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Cheers2Wine News - January 2010
January 13, 2010
Cheers from Steve and Kathy Howe!




" Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It's culture. It's the essence of civilization and the art of living."

Robert Mondavi





Creative Ideas for Valentine's Day

Do something different to make this Valentine's Day memorable. Consider these ideas:

Idea #1 - Make Your Own Valentine.
Instead of rushing off to the store to buy a valentine card, make your own. It will be much more meaningful than a generic card you purchase at a store. Your hand-made valentine could be a card, banner, poster, love letter, or even a book of memories. You might find a container you could fill with small pieces of heart shaped papers. On each paper write down things you love about him or her. Be creative...the possibilities are endless!

Idea #2 - Use Candles.
It's amazing what a romantic effect is created from the glow of candles. You can scatter candles around a room, make a trail of candles leading to a specific area, arrange the candles in the shape of a heart, or simply have a pair of candles on a table. You might want to cut out heart shaped papers, write on each a reason you love him or her, and place beneath each candle. It takes just a little bit of time and creativity to plan unique ideas for Valentine's Day.

Click Here for MORE UNIQUE IDEAS







5 Great Wines Under 20 Dollars


By Matt Coughlin

The following wines are all considered 90+ point wines, and all have been rated highly by various sources. They are all different varieties, from different regions, but they have one thing in common. They can all be found for under $20. Don't spend a fortune on wine this holiday season before you try these winners:

1. Sh. Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling, 2007

This is my favorite Riesling bar none. It is made in Columbia Valley, Washington, and exhibits the crisp acidity typical to the region (2007 was the best year for this type of wine in over 5 years). Orange and lime aromas and flavors are present, along with mineral notes. Rated highly by Wine Enthusiast, Connoisseurs Guide, and many others, this Riesling will not disappoint. Serve this paired with a crab dinner and I promise you will have some happy guests.

2. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Produced in Marlborough, New Zealand, this wines citrus and tropical fruit nose is accented by the traditional New Zealand herbal notes. Nice acidity balances the sweet passion fruit with a crisp finish. The Kim Crawford 2008 Sauvignon Blanc can be found online for under $15. Pair this with shrimp, scallops, oysters, crab, or smoked fish!

3. Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Geyser Peak is known for great Cabs, and this is one of their best. It has everything I like in a big, lively Cabernet: bright, fruit forward character balanced by oak. Black cherry and blackberry dominate the aromas, with underlying dark chocolate and spice notes. The palate is well-rounded, with berry fruits paired with vanilla and a hit of spice. It has a nice long, lingering finish. Pairs well with a hearty steak dinner.

4. Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs

You will notice that this rose` is the only sparkling wine on my list. To be honest, I don't drink sparkling wines very often, but I really did enjoy this Napa Valley sparkler, and it was very well received at my last dinner party. So, here it is! It is an 8% Chardonnay, 92% Pinot blend, light-bodied, with a pink color. It exhibits cherry and strawberry aromas, lemon, cherry, and cola flavors, carbonated, with a lasting finish. It has been rated a 94 by Wine News and a 90 by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. A great carbonated party sipper!

5. Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz 2006

This Australian red boasts high ratings by every major source, along with a complex aroma of plumb and raspberry cut by pepper, spice, and chocolatey oak. The palate's jamminess is offset by a subtle spiciness, fine tannins, and chocolate. It has a nice long finish. Pair this Shiraz with a big, bold lamb chop or meat stew for full effect.

I could really go on and on reviewing the fantastic wines that can be found for under $20, but I would soon be out of room in this article and fast asleep at my computer, so these five will have to do for now. Search the net or your local wine store for these five excellent picks, and feel free to send me your own recommendations.

Cheers!

- Matt from [https://Wine-In-A-Glass.com]Wine-In-A-Glass.com

- Matt is an author on EzineArticles. He has published many articles online and in print about various wine and food topics. View his website for more wine tips and information.





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13th Annual Wine and Chocolate Weekend

Make your plans now! Spend Valentine�s Day weekend, February 13 & 14, 2010 in Lodi Wine Country sipping delicious, handcrafted wines during the 13th annual Wine & Chocolate extravaganza event! Taste delicious Lodi wines and decadent chocolates from 40 wineries in the Lodi Appellation. Be the lucky one to unwrap the �Golden Ticket� at any participating winery and win a Wine Country Getaway or one of over 100 other prizes.
Click here for MORE INFORMATION





Champagne or Sparkling Wine?

By Evelyn Whitaker

Many people don't realize it, but there is a difference between sparkling wine and real champagne. Champagne is only champagne if it comes from a certain area of France and it actually says "Champagne" on the label.

Beside the fact that Champagne is only made in France, there are other strict guidelines to how Champagne is made.

Unlike most wines, champagne goes through a secondary fermentation process which is done in the bottle. That's what causes natural carbon dioxide gas to get caught inside. This trapped co2 is what causes the bubbles.

Sparkling wines do not go through a secondary fermentation process. Sparkling wine is made from regular wine with co2 injections. This is done the same way as when they make coke or any other type of soda.

But does sparkling wine taste the same as champagne? The answer to this is that they may taste close, but the real difference can be told with a taste test. Champagne is bubblier and a bit lighter and sparkling wines will always carry a taste from the region they are from. Most people tend to prefer the real champagne.

The best way to chill champagne is not in the freezer, but rather in the refrigerator for not more than a couple of days. Better yet, 30 minutes before you are ready to drink the champagne, put it in a champagne cooler that is filled with equal parts ice and water and chill.

When you are ready to open the bottle, make sure that it is always pointed away from yourself and anyone else. To be on the safe side, keep your thumb on top of the cork and with your other hand separate the wire from the bottle. Hold the cork and top part of the bottle firmly in your hand while holding the bottom of the bottle with your other hand. Slowly turn the bottom of the bottle. You do not want the cork to pop, but in case it does and champagne comes pouring out of the bottle do not turn the bottle upright, but rather at an angle which will stop the flow of champagne.

So how do you know what to look for when choosing your champagne? Assess the bubbles. How many are there, how big are they and how fine are the beads? A young champagne will have lots of bubbles where as an older champagne will have less bubbles. Vintage champagne is any champagne that has a date on the label. It means all the grapes were picked in that same year. Non vintage champagne is a mix of various years and a mix of different kinds of grapes.

Labels can tell you more than whether the champagne is a vintage or not. You can also tell how dry the champagne is. For example, "Brut" is the driest of champagnes with almost no residual sugars. Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry and Dry are the four different levels of dryness you can get. It can be misleading because by the time you get to "Dry" you are actually drinking champagne which is more on the sweet side. What type of glass should you use to drink champagne from? It all depends on how many bubbles you want your champagne to have. Narrower glasses or flutes keep the bubbles in the best. If you were to pour champagne from a flute to a martini glass, you would see almost of all the bubbles disappear. But this does not mean your champagne has gone flat. Pour it back into the flute and the bubbles will come back.

Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for German Toasting Glasses https://www.german-toasting-glasses.com which specializes in custom engraved wedding gifts from Germany.

Article Source: [https://EzineArticles.com/?Champagne-or-Sparkling-Wine?&id;=644038] Champagne or Sparkling Wine?




Wine Tasting Coupons

Print Your Own Wine Tasting Coupons...for Free!
As a subscriber to Cheers 2 Wine News you can access our pages of free wine tasting coupons. Some of these coupons allow you to taste for free while others let 2 people sample wine for the price of 1. The password for these pages is:


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Check out Cheers 2 Wine to print free wine tasting coupons for a variety of California wineries.






Cooking With Wine Recipes

"I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food."

W.C. Fields



Best Lasagna Recipe



This lasagne recipe is a long-time family favorite. Serve with a tossed green salad and garlic bread. This is a dish that is easy to make ahead, freeze, and serve later.

Wine Pairing with this Lasagne Recipe: Lasagne is an Italian food. Stick with the Italian theme and select a nice Barbera from the Piedmont Region of Italy such as Vietti 2004 Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne. This dry, medium bodied wine will enhance the rich cheesy flavors of the lasagne.

Ingredients:
1 medium chopped red onion
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1/2 cup of water
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
2 teaspoons basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon of pepper and sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounces of lasagne noodles
1 lb. ricotta cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese (sliced)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions for Lasagna Recipe:
1. Saute the minced onion until soft.
2. Add hamburger and garlic to the onion. Cook until meat is browned.
3. Add and stir: tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, water, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and sugar.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer slowly for 90 minutes.
5. Cook noodles according to the directions on the box.
6. Lay 1/3 of the noodles in the bottom of a 9X13 inch baking dish.
7. Cover with 1/3 of the meat mixture.
8. Top with 1/3 of the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.
9. Repeat 2 more times so that all ingredients are used.
10. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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