Wine Lovin Women

Malbec If I were to choose a wine for its color, I would pick a Malbec. It has such a succulent deep rich color, with dark fruit and spice to complete the dance on your palate...it tantalizes my taste buds. It's not the most popular; however there are more great Malbecs becoming available. The Malbec grape truly comes into its own in Argentina, where Malbec is the major red variety planted and is most often bottled as a singe varietal.  Argentina might have claimed this grape but it originated in the Southwest of France, however Eastern Washington is producing beautiful Malbecs with intense fruit and subtle spice. Malbec is a spicy wine reminiscent of blackberries and chocolate, with an enticing aroma and velvety texture.  Malbecs are also used in small amounts as a blending grape, such as in Bordeaux blends to add color and to smooth the tannins of the other wines in the blend. One winery you have to be sure to put on your agenda when visiting Walla Walla is Fly...

We found a great Rose' to take on a picnic or camping trip, Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose 2011.   This Willamette Valley Rose has a fresh fruit aroma with a crisp, light and refreshing taste; even better yet it has a twist top so you have one less thing to pack.   Cheers….Denise

4th Annual Kitsap Wine Festival Last weekend I had the pleasure to enjoy the 4 th Annual Kitsap Wine Festival at the Harborside Fountain Park in Bremerton, Washington.   This event brought together some of the best wineries within Washington and Oregon in order to raise money to benefit the Harrison Medical Center Foundation. Besides enjoying amazing wines there was also delicious food and brews to enjoy.   It was well worth the entrance fee and I was especially impressed with the overall organization. I would like to share some of my favorites from the day.   I recently listed in a former blog other wineries that also were present at this event but since I did a recent review of their wines I felt it was important to bring you some new wineries to explore.   Hightower Cellars – Red Mountain, Washington Out of Line 2009 – a Blend – Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot – rich, structured and a little complex.   It has a gentle nose with a mild ...

Simple White Wine Sangria My Sangria recipe re-posting for you to cool off from the summer heat.  Many recipes out there have a lot of ingredients, I made this one simple and refreshing, enjoy…Denise 1 bottle dry white wine ( Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio) 2 shots of brandy 1 orange sliced 1 lime sliced 1 peach sliced 1 lemon sliced 2 shots of triple sec 1 shot of simple syrup (optional) Club soda Pour the wine in a pitcher add sliced fruits (be sure to wash your fruit before slicing) brandy, triple sec, stir and chill 2 -4 hours.  Before serving, add 1 liter of club soda, taste test to see if you need the simple syrup (you might need if your fruit isn’t that sweet).   That’s it, you are ready to chill!

Gig Harbor Wine & Food Festival 2012 An event that I can highly recommend is the Gig Harbor Wine & Food Festival.   This event was well coordinated and worth the entrance fee.   There were 30 wineries, 5 breweries and food tasting tables that complimented the wine/beer perfectly.   Tasting classes were also offered along with cooking demonstrations and a cook off competition. There were so many things to drink and eat that I was unfortunately only able to get around to a small fraction of what was being offered.   Obelisco Red Mountain Estate Wines – Woodinville, Washington Dry Riesling – VERY dry.   I would pair this with rich seafood and sweet deserts. Mosquito Fleet Winery – Belfair, Washington Meritage Blend 2009 – I love when you smell a wine and it tingles all your senses clear to the back of your throat and then leaves you with goose bumps.   That’s how I felt about this win...

  The Gig Harbor Food and Wine Festival which is held in July had plenty of wineries, food, seminars and demonstrations; the sun was heating up the day so they were pouring primarily Rosé and white wines. The Rosé gets a bad rap from its past, comparing it to the sickening sweet “Blush” wines of long ago.   The Rose’ coming out now, you don’t need to be ashamed to admit you like.  The Rosé wine producers continue to improve the quality and array of flavors and outstanding versions are coming out now; some of the best are dry, crisp and refreshing.   The Rosé color comes from the short amount of time that the skins of the grape stay in contact with the juices…only a few hours.   Since they are fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the freshness, you will find the Rosé has little tannins. While the sun is shining, Rosé has proved to be a refreshing option to pour.   Such as the Rosé of Cabernet Franc from Columbia Valley by Masquerade Win...

My husband and I took part in the Bainbridge Uncorked Weekend in June….who knew there were these great wineries on Bainbridge island.   Wow, what a surprise in our own backyard! Our first stop was at Eleven winery; nestled in the trees was their tasting room and winery.   Eleven is named for the smallest cog in the rear cluster on a racing bike.   The founder and wine maker was a bicycle racer, which you will notice when you walk into the tasting room and see that bicycles are decorating the walls.   This was my first time to try a Roussanne, which is commonly grown in the south of France.   What a treat, I was so happy with our first stop on the wine tour with just my first sip.   Another one on their list I sampled was the 2009 La Ronde, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot and Malbec, a winner of a Double Gold medal at the Seattle Wine Awards .   This is a very bold, yet smooth wine with a complex ripple across your tongue to wake up...