Happy Memorial Day!

     Happy Memorial Day – the unofficial kick-off to summer! What better way to enjoy the beginning of summer than a bike ride and lunch with my hubby?

Echo Bay (left) and Joel Gott Sauvignon Banc

     It began as a beautiful day for a bike ride. We pedaled our way to Edwardsville looking forward to lunch at our favorite pizza spot, Peel. Unfortunately they were closed for the holiday, but not to worry, we found a shady spot on the patio at Mike Shannon’s Grill – just next door. Mike and I were both in the mood for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. I ordered Joel Gott from California and he ordered Echo Bay from Marlborough, New Zealand. A perfect opportunity to share our glasses and compare this grape from two different growing regions. This is what we discovered:
Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc – California

• Color:  Pale yellow
• Nose:  Lemon and citrus hit me with my first sniff
• Mouth:  Love the bright acidity of this wine with refreshing citrus notes and clean finish. This wine had a slightly fuller body than the Echo Bay.
• Pairing:  Was an excellent pairing with a Greek Island salad and half a Health wrap that we split.

Greek Island Salad and Health Wrap

Echo Bay Sauvignon Blanc – Marlborough, New Zealand

• Color:  Pale yellow
• Nose:  Classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with herbaceous notes and zesty citrus
• Mouth:  Bright, crisp and refreshing. Mike described it as thirst quenching.
• Pairing: Another great match with our light lunch, although Mike mostly enjoyed his wine before the lunch arrived.

Steakhouse Salad

Overall results/thoughts:  I would recommend both of these wines. They are perfect for the upcoming summer filled with salads and other lighter fare. Our favorite of the afternoon was definitely the Echo Bay!
     Our relaxing lunch was over and it was time to get back on the bikes. All was going great until we noticed more and more dark clouds to the west. We pedaled as fast as we could and were about a half of a mile from our car when the skies opened up! I think I prefer the refreshing Sauvignon Blanc over the “refreshing rain”!!
     I would be remiss if I did not thank all those who have given so much for us on this Memorial Day. God bless you all and Happy Memorial Day!

Cheers,
Beth

The Coravin 1000 Wine Preservation System

How often have you wanted to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, but knew you wouldn't finish the bottle and did not want to waste it.  Or, have you desired a white wine prior to dinner and a glass of red with your steak?  Wines start to oxidize the second the cork is pulled and, unless you either finish the bottle or share it with others, your wine will likely not be as good the next day.  There are different preservation systems on the market, but none are completely foolproof.

Greg Lambrecht, the Founder of Coravin, Inc., found that when his wife became pregnant and he was the only one drinking wine, he didn't want to commit to drinking an entire bottle.   Greg wanted to be able to enjoy his wine, without having to pull the cork.  Is that possible, you ask?  Greg Lambrecht made it possible.

Greg explains the technology behind the Coravin on his website coravin.com.  There is no need to remove the cork or the foil.  When the Coravin is put into place, a thin, hollow needle is placed through the cork to extract the wine from the bottle.  The bottle is then pressurized with Argon, a gas plentiful in nature and is regularly utilized in other methods of wine preservation.  Once the bottle is pressurized, the wine flows through the needle into your waiting glass.  The last step is simply to remove the needle and the cork reseals itself.  The wine in the bottle never comes into contact with oxygen, thus the degradation process never begins.

Not only does the Coravin allow a wine drinker to preserve wine, but it also allows one to go from one type of wine to another as the Coravin needn't be dedicated to one bottle.  The benefits of this device are even more appreciated by wine store and wine bar owners who are now able to keep their wines-by-the-glass fresh, even if they aren't finished in one day.  The financial and taste benefits are worth the price of this gadget!

For only $299, you will receive the Coravin 1000, a storage base and two pressurized argon capsules (FREE SHIPPING - ground).  If you prefer, you can get a flight-ready Coravin without the pressurized capsules (FREE SHIPPING - air).  Each pressurized capsule allows for approximately 15 pours.

Don't waste your wine, it is like pouring money down the drain!  Enjoy your wines over weeks or months, instead of feeling pressured to drink or dump.

Cheers!
Mary Jo

Duchman Family Winery

As you probably recall, last Valentine's Day weekend Beth and I, along with our husbands ventured to the Texas Hill Country to check out the wines and enjoy the weekend away from our harsh Illinois winter.  As we searched many books and websites to determine which wineries we wanted to try, due to limited amount of time, we had to narrow our choices to only  a few a day (yes, we were trying to be responsible too).

One of the very first wineries I jotted down on my "must see" list was the Duchman Family Winery.  Several things caught my attention about this winery, starting with the ambiance of the drive up to the tasting room.  It looked like a slice of Tuscany in the little Texas town of Driftwood!

More importantly, the owners Lisa and Stan Duchman's goal was "to craft wine in Central Texas using exclusively Texas-grown fruit"(Spectacular Wines of Texas). Their philosophy is "100 % Texas Grapes 100% Texas Wines".  Fortunately, the Texas warm summers mimic the Mediterranean climate of Italy, meaning that grapes that fare well in warm and often arid climates thrive. Native Italian grape varieties like sangiovese, agliancio, and vermintino grow in the vineyards.  In addition to experimenting with Italian grapes, the winery sources the majority of its fruit from the Texas High Plains appellation, where cooler temperatures and a more moderate climate prevail.

They offered a variety of white wines which include Trebbiano, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Vermentino, and Bianco (a blend of Trebbiano, Vermentino, and Pinot Grigio). Thanks to my most convenient WineCheck, I was able to bring home my top three choices: a 2011 Trebbiano, a 2011 Pinot Grigio and a 2012 Vermentino.  Yes, they are all winners in my book-perfect by the pool!

Next, we tasted the reds chosen from Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Rosso (a blend of Sangiovese and Dolcetto), Montepulciano, Tempranillo, Aglianico, and Canto Felice.  Again, I limited myself to only a couple of tastings but thoroughly enjoyed the Sangiovese, the Montepulciano and the Tempranillo.  As you can see, we even enjoyed a bottle of the 2011 Tempranillo while sitting outside soaking up the lovely warm weather as the sun was starting to set. They even had a Bocce Ball court! (Aw, I remember last year's California trip.)  For more detailed information about their wines, check out their website at duchmanwinery.com.

All in all, the Texas Hill Country was quite a success and I'm looking forward to visiting again- hopefully soon!

Cheers!

Lisa