Malbec Moves

September 9, 2015September 9, 20153 Comments

For this weeks review we go into the collection. This was a bottle my friends and I enjoyed a few weeks back. I am happy to discuss the 2013 Don David Reserve Malbec.

The timing of this post feels about right and I have mixed feelings about that. We’re approaching fall and this is such an apropos wine.

Malbec has gained a lot of popularity in recent years and understandably so. It’s no longer being grown just in France, Argentina, or Chile. Now it’s universally loved and grown all over the globe. It’s also a medium-to full-bodied wine that can be enjoyed with many types of food and over most of the calendar year.

So how did this one turn out? Well I really enjoyed it. Not only does it feel like a fall wine, but it has a lot of the components within the wine itself that are autumn like. It represents an ever-so-slight change in the atmosphere.

While sipping my glass I did detect some unique flavors. I felt something smokey and then a hint of vanilla and chocolate over the course of my experience. To my pleasant surprise I was right on all three, per the technical sheet. Maybe it was the mood I was in or how relaxed I was when enjoying my wine.

I recall I was in a very peaceful state of mind at the time. And I tend to think that when you’re relaxed and not trying too hard, the flavors can be much more easily detected. That analogy can be applied to much of our daily lives.

I don’t believe this is an accident, but seeing pipe tobacco as one of the listed scents makes me smile. This photo was taken before I knew that was included per the winemaker.

And how beautiful is the color? It has more or purplish and reddish look to it. Ah the little things. This was a well put together one and a great way to get September going. Even though I had this in August! Nevertheless, I’m still celebrating Summer but can also appreciating what the coming months have to offer. I will do my best to promote the wines that will best represent what’s to come!

I don’t recall where I purchased this bottle from and for those at least in the Baltimore area, I honestly haven’t seen it in many wine shoppes. But if you do come across it, the average price tag seems to range around $15 and I feel that’s a justified price.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Dinner Party Pals

September 2, 2015September 2, 2015Leave a comment

Sometimes you just need a great dinner with friends to get the week going. And when that means a good steak, of course you need to pair with it something stellar.

Considering the dinner party host, I knew the food was going to be good. So my hope was to find a bottle that would complement a hearty meat and vegetable dish.

My search led me back to Wine World and its massive collection of everything. The staff here is tremendous. They know right away when anyone as a question, and is always quick to give a great suggestion or two, or more!

The question about a selecting a wine with a hearty meat, has been going on forever. And while I have a few grapes in mind, I love hearing other people’s opinions. They pointed out some new ones to me the ranged from $16 to upwards of $40. Now like most folks, the preference is to go the lower end of the spectrum.

I got assistance from one more team member, and they suggested a brand I forgot about, Casillero del Diablo, distributed to the United States from Excelsior Wines. I surmise that many of us have had a bottle of two of theirs without realizing it. It’s a standard label that is sold in even the most simplest of wine shops. And this is no way discounting them. Of the few I’ve had, it’s a great value for under $10. And more times than not, it’s all we need for a simple dinner or to drink on its own.

But what was suggested was a new one to me. Right next to the collection of del Diablos, I was introduced to the Devil’s Collection Red, which is a trio of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, and Syrah. It’s like they read my mind.

Before I even walked in these three grapes, along with Petit Sirah are what were on my mind. So to get a bottle, and a new one for that matter, that contains a few of what I was seeking, only triples the fun and enhances my wine buying experience, along with hopefully making this meal fun.

So how did everything turn out? Well the meal was amazing and the wine was really good. My friend had a beautiful decanter to add to the atmosphere of our friendly feast. And the color on this wine really shines here.

The synopsis mentions flavors of plum and black cherry. Through the power of suggestion, the latter did seem noticeable. A small hint of chocolate? I was hoping to taste it and as my palate expands will hope to catch it next time.

This is a very good bottle at the price of $12.99. And with a mix of medium-to-full bodied wines mixed together, it tasted refreshingly lighter than what I was expecting. I’ll definitely give it a go again.

if you’re interested in reading more about these wines, you can go here, here, and here! Yes I know that’s a lot! 🙂

I will leave with a couple of fun pictures from our meal. I want to give a huge thank you to the host. The steak, with acorn squash, and peppers was a hit. The vegetables, especially, tasted organic, natural, and most importantly healthy. Well maybe I just used three all-too-similar synonyms to over-emphasize how great this was!

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Beautiful Doves

August 26, 2015August 26, 20155 Comments

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love the positive vibe of a winery. There’s something usually so welcoming and approachable about the whole experience. From the usual remote location, to its endearing road signs to steer you in the right direction, makes the journey as wonderful as the destination.

This brings me to one of the most pleasurable tasting experiences I’ve had in quite some time. If you haven’t been to Dove Valley in Rising Sun, MD, I strongly recommend to make the journey. Even if you’re a few hours away, it’s highly work making the trip for.

And that leads to me. I only live about 30 minutes south and it’s taken me nearly seven years to finally make a visit. I’ve been living in the area for about that long. Why it’s taken me so long has no explanation. I’ve taken drives up to the Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York areas going up 95 North and always saw the signs for Dove. I always said to myself I need to go. Well it finally happened and maybe it was meant to happen on this day.

Additionally, I’ve rarely seen their wines at various nearby festivals, if at all, the more I think about it. Maybe the universe was telling me something. That I need to come to them. I’m grateful I did.

As I parked my car, the area seemed eerily quiet. In many instances I would take this as a sign to drive off and delay this visit once again. But the little voice inside me said no, get out of the car, and see what’s going on.

A nice lady came out and greeted me. She directed me to the tasting room where someone would be joining me momentarily.

Fortunately, there were a couple of dogs running around, so I felt at peace and was in no rush to get this tasting going.

Janel, who is such a wonderful person, came in a few minutes later and made me feel at home. One thing I’ve noticed about wines, when the person pouring it for you is approachable, caring, and sincere, the wine is almost always going to taste better. It’s just one of those amazing parts of life. My head and my heart is in a happy place and everything around me is the same. It’s so powerful.

Now there were wines I liked more than others, but some I was pleasantly surprised by. I did not find a single wine to be bad, that could also be the environment I was in, that I alluded to before. But this was so fun. And wine drinking is supposed to be one of those most fun and inspiring experiences.

I won’t write about them all but the Cabernet Franc, which is usually a favorite wherever I go, was very good, but my favorite was the Pinot Noir. It didn’t taste as light as usual Pinot’s but this one hit me and made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. I have no other explanation for it. It really struck a chord with me.

The Merlot and Red Zin were also very good, that can complement just about any meal at any time of year. The Rose and Dove Valley Red, which is their own special blend which full-bodied and full of fruitiness, also were stand-outs. The latter is not something I would usually drink, but as the weather is still magnificent, I would drink this now or through most of the year. I found it tasty and actually dangerously easy to drink. 🙂

But the two I purchased were the aforementioned Pinot and my other favorite of the day, the Vignoles. To me, these two wines are the red and white equivalent of the other. That was the glorious feeling I got when I was sipping them and decided to purchase both. The latter also had a full body and fruity taste, similar to the Dove Valley Red, but this one just hit me more. Don’t get me wrong, I would’ve walked out with about a half-dozen bottles if I wasn’t careful.

Janel also provided a masterful cheese and crackers plate for me to sample along with the wines and to cleanse the palate when necessary. The tasting glass is so pleasing to the eye, that it will be a welcome addition to my collection.

The most important thing I want to mention is she was so accommodating and helpful in regards to any questions I might have had. This was not a rushed experience. She took her time and made sure my visit was a great one. It was more than that. It was a memorable one. So memorable, that this is one of the longest write-ups I’ve ever done!

I also wanted to mention that she didn’t charge me for the tasting or the Vignoles. She had no reason to do so. I was so flattered and insisted that she didn’t have to. It was above-and-beyond any winery visit I’ve had before. This is their family business, I felt bad not paying, but she insisted. This is class personified. I wish I could use every superlative in the word for this one, but that would go on endlessly.

I splurged on the Pinot Noir. The bottle was $25 and that is extremely rare for me to do. I usually like my wines under $20, usually under $10-$15 if at all possible. This is the whole point of Wine Is Fun. We’re here to celebrate that great wine is fun to drink, to talk about, and be very affordable. In this instance, I still feel that $25 for this bottle was a bargain. And to have the tasting and Vignoles as part of the package, I felt like I was stealing.

This only means I will be back soon and many times over. Speaking of which, they have many fun events coming up, including live bands, and events such as Paint & Wet Your Palette, which is akin to many of the wine and paint nights that have become commonplace. I have yet to do one myself. I hope I get the opportunity.

They also have a Murder Mystery next month, which I always thought was the coolest thing when reading about them or seeing it depicted on television. To have it be so close is an event I don’t think I can miss.

And their big event coming up in October is Winestock, in which they will team up with several other wineries in the area for a day of wining, eating, and live music. If the wording is correct this is a hippie fest that is right up my alley, that I hope not to miss. All the events can be found here. And since you want to come here, here are the directions!

Here is a list of there you can find their wines in Maryland.

I could go on till eternity, but I’ll save some for a future post. Enjoy the photos. I think you will see the encapsulate how the brilliance of this place.

I was only here for under an hour but the visit will resonate me for a lifetime. This is how wine is done. There’s not enough gratitude to express how extravagant and spectacular this experience was.

Dove Valley thank you so much!

Best,

Ideen

What’s in the Box?

August 19, 2015August 19, 20154 Comments

I was “looking” for inspiration for what to write about this week. As soon as I stopped looking and thinking, it found me.

As I’m taking a leisurely stroll around the beautiful Fells Point neighborhood in Baltimore, I see my friends working but also enjoying life at The Frame Room in the heart of the community.

When you’re your own boss and your own entity, you can be open and available whenever you want to be. And that also means you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

I walk in and the first thing I see my pals doing is drinking some vino out of cups! Seems like my kind of party. So what was the drink of choice?

Black Box Wine is something almost all of us of drinking age have had at one time or another. You tend to see it at many parties over the course of the calendar year. I’ve probably had it over all four seasons and likely each month in some way, shape, or form. I’ve seen it served at outdoor parties and barbecues when it was nearly 100 degrees, holiday parties when the weather is perfect for it, and everything in between.

And for further verification on how it’s awesome all year round, here is their Seasonal Enjoyment Guide. I’m loving them even more as I write this.

This wine is not for the snobs and for the so-called experts. It’s a wine to enjoy with friends for any occasion you want. It’s to relax, enjoy life, eat some good food, and enjoy good company with. Actually that can be said for all wine.

But this has also been a wine of choice for my friends who otherwise wouldn’t drink wine. And that’s great. I’ve had a couple of my friends tell me that Black Box led them to try other wines and now they can appreciate where they started from, even more. That sounds wonderful!

But the wine is so much better than that. It has won many an award because there is a strong soul and spirit behind their varietals. I’ve had many of their grapes and thoroughly enjoyed them all.

The drink of choice was the Cabernet Sauvignon and it got the job done. It tasted as medium-to-full as a Cab should. Tasting notes can be found here. The oak was present and I’ve always sung the praises of oak. The more oak, the merrier. No fancy glasses today. Cups will do just fine.

You get the equivalent of four bottles of this, for the cost of one. I’ve seen them priced anywhere from $10-$15. How can you beat that? It’s a deal on top of deal!

And I took many pictures in and out of the shop itself for your viewing pleasure. It’s always important to local businesses, especially new ones. It’s this sense of community that has kept neighborhoods like Fells Point thriving. They even have a blog if you want to learn more about framing.

There’s great people behind the operation, so if you’re in the neighborhood or even living in the city, I would highly recommend them for your custom framing needs. Their specials can be found here and Contact information can be found here, as well as their location.

For more on where to find Black Box, you can click here.

Have a great one!

Best,

Ideen

Back To Boordy

August 12, 2015August 14, 20156 Comments

This past Friday, Boordy once again held their quarterly Landmark Club party. I am proud to say that I’m a member.

The wines you see above are a beautiful sight aren’t they? I am a three-bottle member. Per the synopsis you can have up to 6 to 12 (2 of each or 3 of each respectively), if you really want to add to your collection.

I did a recap of several of these wines earlier this year, and you can read about that here.

Events like this are more about a thank you and a time to enjoy the season. With this being Summer, the event moved outdoors, which was what I was expecting and grateful about.

Many of the pictures will reflect that. And the weather couldn’t be any more perfect.

When it’s been chillier, the party has been indoors in their second floor lounge area.

So how were the three bottles this time around? Well for one, I have written about their Landmark Reserve previously and loved it. I’m still holding onto that for something special.

I found the 2014 Pinot Grigio to be very easy to drink. They’re traditionally light to medium-bodied and this one fits the mold. I have really been into whites while the weather has been cooperative. I may open this within the next month. I found it refreshing and it’s fitting for a great for an evening involving a healthy meal of proteins and veggies.

Then we get to the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. I am thankful this was in the package. This wasn’t even available to be tasted by the time I arrived. I was informed they have so few cases left, that they are going to be holding off on it for now. Luckily, a friend of mine had a bottle for me to try some. This was also in the package back in February. So I have two bottles sitting and aging gracefully. It may be a while before I open either one. And you can see on their list of Landmark Wines, it’s nowhere to be found.

And speaking of nowhere to be found, their 2012 Cabernet Franc, (which I have raved about many versions of in the past) will soon be joining that list. As of Friday night, there were only 28 bottles left per a conversation with the staff. I knocked that down to 27. This was also part of the package in the Winter. I will be holding onto the two I have for a while.

I know wine is meant to be enjoyed, for the moment as well, but sometimes the sentimentality and realizing certain wines are scarce or now near non-existent, and you have a bottle of it or two in your possession, is an exciting feeling. There’s something to be said for that.

And speaking of that, the Chardonnay Reserve for 2013 is now sold out. I will be holding onto that from January as well. But the 2014 version in the first picture, had such an amazing finish, that the aftertaste really resonated with me. It’s a wine I will look to purchase in the future, as long as it doesn’t go fast. I suspect it will. It had so much more power than the Chardonnay to its left.

The 2014 Dry Rose was part of the package in the Spring, and I noticed it wasn’t for sale at this past event. Rose’s have also grown on me while the weather has been warm, even though they were never my favorite. The same goes for the 2012 Merlot Reserve.

As far as wine goes, I’ve never loved Merlot, but the blogging and experimenting has led me to appreciate them more. They were a part of the Winter and Spring package. When the time is right I will open those up two. In a sea of wonderful wines, by default they’re still near the bottom on my favorites list.

And looking to the future… Here is a teaser of some young wines, straight from the barrel. These will include the 2014 Landmark Reserve and 2014 Cab Francs, which I am so excited for.

I am happy to support local and support Mayland Wine.

For more on joining their Landmark Reserve Club, click here.

I will depart with some fun photos from the event.

For more on this pizza, click here!

Have a good one!

Best,

Ideen

Sweet Cat

August 5, 2015August 5, 2015Leave a comment

The joy of doing this is discovering wines you didn’t even know existed. This will continuously be a lifelong journey with no end in sight. And as daunting as that may sound on the surface, that’s exactly how it should be. Unless there is some magical ending, there should never be a final resting place. Well unless it’s a with a fabled bottle of vino!

This brings me to the wines from Tussock Jumper. Until a few days ago, they were nowhere on my radar. I love uncovering something new.

The simple reason I saw drawn to the bottle is because of the cat on the label. In addition to that, there was a plastic baggie with a collectors item attached at the top of it. Upon further investigation I saw it was a refrigerator magnet. Without any hesitation I bought this bottle with little regard to the type of wine it was. They sold me.

I was in the South American wines section of the shop, so it was most likely Malbec or something similar. But I was blinded by the animal! Along with animals, wine is one of my real joys in life. And a combination of a beautiful creature pictured on a bottle will usually get me every time. Well done.

The magnet is now hanging gloriously on the refrigerator along with all its other magnet pals.

And without belaboring the point, how was my sipping experience? Well I only thought the wine was ok. I gave it a few minutes to breathe and it started to improve with time. But it never really got anywhere. The label mentions aromas and flavors of berries, fruits, and chocolates. So I will assume blackberry will be notated a lot. It did have that jammy flavor with maybe some cocoa if I didn’t think so much about it. But nothing came of this for me.

In honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day yesterday, I hoped to heighten the wine with a piece of cookie or two, and sadly that did not happen.

On a warm Summer’s day this would be ok to drink. It’s more medium bodied, with it’s combination of Malbec an Shiraz, which can usually be good. But not here.

I did notice on their wine list, that this varietal is not even listed.

Could it be I’m not the only one that wasn’t floored by the Mendoza? Or maybe it just wasn’t a huge hit?

However, there’s so much to love about their website. They have a different animal representing each of their wines. And it’s also laid out by country. It’s broken down by recipe, food pairings, grape synopsis, and the vineyards. You can’t get much more user-friendly than that. And their tasting guide breaking down the full to light bodied choices, from red to white is magnificent.

Here’s where you can find their wines.

I’m intrigued. Even though this bottle was disappointing, I will need to do some poking around. This could become quite the adventure. The concept is great and I expect many of the wines will turn out the same.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Muffuletta Memories

July 29, 2015July 29, 20155 Comments

This post takes us to New Orleans, where I had the honor of visiting over a month ago. Even with all the wonderful foods and cocktails I got to try while I was there, I still had to make time for the inspiring bottles I love so much.

And I love this city so much too. I didn’t want to leave. And as a wanderer, I found myself at the French Market everyday I was there. It’s a small town feel within one of the greatest places I’ve ever visited.

It was a warm day and we heard some amazing jazz music up the street. This calls for cigars, relaxing, good food, and a bottle of red. The latter part may sound like an oxymoron, but this is a vacation!

The night before on a leisurely stroll towards Frenchmen Street I came upon the market as it was about to shut down for the night and saw the stand for Alberto’s Cheese and Wine Bistro.

And this place looked so quaint, cozy, and charming. I knew I had to at least come back the next day to see what this place (and the Market as a whole) is all about.

Coming back the next day, the Market was so alive and so vibrant. I have been to many local markets before with a similar sentiment, but not like this. This felt like home. I belonged here. And everyone was so friendly. It’s the type of love and comradery I can get used to.

Alberto’s had a very welcoming and small town feel, just like the rest of the French Market. I felt like something had to be wrong. The folks behind the counter were so accommodating and answered any questions about the menu that I had.

New Orleans is known for a lot of amazing things. I didn’t know the Muffuletta was one of them. So I ordered one and it was incredible. So what about a great wine to pair with it?

I grabbed the Banfi Tuscany Centine Rosso and it paired with my hearty sandwich perfectly.

The sandwich killed it. I could have had another. The meats and cheeses with this amazing sesame bread just made my day. The house made olive salad was a nice complement although I barely had room to finish it.

And the wine could have tasted like garbage and wouldn’t have mattered. And it didn’t. It was fantastic. And regardless, for the moment in time we were in, it was perfection. The mix of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot gelled perfectly. A nice mix of light and full-bodied to make it the right wine to pair up with a filling meal such as mine.

No fancy glasses were necessary today. And we can’t walk around with the streets with those anyways. But plastic cups will do just fine.

As a bonus, to make this day even more meaningful in hindsight, I am pulling this directly off their Facebook page : first winery in the world to be awarded international recognition for exceptional environmental, ethical and social responsibility. How amazing is that? When I looked at the back of the label at the time, All I read was first winery and didn’t think to read further. I am thrilled that my purchase represents something good and pure.

More information on this wine can be found here.

Everything about this setting was perfect. Great weather, wine, food, company, and people watching. This city is magical. I felt so at ease. I feel like I belonged there and after this trip was over, I was left to ponder what took me so long. That just means I need to come back soon!

There’s going to be pictures all over this post. Many will revolve around the wine and the meal. And many as a tourist.

I didn’t expect to write as much as I did. Actions speak louder than words, as do photos. So here you go.

I am homesick from NOLA, because there I felt like I belonged there and been there for years, not days. Until the next visit…

Best,

Ideen

Happy Maryland Wine Week

July 22, 2015November 30, 2015Leave a comment

My love for the wines of Maryland continues to grow exponentially. It wasn’t always like that. I used to think that all this great state was known for was super sweet and fruity wines. How wrong I was and now many local bottles have become some of my favorites.

And with that I wanted to have a celebratory wine to celebrate Maryland Wine Week.

My friends suggested we do crab cakes for dinner for a variety of seasons. We were celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones. And what a better way to honor this great week with a savory meal that does it justice.

I was all set to grab a bottle at my local wine shoppe, but fortunately, circumstances led me to a wine that was right under my nose. Happenstance, fate and serendipity were on my side again. Or was it something else?

The wine chilling in the fridge is from one of my favorite Maryland wineries. I was pleased to uncover the 2013 Vintage Vidal Blanc from Harford Winery.

And I had researched wines that go well with crab cakes, and the fact that a Vidal Blanc is a strong suggestion and match, makes this all come together perfectly.

The cakes came from right up the street from me, via Box Hill Crabcakes or Box Hill Pizzeria depending on how you look at it. I am thrilled to keep the Harford County theme going. And these are to die for. I’ve had crab cakes from many restaurants and this might be my favorite.

I can’t put into words why or how. They just taste so great and look so full, like a real crab cake should. You get what you pay for and this is worth all of the $15 and then some. The photography does not do that justice. But isn’t this one of the prettiest things you’ll see all year-long?

So how was the wine?

I loved it. I didn’t think I would. And it’s not on the level of my current and at the time wine from them. You can read more about their Cabernet Franc here. It was my second ever post on this blog.

When I first sipped it, I detected something sour. I thought maybe some golden apples or lemons. But when I researched, it mentions hints of grapefruit which makes total sense.

Actually I didn’t need to research after I turned the bottle around and saw what the wine contained. Whoops! When they mention orange zest I could sense the taste but only after I read about it. Otherwise I would think there were apples or hints of flowers, which is mentioned.

Again, it’s all about your palate and what you’re feeling at the time. The core flavors can be detected with constant sampling but everything else is open to interpretation. There will more about this incredible winery from me in near future.

This wine is the perfect dichotomy to eating something hearty as a crab cake.

And this is one of the best experiences I had having one and the wine had so much to do with that. There really seemed to be an explosion of flavors I might not have gotten before. I would usually just enjoy my meal with a glass of water or a soft drink. This is the way to enjoy it.

I think the wine can be drank on its own since its fairly light. But I am so happy to have paired these two. It’s a match made in heaven. And I like to think I added my tribute to this wonderful week.

More information about Maryland Wine Week and how we can be involved can be found here. And information on many of the events revolving around this special occasion can be found here.

And on where to find their wines, you can follow this link.

Enjoy this wonderful week!

Best,

Ideen

Wine Ice Cream Social

July 15, 2015July 17, 201513 Comments

It’s time to switch it up and pay another homage to this beautiful season we call Summer!

I’ve come across various wine ice creams, slushies, and other frozen concoctions in the past couple of years and never thought to try them, let alone write about them. There’s no time like the present.

In serendipitous fashion, I discovered Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream at one of my favorite local wine shops near me!

With the assistance of the friendly team members at Wine World of Abingdon, MD, I got 3 pints for me and my pals.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but how beautiful do these look?

Now if you were just getting regular, old-fashioned, and delicious ice cream, $6.99 a pint might seem a bit steep. But we’re talking vino, we’re talking emotion, and we’re talking new experiences.

Most importantly though, how did they turn out?

Exhibit #1 : The Strawberry Sparkling. This was my favorite. You could really taste the alcohol content right away. And mixed in with the ice cream this was a match made to perfection. The strawberry pieces really added a lot to this. This is one of my favorite fruits in frozen form or to be cherished alone. This was fantastic.

Strawberries and champagne will usually always be a winning combination. And they nailed this one. If I wasn’t careful I would’ve eaten the whole thing and been unable to write this post.

Exhibit #2 : Peach White Zinfandel. I liked this one too, but I didn’t taste much in the way of alcohol. I love peach and the fruit pieces were also delectable and very much appreciated. I haven’t had much experience with Blush Wines like this one, so I didn’t have the highest of expectations.

Don’t get me wrong, peach is a wonderful fruit and is one of the joys to be had during these beautiful months, but I just felt like I was tasting peach ice cream. On its own that would be great, but my taste buds didn’t get much of the wine.

And finally, exhibit #3 : Cherry Merlot. This one hit a little more. I love cherry and the cherry pieces looked magnificent. Merlot is a grape that I’ve gradually enjoyed a little more each time I have it.

Of the three helpings, this is the least summery but the one that seemed the most powerful. The color also stands out. This is one I’d think I’d have to be careful with or I may be taking an extended nap or two.

There was an abundance of flavors, so if time allows, I will be reviewing some more!

If you’re interested in purchasing some, the only location in the Baltimore area that carries them is Wine World. And here’s a location guide for anyone else interested!

I would definitely recommend these creams for any outdoor events and parties. We have a lot of Summer left!

Enjoy!

Best,

Ideen

Money Ink

July 8, 2015July 8, 20153 Comments

A dear friend of mine recently had a celebration of all sorts. We were honoring his birthday, his pending divorce, an end of an era, and the start of a new one.

The party was one for the record books. The food and libations were in abundance. The site was a beautiful house in a secluded area of Baltimore County. It was the perfect setting for a day of emotion, revelry, and merriment. The congregation was at epic levels.

An in-ground pool, a slip n’ slide course, and a gaming lounge on the inside was provided. The gaming lounge included table tennis, beer pong, card games, and any other drinking game an attendee was motivated to get folks involved in. There was to be an Olympic like obstacle course inspired by the program, Wipeout, but the weather postponed the event and emotional opening ceremonies for a later date.

Nevertheless, this was still a part for the ages. Many good pals and friends came out to support our friend in his present and future endeavors. And I was one of those people who almost no showed because of the torrential downpours. I would have regretted that decision if I chose to stay home. A great majority of invited guests still made their appearance and everyone seemed happy they did.

The eats were plentiful. We had burgers, hot dogs, chips of all kinds, hummus, pasta salads, and all kinds of various dips. Those were devoured before any pictures were taken.

As for the alcohol, there was a beer keg, and plenty of various liquors for mixers. However, I chose to mainly stick with wine, as did a few other folks.

In honor of the ink being nearly dry on my friends divorce proceedings, I arrived with a bottle of Black Ink. I didn’t realize at the time how apropos this choice was.

Bear in mind, I could have brought anything. But in tradition of never coming empty-handed to a party, I grabbed a wine that looked fun and stood out from the crowd. The guest of honor is a huge fan of Red Blends, so that factored into the decision.

The wine itself was just fine. It’s as mysterious as the website itself, which explains nothing and has no links to click on. Their parent company, sheds a little more light on it. And here’s even more information. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite, but it was a good bottle for the low price of $9.99. There’s an image of a squid under the cap that I wish I had taken a photo of.

This is a melange of Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, and, Zinfandel. The smokiness was present, and some hints of spices and obscure flavors. But as to what I don’t know. It was a nice drinking wine by itself or with the food that was decimated throughout the party. More photos would have been taken but I wanted to keep the mystery of the event just like the wine, at the right decibel.

No fancy wine glasses for this one. I was happy drinking from a cup.

For those that stayed longer, just when we thought the party was winding down, we kept going. It was great to make new friends, reconnect with past ones we’ve lost touch with, and a celebration of life, enjoying the Summer, and feeling good.

Some of what transpired is too good for words and pictures. It’s memories that we get to keep for ourselves and share with our loved ones that were there.

And just like the wine, the ink will soon be dry.

Best,

Ideen

One With Vino

It's a spiritual thing.

Category: wine

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