Red

Barnard Griffin Mammoth III

Barnard Griffin Mammoth III paired with New York Strip Steak and Sweet Potato Fries
October 30, 2019

This week’s wine marks a very significant happening for me. The journal that I purchased to log my wine tastings is now officially complete. This wine marks the final entry in that journal and completes a journey that began almost two years ago. I’ve learned quite a bit since I originally bought the journal. I know the difference between Syrah and Petite Syrah. I know never to scoff at a wine blend. I know that Rosé is more than just summer water.  My journey won’t be ending here though. I’ve already purchased a new wine journal from Wine Folly, an…

Red

Realce Tempranillo

Realce Tempranillo paired with Paleo Steak Tamales
October 16, 2019

Once I found a recipe for paleo tamales, I knew I had to have a Tempranillo to pair with it before I made them. As luck would have it, that’s just what came in my Wine Awesomeness box this month! With the rain season setting in full blast this week in Seattle, some comfort food sounded just about perfect. I’m always excited to try a Tempranillo wine. When living in Texas, it was one of the only varietals that grew well there. It became my go-to for a while, especially when visiting a winery or just trying something new. I…

Red

Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon

Barnard Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Pancetta Deli Sandwiches
September 25, 2019

You can really tell the seasons are changing when one week you’re reviewing Rosé, the next week it’s Sauvignon Blanc, and the next it’s Cabernet Sauvignon. This Cab is another out of the box one from our wine club with Barnard Griffin. This marked one of the first nights that it actually felt a bit chilly. It was rainy most of the day and by the evening; we were just looking forward to some comfort food. Luckily, we had some Pancetta and my husband felt like frying it up. Cabernet Sauvignon feels like a comfortable old stand-by at this point,…

White

Crownthorpe Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Crownthorpe Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc paired with Sticky Chipotle Ribs
September 18, 2019

The label of this wine had me feeling nostalgic, just like the feeling of the last week of August. School buses are back on their routes. Leaves are just starting to turn orange and red. The days are ending just a tad bit sooner than they had the week before. It’s that feeling that makes you put on your favorite record and finally delve into that book you meant to read all summer long.  Sauvignon Blanc is an old favorite of mine. It’s usually very approachable for someone new to wine. It has a fun name, light color, and no…

Rosé

Reginato Malbec Rosé

Reginato Malbec Rosé paired with Salami & Provolone
September 11, 2019

The end of summer was upon us, but that doesn’t mean the Rosé had to stop flowing! This bottle is just what I needed to kiss summer goodbye with. It was still nice and warm outside, so I was able to enjoy this one out on the deck and soak in the last little bit of sun and shiny lake views. This sparkling Rosé was packaged in a lovely bottle that had my hands itching to open it up. Malbec is not the most popular grape to make Rosé with. Grenache, Sangiovese, and Syrah are the more common styles. However,…

Red

Anemoia Cabernet Sauvignon

Anemoia Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Pork Country Ribs and Roasted Broccoli
August 7, 2019

Seeing this deep red cab in the middle of the summer made me almost long for chillier days. Almost. It’s been a fairly wet summer here in Seattle so it wasn’t fooling me yet. I’ll be honest; the label on this one was kind of throwing me off. It looked kind of like an earthworm and not in the least bit appetizing. But, once the country ribs were on the smoker, I was more than excited to crack it open. While everyone knows of Cabernet Sauvignon, I thought I might do a bit of a deep dive on this grape…

Rosé

Gateway Vinho Verde Rosé

Gateway Vinho Verde Rosé paired with Pad Thai
July 17, 2019

Time for another rosé week! With all of the traveling around that my husband and I had done recently, we did not have the energy to cook. We knew just what the future held and that was Pad Thai from our favorite Thai place, Bua 9. If you’re ever visiting Seattle, I highly recommend stopping in or getting your own takeout order from this little restaurant in the Columbia City neighborhood. Since I could wax poetic about my love for Rosé endlessly, but I’m sure no one would relish in reading that, I started my research with the origin of…

White

MauiWine Maui Blanc

MauiWine Maui Blanc paired with Charcuterie
July 10, 2019

This week marks a very special out-of-the-box wine for me. A very good, wine loving, runner, amazing lady on the regular, friend of mine visited Hawaii last year. Amidst all of her hiking and adventures, she was able to try some pineapple wine and she enjoyed it so much that she brought a bottle of it home. I was very honored that she chose to share it with me. This is truly what wine is about. It’s about sharing something that you love and enjoy with others. I had never had a wine made from pineapples before, but it sounded…

Rosé

RAW Rosé

RAW Rosé paired with Prosciutto-Wrapped Mozzarella and Fruit
June 5, 2019

On the cusp of a three-day weekend I was more than happy to see a Rosé on deck for this week’s wine. With the label, this one was giving off edgy vibes, which got me pumped up for the research behind it. RAW stands for “Really Awesome Wines.”  RAW creates wines in partnership with Bodegas Latúe. This wine cooperative operates in Spain and specializes in organic and vegan wines. The cooperative started in 1954 and currently operates with 131 wine growers. The working goals of the cooperative are to provide economic and social sustainability for their relatively small community. * One…

Red

Barnard Griffin Merlot

Barnard Griffin Merlot paired with Steak, Sweet Potato Fries, and Parmesan Green Beans
May 29, 2019

With visitors in town and steak on the menu, I knew it was time to pull out a specialty wine for the night. Fortunately, my Barnard Griffin shipment had just arrived, so I reached for the 2015 Merlot that we had tried while on our visit to the winery in March 2019 and knew that it would be the perfect night for it. Cody and I visited the Barnard Griffin vineyard while we were in Richland, Washington, for his Badger Mountain 50 mile run. After his race on Friday, we went winery hopping on Saturday and Sunday and we absolutely…