Good Morning,

I have been getting lots of questions from friends and a couple a days ago I saw the same question on a twitter post so I thought I’d talk you through how I handle the situation of guests bring wine. My way is not the right way, it’s just my way.

When a guest brings a bottle of wine am I supposed to open it then or is it for me to enjoy later? See this is why wine gets a bad rap…if someone brought beer over what would you do? You would hand them one and open one for yourself….but that would be too easy, wouldn’t it?

After checking the proper (Ask Ann, Dear Abby) sites, I got some conflicting info…like if a guest calls before hand and asks what you are serving and brings wine then, they want you to serve their wine with dinner. (My friends never call and ask what I am making, they are thrilled not to be cooking and they know they have a 90% it will be good). Then I read it is a hostess gift and never open it while they are there but when you do open it, write a thank you note. (I know it is a whole other subject but the art of thank you notes is a lost art, we should bring it back).

What I do when it comes to taking wine to a friends’ home? When I am buying wine’ if it is a special wine and I want them to have it without me I buy 1 bottle and if it is a bottle I want to share I bring 2 bottles. As soon as I arrive, if I bring one just for them, I say, this is just for you to enjoy and I want to hear what you thought of the wine after you have enjoyed it. They LOVE IT. They feel special and have no worries about trying to serve it with dinner or during the party.

If it is a party, I bring two identical bottles and say, one is for all of us to sample tonight, but I brought one just for you to have and relax with in the future, thanks for inviting me tonight. There is one other scenerio that has some questions, a special event. In a few weeks I am headed to a 40th birthday party and I have already called the host and ask if I can bring champagne and he said yes. I have purchased a magnum ( A big ass bottle), there will be 20 plus of us there and it will allow everyone to try it and we will toast with it and the size does matter when trying to impress!

When a guest shows up at my place with wine, I always ask about the signifactes of the wine, when did you try it? What is the story behind the wine? If they say, oh I just did not want to come empty handed, I know they are not expecting to have me serve it that night, if it does get opened that is great, if not, no biggie. But if a guest launches into a story about where they found or tried the wine or about who made it or it came highly recommended. I just ask them, would you like to open it and share it tonight or should I save this for the next time you and I are together. I have never had a negative answer, they always state exactly what they want to have happen. Sometimes they want everyone to try it, other times they say, this was really expensive, let’s wait until we can really enjoy it and let it open up. Either way I am happy.

I know I write just like I think, I hope you followed easily…but this is how I host and how I guest while bringing a bottle to the party!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Take a couple bottles of this to a party, it will be a hit and you will be a ROCKSTAR!

Good Morning!

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world to do is travel. I love going to a new place and finding the food that the locals eat and find as many wine bars as possible. I find that if I try the local food most of the folks will share with me their favorite other local activities too.

Over the past year I have spent a lot of time all over the country, but I have had a project going on in San Antonio that keeps bringing me back to the Alamo city. First let me say, wine is really big in Texas. The largest grape growing appellation in the United States is located in the Texas Hill Country, just an hour drive from San Antonio or an hour from the Austin area. The food in San Antonio is Tex- Mex, (which is Mexican traditional foods, but made with local ingredients). But what is most unique to San Antonio is a puffy taco. I know it might sound funny, but the torilla is fried and it puffs up, then they fill it with the carne (meat) and lettuce and tomatoes…it is really good, but a bit greasy for me. I like the place called Henry’s Puffy Taco’s best, but these tacos are on most menus. The other food you must eat in San Antonio is mesquite smoked brisket…it is legendary and if you have the time and energy drive out to Salt Lick. I found the place through food network and Bobby Flay. AWESOME experience, the meat and environment is just plain amazing. The side dishes are good, but pile on the meat. They also have Texas wines to sample and buy to pair with your dinner.

After I hear about the local food, I want to find out about the wines. Texas has quite the amazing wine country. It’s heart is located in Fredericksburg, TX. I have spend many weeks up in Fredericksburg and tasted locally grown grapes and wine. Some of the wineries are just like being in Napa and Sonoma. Some of the wineries are very laid back and are no more than a barn with a tasting bar built in.

Back to wine bars in San Antonio, I have found several places with knowledgeable staff and wide selections of both Texas wines and wines from all over the US and the rest of the world. If you are in San Antonio and are down by the riverwalk, stop in and visit Zinc. The Riverwalk can be congested during all the conventions and everyone wants to sit by the water and drink Margarita’s. Zinc is just around the corner from the riverwalk and the Alamo. The vibe is fun and high energy and the Texas wine flights are fun to try.

If you are staying out closer to the airport, there are two great wine bars at the Quarry Market (Great shopping and dinning options at this shopping center) it is a lifestyle center, so you can walk around and shop. 29 Wine Bar and Max’s Wine Dive, both are must go places for me. If I want a more upscale meal with my wine I go to 29 Wine Bar. The wine glass light fixture as I walk in just looks so high end, but the place does not feel stuffy at all. Max’s Wine Dive is a great friendly place and the staff is so approachable. If you knew nothing about wine you would never feel intimidated. Fun, lively and a HUGE selection by the flight and by the bottle. Max’s is surrounded by glass and you can also sit outside and enjoy the warm weather. Casual food and it is great and affordable.

I just felt like telling you a bit about some great places within one of my favorite cities, next week I will be in Indianapolis, so I will let you know what I think about the wine bars there. If you are looking for wines from Texas you would like to try, find Becker, GrapeCreek, and Torre di Pietra. These wineries remind me most of Northern CA, their wines are estate bottled and the wines have great structure and with the intense heat from the summer these grapes have to be managed perfectly to create such great wines. Try them, you’ll like them!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Good Morning!

While I was trolling around blogs and websites trying to figure out which wines really work with Mexican food. I just can not find a wine that works with the the spices of my favorite Mexican meals. I cut and pasted these together from a couple different sites. I printed this out and put it with all my take out menus for future dinning on the couch.

There are no hard-and-fast rules, but here are the ones we tend to follow for the myriad takeout food options, ethnic and otherwise:

Thai: Get an off-dry Riesling. The sweetness and spiciness pairs perfectly with green curry. Always an awesome wine at a great price. You should be able to find this wine from $8-12.

Chinese: This is a tough one since Chinese food can be spicy, mild, steamed, fried–you name it. Generally, with the lighter, milder options, we go for Chardonnay, such as a basic white Burgundy. For the more powerful, heavier dishes, try a red Bordeaux. The Chinese themselves love it, after all. Go find White Burgundy or Chardonnay, you will find great ones from $12-15 a bottle.

Sushi: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, especially from 2010, is a perfect match–and there are oodles of selections for $10. If you prefer red, try a 2009 Pinot Noir from New Zealand, which won’t overpower the fish.

Pizza: Do what the Italians do: Drink Sangiovese. The acidity and fruit are the perfect balance with pizza, from Domino’s to the mom and pop pizzarias. Always a safe bet is Chianti Classico, you will find great wines from $12-15 a bottle.

Mexican: While it makes sense to pair a basic Rioja–with Mexican food, in many ways this cuisine is as varied as Chinese food: Some takeout items are spicy, some are hearty, some are mild. For whites, try Chenin Blanc from South Africa, a great match for fish tacos. And for red, try a versatile, reliable Malbec these wines should run you about $10-14 a bottle.

I hope this helps you enjoy the take out and I hope you will expand your palette!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Lobster and Ahi tuna flatbread pizza with sushi (Take out Kona Grill)

Good Morning!

Yesterday I had an email asking what I would be doing in Chile while I am there. It just so happens I received my “schedule” yesterday also. So, I thought I would share it with you. If you had not heard, Lapostolle wines had a contest called “Uncork Your Passion” and to participate you had to send a tweet of why you would be the best person to come to work for Lapostolle as an apprentice for this year’s harvest. The long and short of it, I sent in a video along with my tweet and I was selected out of the 1000’s!

It is all expense paid trip to work the harvest in Chile, at their vineyards in Santa Cruz. I get one week before I start to work to tour the country and do some great things they have set up! The rodeo, cooking class, winery tours, horseback riding, museums etc..I am really looking forward to seeing the country and soaking in the culture.

Then my work will begin. I start out with the sorting and cellar work at one of their locations. Then I will move on to working in the lab throughout the harvest (I am pumped about this). Then we will bottle last year’s vintage for release, next I will move to another one of their facilities to hand destem and clean tanks and barrels. Then I will spend days with many of the vineyard managers and the head winemaker.

I will enjoy the weeks I will be there and after I wrap up working for them, I have an extra week scheduled to see more of the beautiful country. I will learn tons and last year I wanted to work a full harvest in Sonoma and due to the scheduling of PBS’s The Winemakers in France, I missed that window of opportunity, so I am thrilled. I keep getting so excited because I know next year I will work a harvest that will create my TJR Select and knowing it is getting closer, I can barely sleep!

So, when you start seeing my blogs are posted from Chile, you will know what I am up to.

It’s Friday…go out and make something great happen in your world…make your own day, don’t wait for someone else to do that for ya!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi

Good Morning!

Last night as I watched American Idol, I felt moved to call in and vote for a young lady named Thia. Her voice, her background story and her energy spoke to me. It took what seemed to be 1000 calls before I got through and when I finally did get to “vote” for her I had such a sense of accomplishment. It dawned on me this show is really targeted toward the 12-30 crowd and I am way past that age bracket.
So when I posted on my Facebook page I had voted and felt just a bit silly getting caught up in the hype of it all at my age, I got a huge surprise. I received a flood of responses saying how every vote I make is changing someone’s life, I had to stop and read all the posts.

Facebook “friends” are sometimes people you actually know and sometimes they are folks you meet through shared friends and interests and because they have never met you, they will say things with no filter, because they have no fear in the outcome. I love that. They are less judgmental, more encouraging, and quick to point out the good in your deeds….at least the “friends” I have on Facebook are and for that I am grateful.

Here I am poking fun at myself for watching a teen show and my pals are inspired that I am helping someone else achieve their dreams. I bring this up because I am so blessed that so many folks want to see me succeed and they tell so all the time. I have 499 folks on my “buyers” list for day one when my wine will be ready for purchase. I have folks write to me all the time asking when I might travel to their area so I can help them host a tasting, or speak to their group about social media, or to interview me on their radio and TV shows to talk about what my experience was like doing a reality show or launching a new business.

So after my last post, I am no longer going to look at the nights I spend watching Idol as relaxing in front of the TV, I will give it my all and know I am supporting the dreams of others. I think the old saying about change the way you look at things and then you will change the way you feel about things…is hitting me smack in the face this morning!

Thank you friends for yet again reminding me how perfect life is!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi