Month: November 2014

Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving

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I love the holidays.  It brings about a huge sense of joy and gratitude, which I wish was emphasized year round.  Some say it may not make the holidays as special.   I think being kind and giving thanks should be a year round tradition.  And Thanksgiving would just enhance that sentiment even further.

I have been fortunate to be a part of a few Friendsgiving gatherings this year.  It’s traditions I hope to be a part of for years to come.

Last week was a special one with my roommates.  We made some great food.  The originators such as the turkey, staffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, and various vegetables were a part of it.  And what wine went with our meal?…

Out comes the 2012 Pinot Noir from Pinnacle Ridge Winery out of Kutztown, PA.

In researching a perfect wine to complement a heavy meal such as Thanksgiving, Pinot Noir tends to be near the top of many lists and opinions.   It could be for the simple fact that very filling foods need the perfect counterbalance with something lighter bodied.

I was lucky enough to visit Pinnacle Ridge back in May of this year.  And I found the place very welcoming.

This particular Pinot is aged in French Oak Barrels, and the taste is spectacular.   In my previous post I made mention about oak and my love for it.  This will be continual theme.  There are flavors of vanilla and cherry according to the synopsis, that I can detect somewhat.    There are pie spices included as well.  Seems like a good one for the holidays.  It’s easy to drink, even with the oakiness.    This is not a sipping wine.   But it’s also low in tannins, so it won’t feel too dry.  This is worthy of a 5+ course meal.

At $16, I found it to be a great price.    In a future post, I will be recapping my visit to Pinnacle Ridge and reviewing another one I purchased.

One important thing about all this – The wines you drink during the holidays, or any time for that matter, should be whatever makes you feel good and brings you joy.  There is no right or wrong to this.  Even the wines that taste bad are a learning experience.  There are no rules to this thing, except to have fun.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoyed reading.

Best,

Ideen

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My Favorite

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The 2009/2010 Maryland Cabernet Franc from Harford Vineyard & Winery is the best wine I have tasted.   And I’ve stood by that for a couple of years now.  And I have enjoyed some pretty breathtaking stuff.

The regular going price is around $16.99 and to me that is a steal.    I discovered this bottle at one of the great local wine shops in Harford County, Friendship Wine & Liquor, at a bargain price of $9.99.   I grabbed a bunch, for the deal alone, and just to try something new.  I am so grateful I did…

To me, this is what I visualized what a wine would taste like, even before I had my first glass.    The description on the winery site says there’s flavors of raspberries and dried black cherries.  If I educated myself enough then I could detect that.  I do taste some dry fruit, but I also could easily trick my mind into believing as such.

However, what does stand out to me is the toasted french oak and the touch of black pepper.  I taste a lot of the latter and it’s a beautiful thing. Incredible. Slowly I have been drawn to red wines that are crafted with Oak.   It gives me a warm feeling and tastes even better as the cold weather approaches.  The more oak the better. The addition of pepper just complements this wine perfectly. This what a superb wine tastes like.

I have had this Cab Franc  with pizza and I have found the combination to be dynamite.   In talking with folks, some have said they like it with pepperoni pizza.  A few suggestions always help.  But, a wine with a little pepper and a pepperoni pizza sounds right to me.  That is a pairing that is understandable and approachable on all levels.    I have also drank this with meat and cheese platters.  Perfection.

I had the great fortune to visit Harford Winery this year and I tell you there is a great aura here.   I wish I had taken photos.   The staff is friendly and there is a fantastic presence all over the vineyard.    I was informed by one of their team members, that there’s only about 10 cases left as of two months ago.   I will have to get on this.

And through drinking other various Cab Franc’s, I am happy to say that this is my favorite grape as well.   My inaugural post had a picture of that grape.  And how beautiful is that?

In future posts, I will focus on that grape as well as other incredible bottles I have had.   There will be reviews on Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania Wineries that I have visited over the past year as well.

Thank you so much.

Best,

Ideen

Wine Is Fun

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I love wine.  I love drinking wine.  I love talking about wine.  And I love hearing about wine.   Wine culture is meant to feel genuine and meant to make us and the dearest people in our lives feel good.  This analogy can be applied to anything by the way. 

There is something so brilliant about going to a winery or to a wine festival.   People tend to feel good, as we are all there for the same reasons.  We want to enjoy wines and enjoy each other’s company.  It’s a bonding experience. And we may even get to learn something about wine that we didn’t know before.  Speaking of which…

I have delayed writing this blog for nearly a year.  Because I am still learning and didn’t feel as if I was qualified.  Not a justifiable excuse.  Thankfully, the posts will be commencing before the holidays.  I’ve had multiple blog ideas in mind, so this is just the beginning.

I am going to be writing about wine from a positive and spiritual place.  This is not coming from a place of snobbery and elitism.  That is not my intention.

With that being said, in my next post, I will be talking about my current favorite wine.  And it’s from Harford Vineyard & Winery.

Thanks so much.

Regards,

Ideen