Suggestions for a Wine Refrigerator

by Michelle

When I lived in Kentucky, there were 4 wine refrigerators in the house. The two smaller ones kicked the bucket pretty early. However, the two larger ones (40-50 bottles) are still running.
During some recent change-ups, I lost custody of the wine refrigerators. So now I’m in the market for a new one.

I’ve been researching, of course, and there are a lot of recommendations out there. I know that my main requirement is storage for 40-50 bottles. Following that, I’d like a quiet appliance and tinted glass. Less important is the need for a reversible door or dual temperature control. I’ll have to be particular about what goes into the new fridge, as I’m in a San Francisco apartment and well, space is at a premium. Gone are the days of 4 wine coolers in one room …

What brand do you have? Is it reliable? Have you had it for longer than 3 or 4 years? I’d love to hear your experiences as I shop for a wine cooler – on my own – for the first time.

Cheers!

Wine By The Glass

By: Cresta

A while back I found single-serve wine Copa de Vino in an area liquor store. It’s been around for a while but I haven’t seen it…then again, I’ve never really looked for it.

Copa de Vino is the invention of James Martin, who appeared on the show Shark Tank twice, and turned down the offers that were presented to him by the Sharks.

I’m not a wine snob, but I also was not expecting much from this wine in a plastic cup. I did only try two varieties, but I have to say, it’s  not half bad.

The shape of the cup reminds me of a Guiness glass. It has a peel-off foil seal and a plastic lid that can be put back on to prevent spills. I tried drinking it straight from the cup but when the wine got to a certain level it started to splash back up in my face, so I poured it into a regular wine glass.

The Cabernet Sauvignon was almost as good as some of the Cab Sauvs that I usually drink. Smooth, flavorful, good finish. The Riesling seemed a little flat. Not too dry, fairly sweet. I would not drink this on regular basis. Perhaps because of the convenience, it would be a good buy for certain occasions (maybe our annual bus trip to Keeneland).

The liquor store I purchased from did not carry all single-serve varieties, but Copa de Vino also makes Moscato, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio and White Zinfandel.

At first I thought $2.99 a pop was pricey, but one plastic cup is about a quarter of a bottle of wine so that ends up being about a $12 bottle of wine. And I did see these in another store for $2.50 each.

Crisp, Not-Too-Sweet Riesling

By: Cresta

Every once in a while I’m in the mood for a sweeter wine (remind me to tell you my story about the Bota Box wine).

I opened a Riesling that was left over from my wine exchange back in January – one that I’ve never tried it.

Long Lake 2009 Riesling is a California wine with melon, apple and some citrus flavors. I prefer a Riesling from Germany, but this one was pretty tasty. Very aromatic, which is typical of this grape variety. Not overly dry or overly sweet. It was crisp and easy to drink, which can be dangerous.

I give this wine a Pink Happy Face! Apologies…for some reason I am not able to insert the Pink Happy Face image. Working on that.

Cheers!

Hawaiian Sunrise

by Michelle

I was having brunch on Saturday and the mimosa menu included the Hawaiian Sunrise. After finding out the ingredients, I ordered it. I absolutely loved it. Next time you have brunch, mix it up a little from the traditional mimosa and order a Hawaiian Sunrise instead.

• Pineapple Juice
• Sparkling Wine
• A splash of Grenadine

Enjoy!

Mad Men Cocktail Catch-Up: Episode 6: Elderflower

by Michelle

There wasn’t much happening drink-wise in Episode 5. That was fine. There was a lot of heavy history happening in that episode – I’ll forgive them a lack of cocktails. That brings us to episode 6, where Roger starts picking up clients in airport lounges.

The orders start with Roger drinking (ewww) water with an onion and ordering a Jim Beam, double, for his friend. I was all set to tell you all about the history of Jim Beam, but then something interesting happened. Bert ordered a spirits of elderflower. Let’s talk about that.

Elderflower liqueur is one of my favorites. I love to ask a craft bartender to create a drink for me – whatever they want – using elderflower. I’ve also used it in sugar cookies and it’s quite tasty. The brand you’ll see on the shelf most often these days is St-Germain. If you’re familiar with Paris, you’re probably already recognizing the name of the famous street, St Germain, where Hemingway wrote and Picasso painted. The St-Germain web site describes its signature liqueur as follows:

“It has been said that Paris is a mélange curieux, a curious mixture of flavors, styles and influences. So it is with St-Germain.” 

Technically, the liqueur is made from elderberries, but you’ll taste everything from flowers to peaches to grapefruits in the liqueur. Honestly,  I enjoy drinking it on its own. It’s also quite wonderful mixed with champagne or sparkling wine. Here’s the classic St Germain cocktail, straight from their web site.

I was so tickled by their “variation” that I grabbed the thing as an image instead of retyping. Have a laugh … and have a cocktail.