cheers!

Little Treats From Norway, Paired with Little Treats From USA!

Had a little tasting party from my care package from Norway. I you havent been following this blog, I’m from Norway, and for every Christmas my Mom and Dad sends me this big package that consist of Christmas presents, and lots of chocolate and some different food items that I miss from home.

This morning I went to the store to get the wines that I wanted. I picked out a couple of different ones that I wanted to try, and I had to get one to mix with the Glogg. For the glogg I didn’t want to spend much, but I have also heard that you want to use one that you like. Hah… I got a 2 liter of Barefoot Zinfandel for 14 dollars. I love that wine. And guess what……? The glogg came out awesome. Thats what I’m talking about…. All that different spiced wine they have out there…..they have no idea! Just go to IKEA and get a bottle, mix it with a good red wine, add almonds and raisins at the end, and whala…..

My guests had brought wine also, so we ended up uncorking a 2010 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Very tasty bold wine, a little dry, plum and spice. A great wine experience.

  

The food was all over the tasting charts. Starting out we had, what I remember was always on the table around Christmas, nuts, dates and figs, along with clementines. Then I brought out the cheeses, a brown goat cheese, a similar white goat cheese and Jarlsberg cheese. They were all winners. The fish items were hit and miss, the caviar (my favorite, Mills kaviar mix) was a hit, the Mackerel fillets in tomato sauce was a hit with some people, and the Herring was only so so.

We had three different kinds of deserts to try. First (my favorite) Multe Berries (Cloudberries) with cream and sugar. OMG that’s good….. I am so lucky to get these berries shipped to me. These berries are a delicacy even in Norway. They grow in swampy areas, often up in the mountains and north of Norway. They are very picky about they’re enviroment. And my Dad walked through the woods and swamps (fighting the mosquitoes) picking these berries. I have been there, so I know what it is all about.  My guests liked it,,,, maybe not as ecstatic about it as I was, but they liked it.

Next, Kransekake, quite funny to hear my guests try to pronounce that. It’s a cake made out of mainly almonds and sugar. And it is made out of wreaths stacked on top of each other, decorated with flags. They all loved it.

Last was the Jule marzipan. Little candy bars of marzipan covered in milk chocolate. They make these special for Christmas. Mostly a hit, but that’s ok, I’ll take the leftovers. Remember these are all my favorites. Thanks Mom and Dad, Marry Christmas!

Cheers!

Friends and Chocolate, Paired with White Wine!

You really should never be too busy to spend time with your friends, but sometimes life pulls you in all the different directions, and you feel like you don’t have time to do the things you really want to do. I used to spend time with my friends several times a week, and all of a sudden I hadn’t seen them for two weeks…. Finally got over there to see them tonight, and of course they cooked me dinner. Real, home-made cheese burgers and home fries. Paired with a Thanksgiving leftover, Guenoc 2009 Lake County Chardonnay. A light, oaked wine that was not too sweet.

My host got her present out of my care package from Norway,  a big milk chocolate bar. My parents send me a big package for Christmas every year, with christmas presents and all kinds of goodies. Usually there is a lot of chocolate. I love Norwegian chocolate, it’s more creamy than the american. And pairs very well with Chardonnay….

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!

250 Dollar Bottle of Wine on a Tuesday Night…. Yea, I can get used to that!

Sometimes you just have to be lucky. My friend received a 250 dollar bottle of wine as a gift, and she asked me to be there for the uncorking. Now, this is very unusual in our world, I usually try to stay under 10 dollars when I buy wine. Her gift was a Caymus Vineyards 2001 Special Selection, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon. We were all a little excited about this tasting( I was very excited)we really didn’t know what to expect.

I was asked to pick up dinner for this special occasion, and I couldn’t think of getting anything other than the best stake that I could find. So filet mignon it is, with some broccoli and baked potatoes. Probably the best Tuesday night dinner I’ve had in a while. And the wine…..I’m sorry to say…..it was the best wine I’ve had, maybe ever. (Sorry because I can’t afford to by a bottle like this on a weekly basis)

My friend gave me the honor of uncorking the bottle…..all I’m thinking is “don’t break the cork”, the only thing The Universe heard was “break the cork”, all of you  that know the law of attraction knows exactly what happend……I broke the cork! Thankfully I was able to save it, but can you imagine pushing leftover broken cork down into a 250 dollar bottle of wine! That would have been a disaster.

Some wine tasters may criticise my review of this wine, but I never claimed to be an expert on this, I just like wine, and I blog about it. A very flavorful wine with pronounced cherry flavor that finished off with a hint of black licorice, and a very smooth, nice finish. I want to say a “Do Over”, but I don’t know when I would ever be able to “do this over”.

Anyway, this was a thrill to get to experience, especially since I now do all these tastings, and I know a lot more than I used to. Hoping for more fun exciting moments like this in the future, and I have a feeling there will be plenty.

Cheers!

 

Which Wine goes with Thanksgiving Dinner?

It all depends on what you are serving, and what you like. Let’s say you are having turkey, well most people in the United States are probably having just that. A lot of people would say white wine, because it is white meat, but let’s think about this. Ok, you have the white meat, but also dark meat, and the stuffing, that can be very rich. You also have the gravy, the greens and don’t forget the cranberries. My favorite would be Pinot Noir. It goes excellent with food, not too bold like a Cabernet can be. It would go great with white meat and dark meat, as well as the cranberries. A Pinot Noir would even pair well with certain kinds of fish.

To pick the right Pinot, I can give you a couple of tips. If you like a wine that is a little bolder and makes a statement, I would go with American. Oregon is well-known for having great Pinot Noirs, or California as well has lots of excellent Pinot Noirs to choose from. If you like a little smoother and lighter wine, I would suggest a French Burgundy or maybe a New Zealand Pinot Noir. Burgundy France, is where Pinot Noir comes from, and in France the cuisine is very important, so they would never have a wine that would overpower the food.

If you, or someone at the dinner table, doesn’t like red wine, then I would suggest a Chardonnay. There is a lot of great Chardonnay’s out there, but I would probably try to stay away from the very sweet ones. Chardonnay also stems from Burgundy France, and is also known as, White Burgundy.

Now we got the wine picking done, better make sure we got the right glasses. We don’t want to serve our great wine in beer jugs, right? A Pinot Noir needs air, you want to be able to let it breathe, and you should have room to swirl without spilling, that means you need at least a 20 oz glass. Even a Chardonnay glass is a little roomier than a regular white wine glass between 12 and 20 oz.

Ravenscroft crystal makes some gorgeous hand blown glasses. Visit our website and check out our products. We currently have a Special on our Ravenscroft Burgundy glasses, for Thanksgiving. OVER 30% OFF REGULAR PRICE. http://www.finewineglassesandmore.com/catalog/item/8603122/9498220.htm We also carry the Chardonnay glasses, and so much more. So please come and visit us, we have lots of gift items for the Holidays, www.finewineglassesandmore.com.

Less than a month away, times really do fly. Before we know it, it will be summer again. O well, let’s try to enjoy these cold months. I know I am, for some weird reason I even hope to get some snow this winter. Imagine the pretty picture of fresh snow on the trees, and all over, while you are inside looking out with a glass of your favorite wine in your hand……

Cheers!

Wine Tasting n Pumpkin Carving!

Sounds like a strange combination, but it was quite fun. Didn’t get the amount of people that we were hoping for, and you kind of need more than 3 people to do a wine tasting, specially if you like to finish the bottle that you opened. Turned out to be too many events going on this weekend, and we are all preparing for Sandy to get here also.

I have never carved a pumpkin before, and I had fun. Kind of proud of my pumpkins. And check it out, didn’t we do a good job?

We were only able to taste two wines today. I hate the thought of leaving more open bottles for them to just go bad. So we’ll try to get a bigger crowd next time.

Our first wine was a 2010 Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon. We all really liked this one. A very smooth wine were you could taste the cherries right away, and when paired with the cheese, the taste of coco came out.

The other wine was a 2011 Alice White Chardonnay. Also very good, light and crisp, and you could taste apples.

   

Now I’m going to finish the leftover wine while I wait for Hurricane Sandy to get here. I’m ready, got my supplies, horses are safe and comfy, and I got lots of wine. So, bring it on Sandy!

Cheers!

Great New Jersey wines!

That’s what I’m talking about, but I guess we needed an Italian to get it done.  Went to a wine tasting with Hopewell Valley Vineyards tonight, and finally got some really good wines made right here in NJ. They grow most of the grapes right here at the vineyard in Pennington New Jersey, but also get some from California (the Cabernet Sauvignon is from California grapes).

Hopewell Valley Vineyards is owned and run by Sergio Neri and his wife Violetta. Sergio is from Italy and his family is making wine there, while Violetta is from Greece, and her family is also wine makers.

It was actually their youngest son who is autistic, that brought them here to Princeton NJ. They now donate proceeds from the sale of their Pinot Grigio to benefit autism intervention, research and services. What a great story, and wonderful people that absolutely love what they do, and it shows.

We got to taste 4 of their wines tonight, the first one was the Pinot Grigio. A light crisp delicious wine that went perfect with our fruit and prosciutto appetizer.

The next was the Chardonnay. At first I thought this one was a little too buttery, but paired with the chicken caesar salad, it was nice and smooth. Could definitely taste pears.

Third up was their most awarded wine, the Chambourcin. Has a strong character, and could taste the cherries and plums. A little to dry for my personal taste, but I still enjoyed it very much. And it also went very well with the pasta dish we were served.

Last, but not least,,,,, the Cabernet Sauvignon. My absolute favorite! This wine can compare to any wine out there. Some might say that it’s the California grapes, but I will argue that it just proves what a great wine maker Sergio is. He knows Jersey summers are not long enough to make good Cabernet grapes, so he gets them from a place that does. And with those grapes he is able to make an absolutely awesome wine. We paired our Cab with chocolate cake, a little unusual, but it actually worked well.

What a great event, and great people. I am so happy that I made it there toningt. All of us attending this event agreed to get together at the Vineyard on their Friday night wood fire, brick oven pizza with music and wine tasting. Every last Friday of the month, Sergio is the entertainer on piano. Can’t wait!

Cheers!