Happy World #SauvBlanc Day

17 May

Darlings, let me be the first to wish you a very feliz World Sauvignon Blanc Day. And it’s such a happy occasion that I’m hittin’ the road for a little R&R in beautiful Palm Springs, California. Which is why I’m re-blogging last year’s Sauvignon Blanc Day post. I think you’ll enjoy it, and the information is still relevant today. Cheers and enjoy!

That’s right, chicas y chicos, another wine holiday! Can I get a salud?

Today is World Sauvignon Blanc Day, and to commemorate this auspicious occasion, I’ll be tasting four different Sauvignon Blancs from all corners of the world: Chile, New Zealand, France and California.

Sauvignon Blanc has a special place in my heart because it’s the first wine my husband and I discovered together when we were dating. If you join the celebration today, you’ll see why it’s so easy to love. Who knows, you may even channel your inner Señorita Vino and find true romance over a glass. (El Disclaimer: Señorita Vino makes no guarantees that you will find your soulmate today. So don’t quit the Match.com membership just yet).

There’s a Sauvignon Blanc for almost every palate. If you’re a passionfruit and nectarine kind of chica (or chico), try a Sauv Blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough region. Oyster Bay is one of my personal favorites; you can find it for around $10 at a wine shop or grocery store.

 

Love the refreshing scent of grapefruit and fresh cut grass? Northern California has some beautiful Sauvignon Blancs with fresh citrus and herbal aromas. St. Supery is the California Sauv Blanc that my husband and I bonded over, and it happens to be the first wine club I ever joined back in 2000, the year my husband caved to relentless nagging and asked me to marry him. (El Full Disclosure: St. Supery was kind enough to provide this bottle for today’s festivities. And no, it’s not because I’m a member of their wine club. In fact, they had no idea I was a member until I did an El Full Disclosure on them and said so. Aren’t you glad I’m so ethical? St. Supery, you guys ROCK. And no, they didn’t pay me to say that.)

 

If you like mineral notes with olive and lemon aromas, France’s Loire Valley produces Savignon Blanc in the classic style. I found this one at Total Wine for $13.99.

Last but certainly not least, if you’re looking for a lighter-bodied wine (less alcohol) that you can sip casually on its own, you may want to show your amor for one of our own by trying a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. A complete steal at $5.99.

You’ll hear people describe Sauvignon Blanc as having some characteristics beyond the aromas and flavors mentioned above. Bear in mind that the country in which the wine was made will have a big influence on what flavors you’ll detect. Some people can smell guava, cilantro, fig, bell pepper, lemongrass and dill. If you’re drinking a Sauvignon Blanc that was aged in oak, you’ll notice some aromas that are associated with wood, such as vanilla and sweet spices.

One scent that you may also detect is kitty pee. Yep, you read it right, and no, I don’t make this stuff up. Sounds weird, I know, but I have actually smelled this in some Sauvignon Blancs, and it’s not a flaw (nor did they let the cats loose in the winery); it’s just a characteristic of the grape.

 

On that note, let’s talk food pairing. The crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc can act as a palate cleanser, making it a perfect starter. That same acidity makes it a good match for salads with vinaigrette dressings, and it ‘cuts’ through foods with cream or butter-based sauces. It’s also a great match for ethnic foods with a little kick, like Thai or Indian dishes. The wine’s lower alcohol content feels refreshing after the burn from spicy-hot seasonings. And it goes great with guacamole.

Sauvignon Blanc complements just about every cheese I love. For you purists, the classic pairing is Sauvignon Blanc with a French chèvre, or goat cheese. The acidity in the wine matches the tang in cheeses made with goats’ milk.

So there you have it. Stop reading, go pour yourself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and join the fiesta. ¡Salud!

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Three things you need to know about Moscato

8 May

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Chicas y chicos,in honor of National Moscato Day, which is mañana, May 9, I’d like to offer you three fun factoids about the wine that’s on everyone’s lips (and palates) these days, and share some tasting notes about Gallo Family Vineyards‘ Moscato. Before we go any further, here’s El Full Disclosure: The fine folks at Gallo gifted me a bottle of their Moscato and sponsored this blog post. However, the opinions (and factoids!) presented here for your reading and drinking pleasure are entirely my own.

So sit right down, pour yourself a glass of Moscato, and enjoy the three things every wine lover should know about Moscato.

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1. Moscato goes by different names in different countries. “Moscato” is actually Italian for Muscat, one of the oldest known grape varieties in the world. In Spain, it’s called Moscatel. Moscato is thought to be one of the few wines that actually tastes like the grape, and if you happen upon a Moscato vineyard, don’t freak out if bees and wasps are swarming the fruit of the vine. They’re drawn to the grape’s intoxicating floral and honey-like aroma and it’s decadent sweetness.

2. Moscato can be made in various styles. I personally think Moscato is one of the most versatile wines out there. You can have it sweet or dry, still or sparkling, or as a syrupy dessert wine. The wine can be white, pale pink or even red. I sampled Gallo’s Moscato, which is pale gold in color and happens to come from Muscat grapes grown in Australia. This wine has peach and citrus aromas, two scents that typically characterize Moscato, and it’s sweet on the palate.

3. Moscato pairs beautifully with fresh fruit, fruit-based desserts or spicy foods. Depending on which style of Moscato you’re drinking, there are pairing options for various food courses. A sweet Moscato can take the burn off of a spicy main course (I’m lookin’ at YOU, chile relleno and chicken tikka masala!) or complement  the sweetness of fresh fruit or a fruit tart. A sparkling Moscato is an elegant aperitif and the perfect way to start a brunch.

If you’re looking for an excuse to uncork a bottle of Moscato and share your new knowledge, let’s party! Join me tomorrow night for the #gno (as in Girls’ Night Out–but guys are welcome, too!) #MoscatoDay Twitter Party, Thursday, May 9 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time (9 to 10 p.m. Eastern).

In the meantime, here’s a quick and easy recipe for a yummy Moscato cocktail, courtesy of our amigos at Gallo Family Vineyards. See you tomorrow night, and ¡salud!

The Moscato Gimlet 2

Moscato Gimlet

(serves 1)

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz.     Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato
  • 1 oz.     Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Agave Nectar

Preparation: Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime.

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A Recipe for Cinco De Mayo

2 May

No one loves a fiesta like Señorita Vino, and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. Before we get into full party mode and a sabroso Cinco de Mayo recipe, here’s a handy little history lesson that will make you sound like the smartest reveler in the room on Sunday.

Image credit: SMU Central University Libraries via Wikimedia Commons.

Image credit: SMU Central University Libraries via Wikimedia Commons.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. Rather, it commemorates Mexico’s victory over the French on May 5, 1862 during a battle in Puebla, Mexico. Why such a fuss over one measly battle? Well, Mexico had 4,000 soldiers, and the French had twice as many, and they had fancier equipment. Mexico won. ‘Nuff said. Second, the Battle of Puebla was the last time a nation in the Americas had to fend off a foreign invasion besides the Beatles.

Now you’ll know exactly what to say when the Mexican Independence Day topic comes up this weekend. De nada.

Okay, enough history, chicas y chicos. It’s time for a fiesta-ready dish that’ll add a cool vibe to your Cinco de Mayo party–along with wine pairing suggestions.

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it takes all of 15 minutes to throw everything in the blender, but it looks like you slaved away for hours. You do need to let the soup chill for a few hours, but that’ll give you time to hang your piñatas and gather your maracas.  ¡Arrrrrrrrribaaaaa! [Cue the mariachis].

Señorita Vino’s Chillin’ Avocado Soup

Wine pairings: Chilean or Mexican Sauvigon Blanc or a Gruner Veltliner from Austria or California.

Why: Acidic white wines will balance the creaminess of this soup and complement the crab topping. A full-bodied red wine may give a metallic taste to the seafood and cancel out the flavors of the soup. Dry white wines will work better with this dish; sweeter white wines will overpower the delicate sweetness of the crab and make it taste flat. Plus, who wants to drink sweet wine with onions?

(4 to 6 servings)

THE SOUP:

5 small ripe avocados (or 3 medium sized)

3 tbsp. nonfat plain yogurt

1 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

THE TOPPING:

8 oz. of canned crabmeat (fresh is better, but canned was all I had in the kitchen!)

1/2 persian cucumber, seeded and diced

2 green onions, sliced

1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Peel and seed the avocados, chop and toss them in a blender. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, crushed garlic clove, salt and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste; chill. Drain the canned crabmeat and place it into a bowl. Add the sliced green onion, diced cucumber, chopped cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Toss until well-mixed and adjust seasonings according to taste. Chill the crab topping. Pour the avocado soup into a bowl and top with two or three forkfuls of the crab mixture. Now relax, pour yourself a glass of chilled vino blanco and enjoy the fiesta!

Bordeaux Basics for Wine Novices

23 Apr

Wanna learn about France’s fabled Bordeaux region? How about over lunch at the Peninsula Beverly Hills with 32 of  Bordeaux’s most prestigious  winemakers? If  ”anxiety attack” was the first thing that came to mind, fabulous! I’m not alone.

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Moments after I RSVPd for a sit-down trade luncheon featuring Le Cercle Rive Droite, a French society that represents 143 vineyards from the Right Bank of Bordeaux (more on that later),  my top three wine tasting insecurities materialized: How early would I dribble red wine all over my chin while using the spit bucket? Would I be able to keep up with the wine lingo? And would I drown in a sea of old guys wearing tweed jackets and silk cravats?

Chicas y chicos, yesterday’s luncheon offered more proof that wine anxiety is très passé, and I managed not to get a single drop of wine on myself (wish I could say the same for my notebook).

Best of all, I was happily swimming in a sea of  hip, young winemakers, some of whom were women, and one of whom encouraged me to unleash my très broken français on her. We chatted about weddings, food and her childhood growing up in a chateau. C’est cool!

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Before I describe some of the highlights of the lunch, here are six things you should know about Bordeaux:

  • The Bordeaux region is near the southwestern coast of France, and its vineyards are located in three distinct areas: the Left Bank, the Right Bank, and the Entre-Deux-Mers area, which is between the two banks.
  • Bordeaux wines are made with the primary grapes of the Bordeaux region. There are several approved varieties, but the most widely used are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec for the reds; and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for the whites.
  • Wines made in the Left Bank of Bordeaux typically feature Cabernet Sauvignon as the primary grape.
  • Wines from the Right Bank will be made mostly with Merlot.
  • Wines from the Entre-Deux-Mers region are generally white and feature Sauvignon Blanc.
  • Three of the world’s most expensive wines come from the Bordeaux region: Chateau d’Yquem, Chateau Cheval Blanc, and Chateau Pétrus. But don’t worry – you can find a great Bordeaux wine for anywhere from $15 – $70.

Wasn’t that stress-free?

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Because Le Cerlcle Rive Droite represents winemakers from the Right Bank (rive droite, pronounced reev dwat, is français for right bank), the wines served  at the lunch were a blend of 70 percent or more Merlot with some Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon or other approved grapes. So if you dig Merlot, chances are you’ll enjoy a Right Bank Bordeaux.

Merlot is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon, so it pairs well with chicken. No surprise, lunch was a chicken breast with mascarpone polenta, tomatoes, sweet corn and chicken jus. Délicieux!

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Merlot also pairs well with cheese. Perfect, since dessert featured a cheese plate and an assortment of cookies and macarons. Apologies to you sweets lovers–I bypassed the cookies and went straight for the cheese.

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Careful readers are probably wondering about the old guys in tweed jackets. I saw none.  In fact, a jacket-less French winemaker at my table reported that the only jacket he brought “was an alcoholic.” Egged on by his peers, he described how a bottle of wine had broken in his suitcase, thereby giving his jacket “plenty of time between New York and Los Angeles to drink the entire bottle.” And that, mes amis, is living proof that Bordeaux wine–and winemakers–are nothing to fear. Santé!

When a wine bottle breaks in your suitcase, pour yourself a glass of wine.

A glass of Bordeaux is the best cure for a broken wine bottle in your suitcase.

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A California wine to drink with your BFFs

17 Apr

“Tell me who you drink with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

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That’s what the folks at New Craft Cellars believe, and enjoying wine with friends was the genesis for Los Vinos de Compadre,* their California-blend red wine, which hit the market last September.

Compadre was created by Meggan Sorensen of Long Beach, Calif., a former viticulture major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, who, not surprisingly, met her husband at a wine and cheese party while they were in college. Fast forward a few years and Sorensen enlisted family friend Jose Lozano as a business partner. Together with Jose and her Napa-based cousin Mark, Sorensen created a label whose mission is to bring good food and friends together.

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Why Compadre?

“Jose is our son’s godfather,” says Sorensen. “He introduced us to a culture that values family and great food.” Sorensen wanted to emulate that familia spirit in a wine that was easy to drink and paired well with Latin American food. The word ‘compadre’ best encapsulated her vision.

With delicious red fruit aromas, some delicate vanilla notes and well-balanced acidity, Compadre pairs well with Manchego cheese (I tried it last night!), grilled steak, or mildly spicy foods. Because of the tame alcohol content, the wine won’t add fire to an already spicy dish.

After bottling, Sorensen gathers friends for a "waxing party," where guests seal bottles with decorative red wax.

After bottling, Sorensen gathers friends for a “waxing party,” where guests seal bottles with decorative red wax.

You can buy Compadre online for $20 at http://www.newcraftcellars.com, or you can find it at some Orange County, Calif. wine shops and restaurants. If you’re in the L.A. area, Compadre is on the wine list at the Willmore Wine Bar in Long Beach.

So remember, chicas y chicos, choose your vino the way you would your best amigos: Likes the same foods you like, easygoing, and always up for a casual get-together. ¡Salud!

*EL FULL DISCLOSURE: Señorita Vino received a complimentary bottle of Compadre wine to sample, but the opinions and findings expressed in this post are entirely my own. 

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Put a Little Passion in Your Pisco

12 Apr

I’m baaaaaaaack! From vacation, that is.

Two weeks in Perú have left me jonesin’ for the latest spin on the Andean nation’s  cocktail of choice, the Pisco Sour. This popular new version features an intoxicating splash of passionfruit for an exotically fruity twist and can be found in trendy restaurants or bars from Lima to Cuzco and points beyond.

Passionfruit Pisco Sours, as enjoyed at Ache restaurant in Lima's Miraflores neighborhood.

Passionfruit Pisco Sours, as enjoyed at Ache restaurant in Lima’s Miraflores neighborhood.

Here’s Señorita Vino’s own take on a drink that will leave you longing for Llama Land. This cocktail is the perfect aperitif, or you can do what I’m doing and use it to cure a case of post-vacation blues.

Señorita Vino’s Passionfruit Pisco Sour

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups pisco

1 cup sugar

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, no seeds or pulp

1 cup passionfruit juice (you should be able to find this in an ethnic grocery store)

Angostura bitters (just a few drops’ll do ya!)

12 ice cubes, crushed

2 egg whites

METHOD:

Pour pisco, sugar, lime juice, passionfruit juice and a couple of drops of Angostura bitters into a blender and blend on medium speed until thoroughly mixed (two to five minutes). Next, add the crushed ice and the egg whites and blend again for about three minutes. Pour the mixture into small shot glasses and top with a drop of Angostura bitters.

¡Salud!

Serves about 8 (or four if no one has to drive!)

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Can red wine give you six-pack abs?

3 Apr

Darlings, 

Spring is in the air, which means summer is around the corner, and bathing suit season will soon be upon us. Time to dust off this post about red wine and the waistline. Red vino seems to block fat cells from developing, according to scientists at Purdue. The way I see it, a few glasses of vino and before you know it, everyone look hot in a swimsuit. ¡Salud!

Just when you thought it was safe to get on the treadmill, a new (as in, yesterday) study by Purdue University has concluded that a compound found in red wine can block the development of fat cells. This is great news for people like me, whose fat cells haven’t seen the inside of a gym in about two weeks. Not only that, but red wine as a weight loss tool beats the South Beach Diet, hands down.

Red wine. Better than Pilates.

In all seriousness, chicas y chicos, we’ve known about the health benefits of red wine since the 1980s, when someone thought to connect red wine consumption with the reason French people have healthier corazones than we do, despite devouring triple-creme Brie and buttery croissants with a certain je ne sais quoi that looks a lot like goose liver fat.

The French Paradox: Lab rats who drank whole milk got fatter than those who ate cheese. It’s true – watch the 60 Minutes piece on YouTube.

But don’t take it from me. Go to YouTube and search for “French Paradox” to learn how drinking red wine can lead to a healthier heart.

Lest I digress and break into the Camembert, the Purdue researchers identified the fat-busting compound as piceatannol (say that 10 times fast), which, no surprise, is similar in structure to resveratrol, the red wine component that is believed to stave off cancer and heart disease.

Although Señorita Vino is a bit of a science geek, I promise not to get too technical here. In short, piceatannol prevents immature fat cells from  growing. I’ll drink to that.

Glorious. Rich. Creamy. Stinky. Delectable. Delicioso.

Now here’s El Disclaimer: I am not in any way advocating excessive red wine consumption as a weight loss program, so put down that bottle of Malbec. Gently. You might need it later. Common sense (and my husband) says that the only way to lose weight is to eat less and move more. As a matter of fact, piceatannol is found not only in red wine but in blueberries, grapes and passion fruit, proving once again that you really do need to eat your fruits and veggies.

But if a little sip here and there of my favorite Shiraz is sending the fat cells in my thighs into suspended animation, I say pass the queso, por favor!

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