Posted on November 5, 2009 by WCWG
I recently accepted the Fusebox Blendoff Challenge from Crushpad, where I would compete against some great internet bloggers like Dirty South Wine, Purple Teeth Diaries, NorCal Wine, Cellar Mistress, Pulling the Cork, Another Wine Blog, A Good Time with Wine, and Savvy Taste. We each received a Fusebox, a home wine making kit which comes with enough equipment for you to make your very own Bordeaux red blend out of Napa wines. Not only will our blends will be graded, but our own homemade labels as well. Here is a bit more info on the fun I had with this product: Read more »
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Blendoff, Bordeaux blend, Crushpad, Fusebox, Mama's Got a Squeezebox, The Who | 1 Comment »
Posted on October 30, 2009 by WCWG
Halloween is a festive time, for both children and adults. Children get Dots, Twizzlers, and Wachamacallits, so what do adults get? It’s time to delve into some tasty beverages fit for your favorite Halloween party!
Armida “Poizin”: This is a full bodied blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. A bold wine with sweet ripe fruit flavor, it is a perfect fit after you just bobbed for apples. Plus the fact that it comes in a coffin, makes it perfect for the season. I’ve seen it sold in three pack online for $56.99, so I would imagine it sells for about $20 per bottle. Read more »
Filed under: Pairings | Tagged: Armida Poizin, Casillero del Diablo, Doc's Draft Cider, Ghost Block, Halloween, Toad Hollow, Wine | Leave a Comment »
Posted on October 16, 2009 by WCWG
While strolling through the Windy City Wine Festival last month, I met Chris & Christin Poterek, co-founders of ChillinJoy. I do get a bit excited when I see new wine gadgets, so I decided to investigate.
ChillinJoy is a portable wine chiller, capable of keeping any 750ml bottle cold for hours. This allows you to enjoy picnics, concerts (Ravinia!), BYO restaurants, or a trip to the beach, while keeping a favorite bottle of wine at the temperature you like it: nice and cold. You can also use it for just sitting in front of the TV, now with no trips back and forth to the fridge. Read more »
Filed under: BYOB, Misc | Tagged: ChillinJoy, Grgich Hills, Ravinia | Leave a Comment »
Posted on October 13, 2009 by WCWG
Next week, October 18-25, Rioja will be invading Chicago for a week of glass pours and pairings in some great restaurants and wine bars. Rioja Week will be hitting only two cities: ours and New York. This is something special, as many restaurants do not serve Rioja wines by the glass, though they pair extremely well with food.
Some may ask “What is Rioja?”.
Read more »
Filed under: Events | Tagged: Rioja Week | Leave a Comment »
Posted on October 12, 2009 by WCWG
I have seen Internet buzz where, supposedly, Oprah recently said it was acceptable to tip servers 10% in this economy. I suppose her point was to tell her audience how to save some money during the current ongoing financial crunch. There are some sites that say she said it, like ChaCha.com, while reps from Harpo claim she did not. I know Oprah has always been a staunch supporter of tipping well, and I don’t know for certain whether she said it or not, but I know the statement is wrong. There has been huge Internet backlash regarding the statement, and I would like to add a bit myself.
Read more »
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Oprah, Steve Dublainca, Ten Percent Tip, Waiter Rant | 3 Comments »
Posted on October 7, 2009 by WCWG
It was a cloudy, but beatiful weekend, and a great chance to enjoy outstanding wine and local food at Chicago Gourmet 2009. My wife and I headed down on the Green Line, and then walked over to beautiful Millenium Park, where all the festivities were being held. There were tents set up everywhere- in case of rain, each one filled with samples from Southern Wine & Spirits brands or local food and beverage options. It was time to dive in, eat, drink, and enjoy! Read more »
Filed under: Events | Tagged: Bill Kim, Chicago Gourmet, Fabio Vivani, Jose Garces, Mercat a la Planxa, Millenium Park, Mindy Segal, Santa Margherita, Southern Wine & Spirits, Stephanie Izard, Terlato, Top Chef | Leave a Comment »
Posted on October 1, 2009 by WCWG
From now through Monday, October 5, 2009, St. Supéry is offering their 2003 Merlot for $150 per case. That is a $28 wine you can have for $12.50 per bottle! Read more »
Filed under: Deals | Tagged: St. Supery | Leave a Comment »
Posted on September 29, 2009 by WCWG
The Napa Valley Vintners Association was in Chicago on Wednesday, September 16, ready to bring a full array of Napa Valley wine to our taste buds. I was invited to an intimate luncheon held at Bloomingdale’s, and then a walk across the street to Fleming’s, where over 80 wineries were pouring some excellent Napa juice. Read more »
Filed under: Tastings | Tagged: Bloomingdale's, Broman Cellars, Cakebread Cellars, Fleming's, Honig Vineyard and Winery, Napa Valley Vintner's Association, Oakville Ranch, Saintsbury Vineyard, Schramsberg, Schweiger Vineyards, Signorello Vineyards | 1 Comment »
Posted on September 14, 2009 by WCWG
It was a beautiful Friday evening, and I had a plan- take the Green Line train to east Randolph Street, meet my wife just after work, and enjoy the Windy City Wine Festival. Everything worked out as scheduled, and we headed to Daley Bicentennial Plaza, which has an amazing view of the city to go along with excellent greenery and flowers. There was a short line at will call, where we picked up our wristbands and drink tickets, and headed into the fest! Read more »
Filed under: Events | Tagged: Bev Art, Chicago Gourmet, Cooper's Hawk, Hearty Boys, Illinois Cellars, Lynfred Winery, Naperville Wine Festival, Windy City Wine Festival | 2 Comments »
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