Enthusiastically re-engineer sticky e-commerce whereas resource sucking interfaces. Interactively develop maintainable human capital without distinctive results.

The post The 2017 Wine Lover’s Guide to a Kitchen Remodel first appeared on Rose Divine.

Enthusiastically re-engineer sticky e-commerce whereas resource sucking interfaces. Interactively develop maintainable human capital without distinctive results.

The post Tuesday Tips: Being Realistic With Your Goals first appeared on Rose Divine.

Enthusiastically re-engineer sticky e-commerce whereas resource sucking interfaces. Interactively develop maintainable human capital without distinctive results.

The post Spring Wine Festival at a Vintage Vineyard first appeared on Rose Divine.

Enthusiastically re-engineer sticky e-commerce whereas resource sucking interfaces. Interactively develop maintainable human capital without distinctive results.

The post We Invite You to These Wonderful Wine Tasting Events first appeared on Rose Divine.

Many are learning that whiskey is no longer chugged and followed by a beer chaser, but it is savored, enjoyed and experienced. Like wine, you simply do not drink it; you taste it by aerating for legs, view the color from the grapes and sip slowly to live the flavors of the oak then how you encounter the varied flavors from fruit to pepper. Before you gently hand-wash your favorite wine glass to store on the shelf, use it to experience a good whiskey, scotch, bourbon or rye.

Use your wine tasting skills to follow the whiskey’s legs down the sides of the glass after aerating – the slower and farther apart, the better the whiskey. View the color to see how the ex-bourbon or sherry barrels enhance the drink. You will note golden hues from bourbon and a reddish color from sherry casks. Next sip slowly and bring the whiskey to the back of your tongue, swallow and draw in a breath of air. Instantly you will experience the fire of Maker’s Mark Bourbon 46, the Mediterranean dates, figs and a bit of toffee from the smooth Canadian Club, the Irish peat and smoke of Kilbeggan and the strong, non-apologetic, no excuse jagged dance of Scotland’s Laphroaig.

On February 17^th, at Josephine House, a branch of Jeffries on East Waterston Avenue, Beam Suntory offered a few scotch and whiskey followers An Evening of Women and Whiskey. Four women from different countries brought forth their whiskey or bourbon to showcase and expand the conversation of how women have always been a part of the whiskey business. This is not a recent occurrence of breaking the glass ceiling: Women have been long acknowledged as expert whiskey makers, including those who made homebrews to avoid the high taxes placed on bottled whiskey in the last 150 years.

The tasting was well rounded to share the how and why behind each brand. Canadian Club had its start in Detroit, Michigan in a 1854 grocery store and moved across the river to Windsor, Canada when dry counties where popping up prior to prohibition locking in. The Canadian Club whiskey was a staple of gentlemen’s clubs of the 19th century and was imported back to the United States by Al Capone. Canadian Club offers a whiskey to those who are looking for smooth and purity in taste, away from the strong drink. CC imports ex-sherry casks from Spain to age its whiskey to give the unique experience of Mediterranean fruit of dates, figs and a hint of toffee. Their product line includes whiskeys aged from 6 to 30 years that are enjoyed around the world. Tish Harcus, Brand Ambassador for Canadian Club shared with us the Japanese method of enjoying their whiskey of 2-2-2. Two ounce pour, two ice cubes then wait two minutes to taste. I gave it a go and will practice the method from now on.

Kilbeggan-Irish-WhiskeyKilbeggan, the oldest license distillery offers an Irish whiskey with production dates back to 1757 while having a 180 year pot still in production. Their whiskey is made from the pure, clean Irish waters with malted barley & grain. When whiskey is distilled three times, it does lose favor. The Kilbeggan product is double distilled to have smoothness while maintaining taste. Kilbeggan uses ex-bourbon casks to allow their whiskey to sleep in an original warehouse that dates back to 1757. You will experience sweet corn, spice and vanilla from the bourdon barrels. Stella Lacken, Brand Ambassador shared the rich history of the four families that have owned Kilbeggan and how important it was to the current owner John Teeling to revive the historic distilleries of Ireland. Kilbeggan offerings also include a small batch 15 year old whiskey and a 100% malted barley.

Victoria MacRae-Samuels, a chemist from Seattle arrived in Kentucky several years ago to continue research for another bourbon house prior to moving over to Maker’s Mark. She shared the importance of the Samuels working as a team. In 1958, Bill set out to make better bourbon and used red winter wheat instead of rye with corn and malted barley. Margie Samuels marketed the bourbon in the square bottle with the red wax seal and was a part of the laying out the Maker’s Mark campus. Their products including Maker’s Mark 46, a smooth bourbon enhanced with vanilla and caramel from the French Oak cooperage. However, you do taste the fire of rich bourbon that lingers just long enough to say, “Damn, that’s good.”

The post Women and Whiskey: Tasting Fine Spirits first appeared on Rose Divine.

And there are countless festivals that celebrate this duo. For example, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in Australia is a mecca for foodies and oenophiles. Held during February and March, this event boasts hundreds of vendors serving up local cuisine, ethnic favorites, and boutique wines grown in Victoria. Attend this grape-inspired festival and enjoy formal meals with wine pairings, live music, and wine lectures.

Travel to Chianti, Italy, to further entice your palate. Known for its namesake red wine, the Chianti region is the perfect place to set off on a tour of traditional Tuscan cuisine and delicious red wines. These tours invite guests to dip warm ciabatta breads into freshly pressed olive oils, nosh on Salumi cured meats, and indulge in red wines made from Sangiovese and Merlot grapes.

Wine History Tours
For travelers looking to learn about the historical side of making wine, visit the Franciscan Estate in California’s Napa Valley, which is a top viticultural destination in the United States. The Franciscan Estate, located in the town of St. Helena, lets visitors experience how varietal blends are mixed to create the unique flavors of each individual winery. Throughout St. Helena, vineyards and wineries offer tours, tastings, and classes designed to enhance knowledge about wine production.

Travel across the pond and visit the Schloss Johannisberg in Geisenheim, Germany, to further turn back the hands of time. As the first Riesling wine estate in the world, this former castle transformed into a winery, which has produced harvest wines since the end of the 18th century. Get a taste of history and fine wines at this historical stop. The vineyard’s subterranean wine cellar is filled with aged bottles, eager to serve up one-of-a-kind tastes and blends.

A cruise adds a splash of adventure to every wine tour. Climb aboard a canal boat and cruise through Burgundy, France, to see a different side of the wine region. This route soars past the medieval architecture and picturesque destinations like Gien, Auxerre, and Dijon. The cruiseline stops at the Chateau de Bazoches for tasting and tours, where visitors can marvel at the famed Chablis vineyards and sample delicious French cuisine.

For longer wine cruises, sail away on one of the multi-day trips to vineyards in Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon, Venice, and other European destinations. Sip on wine as the ship pulls into port and then venture around the grape-laden regions of Dunham Cellars, Grgich Hills Estate, Duckhorn Vineyards, and more.

Whether you’re traveling through Napa Valley, California, or Burgundy, France, spice up your journey with these ambrosia-themed activities. With food pairings, history lessons, and cruises, you’re certain to please your palate during your next wine-based adventure.

The post A Taste of Wine-inspired Vacations first appeared on Rose Divine.

Wine and cheese has been served around the world for hundreds of years highlighting local customs and flavors. Yes we all acknowledge there is a scale from spray cheese out of can and moon shine to works of art.  However, many of us find our niche and enjoy it.

Recently Central Market hosted a wine and cheese pairing event.  I walked through the store sampling and reawakening the fun in finding something new.  The store provided selections in vignette settings from different parts of the world.  Many of our domestic cheeses have roots in Europe and South America.  For example the Wisconsin Deer Creek Vat 17 cheddar with a background of strong English cheddar with a good bit at the finish pairs beautifully with cabernet.  At home, I enjoyed a ruby port with it.

I was delighted to see a taste of home, the Marin French Cheese Company of California, Camembert showcased which my sister was employed to pack as a kid.   It was a staple of our home and served with French bread from the Sonoma Square.  Always present at Christmas with a glass of champagne.   After my parents had returned from a trip to France and toured various champagne houses, it became a family tradition to add a touch of Apricot Brandy to a glass of champagne.  I continue that tradition today in memory of my dad.

At times, I really feel that we try too hard to bring something exciting to the table to keep up with the Jones.  Dining is not a Power Point presentation that needs to have fly-ins or acrobats to grab your attention.  I get no one wants to look at a lifeless plate. Nevertheless, we should not overlook the simple duos that flavor tells the story.  I learned that night serving a little fig preserves with brie can be the bump that your cheese plate needs.   It brings color, texture and flavor.  Central Market also prepared recipe cards that gave pair sweet and savory options to serve with the cheese.

I am happy to see cow milk based cheeses are becoming fashionable again.  St. Albans of Vermont, French styled soft cheese that can be served cold or warmed.   It was paired with a Merlot that was very enjoyable and a good beer would be great too.

At times, you just need a little something to chew on while watching a good movie.  The Oklahoma made Caciocavera by the Lovera family is a hard cheese that is wonderful with olives and salami or ham. It really reminded me of the Brooklyn pork stores with the cheese hanging in the back of the counter with the gourd shape and twine.

As a party of two for dinner on most nights and working full time, Central Market’s premade dinners are very good and perfect when you are pulling into the drive way at 7pm.   The Gorgonzola raviolis and blueberry mascarpone tart are a must for any household.   The chef-prepared hot cheese dip that included roasted tomatoes also made it into my shopping cart.

We are all living in the ‘now demand’ lifestyle while being available for work twenty-four, seven.  We find ourselves applying the new dirty word of multi-tasking in our down time. For example, my friend Carrie and I enjoyed catching up with a grand reserve chardonnay sitting in front yard passing out Halloween candy.  The last time I truly sat down to enjoy a glass of wine and a plate of cheese was when I was on vacation in Spain a few months ago.  Is it really necessary to fly 10 hours away to enjoy what life has to offer?  After making sure my chardonnay was not knocked over by super heroes and zombies, I am making myself stop after a delightful journey through Central Market.   I am stopping to smell the roses, leaving the phone on the charger, turning off the TV for a bit of music, a chilled Riesling and nosh on local cheeses.

The post The Journey to the Table first appeared on Rose Divine.

Two year long research initiative by the University of South Australia funded by the has revealed what terms Chinese consumers use when describing a wine and what Asian fruit and vegetable flavours are equivalent to the Western ones used to describe wine.

“Describing a wine as tasting of blueberry is hard to understand if you have never seen or tasted a blueberry”

The project, led by Dr Armando Corsi, Dr Justin Cohen and Prof Larry Lockshin, involved more than 250 Chinese wine consumers from Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

The participants described the taste of a selection of Australian white, red, sparkling and dessert wines.

Participants selected a series of generic wine descriptors as well as choosing from a list of specific fruit and vegetable flavours. These flavours were either Western fruit and vegetables or proposed Chinese equivalents.

The research found that generic wine descriptors, such as “mellow”, “lingering” or “fruity” were three times more likely to be used than specific wine descriptors by Chinese wine consumers.

Dr Corsi says that wine has been predominantly described in China using Western terminology but such descriptors lack meaning if the consumer has little or no experience of tasting that particular fruit, vegetable or spice.

“Describing a wine as tasting of blueberry is hard to understand if you have never seen or tasted a blueberry,” Dr Corsi says.

“What this research has provided is evidence of what specific Chinese fruit and vegetable flavours are equivalent to the Western descriptors currently used on wines in China.

“We can now say that the equivalent to blackberry preserve is dried Chinese hawthorns.”

The project also investigated the likeability, willingness to pay and perceived price points of different wine styles.

The research showed that what is perceived to be more expensive is not necessarily what is liked the most.

“There is also the potential for similar research to be undertaken in other countries to determine what cultural descriptors they would use to describe the taste of different wines.”

According to a recent Wine Australia Export Report the value of Australian wine exports to China has grown 66 per cent to $370 million in 2015.

In response to these findings, Wine Australia has produced an Australian Wine Flavours Card to link an Australian wine descriptor with an equivalent taste that is more related to the Chinese palate.

The post Chinese Wine Terms first appeared on Rose Divine.

In less than an hour, you can complete a bedazzling drive passing by Napa’s most famous winery estates from Domaine Chandon, Robert Mondavi, Cakebread Cellars, Charles Krug,  St. Supery,  Sutter Home, Franciscan, Beaulieu Vineyard, Grgich Hills, Freemark Abbey, Heitz Wine Cellars, and Markham Vineyards to Opus One, Merryvale Vineyards, Beringer, Sterling and dozens more. Of course, the point is not to drive by but to stop off and explore the famous tasting rooms, tours, shops, restaurants and all that “The 29” route has to offer to visitors. It’s fun and exciting but there is much more to the Napa Valley wine story.

My favorite route through Napa is California Highway 121, aka Silverado Trail Road. It too runs North-South through Napa County. In fact, the Silverado Trail runs parallel to Highway 29 for nearly 30 miles, along the Eastern edge of Napa Valley.

This beautiful road is studded with amazing wineries, perhaps a little less well known but just as interesting and enjoyable as those on Highway 29.  The views are simply stunning. The vineyards are wide and expansive with row after row of hillside vines looking down on the valley. If you are in the mood to avoid crowded tasting room, busy parking lots and tourist buses, then the Silverado Trail is the best way to experience real Napa Valley viticulture.

Silverado Trail wineries include Rombauer Vineyards, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Rutherford Ranch, Silverado Vineyards, ZD Wines, Conn Creek, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Signorello Vineyards, Quintessa, Paraduxx, William Hill Winery, Mumm Napa, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Clos Du Val and many other excellent wineries.

Here, on the serene side of Napa Valley you will discover new wine dimensions in the creations of very talented winemakers—many of whom are moving beyond marketplace standards, and using the rich, fertile terroir of Napa appellations to craft some of the best wines made anywhere in the world. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll bring you tasting notes and recommendations on our favorite Silverado Trail wines.

The post Silverado Trail: The Serene Side of Napa Valley first appeared on Rose Divine.