Jenn: Wine deprivation!!!
So at the moment, due to various food allergies, I have had to refrain from alcohol (YES that includes wine) for a week now and for the immediate foreseeable future. However, not drinking it doesn’t mean I can’t dream about it!
Once given the green light to reintroduce wine into my diet, I plan on popping open a bottle of Wilson’s Creek Almond Sparkling Wine for a breakfast/brunch tasting…(maybe even before work one day..shhhhhhhh!) I am definitely not typically a sweet wine person (I prefer brut champagnes typically) however, this had such a unique flavor to it, I have to pass along this unusual find!
Affordable and yet immensely flavorful, this sparkler would be paired well with almost any type of dessert from a chocolate torte to berries with crème. It holds well enough on its own, but the moment I tasted it I thought of brunch as the perfect opportunity to imbibe these bubbles! So my cohort and I have conjured up the perfect meal plan to have with Mr. Wilson…and yes, I am the type of person to plan a meal around my wine selectionJ
Note: All the foods I recommend will be gluten free unless mentioned otherwise as I am gluten intolerantJ
The menu for Wilson’s Creek Almond Sparkling Wine:
- Smoked Salmon (I am partial to Scottish Salmon…but only because I lived there! But do make sure to get one that has a lot of flavor to compliment the sweetness of the wine.)
- Sautéed asparagus with cracked pepper
- Fresh berry salad with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries (You could even add lychees or grapefruit to this for some extra sweetness instead of any other crèmes or sugars.)
- Roasted fingerling potato salad with fresh herbs and lemon
- Brie topped with a fresh apricot preserve and brandy sauce
- Almonds of course!!!!
Cheers to having an excuse for a champagne brunch!!
Jenn: So much more than a grape…
I have found that over the years my interest or dare say “passion” for wine has grown and thus many of the activities I enjoy tend to be centered around the crushed grape. From taking classes, going to tastings, throwing parties and now, co-initiating a wine and food blog, I can even further project the intimate relationship I have with said beverage.
I used to be almost ashamed of my love for wine thinking I could be viewed as an alcoholic…(especially since in my own life I am quite healthy and active.) To be frank, I am actually not a big “drinker”; in fact, I have been termed the “one-drink wonder” as my tolerance for alcohol is almost laughable.
However, it is not just the consumption of wine that has me so entranced, but rather all that comes with being ‘involved’ with vino. From the terrior to the vine; the vine to the grape; the grape to the barrel; the barrel to the bottle; the bottle to the glass…and for that moment in the glass as you swirl and waft the aromas that permeate with each breath of air, that moment, that time, is perfect. There are no hidden agendas, no anxieties, no right or wrong answers…it is a moment wholly unto itself that is meant to be shared with just one…you.
But it is also just not about the solo experience. With wine, comes good food and good friends. For me, wine can make any dinner a special occasion and thread together all elements of a social setting to make it unforgettable. Watching your guests sip on what you have poured, questioning their own palates, seeking out the perfect descriptors for what they had experienced. That is what wine ultimately is for me…an experience.
Finally, the beauty from which wine is grown is enough to inspire one into a place of serenity and peace. Moments in wine country are therapeutic solely for the aesthetics and ambiance that is found in every corner. Each vine helps to create a haven for families, friends, lovers and even inspires the individual soul to reflect and take note of the wonder that surrounds them.
So I can only hope that all you wine enthusiasts and foodies, young and old, new or proficient, can find some joy out of this blog as I have out of the whole wine experience.
