IT WAS A HARD DAY'S NIGHT!

OK, we had a really bad night if you remember, hooker, stolen purse, no CAR KEYS, 3 am and no way home. YET, we had a great time with a great friend! After the drama rolled out, we were lucky that my husband was willing to come get us! That ordeal called for another reason to drink some great wine. I guess another reason to have a few drinks was a long day of makeup, on our feet for 9 hours, no lunch and a 2 hour drive to the west coast of Florida for another Cosmetic Event the next day! Bags packed, well, my garment bag was on loan to a friend so with clothes covered with a trash bag, shoes I had bought for my aching feet earlier in the day, in a shopping bag as well, I looked like the Bag Lady heading off for the weekend! Four of us piled into the car, designated driver in place so the rest of us could share quite a few bottles of Wine. I know, it's illegal to have opened liquor in a car but it was a REALLY BAD DAY! Anyway, as luck would have it, we forgot the Wine Opener! Our clever friend opened the bottle using one of our makeup items to shove the cork INTO the bottle! Who Knew!!! Of course the top of the bottle cracked as well but since it looked like a clean break, we drank it anyway! I was a bit concerned about broken glass as the other 2 drank away, so I brilliantly held my plastic disposable wine glass up in the air to exam it for shards of glass. As soon as I held up that glass, our driver spotted a state trooper behind us. He starts screaming for me to lower the glass, the police will arrest us, we will go to jail, we will miss the event AND how in the world are we going to explain this one Lucy! When the Florida Wine Girls get together, we can have a few I Love Lucy moments... Well, we arrive safely, one o'clock in the morning, trash bags in hand, and the other 2 passengers have purple teeth from all the red wine consumed that night! I'm hysterically laughing until I catch a glimpse of myself in the lobby mirror! My teeth are just as purple so we decide we might as well celebrate that we have matching purple teeth and open another bottle! And by the way, NEVER DRINK IN A MOVING VEHICLE, EVER! We did have our heads examined after returning from that trip so it wont happen again. I guess The Florida Wine Girls will confine the consumption of their wines to the comfort of the homes, restaurants etc. If consuming wine at home, may we suggest our

Sun Fish 2012 Chardonnay

This 2011 Sun Fish South Eastern Australia Chardonnay has generous aromas of white peach, bergamot orange, lemon and almonds. Its beautifully balanced oak with toasty undertones opens up toward the finish. A rich and toasty palate shows flavors of citrus and honey with a mineral finish. This wine has a good amount of acidity for longevity in the mouth now and for years to come.

And you know what else? We have to find a few friends that are not in Constant Crisis Mode! I'll explain that statement next time...
Until then, STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

 

 

WHAT DOES YOUR WINE CHOICE SAY ABOUT YOU?

The Florida wine Girls are true Cabernet Lover's, does it really mean we can't pronounce properly what we sell??? Enjoy your wine choices no matter what they mean! STEMS UP!
www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

WINE IS NOW CHEAPER THAN GAS! DRINK, DON'T DRIVE...

If you join the Artisan Wine Club from the Florida Wine Girls, your wine will be delivered right to your front door every month and think of all the gas you will save. You choose from the 2 bottle club at $29.99 or 4 bottle club at $57.50 a month and you choose the color, our Winemaker Alex chooses the wine! This is a tremendous value since you will receiving Artisan, Handcrafted wines at a HUGE discount. One of the wines shipped last month was a $28 bottle, so if you receive the 2 bottle club at $29.99 a month it's like getting the 2nd bottle for free! Our Winery makes 48 wines a year compared to the typical winery that makes 5 to 7 a year! You will get to experience these phenomenal wines at a tremendous savings and delivered right to your door each month. Don't wait another month without joining our Club.
 NO MEMBERSHIP FEES, NO CANCELLATION FEES, NO FEES AT ALL. CANCEL ANYTIME WITH NO FURTHER OBLIGATION!
Our Artisan Wine Club ranks in the top 5% of all the Wines Clubs out there today. Top ranked for Flavors, Assortment, Pricing and Quality, you can't go wrong. Join Today, Don't Delay. The first person to join our club will be mailed an individual bottle aerator just for emailing us their request for membership! You can join online right from our Website or email us and we will get you signed up. If you join from our website send us an email that you signed up and the 1st person to sign up and emails us will receive the aerator. STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

FEDERAL RESERVE, HOOKERS AND WINE, A COMMON THREAD?

 

 

 

 

 

Our Mariana 2011 Shiraz from California's Lodi Region is a beautifully balanced wine to cellar for at least four to six years! Read on...  

 

I think we left off where we finally found our Nirvana, a tranquil place to rest our weary feet and head with glasses of wine, cheese and a lot of laughter. We always find plenty to laugh about as we venture together through life sharing stories with each other about our families, other friends, happy things and sometimes even sad things. But above all, we share a strong and unbreakable common bond of friendship, family and Wine!

So, here we are, finally enjoying our new found Serenity Spot for Wine and Cheese and no sooner did we find it but the stinking place closes for "RENOVATION". Where we live, that means, We are closing and not reopening our doors!

Oh well, we have been with faced with tough challenges before so we start our adventure all over again. I guess you would think that by now we should have just called it a day, had wine at home and stopped the madness. But we are a tenacious twosome so we didn't do that, we couldn't help ourselves. We also have a drive for control at times and even perfection so stopping wasn't an option.

As luck would have it, we read an article in a woman's magazine about a woman making 6 figures hosting Wine Tastings in other peoples homes! WOW!

What could be better than drinking wine, hanging out with like minded people and making money at the same time? Count us in! We jumped on this one so fast it aerated the wine we had in our glasses as we dialed the phone to sign up! We no longer had to worry about where we were having wine, we were Wine Consultants and had access to the best wines in the country now and we were going to make money drinking that very wine! Sound good? It is! We make great money guiding wine lovers and sometimes non lovers of wine through tastings in their own homes and offices where they get to taste and purchase Artisan, Handcrafted Wines at a very affordable price.

Now you know why we got into the wine consulting business and we bet you are waiting with bated breath for our reason why we drink wine. Well, plain and simple, we Really, Really love Wine! Wine comes from some of the most beautiful places in the world. Have you ever seen a Winery or Vineyard that wasn't strikingly beautiful? Another thing about wine we love is it's complex aromas, magnificent flavors, creative artistry, sensory Nirvana and the wonderful mystery discovered every time you open a new bottle, so you see, it's hard not to be drawn into the world of Wine. Why wouldn't you love it too if you thought about Wine in the same way we do!  There is a wine for everyone, you just have to find the ones you love. With all the ratings of wines by professional critics, wine magazines etcetera, you are really perfectly able to decide what tastes good to you so you are the ultimate judge even if you are new to the World of Wine.

OK, so now you totally understand us and can't wait to hear more about why we pour a glass of our favorite Adult Beverage.

I guess some people that know us would say we could make coffee nervous! We disagree totally but you knew we would, didn't you? So what if we are high energy, control freaks and perfectionists most of the time! It makes for a Dynamic Duo that gets things done and they are done right, okay, so most of the time things are done right...

We remember when we first got involved in politics together. We were so passionate about what we believed in that at times it got us into a little trouble. Like the time we picketed the Federal Reserve in Miami and later thought we had black, dark tinted window, unmarked cars following us. We lost a little of our Joie de vivre for politics in that form so we directed it to the privacy of our homes and when we got together. We still continue to stay on top of politics but certainly in a less visual manner. If you want information on Humanzies, Mind Control, Haarp, NWO etc., pour a glass of your favorite Wine from the Florida Wine Girls and call us, we would love to chat! If politics doesn't warrant drinking wine then what does? We can't imagine what would but we have other situations we have gotten into that did drive us right to the next bottle. Maybe it was the time we were drinking wine with a friend that was visiting from out of town, in a nice hotel lobby area at 3 am and our dear friend spotted a hooker (can you imagine) and invited her over to get her story. She looked really young and so out of place in her cheap heels, cheap wig and cheap makeup. Remember, we are still in the cosmetics industry so we notice things like heels, clothes and makeup! Anyway, her story was so sad, actually pathetic and it involved her young child. Our friend who has a heart of gold wanted to pray for her and her young child so they would be saved from this torrid life. As the tears spilled down our friends face while he spoke kind words of encouragement in his prayer, the hooker was quietly slipping my purse into her grubby backpack. Prayer finished, the hooker jumped up, said she had to run and off she went as the three of us wished her well with her new life and freedom from her past! Needless to say, she got my money, hundreds of dollars of makeup and makeup brushes, cell phone and worst yet, my car keys! I was the driver that night and we were about an hour away from home... Let me take a breather, grab a great glass of our Mariana 2011 Shiraz wine (take a look at this amazing Shiraz on our website) and I'll get back to the story a little later. STEMS UP!

www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

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MAKING SENSE OF LIFE WITH WINE, WINE NOT? SORRY, WHY NOT!

Try our 4 Bottle Artisan Wine Club for only $57.50 a month. Our wine will be delivered right to your  door each month and currently we are shipping a $28 bottle in the Artisan Wine Club Collection. Remember, all of our wines are Artisan, Handcrafted and available only through the Florida Wine Girls. STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

OUR JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF WHINE, OOPS WINE!

Okay, our journey into the World of Wine started over 2 years ago but don't get us wrong, we have ALWAYS loved Wine but it was never a real quest or drive for us as a business. We guess it's better if we start at the beginning so you Really get to know us and understand our journey, here goes!
The Florida Wine Girls, also known as Karen and Dee met while working part-time in the Cosmetic Industry in a Major Retail Chain. That was over 20 years ago and we have remained best friends, with and without the consumption of wine! So, on with the rest of this exciting saga. We would do major cosmetic events requiring us to be on our feet for sometimes over 8 hours, barely taking breaks for a sip of water, a morsel of food or barely a potty break!  Needless to say, by the end of the long day we wanted a bit of Vino to ease our aching feet, legs and minds! Just so you know, We work with people All day long and where we live some of them can be very needy indeed! By the way, we live in beautiful, sunny, glorious South Florida but we host a tough crowd sometimes in the beauty industry and even the sun and fun of South Florida it's not always easy. Back to the wine story! Ok, we are at that point in the evening, tired from our Arduous day of beauty, looking for a wine bar where we could simply have a Great glass or 3 of a terrific wine and some fabulous cheeses. Our quest began. Some of the places we ventured into had a phenomenal selection of wines, but nary a cheese platter to be had! WHat kind of place would go to the trouble of creating a magnificent wine selection and not do the same with cheeses to compliment the wines? I mean, really, we love cheese like we love wine and we REALLY love Wine, so enough said. We found time and time again, no great cheeses to pair with our wine or worse yet, we found places that had really mediocre wines to choose from and also no cheeses! We just couldn't get the two to commingle to save our lives! Fast forward to this year and we finally found the perfect place, great wines, a stupendous, over the top cheese platter that you could create from a list of over a dozen hard, semi soft and soft cheeses from around the world. Accompanied by the best Assortment of breads and baked crackers you could imagine. The presentation was  BEYOND so with great wine, great cheese and a great presentation it was blissful! You would choose  1 cheese for $5 and 3 or more cheeses it was only $3 a cheese so we were All set and we finally found our little bright spot At the end of our long day where we could do what we do really well, drink and eat! Well, you'll never guess what happened! Hmm, maybe you can guess, but you will have to wait for the next post to see if you are right... Always Remember, our mantra  has always been, and will always be, STEMS UP!
Yours Truly, Florida Wine Girls
www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

KICK BACK, RELAX AND UNCORK THE FLAVORS!

Pair our Monarch 2012 Petite Sirah with this amazing Ham & Apple grilled Cheese on Rye for a fast snack, lunch or cut into small pieces for an appetizer that pleases every palate! Make sure you reserve a few Tablespoons of this Petite Sirah for the Red Pepper, Apple Butter, Wine & Mustard Spread that takes this sandwich from Ordinary to Extraordinary!

1/4 cup Apple Butter
2 Tbsp. Monarch 2012 Petite Sirah
1 Tbsp. coarse grain mustard
Pinch of red pepper flakes
8 slices of rye bread
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
4 ounces aged Cheddar (4 slices)
4 slices Ham
1 Granny Smith apple cored and sliced thin

In a small bowl stir together the first 4 ingredients. Lightly spread one side of bread slices with the softened butter. Spread other side of bread slices with the apple butter mixture. Top the Apple Butter sides of 4 slices with cheese, apple and ham. Top the 4 with the other slices, apple butter side down on top of the of the sandwich. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and grill sandwich until golden brown and cheese has melted, turning once halfway through cooking. Serve immediately with a glass or two of our Petite Sirah that you ordered from the Florida Wine Girls! Our 2012 Monarch Petite Sirah has a superb rich dark red robe.This is an antioxidant heaven all the way to the mouth. More red fruits in the attack with a soft gentle power emerging from the 14% alcohol. These light flavors of cinnamon spices and oak are increasing giving the wine a strong tannic structure in the finish. STEMS UP!
www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

COQ AU ZINFANDEL, A BRILLANT TWIST!

Adult Beverages are great for drinking and for cooking! Try this recipe with our newest Adult Beverage
Monarch 2012 Zinfandel-  Right away this beauty reveals it's varietal with floral and fruity flavors like cranberry or blueberry aromas. Spices and black pepper notes finish this rich attack with elegant tannins. It will never overpower but will linger for many pleasant seconds!

Coq Au Zinfandel

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 bone-in chicken thighs (with skin), excess fat trimmed (you can use white meat but the flavor WILL NOT be the same)
3/4 cup chopped shallots, (about 4)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boiling onions (the cocktail-sized ones), peeled
12 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered (about 5 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
One 750ml. bottle red Monarch 2012 Zinfandel
2 cups chicken stock (or canned low-salt chicken broth)
2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup freshly chopped chives

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook chopped bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Place 1 cup flour in shallow dish; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to bacon drippings in pot. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, coat chicken thighs with flour and add to pot; sear until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Arrange chicken thighs in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish (or any combination of glass dishes that will fit the chicken).
4. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from pot. Add shallots and garlic to pot and sauté 1 minute. Add onions, crimini mushrooms, and marjoram and sauté until onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add red Zinfandel and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken stock and bacon; boil 5 minutes.
5. Pour wine mixture over chicken in baking dish. Cover tightly with foil; bake until chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.
6. Using tongs, transfer chicken thighs to platter or large, deep bowl. Strain wine mixture from baking dish into heavy medium saucepan. Transfer onion and mushroom mixture to platter with chicken; tent with foil to keep warm. Mix 2 tablespoons flour and butter in small bowl to blend. Bring wine mixture to boil. Whisk in flour mixture and boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Ladle sauce over chicken and vegetables; sprinkle with chives.
STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

APPLE OF MY EYE!

A mainstay of summertime drinking is easy, lighthearted spritzers and they have come a long way! They showcase the Wine as well as the fruit component and they are simple to adapt to what you have on hand. This version is mild enough to serve as  a pre-dinner cocktail or serve alongside unadorned seasonal dishes like Roasted Herb Chicken.

Summer Wine Spritzer
1/2 cup of our Mariana 2012 Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup of Apple Juice (sub pomegranate or cranberry in the Fall)
1/4 cup Lime Sparkling Water
1 sliced green apple wedge for garnish (add a cinnamon stick in the Fall).

Fill a tall glass half full of ice, add the wine, apple juice and sparkling water. Garnish with the apple wedge. Makes 1 serving, STEMS UP!
www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

MEAT AND GREET!

Savory, Silky cured meats are lovely complements to any season when Wine is being served. Why not try lightly grilled asparagus spears atop prosciutto, half figs or melon wedges draped with pancetta or a grilled bruschetta with sautéed onions , rustic Italian coppa (cured pork form an Italian Market) and a drizzle of honey to balance the richness of the pork! Not only will these appetizers make flavorful additions to a platter you share with friends and family, but they also work well with a wide range of Wines. Transform these meats into sensational small bites, save the cooking for later!
Serve with our newest addition to our family of wines, Monarch 2012 Zinfandel! This Wine will change how you feel about Zinfandels forever.  Right away, our Zin reveals its varietal with floral and fruity flavors like cranberry or blueberry aromas. Some spice and black pepper notes finish this rich nose description. The attack in the mouth is split between jammy fruits and some very elegant tannins. Is is not an overpowering type of structure but will linger for many long seconds. Try this one to amaze your thoughts on Zinfandels! STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

THE PLEASURE OF WINE SIMPLIFIED!

What you uncork on a Tuesday nite with a Pizza is probably not the same Wine you sip on a Saturday night with a sizzling Filet Mignon dinner. Here are the top picks for that Pizza and Filet!

For a wonderful year round, Beautifully Structured White Wine we suggest our Table White. This amazing  affordable wine at only $84 for a half-case is a blend of 62% Chardonnay, 18% Sauvignon Blanc, 13% Muscat and 7% Viognier. All these varietals bring a strong structure, aroma and length for this Wine. The Chardonnay is the Backbone of this Wine giving it tremendous volume with a long finish making this one of our top sellers in the White category. This is a great choice for what we call your "everyday wines."

Our choice for that beautiful rich red Wine for enjoying with friends and family for that weekend cookout where you are serving sizzling Filets, we suggest our Homage 2010 California Lot 39. This is almost a pure Bordeaux style red blend with 29% Malbec, 27% Merlot, 21% Petit Verdot, 15% Cab Franc with a splash of Zinfandel. The Malbec brings its legendary structure, soft tannins and intense color. The Merlot added also some softness and fruit forward characters in this wine. More structure was added after blending in the Petit Verdot, Cab Franc and the Zinfandel. These varietals were fermented separately to keep their unique characteristics only to be blended a few months prior to bottling.

This wine displays a deep, dark red robe. We start quickly with a first nose of black currant, raspberry and pomegranate. A 2010 wine will imply a mature stage of development but you will find a tremendous youth and dormant power in this wine. Tannins are ripe and coat the mouth for a few long seconds. This is a powerful and full-bodied red wine with a light toasted finish. This is certainly a good candidate for 5 to 7 years of cellaring. STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

STRESS FREE COOKING, ALWAYS USE WINE, IT RELEASES STRESS!

We used our Monarch 2011 Malbec for this delicious Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/4 lb Spanish onions, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon soft thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup red wine (use our Monarch 2011 Malbec)
• 2 pintes beef stock
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 8 X 1 inch slices of toasted baguette or French stick
• 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated

Directions

• Heat 4 tablespoons of butter and the oil in a heavy-based saucepan, add the onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf, cover with wet baking (parchment) paper and a lid and cook over a very low heat for 1 hour, until the onions have turned golden and are meltingly soft. During the cooking, stir the onions from time to time, to prevent them burning. Season to taste.
• Add the wine, stock and sugar, then bring to the boil and simmer for 
15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• If the saucepan is ovenproof (if not, transfer to an earthenware soup tureen), place the bread slices on top, sprinkle with Gruyère and then drizzle the remaining butter, melted, over the cheese. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
• To make this in a slow cooker: Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-based saucepan, add the onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook over a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions have started to soften and colour. Transfer to your slow cooker, cover with wet baking (parchment) paper and a lid and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes to darken the onions, stirring from time to time.  Add the wine, stock, sugar and seasoning, cover and cook for 40 minutes. Then continue with step 4 above

WINE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOUR HUSBAND TO GET HOME!

Wine Club Benefits

Why Wait For Your Husband?

As a Wine Club Member, you will become our preferred customer, receiving some of California's best boutique wines, discounts and much more. Wineshop At Home personally travels the world's various wine regions tasting hundreds of wines each year. Only wines of outstanding quality and craftsmanship are chosen for our Wine Club Members. Membership Benefits Lowest Wine Club Pricing, Highest Wine Club Value Flexibility to choose two or four bottles of premium wines each month Ability to change your selections to match the tastes and seasons throughout the year Conveniently delivered right to your door Loyalty Promotions, Discount Coupons and Special Offers Discounted Shipping on all your half case and full case orders Special Vintner’s Notes and Recipes & Pairing Ideas Expand your knowledge of wine as you enjoy the selections at home Personal Service from Your Wine Consultant No membership fees and cancel anytime without obligation. STEMS UP! Visit our website at www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

WHY WE DRINK WINE & STARTED OUR WINE BUSINESS!

Starting in September, we are going to start a short series about our reasons for drinking Wine and starting our Wine Business! We hope to entertain you a little, inform you a little and make you laugh a lot!

www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls STEMS UP!

THIS IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE WEENIES!

We used our beautiful CERES 2012 MOSCATO for this delicious appetizer. The wine is made from 100% Muscat of Alexandria grapes. This vintage starts with lemon zest, apricot, ripe pear and the mouth has a round mid palate. At the end you will have a long finish with an elegant mineral quality. Try It!

 

Moscato Cocktail Weenies

Heat oven to 350 and cut the bacon in half. Then wrap each weenie in a piece of bacon.
Add sugar and butter to a few cups of wine and begin to reduce down until it becomes a glaze.
Then apply to weenies wrapped in bacon. Add brown sugar on top of the bacon and slide in the oven. Bake until bacon begins to get crisp.
Ingredients
1 package cocktail weenies
1 bottle of Ceres Moscato
3 tablespoons sugar
1 package bacon
1 tablespoon butter
Brown sugar for seasoning
www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls STEMS UP!

TRAGEDY AND A GOURMET MEAL!

Try our Beautiful McKenna 2010 Trilogy Bergerac (One of our FAVORITES!!!)

Our 2010 McKenna Trilogy is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Merlot 40% and Malbec 10%. Cyrano de Bergerac has been depicted in the classic literature and several movies as a generous, well-versed and larger than life character. Our 2010 McKenna Trilogy Bergerac retains many of these attributes. These 30-year-old vineyards produce premium grapes with deep ripe, red cherry flavors. The barrel ageing allows a great balance and usage of oak flavors in the final product. Pair this wine with the following recipe for a beautiful Wine Country Meal that everyone will love! Wine Country Recipes Smoky Rosemary-Baked Chicken with Potatoes Specially created for pairing with the McKenna 2010 Bergerac Trilogy      Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Paprika, Smoked 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Rosemary Leaves, finely crushed 3/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Garlic Powder 6 small bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 pounds) 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix oil, paprika, rosemary, sea salt, pepper and garlic powder in large bowl. Add chicken and potatoes; toss to coat well. Arrange potatoes in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan coated with no stick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes. Push potatoes to one side of pan. Place chicken on pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, turning potatoes occasionally. Makes 6 servings. STEMS  UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

DOESN'T A GLASS OF SPARKLING HELP EVERYTHING? YES!

PETIT CADEAU SEMI-SECO
STEMS UP! www.wineshopathome.com/floridawinegirls

HERE'S A CHAMPAGNE TOAST FOR YOUR SHRIMP & SCALLOPS! BON APETIT...

TOMATO-BASIL CHAMPAGNE SAUCE WITH SHRIMP & SCALLOPS

WE USED OUR SPLENDID SPARKLING PETIT CADEAU SEMI-SECO, YUMMY!
Save the rest of our Petit Cadeau Semi-Seco to savor with this beautiful Seafood Dish...

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 16 extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), shelled and deveined
• 16 small sea scallops (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inch wide; 3/4 to 1 pound total) rinsed
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup dry champagne or dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 large firm-ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dry basil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt
• Basil sprigs (optional)

Preparation:

Insert an 8- to 12-inch skewer through tail of a shrimp. Next, slide a scallop on skewer so it lies flat, then let shrimp curve around scallop and skewer the head end. Repeat with remaining shrimp and scallops, putting 3 or 4 pairs on each skewer. Scatter onion evenly over a 10- by 15-inch baking or broiler pan. Set skewers on top of onion. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Mix the melted butter, thyme, turmeric, and white pepper. Brush tops of shrimp and scallops with half of the butter mixture. Pour the champagne into pan.

Broil 4 inches from heat until tops of shrimp are pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn brochettes over and brush with remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle seafood evenly with bread crumbs. Continue broiling until seafood is golden on top and white in thickest part (cut to test), 4 to 6 minutes. Set brochettes aside and keep warm. Pour pan juices through a fine strainer into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan and discard onion. Add tomato wedges, basil, sugar, and garlic. Cook on high heat, turning tomatoes gently and occasionally, until hot, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 4 tablespoons butter, stirring constantly to incorporate it into sauce. Add salt to taste. Spoon sauce and tomatoes onto a serving platter or 4 or 5 dinner plates. Set brochettes on sauce. Garnish with basil sprigs.

WINE ABOUT THIS! A GREAT PAIRING OR PEARING?

WHITE WINE POACHED PEARS

We used Our 2012 Mariana Symphony

Ingredients

• 5 cups white wine
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 (2- by 1-inch strips) lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3 Turkish bay leaves
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 6 firm-ripe Bartlett pears
• Special equipment: parchment paper

Directions

• In a large pot combine wine, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, and saffron and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
• While syrup simmers, peel pears, then halve lengthwise and core. Add pears to syrup, then cover with a round of parchment paper and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 minutes. Transfer pears and syrup to a metal or ceramic bowl, then recover parchment and refrigerate.
• Cook's note; pears could be served warm, immediately, however, they have more depth of flavor and color if refrigerated overnight. Take pears out of refrigerator several hours before serving, to come to room temperature

The Mariana is a blend of Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris. Muscat is a great provider of flavors and often makes the top of the list for flamboyant off-dry and dessert wine. The Grenache Gris is virtually not produced anywhere as an individual wine and can be found only in very limited quantity in the south of France and Spain. The Wine has a slight spiciness with a lot of fresh pear, green apple and ripe lemon flavors. There is also a layer of floral aromas like Lilac and Honeysuckle. This wine has a mineral attack followed by a refreshing acidity and a light round creamy finish.

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Fruit Salad!

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A Simple Recipe With A Few Sips In Between...

 Take a deep breath, pour yourself a glass of our wine and use the rest in whatever you're cooking.

CARROT OSSO BUCO  
Cook and Pair with our 2011 Mariana Shiraz named Mariana from the Latin word, BELOVED!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound red pearl onions
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 very large carrots, cut crosswise 1 inch thick at the wide ends and 1 1/2 inches thick toward the narrow ends
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 cup dry red wine (we used 2011 Mariana Shiraz)
• 1/2 pound porcini mushrooms (substitute any mushroom available as well)
• 1 tablespoon dried porcini powder
• 1 1/2 cups prepared mushroom broth (substitute vegetable broth)
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the pearl onions and cook for 1 minute. Drain and trim the onions, then peel them. Wipe out the skillet.
• Return the skillet to the heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the carrots in a single layer, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Add the pearl onions, sprinkle with the curry powder and cook, stirring a few times, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Add the porcini powder and mushroom broth and bring to a boil. Transfer the skillet to the oven and braise the carrots for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning once, until tender.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon the carrots, onions and sauce into shallow bowls. In a bowl, toss the parsley with the lemon juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the parsley leaves over the carrots and serve.

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Wine Every Day Makes Complete Sense! Stems Up Ladies!

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Pilates For WIne Lovers!

 

 

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HAVE YOU MET MY DRUKEN CHEESY BOSS, I MEANT BREAD? SORRY...

Our Beautiful White Table Wine has a very delicate nose of light white flower

fragrances to start, followed by grapefruit and Meyer lemon aromas. Traces of

lychee and passion fruit can be perceived in the finish. The attack in the mouth

is fluid with a lot of citrus character. The mid palate is sweet and round. There

is nice crisp acidity to look for in the finish. This wine is a pleasant style, easy

to drink, ideal for food pairing with our Drunken Cheesy Bread Recipe!

 

Pair with this amazing recipe for a Win Win!

DRUNKEN CHEESY BREAD

Ingredients

• butter for the pan
• 1/2 baguette, cut into 2-inch slices
• 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/8 pound thinly sliced cooked ham
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Place the bread in a buttered ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch square baking dish, or a casserole. Scatter the onion and ham over the bread. Pour the wine over the onion and ham and sprinkle with the pepper and Gruyère.
2. Bake until the cheese has melted and begun to brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Spoon onto individual plates.

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LOST YOUR MOJO? GOT IT ON? GET IT BACK!

Wine Country Recipes from

The Florida Wine Girls...

Rosemary Mojo Lamb Chops

Specially created for pairing with the Mariana Vineyard 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Rosemary Leaves,

lightly crushed

1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Thyme Leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick®

Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea

Salt

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Basil Leaves

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Black Pepper, Coarse

Grind

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Cumin, Ground

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Garlic Powder

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup dry red wine

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 rib or loin lamb chops (about 1-inch thick)

Directions:

Mix seasonings in medium bowl. Add onion, orange juice, wine, lime juice

and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mojo mixture. Place

lamb chops in large sealed plastic bag or glass dish. Add remaining

mojo; turn to coat well.

Refrigerate 1 hour or longer for extra flavor. Remove lamb from marinade;

pat dry. Discard any remaining marinade.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add

lamb chops; cook 2 to 4 minutes per side or until desired doneness.

Remove lamb chops to serving plate; keep warm. Add reserved mojo to

skillet; simmer 1 minute, stirring to loosen browned bits in bottom of

skillet. Serve mojo over lamb chops.

Makes 4 servings.
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Ceres, the Roman Goddess of the Harvest

 

Our Ceres 2012 Goddess wine with it's Dark Purple Robe received its fanciful name

as reference to the Roman Goddess Ceres. It

is a blend of Sangiovese with a layer of

sweetness, created to be the perfect nectar for

the gods.

Here is our Recipe to pair with this beautiful Desert Wine, ENJOY!

Wine Country Recipes

 

 

Apple Dumplings

 

Specially created for pairing with the Ceres 2012 Goddess

 

 

Ingredients:

 

 

1 teaspoon McCormick®

Cinnamon, Ground

1/4 teaspoon McCormick®

Nutmeg, Ground

1 package (14.1 ounces)

refrigerated pie crusts, (2

crusts)

4 apples, such as Gala or

Braeburn, peeled, cored and

halved

8 teaspoons butter, divided

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 500°F. Mix cinnamon and nutmeg in small bowl. Prepare

crusts as directed on package. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly on surface of

each crust. Cut each crust into 4 equal pieces. Place 1 apple half in center

of each piece of crust. Fill center of each apple half with 1 teaspoon of the

butter. Carefully fold crust up over apple half, pinching seams together to

seal. Place dumplings, seam-side down, in greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

Bring sugar, water and 2 tablespoons butter to boil in small saucepan.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla; set aside.

Bake dumplings about 10 minutes or until crust begins to brown. Reduce

oven temperature to 350°F. Pour sauce over dumplings. Bake 40 to 45

minutes longer or until apples are tender and pastry is golden brown. Serve

warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

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Men Are Like Fine Wine!

A little Wine Humor for a lazy Sunday afternoon! Enjoy a glass of sparkling Wine like our Petit Cadeau Semi Seco before any light bite or meal. Sparkling Wines open the pallet so that you taste everything at its peak and most honest flavor. IMPORTANT NOTE! Never chill a bubbly for more than 3 days, it will start to kill the bubbles after that point and change the flavor forever! If you need a quick chill for last minute enjoyment, add kosher or rock salt to the ice bucket, (make sure it's glass not metal) it shortens the chill time in half!
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Pay Homage to Our Homage Cellars Lot 15 & Sweet Smoky Pork, YUM!

Our Florida Wine Girls Wine Country Recipes

 

Specially created for pairing with the Homage Cellars 2011 Lot Number 15

 

 

Smoky-Sweet Roasted Pork Tenderloin

 


  

 Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound

each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Paprika, Smoked

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick®

Gourmet Collection Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Cumin, Ground

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Oregano Leaves,

Mediterranean

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet

Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind

1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cinnamon, Saigon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Rub pork tenderloins with oil.

Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over pork.

Place pork in shallow baking pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray.

 

Slice Ripe Peaches and/or Apricots and arrange around the roast.

Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until desired doneness. Let stand 5 minutes

before slicing.

 

Serve the Pork & Peaches/Apricots over a bed of Sautéed Spinach or Kale with Olive Oil & Garlic and a Corn, Tomato, Black

 

Bean Jalapeno Salsa for a beautiful balance.

Makes 8 servings

Don't forget to serve with our Homage Cellars 2011 Lot Number 15, this Wine and Recipe will never disappoint!
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Cabernet, Gorgonzola and Sliders? Does It Get Any Better Than This?

Please your palate, step into your stride and enjoy the beauty of cooking and drinking Wine! Enjoy...

Cabernet and Gorgonzola Burger Sliders Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz organic ground beef with at least 20% fat (makes three 1/3 lb patties)

 Salt & Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium red onion peeled, cut into half and sliced into 1/4 inch rings

½ cup good Cabernet Sauvignon (we used our Mariana  2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, great in the burger & to drink with the burger!)

1 package of Italian Gorgonzola Cheese

Mixed greens of your choice (butter lettuce, arugula, or iceberg lettuce)

½ cup of spicy mayo (Mix some Sriracha hot sauce or other hot sauce into ½ cup of mayo)

Hamburger buns

Method:

1. Divide the 16 oz of beef into three portions of about 1/3 lb for each patty. You can use more beef and more buns to make enough for your party.

2. Shape each beef portion with your hands into a round patty about ½ inch wider in diameter than your bun. Make a depression in the middle of the patty. This will help ensure that the middle will not bulge out after cooking.

3. Cook the sliced red onions with 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium hot sauté pan. Season with some  Hot sauce if you want. Cook onions about 5 minutes. Add the Cabernet and simmer until reduced to a syrupy liquid. Remove and set aside.

4. Heat up your grill

5. Put patties onto the hot grill, close the grill cover and cook to your desired doneness. During the last minute of cooking, add some crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and wait until the cheese melts. Remove.

6. Toast the inside surfaces of your burger buns on your grill. Remove once toasted and browned.

7. Spread some spicy mayo on your buns, add greens of your choice on the bottom half, add your melted Gorgonzola beef patty, top with Cabernet onions, more spicy mayo, and the top half of your bun.

8. Sit back and enjoy this great classic with a glass of our Mariana  2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, DELICIOUS! STEMS UP!

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Yummy White Wine Glazed Salmon !

We are going to start the month of August featuring amazing recipes using fresh ingredients and WINE! Makes our mouth water just thinking of all the great meals you can prepare using wine to enhance all the flavors in the dish!

Wine is often described as a living beverage. That's because flavors and aromas continue to develop in the bottle.

 

 

6 (5 ounce) salmon filets

 

                                                  4 cloves garlic, minced                                                    

                                                              1 tablespoon white wine (we used our fabulous Table White Wine for this recipe and as our Wine of choice to serve with the dish as well!) Yummy!!!

                                              (always use only Wine you would consider drinking)             

                                                              1 tablespoon honey             
                                                              1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
                                                              4 teaspoons Dijon mustard                                                    
                                                              salt and pepper to taste

                                                              1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Coat a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
3. Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with oregano.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily with a fork. Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving the skin behind on the foil.

Serve this beautiful Salmon Dish with a side of pasta tossed with sautéed spinach, fresh garlic & parmesan cheese.  Amazing!