The Bay Area’s food and wine scene is, of course, world-class and often pretty innovative. A new Oakland winery is producing a vintage like no other where flowers — not grapes — are the star of the bottle. Cornell Brand; KGO-TV Free Range Flower Winery (“FRFW”) is a family-owned urban winery located in Oakland, California, that…
Tag: Food and wine pairing
Pinots d’Alsace?…Yes Please! #Winophiles #AlsaceRocks
This month our French Winophiles group is teaming up with Wines of Alsace, and Teuwen Communications for their Alsace Rocks! promotion. As part of the promotion I was provided with 4 sample wines (as always opinions are my own!) My Pinot Flight included at least one of the four Pinot grape varieties of Alsace – Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris,…
Wine of the Day; 2016 Fields Family Wines Vermentino DeLu Vineyard
This is easily the best Vermentino I’ve every had! There’s remarkable depth, complexity and texture here. Fruit sourced from the Delu Vineyard in the Alta Mesa sub-AVA of Lodi. Fermented until dry in stainless steel. Thereafter, raised in neutral French Oak on its fine less for 5 months. Color – Pale straw yellow Aromas –…
A Taste of The House of Chapoutier #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are roaming the Rhône Valley! We received three sample wines from the venerable House of Chapoutier from three different regions of the Rhône Valley – Crozes Hermitage, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Luberon. Overview of the Rhône Valley The Rhône Valley is a key wine-producing region in the southeast of France. It follows the north–south course of…
A Journey To Iberia And Beyond for Open That Bottle Night #WinePW #OTBN
Open That Bottle Night 2018 was a splendid five hour affair with memorable wines, food, laughter and fellowship shared with great friends! Of all the wine “days” (Cabernet Day, Chardonnay Day, Champagne Day, etc), Open That Bottle Night (“OTBN”) is my favorite. That’s because it’s a great opportunity for fellowship around food and wine; and making memories with the special…
Easy #ValentinesDay Three Course Champagne Pairing Dinner Featuring Bruno Paillard Brut Premiere #Food and #Wine Pairing
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love! And when I think of a celebration, I think of Champagne! Chances are you that you’ve been enjoying Champagne for toasts or as an aperitif, but it’s such a food friendly wine (the most food-friendly in my book) it can take you from a toast, through appetizers, on to the…
#Food And #Wine Pairing: Blandy’s Madeira Sercial 10 Years Old and Sushi
One sip of Madeira and I asked myself “why don’t I buy and drink this wine more regularly?” That question was the first thing that popped into my head when, after five years (according to my tasting notes) I opened a bottle of Blandy’s 10 Year Malmsey Madeira a few weeks ago. It was one of two sample…
A Taste of Valtellina: 2014 Ar.Pe.Pe. Rosso Superiore Paired With Wild Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Polenta #ItalianFWT
When you travel, do you tend to visit and place once, and then want to try a new place? Or are you more comfortable returning to a beloved destination again and again? Of course, it likely depends on your experience with a place. Well after making a virtual visit to Valtellina last year, I’m delighted…
What Grows Together, Goes Together – Slow Cooker Cassoulet Paired With Affordable Occitanie Wines #Winophiles
This month the French Winophiles are exploring Occitanie – formerly Languedoc-Rousillion; and in particular the AOPs of Minervois and Corbières. And what better way to explore a wine region that simultaneously exploring its gastronomy. Certain wines are always paired with certain dishes because they come from the same “paese” or region, and therefore have traditionally been served…
Sparkling Wine Dinner Series; Ferrari Brut Paired with Creamy Seafood Risotto
Sparkling wines are the ultimate wine of choice when it comes to celebrations of special occasions. But sparkling wines are too often neglected, and vastly underappreciated when it comes to pairing them with food throughout a meal – from appetizers to dessert. I strongly believe that sparkling wine has a bigger role to play at…