Food and Wine Time! Chinese Food and Butter Chardonnay Tasting Review!

Welcome back my wine lovers!! It's starting to get crazy out here in our Texas weather, so how about a wonderful wine and food pairing review?!? 

2014 Butter Chardonnay

So I have been wanting to try this wine for a very long time. Everyone talks about it, everyone wants it (hello, look at the catchy label!!), and well, I finally caved on my birthday, (yep, in case you missed it, I turned the big 3-0!) got a bottle, and had it with some awesome authentic Chinese food at Monkey King Noodle Company in Deep Ellum (awesome hand made noodles!! YUM!) with the hubs. So totally worth every bite, and probably the best meal and wine pairing I've had in a long time!

Butter Chardonnay is from JaM cellars, a winery business started by John and Michele Truchard (get it?! JaM!) that has produced some amazing wines, which some of you are probably familiar with. Their very first wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon, looks like this: 

(Courtesy of Wine Searcher)

Another catchy label right? Well, I have not tried JaM Cabernet yet, so no offense, but this Butter is freaking awesome! Yeah, I said it. 

Beautifully golden in color, the aromas you get right off the nose are lovely! Creamy butter and yeast (okay, so when I say yeast, since a lot of you are probably like eww, I mean the smell of bread dough about to be put in the oven, where that smell of yeast is so prominent. I swear, smell that dough the next time you're about to bake it. I mean, yeast is one of the basics you need to make wine, so smelling it in white wine especially is not that uncommon), you can smell in the first swirl of the wine, then it opens up with vanilla and toast (Remember, these two descriptors are our big hint in the  wine world to tell us that this juice has been aged in oak barrels. Oak aging will almost always give you that toastiness and vanilla aroma), and a little bit of pineapple! I know, it sounds ridiculously awesome right? Heck yea! 

But the best part is taking that first swig of this lovely white! 

It slides down like pure creaminess. The perfect amount of creamy butter and vanilla and that tiny bit of toast and lemon all come together like a great lemon sandwich cookie (just not quite as sweet)! 

I know, I just made your mouth water. So what's stopping you from buying this awesome bright yellow goodness? Don't know what to have it with? Problem solved. 

Have a glass with some real Chinese food. No, not that instant ramen, but authentic Asian goodness. I had this for the first time with Monkey King's DanDan Noodles (ground pork and fresh noodle soup), as they were out of the hot spicy beef noodle soup, and it was the best decision ever! The perfect amount of spiciness, the ease of the ground pork (pork is just about always good with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. It's a win-win!), and the chicken broth just complemented the wine so well, I cleaned my entire bowl, and finished two glasses! Yep, simply a delicious birthday dinner. 

So what are you waiting for? The Texas weather to get better? That might be a while. So go grab a bottle and some noodles! 

Perfect to Pair With: Chinese noodle soup, pork dumplings, chicken alfredo, shrimp scampi, salads, or by itself on a nice patio! 

Average Price: $16.99 -(a little high, but totally worth it!) - Available at Whole Foods, Market Street, Central Market, Total Wine, and some Safeway locations!

Cheers my wine lovers!

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Sweet Wine, and Kosher Too!

Happy New Year my wine lovers!! Resolution: new post every week! Starting today! :) Hope you all had a great year; and well, to start it off here is a wine that I have been meaning to write about since I discovered it! And why yes, it is a sweet wine, and kosher too! :)

Bartenura Moscato!  

Yes, many of you may recognize this beautifully blue bottle and squeal with delight. It is that good. 

Made in Italy with 100% Muscat grape (it's a small grape that is extremely perfumey (I don't think that's a real word, so let's go with fragrant), with the nectar and grapey smell, that it actually attracts insects... kind of like a moth to a flame kind of deal), this white wine is light in body and color with only 5% alcohol (yes, I am sorry ladies, but most Moscatos are about 6% or lower in alcohol), but big on taste!

Smooth, crisp, and refreshing from the slight effervescent bubbles, the nose is filled with nectarines, tangerines, and I get a little peachiness too, as the wine slides into your mouth and becomes absorbed with the classic grape taste. Yes, this is a wine that actually tastes like grape! (More of a white grape versus the classic black or red grapes). Keep that in mind as you shop for your next girl's night in. :) 

So what more could you want?! How about, this wine is actually Kosher and Passover approved? 

(Psss... Here is an easy way to identify Passover approved wines: If you look on the bottom of the front label, there's a little P in the bottom corner, which symbolizes Passover approved; and for authentic Kosher wines: if you look on the back label, there's a K which symbolizes that it is a Kosher wine. Pretty sweet and simple huh? And a little extra tidbit: Not all Kosher wines are Passover approved!)

So what exactly does this mean? Besides the fact that just about anyone can drink this wine; in a nut shell: that certain types of yeast must be used and handled by male Sabbath-observant Jews to equal a Kosher and Passover wine. Ta-da!

Now do you have to be Jewish in order to drink this wine? Do I have to be like Drake in order to drink this wine (yeah, just found out that Drake is Jewish! And he totally drinks Bartenura Moscato and shows it in his explicit (hey, I tried finding the rated version, and there is none such) video, I'm On One around the 3 minute mark)? 

Simple. No, just a fan of wine, or learning to become a fan of wine. :) Especially one under $15!

Perfect to Pair With: Desserts (goes a little better with non- chocolate desserts), fresh fruit plates, or just by itself! 

Average Price: $11.99: but you can usually find it on sale around $9.99 to $10.99 at Tom Thumb, Market Street, Total Wine, and other wine retail locations!

Mazel tov (cheers) my wine lovers! 

"Where Words Fail, Wine Speaks."

Wine and Big Bang Theory?! Don't Mind If I Do!

Hello again my wine lovers!!! I know my posts are becoming more few and far between, but I am here for you! Ever have a question or curiosity, just email me (yourwinegirl [at] gmail dotcom), Facebook me (Facebook.com/yourwinegirl),  or leave comments on my video tastings (youtube.com/yourwinegirl)!!

Now who's a fan of the comedy show, The Big Bang Theory? Well, just in case you were unaware, I am a big fan. Not like a fanatic, or overly obsessed, but I do enjoy smart comedies (hello, Frazier was totally awesome too!) Now, if you have been watching recently, you will notice that they usually all drink wine through out the episode. The fun part for me, being a wino and all, is to watch what they drink (weird I know, but it's fun, and well, I am a nerd), and I am sure I am not the only one who will occasionally notice what the label is.

Presenting, the winners of last night's episode, "The Prom Equivalency" (<--watch the episode):

Bota Box Chardonnay


Visible on Penny's counter in the beginning of the show, this inexpensive, medium bodied white with aromas of vanilla and green apple, is part of the box wine trend that is blowing up all over the world! (You'll notice if you watched Shark Tank recently. BeatBox wine is available at Spec's Liquor now!) I mean, it's the most economical way to go right now. How you may ask? Well:

A: Bota Box is made from recycled material. Now who's against saving mother earth?
B: The wine inside the box is actually inside a huge plastic bag (another recyclable!) with a spout on the end, that you pull out of the box (There's an outline on the side of the box where it comes through).
The great thing is that the vacuum like action of the spout keeps the oxygen from interacting with the wine in the bag (oxygen + open wine = spoiled wine. You'll start to get that different, funky taste), making the wine last up to a month after you open it! Woo-hoo!
C: 3 Liters worth of wine. That equals 4, yes I said 4, bottles of wine. How many glasses is that you may ask? Well, it adds up to 16 glasses. Yep, looking better by the minute right?
D: Party in a box. It is very inexpensive, good eco friendly wine that you can take anywhere (hello hiking, camping, tailgating. Anywhere that prohibits glass, this baby can go!) and can sit in your fridge for a month.
E: All of the above only add up when you figure in the price. Most of these boxes you will find on sale for under $20!!

Perfect To Pair With: Salmon, Creamy Alfredo Pasta, Greek Salad, or your favorite cheese and fruit plate!

Average Price: $19.99 - Available at Tom Thumb, Market Street, Kroger and other wine retail locations!

Now don't judge Penny and the others so fast. We are in a wine loving economy :) Right after you see the Bota Box on the counter, Penny actually pours three glasses of red wine. It's a quite Noble wine:

Noble Vines 337 Cabernet Sauvignon

From the soils of Lodi, California (great grape growing rocky, free draining, sandy soil area), this wine is one of my absolute favorites for under $12! 
Called Noble Vines for the long growing history and traditions in Lodi (long history, long roots, good wine!), this is a nice medium bodied red with blackberry, cherry and coffee filling your nose, it goes down like silk with the slight toast and tannins, and leaves your mouth filled with deep cherry, blackberry and slight pepper. Mmmm. Oh yes, Penny has good taste and a great budget!

Perfect To Pair With: Stuffed Pork Loin, Ribs, Grilled Hamburgers, Chocolate, Pepperoni Pizza, or just great by itself!

Average Price: $10.99 - though you can find it on sale for $9.99! Available at Tom Thumb, Market Street, Kroger and other wine retail locations!

Cheers to Big Bang and Wine! :) What a lovely combination! 

"The Secret to enjoying wine: 1. Open the bottle and allow it to breathe. 2: When it does not breathe give it mouth-to-mouth."

Spanish Quarter Wine Tasting!!

Happy Holidays my wine lovers!!! :) Sorry we missed each other on the last holiday, but hopefully you were able to check out the Thanksgiving wine pairings on my Facebook page, Youwinegirl.

Now! It's time to think of Christmas gifts, and well, what better gift is there than the gift of love through a bottle of wine!!! :)

This week's wine selection is the Spanish Quarter Cabernet Sauvignon-Tempranillo 2010.  An awesome Spanish Red wine, this is a delicious new tongue teaser that's below ten dollars and makes the perfect Christmas gift!

The Spanish Quarter
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon-Tempranillo
Spain

A beautiful red colored wine, this Spanish beauty captures you from the bouquet of raspberries, and dark plum. Smoothly it flows down your tongue with a little spice, red fruits, and low tannins! That being said, there is No bitterness, No dryness, or intense alcohol in this wine! 

It's absolutely delicious and pairs well with pizza, heavy meats, and chocolate!

Great for your last minute Christmas gift, this wine is available for purchase for under $9!!

Average Price: $8.99!!! Available at Market Street stores, and other grocery stores!!

Cheers my wine lovers!!:-)

Merry Christmas!!:-)

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Cocktail."