Off The Vine Media

now only if this Mexican fountain had wine flowing from it instead of water

Is there that one wine that you have been waiting to try?  Maybe its from a certain vintage, country, or type of grape varietal.  If this is you my suggestion is to make it a goal to try this wine, because without a goal even a simple one, is that it never happens (and we wouldn’t want that to happen).

I have a goal this year and that is to try wines from two different countries I have never experienced.  I would love to try a wine from China and Mexico.  I know what you are thinking and that is these aren’t your normal wine making areas.  You are correct, and that is why I am so interested in trying wines from these countries.  The fun in trying wines from these countries is three fold.  The first is the thrill of the chase.  I have come to find out that some times the chase is more exciting then the find.  The second is to say that you have tried a wine from a place that most people haven’t  (yes a little bragging).  Finally, you never know when you will stumble across your new favorite wine.  (If you must ask I haven’t reached my goal yet but the year is young)

Next time you are out purchasing wine don’t go to your favorite.  Place a check mark next to your wine goal and try something new and exciting you never know what you may find.

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1982 Colheita

It happens once a year.  It is either celebrated with a joyous event or brushed under the rug like it never happened.  Either way it happens to all of us.  Our birthdays are a reminder of the great things that happened over the past year and things we hope will never happen again.  A great way to celebrate a birthday is with wine.  It is a great way to share a passion and pleasure with friends and family at a celebration.  I have a few suggestions on picking wines to enjoy on your special day.

1. Pick a wine from your birth year.  This may get expensive but half the fun is in the search.  It is truly amazing to realize how far the wine in your glass has traveled and what has happened over the years while the wine waited for you in its bottle.
2. Pick your favorite wine.  You can never go wrong drinking and serving your favorite bottle.
3. Pick a wine you have never tried.  As you start a new year in your journey it never hurts to try something new.  You never know you may find a new favorite.
4. Pick an expensive or hard to find wine.  It is always fun to treat yourself even if it is only once a year.

Just remember that every new year you are able to celebrate with friends and family surrounding you is never a bad time to hold up a glass of wine and toast to a new year with new opportunities.

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Here is what amazes me, you step up to a winery and ask to taste there Cabernet from 3 different vintages and sure enough you can taste the difference in each of them.  How about taking three Pinot Noirs at different price points from the same appellation pop open the corks and notice the differences.  I love the fact that every bottle you drink tells a different story and transports you to what was going on in the vineyard at the time.

What is also amazing is that you can line up different bourbons, tequilas, (insert your favorite spirits) from different producers and price points and taste the differences.  For so long I thought they all tasted the same.  However, when you take the time to stop and truly taste you can tell all of the nuances you were missing.  Lets be honest if everything tasted the same from each vintage year or within a certain price point what would the joy be of trying something new.  So remember to always try something new you never know what you might find!

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Wine and food pairings are a delicate, artistic, difficult and easy task.  Yes I know I contradicted myself.  However, the ultimate goal in pairing wine and food is to have them compliment each other.  The amazing thing is that there are wines that match perfectly with every food variety and type.  There are even wines to drink before dinner and wines to drink with dessert or as a digestive.  Sometimes the most fun is to experiment and to pick a wine you like and pair it with whatever you are eating.  You may not always have the best results.  However, you will learn quickly what wine to pair with what you are eating.  Trial by error if you will.

If you have never experienced a wine dinner then you should.  This is where the whole point of the meal is to pair each course with a different wine  in order to showcase the wine and food.  I recently experinced one of these at the restraunt Wildfire with wines from Ferrari-Carano.  I highly recomend this experience.  You will have the opportunity to see how wine and food can truley pull out the best charactistics of each.  Not to mention great food and wine.

So next time you are making dinner plans do a little research on what wine will compliment  your meal or just experiment.  I garuntee you will enjoy the experience.

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only Passion and creativity could create this!

Do you ever find that after you pick out the perfect bottle of wine, pop it open, and take the first sip, that it is pure passion?  Let me explain.  I find it truly inspiring when you can tell that the wine maker thought about every little detail of the wine you are drinking from the name, label, type of bottle, and the way the wine tastes.  Best of all they do this to allow the wine to speak for itself.

Passion is a amazing thing!  If you look around you can see the stamp it has on so many things.  Think of your favorite song and how it speaks volumes and blends perfectly.  You can picture the artist in the studio at that exact moment of the songs creation.  How about your favorite director, who in that one moment they frame the perfect scene when everything comes together in unity.  You can always tell when someone is passionate about something.  It oozes out of every pore of their being.  There is a sparkle in there eye that will let you know that you are about to learn and experience something amazing.

For me I found this passion this week after reading a article in Billboard magazine that spoke of independent artists and what it meant for them being a independent.  I ran across the band The Head And The Heart .  After reading the article and listening to their music I could just tell that they love what they do and are incredibly passionate about their craft.  It comes through in their vocals and how the instrumentation is put together.  You never know where you will find passionate people.

So look for that bottle of wine, song, movie, and book,that oozes passion.  I promise it will be a experience you never forget.  Where have you seen this passion recently and what is it for you?

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Do you ever wish you could be whisked away to a tropical island a heart pumping adventure or a out of this world fairy tale?  I think we all do at some point.  Some days it is because of a long day at the office, a dreary day, or just one of those days.  Often times we will pop in a movie and be transported to a out of this world adventure.  Sometimes we will put on a song that reminds us of a special someone or memorable event.  While I think these are great ways to to transport ourselves out of the mundane may I suggest another method.  May I suggest that you uncork your favorite wine and let its aromas and flavors invigorate your senses.  Let this transport you to the vineyard, the winemakers dinner table, or a bar in a exotic city and country where everything is new and different.  Wine can and does transport us every time we uncork a new bottle.  Where are you going today?

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1987 Vintage port from Martinez

A few weeks ago some friends were over for dinner.  I was told that my friend was bringing something special for the meal.  We made chipotle-marinated pork chops with chimichurri sauce along with asparagus with balsamic tomatoes (it was amazing).  After we all had our fill, out came the surprise a vintage 1987 port by Martinez.  I had never had the privilege of trying a vintage port let alone a wine of this age I was incredibly excited.  Not knowing the condition of the cork we took our time opening the bottle.  After no issues, I poured a little into my friends glass and he took a sip.  I saw a smile come over his face and I had to ask the obvious, how was it?  what he said next was simple but spoke volumes ” This is so smooth, and I have to say this is the best port I have ever had”.  From that moment I knew that we were all in for a great rest of the night. Some of us were not big fans of port to begin with but its amazing when you try something that is of a high quality and a superb taste how easily your opinion can be swayed.   As the evening wore on we began to talk about the age of the wine and what we were all doing at the time the grapes were picked and the wine was bottled.  It is truly amazing that something so old can still be so good.  I guess it is true what they say, things do get better with age!

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Most of the time when you see the phrase wine pairing your mind drifts to wine paired with food.  However, it can be something else completely.  No I don’t mean wine paired with Cheese or chocolate (However, both great options). What if we expanded the concept of wine pairing to mean simply to enhance your wine experience.  By doing this we expand the possibilities.  An example of this would be to pair your wine with a film.  Imagine picking up a independent film to watch and a wine made by a boutique winery, or how about a foreign film paired with a wine from the region where the film was made.  Other ideas include pairing your wine with music, a book you are reading, or a region of the country you are visiting.  This would allow you to experience your wine in a way you wouldn’t if it was had by itself.

When we are able to expand our perception of a concept and idea I think only then are we able to fully explore the possibilities.  Once we are able to see pairing as a larger concept only then will we be able to fully pull out all of the nuances and intricacies that wine has to offer.  There is more in that bottle than just wine.

Where else can you pair your wine besides at the table

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You get home after a long day at the office.  Your tired and frustrated mood leads you to open a bottle of something heavy and thick.  Maybe a Merlot or Port.  Anything that may help you to relax and unwind after a long day.  Maybe, you are out with friends at a park having a picnic on a beautiful summer day and everyone is in a upbeat and light mood.  You may find yourself sipping a floral and light Riesling, sauvignon blanc or a Gewurztraminer.  I find it amazing that so many times what we drink is closely related to the mood we are in.  Next time you find yourself opening a new bottle of wine ask yourself is what I am drinking reflective of how I feel, and should it matter?

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The Távora river meandering through the terraced hillside

If you have never had the opportunity to visit the home of Port then you are missing out on beautiful scenery, wonderful people, great history, and amazing port.  The Douro Valley and Porto /Vila Nova De Gaia is where all the magic happens.  What I enjoyed most by this experience was the fact that I got to see and enjoy where this wonderful wine calls home and how its home has shaped it through the years.  We often forgot what has shaped the wines we drink.  Port is no exception with its beautiful terraced hill sides, storied port houses, and families.  All of these have made what port is today.  If you have never tried this fortified wine I suggest giving it a try.  It is wonderful on a cold evening or after a meal with family and friends.  While you take a sip you may find yourself tasting raisins, leather, tobacco, or something else even more amazing

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