Good Morning….

Everyday I try to learn something about wine I did not know before. I know many of you are wine pros and I might be way behind you when it comes to wine knowledge. I try to keep in mind that what I lack in expertise, I make up for in heart and enthusiaum.

So I got in a rut drinking Sauvignon Blanc last summer and I decided it was warm and I really enjoyed light, crisp, cool and refreshing whites by the pool or while sitting on the deck. So I found many whites I could enjoy and would start to subsitute for my dear friend, Sauvignon Blanc.

Here is a list of the whites I discovered and a little about them:

Albarino, This wine is from Spain. I keep finding this wine everywhere. I think this might be one of the best wines to pair with oysters (Unless you have Champagne). The mineral and briny taste of the oysters are complemented by the very citrusy and quick finish, it is a perfect pairing. I have found this very exciting wine from $8-15.

Torrontes, This wine is from Argentina. I LOVE this wine. To me I get all the aromas of peaches and tangerines and it’s very vibrant, crisp wine that’s perfect by the pool. I see this wine all the time now. I was first served this wine at a wedding reception and at first, I thought it was a New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc. You can find this wine in the grocery store for $10-15.

Vinho Verde, This wine hails from Portugal. I read about this wine in a magazine and I had never hear of it before and now I see it everywhere. It is really a thirst quencher and actually I like it with veggies, even avocados and aspragus and those can be tough to pair with wines. I found this great white in the grocery store for $8.99. Check it out and let me know what brand you like best. This wine surprised me so much. I thought only port came from Portugal.

Txakoli, This wine hails from Spain and it will wake up your mouth. It is a sorta a sparkling wine fizzy experience for me. A cross between 7 UP but it is not sweet. This is hard to pronounce but I am told you can pronounce it like this Choc-OH-Lee. It is a little harder to find than most wines. It will cost around $14-22.

Viognier, This wine is originally from France and it really has the aromas of Hawaii…WTH? Seriously this wine has the aromas of lechee from the islands, light and lovely mouth feel. You can find this wine for under $13-20. I made this wine once out of a kit and my friends really loved this with of all things ribs on the grill in the middle of the summer.

Well, this is some of my research I did last summer and here in the middle of winter, I figure nothing will warm you like thinking about the beach or pool!

It’s Wine O’Clock NOW!

Tammi