Cheers from Steve & Kathy Howe
"A meal without wine is like a life without love.
Anonymous
What's in this issue?
Print the lastest wine tasting coupons.
Top Thanksgiving Wines
November Wine Events in California
Unique Gifts for Wine Drinkers
Recipe: French Onion Soup Au Gratin
Recipe: Giblet Gravy
Wine Tasting Coupons
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Top Picks for Thanksgiving Wines
The holidays will be here soon. Learn about the top choices for Thanksgiving wines to serve with your dinner. You can probably find these wines at a local wine shop. They are also available to purchase online. Why not arrange for convenient delivery right to your doorstep?
Consider having a variety of wines to go with your Thanksgiving feast. I'd recommend a sparkling wine as well as at least one red and one white wine choice.
Sparkling Wines Sparkling Wines are perfect for celebrating with family and friends. Make a toast to all that you are thankful for with one of these fabulous Thanksgiving Wines.
Gosset NV Brut Excellence Aromas of pear and honeysuckle perfume the bouquet. This is a beautifully balanced champagne with a long, expressive finish. Gosset only uses juice from the first and best pressing of grapes, and unlike most other producers, initial fermentation is still carried out in small oak barrels. Their efforts result in an amazing Champagne....one of the best we've tasted. A delightful Thanksgiving Wine. ($36.99)
Roederer Estate NV Brut One of the best Bruts made in America. Combines the opulence of new world fruit with the finesses of French winemaking. Roederer Estate Brut is made from 100% estate grapes grown in Northern California's cool Anderson Valley. In true Roederer style, this blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is selected from their reserve wines and is oak aged. Light gold with coppery tinges, the Roederer Estate Brut is unusually complex for a California sparkler. Beautifully balanced, the wine has a creamy mouth feel and long, elegant finish. ($19.99)
Greg Norman Estates NV Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir - Champagne & Sparkling The wine is a pale straw green in color and it has a very fine, yet persistent bead. On the nose there are lifted strawberry, citrus and nutty aromas with just a hint of sherbet character. On the palate it is a medium to full bodied style with generous stonefruit and citrus flavors and a very smooth, yet generous finish. ($16.49)
Top Pinot Noir Choices
Pinot Noir is the traditional favorite red wine to serve with Thanksgiving dinner. Pinot Noir complements a variety of dishes making it a top Thanksgiving wine selection.
Golden Eye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2007
Balanced acidity, layers of complexity and firm tannins make for an impressive Pinot Noir. Flavors of berries, mushrooms, and chocolate that will go well that your Thanksgiving turkey.($42.99)
Hartford Court Lands Edge Pinot Noir 2007
This is a "True Sonoma Coast" Pinot Noir. Beautifully balanced. Remarkably silky with flavors of berries, cola, licorice, and cedar. A luscious wine that gives you something to be thankful for!($39.99)
BearBoat Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007
This Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir has rich flavors of sweet red currants. It's medium bodied with soft tannins. Enjoy the silky texture of this Pinot at a bargain price. ($13.99)
Sauvignon Blanc Lighter than Sauvignon Blanc usually has a grassy citrus aroma. Flavors range from apple, pear, green tea, limes and freshly mowed grass. You can often detect a little smokiness. This white wine is a great match with turkey and herb-filled stuffing. You will enjoy this Thanksgiving Wine.
Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009
This Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand has generous flavors of tropical fruit. It is well balanced with a long refreshing finish. An enticing wine for your Thanksgiving meal. ($13.99)
Dom. Francis Blanchet Pouilly Fume Cuvee Silice 2008
This outstanding Sauvignon Blanc is from Loire, France. A distinctive wine with citrus and floral flavors and a wonderfully persistant finish. Sure to be a holiday hit! ($19.99)
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2009
If you want to try a Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, this is it! Exquisite flavors of chive, thyme, lime, and apple with a lovely finish. ($14.99)
November Wine Events in California

November 2010
November 4-7: Big Sur Food & Wine Festival
November 5-15: Mendocino Wine & Mushroom Festival
November 6-7: Harvest Celebration - Temecula
November 12-14 Great Wine Escape Weekend - Monterey
November 13-14: First Sip - Lodi Wine Weekend
November 17-21: San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
If you have an upcoming wine event, you'd like us to list, please contact us.
Unique Gifts for Wine Drinkers
It's always exciting to find a unique gift for the people you are shopping for. We think these gift ideas would be perfect for those special people on your shopping list!
1. Wine
A bottle or two of wine is always appreciated by wine lovers. A bottle of his or her favorite wine or a totally new discovery is always a fun experience. Choose a wine recommended by us. Or do your own wine search:
2. Wine Decanters
A beautiful wine decanter would make a lovely gift for someone who loves wine. Old wines need a few moments of decanting before serving to ensure that the wines clarity and brillance are not obscured by any deposits that might have developed over time. Decanting gives younger wines the oxygen they need to soften before serving.
3. Wine Refrigerators & Wine Cellars
People serious about wine are interested in protecting their by storing it properly for aging and for serving. There are a variety of products to choose from that will your needs and budget.
4. Wine Opener Buy a practical gift that wine drinkers will use over and over again. There are a wide variety of wine openers to choose from. Some are simple while others are ornate or even high tech. A wonderful choice for those who drink wine.
5. Wine Stemware
Buy wine glasses for the wine lover on your list who will appreciate beautiful glasses in which to enjoy his or her favorite wine. Did you know that you can enhance the flavor of your wine by serving it in glasses especially designed for that type of wine?
6. Vinturi Aerator
You'll find that the wine has a better bouquet, improved flavors, and a smoother finish. Enjoy better wine in seconds with this amazing wine gadget that is convenient and easy to use.
7. Wine Stix
We saw people using Wine Stix at a winery concert and had to have our own. Insert these stix into the ground while at beach, picnic, or other outdoor event. Stix will hold a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. No more spilled wine!
8. Wine Spectator Subscription
Give the gift that continues giving month after month. Each issue is packed full of information on wine, but also includes advice on restaurants, travel and entertaining that you absolutely do not want to miss.
Updated 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
French Onion Soup au Gratin
I wanted to share this recipe with you because it is the best French Onion Soup I've ever eaten. Check out Robert Jackson's other gourmet food recipes at his web site,
A site devoted to SIMPLE & CONVENIENT solutions for cooking and serving gourmet food in the home......for time stretched individuals who truly enjoy good food and stylish entertaining.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 oz. butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 level teaspoon granulated sugar
4 cups good beef broth
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons Cognac
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the Croutons:
French bread or baguette, cut into 1 inch diagnol slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
To Serve:
6 large or 12 small croutons (see above)
4 oz. grated Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
1. Place a large, heavy based saucepan over a high heat and melt the oil and butter together (being careful not to let the butter burn).
2. Add the onions, garlic, and sugar and using a wooden spoon continue turning the onions over for 5 or 6 minutes until they start to turn a rich, golden brown.
3. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes to reach the caramelization stage. Continue to occasionally turn the onions over during this time.
4. Now pour in the white wine and beef broth. Season well with salt and freshly milled black pepper.
5. Turn up the heat and continue stirring scraping the base of the pan to release the caramel. Once it comes back to a boil, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and leave to cook very gently for about an hour.
6. Finally, adjust the seasoning and turn off the heat.
At this point you could cool the mixture completely and refrigerate overnight.
Make the croutons:
7. Preheat the oven to 350F.
8. Drizzle the olive oil over a large, solid baking sheet. Add the crushed garlic and use your hands to spread the oil and garlic evenly.
9. Spread the slices of bread on the tray and press down lightly to absorb the oil. Turn the slices over and repeat.
10. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Put to one side while you finish the soup.
To serve:
11.If you refrigerated the soup overnight, bring the chilled soup back to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the Cognac and check the seasoning.
12. Preheat the broiler/grill to high.
13. Ladle the soup into 6 individual (pre-warmed) heatproof soup bowls.
14. Place 1 large or 2 small crotons on top of each bowl allowing them to float. Sprinkle generously with the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.
15. Finally pop the whole lot under the grill and leave until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Carefully remove from the grill and place the bowls on underplates. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
This will make 6 servings.
Giblet Brown Gravy
This simple yet impressive gravy is another recipe from Robert's web site,Gourmet Food Revolution.
It's the perfect accompaniment to any roast poultry dish. On his web site you can find complete menus that use this gravy as one of the side dishes.
1 pint giblet stock (recipe follows)
1/2 to 1 oz. white flour
1 glass of red wine, or 1/2 glass port wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon red currant jelly
1 teaspoon Maggi or Bovril seasoning, or to taste
Knob of butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Make the giblet sauce. (Robert claims that this is the secret ingredient for a really good Giblet Brown Gravy.
1. Wash the giblets and shake dry. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan, add giblets, a roughly chopped onion, 2 chopped stalks of celery, and a chopped carrot. Fry over medium heat until golden brown. 3. Take pan off the heat and add enough water to cover generously. Bring back to boil and skim off the top until clear. 4. Pop in a bay leaf and a couple of fresh herb stalks. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, until reduced by half.
Finish the gravy
1. Using the pan that the poultry has been roasted in, tip off almost all of the fat, leaving behind about 2 tablespoons, plus all of the wonderful juices.
2. Put the pan back on low heat. Gradually mix in the flour a little at a time using a wooden spoon. Make sure that you scrape all of the crunchy brown bits inside the pan into the mix.
3. Now slowly add the stock, mixing each addition with a whisk to keep it smooth. Keep adding the stock until the desired consistency is achieved (if you run short of stock, add more water, instead).
4. Bring the gravy back to simmer, whisking as you do. Add the red wine or Port, redcurrant jelly and Worcestershire Sauce. Stir well.
5. Now season to taste with Maggi or Bovril and finally salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
6. Adjust the consistency again if needed by adding more liquid if the gravy is too thick or simmer longer if it's too thin. Add a knob of butter and stir until smooth and glossy.
7. Finally, strain the gravy through a sieve into a warmed gravy boat or jug and serve hot..
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