Sparkling Rosé Cake with Candied Roses for Mother’s Day

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Mother’s Day is Sunday, and here in the Puget Sound area of Washington we are looking at forecasted highs close to 90 degrees! I’m perspiring just thinking about it. This is no time for dry reds that are going to overheat Mom (although, of course, it’s your mom, get the lady what she wants). Time to present her with a chilled, refreshing, bubbly beverage, of the pink variety since this is a female holiday, after all – sparkling rosé! Treat Mom like the queen she is with All Queens Rosé Brut. Bonus points if you get her outside, have her put her feet up somewhere comfortable, and bring her a glass of this chilled wine. What an amazing child she raised! 😉

Here are the details of this scintillating wine. As you can see, the name and label make it very giftable and cute.

All Queen Brut Rose

The Ultimate Mother’s Day Beverage

All Queens Rosé Brut California

  • $15/bottle at Total Wine
  • Sparkling Wine from Lodi, California
  • Lovely light/medium salmon pink color
  • Brut (dry – no sweetness or residual sugar)
  • Light body, 11.5% ABV
  • High acidity
  • Aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, peach, tangerine

This wine is befitting a lavish Mother’s Day brunch. Try it with Eggs Benedict and a whole host of other delicious foods. It’s very difficult to screw up pairing this wine with other foods – in fact, sparkling wines are extremely versatile (kinda like moms) and go better with more foods than practically any other wine style out there (say, wha?).

If you really want to go over the top, and win the Child of the Millenium award, whip up this pretty in pink cake using 1 cup of your sparkling rosé. It’s picture perfect for Mother’s Day or any springtime/feminine occasion, such as Easter or a bridal shower. This cake is moist, fluffy, very tasty, and baking it will make your house smell like a French pâtisserie (ooh la la).

I think edible candied flower petals make anything look utterly posh, so don’t be shy and use the recommended candied rose petals on top; they are delicious and will wow Mom. I have also used candied violet petals on a lemon cake, yum! (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)

To all the mothers out there, a very Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for mothering well. Take a moment to have your cake and drink it, too. You deserve it. ❤

Sparkling Rose Cake with Candied Rose Petals

“Eat Me!”

Sparkling Rosé Cake with Candied Rose Petals
Adapted from a recipe by Kevin Lee Jacobs | agardenforthehouse.com

Chef’s Notes
1) If you don’t have the large capacity Bundt pan as I did not, pour into a regular Bundt pan about 3/4 way full, then use the rest of the batter for cupcakes or a smaller cake pan.
2) Since my Bundt cake fell apart upon turning out from the pan (alas, it happens), I took pictures of the cupcakes that I made from the same batter.
3) We don’t use artificial food coloring so the natural food coloring I used to make the cake batter pink is extremely light.

Equipment

  • A large-capacity Bundt pan (10 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), generously sprayed with cooking spray (I use sunflower oil)

Ingredients

The dry ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt

The wet ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon strawberry extract (I did not find this in my local grocery stores, easiest to buy from Amazon) (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
  • 1 cup All Queens Brut Rosé at room temp (or other pink Champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine)
  • Optional: pink or red food coloring

The glaze:

  • 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 2-4 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Candied Rose Petals (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)

Instructions

  • Center the oven rack; preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy — about 5 minutes. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, and the vanilla and strawberry extracts.
  • At low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sparkling wine, beginning and ending with the flour. At medium high speed, quickly beat in the (optional) food coloring.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter up against the sides, and away from the center (this encourages a level surface during baking). Bake until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean — about 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely.
  • In a medium bowl, beat together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and the vanilla extract. Add more water as needed to achieve a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cake.
  • Before glaze sets, adorn cake with candied rose petals.
Sparkling Rose Cakes with Candied Rose Petals

The trick is not to eat them before Mom has a crack at them.

Time to stock up for warm weather wine drinking!
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Table for 12: Dishing Up Cooking and Community

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¡Ay, caramba! We’ve had a whirlwind tour of Mexico this past week, haven’t we? Maybe you’ve whipped up a Prickly Pear Margarita or considered trying some Mexican wine. Well, this week I’m wrapping it up with one last post focused on one of the world’s greatest cuisines: Mexican food.

The simple things are often the best things, and to me Mexican food is perennially popular because the ingredients are specific to Mexican land and culture but they are simple, wholesome, and flavorful, which gives the cuisine broad appeal.

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you may have seen some photos I shared a while ago about a certain cooking class. That was in April, and so today here is the post I promised. Enjoy! (Hint, hint, this event makes a great Mother’s Day present for those shopping for the occasion.) 😉

Table for 12 Edmonds

Table for 12
Edmonds, Washington

My mom treated me and my husband to a night out in Edmonds at Table for 12, a recently-opened studio kitchen in which to take group cooking classes and also the home of food production company, 12 Tomatoes. Check out their drool-worthy videos on their YouTube channel! I’m fixing on making something from them soon.

The theme of our class was Street Taco Table. All of us rallied around the table and every person had a hand in creating this gigantic, awesome feast. The vibe is relaxed and all about being together and having fun while cooking, not trying to be Master Chefs. And whaddya know, we also learned some better cooking techniques too while having fun. 🙂

We each had several things to do throughout the night: I chopped veggies for salsa, shredded lettuce, made vinaigrette, and tossed salad, among other things. I also got to fry tortilla strips for the salad, which was good practice for me to deep fry without fear (I avoid deep frying in my home kitchen). My husband also chopped produce, roasted veggies for salsa, and helped make tortillas.

Chef Dom did a great job explaining our tasks and delegating just the right amount of work to each person. It’s great to have access to a professional chef for 3 hours to ask any and all your nagging cooking questions! I should also mention they pay the highest attention to hygiene and safety for all their events at Table for 12, and that all levels of cooking experience (or lack thereof!) are welcome.

I’ve been to a number of cooking classes and demonstrations over the years… ones where you are required to stand and cook most of the time, others where you are seated and watching a chef create magic. This event struck a happy balance between watching and learning from the chef-expert and getting to practice cooking skills (i.e. chopping, sautéing, etc.) – just the right amount of activity at each end of the spectrum. One cooking class I took in the past had me standing and hustling most of the night, with little to no chance to sit down. It was interesting and fun but tiring. This was definitely not tiring, with plenty of time to cook, seated or standing, and plenty of time to sit down and sip our wine or beer (or muy deliciosa agua fresca). 🙂

The event ran from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Because you don’t eat the dinner until 9:30 pm or later that night, I recommend adjusting your eating schedule the day of your event and either have a late big lunch in the afternoon or normal lunch and then a light snack or meal to tide you over until later. We did have chips and salsa to nosh on, but the point is to be cooking, not sitting and dining.

All classes are limited to 12 people, and since there were about 4 no shows, we had a slightly smaller group. Group size is a very important factor for an event: just the right amount to get to know folks, but also not so few that all the work falls on a couple people. Can I also say how thankful I am to be back in person, out and about doing things with other humans after COVID? It’s so great. ❤

Street Taco Table, Table for 12 Edmonds

Street Taco Table
Table for 12
Edmonds, Washington

Here is the menu. Everything was fresh, colorful, flavorful, and delicious. It proved to us how relatively easy it is to prepare Mexican food at home that tastes WAY BETTER. We are not shy about making our own tortillas now. We got to take home printed copies of the recipes and we also got to take home leftover food. We gave it to my mom and she verified it was excellent. 🙂

Street Taco Table Menu

  • Crunchy Green Taco Salad 
    This is what salad is all about: rainbow colors, flavors, and textures. I could eat this salad every day. Sorry I don’t have a better picture of the salad; above it’s buried under other food.
  • Dry-Rubbed Carne Asada with Fresh Flour Tortillas and Salsa Roja
    Carne Asada was terrific. The salsa was fantastic. The freshly made tortillas beat anything I’ve bought at the store. Going to be making these at home.
  • Spanish Rice and Brothy Beans
    This was not your average rice n’ beans snooze fest from your average Mexican restaurant. Hearty and with amped up flavor. ❤
  • Mango Tres Leches with Fresh Mango and Salted Whipped Cream
    Even though I was getting quite stuffed after the main meal, I still saved a little room for dessert, and am I glad I did! This dessert was amazing not just for taste, but it was light and refreshing after a hefty meal – how many cake recipes do you know of that can achieve that after dinner?
Mango Tres Leches Cake, Table for 12 Edmonds

Mango Tres Leches Cake
Table for 12
Edmonds, Washington

While this was not a wine event per se, our tickets included two beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) for the evening. We also had the option of purchasing additional beverages or bottles à la carte. I had a glass of both their featured white and red wines, which came from the excellent wine shop next door, Arista Wine Cellars (they are listed on my Places to Taste page). The white was the 2021 Domaine De L’arfentiere, Macon Uchizy Chardonnay Burgundy France and the red was the 2020 Mark Ryan Lu & Oly Red Blend Columbia Valley Washington. Both super delicious wines I enjoyed that each went very well with our Mexican cuisine.

Want to know something super cool? You can even take FREE CLASSES from Chef Dom online. He offers a wide variety of topics and recipes. Great option especially if you are out of town. Here is a class happening this Wednesday: Southern Comfort.

Personally, while I’m thankful for technology, nothing beats the in-person experience, so please take a look at their current classes, gather some friends (or go solo and make friends!) and go to a live class. Prices as of May 2023 are $99/person before tax and tip.

¡Salud! 🙂

Muchas gracias a mi madre por una noche sabrosa y divertida. ❤

Say “Kia Ora” for International Sauvignon Blanc Day

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Happy Cinco de Mayo! I trust you’re all set up now with your Mexican vino and Prickly Pear Margaritas for today. 🙂 But did you know that today is also International Sauvignon Blanc Day? Goodness gracious me, so it is. Better slap a blog post together! 😉

It’s been a while since I’ve chatted with you about Sauvignon Blanc, hasn’t it? I’m surveying my long list of wines to share, and this is one that MUST be shared. Absolutely MUST! In case you didn’t read that clearly, MUST. SHARE.

This is for all my friends and readers who belong to the white wine cult branch of Sauvignon Blanc. 😉 I’m probably more in the red wine cult branch of Cab/Pinot/Merlot type thing, but Sauvignon Blanc is a solid choice for utter white wine devotion.

For starters, Sauvignon Blanc is one of the noble grape varieties (it can be grown in a wide range of places and always exhibits specific characteristics, no matter where and how it is grown), traditionally hailing from France. It is planted all around the world, and excels mightily in New Zealand, especially in the prime region of Marlborough. Wines are typically light bodied, with high acid and moderate alcohol.

This Sauvignon Blanc serves as a great introduction to New Zealand Sauv Blanc as a genre (like California Cab or Argentine Malbec, places famous for excelling at certain varieties) and also stands squarely on its own as an outstanding wine. The reason I haven’t tried a lot of other NZ Sauvignon Blancs is because this one is so incredible and irresistible I keep returning to it. Why bother with anything else?

Here are the deets on this beguiling wine, the Kia Ora Signature Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc:

  • $17/bottle at totalwine.com
  • 13% ABV, light body, crisp and refreshing
  • FLAVOR EXPLOSIONS (caps intended!) of passionfruit, kiwi berry, lime, grapefruit and herbs
  • Mouthwatering acidity
  • “Reflects the ultimate New Zealand flavor profile”

I tasted this wine at Total Wine one time and I commented to the gentleman pouring that I’d had it before and loved it. He said his wife loves it so much they buy it by the case. I believe it!

Fun fact: my grandmother lived in New Zealand for part of her childhood on a sheep ranch. She always wanted to go back to visit, but never got the chance. I figure this is one small way I can honor her memory of this beautiful, vibrant land. That and watch Lord of the Rings whilst quaffing this Sauv Blanc (hey, there’s a Friday night idea).

According to Wikipedia, kia ora is a Māori greeting which means “have life” or “be healthy”, wishing the essence of life upon someone. So, kia ora, readers! 🙂

Happy International Sauvignon Blanc Day! Any favorite Sauvignon Blancs you would like to share? Comment below!

Prickly Pear Margaritas for Cinco de Mayo (and Beyond)

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Cinco de Mayo is happening this Friday. Or, for those whom the actual holiday has no personal cultural relevance, Cinco de Drinko: a day for Americans to down Margaritas and Mexican food.

I hope you enjoyed my post on Mexican wine, but – de veras – this holiday demands a Margarita. Nothing short of a Margarita will suffice for today. And this Margarita recipe is sin igual in terms of show stopping good looks and jaw dropping flavors.

This recipe is courtesy of Keli Sim DeRitis – an artist, designer, passionate cook, teacher, and tour guide. Her business, Poggi Bonsi, offers all manner of gorgeous and delicious things, including cooking classes, European tours, and special import gifts and food items for your home kitchen.

My husband and I took a cooking class with her a couple years ago on Sicilian cooking and wines and it was fantastic and utterly delicious! You can buy her cookbook on Amazon (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying links), which includes several themed menus grouped by European travel destination. Check out her website for more information.

What makes this Margarita extra special is the Prickly Pear syrup. Prickly Pear is a flowering plant of the cactus family, and according to the Mayo Clinic is reputed to help treat diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and hangovers.

Laugh. Out. Loud. Combining this lovely plant with sugar and alcohol per-rob-ably won’t help with the above ailments, but, like the overweight American who orders the Diet Coke with the huge cheeseburger and extra large French fries, we optimistically and ignorantly think that one small “good” deed outweighs all the other poor dietary choices.

Gotta laugh at ourselves, right? 😉

This Magnificent Magenta Margarita is not only supremely photogenic, its refreshing and diverse flavors sweep over you and ferry you to Margarita bliss.

Give it a try, I’m pretty sure you’ll love it. 🙂

Recipe notes: I doubled the recipe to make 2 drinks. Use only fresh-squeezed lime juice. For the sugar/salt/lime zest mix for the glass rim, massage the three ingredients together with your fingers to release those lovely lime essential oils.

*Prickly pear syrup can be purchased online. Look for Cheri’s Desert Harvest. The only ingredients are sugar, prickly pear cactus, lemon, and citrus pectin. And yes, that color is real! (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying links).

For an alcohol-free mocktail: throw some prickly pear syrup, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and club soda together. ¡Deliciosa!

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA

Prickly Pear MargaritasIngredients

  • 3 ounces tequila blanco (aka silver tequila or tequila plata)
  • 1/2-ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
  • 1 1/2 ounces freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces prickly pear syrup*
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • Prickly pear or lime slice for garnish

Directions

  1. Pour the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and prickly pear syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously to incorporate. Alternately, you can blend the cocktail ingredients with ice in a blender.
  2. Combine the salt, sugar, and lime zest on a small plate. Run a slice of lime around the rim of a chilled glass and dip into the mixture and coat the edge.
  3. Fill the glass with ice and pour in the margarita. Garnish with a prickly pear slice (available at many Hispanic and Asian markets) or a slice of lime.

Mexico: Land of Cerveza, Tequila, and… Vino?

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

In which I try a red and a white wine from Mexico….

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, and our cherished Mexican restaurants are about to get CA-ROWDED. (A little trick of mine – eat at an Irish pub on Cinco de Mayo and eat at a Mexican restaurant on St. Patrick’s Day). After all, for most Americans, it’s about the spirit of the celebration, not the actual date, right? 😉 Yep, hasn’t failed me yet.

After fantasizing over chips n’ guac for a moment, I stopped to ask myself if I had ever had any MEXICAN WINE before. No, I don’t believe I have, I concluded. So self and I went to wine.com and searched for Mexican wine, and then ordered some.

Pack your bags and grab your sunglasses and sandals, we’re heading south of the border for a quick tour! This is for those of us who prefer wine over cocktails, and are curious enough to try a different Mexican beverage. It’s not Cinco de Mayo without Margaritas, claro que sí, but just for fun, since this is a blog dedicated to having fun exploring wine, let’s try some Mexican vino together.

(To whet your appetite, I do have a delectable Margarita recipe coming your way later this week. Watch for it, it’s a beauty!)

Wine #1: L.A. Cetto Chenin Blanc 2021
L.A. Cetto Chenin Blanc

  • $11/bottle at wine.com
  • 12% ABV
  • Estate bottled/Valle de Guadalupe/Baja California, México
  • Pale yellow with greenish hues
  • Light body, oily texture
  • Strong, refreshing acidity
  • The nose is lovely and highly aromatic. Aromas and flavors include: honeysuckle, peach, yellow apple, pear, honey, banana, melon

Something I did not know about Chenin Blanc is that it maintains a strong level of acidity, even under warm growing conditions. Normally grapes grown in warm climates develop higher levels of sugars than acids.

This would be stellar with fish tacos or pollo a la crema. I tried it with jalapeño-pickled green beans, brie cheese, and whole grain crackers to cure late-night grumbling stomach woes. Great flavors and pairing!

I was surprised by this little Chenin Blanc – it was very nice!

Wine #2: L.A. Cetto Zinfandel 2020
L.A. Cetto Zinfandel

  • $11/bottle at wine.com
  • 13% ABV
  • Estate bottled/Valle de Guadalupe/Baja California, México
  • Medium ruby with magenta tint
  • Light body, medium acidity, dry
  • Tannins are soft, gentle, in the background
  • Moderate finish
  • The nose is really lovely. Initial aromas: peach pie, cinnamon, juicy fresh strawberry, red cherry, watermelon, rhubarb, lemon blossom, pepper, clay. After several days of being open, it showed strong hibiscus, cranberry, and cherry.

My guess before I even tried this was that it would be highly similar to a California red – full body, higher alcohol, lower acid, off dry/residual sugar, and moderate tannins.

Here is what I discovered: this Mexican Zinfandel was absolutely nothing like any other Zinfandel I’ve ever had before. Not even Italian Primitivo, which is genetically similar to Zinfandel.

This was quite different from the dark, inky Zinfandels I’m accustomed to; it lacks the complexity, full body, and moderate tannins. I don’t know if that is an issue with the grapes or the winemaking. Truth be told, even though Zinfandel grapes produce dark, rich wines, their skins are actually rather thin, which should translate to lighter bodied, less tannic wines.

This wine was interesting in that it was so unusual from what I’ve typically experienced in Zinfandel. It does develop more complexity after a few more days of being open, and good on it, it is quite long-lasting without suffering the ill effects of extended bottle opening.

Treat this Zinfandel like a light, juicy, fresh red, and it will make you happy. This Zinfandel could be muy complementario with chile verde. I haven’t tried it, but if you do, let me know if it worked. 🙂

In conclusion, I personally preferred the Chenin Blanc overall, but I would recommend trying both (at only $11/bottle, they are each an easy way to explore Mexican vino). The Zinfandel was fine; it was just unusual for Zinfandel and that was why I had a hard time comparing it. But if you can treat it with an open mind, especially if you’re not a huge California Zinfandel fan, you might actually enjoy this wine. L.A. Cetto also makes a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine.com also offers another label from Mexico that is spendier and from a different region, which I have not tried.

Have you ever had Mexican wine? Comment below!

Nat Geo Wines of the World

Hooray for Viognier!

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To my white wine drinking readers, let me offer my sincerest apologies… the last several posts have all been on BBRs (big bold reds). You are no doubt growing impatient as you wait for me to recommend a great white that is not a shark. Tell you what: we’ll change things up today and shift gears with a BBW (big bold white), how ’bout? 🙂

Hooray for Viognier! Today is International Viognier Day, and boy am I excited. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay) is perhaps my favorite white wine ever, and if you haven’t tried this wine yet, hold on to the edge of your seat, because you are in for a treat! 🙂

Viognier is a grape that almost didn’t survive. That would be a miserable world, let’s not think about that. But there were only a scant number of acres of it hanging on for dear life in the Rhône Valley in France in the 1960s when some erudite drinkers smacked themselves up the sides of their heads and said, “Wait a second, this cannot and shall not be!” Good on them for rescuing this lovely grape from virtual extinction.

While Viognier is still not terribly common, it is now cultivated around the world. In the USA in particular, California and Virginia are well-known regions for growing Viognier. Oregon and Washington also grow excellent Viognier. In France, Viognier wine is known as Condrieu (remember, many European wines are named by place not by grape variety).

When I learned International Viognier Day was rolling around, it did not take me a single moment to decide which Viognier to write about: the 2020 Signature Viognier from Bacovino Winery (see my post on their incredible Sangiovese). Sourced from Walla Walla Valley grapes, it is fragrant, rich, and full-bodied but still with pleasant, refreshing acidity.

Bacovino Signature Viognier Walla Walla Valley

Bacovino Signature Viognier Walla Walla Valley

Here are the details and my impressions of the wine:

  • $27/bottle at Bacovino Winery
  • Fermented in 100% stainless steel. Whole cluster press, settling for one day, cold fermentation in stainless, lees stirred weekly, traditional cold stabilization in stainless, then bottle aged for 3 months
  • 14.5% ABV
  • Pale straw color
  • Rich, full body, supple mouthfeel, honey-like texture
  • Medium acidity
  • Enchanting aromatic bouquet: honeysuckle, grapefruit, stone fruit (peach or nectarine), and some tropical fruit also (kiwi and/or lychee)
  • Refreshing citrus and melon flavors on the palate

I love wines from the Walla Walla Valley AVA, so I asked Bacovino winemaker Randy Brooks why he chose this particular AVA for Viognier grapes. He responded:

“Walla Walla is perfect for growing Viognier, warm days and cool nights preserve the natural acidity of the grape while allowing the gentle development of both aromatics and body. Viticulturists in Walla Walla have a wealth of experience growing some of the highest quality Viognier in the world, allowing us to make a well-balanced wine that is expressive and can be enjoyed throughout the year.”

Randy likens his Viognier to a warm spring day and notes that it “pairs exceptionally well with Thai food.”

There you go, folks! We just solved your Friday night dinner and drink dilemmas: Thai food and Bacovino Viognier for the win! 🙂

So how do we get our paws on this wine? the ravenous white wine drinkers demand. Well, you can order it through Bacovino’s website or purchase directly at the winery.

Sadly, Bacovino has low stock of this wine right now, and is not planning on making any more Viognier for the time being (noooooo!).

So, as Janis Joplin sang, get it while you can! Because once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Do you love Viognier as much as I do? Comment!

PS: Go taste wine at Bacovino soon! Or if you can’t get there in person, you can order their wines online. Here are all of their new releases (see website for several other current releases). Plenty to keep you busy, and let me tell you, they are fantastic! ❤

Signature Chardonnay – Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley
Signature Rivalon (blend) – Columbia Valley
Signature Counoise – Red Mountain
Signature GSM – Red Mountain
Vintner’s Merlot (extended oak aging) – Yakima Valley
Vintner’s Cabernet Franc – Columbia Valley
Vintner’s Petit Verdot – Red Mountain
Reserve Syrah – Red Mountain

Drink 96 Cedars for Arbor Day

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Planting trees is good work. So is making wine. Happy planet, happy humans. As a nod to Arbor Day this coming Friday, I found the perfect wine for you to enjoy: Auclair Winery 96 Cedars Washington State Red Mountain Red Wine. This wine is an homage to the exceptional grapes of Washington State (specifically the Red Mountain AVA) and to the trees that keep our Evergreen State verdant and beautiful.

I bought this delicious Bordeaux-style red blend a few years back at Costco for around $20/bottle. The 2016 vintage was comprised of 38% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. A large part of the reason I bought it was I got the chance to taste it in the store, along with another Auclair wine they were pouring. I wish more stores did in-store tastings; it’s effective and leads to increased sales. My notes from the time declare, “Very, very good! Will buy again.”

Let’s have the winemaker share with us about this bargain bottle from the 2019 vintage:

Auclair Winery 96 Cedars Washington State Red Mountain

The ultimate Arbor Day wine: Auclair Winery 96 Cedars Washington State Red Mountain

“This wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all grown on Red Mountain. The nose starts out with rich dark fruit, a floral element and some nice interesting spice notes. Allowing this wine to open up (and it does need time!) will bring depth and structure to complement the rich, dark fruit. The palate is rich, and full with dark plum, rich cherry, blackberry liquor, vanilla, and spice all show up for your enjoyment. The finish is dark, smooth and very, very long. This wine is structured and can be laid down for some time or you can enjoy it young in its youthful fruit forward stage.”

So why is this wine called 96 Cedars? For Earth Day 2007, Charlie and Debbie Auclair purchased 100 cedar saplings for planting on their property: “4 were planted at our home. 96 were designated for our mountain lot. Little did we know the work we had signed ourselves up for! This wine is dedicated to those trees and the work we put in that day planting them. Enjoy!”

My brief search on Costco.com leads me to believe they no longer carry it, but I could be wrong. Your local Costco warehouse might also prove otherwise.

You can sample 96 Cedars and other fantastic looking wines at Auclair Winery’s Woodinville tasting room by arranging an appointment here.

Your best bet is to purchase directly through Auclair Winery.

And purchase it you should! 🙂

Budget-Friendly Organic Wines for Earth Day

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever wondered about organic wines? Are they really that much better? Are you doing right by Mother Earth by buying organic wine? So many questions, and more than I can unpack here today, but I’ll do my best to skim the surface and give you a couple good organic wine labels to look for.

When I eat certain organic produce I usually taste a difference with better flavor. But price is also a factor in my food choices, as is size/yield (anyone ever seen those super tiny mandarin oranges? I just can’t bring myself to buy those). Lots of variables to consider with no cut and dry answer, and everyone has their own unique needs and situations.

It’s smart to recognize all things are not necessarily as they seem, and it’s worth investigating some facts about organic practices before buying whole hog into the organic religion. This article from Tiffany at frugal food/healthy living blog Don’t Waste the Crumbs has some interesting information on what “organic” actually means (as it pertains to the United States Department of Agriculture, not necessarily other organizations/countries) and how allowances in practice vastly differ from what is portrayed through their marketing claims.

While there is a lot of debate and controversy over conventional vs. organic farming practices, one thing (I think) we can all agree on is the need to care for the earth and not just decimate the soils supporting our beloved crops. Amen?

Here are two wines I picked out to spotlight in honor of Earth Day. Both use organic grapes and both are very reasonably priced at under $14/bottle. I have tried both Natura and Bonterra brand wines in the past and very much enjoyed both (I originally tried a Natura Carmenére and an unknown red from Bonterra).

Bonterra Merlot 2021

Bonterra Merlot 2021

Bonterra Merlot 2021

  • $11.49/bottle at Total Wine
  • Organic grapes from California
  • 13.7% ABV
  • Deep ruby with blue tint, fairly opaque
  • Aromas: blueberry, plum, black cherry, fig, bay leaf, savory meat, cinnamon, dusty cocoa
  • Medium or Full Body, juicy, plush wine with well-integrated tannins
  • Moderate mid-palate
  • Moderate finish

Natura Malbec 2020 Emiliana Vineyards

Natura Malbec 2020

Natura Malbec 2020

  • Organic grapes from Rapel Valley, Chile
  • $12.99/bottle at wine.com
  • Full body, 13.5% ABV
  • Medium ruby color but lighter around edge, more red tint (no blue)
  • Medium acidity
  • Dry
  • Soft, gentle tannins
  • Aromas/flavors: red fruits (currant, cranberry), black cherry, pepper, braised tomato, earth, leather, spice, gravel, herb, mineral
  • Moderate to long finish

I’ll admit I wasn’t overwhelmed with these particular two wines, but that could be due to my changing tastes and expectations. I wouldn’t say either was a bad wine at all – they just lacked layers of complexity. They do improve after being open for a day and getting a little love from oxygen. And I think they would do well with some pizza or other food to accompany and improve them.

Still, if you would like to drink organic wine in a budget-friendly price range, these are worth checking out. Both labels also make several other varietals. See other Natura wines here and other Bonterra selections here. Wines that are available through my wine.com affiliate link can be found here.

A cool feature at wine.com is that you can filter your search for “green” wines, which includes organic/biodynamic/sustainable wine producers. Check out their other organic offerings here.

Organic wines offer a product that purportedly benefits the land, crops, and our bodies. When you purchase an organic wine, you’re encouraging farmers to continue using organic and sustainable growing practices. And it’s nice to know that drinking an organic wine does not mean you have to pay a premium, unlike with other organic products at the supermarket. 🙂

Are there any organic wines you enjoy? Let the rest of us know in the comments!

Happy 11th Birthday to The Rambling Vine!

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

The Rambling Vine turns 11 today! I published my very first post here on 4/20/12 (purely coincidental date), lamenting the imagery of the word “blog.” Now, likewise, I can’t bring myself to use the word “blogaversary” – such a tangled, ugly word, am I right? We’ll stick with birthday, or anniversary. 🙂

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Cupcake_Camp_Montreal_2009_%284113329873%29.jpg
I began this website as a place to record memorable wines and as a creative playground for my writing alter ego. I am having so much fun getting back into blog life; crafting posts and sharing about the special and interesting wines I have come across. Those of you reading along, THANK YOU, especially those of you who have been patiently waiting while I raised babies and was kinda busy. Sticking to a schedule has definitely helped keep me consistent.

In honor of hitting blog adolescence (I’m sure this will be much easier than human adolescence), I am sharing with you a red wine that I’ve not simply loved and been impressed with, but a wine that is in a whole other category unto itself. Everything I desire in a great wine is here in spades. I can’t recommend this enough.

Like adolescence, this wine is powerful with a lot going on, but unlike adolescence, it is balanced and knows who it is.

Here you go:
Ancient Peaks Zinfandel Paso Robles Santa Margarita Ranch

Ancient Peaks Paso Robles Zinfandel Santa Margarita Ranch

The zin that stole my heart! Ancient Peaks Paso Robles Zinfandel Santa Margarita Ranch.

$18/bottle on wine.com
Full body, 15% ABV
This was a wine that originally came home with us from La Conner Sips, a wine shop in one of our favorite small towns to get away. My initial thoughts were that this was as close to red wine perfection as you can get! Everything is in perfect balance and harmony – good fruit, good strength, sweetness/dryness, etc. Stunning how excellent this wine is.

Here are the winemaker notes:
“The 2017 Zinfandel presents bright boysenberry aromas with hints of sandalwood and vanilla. A juicy, jammy texture is loaded with generous flavors of wild raspberry, black cherry, plum, mocha and cedar. Spicy black pepper notes join mouthwatering acidity on a beautifully balanced finish. The juicy, spicy character of the 2017 Zinfandel is a perfect match for fine comfort foods, including grilled chicken flatbread, Italian sausages, Santa Maria-style tri-tip and Pepper Jack cheeseburgers.”

Wilfred Wong of wine.com described the 2017 vintage as “an explosion on the palate” and that this wine is “not for the faint of heart.”

Don’t let that description of a wild pre-teen freak you out. It still boasts exceptionally balanced richness and depth.

While I originally tried the 2017 vintage and that is out of stock on wine.com, the 2020 vintage is available on wine.com through my affiliate link here.

Here are the tasting notes for the 2020 vintage. It’s still Zinfandel from the same vineyard and winery, so very similar:

“The 2020 Zinfandel makes an immediate statement with bright, jammy aromas of raspberry, cinnamon spice and vanilla cream. Luscious, rounded flavors of red cherry, raspberry and blackberry unfold across a beautifully weighted mouthfeel, all under- pinned by deeper hints of roast coffee and black pepper. Smooth, juicy acidity brings impressive balance to a uniquely elegant finish.”

Words fail me. I don’t know how to stress how exceptional this wine is, other than the fact that I chose it as my blog anniversary celebration wine.

Grab a bottle, it’s only $18! And raise a glass to your favorite wine blog. 😉

Happy 11th birthday, Rambling Vine! You’re turning into an incredible young blog and I can’t wait to see what your adolescence holds in store for you. ❤

(And by the way, it’s time we had some “talks.”)

An Argentinian Treasure for World Malbec Day

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Hear ye, hear ye! Today I doth proclaim World Malbec Day, a day to solemn ourselves and pay tribute to the magnificent Malbec grape, and all its vinous manifestations, forsooth (rolls up scroll).

Yep, here we are with another wine holiday on our hands. This time it’s World Malbec Day; yea verily yea (I really need to start using that phrase IRL)! It’s interesting that Tannat Day and Malbec Day are so close together on the calendar, and they are the signature grapes of neighboring countries Uruguay (Tannat) and Argentina (Malbec). Not sure if this was done on purpose or not, but it makes sense to continue our little South American sojourn, so vámanos.

Malbec is a wine I have intensely adored, especially in my beginning days of wine exploration. And I still love it. I haven’t had it as much lately because I’ve been spending my wine budget elsewhere, but for me and many in the world it’s a classic.

I’ve had wonderful Malbecs from my home state of Washington, but today I’m unlocking my wine treasure chest to introduce you to one of my favorite Argentinian Malbecs, which will give you a great idea of why Malbec shines in this country.

Malbec and Tannat have similar backstories. In the 16th century, Spanish missionaries spread vinifera plantings throughout Argentina to establish a supply of sacramental wine. Using the farming practices of the natives, the Spanish irrigated the vineyards in the valley with ice/snow melt from the Andes Mountains. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many European immigrants came to Argentina and brought with them new grape varieties, including Malbec. Both Tannat and Malbec are grapes native to southwest France.

This particular Malbec is magical. I used this wine in a class I taught to illustrate Old World vs. New World wine characteristics (essentially, warmer climates yield grapes with higher sugar content, and cooler climates yield grapes with higher acid content, because they don’t ripen as much as their warm climate counterparts). Everyone loved it, and this beauty just got more interesting and sumptuous the longer it revealed itself in the decanter.

For best results, decant for 30-60 minutes prior to drinking. If it’s for a group, pour out the whole bottle into a decanter.

Here are the details and my impressions of the wine:

Phebus Malbec Gran Reserva Mendoza Argentina

Phebus Malbec Gran Reserva Mendoza Argentina. Photo courtesy Total Wine.

Phebus Malbec Gran Reserva Mendoza Argentina

  • $27/bottle at Total Wine
  • Full body, lots of heft, 15% ABV
  • Good acidity providing solid structure
  • Bold, unfolding layers of blackberry, black cherry, coffee, chocolate, tobacco
  • Velvety texture
  • Long, complex, irresistible finish

As I have regrettably lost my tasting notes from the last time I had this wine, my list may be missing a few details, but I’m providing you with the product description from Total Wine, which sums up my recollection as well:

“A very complex and elegant wine with floral aromas of violets, black cherries and licorice. On the palate the wine is deep and rich, perfectly balanced with delicate silky tannins and well integrated French oak. Perfect with a juicy steak, game, rich cheeses and chocolate desserts.”

My husband picked up this wine from Total Wine years ago. We first had it with a roast and it was magnífico. It’s one wine we turn to again and again and we are always floored by its quality. Remember, Argentina is also famous for its excellent beef, so Malbec + steak = natural harmony.

Total Wine also sells the Phebus Malbec ($14) and the Phebus Malbec Reserva ($17) in addition to the Gran Reserva ($27). I’ve had the Reserva which is still excellent – not as outstanding as the GR but nevertheless a wonderful wine for the price. You can try the others, but the Gran Reserva is unbeatable in style and quality. Go ahead and splurge on this version, I assure you it’s worth it!

For fun, buy all three bottles and do side-by-side tasting comparisons. See if you think they are each worth their price. Call it your World Malbec Day fiesta!

Happy World Malbec Day! Do you have a favorite Malbec I should know about? ¡Dígame! 🙂

Nat Geo Wines of the World