Ice Cream Cellars

Wines these days are becoming more unique with more flavored wines than every before. I always try to browse the wine section to stay abreast of what's new since I feel like I am always out of the loop. I was flipping through The Fresh Market flyer and was stopped when I saw a picture of what I thought was an ice cream cone...turns out it was actually a wine bottle! This was a French Vanilla wine from Ice Cream Cellars. After reading this, I figured that it could either be pretty good or really terrible but it was definitely something I needed to try. Who doesn't want to say that they have had ice cream wine?! This wines comes it at $12 so it's definitely worth a try. So what does ice cream wine taste like....like a cup of melted ice cream. It's comparable to the cake or whipped cream flavored vodkas. I was surprised by the fact that it was sweet, but not grotesquely sweet. Clearly this is a dessert wine, but it's not overwhelming. They also have a raspberry ripple flavor that I will be trying out as well. This is a fun wine that would make a unique addition to a gift basket or a new hostess present. The holidays are here so you always need to have a bottle of wine on hand to serve or give away and this is a great one to have.

Zestos Wine

Rose wines have gotten a bad name thanks to the boxed blush wines, but they are making a comeback and you need to give them a try. This Zestos (which means basket in Spanish) Garnacha Rose comes from Madrid and is a bold blend of unique fruits with a clean finish. The wine starts off with red berry notes and ends with some light acidity and minerality. There are also some notes of rose and vegetation that fill you palette after the initial taste. This pairs well with seafood or light pasta. You can also feel free to sip on this as you are getting dinner ready or sitting around relaxing and the color is festive for the holidays. It's fairly inexpensive and can probably be found in your grocery store. Cheers!

Uppercut Wine

When you cook with wine, you should always cook with something that you would drink. I needed a dry white wine for a recipe I was making, so I decided to try it beforehand to make sure that it was tasty enough to use in the recipe. Uppercut Sauvginon Blanc comes from the northern part of California's coast. Because of the location of the vineyard, the grapes develop both fruit and mineral flavors. The initial notes of the wine are peach and melon and it finishes with some acidity and mineral notes. Usually Sauvginon Blancs don't have lots of fruit so it was interesting to have those present in the wine. The lighter notes but more complex flavors make it a perfect pairing with seafood. This is a great wine to drink on it's on as it isn't too sweet. Stay tuned for the recipe that I used this wine in.

Protea Wine

There are days when all you need is some great wine and even better conversation. Fortunately, both those things occurred recently but the wine really caught my attention because it came in a gorgeous bottle. Protea is a Chenin Blanc wine from South Africa that boosts flavors of pear, citrus and honeysuckle. It is a very light wine with lots of bright aromas without being super sweet. I can't say that I have tried Chenin Blanc wines a lot, but this one certainly made me want to try them. The bottle doesn't have a label but rather an ink that fuses to the glass that features a paisley and Cape Dutch design. I know that repurposing wine bottles is a huge trend right now, but it had enough style to be used as is. This bottle will be a beautiful vase and what more could you want than getting a delicious wine and super fun "vase" for under $20?!

Irvin-House Vineyards and Firefly Distillery

When I decided that I was going to be visiting Charleston, I started thinking about what I wanted to do and what popped into my head but the Firefly Distillery. I'll admit that I am not a die hard Firefly fan, I do know that it is pretty delicious and I have never been to distillery so we were taking the journey to visit. What I found out was that the couple that started Firefly in 2008 also had a vineyard on the property, so that suddenly made an appearance on the list. I can honestly say that when I think of the South, wine is not a product that I immediately think of, but leave to the world to surprise me. After arriving, we got our tasting tickets and headed inside to try the wines of the Irvin House Vineyards. It started off with a highly entertaining video about the history of the vineyards and how they make their wine. These wines are made with the Muscadine grape and are traditionally not overly sweet.

There were five different varieties that we tasted - Tara Gold, Magnolia, Live Oak Reserve, Mullet Hall Red, and Palmetto. It started off with the lightest white and their darkest red. The wines were definitely not impressive and I found it interesting that all of the wines seemed to lack any aromas when you smelled the wine. It was just like smelling grapes. Luckily that just meant that I avoided that complication of trying to figure out how to bring back any wine, but it was fine to go to the tasting. Next up was a short walk over to the Firefly tasting room. I was slightly disappointed that you didn't actually get to tour the distillery, but that didn't mean that there wasn't any tasting going on. They had three different bars set up where you got to select 6 samples. I wasn't aware of this but Firefly also makes two different spiced rums, moonshine and liqueurs in addition to the vodka. I ended up trying the Sweet Tea bourbon, spiced rum (a bit like Captain Morgan), lemonade (only available at the distillery), peach moonshine, blackberry moonshine, and coconut cake liqueur. As much as I was feeling adventurous, I was not at all going to tackle the White Lighting - 101 proof moonshine..talk about not messing around! The sweet tea bourbon was surprisingly good because of the subtle sweetness and the moonshine had very lovely fruit flavors. The coconut cake liqueur tasted exactly like the cake. Though we didn't bring any home, it was a fun experience and something different to do. If you ever get to the Charleston area, be sure to make the drive out to visit Firefly.

Middle Sister Pinot Grigio

For me, the thing I crave most during the summertime is sangria. It is so light and refreshing with two of my favorite things, fruit and wine. Plus it's fun to play around with different wines and fruit because a wine by itself is different once you infuse fruit into it. This California Pinot Grigio from Middle Sister was crisp, slightly acidic, but finished with notes of citrus. It would be a great wine for some white fish, a salad, or just sip by itself. I, however, opted for sangria. I used frozen peaches and raspberries mixed with Sierra Mist Natural. The fruit and soda added enough sweetness to help balance out the wine. Middle Sister has a whole line of tempting wines that I need to try...and no I won't make sangria out of all of them! If you are looking for a light summer wine, this one is something you should try.

Paradocx Vineyard

I love wine and have always wanted to visit a winery, but haven't had the chance to. Doing a wine trip to California wine country is definitely on my list of trips I want to take, but luckily for me I finally made it to my first vineyard thanks to my wonderful sister! Where did we go?...a fun little place called Paradocx Vineyard in Pennsylvania. This wine was created by two pairs of doctors, hence the playful name for the wine. This laid back vineyard is settled in the rolling hill country and is a perfect place to relax, unwind, and enjoy a wonderful glass of wine.

So we sat down to embark on our first wine tasting experience. There were six different wines that we got to try - three whites, two reds, and a very special kind of wine. The first one was a Vidal Blanc which was full of floral and citrus notes. Next was the first of two different Chardonnays. The first one was a Haywagon Chardonnay. This wine was not oaked and was slightly more acidic than the first with lots of tropical fruit notes. The Old Stone Chardonnay was an aged in American oak and had more of the buttered popcorn and caramel notes. Any of the these would be perfect to enjoy by themselves, but also pairs well with lighter dishes or cream sauces.

The two reds that we sampled were made from grapes that I wasn't familiar with. The first was made from the Touriga grape. This wine had delicious notes of berry, plums, and red fruits. It wasn't very tannic which made it much easier to drink and much more enjoyable for me to drink. The Chambourcin wine had notes of prune and a subtle almond touch at the end. This also lacked the tannins that normally steer me away from red wines. Both of these were actually quite good just on their own. However, they have much deeper flavors and need to be paired with heavier meat dishes.

Last, but not least we were able to sample their famous "Twine", aka tea-infused wine. I know, I know it sounds weird, but so yummy! The flavor hints at sweet tea laced with peach and a touch of acidity. I admit that I would have never thought to combine tea and wine, but they created a very magical concoction. You can serve it at room temperature or over ice. It was so unique and addicting that I had to bring back a souvenir bottle. For my first visit to a winery, I had a lot of fun. I can't wait for my next visit and am so thankful that I got to try some great new wines! If you are ever up in the Chester County area of Pennsylvania, take some time to visit this great winery.

Parducci Pinot Noir

Getting back to basics is something that I need to learn how to do more often. Life has a funny way of getting a little crazy and soon you can lose perspective. Sometimes all it takes is a simple reminder to get back to the things that make you who you are. For me, my most recent moment of clarity came in this wonderful bottle of wine. It was a reminder that wine can take you to different places. This Pinot Noir was delicate and fruity, but had depth of flavor and a beautiful color. It was an opportunity to be pretend to fun and mysterious at the same time. The longer I let the wine breathe, the more it revealed itself and the depth of flavor. This was a great introductory red wine and a reminder to not judge a wine before you give it a try. Cheers to fresh beginnings and never forgetting the simple things are sometimes the best things!

Spring Sips from Central Market

If you just look, there are tons of things to do around you. I found a really fun wine tasting class at Central Market. This class highlighted some "Spring Sips", which are really just easy to drink, summery wines. In this class, we tried five different wines - two whites, a rose, and two red wines. One of the white wines that we sampled in the class (and I ended up buying) was a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It was a crisp wines that had floral notes, in addition to citrus and minerals aromas. There were aromas of melon, honey, and lime. It had a nice finish to it that wasn't too acidic. It was a very nice wine on its own, but would pair well with chicken or a citrus shrimp dish. Since it had the background of minerals, it is great for those who don't like the fruity sweetness that white wines are known for. Coming in at about $8, this wine is definitely a must try as the weather begins to warm up.

Red Truck

I am still trying to acquire a real taste for red wines. Since I am not a fan of the big, bold reds, I have been trying some Pinot Noirs. I found this Red Truck Pinot Noir for a budget friendly $10 at Trader Joe's. I think that this is a wonderful introduction to red wines, as it is full of fruit and not very tannic. It is a great wine with food or one its own. The interesting part is that it has paired fairly well with chicken and seafood, even though those are the not usual food pairings for red wines. If you are looking for a lighter red wine, this is definitely one worth trying.

Ecco Domani

Wine is a product where there are almost unlimited options. There are always new finds and varietals being produced, so I can guarantee you will never get board. This was a random find while at the grocery store. I realized that the way I have picked wines recently has begun to change. I used to only look at labels, but now I was selecting a specific region and the choosing one based on the label. However, I have not had very good luck recently so maybe I just need to go back to my old ways. Anyways... this Italian Pinot Grigio from Ecco Domani was much better than my last choice. It was crisp and acidic, however what they called floral notes, I thought more of as mineral, earthy aromas. Either way, this was not a fruit laced wine, which was something new for me. I do have to say that it seemed to get better the longer you let it breathe and was better with food then by itself. If you are looking for a great light wine, this would be a good option...plus it won't break the bank. Cheers to the weekend!

Sequin

I think that this is the first time that my wine picking method has failed me. I can't say that every wine I have picked has blown me away, but they have all been fairly decent at least. Sequin was not a winner in my book at all! I would have to say that this is one of the worst wines I have ever had. I grabbed it on my way of the store one day because it had such a a fun bottle and it was a moscato, so I figured that I couldn't go wrong with wine that is basically sparkling grape juice. This time I was mistaken...apparently you can go wrong with moscato. It starts out normal and then all of a sudden this weird aftertaste comes and it lingers. I finally gave up on trying to stomach the first glass and it even gave it another try. The second glass was a bit more tolerable, but I will not be buying it again. It's unfortunate, but this is not a wine that I would ever recommend. I guess there's a first time for everything and after so many successful bottles of wine found, it was only a matter of time before one of them would be bad. Oh well. I can say I tried it and didn't care for it, so it wasn't a complete waste.

Cheers to Super Bowl Sunday!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone! As much as people say this day is about football, let's be honest. It's all about the food. Whether you are doing a huge party or a small get together with a full meal or tons of snack foods, food is the tie that binds us all together. I know that beer is usually the drink of choice this day, but since I am not a huge beer lover, I am mixing it up and going with the wine (slightly less caloric than mixed drinks, though sometimes not as fun). I was wondering the wine aisles and found this fun looking bottle of wine called esteio vinho verde from Portugal. I had never had a vinho verde before, but I decided to give it a try. Plus the label said it was a sweet and fizzy wine, so I thought it could be interesting. Vinho verde is a region in Portugal and the name means young wine, however, I was slightly disappointed to find that this wine was neither sweet nor all that fizzy. It was slightly acidic, crisp and had some mineral hints. I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of a moscato, but it wasn't my favorite. I definitely tend to enjoy more floral and fruit aromas in my wine. However, if you like a crisper wine, be sure to give this one a try.

Monkey Bay

There is something exciting about trying a new wine. You never know what to expect because every wine is slightly different even if it is made from the same grape. The climate and region affects the wine, so you may like the varietal from France for example, but not from Napa. I like it because it's like opening a present and usually I am pleasantly surprised. I found this Sauvginon Blanc from New Zealand called Monkey Bay. This wine was crisp and bright with a hint of pineapple. It is a great wine now that the weather is unfortunately starting to get a bit warmer. (That's Texas for you...) The suggested food pairing was chicken and seafood, but I had it with some ground turkey and it was delicious. This is definitely one I will buy again. It was refreshing on the palate and under $10, so what's not to love about a great wine at an affordable price.

Macaron: Part 2

I came to find that there are other people in the world that choose wine by the look of the label. I'm glad I'm not the only one that does it and it proves that wine makers should never underestimate the power of creative label. I was already drawn in with the playfulness of the Macaron wine label and decided to try one of the other varietals. The Moscato Italia is a fun dessert wine that is light and sweet. However, I did notice that this Moscato didn't have that syrupy sweetness to it that most Moscatos have. This is a great girls night wine or just something nice to sip on. I know that because of the sweetness Moscatos aren't for everyone, but if you want to mix it up this is definitely a great wine. Plus, it's a great wine for the price and is a perfect way to celebrate the start of a wonderful new year! Cheers!

Macaron

'Tis the season for sweets galore, so why shouldn't the wine join the sweet party too? When you are doing desserts, typically the go to wines are the sweeter ones. Though there are the super sweet wine white and bubblies, there are a few sweet red wines. Macaron is definitely worth noting (and trying). As per my usual wine buying strategy, I bought this one because of the label. Let's just be real for a second...how can brightly colored cookies not catch your attention?! Well they sure caught mine, so I gave it a try. This was labeled as a semi-sweet red wine from Italy. It was a lighter red wine that had bold cherry and raspberry flavors with a shorter finish. This wine didn't have that tannic aftertaste that some red wines have. For those that shy away from sweet wines because they can sometimes taste like the sparkling grape juice you drank as a kid, this is not one of those. It was reasonably priced and worth a try. So cheers to trying something new!

Stella

I fell in love with Italy when I went to visit and since then I seem to be drawn to all things Italian. While wandering around the wine aisles of Spec's, I happened to stumble on this Pinot Grigio called Stella and had to try it. I do enjoy Pinot Grigio, it had a precious name, and there were stars on the label...how could I nor try it? Luckily for me, this was a screw top wine, so I didn't have to mess with my wine opener. This wine was citrusy, crisp, and slightly acidic. There was a slight herbal aroma to it, and it was a surprisingly long finish for a white wine. Priced under $15, this is a great sipping wine that would go great with chicken, turkey, or salad. If you are looking for a great wine to try tonight, be sure to give this one a try.

"Bogle"ing My Mind

Sauvignon blancs tend to be more acidic and spicy. They have more of a zippy herbal taste, instead of the fruit flavors. I found this one from Bogle vineyards in Sacramento at Whole Foods. It's pretty acidic and has lots of herbal, earthy flavors, making it a perfect pair with fish and cheese. As a wine to drink by itself, I prefer something with a bit more fruit to it. However, I am sure that with the right foods, it would be much better. That's the great thing about wine...some are meant to enjoy with food and some are better by themselves, but either way there is something for everyone and everything. If you prefer less fruity wines, then this is a great option. No matter what it is, give it a try and take a walk on the wild side.

Doc's Food and Wine

I love food and pairing it with a great wine and romantic atmosphere makes it even better. This is what a trip to Doc's Food and Wine was like. The bi-level restaurant had a warm and cozy feel to it. I started off with a Papa Doble, which was rum, lime, grapefruit, and maraschino liqueur. Don't be confused like me and think that maraschino means red and cherry flavored. It is made of cherries, but doesn't taste at all like the cherry you put on a sundae. The drink was not at all sweet, which wasn't really my style but at least I can say I tried it. Since it was part wine bar, I figured that I should try some of their wines and I have never had a wine flight before, so now was my chance. I tried the "Old World Whites" flight, which included Domaine de Salvard Sauvignon Blanc, Salneval Albarino, and Eric Chevalier muscadet. I would have to say that the muscadet was my favorite because it had heavy notes of fruit flavor and paired well with the seafood we were eating.

They served the food tapas style, with one or two portions per plate so we got a few to share. The four plates were (starting from the top left hand corner) shrimp and grits, jalapeno calamari, crab cakes, and parmesan mussels. They were all delicious! The shrimp had a bit of a kick to it and the grits were creamy and cheesy. The calamari of the day had jalapenos in the batter and then slices of fried jalapenos served with the calamari. It wasn't too spicy, but did have a great smokey flavor to it. The crab cakes were well-seasoned, the crust had a nice crunch to it, and the sauce added an extra punch of flavor. I was cautious about the mussels because I didn't have a good first experience with them. However, when you add butter, garlic, and parmesan cheese, it will make anything instantly better! They were a great introduction to mussels and had a really great flavor. Plus, they have there own little forks that you use to get them out of the shell, so what's not to like about that?! (Ok, maybe that's just me)

Last, but not least we closed the meal with a heavenly bread pudding topped with a snickerdoodle ice cream. I know it sounds a little weird, but the other flavors were things like skittle, cotton candy, and fruit punch. (I am sure that they are delicious, but none of them seemed to remotely go with bread pudding.) Ayway, the snickerdoodle ice cream was amazing! The bread pudding had a great consistency and tasted like fall. I would have to say that it ranks up there as far as the best bread pudding list is concerned. If you are ever in the area, make sure you stop in because it's a great little place full of charm and great food and drinks.

Ouisie's Table

Ouisie's Table is a quaint little place on San Felipe, tucked away behind trees and twinkling lights. Known for it's upscale southern cuisine, this was a must stop place on my Houston Restaurant Weeks tour. We sat on the cozy little porch that felt like it was pulled out of a magazine from the East Coast. The meal starts with bite size muffins-gingerbread, jalapeno, and bacon and chive corn muffins. Then we tried a very lovely Pinot Grigio by Bottega Vinaia. It was crisp and light with aromas of pear and citrus. A great summer wine that was easy to sip on and went well with the meal.

The first course was mini crab cakes with a corn relish served with a jalapeno tartar and house cocktail sauce. The crab cakes were moist and well seasoned. The breading had a nice crunch to it, but still allowed the crab to shine without being too fishy. The corn relish added a bit of sweetness and the sauces was an extra burst of flavor.

 

Next was the entree course. There are very few times that I will eat or order red meat. However, I was feeling adventurous and decided I should break my mold and order something different. Besides when it is served with lobster risotto, who would turn that down?...definitely not me. This piece of beef tenderloin had a demi-glace sauce that kept the meat tender and added an extra layer of flavor. The green beans were well cooked so that they still had some snap to them. The lobster risotto was creamy and had large pieces of lobster in it. The texture contrast through the dish was delightful.

Last, but certainly not least, came my favorite part of the meal - dessert. It was a tough choice between the tres leches and the strawberry ice cream profiterole. A profiterole is like a cream puff, except that it is larger and this one was filled with strawberry ice cream. It was then given a healthy coat of chocolate, so that it was almost like eating a chocolate covered strawberry. Though it was a little awkward to eat, it was delicious. The tres leches didn't disappoint either. It was very light and not overly sweet. The texture of the cake was very fine and held up well by not turning into mush. The topping was heavenly and the fresh berries added a nice touch. It was definitely one of the best tres leches I have had! 

If you haven't made it to Ouisie's Table or any where for Houston Restaurant Weeks, you should! Plus they are extending the event until September 3! Check houstonrestaurantweeks.com for those places that will be extending their offering. Don't forget that when you participate, you are eating for a cause and get to have some delicious cuisine, so there is really no downside.