Sunday, January 27, 2013

Cheese + Wine = Perfection

In my opinion the one combination that never fails to get old is cheese and wine. This combination is beyond a doubt one of the best delicacies in life if you can pair the two correctly. Sadly I believe finding wonderful cheese at a decent price is definitely more difficult than finding wonderful wine at a decent price.

Recently, while spending the day in downtown Sonoma with a co-worker I was introduced to a cute little cheese and wine shop titled The Epicurean Connection. Not only was the environment friendly and inviting but the staff was quite helpful! This shop offered great wines, tasty lunch options, cute trinkets and best of all phenomenal cheese! To top it off everything was decently priced! I will definitely revisit this lovely shop the next time I am looking for great cheese! The staff will even let you sample each cheese to find the right pair for your wine.

Next time you are in Napa be sure to check this gem out!

http://www.theepicureanconnection.com

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Garnet 2010 Pinot Noir

Tonight I opened a bottle of Garnet Pinot Noir to end the week of perfectly. This a wonderful wine with a lovely cherry aroma and taste. Their is no dryness or overwhelming oak taste to this wine which lets it flow down quite smoothly. It has a 100% silky taste which leads to finsihing your glass quite quickly. In my opinion I think this is a wonderful wine for a great price! At only 15 dollars a bottle at your local Bevmo this wine will not disappoint. This wine will pair well with many things from Chinese to fish. Or if you are like me and want to wind down the week on a good night, this does just the trick. I give props to Alison Crowe for her wonderful winemaking skills! This wine is definitely one I would recommend and look forward to buying my next bottle!

Check out their website! http://www.garnetvineyards.com


Saturday, January 5, 2013

Southern France


This past summer I spent a few weeks traveling through southern France along the Rhone River with my grandmother. We took a cruise that explored all aspects of France but focused mainly on wine. Before my trip, I found myself intrigued by wine and the industry, but thought nothing more of it than another product made in the United States. After traveling to France and experiencing wine in a whole new light I became not only intrigued but also fascinated.  In France I saw how wine was a part of the daily culture, the atmosphere, and all aspects of living. We visited many wineries, big to small and I was able to view the major differences in the production of wine in the United States, and the production of wine in France. At the time I did not know a lot about wine but being in the presence of wine and wine enthusiast's it allowed me to catch on quickly and learn more than I could have ever dreamed. In my opinion I think the most intriguing part about wine is sitting down at a table with a group of people of different backgrounds, stories and life experiences and opening a bottle with them. It is amazing how each person has something different to say, and how just tasting a glass of wine can lead to so many different conversations. My trip to France was the trip of a lifetime and I can not wait to explore other countries and their wine.