It is June, the temperatures are getting warmer and sometimes all I want to do is kick back and relax by the pool or at the beach.
This time of year, I love a light fruity wine that will be refreshing through out the day and can even be served on ice. Winexpert and RJ Spagnols both make a product line perfect for this purpose. Winexpert has their Island Mist Collection and RJ Spagnols has their Orchard Breezin line.
The variety of refreshment wines range from a Blackberry Cabernet to a Green Apple Riesling to a Seville Orange Sangria. Personally, my current favorite is the White Cranberry Pinot Gris. Angie, our Hackettstown Store Manager, leans towards the Kiwi Pear Sauvignon Blanc. David, the President and owner of Vintners Circle Franchising loves the Mango Citrus Symphony and the Exotic Fruits White Zinfandel. The bottom line is that there are many flavors available and there is something for everyone.
The best part about these wine kits is that they can be made quickly. The entire process only takes about 5 weeks and the wine is enjoyable right away. This means that it is not too late to pick one out and still enjoy it this summer. So what are you waiting for? Get to your local winemaking shop, choose which refreshment wine sounds the best to you and start making it today.
It is a question we hear almost daily, “How do I decide which type of wine I should make?” or “How do I know which wine I will like?” Whether you are choosing to make your own wine, trying to make a selection in the liquor store, or ordering from a wine list in a restaurant the question can be daunting. In all of these situations, however, there are a few items to consider to help guide your decision.
First, do you prefer red or white wine? For many people this is an a straight forward answer and will help cut your choices in half. Unfortunately, we have found that when speaking to a couple the pair often fall on opposite sides of the line. If this is your situation, understand that there are several types of wine that tend to be good compromises to suit both tastes, such as Chateauneuf du Pape (Vieux Chateau du Roi on our website) or a Bianca (Luna Bianca on our website).
So let’s assume you have narrowed your choices slightly. Next question, do you drink wine by itself or with food? If you answered “with food”, what type of food do you tend to eat while drinking wine? We have a great wine and food pairing chart to help you find a great wine style to enhance your meal.
If the food pairing selector hasn’t solved your dilemma there is one last question. Do you like a light wine or a full bodied wine. This means do you like something that feels light on your tongue or something that truly makes its presence known in your mouth. There are both white and red wines that fit into each of those categories, so paired with your answers to the previous questions you should be well on your way to finding your perfect wines.
Finally, we know how difficult these decisions can be and have created a Wine Selector Guide to help you in your decision. Just understand, there can be several answers to this important question and once you get started on this adventure of finding wines that fit your flavor/taste profile you will want to try them all. We should know, our passion turned into our business.
This month our recipe will feature Winexpert’s Selection Limited Edition Italian Dolcetto. If you aren’t familiar with Dolcetto it is a light, easy to drink red wine that is just perfect for the warm months ahead.
Ingredients:
5 1/2 Cups of Flour
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Cup Oil
1 Cup Selection Limited Edition Italian Dolcetto (or a Dolcetto of your choice)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs, Divided
Sift together dry ingredients. Make a well; add oil, Selection Limited Edition Italian Dolcetto, sugar and 1 egg. Mix well. Cut small amounts of dough. Roll into rings. Brush tops with remaining beaten egg. Bake in 350ºF oven, about 25 minutes or until tops are lightly brown.
Yield: 2 dozen.
buon appetito!
