Friday February 10, 2012
Wine-themed cocktails have been gaining a steady foothold in the world of mixology, but they are by no means new to the cocktail spotlight. In fact, wine cocktails were popular pre-Prohibition and are steadily making a remarkable comeback in today's at-home and restaurant bar scene.
Red wine, white wine and sparkling wines have all found their way into the base trend of wine cocktail creations, with sparkling wines perhaps offering the most variety and novelty in the mixed wine category.
Often easier on the wallet, than their hard alcohol counterparts, more food-friendly than many classic cocktails and typically easy to mix and muddle together, wine cocktails offer a lively alternative to traditional cocktails. Interested in trying out some sweet and savory wine-based recipes? Check out the latest wine cocktail collection here.
Image Courtesy of Martini Asti
Thursday February 9, 2012
This Cremant Rosé is a gorgeous sparkling wine from Burgundy, made with Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir grapes. The Louis Boillot Cremant de Bourgogné Rose is one of the most reasonably priced French sparklers around, weighing in at under $15 a pop.
Buckle up for some serious strawberry and fresh raspberry themes, followed up by an understated elegance balanced by sturdy structure, plenty of bubbles and super food-friendly character.
The Perle d'Aurore is a fantastic budget-friendly wine find for Valentine's Day. Consider pairing it with smoked salmon, milk chocolate covered strawberries or raspberry tart.
Thursday February 2, 2012
Valentine's Day is simply made for
wine and chocolate, two of my favorite treats all wrapped up into one delicious holiday! The goal for pairing wine with chocolate should be synergy, where both the wine and the chocolate taste better together. If the pairing turns bitter, you're chocolate may be too dark for your wine.
Check out top tips for reaching chocolate and wine pairing bliss this Valentine's Day
here. Or if you are more into "seeing" than reading about simple steps for creating tasty wine and chocolate pairings, then take a peek at About.com's video library:
How To Pair Wine & Chocolate.
Finally, for the DIY approach to wine and chocolate paradise, grab some bars of Green & Black chocolates and mix and match with your favorite wines, here are the wine and Green & Black chocolate combinations that we preferred, but keep in mind every palate is different, the fun is in the no fuss approach to breaking chunks of chocolate and sipping some choice vino.
Image Courtesy of Getty Images / Paul Avis
Monday January 30, 2012
Fresh. Rich. Elegant. Mumm Napa is one of those steady, eddy producers that delivers delicious, consistent, sparkling wine year in and year out at fair price points. Take the Mumm Napa Brut Rose - you'll find buckets of bubbles, juicy red fruit and plenty of pep on the palate.
Expect loads of strawberry and ripe raspberry to make an early introduction, followed by the engaging encore of yeast-driven notes and sparkling layers of vanilla spice. With solid structure, fresh fruit, a steady stream of bubbles and the ability to partner with an impressive collection of ethnic cuisines, the Mumm Napa Brut Rose is a perfect pick for Valentine's Day and beyond.
