Wine and Dine! Easy Quinoa Salad and a Glass of Bubbly!

Hello wine lovers!  Trying to come up with something easy,  filling,  healthy,  and of course pretty to eat tonight for dinner? How about some quinoa salad with vegetables and some lemon dressing,  with some sauteed shrimp?
Then top it off with a bottle of Spanish sparkling wine,  Cava. The equivalent of French Champagne,  and made in the same traditional method (made in the same bottle), the bubbles, the peach and light fluffy bread essence of a well made cava (which are $15 and below),all capture the simple, light,  citrus glory of a quinoa salad and the atmosphere of, "Hey,  it's time to cool down and unwind."
So sit back,  relax and enjoy a refreshing glass of lovely bubbly at your next (can you believe it,  it's just that simple,) 20 minute meal :-)

Have a great weekend wine lovers!

Cheers!

"Wine me baby! "

Santa Julia Wine Wednesday!

Hola! Welcome back my wine lovers!! It's What's Today's Wine Wednesday Tasting Time! This week's selection is  Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2010. A recommendation from my sister, a new enthusiastic wine lover, this wine is from Mendoza, Argentina; an area that has been producing wine for ages, but is now climbing back up the popularity ladder. :)

Santa Julia Reserva
Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Mendoza - Argentina

"This Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied wine matured in French oak for 10 months to lend structure, finesse and harmony, it displays all the hallmarks of this classic variety. it has elegant blackcurrant fruit with hints of vanilla, spice and cedar."

Rated 88 points by The Wine Advocate (it's an awesome independent bimonthly wine publication where wine critics, like Robert Parker, rate and review wines on a scale of 50 - 100 points. (Like a test grade, the higher the better!) So if you see a sign that says something like "Rated 88 points by Robert Parker," you now know he's a wine critic, and he likes the wine, and it's probably in his review! And just FYI: there are many wines he's rated 85-90 points that are under $10!!)

A Beautiful Red Ruby Wine, this color just draws you in.
Open it up and immediately you get the aromas of plum, black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and the toast and vanilla (that tells you yes, it was aged in an oak barrel)

Slightly dry
(it's not sweet) with medium tannin (which is just a fancy word for that drying sensation at the back of your throat, that is actually responsible for texture and complexity of the wine. It also plays a part in the color, as tannin is really a blend of the grape skin, seeds and stems... which kinda explains why it is only in red wine, because only black grapes, the grapes used mainly in red wine, have the dark skin, which play the main contributing role in tannin),
you can taste the black pepper, blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, and toast with just a hint of mint, as the beautifully balanced, medium bodied(
the body is either light, medium or full) wine smooths on down your now red lips.
Enjoy this delectable wine with the meat of your choice, or by itself! Me and my family enjoyed it personally with some thin cut steak, scalloped potatoes, and sauted beet greens. Totally made the meal! So sit back, relax, and pour a glass, as you enjoy the sunset on your back patio! :)

Happy HumpDay! Cheers!

Average Price: $12.99 -
Though you can find it on sale for around $8.99 or visit check out Costco where I got it for $6.99!!

"Life is too short to drink bad wine.”

Your Wine Girl Facebook Page!

Good afternoon my wine lovers! Wine Wednesday is just around the corner! (Yes, it will be up Wednesday, I swear on the bottle!) Just wanted to give you an update for those of you who have Facebook out there, and remind you to check out the YourWinegirl fan page! Like the page and get blog wine updates and even page exclusives!

So check it out my wine lovers, and drop me a comment or question if you like! :-)

YourWineGirl Page!!

Cheers!

"In victory, you deserve Champagne. In defeat you need it."

Temperatures to Serve Wine

It's your lucky Friday! It's a double posting today! But hey, let's get straight to the point! After all, it's Friday!!

I have been given lots of questions recently, especially on my
Yourwinegirl Fan Page about what are the ideal temperatures at which to serve wines. Now, as some of you may have noticed, there are many different types of wines out there. I hope to touch on every type that I can on my blog, but that also means that there are different temperatures to serve these wines at in order to be able to taste and enjoy your wines to their full potential.

Below, I have included a chart that I was given in school, that from time to time I need to reference to. On top of this information, a good rule of thumb for serving wines:
REDS: Chill 15 minutes before serving (Yes, you can chill red wines... to actually have them at room temperature is a little too warm for most red wines)
WHITES: Let it stand/Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving

Service Temperatures:

Very Cold

39-43°F

Sparkling and sweet white wines 

Cold

43-50°F

Dry white wines, rosés, and top quality Champagne

Cellar Temperature

55-57°F

Top Quality Chardonnay and light reds

Just Below Room Temperature

57-64°F  - Full bodied Reds

Hope you guys find this chart a little handy dandy and answers at least some of your questions. :) If you have any more questions, please feel free to leave comments or send me a message or comment on my fan page: Yourwinegirl

Have a great weekend everybody!!! Cheers!!

"We All Need A Little Grape Therapy."

Happy Friday Chardonnay Tasting!!

Behold! My Wine Lovers! Seems we keep missing each other!! :) Sorry for the delay this week, but all is now well!
Proceeding onward, this week's wine bottle tasting is the Bonterra Chardonnay 2011. An organic grape white wine, (apparently I seem to keep picking up these organic whites!), this California wine is a wonderful complement to almost anything!!

Bonterra
Chardonnay 2011
Made with Organic Grapes
Mendocino County

"Bonterra was founded on a philosophy that farming organically produces the purest, most flavorful fruit. This holistic approach balances the land and the surrounding habitat of wasps, birds and wildlife to produce wines of unmatched flavor and distinction. Our Chardonnay is filled with flavors of green apple, pear, citrus and hints of French and American oak."


WARNING: THIS PARAGRAPH CONTAINS MANY BOLD WORDS. IN CASE YOU WERE EVER WONDERING WHAT A WINE TERM MEANS, AN EASY EXPLANATION WILL FOLLOW AFTER. ENJOY!!

What better wine to drink just about everything with, than this awesome Chardonnay?? This amazingly cheap and fully organic wine (it's certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers), is incredibly
 golden in color, (the main color of the wine. Sometimes also referred to as the core.)
medium bodied, (how heavy the wine is. This can range from light to heavy.) and wonderfully smooth with
aromas (what you smell when you maybe take a quick whiff when poured into your glass, OR when the bottle is opened) of lemon, pear, apple, some slight
toast, and butter (when these two words are seen in descriptions, either together or just one by itself, it means that there is some OAK influence. Oak aging usually gives off an aroma and/or taste of toast, and sometimes butter), that bring your taste buds alive as you can taste the refreshing and slightly tart lemon that brightens your entire mouth!

Enjoy this wonderful wine with anything from baked sweet potatoes and vegetables, to chilled seafood or pot stickers!! Just about anything fancies this under $10 wine and really intensifies the wonderful flavors.

So why yes, of course, sit back, relax and enjoy this beautiful bonterra out on the patio while watching the sunset. :)

Happy Friday Everyone! Cheers!

Average Price: $9.99 - And of course, your girl found it for a deal at Costco for $8.99 It's also available in grocery stores and liquor stores for just about the same price when on sale!

*“his lips drink water but his heart drinks wine” *

Sparkling Wine Thursday Tasting!

Welcome Back! It's that time again my wine lovers!! It's Wine Thursday Tasting!! Sorry for the delay, but hey, your girl's gotta work. :) 
This week's lovely wine selection is the Cruse Brut Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine. Yes, this bubbly is from France! Bubbly from the motherland. And why No, I have not gone all high and mighty on you, because this is an excellent French bubbly for an awesome price!

Cruse Brut 
Blanc De Blancs
Sparkling Wine

"This crisp, fruit-driven sparkler is filled with fresh notes of apple and peach, touched with just a hint of toast. An amazing value that is sure to please your guests, this delight is also great for mimosas and bellinis."

A wonderfully clear, pale golden wine with a tremendous amount of fine, tiny bubbles, (it's really fun to see all the bubbly), this wine lures you in with the abundant aromas of honeysuckle, and light, fluffy bread and butter. (Now, I know that sounds weird, but the bread and butter taste is actually quite common in sparkling wine. Why you wonder?? Because this is a natural occurring aroma that happens as the bubbles are made. The ingredient responsible for making the bubbles?

Yeast. Yeast is a must in wine making... it's what actually is responsible for converting juice into wine... and for sparkling wine, the yeast actually sits in the bottle, or tank, with the juice. While it sits in with the wine, the more bread and butter taste it produces, and usually, the more carbonation it builds inside the container. Though each type of sparkling wine is made in a different method (which will be explained in my sparkling wine page), this is usually the foundation for all sparkling wine. A little wine trivia for you, and maybe your answer to what is that bubbly taste? ) Leaving your nose and making your mouth water, you can literally taste the peach, apricots, and crisp apple as this bubbly finishes off, and leaves you begging for more from this under $10 wine!
 Enjoy with some chilled seafood, light salads, parmesan cheese, or, if it's not quite sweet enough for you, as a mimosa, and you will not be disappointed. Me, I happened to have it with chilled lobster (it was on sale), and parmesan cheese, and my mouth could not stop smiling. :) 

So put a bottle in the fridge, get comfy, and cool off with a glass while enjoying the sunset. 

Happy Thursday Everyone! Cheers! 

Average Price: $6.99 - But, I found mine for $5.99 at Total Wine in Dallas, where it is constantly stocked! (And if you happen to stop by, say hi to my friend Joseph, who is always happy to help any wine lover! ) 

**The tasting video will be following shortly! Please Stay Tuned!**

"Age is just a number. It's totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine."

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE WINE WEDNESDAY!!!!

Whoo!! It's What's Today's Wine Wednesday Tasting Time!!! (Yes, I know it's a tongue twister :-P ) This week's wine selection is the H3 Horse Heaven Hills Columbia Crest 2010 Les Chevaux Red Wine. A wine from one of my favorite locations, Washington state, I have been dying to try this bottle! 

H3 Horse Heaven Hills

Columbia Crest

2010 Les Chevaux Red Wine

"Washington state's famed Horse Heaven Hills, named for the wild horses that once roamed this area, have been home to the Columbia Crest winery for over two decades. Our winemaker blends innovation and tradition to capture this unique basalt and bedrock terroir creating wines that highlight the intensity of these grapes. Les Chevaux (French for "the horses") is a special blend of varietals from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and personifies the legacy of the wild horses that once roamed this fabled area."

Rated 90 points by Wine Spectator (it's a pretty awesome magazine that gives ratings... basically like a test grade. Those rated 85 and above are usually pretty darn good ), this medium bodied wine is amazing!! Like being in the hills of heaven, you can taste all the love and passion that went into making this beautiful dark, ruby colored wine as soon as you open the bottle. Filling your nose with aromas of dark fruits, strawberries, and earthiness (think of mother nature), you can literally taste the nuttiness, candied fruits and slight chocolate as this red liquid coats your mouth into happiness. A wonderfully, lingering smooth finish, you can enjoy a glass with the dark meat of your choice. I enjoyed this with a slightly peppered steak and roasted vegetables, and it was incredible (so good in fact, my boyfriend and I drank over half the bottle)!! Simply becoming one of my new favorite wines, this bottle is all yours for under $15! 

So sit back, relax, sear up some meat (isn't July 4th tomorrow? ) and enjoy a glass of red in celebration of our red, white, and blue!

Happy Independence Day! Cheers!

Average Price: $14.99 - However, I found mine at Costco (you DO NOT NEED A COSTCO MEMBERSHIP TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL... in case you were wondering) for $9.99! 


"Language is wine upon the lips."