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Author Archives: Lisa Cavallari

• Wine On Wednesday: Summer Wine Events

  Posted at 8:00 am by Lisa Cavallari

  May 18th

  

  Hopefully, the hot, lazy days of summer are almost upon us so here are a few local places to visit with your spouse, friends or both!

  Arlington Race Track offers an excellent opportunity to sample over 250 wines.  Pair that with caterers like Spiaggia and you are guaranteed a wine tasting like no other.  Tickets are ridiculously reasonable at $40 a person.  How can you say no to that?  This event is sponsored by Binny’s on Saturday, June 4.

  Ravinia is another great option to check out over the summer.  From the music to the concert goers amazing spreads complete with miniature tables and candles to go with their wine and cheese, this experience can easily become an annual tradition.

  Morton Arboretum offers Wednesdays, Woods and Wine.  I bet you are wondering if I got my idea for W.O.W. from them.  Nope, but thanks for asking.   😉  This would be the perfect excuse to plan a date night midweek.  Starting June 1 through August 31 from 5:30 to 8:00 you can listen to live music and enjoy some wine for $15 a person.

  With so many festivals and events happening over the summer, there is literally something for everyone.  Check out Eventbrite for a head swirling array of more ideas. Then, enjoy yourselves, get a little tipsy and tell me all about it.

  Cheers!

  

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  Posted in Wine

• Wine On Wednesday: Chimney Rock

  Posted at 1:47 pm by Lisa Cavallari

  May 11th

  

  Happy belated Mother’s Day to all you amazing moms out there!  I hope your family showered you with affection and some fun gifts.

  My husband started the day with my favorite breakfast: Eggs Benedict. (I have an easy and awesome recipe for hollandaise sauce that I promise to share at some point.)  He also bought me (us?) a wine fridge so now we have the fun task of filling it.  What are your current favorites?  I want to hear what you like to stock up on for summer.

  We ended the day with grilled salmon paired with a bottle of Chimney Rock Cabernet. When we were in Napa over the winter and passed this winery, we were so tempted to stop by, but time didn’t permit it.  The wine was superb. A classic Cab with deep, rich color when poured and hints of vanilla, toasted oak and lots of juicy fruits like cherry and blueberry.  This wine is produced in the Stag’s Leap District which is known for making world-renowned Cabernets.

  Rating: 4 out of 4 wine glasses

  Cheers my dears!

   

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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Chimney Rock Cabernet, Stags Leap District

• Wine On Wednesday: Inkblot

  Posted at 4:00 pm by Lisa Cavallari

  Mar 30th

  

  For Easter, we popped open a bottle of Inkblot Cabernet Franc.  I finally understand and appreciate this wine.  We paired it with a ham roasted in the oven with cloves, brown sugar, dry mustard and a little Ginger Ale.  Perhaps the most surprising and tasty pairing was when I tried a scoop of guacamole on a tortilla chip and took a sip of the Inkblot afterwards.  Taste explosion!  I would strongly recommend drinking this wine with tacos, enchiladas or any Mexican food.  FYI: The only reason I made guac on Easter was because I gave up tortilla chips for Lent and couldn’t wait to have some again.  Tortilla chips with salsa is favorite go-to snack.  I could eat it every single day.

  So back to the wine.  Inkblot is a deep rich color and of course has those bright notes of cherries, a hint of vanilla with smooth velvety tannins, but the finish has a slight graphite flavor which I never thought I would care for, but it makes this wine superb.

  The winemaker, Michael David Winery puts out other wines you may have heard of such as 7 Deadly Zins, Freakshow Cabernet, Earthquake (which I love and have reviewed before) and Petite Petite among many other familar favs.  The Inkblot is unfortunately, not available everywhere.  Don’t let that deter you.  Make friends with your local wine retailer and see if they can order some bottles special for you.  My mom has done this before and it works every time.  You can find this for about $35 so it’s definitely more of a special wine than an everyday one.

  Inkblot Rating: 4 out of 4 wine glasses.

  Cheers!

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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Inkblot Cabernet Franc, Michael David Wine

• Wine On Wednesday: Miner Petite Sirah

  Posted at 10:13 am by Lisa Cavallari

  Mar 23rd

   

  

  Hello!  Last weekend a few friends and I were lucky enough to try a new wine that tops my favorites list, Miner Family’s Petite Sirah from Napa.  This wine is an intense purple when poured into the glass with a taste to match that intensity with blueberries and well-rounded, smooth flavors.  There is also a slight bit of pepper on the finish which gives it an more interesting edge over other wines.

  Their Wild Yeast Chardonnay sounds like another I would like to try.  It has been served at White House dinners and when the tasting notes on their website mention butterscotch and hazelnut I am all in.

  Miner Petite Sirah Rating: 🍷🍷🍷🍷 out of 4 wine glasses

  Thank you K and D for sharing this gorgeous wine.

  In other wine news, mark your calendars because next week is National Wine Week at Smith & Wollensky.  (As if we need an excuse to drink more wine.)  For $25 during lunch or dinner you can try the “Whites in Flight” which includes 4 white wines or “Soaring Reds” 4 reds for $35. Your mission is to sample some great wines and report back to me.    Now, if only all assignments could be that fun.  🙂 You can find more information here, including the wines being offered.

  Please note: I have no affiliation with Smith & Wollensky.  This bit of information was shared with me by a friend.  Thanks AK and keep those suggestions coming! 

  Cheers!

   

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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Miner Family, Miner Petite Sirah, Smith & Wollensky Wine Week

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