Bar-B-Que time! But, what wine?

With Memorial Day behind us, I consider summer has officially begun!  That means to pull out the grill and start cooking outdoors, no point in heating up the kitchen.  The previous post listed many of my favorite summertime whites.  Those still pair great with your summer salads and veggies.  But for those wanting the more hearty/beefy foods, here are some red wines to pair with them.  Some of these are my standard "go to's" for anything with bar-b-que sauce or even outdoor grilled pizzas.  Since most of you (and me) are budget conscious, these are pretty affordable.  Also, when I say Zinfandel, I mean Red Zinfandel. 

Michael David Petite Petit (Great, fun label, you will find new things every time)
Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache (for the Aussie lovers)
Peter Lehmann Layers Red
Benessere Old Vine Zinfandel
Coppola Director's Cut Zinfandel
Titus Zinfandel (his Merlot is pretty amazing too)
Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Merlot (goes with everything, and for you non-Merlot drinkers, try this, you won't think its a Merlot)
Bellerusche Cotes du Rhone Red

That's a small list to get you started.  Hope you enjoy!

Interesting Whites

It's finally getting warm out and it's time to sit on the patio after your husband has finished mowing the lawn and have a glass of white wine.  (Of course while he drinks his beer).  There are many different wines out there, but in the spring/early summer is the best time to enjoy some of the different whites that have more crispness, acidity, and some touches of kiwi or pineapple to them.  We don't always have to reach for a Chardonnay.  Most people in the wine industry don't even drink Chardonnay!  Here is a somewhat short list of some great white wines mostly under $20. 

 -  Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier
 - Elk Cove Pinot Gris (you really have to buy 2 of these, because 1 goes down too quickly)!
 - 14 Hands Hot to Trot White (great steal of a deal)
 - Seven Daughters White Blend
 - Peter Lehmann Layers White
 - New Age White (this has an effervescence to it, that means small amount of bubbles)!
 -  Sokol Blosser Evolution White
 - Masi Masianco (Italian Pinot Grigio)
 - Tangent Ecclestone
 - Tangent Albarino
 - Paco & Lola Albarino
 - Treana White (more than $20, so break this out for a special occasion)

I'm sure you all have had a Moscato wine.  Well, currently it is the most popular selling white wine.  What does that mean?  Everyone is now making a Moscato.  That doesn't mean they are all good, so if you are familiar with a certain winery, and you like their other wines, chances are it will probably be good too. 

 - Seven Daughters Moscato
 - Folie a deux Menage a trois Moscato
 - Marco Negri Moscato (this one is a bit pricier, but has been around forever and WORTH IT)
 - Ruffino Moscato
 - Middle Sister Sweet & Sassy Moscato (this is a fun one to give as gifts to those middle children)

Wanted to let you all have a list of some great items to buy and stock up on for the weekend!  Enjoy!

How it begins

Being in the wine industry for the past 7+ years now, I constantly have friends and family members asking me what they should drink, buy, mix with, etc.  After visiting with one of my best friends this past weekend, she mentioned I should start a blog, to help people choose wines when going to the store.  I considered it, but it wasn't until the next day I had another request of some wines from a different friend.  So, here it goes.  Feedback is definitely welcomed, and I should start by saying, there are MANY different fantastic wines that I will probably forget to talk about.  Luckily, I guess I can post anytime. 

Having just celebrated the Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo (or Cinco de Drinko as some call it), and a Wine event, there were many things to get excited about.  What do we all do when we are excited and or celebrating, DRINK?! 

One of my new favorite liquors is called St. Germain.  It is a liquor made from the elderflower.  The taste is semi-sweet, but mixes with many different drinks and wines.  Of course the favorite is the St. Germain cocktail:  in a tall Collins glass, fill with ice, then add 2 parts Champagne (told you it's great) and 1 1/2 parts St. Germain, and 2 parts Club Soda.  Talk about spring in a glass!  This is great for brunch, after dinner, sitting on the porch, anytime!  You can make a batch of this too, if your having friends over, and trust me, they will all want it too.  Some of my favorite affordable Sparklings would be Sofia (by Coppola), Mumm Napa, Schramsberg, and Domaine Ste Michelle.  I mentioned the Kentucky Derby, and you have to have your Mint Julep and wear your largest hat while watching the derby.  Once again, make your mint julep (hopefully with the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve) and add a splash of St. Germain to the top!  Or, for Cinco de Mayo, the lower calorie St. Rita:  2 parts tequila blanco (I would go with Republic tequila 100% organic) 1 part St. Germain, and 1 freshly squeezed lime.  Mucho bueno!


Well, I didn't really talk very much about wines this time, but I will get there.  Don't want to cause information overload.