Cheers to Good Wine and Good Friends

So life’s year begins and closes;

Days, though short’ning, still shine;

What, though youth gave love and roses,

Age still leaves us friends and wine.

- Thomas Moore

(He was an Irish poet so I guess you should read this with an Irish accent)

That’s pretty much all I need to be happy – good friends and good wine. As 2012 comes to a close I am overjoyed to say that I have many amazing friends and have tasted many delicious wines. Below are some of my favorite discoveries from this past year and are my top picks to ring in 2013.

 

I recommend starting off the evening with something light and fun like a Lambrusco. This is a red slightly sweet sparkling wine that I normally drink in the summer but NYE is a perfect excuse to grab a bottle. I wouldn’t buy a super cheap Lambrusco but you don’t have to break the bank on this one either. Anything between the $12 - $16 price range should be good. Consider Cavicchioli & Robanera Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro.

Tasting notes: light, sweet, effervescent

I’m usually not a big white wine drinker, but for those of you who are, Sonoma Curter Russian River RanchesChardonnay is an easy crowd pleaser and can be found at most liquor or grocery stores.

Tasting notes: Medium bodied; great balance of fruit, acidity; clean finish with hints of minerality.

I have two red wine suggestions to cover varying prices ranges.

 

Oops wine is one of my fave recent discoveries. It ranges from $11 - $14 depending on the varietal and the store. The labels are super cute and tell the story of how the grapes were discovered and turned into wine. I love the Voluptuous Beauty - Cabernet Franc Carmenere which gives a mouthful of dark fruit, pepper, and a hint of oak. The straight up Spicy Splendor - Camenere is great as well. It’s similar to the Cab Franc blend but a bit bolder and spicier.

 

My second red pick is the Highway 12 2010 SonomaRed Blend which ranges from $22 - $26. This blend is 77% Merlot, 12% Cab Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Syrah. I absolutely adore this wine. It’s a perfect blend!

Tasting notes: strong dark fruit, well balanced tannins, and a hint of chocolate. 

 
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget the bubbles. After dinner and to toast to the New Year I recommend Freixenet Sparkling Cordon Negro BrutCava. Yes, I’ve had better sparkling wine and champagne but for only $12 you can’t beat this. You can also find this at most liquor or grocery stores. 

Tasting notes: crisp, clean, medium bodied, light citrus notes

           

 I hope you have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve. Cheers!

No more chocolate for me...

Being a self-proclaimed wino, I've been to several wine tastings in my life. Restaurants and wineries alike often serve chocolate as a wine pairing. I've always been hesitant in eating chocolates with my vino. It coats your mouth with a sugary wax and robs your palate of the full flavor of the wine. I used to think... these wine professionals must know what they are doing, I must be missing the bigger picture, maybe my palate is not developed enough. So I would pop that waxy desert in my mouth and wash it down with the burgundy blood of life.... until I recently came across this quote that changed my life.

"I don't know who came up with the idea of pairing chocolate with Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps it was the same lunatic who gave us 'surf and turf.' All I know is that chocolate and Cabernet are about as compatible as Dick Cheney and Lady Gaga. The bitter sweetness in one obliterates all the nuanced fruit in the other, leaving one with a dry, dusty palate. So please, please, no more pig-outs with Chateau Margaux and Hershey's Kisses." - Randy Sheahan, Quarterly Review of Wines - 2010

Yes, that's right, I will now feel completely assured in my choice to no longer accept chocolate with my wine.

Cheers!