Wine Hangover

Not that this happens often (wink-wink), but I found an awesome article regarding wine hangover recovery on Wine Folly. It is so funny and true that I had to share. Enjoy!

http://winefolly.com/tutorial/best-wine-hangover-recovery-guide-ever-work-days/

*Much respect to Madeline and Company at Wine Folly. The new inventive way to discuss the love of wine.

Toast... to 2014

In an hour or so, we will be toasting in another fabulous grape-tastic New Year, 2015. It's amazing how 365 days can fly by so fast. Making resolutions is as odd as drinking Verdi Spumante. So this year instead of creating new year promises, I'm listing realistic goals and raising a glass of Conde de Caralt Cava Sparkling Wine. Now let's remember, I'm a wine enthusiast on a real-life budget. I ran across this wine at one of the many Champagne/ Sparkling Wine tasting that were offered last weekend. Too be honest, there was delicious Blanc de Blanc that my expensive wine palate fell in love with. But at last, the strong smell of the post-holiday bills quickly snatched me back to reality. The Conde de Caralt  is a semi-seco, which surprises me because I'm usually drawn to brut wines. 

Nevertheless, what ever vino you decide to cheer for the new year, let it be something that you enjoy drinking. Just for a moment..., forget about the rules of what you "should" drink and what it "should" be paired with it. Just for ONE moment......, use your palate to savor the last slurps of 2014 onto the first sips of a New Year of bottled vintages, Spring & Summer festivals, as well as Fall Harvest. 

Cheers!!!

Happy New Year!!

XOXOXO

I Heart Fermented Grapes 

Drink Outside The Box

It's the Holiday season, my favorite time of the year (along with fall Harvest). While searching for presents for the wine enthusiasts, I stumbled across a very cool gift for the divas in my life. This wine sack is so unique. I won't dare try to describe it, check out the website and let me know what you think. 

Happy Holidays Wine Lovers!

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/wine-sack

2013 Malbec from Argentina

Happy Thanksgiving Eve,

I stopped pass Bin 604 today to check out their sale on wines. The store was so crowded. But what can you expect, it's Turkey day tomorrow. I'm a great cook but due to a crazy busy life, this holiday season I'm bringing wine to dinner. My main course of action was to find "easy drinkable" wines. I have to come to grips with the fact that my Boones Farm loving kinfolk are not ready for the intensity of a bold red Malbec. So it's only natural that I  purchase the 2013 Argintine Malbec for myself to selflessly enjoy. Believe me, it's for the best! Now that I'm home and out of the holiday frenzy, it's time to taste the Malbec (cool name) and relax for the night. I poured the vino in my favorite glass for red wines, to let the grapes breath. Swirl, then watch the purple sticky legs dance down the side of my glass. Sip, slurp, taste... plum, cherry, chocolate, raspberry, and grape jelly notes. I like the bold "here I am" flavor as well as the medium level of tananin left on my tounge. This wine is a winter winner. After this first glass, I believe I'll be back for more. 

*Enjoy the pics!

Holiday Vinos- Turkey verses the Fermented Grape

Dear Wine Lovers, 

I adore this time of the year. It's the season to give thanks, spread joy and celebrate new beginning. What better way to shares those special memories then with a great bottle of wine with every course. As you begin the gobble turkey feast, this year try something different, like a nice chilled bottle of a off- dry white wine. This choice will compliment the juicy brown sugar, honey baked ham (Aunt Stephany normally bakes for our family). If you are looking for a vino to taste with your grand-moms tender beef stew, try a ultra dry old vine zinfandel. The tannins in this wine will quickly soften your palate due to Nana's special homemade gravy that accompanies the beef and hearty veggies. Last but not least, for desert, skip the boring apple pie and overly frosted cupcakes. Instead, light the fire place or build a bonfire to enjoy a perfectly chilled bubbly glass of Champagne paired with freshly popped kettle corn to snack on. 

Well, I've just shared my holiday parings. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on turkey verses fermented grapes. Of course if you find yourself bogged down by the holiday to-do list. Let me help you choose the perfect vino for your holiday party, family gathering or girls-night-out-get away from the oh so intruding in-laws. Just contact me at iheartfermentedgrapes@gmail.com or stop pass my Twitter page #iheartfermented. 

Happy Holidays Oenophiles!

🍷🎁🎉

*Picture courtesy of my 7 yr old son and his second grade class. A drawing of a turkey only a proud mom would love.

Wine Bar Etiquette!

As a wine enthusiast and active blogger, I feel that it is my obligation to discuss the "elephant in the room", bar service and etiquette. Lately, I have noticed that the customer experience at wine bars in Baltimore have been less than tip worthy. I love to work at wine tastings. I enjoy talking about wine and meeting other Oenophiles. I visited one of my old favorite wine spots and quickly realized that something was truly different about the place. The bar staff were huddled in a group like shy teenagers and no one acknowledged our arrival. My friend and I found a seat (on our own) but waited a lifetime to be served. This was her first time at the wine bar but it was not mine. The crowd was even different. The food menu had drastically changed, and the happy hour house wine absolutely sucked. Come to find out, the place was under new management. They carried on with part of the wine bar theme but included crappy lifeless table wine. Once I was told the dillo, I was relived. There had to be some sought of explanation for the creepy slim guy who was roaming around the bar area studying us patrons. He's the new owner, I heard someone say. My experience at this wine bar was no longer office vineayard gossip worthy. Until further notice, I won't be returning to that bar for the rest of the year. 

Tonite, we visited a jazz spot. The experience was less than exciting. I asked for a wine list but was told that the restaurant only had three types of red vino and two types of white wine varitiabials. I chose a Malbec, thinking my choice would be flawless. After one sip, I could taste that the wine bottle had been open for sometime. No flavor, all air. It had no completely to my palate. Also, the waitress was R-U-D-E and very unprofessional. To top it all off we were given completely over flowing glasses of wine and small black straws to sip from. The food was ok but the Jazz band showed up late. 

I'm a huge fan of Jessy Barns from Bar Rescue. Jessy specializes is proper bar staff customer service skills. Now that's a job I would adore. A long as the selection of wine is great, the tapas are tasty and the bar service is memorable, count me in..... I'm there.

Cheers

Wine Loves 🍷

2010 Merlot

I recently read an article that said, "Merlot is Making a Comeback"! My first thought was, where did it go? The Merlot grape is one of my absolute favorites. My car is named Merlot and everyone that knows me adores Merlot the car. As of late, I've tasted a delicious 2010 Merlot from South Australia. The name of the wine is Steeple Jack. It's a fairly inexpensive wine. For the price, I purchased extras to share. This wine has medium tannin, that leaves a light coat of grape jelly on the tongue. It's a dry red wine but the color of the vino in my glass shows deep dark purple legs. The alcohol content is 14%. Purchasing this Merlot was definitely a great buy. Cheers wine lovers!  

Picture thanks to wine-searcher.com