Month: April 2015

Wine Review: Sea Glass Pinot Noir 2013

Posted on by michelleglogovac

SeaGlass 2012 Pinot Noir LO Res Bottle ShotI needed to run to Cost Plus World Market this evening for some Garlic Naan and decided to peruse their wine area. A simple label caught my eye…Sea Glass Pinot Noir. Normally $12, it was on sale for $10, so I thought it was worth a try.

Part of what intrigued me was the color of the wine in the bottle. It wasn’t a dark red and more translucent than other bottles of Pinot Noir I’ve encountered. The winemaker boasts “the best of Santa Barbara’s unique terroir with a fresh, light-bodied profile that allows the grape’s varietal character to shine through. An inviting, delicate perfume emerges from the glass, while bright red cherry and strawberry flavors lightly dance upon the palate. Beautifully balanced with vibrant acidity, it’s the ideal complement for earthy mushrooms, grilled salmon or lamb.”188679

It’s a smooth wine with definite oak and cherry flavors with a slight tartness that is actually welcoming. I would recommend letting it air after you open it and/or using a wine aerator. I paired it with Butter Chicken and Garlic Naan and found that it was a perfect combination.

Wine Review: Sparrow Hawk Reserve Chardonnay 2012

Posted on by michelleglogovac


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On yet another one of my excursions, I hit Costco on Friday night. My first stop in Costco is always to the wine section. Their prices are always reasonable and you can find inexpensive bottles, pricey ones and everything in between. As I was approaching the wine section, there was a table with a bottle that I hadn’t seen before along with a Costco employee who knows everything about wine. Yes, they have them there just hanging out! He saw me look at the bottle of Sparrow Hawk Reserve Chardonnay and explained that the winery wants people to try it, so instead of $25, it was down to $10! Yes, $10! I snatched up a bottle and decided it would go great with the mussels that I now decided on from the seafood roadshow!DSC_0397

I researched the wine and the description is 100% accurate…citrus, vanilla oak with a slight acidity and a creamy finish. I couldn’t agree more with that. It’s a very in the middle Chardonnay; not dry but not buttery, so it’s probably perfect for someone who would like a Chardonnay that isn’t overpowering one-way or the other.DSC_0396

I also checked out the price on the winery website along with some others and it indeed goes for $25-$30/bottle. I’m not sure I would spend that amount on this bottle, but it’s definitely a great buy at $10. Costco will be selling it at under $14 after the good word is spread and I think this is worth that price.

Michelle's Mussels
Serves 4
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup cornmeal
  2. 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  3. 3 T butter
  4. 4 T lemon juice
  5. 2 cups white wine (your choice)
Instructions
  1. Be sure to keep the mussels cold. Either refrigerate right away or start cleaning them! Fill one sink with cold water and add about ½ cup of cornmeal (the mussels will “eat” the cornmeal). Rinse the mussels and try to pull the hairs from the inside off. If a mussel is open, gently tap it on the edge of your sink. If it closes, then it’s still alive and good to use. If it stays open or is cracked, then throw it away. Let the mussels bathe in the cornmeal bath for 30 minutes.
  2. I love a simple wine garlic broth…sauté 4 or 5 cloves of chopped garlic in 3 tablespoons of butter in a large stock pot. Add 4T lemon juice and 2 cups of white wine (your choice). Once the liquid ingredients are heated, rinse the mussels and add them to the pot. Cover and cook at medium for 15 minutes. Stir the mussels so the top ones go to the bottom and cover for another 15 minutes. Be sure to have some good crusty bread on hand to dip in the broth!
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Wine Review: La Crema Tasting Room

Posted on by michelleglogovac

A couple weeks back I went on a girl’s trip to Santa Rosa for my future sister-in-law’s bachelorette shin dig. It was a jam packed few days and wine tasting was most definitely at the top of our to do list. We visited Paradise Ridge (great art along the drive with stunning views), La Crema (in downtown Healdsburg) and Seghesio Winery (Healdsburg). I was most impressed with La Crema!DSC_0339

I’ve always been a fan and lover of La Crema Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which you can find in most stores and very reasonably at Costco, but what I didn’t realize is that you can buy more varieties directly from them (and they are over the top delicious).

My soon-to-be sis, Carrie made us reservations in their private tasting room, along with a cheese pairing. The room itself was beautiful. We were tucked in a secluded area and the large barn doors were pushed together to give us privacy. We had a wonderful, informative tasting room hostess who explained each wine and cheese pair and the fundamentals of pairing. We tried two chardonnays and two pinot noirs, which included their Nine Barrel selection. It’s called Nine Barrel because they only make nine barrels of it. To say the wine was exquisite would be an understatement. If you enjoy the La Crema available at your local store, then you will flip for the exclusive bottles!DSC_0346

The tasting itself was also very inexpensive considering we had a private room and the cheese pairing. It was $30/person, but if you join the wine club, it’s only $24. And yes, I joined the wine club! Your minimum commitment is 2 shipments per year of 3 bottles at $125 maximum per shipment. You also receive discounts on wine and invitations to their upcoming events, so it’s a win-win all around. Here’s to a wonderful weekend, delicious wine and the promise of more delivered right to my doorstep- cheers!

Wine Review: Mark West Pinot Noir Vintage 2012

Posted on by michelleglogovac

When I was in college, I did a wine tasting class in Santa Barbara. One of the things that stuck with me was to always check out the legs of a wine. When you swirl your wine in the glass, legs (or tears as the French call them) are the streaks of wine that form on the sides of the glass. The theory is that the more legs, the better the quality of wine. In reality it has more to do with physics but I still always look for a good set of legs.DSC_0440-326x235

Last week I opted for a bottle of Mark West Pinot Noir Vintage 2012 from Safewaywhich happened to be on sale for about $8. The vintners notes state that it pairs well with just about anything, so I paired it with roasted sweet potatoes, salmon marinated in Soyaki and a tomato, avocado salad.

As always with my reds, I used my aerator to pour it, followed by a swirl around the glass. There were definitely great legs in this wine and an oaky flavor, along with a tartness. The cherry flavors can be attributed for the slight tartness in this wine, but it goes down smoothly and doesn’t leave a dry feeling in your mouth. This would be a great every day wine for your home!

Wine Review: Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2012

Posted on by michelleglogovac

We all have a favorite cocktail, beer, or wine that’s our “go-to” and it’s something we have on hand at all times. For me, it’s Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2012. If you come to my house, you’ll find it in the fridge and wine rack!DSC_0433-326x235

I tasted this buttery goodness for the first time on my 30th birthday, when my husband took me to a concert at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA. It was an expensive bottle that evening at over $30 and I savored every last bit of it. Of course, you wouldn’t believe my excitement when I found the same bottle at Costco, for less than $12! In a prior wine review, I mentioned how much I love Costco…now do you see why?! NV_WV_Riva-Ranch_2x5_300dpi1

The Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay is fruity, smooth, buttery and has a hint of vanilla. You might have a hard time finding Riva Ranch in your grocery store and instead find Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay. Although Morning Fog is also delicious, Riva Ranch is my preference since it has more of the buttery finish. If you’re in the Livermore area, definitely stop in to see the vineyard because it’s beautiful!

Cheers to another Wine Wednesday!