Drink Up, Chow Down

What am I drinking this week? It's all about the rich reds at the moment, including the truly spectacular M. Chapoutier 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape "La Bernardine."  I adore the earthy, leathery, dark fruit savoriness on the nose, followed by rich red fruit, spicy tannins and dark chocolate on the palate. This grenache-based wine boasts a velvety-smooth and deliciously long finish. This wine is aged between 12 and 15 months, something that definitely contributes to its elegance. Michel Chapoutier, head of M. Chapoutier, isn't just about making fabulous wines, however - as an avid cook, he believes that wine and food form a marriage, both influencing each other for the better. He therefore aims to make fine wines that are also versatile and that can be an integral part of the dining experience.  So, to make this delightful bottle an integral part of my dining experience, I took a little inspiration from one of Michel's favorite books: The French Bra

If you've read my blog before (hi Mom!) (jk, she doesn't read my blog) you might recall my love of Nino Franco Rustico NV Prosecco . It's a lively and lovely sparkler on its own, but it also makes a mean brunch cocktail, like the cherry-almond-flavored Summer Kir . So, what else can we mix it with? The leaves are turning (except in LA) and the weather is getting cooler (except in LA) so I experimented with a warm fall flavor. Presenting the Maple Cinnamon Sparkler. Grab your favorite sweater and start mixing. You'll need: Sparkling wine Maple Cinnamon simple syrup A Champagne coupe Pour the bubbles into your glass, spoon the syrup (I used a generous two spoonfuls) over it and serve with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer. Fall in a glass Why Nino Franco Rustico NV Prosecco ? It's fresh and elegant with light peach, citrus and honeysuckle notes and a wonderful creamy quality. It finishes tight and clean and it's one of my sparking go-tos.

  The Tokaj wine region is best known for its world-class dessert wines - but that's only half the story. Led by Furmint, Tokaj's dry wines are quickly gaining recognition and respect beyond Hungary's borders. I had the pleasure of tasting a dry Furmint recently: the classy Oremus Tokaji Dry Mandolas 2016. The historic Oremus vineyard has been under Vega Sicilia (swoon!) ownership since 1993 and has been producing a high-quality oak-aged dry wine from the Furmint grape. I thought this wine was a spectacularly elegant and easy sipper. On the nose, you'll find notes of vanilla, apple, white flowers and even a bit of brioche and wet pebbles. On the palate, it's a clean, zesty wine with a rich, round and surprisingly long finish. It has oodles of bright acidity and mouthwatering hints of citrus and stone fruit. Dream pairing: peel-and-eat lemon butter shrimp. Or a scallop risotto. Or a rich piece of goat cheese. Or all of the above. What's yours? Grab

See ya mimosa? Bye bye bellini? Meet your favorite new bubbly cocktail, the Summer Kir. Sip sip hooray! You'll need:  Sparkling wine Cherry almond simple syrup A Champagne coupe For the bubbles, I prefer the mouthwatering Nino Franco Rustico NV Prosecco . It's fresh and elegant with light peach, citrus and honeysuckle notes and a wonderful creamy quality. It finishes tight and clean and it's one of my sparkling go-tos. Founded in 1919, Nino Franco is one of the oldest estates in Valdobbiadene, and they have definitely perfected their prosecco over the last 100 years. (I used Root 23 Cherry Almond simple syrup in this recipe.) Pour a generous splash of the simple syrup into your glass, then top slowly with the wine. Garnish with a cherry or an orange slice. Repeat every day until winter... Cheers!

Livermore Valley is one of California oldest wine regions, although still rather under the radar. Its first commercial vines were planted in 1840 and nowadays it is home to over 50 wineries. One of those, the lovely Murrieta’s Well , is a true California original. I recently had the pleasure of tasting through some of their catalog along with their winemaker Robbie Meyer and my friends at Snooth . Murrieta’s Well specializes in terroir-driven, limited production wine blends that showcase and complement the Livermore Valley terroir and its many microclimates. Its first vines were planted in 1884 with cuttings from Chateau d’Yquem (see my blog about visiting them!) and Chateau Margaux (no invite yet…) The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc was a great way to start the tasting, especially in summer. Its mouthwatering minerality coupled with its floral and even tropical fruit notes make for an elegant wine, with a lovely zing of crisp acidity. A balanced beauty for sure. It was

First of all, great name, right? Real Nice Winemakers is the brainchild of wine industry veteran Anthony Van Nice. He and his sommelier friends wanted to create wines that were truly representative of the Willamette Valley, and that also delivered great Oregon quality at a great price.  Because of that glorious trifecta of taste, quality and price (oh – and philosophy, but that’s messing up my trifecta analogy…) they’re my wine spotlight today. I dig them and I think you’ll dig them, too. They currently have two wines on the market: Black Magnolia Pinot Noir (in collaboration with Laurent Montalieu of Solena Estate) and Shallow Seas Rosé, priced around $22 and $18 respectively. I found the Pinot Noir to be elegant and light with oodles of red berries and savory notes of leather and light tannins. The bright acidity gave this wine a solid backbone, while the darker earthy tones provided for a surprisingly long finish. This wine is a prime example

Celler de Capçanes is hidden away about 100 miles southwest of Barcelona in the small D.O. Montsant. Originally known for their kosher wine, nowadays their catalog also includes an incredibly diverse (and delicious) selection of bottles at lower price points – and of arguably equal quality – than their more famous cousins from down the road in Priorat. Winemaker Jürgen Wagner of Celler de Capçanes Tasting through the 2016 vintage with winemaker Jürgen Wagner was an absolute treat, with the standouts for me being the four “la nit de las garnatxes” wines: the quintessential master class in terroir. Each of these unique garnachas is grown in four distinct soils: sand, clay, limestone and slate, and one can absolutely taste the difference.  The lightest of the lot, the one grown in sand, possessed a simple elegance and an almost crisp quality, while the clay version was bigger, bolder and wilder with excellent structure. Limestone was the most refined of the qua