Wine and Entertaining Videos

I just love watching wine and entertaining videos. Here are a few nice videos I found while surfing the web! Wine is not just a beverage, it is a lifestyle. So, drink wine, cook, laugh and enjoy family and friends in style with some of the nice tips that are found in these videos. Also, check out some of my wine picks on this blog and try them. Let me know what you think. Summer is alsost over, so while the temperatures are still warm, sip on some whites and rose` wines to salute summer.

http://www.youtube.com/kundefamilyestate#p/u/1/tcQg8P3mW38

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d9NPUW7pM4I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=N_WQvv7fQ8E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1QSLrffPCvc

Cheers,

Lorrie

Wine Review: White Oak 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine has a dark garnet hue. The nose has aromas of dark fruit flavors, primarily black cherry, cassis, vanilla and toasty oak. The palate mirrors the nose along with hints of coffee and a slight hint of black olive. This wine is supple, but  has some tannins, but the tannins gives the wine structure and balance. I would pair this wine with gourmet burgers, steaks, bruschetta with pastrami as an ingredient in the topping. I would also pair it with tapas that include black olives and salami, aged cheddar and Cahill Porter Cheese. Note: This wine was a sample provided by White Oak Vineyards & Winery. http://www.whiteoakwinery.com  SRP $30.00

Lorrie's Super Bruschetta

1 head of roasted garlic toes (recipe will follow)

(1) 8 oz package of cream cheese

½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon of Creole seasoning

2 tablespoons of melted I can't believe it's not butter

¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

20 diagonally sliced pieces of French bread

(1) 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers

½ lb. of thinly sliced beef pastrami

(1) 8 oz. block of Fontina cheese

dried chives for garnish

To roast garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top off the head of garlic, just enough to see the garlic toes exposed. Put in a square of aluminum foil. Put olive oil on top and add about a teaspoon of water on the bottom of the foil, close up and bake for an hour. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic to release the toes of garlic. This can be done ahead of time to save in prep time. In addition, the cream cheese mixture can be made ahead as well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix melted margarine and olive oil together in a cup. Brush the slices of bread with the olive oil mixture and bake for about 5-7 minutes.

In a food processor, combine cream cheese, roasted garlic, cheddar cheese, cayenne pepper and Creole seasoning and pulse until blended.

Remove bread slices from the oven and spread a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Then add a piece of roasted red pepper. Then add a small piece of pastrami, then a thin slice of Fontina cheese, and a drop of oil on each slice of bread. Sprinkle with chives. Bake in oven until the cheese is melted. About 5 minutes.

Try this wine with this appetizer and let me know what you think!

Wine Review: White Oak 2007 Napa Valley Merlot

This wine has a dark garnet hue. The nose is filled with dark fruit aromas, primarily black cherry, vanilla, coffee, chocolate and spice. The palate mirrors the nose as it relates to the flavor profile along with supple tannins, but tannins firm enough to give this wine structure and balance. This wine would pair well with gourmet burgers, especially if stuffed with a pat of rosemary compound butter enclosed inside the burger patty. Remember not to press the burger when grilling with compound butter, you will lose the butter! This wine would also pair well with a grilled steak. If using an indoor grill pan, I use a little extra virgin olive oil and and a sprig of rosemary in my grill pan to add that extra layer of flavor to my steaks. I love to marinade my steaks (rib eye) in Stubb's Beef Marinade prior to grilling them. Another great pairing would be with Cahill Porter Cheese, I love how this cheese looks with the marbling and its rich flavor.  Note: this wine was a sample provided by White Oak Vineyards & Winery http://www.whiteoakwinery.com SRP $26.00

Davis Bynum 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir

This wine has a cranberry hue. The nose is filled with ripe juicy red fruit aromas of cherries and strawberries with a bit of spice. The palate mirrored the nose with a hint of earthiness and some slight herbal notes in the mid palate. The wine finished with bright fruit flavors and a bit of acidity, making this a great wine to pair with food. The wine has a smooth and silky mouth feel, but has some structure that provides balance. The wine has a nice finish.  I would pair this wine with salmon, pork, chicken, (roasted, baked or southern fried), anything with prosciutto, Purple Haze goat cheese because of the lavender and fennel pollen coating, cream cheese topped with Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Jelly served with crackers, bruschetta with mushrooms, melted Fontina cheese and bacon crumbled on top and Mimolette cheese.  Note: This wine was a sample provided by Davis Bynum Winery. http://www.davisbynum.com/ SRP $30.00 

Herbes de Provence Pan Seared Salmon with Caper Sauce

• 4 salmon fillets
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• Herbes de Provence (lightly sprinkled on each fillet)
• 2 ½ tablespoons of olive oil (reserve I ½ tablespoons for skillet)
• ½ of a lemon

Caper Sauce

1 cup of Mayonnaise

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon of small capers (drained of brine)

4 dashes of Tabasco sauce (or more to taste)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Rub fillets with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and Herbes de Provence. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat. Place fillets in pan, skin side up, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until edges turn golden. Then, turn over and cook for about a minute. Remove fillets from skillet and place in a baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Squeeze lemon juice on baked salmon fillets.

Caper Sauce

Preparation

Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, capers and Tabasco sauce, and serve in a pretty serving bowl.

I like serving this with herbed rice and a grape tomato and mixed greens salad. Wine Recommendation: 2009 Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir http://www.davisbynum.com/

Wine Review: Bogle 2009 California Pinot Noir

This wine has a cranberry hue. The wine has aromas of earth, strawberries and cherries, along with a bit of spice. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of herbal notes integrated with the red fruit, earthiness and spice. This wine is what I call a "bang for the buck" wine. I think it would pair well with salmon, bruschetta with mushrooms topped with Fontina cheese that has been melted, and then sprinkled with crumbled bacon, pork roast, fried or roast chicken. I paired it with a piece of Mimolette cheese. The depth of flavor and saltiness of the cheese really brought out the red fruit flavors in this wine. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Bogle Winery http://www.boglewinery.com SRP $11.00

Wine Review: Ceja Vineyards 2007 Vino de Casa

This wine has a dark garnet color. The nose is filled with cherries, dark plums and spice. The wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate mirrors the nose with a hint of cocoa, and a bit of lead or minerality, which gives this wine structure. There is a nice acidity that makes this wine great to pair with food. The finish has a nice length showcasing all of the flavors you experience on the palate. I paired this wine with a creation of mine called, "Lorrie's Wonton Tacos." It is an appetizer that is great for a group of family and friends, because they can assist the cook by assembling the wonton tacos, and the cook just has to fry, and of course sip this wine. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Ceja Vineyards http://www.cejavineyards.com SRP $20.00

Note: I don't have how may appetizers this makes because I just fried them, until I got "full". This was my lunch!

Lorrie's Wonton Tacos

Ingredients

1 package of wonton wrappers
1 lb. of lean ground chuck
1 packet of Taco Seasoning mix (I used Old El Paso)
I 8oz  package of  nacho & taco grated cheese (cheddar, monterey jack blended with spices. Kroger's Brand)
I egg plus I tablespoon of water whisked together
Canola oil to fry ( about 1 and 1/2 inches high in a cast iron skillet)
Sour cream
Taco sauce

Preparation

Cook ground meat by following the directions on the back of the taco seasoning package. Lay out wonton wrappers, put a little less than 1/2 tablespoon of cheese and ground meat mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Note: make sure not to over fill, you will not be able to close and seal them correctly. Brush the  wrappers lightly around the edges withthe egg mixture and seal tightly. Heat oil until when you flick a few drops of water and there is a pop; do not over heat oil!  Fry until they are a light golden brown color. Drain on a platter with paper towels. I served them on an appetizer plate with a dollop of sour cream and some taco sauce. These appetizers really brought out the fruit and hints of spice in this wine.

Here is the wine tasting video that shows the bottle image and much more! Try this recipe and let me know what you think!

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Wine Review: Cremant D' Alsace Lucien Albrecht Brut Rose`

This sparkling wine or Cremant is a very light hue of pink. It looked so delicate in the glass, with small ongoing bubbles. The nose is filled with aromas of strawberries with a hint of orange zest and brioche. The palate was just bursting with flavors of juicy strawberries and a hint of raspberry, orange zest and brioche. This wine was a delight to sip, and the finish had a lingering strawberry and orange zest flavor. This wine has a hint of sweetness that enhanced the wine. I am not fond of wines with a lot of residual sugar, but this one had just the right amount!

I sipped it while watching the movie "Jumping the Broom." I realized I had the perfect sparkling wine and movie pairing because champagne was abound in this movie! http://www.bing.com/movies/search/trailers?q=Jumping+the+Broom&id=a9356bb1-9c73-4feb-8006-df3840823e07&v=0becde31-e918-4c48-9555-ed9b0785f201&FORM=DTPMVO

 I would pair this wine with fresh goat cheese, light appetizers, especially ones that contain prosciutto as an ingredient http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/grilled-prosciutto-wrapped-figs-stuffed-with-goat-cheese-recipe/index.html, chicken, especially chicken salad, salmon marinated in a sweet glaze and chocolate dipped strawberries. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Pasternak Wine Imports http://www.pasternakwine.com

This wine is available at http://www.wine.com

Here is one of favorite appetizer recipes that pair well with Brut Rose` wines.

Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

Serves: 12-15 appetizer servings

Ingredients


1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
1 (1 pound) package of sliced bacon
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Dredge chicken into mixture, then wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden tooth pick. Coat a rack and broiler with nonstick kitchen spray. Place chicken on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Note: You can also use a baking pan lined with release foil paper if you don't own a rack. With this method you may need to let the chicken wraps drain on paper towels before putting them on your serving platter.

Life is good, so we should celebrate life! What a better way to celebrate life than with a bottle of sparkling wine, and a wonderful gourmet food pairing.

Wine Review: Schramsberg 2008 Blanc de Blancs

This wine is a light straw color. I love the small, tight ongoing bubbles. The nose has aromas of lemon zest and tart apples with a hint of breadiness or brioche. The palate mirrored the nose with those same tart apple and lemon flavors. The wine is light, crisp and a delight on the palate. the finish is crisp with nice acidity with lingering notes of lemon. This wine is great to sip alone, but it would be a perfect match for fresh goat cheese, and fresh goat cheese lightly coated in minced dill spread on a baguette slice or a cracker. I would also pair this wine with Humboldt Fog cheese and with Trois Petits Cochon's Pate` with Mushrooms and their Truffle Mousee Pate` spread on crackers. http://www.3pigs.com.

I would also pair this wine with a roast chicken, that has it's cavity seasoned well with sea salt and pepper or my favorite Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, then filled with a lemon wedge or two (if it will fit!), fresh thyme, a sweet onion quarter, a bay leaf, then rubbed down with extra virgin olive oil (I like Ecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil http://www.rutherfordranch.com/products/product.php? productid=16154&cat=258&page=1 ) and sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper or creole seasoning. I like to rest my chicken on a rack made of celrey stalks with a bay leaf and a little white wine or water to maintain some moisture during the cooking process. A side of wild rice and a nice salad would complete this great pairing.

I like appetizers that contain spinach and artichokes with Parmesan cheese in puff pastry with Blanc de Blanc sparkling wines. Also, light cheeses, oysters and oyster based appetizers, fish and crab and crab based appetizers would pair nicely with this sparkling wine.

I am on a mission to get people to realize that sparkling wine is to be enjoyed "all the time." Sparkling wine is not just to be reserved for special occasions; a Friday that you get a paycheck in this economy, is a special occasion. As a lady once told me in New Orleans when I lived there before Hurricane Katrina, "Treat yourself, don't cheat yourself." I often think about that statement when I sip on a flute of sparkling wine! Note: This wine was a sample provided by Wilson Daniels LTD. http://www.wilsondaniels.com SRP $36.00

Wine Review: White Oak 2006 Napa Valley Syrah

This wine has a deep garnet color. The nose has aromas of dark fruit primarily cranberries and dark plums, along with hints of coffee, cocoa and a faint herbal note. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of white pepper. The tannins are well integrated giving the wine structure and balance. The mouth feel is smooth and the finish is long with those dark fruit flavors and a lingering of white pepper.

 I paired this wine with Cypress Grove Chevre Purple Haze goat cheese and Town House Flatbread crisp, the Sea Salt and Olive Oil variety. I think the lavender and fennel pollen that coats the fresh got cheese made this an unusual , but perfect pairing. Maybe those slight herbal notes in the wine married with the herbal coating of the goat cheese. In addition, I paired this wine with my no cook pairing of cream cheese with Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Jelly spread on those flat bread crackers. The pepper notes in the wine and the sweetness and pepper of the jelly, complemented the fruit of the wine.

I would also pair this wine burgers, especially burgers stuffed with a pat of sage compound butter or a rib eye off the grill with a pat of sage compound butter. Syrah and sage are one of my favorite wine and herb pairing suggestions. I would also pair this wine with a rack of lamb in a Syrah Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Sauce. Note:  This wine was a sample provided by White Oak Vineyard & Winery http://www.whiteoakwinery.com SRP $26.00

Wine Review: Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose` Non-Vintage

This wine has a lovely light salmon hue. The nose has aromas of stone fruit, strawberries, watermelon along with bready notes. The palate has those same stone fruit flavors, along with strawberries and watermelon and orange zest. The mouth feel has a mousse-like texture, which I found interesting in a good way. The finish has notes of berried fruit intermingled with orange zest with a nice dose of acidity. This wine is great to sip alone, but paired well with goat cheese on olive oil and sea salt flat bread crackers. I would also pair this rose` sparkling wine with Drunken Goat cheese, salmon, chicken (grilled or southern fried), pork, especially appetizers with prosciutto and grilled portabello mushrooms. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Wilson Daniels LTD. http://www.wilsondaniels.com  SRP $27.00

Lorrie's Salmon Cakes

Ingredients

(1) 14.75 oz can of Pink Salmon (skin and bones removed)

1 large egg

3 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs

2 tablespoons of finely chopped seasoning * (sweet onion, parsley and celery)

1/2 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/4 cup of flour for dusting the salmon cakes

4 tablespoons of Canola oil to fry salmon cakes

Preparation

Clean canned salmon of skin and bones. This is tricky because the bones are so small. I used a paper towel to assist in getting all the little bones off of the salmon. In a bowl combine the salmon, egg, bread crumbs, chopped seasoning, creole seasoning and ginger. Divide the mixture in half in the bowl and the halves into thirds to form six salmon cakes. Lightly dust each salmon cake with flour. Heat the canola oil until when you "flick" a drop of water it "pops" back.  Then fry salmon cakes on medium high until a golden brown on each side about 3-4 minutes. I only fry 3 salmon cakes at a time to get a nice color, and nice outer texture. I serve these salmon cakes on Pillsbury Grand biscuits spread with Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Jelly. This makes for a wonderful pairing for brunch.

*Note: I like to stay prepped, so I put one sweet onion, 2-3 stalks of celery and a third of a bunch of Italian flat leaf parsley leaves in my food processor and pulse until they a finely chopped.  I put it in a container to use as needed. That is my holy trinity; green bell pepper is a bit strong for me in most food preparations)

Try it and let me know what you think! 

Wine Review: Schramsberg 2008 Brut Rose`

This wine has a lovely pink hue. The bubbles are small, tight and ongoing in your flute. The aromas are of bright red fruit, like strawberries and watermelon. There are also slight notes of brioche and orange zest. The palate mirrors the nose, with those light, bright red fruit flavors and a bit of toast. This wine has great balance, with nice acidity and a nice finish. This wine is a great to sip alone, but is a wonderful wine to be paired with food.

 I paired this wine with a seasonal appetizer that was listed on their  Tour de France Menu at Mimi's Cafe in West Little Rock. This bruschetta was composed of a slice of baguette with roasted garlic and melted Parmesan cheese, topped with sun dried tomato pesto, a slice of Roma tomato, blue cheese crumbles and real bacon bits; it was a steal for three treats at $4.99. I must admit I ate two in the restaurant and saved one to pair with this lovely sparkling wine, and I was right on point with the pairing! Sometimes you just don't feel like cooking, especially in the heat of summer. So, take out food and wine can be a good thing! I loved this appetizer, and will be creating my version at home.

I would also pair this rose` sparkling wine with goat cheese, especially Cypress Grove Chevre's Humboldt Fog and Purple Haze goat cheese, salmon, lamb chops, chicken, even southern fried chicken; the sparkling wine has enough backbone and acidity to make for a great pairing. Also, pork, especially prosciutto.

Try this recipe by Anne Burrell and tell me what you think http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/grilled-prosciutto-wrapped-figs-stuffed-with-goat-cheese-recipe/index.html  I just ate them as an appetizer and not on top of a salad. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Wilson Daniels LTD http://www.wilsondaniels.com SRP $41.00

Wine Review: White Oak 2009 Chardonnay

This wine has a light straw color. The nose has aromas of peaches, pears and a hint of toast. The palate mirrors the nose along with a nice acidity and a touch of oak.  I like chardonnays that are crafted with a bit of "restraint" on the oak; this allows the fruit to be the star and the oak to play a supporting role giving the wine structure and balance. The wine has a nice finish.

 This wine was great to sip alone or to be paired with chicken, Pasta Alfredo with shrimp or chicken, seafood, especially off the grill, (due to the toasty notes of the wine), appetizers and light cheeses, like the Fresh Market's Raw Milk Cheddar. Note: This wine was a sample provided by White Oak Vineyards & Winery http://www.whiteoakwinery.com  SRP $24.00

 

Wine Review: Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rose` 2010

Note: This image is the 2009 vintage.

This wine has a beautiful soft light pink color. The nose is soft with notes of cherries, strawberries and raspberries. The palates flavors mirrored the nose with all of that bright berry fruit, with a light and refreshing mouth feel. The wine has structure due to the composition of Syrah (40%), Grenache (40%) and Cinsault (20%). This wine was like summer and Provence in a glass, just what you need in this summer heat. The wine has a nice fruit finish, but remains light, crisp and refreshing. I shared this bottle of rose` and food pairing with a friend who is eager to experience the world of wine, and she loves the light pink color of this wine and how refreshing it is. Also, she got her first taste of pepper jelly. That was amazing to me, since we are both from New Orleans. We all learn something new everyday!

 I paired this rose`wine with a no cook pairing of cream cheese topped with Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Jelly http://www.tabasco.com and Town House Flatbread Crisp http://www.keebler.com, the olive oil and sea salt variety. This makes for a tasty and pretty quick appetizer. I think the spiciness of the pepper jelly melds with the Syrah in this blend.  In addition,  the sweetness of the pepper jelly melds with the fresh berry flavors of the rose` wine, and the cream cheese gives the sweet and heat of this no cook pairing "balance".

 This wine would also pair well with fresh goat cheese, salmon, chicken (grilled or southern fried), turkey burgers and light appetizers. I enjoyed sipping it alone and with the  cream cheese and pepper jelly appetizer with crackers.   Note:  This wine was a sample provided by Pasternak Wine Imports http://www.pasternakwine.com