Monday, May 31, 2010

We Are Giving Away FREE Gifts

Free From Wine Gifts With Style


Alright ladies and gents, we're going to launch a new facebook page. So to help celebrate, we're going to give away a Pick Your Poison Cap ($18 value) to our readers!

Visit our NEW 
Facebook Page here.  Like us and you're automatically entered into the contest. Now here's the fun part, if you suggest your friends to join the page you will have more chances to win a Pick Your Poison Cap


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and if they win, so will you! Have 100 friends? Invite them all and now you have 101 chances to win! Just tell you friends to post "your name" sent me here" for example: "Norma sent me here".... so we can keep track of who you are sending. It's that easy.

The first round of winners will be picked on June 15 and the second round on June 30, 2010. Winners are chosen at random. Good luck!


Friday, May 28, 2010

Top Wines for your Memorial Day B-que.



Great Grillin’ Wines:
The unabashed bold flavors of grilled meats make us think of big bold reds. The wine should be able to enhance the meats, yet not compete with either the spiciness, or the sweetness of the sauce. Although many associate a hot summer day and barbequing with a beer – the truth is nothing pairs as nicely with the light summer vegetables, appetizers and grilled fish as a nice cool glass of white wine. For the perfect catch-all wine that is sure to please, a rosé is your best bet.

We recommend these Super Grillin’ Wines:
Nouveau Muse 2008 Los Carneros Tempranillo pairs perfectly with grilled chicken & peppers.
Somersville Cellars 2007 Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon pairs perfectly with lamb kabobs and cheeseburgers.
McKenna 2008 Central Coast Trilogy pairs perfectly with barbecued ribs.
Nouveau Muse 2009 California Rosato pairs perfectly with anything from the grill – meats, veggies & all the fixins!
EVO 2009 Clarksburg Albariño pairs perfectly with grilled fish and potato salad.
Frisch 2009 Gewürztraminer pairs perfectly with grilled corn on the cob or vegetable kabobs.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Wine of the Day- McKenna 2009 North Coast Sauvignon Blanc

McKenna 2009 North Coast Sauvignon Blanc


This 2009 McKenna North Coast Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of citrus, apple, and tropical fruit with hints of pear and herbs. The flavors are clean and refreshing with a light body. The finish is mouth-watering, food friendly and medium length. Enjoy this wine with grilled zucchini, barbecued shellfish, Chinese take-out or lighter cheeses such as mozzarella.
 
Specially created for pairing with the McKenna 2009 Sauvignon Blanc
This McKenna Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with this recipe for Anise-Orange Shrimp and Scallop Skewers.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon McCormick® Anise Seed
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ginger,
Ground
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Black
Pepper, Coarse Grind
1 pound large sea scallops
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Honey Ginger Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:
Mix orange juice, oil, anise seed, garlic salt, ginger and pepper in small bowl. Place seafood in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove seafood from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Alternately thread shrimp and scallops onto skewers. Grill over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are opaque. Serve with Honey Ginger Dipping Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.
 
SPECIAL OFFER: Save 12% when you order a case of wine. Mix and Match any half-case of wine (6 bottles) available in your Tasting Sampler and receive 6% off plus discounted shipping. OR Mix and Match any full-case of wine (12 bottles) available in your Tasting Sampler and receive 12% off plus discounted shipping. Available until June 21st. Savor and Enjoy!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Wine of the Day- 2008 McKenna 2008 Trilogy


Today I want to talk about the McKenna 2008 Trilogy from WineShop At Home.

McKenna, and to all the great Clans of Ireland – where a strong sense of family remains the cornerstone of modern society. Irish identity is inextricably linked to ancestry and heritage – the past always an undeniable part of the present. The Lynch family wears their Irish heritage as a badge of honor and loves to celebrate with toasts all around. Gathering together family and friends to honor the past, the present and the future remains the cornerstone of their shared values.

This 2008 McKenna Trilogy is a blend of 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Cabernet Franc. These grapes all come from a single source in the warm central coast region around Paso Robles. Each of the wines were picked and fermented separately and blended a few months after harvest. The blend was aged in mostly neutral small oak barrels for 19 months. This wine will age well for four to seven years.


This 2008 McKenna Central Coast Trilogy has aromas ripe raspberry, blackberry jam, vanilla and fresh tobacco with hints of leather and smoke. The flavors are big and mouth filling with layers of complexity and character. The finish is long and smooth with well-integrated tannin at the tail end. Enjoy this wine with roasted lamb, pot roast, falafel, or strong cheese.
 
Wine Country Recipes
Garlic and Herb Lamb

Specially created for pairing with the McKenna 2008 Trilogy

Ingredients:

1 (5 pound) leg of lamb
3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
3 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Puncture the leg of lamb with the tip of a knife just far enough to insert slivers of garlic into the holes. Mix together the dill, salt and rosemary, and rub over the leg of lamb. Place the lamb, fatty side up, on a rack in a
shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 155 degrees F (68 degrees C) for medium. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. The lamb will continue to cook a little bit, and the juices will set up better for carving.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Janet's Circle 04-26-10

Wine Tasting Network Event. Photo by Bill Alexander