Never Cook with a Wine You Wouldn't Drink!

One of the best wine rules to abide by.

Recipes often call for red or white wine. Sadly, some people have an opened bottle in their fridge for times like this. "This is my cooking wine" "I only use this for recipes"

Why is only the wine ingredient compromised like this?! You don't use spoiled milk!

I, for one, only purchase and store wine that I intend to drink but working in wine retail for years, I've definitely come across the request for cooking wine. Even for a small price point, you can find a well-made wine that will be great in the recipe as well as serve with the meal.

Put good ingredients in and you'll get a great finished product. True for many facets of life.

I came across a marinade for flank steak that called for a cup of red wine...To the wine fridge!

(you mean I have to open a bottle?! please, don't twist my arm!)

Flank steak, a tougher cut of meat that can stand up to quite the flavor, pairs perfectly with a bigger, bolder, tannic wine. I chose the 2010 Flying Fox Petite Verdot from Virginia. Flying Fox Vineyard is located in the Monticello AVA and produces both red and white wines from low yielding vines. I first tasted their wines earlier this year at the VA Wine Expo in Richmond. The deep, dark flavors of the 2010 Petite Verdot is a perfect pairing for the flank steak entree. One of their newest wines, the Petite Verdot sells on their website for $21 and I do recommend!

Cheers!

5 {Wine} Truths

Cyndi asked so I will tell. Here's 5 {wine} truths about me:

1. I always get asked my favorite wine. And that's a tough one...one single wine? I have favorite producers and favorite regions but if I had to pick one wine to drink for the rest of my life it would be J Vineyards Pinot Gris. A white that is so versatile and easy to drink. It pairs easily with food and just quenches my thirst. Plus the price point is great!

2. My favorite winery experience has to be Santo Wines in Greece. One of the biggest Greek producers in Santorini, the view cannot be paralleled. The wine was so-so but sitting on a cliffside, overlooking the Caldera...best experience to date. A winery experience doesn't have to be just about the wine!

3. I admit that I buy "special" bottles and save them for an occasion. It's against everything I ever tell people but I still am not able to open those bottles and so they sit....

4. I'm a sucker for Sauternes. Not a big sweet wine drinker but there's something about the elegance and sweetness of a Sauternes. You won't find me drinking a lot of this or a lot at one time but man does it pair well with some of my favorite bites/dishes. It's perfect pairing is anything salty, my preferred snacking choice.

5. I once ran a half marathon just because it was through wine country and had wine stops along the way. I almost died that day but hey, I crossed the finish line and got my drink on! (you will never see me run again)

Now it's your turn Christina, Hillary and Tanisha.

And the Nominees Are...

Every Spring the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington hosts restaurant awards called the Rammys. It's like the Emmy's to TV or the Oscars to the movie industry. Each year there are numerous parties held leading up to the big gala where the winners are announced. Well last night was the revealing party! Nominees in categories such as Best Restauranteur, Restaurant Employee of the Year, Best Bar Scene, and of course Best Wine Program were revealed at last night's party at The Hamilton. It's quite an honor to be nominated and even more so to win!

Obviously, I wanted to highlight the Best Wine Program nominees:

Ripple - It's no secret this is one of my favorite wine bars in the city. I've written about it many times and continue to love their program because of the diversity of their selection and knowledge of their staff. Most of their wine selection includes organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines. The list is ever-changing which keeps people coming back. Well deserved and Good Luck!

Adour at the St Regis - Classy, Classy, Classy. Yes, it deserves all uppercase C's! Always voted as a top restaurant in DC, Adour serves sophisticated food alongside their 6,500 bottles of wine! The wine list consist s of 700 different wines and is led by Wine Director, Brent Kroll. This collection holds wines from all over the world and even some locally ones like Boxwood!

Marcel's - Owned and operated by Robert Wiedmaier, who is widely known around DC. He also operates restaurants in Maryland and Virginia. The wine program at Marcel's is extensive. Focusing on mostly French wines to pair with Wiedmaier's French fare. The wine list is pages long and includes options like magnums and half bottles. This program is led by Sommelier Moez Ben Achour.

Ashby Inn - Located in the rural town of Paris, VA, Ashby Inn and Restaurant is known for their farm to table menu and extensive wine list. Focusing on local food and local wine, The Ashby sells 84 different Virginia labels including Linden, Barboursville and Boxwood. This wine program is led by Sommelier Neal Wavra.

Dino Restaurant and Enoteca - Dino is a rustic, Italian restaurant in NW DC. The wine list is not just a list, it's an education. The wine "book" is 39 pages long! It details everything about the wine selection, mostly Italian. Ideal for those novice wine drinkers or those who want to learn more about the selection. Don't let it scare you away though, Dean is great at answering your questions as well.

Bottling Time at Boxwood

Working on the winery side of the industry has taught me a lot of things so far: a lot about the winemaking process, branding, and knowing the ins and outs of every wine the winery produces. Shadowing the Bordeaux consultant, Stephane Dererencourt, has opened my eyes to all that goes on before the wine makes it to the bottle. I wrote about that experience on Boxwood's blog previously.

Recently, the 2012 Boxwood Rosé was bottled and shipped out for distribution! This was my first encounter with a bottling line and man is that machine high-tech. So many moving parts and an assembly line that gets the job done quickly and efficiently. The wine is pumped through pipes from the stainless steel tank to the bottling tanks. The empty bottles are sanitized, filled, corked then move down the line to be capsuled, labeled and packaged into cases.

Quite the site...each moving part does its job making the process seamless, at least most of the time ;)

The 2012 vintage of Rosé is a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's one of our most popular wines and this vintage is even better than before! Producing only 505 cases this year, be sure to get your hands on it as soon as you can. The winery will be celebrating its release on March 23-24. Join us!






Check out the video to see the machine in action.

Virginia Wine in the Spotlight

This coming weekend, the 6th Annual VA Wine Expo is coming to Richmond! This festival showcases hundreds of Virginia wines from over 60 wineries, Boxwood being one!

Held in the Richmond Convention Center, guests can taste wines from all over the state as well as specialty food items and even food and wine pairing seminars. One seminar that is interesting to me is the blind tasting of Virginia Against the World hosted by Jay Youmans, founder of Capital Wine School. This will be held on Saturday at noon. Other seminars include cheese and wine pairing (mmm!), Indian food and Virginia wine, & Best of Virginia Micro-Wineries.

For the first time, tasters will be able to rate the wines they are tasting in REAL-TIME! Thanks to My Wine Ratings, everyone will be able to record their ratings and which wines they prefer with the wine still on their palate. This is the first of its kind and hopefully will be launched around the country for all large tasting events like this! Check out their site for more info on this new app.

This will be my first year participating in this great event and I'll be pouring for Boxwood Winery. If you attend, please be sure to come see us!

Want to join me? Get your tickets today before they sell out!

Cheers!

Top 5 Wine Bars for Date Night

Looking for a great spot to wow that Wino in your life? There are a lot of different options out there from high-end restaurants with amazing wine lists to low-key, casual wine bars. There's something for everyone in this list of Top 5 Wine Bars for Date Night.

For the Foodie Wino
1. Proof - It's no secret that Proof is a fabulous date night spot. Elegant decor, amazing food and wine menu and great service make for a really nice evening out. Select a bottle of wine from their large selection and enjoy conversation over one of the numerous dinner entree options. Entrees include Cassoulet of crispy duck, lamb loin, Pekin duck, and more! It's a great place to bring a wino who really enjoys food as well.

For the "Let's Try Something New" Wino
2. Ripple - For the wino is a little more adventurous, Ripple is a great option for date night. The wine list is pages long, a lot of the wines are lesser known, so it's the perfect opportunity to try something new! The menu also allows you to explore food items that you do not find anywhere else. They focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Ripple is a great spot to bring a wino who is looking to expand their horizons.

For the Quiet Date Night Wino
3. Veritas - Quiet, cozy and a great wine selection, Veritas has over 70 wines by the glass. There's something for everyone here. Nibble on some great cheese plates or chocolates. They do not have a full dinner menu so this makes the list for a quiet date night. Veritas is a fantastic place to bring a wino who you want to sit and talk to over wine instead of shoving your face with a 3 course dinner.

For the "Have you Been There Yet?" Wino
4. Slate - One of the newest DC wine bars, Slate is an up and coming star! A great wine selection, impeccable service and fresh, new food items puts Slate on the map. Sit at the bar or at a cozy table for 2, you can enjoy dinner and wines from all over the world. If you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for?

For the Casual & Fun Wino
5. Screwtop - If you want to take your date to a more casual, yet fun wine bar, Screwtop is the best option! The wine list and menu have funky titles like "Ménage a Fromage" for the French cheese plate or "My Pinot is Bigger than Yours" for the Pinot Noir selection. This is a fun-loving, hip wine bar in Clarendon and a great option for those winos that aren't so pretentious. (It's a retail store too so you can finish your date night at home with your favorite bottle ;) )

Wine for your Valentine

Ahh Valentine's Day, it comes around once a year. This means fancy dinners, chocolate covered strawberries and spoiling your loved one (even more than you usually do!).

Chocolate and wine are a great pairing and definitely highlighted this holiday. I've come up with some great wine suggestions for those sweet, heart shaped chocolates:

Bubbles, of course! There's nothing like strawberries and champagne. Or chocolate covered strawberries...even better! A favorite bubbly of mine is the J Vineyards Brut from California. It's a great sparkling wine to start, or finish, your night.

Riesling, for the white chocolate fan. Slight sweetness will pair perfectly with the creamy texture of white chocolate. My Riesling choice is the Montinore Almost Dry Riesling from Oregon . This wine is not overly sweet and has a crisp, dry finish so it doesn't overpower, but actually compliments the chocolate.

Zinfandel for those who prefer the heart-healthy dark chocolate. That's right, chocolate and red wine are said to be good for your heart, so drink up! Sinfully good Zinfandel has the big, bold flavor to pair with those dark chocolates. Some even have chocolatey notes themselves. I've admired Hook & Ladder for years and they're my pick for a great Zinfandel. Located in California, this wine has tones of dark fruits that exemplify the paired chocolate. This is probably the most popular red wine pairing for chocolates.

Dessert wines are also an option for chocolate pairing. These go better with milk chocolates, however, because the chocolate is more mild and creamier allowing the wine to compliment it. I'm not a big fan of "sweet" but Fabbioli Cellars in Virginia makes my favorite. They produce a great Raspberry Merlot that is the perfect semi-sweet dessert wine for this occasion. This wine and dark chocolate....the ultimate Valentine's Day pairing.


So which wine is for your Valentine?

Cheers!