Washington – One With Vino

When we have organizations close to home like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation that have good intentions, it makes most of us feel good. And thankfully this one is close to home.

I don’t pretend to know everything about CBF but I know the basics and I know what was naturally created should be naturally preserved. I strongly believe that.

So it was to my delight when I saw a display for wines that depict animals and the bay in all its splendor. My local wine shoppe, Wine World, always has a few wines that no one else around me seems to have. And literally the first thing I see when I walk in is a display for special made wines that support cleaner water for the Bay.

The winery behind it is Scheid Vineyards out of Napa Valley.

Now you might be wondering why this winery all the way across the country would help create a series of wines exclusive to only Maryland, Washington, DC, and Delaware? You could read their story off their site, or a more truncated version near the end of this page, and you see their stories are parallel. Helping the environment in any way possible is what it’s all about.

I don’t need to be preachy and say lets all do our part. I think many of us do at least that is our intentions.

So my little part this time was to purchase the 2012 Clear Water Cabernet. As it gets cooler, a lot more medium-to-full bodied reds will be written about. Cabs are great and there’ll always be a place in my heart for them.

Unfortunately this was not one of my favorite wines. Because of the circumstances I was really wanting to at worst, like this. I’d say it’s a little below average. I share the bottle with friends and they seemed to like it a bit more than me. Maybe it doesn’t match my palate and that is ok.

I sipped mine with some cheese, fruit, and crackers and that helped it go down easier a bit. The wine tasted a lot more bitter initially than I was prepared for. Actually I don’t know what I was expecting. There weren’t any fruits or spices of any kind listed on the back of the label. In a way I found that very refreshing. If you get the opportunity to try this bottle then let your imagination run free.

I’ve had plenty of California wines, especially Red Blends that I’ve adored. This one just didn’t work out. And that’s ok!

For the $9.99 price tag and part of my purchase going to a great cause, I can’t complain too much. I am grateful to be able to help out in any way I can.

I just posted a link on donating and in addition here is a link on doing even more. I know this a lot of information and this is a post I didn’t plan on making. As I’ve previously said, this wine seemed to have found me. It was right in front of me as I walked through the doors. And what the heck, I’ll write about it.

As you can see they have three others that I’d like to give a shot, and especially if that means more goes towards helping Save the Bay. I’m honored to give an assist.

Finally, what really resonates with me is the beautiful imagery. This is art that will just pull you in. The artist is from nearby in Annapolis, and his story can be found at the bottom of this link.

For only $9.99 you can do no wrong. Sure the wine wasn’t my favorite but they all can’t be. More to come as autumn is starting to really hit us.

If you get a chance to find one of these wines, I suggest giving it a try. At worst you’re bringing a little love and help to the universe as well.

All The Best,

Ideen

A dear friend of mine went to Jamaica recently. And has been on their food kick, since coming back. We’re fortunate enough to have many International restaurants near us in the area. And that includes delicious foods from the land of ‘Out of Many, One People’.

And what a perfect opportunity to try some new foods and of course, a bottle, to pair with these dishes!

In doing my in-depth research, I found that the spicier foods (such as what we were about to eat), should be counterbalanced or complemented with some sweeter whites. We don’t want a full-bodied red or lots of oak, to detract from the food we’re enjoying. We want the our meal to be enjoyable, and we want the wine to enhance that. With a lighter selection, more flavors can come out from our dish. We also want a wine that’s low on tannins. This is nowhere near as complicated as it sounds.

I am a huge fan of medium to full reds. But having one of those would completely undermine our meal and our wine. In some instances, it’s brought out the cheapness of the food and the wine. I found this site very useful in my quest.

With the knowledge presented to me, I wanted to get a Gewürztraminer. It’s a wine I wish I had more of. We’ve enjoyed this grape a few times over a Thanksgiving meal. And I’m happy to the opportunity has been presented itself to enjoy once again!

I want to thank Friendship Wine & Liquor of Abingdon, MD, for helping me pick out a bottle.

I chose the 2013 from Chateau Ste. Michelle. And this is a winner!

It was very easy to drink and didn’t feel as if it were too sugary or acidity for my liking. I didn’t detect any clove spice as the synopsis says. But I could sense some fruit. Which fruits there were, I don’t know! But I was loving this choice. And and under $10, I feel this was a steal and a half!

We enjoyed our bottle with a wonderful Brown Stew Chicken, Goat Curry, Plantains, and a Meat Pie. Everything about our meal, from the food to the wine, was wonderful. This can pair with many spicy foods, not just Jamaican. It’s all about personal preference. Most important of all is to try what you like. And that you are enjoying the wine and food together.

And I am grateful to have been introduced to another great winery, whose wines will be seeking out on a regular basis now. That’s one of the fun parts of this! Now I have so many new ones I want to try.

The winery itself looks beautiful from pictures. And it makes me want to visit them in Washington State. I suppose I will!

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

One With Vino

It's a spiritual thing.

Tag: Washington

A Great Cause

A Lovely Feast

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: