Happy New Year



Me pretending to be a Diva, wearing pink lipstick and well, long hair!

I just wanted to wish all of my readers a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year. I feel so blessed to be able to share some of my favorite things that give me joy, and joy to the readers of my blog. I love wine, food and interior design. So, I hope to continue to provide you with honest wine reviews, great recipes, and other lifestyle related articles.

I also want to thank all the wonderful people in wine country who provide me wine samples, so I can share my experiences with all of you. In addition to wine, I'd like to thank all the authors who have  provided me books to review and, all the companies that have provided me with food items to review. I love spreading the word, so that you can drink, read, cook and enjoy the wine lifestyle. So, tonight raise your wine glass or champagne flute to welcome 2012!

So, enjoy a little sparkling wine tonight and have a little fun! Bubbles are good for the soul!

Wine Review: Bogle 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine was a delight to review! At a suggested retail price of $11.00 a bottle; it is a "bang-for-the-buck wine! The wine is a dark garnet color. The nose is filled with dark ripe fruit aromas (black cherries) along with hints of earth, tobacco, smoke and spice. The palate mirrored the nose with more of that ripe fruit, baking spice, and a hint of leather. This wine is well balanced and quite a bargain, making a great purchase for a gathering. I would pair this wine with a gourmet burger, steak, bruschetta topped with beef pastrami and cheese, aged Cheddar cheese, Cahill Porter cheese or a Blue cheese. Note:  This wine was a sample provided by Bogle Vineyards for my review. http://www.boglewinery.com SRP $11.00

Wine Review: Bogle 2010 Riesling

I must admit that this wine pleasantly surprised me! I am not a fan of Riesling, but this Riesling had the right amount of residual sugar that kept it balanced, and not cloyingly sweet. This wine has aromas of ripe apples, pears, hints of baking spice and citrus notes, mainly honeysuckle. The palate mirrored the nose along with a nice dose of acidity. I would pair this with pork, orange glazed chicken, soft cheeses, fresh goat cheese, crab cakes, Asian cuisine and one of my favorites Philadelphia Cream Cheese topped with Tabasco Brand Pepper Jelly served with Ritz crackers.This is an easy no-fuss appetizer and wine pairing that is sure to please. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Bogle Vineyards for review. http://www.boglewinery.com SRP $10.00

Women of the Vine Wines and the Holiday Season

Hello Readers,
Please check out the link below and order wines made by women wine makers. Girl Power rocks, and so do their wines! Women are making great strides in the world of wine; I'd love for you to support their efforts!

http://www.ultimatewineshop.com/r/ItemGroup/Women%20of%20the%20Vine

Happy Holidays,

Lorrie

Book Review: the Saucy Sisters Guide To Wine What every girl should know before she Unscrews! by Barbara Nowak & Beverly Pittman

I must say that this book was a joy to read. Barbara & Beverly A.K.A the Saucy Sisters really provided the proper information on wine, for a beginner to a person who has a good amount of wine knowledge and those in between. They shared information about themselves, to introduce you to how their sisterhood turned into a friendship, and led them to their career path in the world of wine. The voice of the book is part " wine girlfriend" and part "wine educator." The style of the book is easy to read, and they break down a lot of basic wine information in ways that truly helps the reader understand the world of wine.

They put icons, Screw Tip = Savvy Wine Advice, Screw U = Higher Wine Education, Unscrewy = Unscrewy Questions = We've Got Answers to help in the educational process, that are fun and informative. The basic varietal information is there with alternative wines to try if you want to venture off from your "usual" white or red wine favorites. I like that fact that they provide "options", this helps the new Oenophile (wine lover) begin to expand their wine journey.

The concept of the screw cap is still a huge debate; but the sisters and myself see the value of a screw cap. I must admit, I still love the romance  of uncorking a bottle of wine sometimes, but screw caps are great for preserving wine for a few days. I guess they, "screw caps", serve a good purpose for folks who don't have a wine drinking partner, and thus have leftover wine.

The book covers wine pairing suggestions, how to order wine in a restaurant, how to pronounce the names of wine varietals, glassware, information about wines from all regions and so much more.

I think this book would make an excellent Christmas gift for the Oenophiles on your Christmas list. Note: This book was a sample for my review from the authors. SRP $13.95

The book can be purchased from the Saucy Sisters website, and they will personalize it for you http://www.saucysisters.com or you can purchase the book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble's website.