Elderflower Champagne Cocktail

There is much to be said for wearing many hats. Yes, there is a time for wine-chugging, vintage slurping, party rocking behavior. And there is also time for refinement and dignity restoration in the form of restrained and elegant cocktails in the late afternoon. While Friday may have spiraled into a wee-hour-close-the-bar-down evening (as rumor has it), Sunday is a new day with spring sunshine on the terrace, some cheese and an Elderflower Champagne Cocktail.

I believe some wise person once said, "You are only as good as your last party." Goodness knows what happened to him.

Elderflower Champagne Cocktail

1 shot St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Champagne
Lemon slices

Pour elderflower liqueur into a champagne flute. Top with Champagne. Garnish with lemon slices.

Filler Wine: Party Picks for March 2009

If you have ever had the pleasure of throwing a party that has depleted your initial wine purchased for said party, you may be aware of the need for filler wine.  Filler wine is wine that is a little cheaper, and comes in handy later in the party when no one can taste the difference anyway.  

The need for filler wine became extremely clear to me as I saw a party spin out of control and the guests helped themselves to the host's wine cellar.  After the wine cellar was cleared out, guests went on to party at a local bar.  

The hosts shook their heads in disbelief when they realized that all of the special vintages saved for future celebrations were now bottles in their recycle bin. Not a single drop had they personally tasted as they rushed about the party trying to control the crowd.  Expensive bottles had been chugged, wasted in unfinished glasses all around the house and under-appreciated. 

When the wine that you bought to go with dinner or appetizers at the party disappears, bring in the filler wine.  This is still good wine, but not costing you $30 or more a bottle.  

Filler wine requirements:

1.  Inexpensive.

2.  Drinkable.  It must taste good enough that you are willing to drink it if you have a whole case leftover.

Here are our March picks for filler wines:

1.  Old Faithful, er, Castle Rock Pinot Noir 2006 or 2007, approx. $10/bottle

2.  Hogue Cabernet Suvignon Columbia Valley 2007, approx. $10/bottle

3.  Snoqualmie Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2007, approx. $10/bottle.

A Cup of Tea, Please

I have had 6 cups of this tea already and it's not even 1 pm. It's also Saturday, and we have dinner plans tonight and tomorrow, not to mention the dinner I made last night for guests from out of town and my friend Anna, who is visiting from Italy and expected for dinner this Tuesday. Cooking and entertaining around food is a win-win situation. You get to share time, food and wine with good friends, create a nice environment in your home, or be a gracious guest in someone else's. I can't think of another way I best like to enjoy my social time. That is, except when I've caught the cold my children had this week while running around like a crazy person with endless tasks, appointments, carpools and deadlines. They don't call us Divas for nothing. Let's hope this tea is as trustworthy as it says it is.

d'Arry's Original McLaren Vale '04: Too Much Money for Too Little Taste

I tried another d'Arenberg--d'Arry's Original McLaren Vale '04.  It cost a hefty $21.99 at BevMo, and I've had a lot better for a lot less.  It tasted o-k straight out of the bottle, but as soon as it sat in my glass and decanted, it was flat.  This is definitely a dump it!

The Divas are having no luck in Australia.  Anyone have any good suggestions?

Divas do Guinness

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, this post is devoted to Guinness Stout, the most widely consumed and exported Irish stout in the world. It's distinctive flavor of unfermented roasted barley gives it a rich taste and dark brown color, and drinking a pint of Guinness has been likened to a "meal in a glass." And here is a fun fact: Guinness stout is high in antioxidants and at 198 calories a pint, has fewer calories than a pint of milk or orange juice. Now that just makes us very happy - apparently you can drink your Guinness and eat it too.

Speaking of eating, the richness of Guinness lends itself well to cooking. It is a wonderful substitute for wine in meat sauces and braises. It also works well in baked goods and with chocolate. This multi-tasking beverage gets a thumbs up from the Divas.

Interested in recipes using Guinness? You might like:
Irish Stew from TasteFood
Guinness Gingerbread from Andrea's Recipes
Chocolate and Guinness Cupcakes from Not Quite Nigella
Guinness and Honey Spareribs from You Say Tomato

Or if you are just in the mood for something light, pour yourself a glass and call it a meal.

Grenache Down Under

OK, I am going to just come out and say it. I have had red wines from Australia over the years and enjoyed many of them. Typically they are big, robust red wines - the Australian swashbuckler of wines - compared to, say, the somewhat more refined wines of France. Don't get me wrong; I love big and robust, and even better with an Australian accent. However, some Australian red wines have a pronounced vanilla flavor which I find unappealing. I know this is a generalization, but it is something I have noticed only with Australian wine.

This brings me to a bottle I tasted this week. It is a 2006 d'Arenberg Grenache "The Custodian." Reasonably priced at $13.99 I had high hopes. Dark ruby-purple in color, it has cherry, raspberry and black currant aromas combined with earthy, spicy smells. It's also heavy with vanilla flavor, and therefore not a personal choice. However, this wine has been well reviewed and rated, so I would recommend it as a well-priced full-bodied, fruity Australian wine that would stand up well to meats and grilled food - perfect Aussie fare. And if you like your swashbucklers with a scent of vanilla, this is your wine.

Wine Bottle Traveler: grab a corkscrew and join us!

Lynda and I have decided that we are going to travel the world without buying tickets, packing our bags, renting a car or a hotel room.  We are going to explore the world of wine with friends in the comfort of our own homes.  No long lines at check in.  No delays.  No lost bags.  Join us!

We will start with wines from Austrailia.  In fact, read on, grab a few bottles of wine, call your friends, rent Australia the movie, and let's hit the road.

Wine production of commercial wines in Australia is some of the most successful in the whole world.  There are many wines to chose from, so much to explore and so much of it is reasonably priced.  What kind of magic is making this happen in Australia?  A reliable climate makes it is easier to craft decent wine year after year.

Lynda is going to pick three wines from Australia and I will pick three.  Watch this space to see which wines we chose and what we thought about them.

Cheers!