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New Wine Tasting Coupons from Cheers2Wine
January 25, 2010
Cheers from Steve and Kathy Howe!




" "Wine makes a symphony of a good meal."

Fernande Garvin, The Art of French Cooking



New Wine Tasting Coupons

We've recently added lots of free wine tasting coupons to Cheers2Wine.com. Some are 2 for 1 coupons while other are good for complimentary wine tasting. Print Coupons

Coupons for Complimentary Wine Tasting

Hagafen Cellars, Napa (expires 12/31/10)
Arrowood, Sonoma
Chandell of Sonoma
Family Wineries, Sonoma
Hanna Winery, Sonoma
Hauck Cellars, Sonoma
Kendall Jackson, Sonoma
Stonestreet Estate, Sonoma
EOS Estate, Paso Robles (expires 12/31/10)
Vihuela Winery, Paso Robles
Wild Horse, Paso Robles
Fess Parker, Santa Barbara
Orfila Vineyards, San Diego

Napa 2 for 1 Coupons

Print 2 for 1 Coupons
Andretti Winery (expires 3/13/3008)
Black Stallion Winery
Castello di Amorosa
Charbay Winery
Franciscan Winery
Girard Winery
Goosecross Cellars
Hall Wines
Hess Collection
Louis Martini
O'Brien Winery
Mumm Cellars
Sequoia Grove
V. Sattui
Whitehall Lane
William Hill

Sonoma 2 for 1

Print 2 for 1 Coupons
Anaba Wines
B.R. Cohn Winery
Clos du Bois
Dry Creek Vineyard
Ferrari-Cariano
Gallo Family
Mayo Family
Ravenswood Family

Central Coast 2 for 1

Print 2 for 1 Coupons
Beauregard Vineyards, Santa Cruz (expires 1/1/14)
Cottonwood Canyon, Santa Maria
Sort This Out Cellars, Solvang

Temecula 2 for 1

Print 2 for 1 Coupons
Falkner Winery
Weins Family Cellars
Wilson Creek
Temecula Winegrowers - 2 for 1 coupons for multiple wineries



How to Choose a Good Bottle of Wine For Your Next Dinner

By Caterina Christakos


Not all wines are created equal. That should be obvious. The first clue is if it comes in a box, it is more like fruit punch with a kick than a good wine. Wines have different tastes depending on several factors like:

  • The area that it is from
  • The age of the wine
  • How the wine was stored.
Choosing a bottle of wine to drink with your meal is dependent on the type of meal that you are enjoying. Typically fish and chicken is better served with a nice white wine. There are exceptions of course. If the chicken is prepared in a red wine, then going for a red wine to drink with the meal would be more appropriate. If you are going for a white wine, you can try a chardonnay for a smoother taste. Or if you prefer a sweet wine go for a Riesling.

If you are eating meats like steak or ribs then go for a red wine. It will bring out the flavor of the meat. Cabernets are typically heartier while Merlots tend to be a bit more mellow. If you want a particularly hearty glass of wine you may want to try a Bordeaux. For a wine with a bit of spice and kick at the end, try a Shiraz.

The main thing to remember is that your food and wine should compliment each other. You do not want one to overpower the other. Also if you are serving several different wines during dinner there is a general rule of thumb to follow:

  • 1) Serve dryer wines before sweeter ones.
  • 2) Serve lighter wines before more full bodied ones.
  • 3) Serve the wines with the highest alcohol content at the end. The food will absorb more of the alcohol and they will leave feeling good and less tipsy.
Your meal and wine choices should build momentum. That is why most restaurants serve appetizers then an entr�e then dessert. You are building up to the typically heaviest portion of the meal. The same can be said for your wine choices. Start off subtly to awaken the palate and then build on that. For dessert you should serve a sweet after dinner wine or drink. You are pairing the wines with each course and they should match in lightness or heartiness depending on the food and the wine.

If you are about to have a dinner party, why not have a test run. Create the dishes and choose your wines. Test it out with your partner or a good friend. You can see honestly if the pairings work, while perfecting each dish. And then when your actual dinner party occurs you can feel confident that there will be no complaint about the food or wine selections. At the end of the day, all they will be able to talk about is how fabulous it all was, and that is something any host can be proud of.

Caterina Christakos is a published author and reviewer. Read her latest reviews of wine of the month clubs and wine tours.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caterina_Christakos




Order Your Valentine Wine Now

Valentine�s Day gifts at Wine.com



90 point wines under $20 at Wine.com. Shop Now!




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





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:


cheers2wine2006


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 Minestrone Recipe



Cheers2Wine is pleased to bring you the best minestrone recipe. The sausage and Zinfandel in the soup adds to the intensely rich flavors of this easy minestrone soup recipe.

Whenever I make this for friends or relatives, they always request the recipe. It really is a delicious soup.



Wine Pairing: Serve the same Zinfandel with this minestrone that you used in the soup. Consider Renwood Grandmere Zinfandel is a must-try Zinfandel. Enticing aromas of vanilla, caramel, raspberry, hazelnut, and spices. This is generously flavored wine with ripe fruit, toasted oak, and spice. Soft tannins lead to a lasting finish of vanilla and caramel.


Ingredients:
1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 chopped onion
3 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 quarts chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon dried basil
� cup Zinfandel
2 cups large shell-shaped pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh grated or shaved parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1. Squeeze sausages from casings into a large pan. Cook until brown and crumbly, approximately 10 minutes. Discard fat.
2. Add carrots, onion, zucchini, and garlic. Cook for about 6 minutes until onions are soft.
3. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, basil, and Zinfandel. Bring to a boil.
4. Add pasta. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes until pasta is tender.
5. Add salt and pepper. Serve into bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

This will make 12 servings.

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