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Flip Flop Moscato

Flip Flop Moscato- $5.99 @ Publix

What Attracted Me to This Wine: A friend asked me to review some more Moscatos (Moscato’s? Moscatoes? What’s the correct way to go about alluding to multiples of Moscato?) so I, naturally, obliged. I’ll admit, I don’t typically gravitate towards Moscato, even though I’ll whole-heartedly profess that my favorite white wine is a Riesling which is very often compared. I just don’t trust Moscato. I’ve been burned by the overly sweet, nectar-like sugar-water a few too many times so this task took a bit of bravery to try a Moscato I have not tried before in attempt to find a recommendation.

Let me be clear. This is not a recommendation.

When I think of a (good) Moscato I think of a refreshing, sweet, almost effervescent drink best enjoyed ice-cold while lounging in the sun, hopefully surrounded by sand and salt-water. So naturally when I saw the fresh “Flip Flop” bottle I thought, “They get it” and decided to see if I could pack this with a hammock for the Summer. Plus, it said “Semi-sweet” so I thought this would be a good place to start.. away from the jolly-rancher juice I’ve so many times encountered before.

First Taste: Semi-sweet? No, dickhead, I could pour this shit on my waffles. Next time you’re at a super market and see this bottle in the wine aisle, do the stock-boys a favor and put it in it’s rightful place under the “Syrups” sign in the cereal aisle. I had a big presentation at work the next day that I was prepping for while trying this wine and I can’t say what was more work, perfecting my facilitation skills to the audience of: my dog, or trying to get the full glass down to consider my research complete.

I realize I’m being a bit dramatic but I get a bit emotional when I find a wine I really don’t like. It just doesn’t happen that often.

Final Thoughts: Did they press grapes for this wine or have they squeezed the juice from Gusher’s into a bottle?

Uses: I suppose this wine could be mixed with some softening ingredients for a cheap Sangria or wine cocktail.. or perhaps if you were trying to get a toddler drunk this could do the trick. Otherwise, I’d suggest finding a different wine. I’ll (bravely) keep searching for a Moscato I can trust but until then, may I recommend a Riesling?

Thought I’d provide a picture of my Fluff-butt expressing my same sentiments.. Is it over yet?

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This oughtta pretty alright with some mimosasss..

© Christina Holmes            

Brunch Upgrade: Luscious, rich and lemony hollandaise gets completely re-imagined here in a light, supremely creamy puree of avocado, lemon juice and olive oil.

Recipe: Avocado Hollandaise

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Cinco de Pinot!

In College May 5th was probably my favorite day of the year. Finals had just ended and it was the perfect excuse to enjoy the very best in life.. Summer, tacos, tequila, nachos, beer, more foods with melted cheese.. These are a few of my favorite things. 

 Flash forward, Cinco de Mayo 2015 and I’ve got a 9-5 job and I’m feeling too old for block parties and shots on a Tuesday. Such Grown Up. Much Adult. 

 And maybe I could party on a school night on occasion but today I’m feeling particularly exhausted. So tired I subbed walking my dog for sitting at the top of the stairs and throwing a toy so he’d run up & down to fetch it. Big thanks to my mom for that suggestion (which begs the question; What did she do with me when she was tired and I had energy?) But I couldn’t let the day go uncelebrated so on top of using a maraca pen at work, I picked up some tacos got a little creative with my beverage. Last week I tried a yummy watermelon margarita and was inspired to create something refreshing for the holiday so I concocted a… Pinot-Grita! 

I used:

-Pinot Grigio (PG or a Sauv Blanc are best for this since they already have a crisp, citrusy flavor) -Fresh Watermelon (seedless is preferable for smiling purposes) -Limes -Triple Sec -Ice

The recipe is actually insanely easy..mainly because I don’t use measurements even at all. It’s more of a guess-ipe (see what I did there) Basically I shoved as much watermelon as I could fit into my smoothie blender cup, nearly filled it with Pinot Grigio and squeezed in half a lime’s worth of juice and a couple caps full of triple sec. 

Topped that off with ice and blended and voila! Refreshing frozen Pinot-Grita!

I actually use Himalayan Salt which is naturally pink so I thought it would make a really adorable glass rimmer with a lime for garnish. It definitely looked great! The taste, however, didn’t do too much for the drink but eh.. it’s mostly about the instagram anyway, right?

I will say I was hoping for more powerful watermelon flavor but watermelon is not quite it’s juiciest yet and I prefer not to add too much sugar. Overall it was a refreshing drink and would be a cute addition to a party for guests that steer clear of the tequila. 

Cheers!

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New Harbor Sauvignon Blanc

New Harbor Sauvignon Blanc- $8.99 @ Publix

What attracted me to this wine: It was already chilled at the store. I needed wine. Done.

First taste: Some typical Sauv Blanc characteristics: citrus, lemongrass, refreshing. It’s from New Zealand so it’s not too surprising that it’s well-made. (Note-to-self- write a post about which locations produce the best of each varietal!) All around it’s got a nice balance with hints of sweetness and herbal and a good kick in the taste-buds with some tart that lingers on the sides of your tongue. Mmmm, right where I want ‘em.

Tried with: I will say this lady is the relationship type and goes better paired with a meal than drowning alone on the couch. Had a glass with a couple of sloppy shrimp tacos and some mojo fries (That Jimmy Hula’s needs to stop being so close to my wax appointments) and when I say glass I’m saying that bottle is made of glass so less counting and less dishes.

Final Thoughts: This is a well-balanced wine and a great example of a Sauvignon Blanc and when you find that under $10 you’ve got a winner-winner seafood and roasted veggie dinner!

Cheers!

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Happy Friday friends!! Don't let societies #doublestandards stop you from doing what you love 😉😘🍷

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Mirassou Pinot Noir

Mirassou Pinot Noir- $8-$10 just about anywhere

What attracted me to this wine:  My first year out of college I was broke(er) and living in basically a tree-house and this quickly became my Go-To red wine period. So now, I often pick this wine up whenever. If I notice it on sale I’ll go ahead and grab a bottle and keep it around until I’m feeling like a Pinot. 

Well, (buckle up, I’m feeling a long-winded unnecessary story coming on…) a couple weeks ago my utterly precious BFF came over to make me dinner. I’m spoiled. Like any good host/receiver of deliciousness, I’ve got plenty-o-grape to offer. Since she’s making an Italian-style dish I pull out a Montepulciano D’Abruzzo which I honestly don’t remember where or when  it joined my collection. Pour a couple glasses, take a sip, and watch her drink it to see if she is as disappointed as I am. She’s trying her best to be polite, that little angel, but she’s not opposing to opening a different bottle. Then I open a Chianti. Then I toss the bottle of Chianti. I can smell it right away, it’s corked, no good. May have something to do with the two moves it’s followed me through.. Either way. So we settle with my old faithful, Mirassou Pinot Noir and whadduya know! It’s wonderful.

The point of me rambling on about our thrilling evening of “which wine will we drink” is that it proves exactly what I have said forever. You DO NOT have to spend money on wine or have a cellar or wear a monocle to enjoy wine. It is not uncommon to find you like a $10 bottle much more than that snooty $60 wine that does not, in fact, pour out liquid gold. And if anyone ever gives you shit for your taste in wine, stop drinking with them and come drink with me!

Now, I’m not saying this  Pinot is glitter and gold for the price of coal. Your not going to call your mom to tell her how great this wine is (until your second bottle)  but as many times as I’ve popped that cork is as many times as it’s satisfied me. Dark fruit flavors, smooth but not too heavy, what is there to complain about?

Final Thoughts: I like my wine like I like my men. Smooth, Versatile, Dependable and Trifty.

If you’re looking for something to satisfy a variety or just to stash away, remember this wine. 

Cheers!

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Contadino Pinot Grigio

 Contadino Pinot Grigio-  $6 at Trader Joes

Yeah Ali... I feel you. Marlene thinks she's cute, meanwhile I’ll rot here in off-season jail until the writers finally get bored with torturing me. We’re the dolls. I get it.. This doll needs more wine.

What attracted me to this wine: Bubbly clear bottle and an even lighter price-tag, yes please.

First taste: Grassy to the nose. Light bodied and effervescent, this is a fun little wine without being overly sweet! I found it a little too light for late-night sipping by itself, but the empty-pit-of-fire feeling an episode of Pretty Little Liars leaves me with was just begging for something stronger. I'd pair it with a nice lemon-garlic pasta and a light-hearted sitcom next time.

Final Thoughts: Don't expect bold, complex flavors.. This wine is probably comparable to lemon/pineapple flavored sparkling water. Don't take that as a dis. If they sold citrusy sparkling water that gave you a buzz, wouldn't you be shoving your $6 at a cashier? Grab your change and head to Trader Joes my friends..

Cheers!

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My new hero..

Here are some of my top wine picks.

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This is not my normal wine mumbo-jumbo but I had to re-blog this because every time, every GOSH DARN time this woman talks to the world she makes me proud of the human race.

“This is a good marker of the mistakes I’ve made in the past..” DAMNIT that’s such a beautiful, healthy, positive response.

Thank you Hannah Hart & mydrunkkitchen for being such a role model. Your humorous videos helped inspire me to start writing about my poor connoisseuring but even more, your content continually inspires myself and others to be kind to each other and to be kind to ourselves and more importantly, you let us discover what that even truly means with you.

Cheers!

A Quick Apology

i realize that skinny-shaming doesn’t garner much sympathy around here nowadays but i picked up “my drunk kitchen” in barnes & noble earlier because i have a big crush on hannah hart and mostly wanted to just flip through and look at screenshots from her videos

in her “breakups” section she writes that when she’s bummed out she doesn’t eat much but still tries to make herself eat because “i find being thin rather gross” and “i like hugs, and if i got thin, when people hug me i would make them uncomfortable”

like wooooow hannah hart thanks for the affirmation of that lovely ever-looming fear i have that people are disgusted by the thought of touching me thanks!!!!!!so much

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Charles Shaw Red Shiraz Blend

Charles Shaw Shiraz Blend (Two Buck Chuck!)- $2.99 (Heh, ain’t that some shit)

(Again, apologies for the lack of photos.. I did a lot of “research” before I lost my phone which held all of my precious wine tasting pics.)

What attracted me to this wine: Trader Joes have slowly been popping up here in Florida and everyone is running around like Wacky Inflatable Dancing Men screaming about $2 wine and Cookie Butter.. So like.. I HAD to.

First taste: Maybe I had high hopes that this would be our little miracle. Maybe it was the wacky inflatable dancing people that convinced me I’d be in heaven. I’m experiencing some pangs of disappointment. Not impressed. I’m detecting notes of Grape Medicine and gravel road and I didn’t care for those flavors individually to start.

Final Thoughts: You know there’s news when I let a bottle go bad after just one glass. If you live close to a TJ’s and want to get drunk for a couple bucks, then by all means, go for it. But you might be better off just grabbing a mini-bar portion of fireball whiskey and save yourself some time and trouble. My Trader Joes parking lot is a battle ground so my incentive is lacking.. though I still want to try some other varietals because there is still a little gleam of hope inside me wanting to dance around in pure glee over an enjoyable $2(.99) bottle of wine… but ol’ Chucky Shiraz Blend will not likely be hangin’ with Captain Swag again.

Cheers!

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Wedding Season

You know it was a good wedding when you spill wine in your hair..

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Clearly.

I’m not having a glass of wine!  I’m having SIX.

[watch it here]

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Salton Tannat

Salton Classic Tannat (Brazil) - $10-$12

(Sorry for the horrible photo quality. I kinda, sorta lost my phone in Miami during some bachelorette shenanigans. Standard.)

What attracted me to this wine: I've never had a Tannat before and a friend sent this to me so I was excited to try.

First taste: Maybe not a beginner’s bottle if you typically reach for spiked fruit juice. Medium bodied with noticeable tannins and some pretty intense flavors. After breathing a while the tannins soften but the flavor is still complex- mixing dark berry flavors, a little pepper and, this sounds odd, but leaves. {Why is it that that’s a compliment in the wine world? Wine is like that weird hippy Aunt that considers dirt a delicacy, for real.} 

Hear me out- Something about the taste reminded me of the smell that lingers after a rain shower in the fall; all the crunchy leaves on the ground are damp and fragrant, the air is cool but thick and the world looks kind of muddy but there’s a certain comfort about that. 

So I’m not crazy. Somebody bottled up that scent into a flavor and now you want to taste it. Hippy.

Final Thoughts: This wine may come with a pre-requisite for appreciating more earthy, complex wines. This isn’t the common movie-night wine but it would be an excellent compliment to a rich, gamey meat like Venison, Lamb or Duck (I don’t think “Duck Hunt” on Nintendo is the same thing, but, hats off to you if you’re tryin it).

Also- Here’s an image that’s not awkwardly taken from my iPad if you so desire:

Cheers!

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Oliver Hill Red Silk Shiraz

It's apparently “National Drink Wine Day” which at first I thought was cool, then a little redundant, and then just…no! I really kind of find offense to the idea that someone, somewhere decided just one day should be dedicated to something we have a plethora of justifications for doing daily. Here’s a suggestion: Why not a National Abstain From Wine Day where we all go one day without wine to remind ourselves of how lackluster life could be and appreciate the vino just a little bit more? I mean, is there a flaw in my logic?

Rant over. Here’s what you need:

Oliver Hill Red Silk Shiraz - $15 - $22 various websites, $8 glass at a wine bar

What attracted me to this wine: Admittedly, this is not a wine I found at a grocery store and I’ve even had trouble finding it at a wine store due to an apparently low yield.. but the name on a wine list intrigued me. With a name like “red silk” I had to try it out.

First taste: Most literally, the first time I had this wine I opened my “notes” app on my phone, typed out the name and wrote “smoooooooth” next to it. I mean Holy Mother of Heavenly Sins in my mouth THIS SHIT IS MY JAM! It is a deeep dark Shiraz with the silky blend of blackberries, currants, pepper and a real healthy dose of sexy that makes your tongue feel like you’ve wrapped it in a fur blanket and just let it snuggle there for a while.

Final Thoughts: This baby rings true to its name and that’s why I HAD to put this review up even though it’s not the most accessible wine (which I really truly want this blog to explore). I have seen this on more than one wine list, though, so my hope is that if a beginner wino reads this, at the very least, they may see the name while out and feel comfortable ordering. And if you like a hearty red that will make you want to lounge on a leather couch in a dimly lit bar, you should feel very confident in ordering an Oliver Hill Red Silk.

Cheers!

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Watching legends do it up in NYC with a nice cool Kabinett. #SNL40 #JimCarreywasmyfirstlove #KabinettRiesling

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Happy Valentine's Day friends. Share a drink with someone you love, whoever that may be. #valentinesday #sparkelingrose

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Schmitt Söhne Riesling

Frustrated that I haven’t gotten to write in so long. Between holidays, weddings, a new job and a birthday, I’ve been a bit distracted. But I’m back with a fresh review on my favorite white varietal in a familiar blue bottle…

Schmitt Söhne Riesling - $9.99 @ Publix

Hell yeah that’s a personalized wine glass for the blog. Only because I got the literal best gifts ever this Christmas.

What attracted me to this wine: Don’t underestimate a wine with a big ‘ol bargain sticker on it. This Riesling is from Germany which is known to produce the most beautifully sweet Riesling grapes.

First taste: This isn’t exactly the kind of wine that would impress a snob pre-sip.. pale yellow and not much to the nose.. but does that crap really matter if the taste is enjoyable? Refreshing and crisp, this is such a wonderfully versatile wine. In my mouth (my favorite party venue) it has apricot and honey flavors and leaves behind a taste that’s kind of reminiscent of an Arnold Palmer. 

Final thoughts: Enjoy this wine with seafood, salty snacks or some cheese and honey *if you’re feeling ritzy* but it’s also just great to have on hand as a party staple. When it’s sold at $10 for a LITER and it’s easy drinking, it’s a good idea to keep at least one handy in your liqueur cabinet (or nightstand) for whenever an occasion calls.

Cheers!