Unboxing Wine-- Frosé

I've been waiting on this box to finish a story....



I've never been able to buy into the whole Frosé thing...not sure why. Maybe this will change my mind? The directions on this say I can add wine (even sparkling) AND vodka, so this could just be the ticket.

I put it to the test at a friends house and will post the story when it is published. No spoilers.

SOBE Food and Wine Festival Almost Over

One more day left for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. The event on one of the world's most famous beaches is a MUST for lovers of food, wine, spirits and a good time!

Let the games begin, the SOBEWFF Grand Entrance

Amstel Light Girls keeping us hydrated

Yes, Hard Rock set up a lounge on the the beach

FreshDiet; great concept and great food

Having coffee with Giorgio from Illy

Valentine Weekend Wine

With the opening of Fifty Shades of Grey movie on Valentines weekend, it set the stage for all kinds  of celebrations, parties and get togethers that will no doubt continue for weeks to come.

I can't think of a more perfect wine combo for upcoming viewing parties than these two: Fifty Shades of Grey and Casillero del Diablo Devil's Collection.

Both wines come in at under $20 so they won't break the bank for your parties.

Casillero del Diablo, means the Cellar of the Devil.....naughty. It is an award winning blend of carmenere, cabernet sauvignon and syrah from Chile, (from the well established Concha y Toro brand) with flavors of plum, cherry and chocolate, easy drinking on its own or with salty appetizers (insert joke here.)

Fifty Shades is obviously targeted to fans of the book and the movie, an obvious choice for pre or post movie parties. A blend of petite sirah and syrah, its both fruity and spicy, good for pizza and burgers for certain.

Enjoy the party. Cheers!

Buenos Dias Buenos Aires

While having dinner with friends last night, one of them proclaimed they wanted to move to Buenos Aires after seeing it featured recently on "House Hunters International" on HGTV. It's an incredible South American city that I can't wait to visit again, especially since I only had two fast and furious days there recently.

Desperately in need of a good cup of coffee after an overnight flight from Miami, the ride in from the airport was a good substitute for the caffeine. Avenida 9 de Julio was quite a spectacle, the widest Avenue in the world, 7 lanes in EACH direction with three additional lanes running parallel, like access roads. Even with all that space, there was still not enough space as buses, motorbikes and cars navigated with precious inches to spare.

Once on foot we hit the ground running from the Torre Monumental at one end of town, to Plaza de Mayo and touristy photos in front of Casa Rosada where the spirit of Evita lives. We stopped at a trendy cafe along the river for a cool glass of Torrontes, watched Tango dancers in the streets, shopped along the chaotic Calle Florida and embraced as much as we could on this first day.

We landed in the trendy Recoletta neighborhood for dinner. Fervor Brasas, known for it's aged beef, serves typical Argentinean fare in a great atmosphere; pricey by some standards. We sipped a glass of bubbles and nibbled on a bread basket full of fresh treats while waiting for our decanted bottle of  D.V. Catena to open. It was a big, juicy blend of Cabernet and Malbec, exceptional with our meal. The grilled provolone cheese was sharp and smoky, the grilled mushrooms were juicy and flavorful. Then came the 400 gram piece of Bife de Chorizo, seared and seasoned on the outside, tender on the inside, cooked to perfection. The  disks of potatoes on the side were addicting. I couldn't possibly find any room for dessert until it was placed in front of me; dreamy, creamy and delicious Dulce de Leche Gelato.

I love exploring a city by foot because it always leads to memorable discoveries, but perhaps the best part is the lack of guilt you feel when eating like we did at Fervor. It also feels pretty darn good to climb into bed at the end of the day, burrow under the covers and sink into a fluffy pillow, while replaying the highlights of the day and drifting off; only to get up and do it all over again.

Blue Eyed Boy

Blue Eyed Boy, sounds like someone I'd like to date or at least mercilessly flirt with. Instead it is a fruit bomb from Molly Dooker, an Australian winery. The winemakers, Sarah and Sparky Marquis, named this Shiraz after their very own blue eyed boy, Luke. His picture is even on the label to the left.

The wine has a high alcohol content at 16% and is bursting with delicious black fruit and spice; a little smokey with smooth tannins. The 2006 got 96 points from Wine Advocate. It wasn't tagged in my modest cellar so I couldn't remember exactly how long it had been aging. I got online and found it could've sat in there for another ten years. At first I was a little disappointed that I was so impatient (once again) and opened it.

I've had Blue Eyed Boy a number of times and always enjoyed it. Then I read a quote from the winemakers calling the Blue Eyed Boy one of their three Party Wines that, "make an ordinary day extraordinary. They’ll make you the life of the party any where you take them!"  I smiled and thought, how perfect that I DID open it!

Schug Wine Dinner

I've been to many wine dinners but the Schug wine dinner at Bistro 41 Monday night was one of the best! The dinner not only showcased some great California wines from celebrated winemaker Walter Schug but the newly formed team of Executive Chef Reiner Drygala and his new Executive Sous Chef Heath Higginbotham.

The first course was caramelized Granny Smith apples wrapped in prosciutto over a wedge of creamy St. Andre cheese and finished with mixed herb beurre monte. The plate was full of contrasting flavors and textures and talk about rich! The crisp '08 Sauvignon Blanc cut right through all that butter and cream for a perfect pairing! The quote of the night came from a gentleman at my table who was shocked that his girlfriend found a Sauv Blanc that she liked because "she's such a Chardonnay whore"!

Next course was a pan seared Halibut cooked to perfection with wild mushroom couscous and an '07 Pinot Noir. Third course was followed by a chorus of moans, the GOOD kind! Oak grilled New Zealand Lamb with wild boar sausage, sweet potato hash, steamed haricot verts and finished with a pomegranate demi glace. Yes pomegranate! We were sticking our fingers in the demi glace and tasting it with the '06 Merlot. The Bordeaux-Style wine was big, bad and juicy, with mocha and cherry. 75% percent Merlot with a little Cabernet and Cab Franc for blending made it smooth and delicious. WOW WOW WOW

The fourth course (pictured above) caused much discussion and a little trepidation prior to it being served. Maytag bleu cheese and dark chocolate wrapped in phyllo topped with strawberry coulis and fresh strawberries served with an '06 Cabernet. It was a big hit and the surprise of the night! The wine was a little tight at first but after it opened up it was delightful!

This dinner was not a home run.....it was a grand slam!