I know that many of you will think that this sale is too good to believe, but it’s true! Diageo North America are hosting a friends and family wine sale that runs through October 12, 2011. This is by far one of the best wine sales I have experienced, and they have a great range of wines that will satisfy something for everyone.
Visit www.employeewinesale.com and register (by clicking new customer). When it asks you for the referring employee, type jon.pageler@diageo.com (He is a good friend of mine!). If you have questions, call their customer service team at 1800-615-1403
The wines are simply amazing!! Here are some of my favorites that I recommend stocking up on for the holidays!
Beaulieu Vineyard Private Reserve Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Retail $1500 / Sale Price $750)
Hewitt Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2006 (Retail $1200 / Sale Price $599)
Sterling Vineyards Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, Napa Valley 2006 (Retail $720 / Sale Price $299)
Moon Mountain Vineyard Estate Petit Verdot / Cabernet Blend 2005 (Retail $540 / Sale Price $216)
Provenance Vineyards Merlot Napa Valley 2006 (Retail $480 / Sale Price $189)
Moon Mountain Vineyard Estate Cabernet Franc Sonoma Valley 2004 (Retail $480 / Sale Price $144)
Posted in Cabernet, Chardonnay, Chianti, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Special Occasions, Summer fun wines, Uncategorized, Wine Online, Wineries
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Tagged cabernet, chardonnay, employee wine sale, wine, wine deals, wine sale
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This weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Peter Cellars – owned and run by Peter Mauel, a young family man, originally from the U.K., who has experience in wine making both in France and the USA. He and his wife Erin recently purchased a vineyard in Sonoma and offer a delightful experience in their very private and personal tasting room. Having a home on the actual vineyard property allows Peter the chance to stay really connected to his grapes and focus on perfecting his wines. The property has a lovely family feel about it.
We tasted a flight of wines from Peter Cellars and I gravitated toward the 2006 Peter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Chalk Hill. The wine was fruity, with hints of plum, cassis and dark fruits. I would love to taste this wine in a few more years also as it seemed to taste still slightly on the young side. We also savored the taste of the 2006 Peter Cellars Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir which was very fruit forward – with nuances of raspberries and strawberries. The kids loved the cake version which was really cute!
Peter Cellars Winery is located at 21708 Broadway, Sonoma, 95476, California; phone: 415-505-3747. Make sure that you call in advance as they only do tastings by appointment.
You can also visit their website at www.PeterCellarsWines.com
I’m attending “BlogHer” this weekend in San Diego and I’m really impressed 
with the whole deal. The sponsors are well known brands (McDonalds, Dove, Pepsico, P&G, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, CVS, Snapfish and many more). I passed by the stalls today and found some great new gadgets for women, and also companies who are really focused on making our world a better place. The conference is the biggest conference around and is attended by thousands of women. I am hoping to meet some other wine bloggers while I am here so we can talk all about our favorite wines! I’m also hoping that the parties tonight will also be hosting some great exotic wine labels that I can tell you all about tomorrow!
I came across this great wine recently, and the pairing with the food made it sound simply exquisite. Lamb Kapama with a medium bodied red Agiorgitiko! This is one of Greece’s most heat resistant grapes, and so it loves the summer sun and can endure the instensity of the hot dry heat, producing rich fruits for wine making. The final result is very fruity, with plum undertones and pairs brilliantly with Greek braised lamb shanks with red tomatoes and spices! Mmmm …. mouth watering good!
More about the wine:
Location: Nemea, the most renowned region of Peloponnese in Southern Greece
Climate: The climate is typical mediterranean, with mild winters, light rain and hot summers with loads of sunshine.
Harvest: Mid – End of September
Vinification techniques: The classic vinification for redwines. The grape skins remain with the juice for 5 days at controlled temperature.
Ageing: One year in new oak casks.
Character: Prunes, a touch of mint and good oak in the nose. In the palate, it is round and balanced.
Food pairings: Steaks, souvlaki, roasts, lamb dishes and delicate cheeses.
Temperature: Best served at 18 degrees C.
Ever wondered what type of glass to use for what wine? Don’t be caught out with the wrong glass if you have a chance! Here are some basic wine tips for the ladies to help you host the perfect wine tasting or party.
There are four basic types of glasses that cover red, white, dessert and sparkling.
The largest of the wine glasses is the red wine glass. Wide and round to allow for swirling of the wine, and point the wine right to the area on your tongue that will enjoy its flavors the most when tasted. The glass is also wider in its overall diameter that allows you to sniff the scents and maximize the nose, thus maximizing your experience of red wine!
The white wine glass is smaller and U-shaped. It usually has a longer stem also, allowing you to hold it by the stem and not the glass. You dont want to hold white wine glasses by the bowl area as this will change the temperature of your wine. However, it still allows enough area for you to stick your nose in and have a good sniff to experience the flavorful aromas.
Sparkling glasses on the other hand are not for sticking your nose into! Or you will get a bunch of bubbles up your nose which leads to discomfort! Indeed, sparkling glasses are for enjoying the slender and elegance. They are tall and long, allowing the bubbles to stay concentrated. A thinner glass also helps the bubbles last longer.Lastly, dessert wine glasses are small.
Dessert wine is sweet and should be sipped and savored. Dessert wine glasses also put the wines at the right place in your mouth that help channel the sweetness and the fruit flavors perfectly.
Ever feel that you live miles from where the vineyards are, and want to get a deeper connection with wine without the travel? Well, you can do it – and its easy! So now, busy moms and professional women can access all of the fun in their own backyard!
All you need is a board to write your selection of wines on, paper & pens, perhaps some foil or brown bags to cover the bottle labels that you will be tasting , wine glasses (best to get a few per person) – and then some wine tasting wheels, which can be purchased online from a bunch of retailers. Don’t forget the water and crackers, and some extra empty cardboard cups that you can use as spit cups. Be sure to buy the cardboard ones, as clear plastic looks a bit grimy as the night gets going! And of course, a dump bucket.
Select wines that are different varietals so that your guests can distinguish the differences in the wines – e.g. red or blue tones, raspberry or blueberry …. and then on the white side, oak or citrus, green apple or grapefruit etc. It will be fun!
You can also pair foods to go with your wines. I like spicy foods for the more acidic wines – as the acid cuts through the spices and tastes refreshing, and nice creamy cheeses or salami to complement deep red wines!
Don’t forget the most important — Enjoy your night! Love, live and laugh with your girlfriends!
I came across this awesome website the other day that pairs fine cheeses with wines. Its a very comprehensive list and thought that all of you need to have access to this information!
Some of my favorite cheeses (listed below) are paired with their suggested wines:
Please visit the link for the whole list as it is very enlightening and will help with all your “cheese and wine” parties!
- Goat Cheese – Sancerre
- Gorgonzola – Sauternes
- Cheshire – Riesling
- Danish Blue – Cabernet
- Wensleydale – Gewurztraminer
- Muenster – Beaujolais
- Mozzarrella – Chianti
- Havarti – Bordeaux
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Wine-and-Alcohol-644/wine-cheese-pairing-guide.aspx
Did you know that Canada and Germany produce the worlds largest production of Ice Wine? Interesting really, as I never think of Germany to be “that” cold?! But there are places where the grapes go through veraison, and then jus
t before we get to pick them and harvest them (like in sunny Napa) …. they get frozen right on the vine!
The process for Ice Wine dates back to the Romans, and then later a Canadian invented Sparkling Ice Wine by accident also … and it requires the grapes to be frozen through a hard freeze. That’s somewhere around -8 Celsius.
You can buy ice wines in most large or specialty wine stores. Look for the long neck, which indicates it is also a sweeter wine. Ice Wines tend to be very refreshing with hints of peach, pears, honey, figs and green apple. Yummy when served at the perfect chilled temperature also!
I just had the most impressive wine for a long time. A small winery in the Napa Valley “Del Dotto” with an underground candle lit cave that most romantics would die for, produce a small lot wine called David. 
It was appropriately named, as I visited there many years ago (with my then boyfriend “David”). I remember visiting this stunning estate, in the heart of the valley and meeting Dave Del Dotto who took us on a personal tour and told us the history of wine making in his family that dated back centuries. Apparently he had been in the infomercial business back in the late 80′s – and made a lot of money before selling out and making his family winery. He was passionate, lively and kind. The winery is a *must* is you are visiting the Napa Valley as it is incredibly spectacular and exciting!
Roll forward the clock, many years, and here I celebrate this magnificient wine – a perfect blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. And only 14% alcohol which is great for a Californian wine – not too alcoholic.
The thing I love the most about the touch of Cab Franc is that it brings nuances of lilac, which just brings a whole new taste to wine. I dont think that you can buy this wine in retail given that its a small production lot, but if you are visiting Napa, I would certainly recommend it. You can find more details on Del Dotto at www.deldottovineyards.com
One of New Zealands largest and finest wine producing regions is Malborough, producing just over 60% of the country’s wine. Located north east of the south island, this region is witness to a dry climate and fertile soil. 
New Zealand’s Malborough region is one of my favorite regions for Sauvignon Blanc. I barely can not remember ever having tasted a bad wine from this region. Inexpensive in price and delightfully fruity, with a crisp citrus zing on the palette, these wines are made for summer tastings!
One of my most recent favorite picks is a Sauv Blanc from Oyster Bay, Malborough.
Oyster Bay’s 2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is aromatic with hints of grapefruit and other tropical flavors, without being overtly sweet. Its finish is elegant and refreshing, and makes the perfect summer wine. Wine Spectator quote this wine as “a lean and herbal style, offering plenty of fresh green notes that balance out the lemon, grapefruit and floral tones”. I liked this wine for BBQ’s and summer sipping fun!
