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Monday, June 28, 2010

INDEPENDENCE DAY!

I love America, and every Fourth of July I am happy to celebrate this day with friends. America is a great country, and I am so proud to be here.

Fourth of July is just around the corner, and it is a great time to celebrate with a glass of wine and classic American food. I am sure most of you are already planning a backyard cookout, maybe including Santa Fe grilled corn, golden Idaho potatoes, Wisconsin cheeses, California berries, and apple pie made with New York apples.

Celebrating America’ s birthday is also an opportunity to decorate your porch or patio with a cute bouquet of blue hydrangeas, festive red, blue, and white paper lanterns, and wait with anticipation for the grand finale of evening fireworks! If you live in the South, where it is extremely hot this time of year, I would suggest a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio to cool you down. If you live in the Northeast or out West, and are planning to grill steaks you might prefer a bold flavored Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon. Any wine produced in America is perfect for this occasion.

Following in my patriotic spirit, let me suggest some of the best places in America for wine lovers, so next Fourth of July you can plan on visiting some of the following wine regions:


- Napa Valley, California. The American wine capital, where you can enjoy world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

- Sonoma, California.With more than three hundred award winning wineries, it produces some of the best Zinfandel.

- Willamette Valley, Oregon. Famous for its outstanding Pinot Noir.

- Roseburg, Oregon. A slightly warmer climate than Willamette Valley, it is a big producer of Pinot Gris and Riesling.

- Yakima Valley, Washington.The oldest wine region in Washington, producing Chardonnay and Shiraz.

- Finger Lakes, New York. Full of microclimates, it produces award-winning sparkling wines.

- Traverse City, Michigan. A very important wine region producing Cabernet Franc and Baco Noir.
- North Fork, Long Island, New York. 4,000 acres of vineyards, producing some very good Merlot and Chardonnay.

- Oak Grove, Virginia. Having some of the oldest and largest wineries in Virginia, which date back to the days of Thomas Jefferson.

This Fourth of July enjoy a glass of wine and a toast to America!

TIP OF THE WEEK
Check out my friend Debbie Kennedy's recipe for a great Strawberry Mint Sangria:

- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced.
- 1/2 cup mint leaves (about 20 leaves).
- 1/2 oz. brandy.
- 750 ml bottle dry white wine, chilled.
- 12 oz club soda, chilled.

2 qt. glass pitcher combine strawberries, mint and brandy. Slowly pour wine over mixture. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (if overnight remove mint leaves after 2 hrs). When ready to serve add club soda and stir. Serve over ice.






Monday, June 21, 2010

MY BELOVED SANGRIA

My boyfriend loves to drink Sangria year round, but to tell you the truth Sangria is mainly a summer drink as it consists of a light, dry red wine mixed with fruits and ice and needs to be served chilled.


My boyfriend in CA.


The word Sangria in Spanish means “blood letting”, and it has been drunk dating back to the time of the Romans and through the Middle Ages. In those days, wine was considered the safest liquid for its alcohol content that could take care of any kind of bacteria, so Sangria became a friendly, popular drink along with its juicy fruits and high sugar content.

The traditional recipe from Spain includes a red wine from the Rioja region, which might be either Tempranillo or Grenache (Garnacha in Spanish). You also need chopped or sliced fruits like oranges, apples, peaches, grapes, as well as white sugar, orange juice, ice, and sometimes a small amount of brandy.


If you want to make your own Sangria, I recommend using a Spanish red wine, and if it’s possible let it chill overnight as this would let the fruit flavors blend better into the drink. The next thing you will need is a big pitcher full of ice cubes, and then you are ready to go!

In Argentina and Uruguay during summer they drink what is known as White Sangria or Clerico which is the basic Sangria recipe, but made with white wine, usually Sauvignon Blanc. If you are on the beach relaxing at sunset, Clerico is the perfect drink, as well as pairing it with fried calamari or juicy lobster for dinner.

Punta del Este - Uruguay

I must confess I’m pretty much attached to good Sangria, as it brings back memories of my summer times in Punta del Este, Uruguay with my Argentine college friends. Also, the day I met my beloved boyfriend, he was drinking Sangria too.

Though I try hard to be objective, I would only end up suggesting that this summer you might try to make your own Sangria, I bet you will love it too!

Monday, June 7, 2010

“WAKA WAKA” THIS TIME FOR AFRICA

I’m sure you know this Friday is the beginning of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s a great opportunity for South Africans to show the world their beautiful beaches full of lively cafes, restaurants, night clubs, and their wonderful wines.

South Africa is well-known for its old, high end vineyards and fantastic wines, and if you are planning to be there, take advantage of the trip and take time off and drive to Cape Town and wine country. You will love it!


South Africa is famous for its Shiraz which is very rich, intense, and spicy, as well as its Chenin Blanc with its buttered almond, fig, and glazed pear notes.

A month ago, I had the chance to taste some great South African wines here in Atlanta, as Rietvallei Winery was offering a tasting in Inman Park. I really enjoyed their wines, and was surprised to learn that in South Africa most of the vineyards had been there since the beginning of the 20th century!

The Rietvallei Wine Estate is located in Robertson, the Western Cape region in South Africa where their wines are produced from grapes grown on the Estate. They have been known for their Red Muscadel, but also produce Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and their top Rose “Juanita Rose”, which is actually my favorite.


This dry rose is made from Cabernet, and it has a crisp, berry-like note. Its bright pink color matches the spicy taste, and delivers hints of intense strawberries and cream flavor which makes it hard to forget.

So next weekend surprise your husband, father, or significant other with some South African wine, as I am sure they will enjoy the 2010 FIFA World Cup moving to the rhythm of Shakira’s song with a glass of wine from the Western Cape.

Waka Waka, this time for Africa!