2013 Sommeliers of the Year

Food and Wine magazine has just announced their sommeliers of the year for 2013. I am particularly interested in this article because I am an inspiring Sommelier. It takes years of learning and gaining experience to become a great sommelier, and I am up for the challenge. Congrats to my future wine loving colleagues! Cheers! Check out the article for more details.
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/sommeliers-of-the-year-2013

Chocolate Shop

Just when I thought I knew everything there is to know about chocolate I was briefly educated by one of my best friends about the decadence of Chocolate Shop wine. To my surprise my favorite magazine ,Wine Spectator, has named this wine as their favorite chocolate red wine. And NBC's Today Show has call the wine "pure heaven". After all of this praise, I'm now obsessed with Chocolate Shop wine. As you know, I am a true lover of dry red wines. But it's time to try something new. I tasted the Chocolate Shop red wine and now understand the need for such praise. Because of its dark cherry and dark chocolate after tones, Chocolate Shop red wine can be very addictive. I can see why this vino is a favorite to most. Check out the Chocolate Shop website and decide for yourself. Tell me what do you think? Lets Blog.. Cheers! http://chocolateshopwine.com/
*pics thanks to the Chocolate Shop web page

Drink Local Wine- Black Ankle Winery

I heart Rolling Hills wine from Black Ankle Vineyard. This wine boasts a blend of five different grapes. The blend leaves a very black cherry flavor on the tongue. As well as the hint of eucalyptus as it finishes. Check out the Black Ankle website for more details.
http://www.blackankle.com/scripts/winepg.cfm/_/13/2010/Rolling-Hills/

Wine Pairing with P.F. Chang

I heart P.F. Chang China Bistro. Their food is really delish. Now they are exploring the options of food and wine pairing. Check out their YouTube episode. Cheers!

http://www.pfchangs.com/inspired/html/mobile.html

Drink Local Wine- Boordy Vineyards

Boordy is a awesome place to visit anytime of the year. They have events throughout the seasons. I heart three wines from Boordy, Riesling, White Sangria and Chilled Apple. Surprise....I did not choose a red which is my staple wine. Boordy's Riesling is quite simple in taste. I love the aroma of fresh apricots. The White Sangria is relatively new. It boasts delicious light fruity flavors. My mom adores this wine. Unfortunately, Boordy no longer produces the Chilled Apple wine. Too bad! It was my ultimate favorite of all Boordy Wines.

Drink Local Wine- Linganore Winery

The Drink Local Wine Conference is fast approaching. In the spirt of celebrating MD Wine... I will be reviewing my favorite MD Wineries and choosing a favorite wine from each of them. Lets start with Linganore Winery. I heart linganore's Bacioni wine. Bacioni means "big kiss" in Italian. This wine is a dry red table wine. It does not have the same monster bite as a merlot. The taste is smooth with tannins to spare. Check out Bacioni from Linganore Winery. You will not be disappointed. Cheers!

Drink Local Wine Conference, April 13, 2013

To all of my wine enthusiasts, there are exciting things going on for Maryland wine in 2013. If you are a lover of local grapes this event is for you. The Drink Local Wine Conference will be held this year, on April 13, 2013, in our hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. The focus of the conference will be completely on Maryland wines. There will be discussions and a Twitter taste-off. To prepare for the conference try visiting one of the many Maryland wineries. If you are looking for a calm and romantic getaway, Black Ankle Winery is an excellent place to start. I love their dry red wines and the atmosphere resembles a scene somewhere in Italy. Thanks to Mr.Groundhog, warmer weather will be visiting us sooner than later. This leads to awesome fun times at the wine festivals hosted by Linganore Winery. Also, Boordy Vineyards hosts a fun Thursday night Happy Hour and the cost are free to mingle and only a few dollars to sample Boordy wines. Check out the Drink Local Wine website for more information. http://www.drinklocalwine.com/
Share your thoughts on Maryland wines with me ……lets Blog

 Cheers!!

I Heart Fermented Grapes

Naked Chardonnay

I truly heart grapes that have been fermented in 100% stainless steel. My favorite type of Chardonnay is unoaked. Four Vines Vineayard, located in California, has created a delicious naked wine that is full of light fruity flavors and absolutely no oak. Check out their website for more details.
http://www.fourvines.com/2011nakedchardonnay

Events Around Town!

The Maryland Wineries Association presents DECANTER—the third annual event to highlight the heritage and tradition of both Maryland wine and Maryland horse racing—on April 20-21, 2013 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, home of the Preakness Stakes. Get your tickets now? This event was a blast last year and will most likely be a ball of fun this year. I enjoyed the Pimlico horse racing as well as meeting the MD wineries. Cheers!
http://www.marylandwine.com/festivals/festivalsid/986

Springtime Fun with Rosé Wine!

La Vieille Ferme Rosé Wine, Recolte, Rhone Valley Vineyards, 2011

I picked up La Vieille Ferme Rosé Wine while on a hunt for something different. This wine was a burst of surprise. I have never been an fan of rosé wines simply because I was not knowledgeable about the taste. To my delight, I found this wine to be so very refreshing and full of floral yet crisp flavor. Try it out and tell me what you think. Cheers!

Pinot Noir Grapes on the Vine

I love the history of these grapes. Enjoy the picture. Cheers!

Chalone Chardonnay, Love at First Sip

I fell in love with Chalone Chardonnay wine during a visit to a wine bar. Chalone was the wine that was being featured for the warm season. I was so surprised by the clear and crisp taste of this Chardonnay. It was heart at first sip. I franticly searched every wine store in MD for Chalone wine but it was no where to be found. Finally I located the wine in DC. Lets just say I bought every bottle they had in stock. Fast forward two years, today I am so happy to be able to purchase my favorite Chardonnay at a local wine store here in MD. I normally drink the estate bottled Chardonnay.It brings me such joy. I defiantly recommend tasting this wine. Cheers!
http://www.chalonevineyard.com/our-wines/collections/estate-wines

Bota Mini Box Wines

I love Bota Box wines. They are my absolute favorite choice when it comes to box wines. Now that the wines are sold as minis, I am hooked. Currently my favorite grapes are the Old Vine Zinfandel and the Moscato (talk about two ends of the spectrum, LOL). The box size is just right, holding at least three full glasses of wine in each. Check out the website but most of all try tasting the wines. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. Cheers!!

http://www.botabox.com/AboutUs/BotaMini/

Wanna Reduce Your Carbon Footprint?

Try Generation Green Chardonnay. The wine shows flavors of citrus, pears and ripe apples.The bottle is made from lighter weight glass, helping to reduce our carbon fruit print. This wine is not considered organic. As for the bottle... recycle please, it's good for the planet. Cheers!

Events Around Town:

I love the Wine Markets events. They host a special event for most holidays. Easter brunch at the Wine Market is gonna be something great. Check out the menu below and tell me what you think. Cheers!!

A Wine Market Easter Brunch

3 Courses for $26 per person
(a la carte menu also available)
For reservations, call us @ 410-244-6166

or visit our website!

first course

Arugula Salad
poppy seed vinaigrette, crispy haricot verts, yellow tomatoes, candied lemon peel

New Orleans Style Etoufee
creamy stone ground grits

Wild Salmon Tartare
caper-herb aioli, housemade salt and vinegar potato chips, avocado puree

Chilled Spring Pea Soup
lemon froth, mint


main course

Roasted Leg of Lamb
broccolini, pee-wee potatoes, spring garlic, tomato-fennel emulsion, fresh ricotta

Nutella & Fig Pancakes
butter, maple syrup

Eggs Benedict
prosciutto, cornmeal oysters, toasted focaccia

Ricotta Gnocchi
crispy six-minute egg, smoked hen of the woods mushrooms, soybean pistou, brown butter

Maine Lobster Salad
burratta cheese, teardrop tomato, fresh passion fruit, avocado, lemon vinaigrette, maiche


dessert

Chocolate Dipped Tosca
frangipane, short dough

Carrot Cake
pecan crumble, cream cheese icing, carrot sorbet

Passion Fruit Sorbet

Wine + Cute Purse Equals.....

I love wine and I love purses. It would only take time for someone to combine the two loves. Enters Volere Wine Purses. They offer all varieties of wine presented in a cute box shaped like a purse. Check out their website for more info! Cheers!
http://volerewines.com/

Wine complimented by cheese....

I love Gruyere Reserve cheese from Switzerland. It is my favorite. I would describe the flavor as a nutty but with a sweet taste. Gruyere can be sliced and eaten bare or melted into a yummy fondu. As for me, I like to make grilled cheese sandwiches. I also enjoy this cheese with Sauvignon Blanc wine. Gruyere Reserve can be found at most food markets but the best is sold at Whole Foods. Let me know if you have tasted Gruyere cheese. If so what did you think?

Basignani Winery... A Visit to the Vines

I took a visit to Basignani Winery in Sparks, MD. I really enjoyed my self. The staff there are very knowledgeable about wine. This is a family owned vineyard, kinda like a hidden jewel that I was grateful to uncover. I enjoyed a tasting lead by the Director of Marketing. After the tasting, I decided to relax and enjoy the scenery. My sights included a awesome view of the vines and a peak of the grapes being pressed. I am defiantly returning to Basignani Winery. They have an event called movie night at the vineyard, how romantic. Cheers! 
http://www.marylandwine.com/wineries-interior/Basignani-Winery

Events Around Town

I love the Wine Market. It's an awesome place to go for the true wine enthusiast. Plus thur Happy Hour is for the grown and sexy. Check out the event they are hosting for March 2013. Wine Market Bistro Declares March Eclectic Wine Month with  ½ price wines!   

http://winemarketbistro.com/events/

I Heart Fermented Grapes- My Dream Blog!

I have always had a passion for wine. This passion has lead me to study the history and culture of fermented grapes. My taste palate smiles at the first sip of a great unoaked Chardonnay. I think it's about time to put down the pinky finger and hold up your glass with cheer! Saude!! 

I created this blog in order to share my admiration for wine in a fun and interactive forum. I specialize in assisting wine lovers in exploring the basics of wine tasting (See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, Savor). 

Moscato Moscato!

I am really not a fan of Moscato wine. But at a recent visit to my favorite wine shop I was asked to try Rose Blanca Moscato and fell in love. This wine is about 10% Alc and not as sweet as those commercialized Moscato wines (Sutter Homes, wink-wink). I enjoyed the light but sweet aftertaste as well as the passive citric flavors. I definitely give this Rose Blanca Moscato a fabulous pinky up. Cheers!

Chardonnay at Its Best!

Pepperwood Grove wines are awesome and I'm not the only one who has great tastes. They have won 17 Wine Enthusiast "Best Buy" Awards and 21 "Best Value" Accolades from Wine Spectator. You would be crazy not to try their wines. Have fun..... Cheers! Check out the website

http://pepperwoodgrove.com/groovy-green-bottle-chardonnay.html