Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Don’s November Collector Series Top Pick

November 25, 2014 by Don Lahey

Let’s just put November’s Collector Series Top Pick right out front. This month’s Top Pick goes to Magenta Cuvée Supérieure Brut Champagne N.V. It’s the perfect Champagne for Thanksgiving dinner or the ideal any-time elixir, and can turn any dinner or occasion into a cause for celebration.

Magenta’s eye popping appeal, persistent streamers of tiny pinpoint bubbles, and soft round flavors make all the case that Magenta needs to be Top Pick this month. As a flavorful, easy to drink, subtly complex Champagne, Magenta Brut comes across as a real crowd pleaser. Enjoy now and as often as you can!

Don

Don’s November Premier Series Top Pick

November 24, 2014 by Don Lahey

Knights whisky Although each November feature is truly a contender for this month’s Top Pick, the choice comes down to two personal palate pleasers: Boschendal S&M (Shiraz Mourvèdre) 2012, a gorgeous, hedonistic Shiraz Mourvèdre blend, and Mont Marçal’s delicate, tasty vintage Reserve Cava, a sparkling wine that’s ideal to kick off any occasion.

Previous vintages of Mont Marçal have enjoyed plenty of well-deserved accolades, as does the 2011 Mont Marçal Brut. However, I have to go with the Boschendal S&M (Shiraz Mourvèdre) 2012, a smooth, flavor-filled blend which recently made its North American debut.

Consequently, Boschendal’s 2012 S&M earns the Rookie of the Month Award and this month’s Top Pick. Enjoy!

Don

Champagne Isn’t Just for Thanksgiving and Holidays

November 21, 2014 by Don Lahey

Most Americans relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions, like Thanksgiving dinner, weddings, late-night holiday parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations, and other such events. Frankly, Champagne deserves better.

Europe vs. United States Champagne Drinking

European wine drinkers discovered the many pleasures of Champagne long ago and consume far more Champagne than Americans. As the original and finest sparkling wine from the ancient province of Champagne, France, this wonderful wine still enjoys a reputation as the “Belle of the Ball” or a wine of conviviality and good cheer. But, this delectable drink also pairs beautifully with many types of foods, and deserves a new reputation as a wine for all seasons and occasions.

To get a taste of what I’m talking about, prepare a meal around a good bottle of Champagne and see why French and Italians consume so much more of this magical wine than Americans. Why not discover the pleasure of Champagne and pour a glass of Champagne on a cold, rainy day as well as a warm, sunny day, or serve it at a mid-week meal as well as at a party? Isn’t every day meant to be celebrated in some fashion? Why limit the pleasure of good bubbly to a few occasions or just one time of year?

Champagne makes glad the heart as it cleanses the palate and enlivens the soul. For these reasons, and more, I enjoy Champagne at Thanksgiving and any other holiday where a good meal is to be had. I especially enjoy it as an aperitif, or as an accompaniment to a fun-filled evening with tasty morsels.

Winston Churchill is reputed to have remarked, “In the time left to us between the disaster and the catastrophe, there is time for a glass of Champagne.” So, what are we waiting for? Make mine Brut Champagne with some amazing foods, like the food pairing ideas I’ve listed below!

Champagne Food Pairing Suggestions

Smoked Salmon with Capers, Cucumber, and Cream Cheese
Caviar
Crab Dip
Lobster
Salmon with Fennel in a Light Cream Sauce
Sautéed Scallops
Shrimp and Grits
Stuffed Mushrooms, Hors d’Oeuvres, Canapés
Chicken or Shrimp Satay with a Peanut Sauce
Suprême de Volailles aux Champignons (aka Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Cream)
Vegetarian Spring Rolls
Muenster, Neufchâtel, Port Salut and many other types of cheese

Learn more about how our international wine clubs work and why wines from The International Wine of the Month Club™ are a great choice for Thanksgiving and the holidays.

Don

White Chicken Chili Recipe

November 17, 2014 by Kristina Manning

White Chicken Chili makes a delicious meal full of spicy chili flavor, white beans and chicken. You’ll love this easy White Chicken Chili recipe.

Prep time : 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken stock
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, with liquids from beans
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilis, with liquids from chilis
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Instructions:

Add chicken to a 4-quart, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot. Add chicken stock and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Shred chicken with two forks and then add back to the liquid.

Add garlic and onion to stockpot, white beans, green chilis, dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh oregano. Stir until well-combined. Taste for flavor and adjust to your preference.

Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Recipe and photo from: www.addapinch.com

Why Serve Wine at Thanksgiving

November 7, 2014 by Don Lahey

For me, Thanksgiving remains a day to be truly thankful – a day to remember that faith, family, friends, health, and abundance should never be taken for granted. I, for one, am grateful that I don’t have to drink a wine I don’t like, but that’s just a perk behind my position. Hopefully, parades, football, and the specter of Black Friday shopping haven’t totally obliterated the meaning of Thanksgiving, but there is one great aspect to enjoying the day’s feasting: drinking amazing wines that pair perfectly with the meal.

Thanksgiving is a day to reacquaint myself with gratitude for all that is good in life, and that includes gratitude for fine wine. Gratitude may be the least appreciated of all virtues, but at least in America we have a day set aside to remind us to practice gratitude and give thanks.

Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to spend time with those we care about the most, but more importantly, this holiday is a day to share the finest wines with family, friends, and whoever else shows up for dinner or simply to say hello.

So, what are the best wines to serve at Thanksgiving? I’ll be answering that question in my next blog post. Until then, think about what wines you might like to include with your Thanksgiving dinner, and read up a little on our Food and Wine Pairing Guide to get an idea of how to pair your favorite holiday dishes with fine wines!

Don

Sweet and Sticky Pomegranate Chicken

November 3, 2014 by Kristina Manning

This recipe for Sweet and Sticky Pomegranate Chicken may seem complicated but it’s actually very quick and really easy to make. Serve it with some rice for an easy dinner for serve them as an appetizer at your next holiday party or for game day!

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken wings or legs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
pomegranate arils for garnish
freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large measuring cup or bowl, mix together chili sauce, pom juice, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar and garlic.

Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then place in the skillet and sear on each side until deeply golden and brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken and place on a plate, turning heat in the skillet down to medium-low. Pour in pomegranate juice mix and whisk, allowing the sauce to bubble and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Place chicken back in the skillet and turn and toss to coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken and serve with chopped parsley and pomegranate arils.

Recipe and photo from: www.HowSweetEats.com

Too Hot, Too Cold, or Just Right: The Temperatures for Serving Wine

November 1, 2014 by Don Lahey

A lot of wine enthusiasts wonder what temperature their wine should be when they open a bottle. The traditional, age-old response to the question is to serve white wines cold and red wines at room temperature. But, in this case, not only is traditional wisdom out of synch with the human palate according to recent university studies – it’s also vague and misleading.

First and foremost, what is room temperature?

Room temperature varies from season to season and from location to location. In addition, traditional wine temperature recommendations don’t take modern heating and air conditioning into account, which greatly alter the temperature of a room. Moreover, when the conventional wisdom of serving red wine at room temperature came into vogue in England and France centuries ago, room temperature was 55°- 65° F, at the most. Consequently, the idea of serving wine at room temperature is useless to most of us today.

What is the best temperature for red wines?

Not surprisingly, university studies confirm that the vast majority of wine drinkers garner the most flavor and pleasure from red wines when consumed between 55°-65° F, which is decidedly cooler than room temperature in most American homes. Read more about chilling red wine here.

What is the best temperature for white wines?

Conversely, recent studies also indicate that wine drinkers report the greatest pleasure and taste from white wines consumed between 45°-55° F, which means we may be cheating ourselves by nearly freezing white wines before rapidly consuming them.

The Final Verdict

So, what’s a wine drinker to do? Drink wine at the temperature that suits your palate, of course. You may want to experiment with some of your favorite red wines by cooling them down for 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator and allowing white wines to sit in a glass for 15 minutes before guzzling them. Personally, I think most of us consume red wines too warm and white wines too cold. However, each of us has to determine his or her pleasure quotient. So, why not experiment a bit, and see what suits you?

Red? White? How about one of each?! Get two international wines from award-winning vineyards when you join The International Wine of the Month Club!

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