What is this new wine craze that has stormed retail wine stores’ across the country? Beautifully packaged wines with names called Chocolate Shop and Cocoa Di Vine and Espresso Flavored Cherry have gained national retail distribution and attention recently. Consumers’ that may already have a sweet tooth, can select from thousands of wine labels and now roughly between 10 and 12 different branded chocolate wines in the US market.

About ten years ago, such a product would not have been considered or even taken seriously from a retailers’ point of view. Today, this opinion has changed and retailers’ want to keep as many fast selling products on the retail shelves, as trends continue to change on the consumer end and also on the palate preference of US consumers.  Women spend roughly 8 years of their waking lives shopping and 80% of the foot traffic in fine wine shops across this country tends to be female driven.

Get a retailers’ opinion. Many retailers in Harford County, for example, have redesigned their business floor plan and merchandised aisles to create a welcoming atmosphere for working women and stay at home Moms to enjoy the shopping experience in a clean, welcoming environment.

This shift/change toward shop ability and comfort tends to keep people longer in the store, so they will feel comfortable and well served. Free wine tastings and seminars are offered at many of these in store venues and center on a central wine themed topic.  The free wine tastings provide a “girls night in,” approach to not only socializing but also sampling the wine to see if it is enjoyed or not.

And who would refuse liquid chocolate infused wine in a glass? Just pump it into a free vein and drip away. Currently, the selections of Chocolate Wine are so vast and diversified in a wine shop, the choices are overwhelming. With Valentine’s Day, less than two weeks away, and so many options out there, take some guesswork out of the selection and start first with an attractive label design.

Then focus on the taste and style of the chocolate wine. The first chocolate wine to enter the US market was Chocó Vine, imported from Holland. The foundation of the wine was more driven toward a chocolate base, with rich chocolate imported from Holland and then infused with an undisclosed red wine base. Various flavors of the product were later added, like cherry and espresso.  Shortly after the success of Chocó Vine, another decadent formulation of chocolate wine reached the US marketplace. This brand was called Cocoa Vino.

Cocoa Vino is produced in the US. In Temperance, Michigan and uses only fresh dairy cream from Wisconsin and a creamy textured chocolate.  The red wine is added in later and the result is a sultry and creamy chocolate decadent wine. Cocoa Vino comes in three flavors presently, Cherry, Mint and yummy chocolate. The average retail price is $10.99 per bottle.

The Cocoa Di Vine is my personal favorite chocolate wine to enter the US market this year. The chocolate wine is produced in Wisconsin and contains a rich fusion of moscato and port together with two-part dairy cream and one of the most ornate upscale bottle designs produced in the premium chocolate line so far, this year.

Then to contrast all of the rich smooth and velvety textured dessert wine selections, the newest Chocolate Shop release to enter this market is made in Washington State. The Chocolate Shop is intriguing in the approach to this new chocolate wine lover’s craze, because the product is more wine based and drinkable with food, with a slightly port- wine like finish with wisps of raspberry and chocolate cherry essence. The Chocolate Shop tastes like fortified wine with a chocolate cherry finish.  Chocolate Shop is produced in Wala Wala, Washington and currently makes on annual production of 50,000 cases of this new Chocolate Shop creation and retails for $13.99 per bottle.

So, dive into a bottle of chocolate decadence today and start preparing the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, liquid chocolate wine for under $15.  What a great gift and two ways achieved to satisfy the holiday, chocolate and wine combined.

- Kimberly Noon

A brand of wine called One Hope, produced and bottled by Michael Mondavi, in California is one brand of wine that directly donates proceeds from each bottle sale to respective charities and causes. The One Hope wine brand is aptly nicknamed “wines for a cause.”  The conept was crafted by a group of friends living in California who had lost a classmate to cancer in 2007. The group banned together and contacted Michael Mondavi to develop and market a series of wines across the country to raise community awarness for 5 main causes.  Mondavi crafted a soft and lightly oaked chardonnay to benefit breast cancer, the medium and slightly fruit forward merlot was made to benefit the Aids Foundation and a long lingering and spicy Zinfandel made to benefit the military and the crisp citrus bound herbal sauvingnon blanc with proceeds to directly benefit the Arbor Day Foundation. All of the wines retail on average for $9.99 per bottle and a  charitable wristband comes free with every single bottle purchase.  The wines are distributed in Maryland since June of last year and availible at select retail wine and liquor locations.

Local Maryland Resident Comes out of Retirement to Sell Wine and Ready Made Cocktails

When Scott Folkins retired from Proctor and Gamble, he met a group of ladies who wanted to help people in need. The women donate a portion of their profits to local charities. The charity they chose at the time Folkins met them was The Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc. in Baltimore as their charity. The name of the wine crafted for this purpose is called Fair Hare Wines, a small boutique winery crafted at Brutaco Vineyards in Hopland, California.  The wines are crafted in 4 easy styles to enjoy and begin with a mildly oaked Chardonnay.  A soft blended Simply Red Wine is comprised of flavors of wild red berries, underscored by peppery spice and cedar. The Simply Red is a blend of three grape varietals, cabernet, merlot and primitivo. The wine also is availible in Zinfandel, a full bodied and spicy wine with flavors of smokey blueberry. The most popular grape varietal of the Fair Hare Wine is a full bodied Cabernet with a rich and long lingering mouthfeel of flavor with smooth berry, soft tannins and light oak.  Scott Folkins initially retired from Practor and Gamble and started a small beverage company, called CWAVE Beverages LLC. CWAVE Beverages makes ready-to-drink cocktails in 1.75 liter plastic pouches.  Today, Caribbean Wave Premium Island Cocktails are made from  authentic recipes crafted from bartenders’ Scott met when he visited the Caribbean. Caribbean Wave Cocktails run promotional programs with retailers where a portion of the proceeds are donated to charity. CWAVE Beverages, LLC. has elected the Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc. in Baltimore as their Maryland Charity. Caribbean Wave,  Cool Runnin’ Vodka Cocktail is currently ready for sale in Maryland liquor stores, along with a Goombay Punch Rum Cocktail, to release this April. Scott’s Caribbean Wave Premium Island Cocktails, while new to the market, are availible presently in the Ready to Drink Chill and Pour Pouch in Vodka. His Caribbean Wave Rum Punch Bag will be ready for distribution in April of 2012. The Bags will retail for between $15.99 and $17.99 per pouch for a 1.75 ml pouch.

Shortly after Scott released the ready made Caribbean Wave products into the Maryland market, he took his friends’ advice and started to get into the wine business. The idea to pursue non for profit fund raising he credits to some good advice he took from his close friends and Shirley Howard.  The women even designed the Fair Hare Wine label through creative design concepts. These ladies wanted to help people in need. They donate a portion of their profits to local charities. They chose the Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc. in Baltimore as their charity. Shirley Howard started a non for profit out of home in 1973 for this purpose.

Back in 1973, cancer afflicted children were mainstreamed and kept in the same wards as other sick children. Due to their weakened immune systems, cancer afflicted children were dying quickly, unable to recover from basic fralities, when exposed to sick children with uncomprised immune systems. Some nurses in the 1970s thought that to separate the cancer afflicted children into separate wards’ could help prolong their life and strengthen their immunity.  Scott’s colleague, Shirley Howard, started a non for profit out of home in 1973 to help raise funds to build these early cancer wards for children throughout the country. In her lifetime, Shirley Howard has raised 38 million dollars to build cancer wards for sick children since 1973.

Last year Scott Folkins said Caribbean Wave supported “United Way of Calvert County Mardi Gras Fund Raising Event, and the continued mission of 2012 will be to set aside a portion of company sales  to benefit other charitable organizations.

In closing, I could not help but think what an incredible group of humble human beings, giving back on so many levels and enriching the lives of sick children. Folkins indicated to me more than once, he was blessed with an incredible career and the ability to enjoy this phase of his life and semi-retirement.

End.

When I think of Thanksgiving, my thoughts turn to Nonna basting hot turkey in the oven and hot apple pie racks cooling.  One more thought comes to mind, the thought of an abundant local harvest full of fresh vegetables, cheese, freshly baked breads and locally made crafts.

In anticipation of the fall harvest, and respect to the pilgrimage of the first Americans who harvested the summer crops to produce an abundance of food, adorn your holiday table this Thanksgiving with local wines from Harford and Baltimore Counties.

The local wineries’ I interviewed recently have created scrumptious recipes and worked hard to explain how to pair the wines they recommend with food.

My journey started at Boordy Vineyards, in Hydes, in Baltimore County. Boordy Vineyards is owned by Julie and Rob Deford and first opened its doors in 1945.  Since its first opening, Boordy produces over 20 styles and varieties of wines. I recently attended one of Boordy’s summer concerts and was amazed at the selection of food options at the winery festival. The recipes crafted at Boordy seemed innovative and also paired well with the wine I sampled at the concert. I did not realize it at the time, the tasting room manager at Boordy Vineyards is also a pastry chef with a culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America. (CIA) Allison Leono specializes in pairing wine with food and has decided to share some of her culinary delights with us. Allison selects a wine then crafts her recipe around the flavors and the aroma of the food she is making.  “Thanksgiving is a great meal to create; Allison went on, because all of the wines at Boordy, are made for the table.” The comparison Allison makes refers to the food friendly character of select Boordy Wines.

Complimentary Food Pairings

Allison explained when deciding which wines to serve with a holiday meal, think about the flavors of the food you are serving first, and then focus on the contrast of flavors you want to accentuate. This Thanksgiving, Allison has created her Sourdough stuffing with sausage, apples and golden raisins. The Vidal Blanc is a naturally semi sweet wine which mimics the sweet flavor of the golden raisins in the dish so this dish is harmonious and the flavors complement each other. The unique bite of Sourdough combined with tart Granny Smith Apples, and sweet golden raisins compliment the semi sweet Boordy Vidal Blanc beautifully.  What is the Vidal Blanc grape? Vidal is a hybrid grape from France and is a wine that is mildly sweet and a great wine to complement Allison’s Sourdough stuffing.

A complimentary classic pairing with chocolate during the holidays Allison pointed out would be to pair the Boordy Port with a plain chocolate wafer. “Chocolate is naturally suited to port wine, the flavors just blend together in your mouth,” Allison said.

If you want a classic pairing for Thanksgiving turkey, most people would naturally select Riesling, however, Allison enjoys the Cabernet Franc as a light bodied wine that is well structured and mild enough with white meat and versatile enough to combine with all the varied dishes and flavors on your holiday table.

Contradictory Food Pairings

The opposite flavors coming together between a food and a wine are called a contradictory food pairing.  Allison incorporated a contradictory food pairing at Boordy during the Valentine’s Day promotion this year. Allison used two different food pairings with opposite flavor profiles. Her Black Vinegar truffle was used on a thin chocolate wafer in between samples of the Boordy Shiraz. “The sour vinegar truffle cuts through the flavors nicely in the Shiraz, when you take these opposite flavors and match them together, the contrast actually works to match up the profile,” Allison says.

Allison did not reveal all of her holiday recipes, but was busy serving up a sourdough and sausage stuffing with sausage, apples and golden raisins  when I called her yesterday afternoon,  she generously poured into bowls for her co-workers on a beautiful sunny November afternoon. But Allison did admit that all of her recipes are crafted in house and the ingredients found at local dairy producers and the Farmers Market in the summer.

If you happen to stop by Boordy this fall, Allison will warmly greet you at the tasting room door with lots of food and wine pairing ideas and may even tantalize your palate with a new idea she is working on, a jalapeno cheddar biscuit to cleanse your palate in between samplings of  Boordy Riesling.  I was even more intrigued with Allison’s Hot Spiced Wassail she served up heated in a crock pot with seasoned spices she adds to the brew, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. This recipe is steeped in tradition, Allison says, and is called hot mulled wine.  What better way to warm up this Thanksgiving? I could not think of a better way to spend the afternoon.

My afternoon travels pulled me back on track quickly and I made one more stop on the way home to Harford Vineyards on West Jarrettsville Road in Forest Hill.  Harford Vineyards did not officially open till Oct. 2009. They established their humble first beginnings in Harford County as amateur wine makers.  Before 2009, Harford Vineyards supplied the grapes, the barrels and the juice for vineyard guests to try their skill at home and wine making with basic winery supplies.   Guests could apply their skill right at the winery and leave with their own home made wine brew, Roxanne Mooney recently told me.

After Harford Vineyards began to commercially sell their wine in 2009, they changed their focus to bottle and produce their own winery brands and today produce many award winning wines including the Vidal Blanc, awarded the Governor’s Cup Award in Sept. of 2011 and the Piedmont Pleasure, a mild Gewürztraminer style rose.  They still supply amateur wine makers, but in a different way, Roxanne Mooney started to say. “We still sell winery supplies for amateurs in the county who want to learn how to make wine. This service is available in the spring and fall only, Roxanne said. “This is not only a fun hobby, but our home wine making accessories make really unique and one of a kind gifts all year long,” Roxanne said.  “This way people can create a wine and call it their own, once the wine is bottled and made in the privacy of their home.”

Harford Vineyards has expanded their home wine making supplies to include the purchase of Hungarian barrels and recouped French barrels they offer to home wine makers and also commercial wineries and retailers. Some of these barrels satisfy multi use purposes, Roxanne said. Some people will use them for wine making and some winery retailers will use the recoup barrels for display counters and furniture in retail showrooms and winery end cap displays.

In addition to wine barrels and home brewed wine making supplies, Harford Winery also opens their doors in the fall for their annual craft festival on Saturday Nov. 26.  The festival includes local artisan crafts including oversized wine goblet glasses, wine candle centerpieces, lamps and hand crafted jewelry.

At the craft festival on Nov. 26, Roxanne, Wanda and Kevin Mooney, also will provide recipes made with their wine, a local chef creates for them. Roxanne indicated to me while their Viognier is a great Thanksgiving wine, it is still her favorite wine to serve up with Maryland steamed crabs and mussels. “Our Viognier is clean and crisp and so light with citrus flavors, it is one of the few wines you can eat with a bucket of steamed crabs and mussels,” Roxanne Mooney concluded. As for Thanksgiving, the semi-dry Vidal Blanc reveals an impressive bouquet of apricot, peach and floral. The flavors mingle with clean fruity flavors of orange zest, grapefruit and a clean finish. The wine is perfect to serve with turkey, she said. Chef Wendy Preisinger, makes chicken corn chowder with Harford Vineyard’s Sauvignon Blanc added to the soup base.

A sampling of Holiday Recipes Provided by Boordy Vineyards and Harford Vineyards this Holiday Season

Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Golden Raisins, (Crafted by Allison Leono, Tasting Room Manager at Boordy Vineyards)

1 1/2 pound loaf sourdough bread, crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (about 13 cups)
2 pounds bulk pork breakfast sausage
2 large onions, chopped (about 4 generous cups)
2 cups chopped celery (about 5 stalks)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
6 cups 1/2 inch cubes peeled Granny Smith apples (about 28 ounces)
3/4 cup golden raisins (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 large eggs

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spread bread cubes in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer bread to very large bowl.

Sauté sausage in heavy skillet over medium high heat until cooked through, breaking up into small pieces with back of fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl with bread cubes. Add onions and celery to drippings in skillet, sauté until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread -sausage mixture.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium -high heat. Add apples, sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add to bowl with bread mixture, mix in raisins.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons sage, stir for 30 seconds. Add sage butter with bread -sausage mixture, toss to blend. Season stuffing with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do Ahead, Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and Chill.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Generously butter 15 by 10 by 2 inch glass baking dish. Whisk broth and eggs in medium bowl, add to stuffing and toss to mix. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake stuffing uncovered until top is golden and crisp in spots, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes and serve.

Chicken Corn Chowder, Prepared by Wendy Preisinger, for Harford County Vineyards

5 bacon slices, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 medium onions, chopped
3 carrots peeled, sliced into coins
1 cup Harford Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 jalapeno minced
2 T. all purpose flour
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups 1/2 inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash (cut from one 3/4 pound squash) or the flesh from 2 roasted festival squashes
3 russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1 16-ounce bag frozen corn kernels
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups diced skinned roast chicken
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook bacon in large pot over medium – high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add butter to pot; melt over medium – high heat. Add onions and carrots. Sauté onions, about 10 minutes. Add flour, stir 2 minutes. Deglaze with wine. Mix in broth, then squash, potatoes, 1/2 bag corn, jalapeno and thyme, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered until squash and potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add cream and puree with hand blender until creamy. Add remaining 1/2 bag of corn. Simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead, Cool. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before continuing). Add chicken, 1/2 cup green onions, and all but 2 T of cilantro, simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle chowder into bowls; sprinkle with remaining green onions, crumbled bacon, and remaining 2 Tablespoons of cilantro.

-Kimberly Noon

Karl Wente likes to keep things simple. A 5th generation winemaker, Karl lives on the land his family has farmed since 1883.  If you ask him if there is anything he would change about those 3,000 acres of vineyards, he candidly replies, “not much.”   For me, “it is taking our traditions and values back to the foundation of the land we grew up on. It all starts with the ritual of growing exceptional grapes.”

Each day is different for me.  “I really do not want to change anything. I want to follow my family’s tradition of winemaking and continue making what they started out doing, to create fruit forward and food friendly wines, for everyone to enjoy.” Karl is extremely proud of keeping family traditions alive, while working closely with his Uncle Phil, Aunt Carolyn and his sister Christine. They all grew up on the same land that was shared by four generations of Wente family ancestors before them in Livermore, California.

“We grew up in the same town, riding horses and hanging out with friends, this bond connecting the land and keeping our family traditions alive, kept us committed to the same goals.” The goal of Wente Vineyards since 1883 has been to produce value driven and fruit forward wines with an emphasis on food friendliness Karl Wente went on to say. After Karl graduated from UC Davis, he traveled to New Orleans and started taking cooking classes to pair different wines with different foods. He became interested in food and wine together – and liked to share his culinary finds with his friends. “I like to keep things balanced and interesting,” Karl says.

Wente Vineyards has continued to keep people coming back for more styles of wines to enjoy each year, and as part of Wente Family Estates’ portfolio of wines, consumers can also enjoy Tamas Estates and Murrieta’s Well, along with a new brand just released in Maryland called entwine. entwine was created in partnership by Wente Vineyards and Food Network and launched last month nationwide.

Food Network chose Wente Vineyards as the winery behind entwine due to the emphasis Wente places on producing quality, balanced and food oriented wines. The brand delivers the message that wine is approachable and easy to enjoy with food. The wine also comes in four basic flavors to enjoy, Pinot grigio, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot. Bottle neck hangers adorn each varietal reading, “Hello, my name is delicious,” “the lime in me goes great with guacamole” and “I’m oyster fancy and potato chip cool.”  entwine takes the guesswork out of food pairing with wine and conveys a simplistic approach to the marriage of flavor.  Karl went on to point out that while the entwine brand helps the consumer to pair wine with dinner tonight, there are still no set rules to wine and food pairing. “If something tastes good to you, then it is a good decision to try the wine.”  Karl Wente went on to say, ” I would be the first guy to sit down and drink a sauvignon blanc with a filet.”  It all depends on the weather, the time of year, and the people I am hanging out with tonight when I pick out a bottle of wine to enjoy.”

The launch of entwine seems to be at the heart and soul of Karl Wente’s mantra. He does not naturally talk about himself but rather draws you into his life. His philosophy is simple, yet meditative and entwines family together with friends, food, music and yoga to complete his inner life circle. Within this circle, Karl finds work and life balance. Each day is different for him, he says. “I am a late riser; an early meeting today is 7:30 a.m. Right now, I am focusing on the 2011 crop. I have made all of the 2010 white blends. The 09 Reds are being bottled right now and the 08 wines are reaching maturity. “I am a musician at heart, I really love all music and it is yoga that keeps me in balance.”  “If you take time to breathe, your mind and your body will connect.” -Guess you could say, I enjoy sunsets more than sunrises.

Today is Sept. 8, 2011 and Karl intends to be home and back on his porch by 7:30 tonight to go to a Tears for Fears concert and hang out with his closest friends.  “There is nothing that I enjoy more than relaxing with some good friends and some good wine. I want people at the end of the day to pick up a glass of my wine and say, “yum,” I really love this, Wente says.

entwine is available at Friendship Wine and Liquor and retails for $11.99. In addition to the entwine wines, Friendship also sells Wente Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet. Friendship will host a tasting of the entwine Wine Brand on Saturday Sept. 24 with food and wine pairings.  On Nov. 18th, at 5 p.m. ET, Karl Wente is going to host a live interactive wine tasting through simulcast on the West Coast with select varietals from his vineyard. For more information on this event, contact the wine shop at 410-569-9463.

- Kimberly Noon

When Terri Moser casually walked into our store last month, Mike and I both stopped to listen to what she had to say. Terri lives in Fallston and is retired as a colonel in the United States military. She worked for over 20 years in public health, inspecting army dining facilities. Her real love of food began working for an Italian chef, when she was in graduate school. “The chef was Sicilian and I just loved watching him create healthy meals that tasted incredible.” I longed for the day I could do this.

Terri lived abroad in Germany for 8 years and during this time, she continued to visualize her dream of cooking and helping people feel good about themselves. “So many foods in the U.S. are processed and I really enjoy cooking healthy food for people,” and showing them an alternative to a better lifestyle that fits their dietary needs and interests.

When Terri retired recently, she decided to create a customized chef’s service to fit into the modern world. She is calling her business, Chef’s Terri’s Table. She set up her initial business model to create a customized “food life-style,” make-over for busy households. Terri went on to explain this foodie makeover, begins with a life-style consultation in the privacy of your home. Here, Terri will ask you to answer some questions honestly. What do you like to eat, how would you like to come home each day and simply reheat your favorite meals, and what types of healthy snacks would you like placed in your fridge when you come home. Upon your food consultation, Terri will prepare, cook, refrigerate or refreeze your meals and label each package with the reheating instructions daily.

From the grocer to the table, Terri is a culinary artist bringing her own utensils, and cooking equipment and restoring your home as she found it when she leaves, with your pantry, cupboards and kitchen full of healthy snacks and prepared meals for you and your loved ones.

As a testimonial to Chef Terri, I have to confess I am sold. I work long retail hours and have lived alone for well over fifteen years. I confided to Terri, it is hard to cook for one and also hard to eat healthy when you live in fast food heaven. Terri and I spent more than 2 hours discussing alternative eating and living habits over coffee.

Chef’s Terri’s services are also extended to private dinner parties and small wine gatherings in your home and Friendship has included Chef Terri as our personal chef to offer her talents and cater private wine themed parties’

In your home this year.  We recently included this as a new service available to our Friendship Friends and clients. Simply pick a wine themed event you would like to focus on, such as South American, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Australian, South African or Pacific North West with us and Terri will create a food themed event and Friendship will match the wine pairings to the food selection Terri has created. We have had so much interest to pair wine with good food, we decided to partner with a private chef’s service and bring Terri into your home. Information for Terri’s Table and extended chef’s services are available at our store or go on line and visit Terri at www.mychefsite.com/terristable. Terri’s fees are contracted independently of Friendship Wine and Liquor.

Meet Chef Terri on Saturday Sept. 24th, from 3 till 7 p.m. Terri will be in our store with a sampling of her amazing dishes she caters and this will also be a very special launch of a new wine brand called Entwine, affiliated with the Food Network. Later in the year, we will announce a cooking and wine pairing themed class with Chef Terri at Friendship Wine and Liquor TBA in the fall.

Terri confided to me, she has a few favorite dishes to make, and I begged her to share her recipes. Here is a sampling and some sneak photos of her dishes. I am getting hungry just looking at these meals. I also have to confess, I have an insatiable sweet tooth and Terri’s Table does cater some healthy low calorie and healthy desserts to savor after dinner.  Bon Appetite!!

Culinary Concepts’ from Terri’s Table:

-Curried Lentil Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach served with Toasted Cheese Bread

-Chicken and Penne with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Cream

-Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo, served with Baked Parmesan Asparagus

-Orange Cumin Beef Stew, served with Basmati Rice

- Turkey Sausage Ragu, served over Parmesan Polenta Squares

-Vietnamese -Style Rice Noodle Salad with Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp

Sweet Treats’ from Terri’s Table:

Biscotti Cookies

Apple Cake with reduced fat cream cheese

Macerating berries in wine

Grilled peaches with light whipped cream

-Kimberly Noon

Forrest has spent 35 years of his life perfecting this art form and could not imagine doing anything else. He has worked at Willamette Valley Vineyards for 18 years. Prior to his position at Willamette Valley Vineyards, Forrest worked for 2 years at Mondavi Woodbridge and 6 years at Sebastiani Vineyards and 9 years at Italian Swiss Colony. His chief responsibilities at Willamette Valley Vineyards is winemaking. He harvests and maintains well over 270 acres of grapes every day. He is the first person to arrive at work and is detail driven to the point of perfection. Plant and vine nutrition is important to him since the vine age and life of a grapevine will increase the aging potential of the vines overall. He continues to work with many wine styles but Pinot Noir is his favorite grape to harvest, cultivate and eventually turn into a “great wine.” This fascination with pinot noir and to produce world class wine is his primary focus. This is achieved through a focus on terroir. I asked Forrest to explain how the terroir in Oregon differs from California and how it affects the difference in the expression of the wine. (I realized that the soil differences between California and Oregon are extreme and Forrest elaborated on this difference). According to Forrest, terroir is not just about the soil. Terroir expands to the life cycle of the grape and it is different in every spot or location. The weather, the terrain, the position of the sun impact the life of the grape and the vine tremendously he explained to me.  Forrest said in California temperatures are warmer producing a fruit forward style with little or no rain. The soil type is loam and a few with marine sedimentary soils.

The micro climate in Oregon is different. Soils are marine sedementary with volcanic red ash and loamy. I have heard wine writers and makers call this a “dirty soil, nutrient dense and rich.”

The weather is inconsistent in Oregon.

2011 has resulted in a cool and wet spring. The grapes will produce wines this year with more structure with bigger and prettier tannins.

In warmer year cycles, winemakers will harvest like a Californian. Warmer dryer temperatures will produce higher alcohols with lower acid and a more rounded finish.

No one had ever taken the time to explain the concept of terroir to me with as much detail and enthusiasm.  I was intrigued by the soil of Oregon and the climate in general.

Who started Willamette Valley Vineyards? Forrest works for Jim Bernau, who purchased 40 acres of land in 1983. Jim cleared away a plum orchard and watered his vines by hand with thousands of feet of garden hose. Many articles and research about Jim indicated to me he is extremely hard working. He admits in one interview he was just a working class man who needed investors to fund his winery, so he sold stocks and today has over 5,000 investors behind his business. Jim is the CEO and is involved hands on in every aspect of Willamette Valley Vineyards.

Some of his staff has worked the land long before he purchased the property. Jim’s placement of key people to help operate his farm has contributed to the quality of the total operation and most of all, the finished product,  the wine to consume and resell in other markets. Jim’s devotion to excellence has earned Willamette Valley Vineyards, “one of America’s great pinot noir producers.” One of the ways this is achieved is to grow and produce high quality fruit and to ferment and barrel each vineyard lot separately and to reserve the best barrels for single vineyard bottlings and signature cuvee. Jim Bernau has lived on his property for 23 years. Willamette Valley Vineyards meets viticultural standards of excellence and is certified Live and Salmon Safe. More than 50 acres of pinot noir Dijon clones are produced on the property.

In closing, I asked Forrest What his favorite wine is to produce and he said his flagship wine is the black label vintage pinot noir. Forrest said pinot noir is his favorite wine because what other wine matches so well with any type of food?

I know one thing. I cannot wait to meet Forrest and ask him more about this fascination with this grape called pinot noir and how difficult it is to make wine from the ground to the bottle. Forrest will be in our wine shop on Friday July 15th from 4 till 7 p.m. sampling the following wines: Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling, Pinot Gris, Whole Cluster Pinot Noir and The Founders’ Reserve Pinot Noir.

Come early and ask Forrest to sign a bottle for you.  Willamette Valley Vineyards hosts The Great Grape Stomp in September.  Ask Forrest for more details at our first winemakers’ tasting this year. Cheers!!!

Written by Co-Wine Buyer at Friendship Wine and Liquors-
(Kimberly Noon)

The emphasis on world class selections of wine and diversity of grape styles has definitely come of age. Americans are drinking more wine than ever. The Wine Business Quarterly News and Shaken News released last month, that for the first time in the United States, American wine consumption surpassed Europe 2 to 1. For the first time ever in United States history, Americans are drinking more wine than in France and Italy. Hard to believe? Believe it. We have finally grown up. Dressing up to play the role, it should come to no surprise that we demand world class wine production from our local vineyards as well.  These wines are well worth it and support our local economy in a world wide recession at the same time.

There are currently 5 wine trails in Maryland and each wine trail sustains its own unique viticulture and independence from its neighbor. Some of the grape varietals grown in these Maryland wine trails include: Chardonnay, Cabernet, Viognier, Malbec, Petite Verdot, Montepulciano, Albarino, Liefraulmich, Seyval, Chambourcin, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Gruner Vetliner, Syrah, Vidal Blanc, Riesling, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Vignoles, Pinot Gris and Traminette. The wine trails are divided into territorial regions and include the Carroll Wine Trail, the Chesapeake Wine Trail, Frederick Wine Trail, Patuxent Wine Trail and the Piedmont Wine Trail.

The Western side of our state consists of the Carroll Wine Trail and here you can visit Cygnus Winery, Galloping Goose and Serpent Ridge.

The Chespeake Wine Trail is along the southern coast, and houses Bordeleau, Cascia, Cassinelli, Costa Ventosa, Dove Valley, Layton's Chance, Little Ashby, St. Michael, Terrapin Station and Tilmon's Island.

The Frederick Wine Trail consists of more than 120 acres, over half of Maryland's total wine production. This is the central portion of the state and includes Berrywine, Linganore, Black Angle, Elk Run, Frederick Cellars, Loew Vineyards, Orchid Cellar and Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyards.

The Patuxent Wine Trail presents the wineries of Calvert and St. Mary's counties. Bounded by the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers, the Chesapeake Bay is home to more wildlife with rolling farm lands and hills. This is similar to the landscape of Tuscany in your own back yard.  Here you can visit, Cove Point, Fridays Creek, Perigeaux, Port of Leonardtown, Running Hare, Slack and Solomon's Island.

The Piedmont Wine Trial includes Baltimore and Harford Counties and is in our backyard. These wineries are closest to us and we carry each one of these in our wine shop. We carry wines from the former wine trails mentioned – above as well. Our Piedmont Wine Trail Wineries include Basignani, Boordy, Fiore, Harford, Legends, Mt. Felix and Woodhall Cellars.

This week we salute our local Maryland friends and to show our appreciation, we will offer 10% off all Maryland wines purchased by the bottle from June 3 through June 12 and 15% off all Maryland wines purchased by the case.

Come on out also and taste Maryland wines during these dates and times:

Friday June 3: Linganore Vineyards and Berrywine Vineyards from 4 p.m. till 7 p.m.
Saturday June 4: Boordy Vineyards from 3 p.m. till 7 p.m.
Sunday June 5: Harford Winery from 2 p.m. till 5 p.m.
Tuesday June 7: Legends Vineyard from 3:30 p.m. till 7 p.m.
Friday June 10: Far Eastern Shore Winery from 4 p.m. till 7 p.m.

Muscadine is a grape native to North Carolina, that possesses high antioxidant properties. In fact, a 1 cup serving of muscadine grapes is double the average antioxidant intake. One glass of wine containing the Muscadine wine, contains 3 times the antioxidants found in a single pomegranite seed. Furthermore, muscadine grapes are fat free, high in fiber and contain high levels of resveratrol. 

Reseratrol lowers choleserol levels which helps to diminish coronary heart disease. In addition, extended cancer research has proven that resveratrol from these muscadine grapes can block cancer cells from attacking organs. According to Andrew Dannenberg, director of clinical programs at The Strang Cancer Prevention Center in New York City, "resveratrol slowed the growth of breast cancer and colon cancer signifigantly to patients who were diagnosed with cancer." 
Tests in deep cell cultures showed that berry extracts of muscadine, reduced cancer cell growth in colon, breast, prostrate and leukemia. Lastly, tumor growth was slowed at 3 different levels: initiation, promotion and progression. 

Celebrate the gift of living and healthier living with us on Friday, April 8th. "Today, is my birthday, and with a long family history of breast and colon cancer, I want to start eating and drinking healthier everyday." "My shopping cart will be filled today with lots of fruit, vegetables and this muscadine wine from North Carolin called Duplin Winery." 

"So, raise your glasses and toast with me to healthy living and abundant health on Friday, April 8, 2011." 

Duplin Winery is the largest winery in North Carolina. Duplin produces over 1,000,000 gallons of wine and attracts over 100,000 tourists per year. Come on out and taste this Friday with us 4 of our hottest new wines from Duplin Cellars. 

We will sample the Duplin Scuppernong, the Carolina Red, Duplin Hatteras Red and Duplin Brices Creek. Unbelieavably, the wines are all priced at just $8.99 per bottle.

New Zealand is often refered to as the land that was made before time. Its majestic mountains and sea green/blue ocean and sky have inspired us to look at life simply and majestically. The land was rugged enough and exoctic enough to film epic movies there like, The Lord of The Rings and The Whale Rider. But what about a wine named after a movie, and what about a wine that carries the tradition and folklure of the people that inhibit this culture?  Local Maryland born native, Ken Korando, made a long arduous journey to New Zealand to start his own winery. He wanted to create his dream of building a winery and sharing the wines with people, at a high quality and an affordable level. He found the perfect landscape and foundation for his idea in New Zealand. Ken had been through this once before when he started his first winery in Maryland, called Solomon's Island. Solomon's Island Winery is located in Calvert County, Maryland and produce fruit driven and well made wines. So, it came to no surprise that Ken and his entrepeneur wife, Ann Korando would want to try their skills at wine making in New Zealand.

Ann and Ken bought their winery in New Zealand in 2007 and went to their first crush in 2008 and just imported their first container from New Zealand into the United States. Ken just happened to show up at our wine store last month to share the wines with me, and memories of my first (Wyeka) – journey to this land, came flooding back. In 2003, I too was fortunate enough to have traveled to Marlborough, New Zealand and like Ken and Ann, fell in love with the beauty, dignity and majesty of the tribal ancestors that landed on the shores of the Island over 1,000 years ago, The Maori.

Who are the Maori and why name a wine after them? It was believed the Maori or ancient ones' arrived to this ancient land before time, riding the backs of the whales. But really, the first inhabitants of New Zealand, first landed on the shores of New Zealand in their Wakus, or sea canoes. In New Zealand, the Maori wear necklaces harvested from whale bone. They believe that the whales hold spiritual and sacred dominion over their land, well being and spiritual development. If a whale births itself on land, and remains to die, this is a sign of bad luck and misfortune in their culture. If the whale dies on the beach, unable to go back to sea, the Maori, harvest the bone of the whale and wear the bone as a sign of great strength and is only passed on to the strongest and eldest of the Maori tribesman, to lead its people on a spiritual journey through life.

The movie named the Whale Rider, starring a young 12 year old Maori child, played by Keisha Castle Hughes, is the right of passage of a young girl leading her people back to its ancestral roots of community, spirit and leadership. The tribe has lost its spiritual leader, her grandfather, who is looking for a young Maori boy to lead the community, overlooks the fact that his grand-daugher possesses the Maori gift of spiritual wisdom and song. Her voice speaks to the ancient ones, who brought her original tribe here, and she summons them from the ocean floor or the deep to bring the spirit and waku of her tribe "back to life."

When the whales come up from the sea floor, they birth on the land, for days, waiting to die. Paieka, jumps on one of the whales, when no one is looking and rides the oldest whale out to sea. Her grandfather fearing for her life, jumps into the ocean. The girl is driven out to sea, riding the back of the whale, one with its spirit and being.

This wine is more than a wine, it is from a mystical land and a deeply magical people. "I am happy to share my story of the Maori people with you, and the journey to this majestic land changed my life forever." 

Thank you Ken, for brining me back to the spirit and tradition of the Maori people. It is an honor to share them with our customers and the wine is pretty darn good too.
These two New Zealand arrivals to our store this month are the Whale Rider Sauvingnon Blanc and the Whale Rider Pinot Noir. The Sauvingnon Blanc is full of crisp flavor and full of ripe aromas of grapefruit, ripened tangerine and grapefruit flavors and will retail for $12.99

The Whale Rider Pinot Noir is light and rounded and full of delicate wisps of cherry, toasted vanilla and strawberry and will retail for $16.99

Food and wine pairings in the modern world is tied to the world of marketing, advertising and restaurant food chains that have brought us national brands on the restaurant wine list, such as Elmo Pio, Bartenura, Cavit, Kendall Jackson, Cupcake and YellowTail. We are driven by subliminal messages and mass media without even second guessing why. We live in a frantic world of hustle and bustle and all of the flash images from the internet to the television to radio ads, still frame our minds and influence us greatly. So, when we stop in to a wine shop and liquor store, we are already influenced somewhat by the flash images left in our minds from these visual media ads.  

Time Warp: Let's close our eyes for a second, and image living for one day around 7,000 years ago. There were no television or automobiles or radios. The only vehicle of communication was the interaction between members of a living household, normally part of a subcommunity or tribe. Daily living was alot harder, it would seem for survival, but the one bond of a community or society was eating. The hunter or tribesman of the community foraged for the meal and the women gathered to cook and prepare the meals for the extended family and tribal community. In ancient Greece and Southern Europe, large medieval vats still remain for public display to showcase the monoliths that would hold the ancient oils and wines that adorned these gatherings and celebrations. I recall walking through the ruins of ancient Greece in the early 1990s and I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. Historic artifacts unearthed for the first time in centuries left an impression of what ancient life must have been like for the first Europeans. One underlying theme prevailed: food. All of the artifacts I can still see in my mind, as if it was still 1993, were food and wine related: olive oil vats, a pre-historic juicer carved from stone weighing nearly 1,000 pounds, and a wine press. Cool stuff… makes you hungry to eat and drink in ancient times!!!! 

Centuries later, the cultural adaption of food paired with wine, evolved throughout Europe and it was a cultural custom to approach dining in this fashion. If you travel to Europe today to countries like, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, France, England, Switzerland or Germany, just to name a few, every meal is paired with wine. So, understanding this basic cultural adaptation or approach to eating is an integral journey into the modern world of food and wine pairing. It is a marriage that harmonizes the entire European way of living. In North America, it is still relatively a newer evolution that is growing. 

So, the common thread that emerged throughout Europe was to combine your local food with your local wine. My Italian great grandfather emigrated to this country from Naples, Italy. He married my great grandmother who was from Rome. This was unheard of in 1912. You married an Italian from your hometown. So, image drinking a Tuscan wine if you lived in Sicily. Was the marriage doomed to failure like the wine pairing? Experimentation does sometime work. My great grandfather, Francesco and my great grandmother Rosa, lived together for 54 years, had 11 children and emigrated to Buffalo, New York in 1919. I still drink Chianti with their middle daughter, my grandmother Tina, who will be 9O on July 4th, 2011. I think it was her father's homemade wine that kept her in abundant health her entire life. 

So, local villages all throughout Europe, both in the north and south were known for their unique wine production. In Italy, Pinot Grigio was more popular to drink in the villages of Piedmonte, Alto-Adige, Fruilli and some towns in Tuscany. Pinot Grigio is a lighter bodied wine that harmonizes with lighter textured foods, like fresh seafood and pasta tossed in white sauces and grilled fish with lemon, olive oil, and basil.  Dishes like this are popular throughout northern Italy. This is the first rule of  thumb to start with food and wine pairing: harmony. Very full bodied wines, on the otherhand, have fuller more intense flavors and texture. These wines would overwhelm delicate foods. So, the lighter the food, the more delicate the wine to pair up. The heavier and bolder the food, the more extreme and fuller bodied to match with the dish. 

Let's focus on 5 of the most popular wine styles on this blog and explore what types of food will match. I am not going to start with a white wine, but a red wine that is light in body and style. 

Light bodied Red Wine, Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is the most versatile wine to pair with food. It is also the lightest bodied of all red wines and is easy to drink regardless of the time of year or occasion. Here are the best foods to pair up with pinot noir: salmon, duck, pork, veal, poultry. Seasonings that include mushrooms, dried cherries, pesto, garlic, basil, mint or tarragon and lavendar will work with pinot noir also. 

A few pinot noirs we carry: Mirassou, Hob-Nob, 99 Vines, Reflection, Bear-Boat, A to Z, Annabella, Cloud-line, Hahn, Masut and Adelsheim. 

Light bodied White Wine, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are very light in body and style. They are usually non-oaked with more vibrant fruit forward expressions. Some Pinot Grigio and some Pinot Gris can be off-dry with expressions of lighter flavors. Here are the best foods to pair up with pinot grigio: shellfish, light pasta dishes tossed in white wine, poultry and salads. Seasonings that include citrus, fennel, dill, tarragon, basil and toasted nuts will pair well with pinot grigio and pinot gris. 

A few pinot grigios/pinot gris we carry are Danzante, Monte Maria, Cupcake, Santa Margherita, Ecco Domani, Casillero Del Diablo, Ruffino, Tieffenbrunner, Tamas, Dry Creek and Cline. 

Light bodied White Wine: Riesling: Most Rieslings originate from the Rhine or Mosel, but we also carry Rieslings from the Pacific Northwest, Washington State. Rieslings from Germany possess a wide range of varietal character and expression of fruit. Some Rieslings may be off-dry or extremely fruit forward. Germans typically arrange there wines in order of kabinett or QBA, from driest to sweetest. The best foods to pair with Riesling are asparagus, chinese food, cilantro, spicier dishes, soft-shell crabs, pork and duck.  A few lighter style Rieslings we carry are: Chateau St. Michelle Dry and Estate Riesling, Dr. Loosen, Sun Garden, Pacific Rim, Mirassou, Columbia Winery and Potate. 
"Spatlese and Auslese Rieslings go with light crab dishes, shrimp and many Asian dishes."  

Medium Bodied Rieslings: Auslese (German white sweet dessert wine): Avocado, black bass, bread pudding.  A few medium bodied Rieslings we carry are: Leonard Kreusch and Dr. Hans Van Muller. 

Fuller Bodied Rieslings: Eiswein (German or Canadian white sweet dessert wine made from grapes frozen on the vine (aka, ice wine). Inniskillin and Sylvaner are two of the best Eiswien we carry. 

Medium Modied White Wine: Chardonnay: Chardonnay is the world's most popular white wine. It is a grape that may grow in virtually every region and country of the world, ranging from France, Italy, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington State. Chardonnay may be fermented in stainless steel and later transferred to French Oak or may be aged "sur lies" style. One of the by-products of fermentation are strains of lees – or yeast strains from the wine. Instead of filtering this or racking the lees away, the wine is combined with the lees to add a fuller finish and oakier style. Not all chardonnay's are this heavy, but some are produced in this "sur lies style."

Some of the Chardonnay we presently carry that are medium to fuller bodied in style and aged "sur lies" include: Bogle Chardonnay and Biltmore Estate Chardonnay.

Other Chardonnay's we carry that are lighter in style and finished in stainless steel include, the Ironberry-Viogner/Chardonnay Blend from Australia and Bonterra Chardonnay.

Great foods to pair with Chardonnay: Seafood with cream based sauces, poultry and squash. Preparations that include citrus, tropical fruits, butter, cream, cheese, bacon, roasted garlic, mustard, nutmeg, tarragon, basil, and toasted nuts will pair well with Chardonnay. 

Full Bodied: Syrah. A few weeks ago we staged a horizontal wine tasting with Syrah. For those of you attending, Pat said a good time was enjoyed by all. We briefly touched upon the origin of Syrah. Yes, Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape. The French named the grape Syrah and Australians call the grape Shiraz. Depending upon the climate of the country and region the grape is grown, the syrah has a tendency to be fuller bodied in style. Racy flavors of currants, smoke, licorice, meat, game and barbeque permeate the palate.

This is one of my favorite wines in the world. The expression of this grape is so diverse, it never ceases to amaze me, how incredibly different styles of Syrah can be in different regions of the world.

Here are a few of the diverse Syrah's we carry at Friendship Wine and Liquor: Cline: from Sonoma Coast,

Groot Constania from South Africa, Molly Dooker – the Boxer, from Australia and Yellow Tail Reserve Shiraz from Australia. 

Food Pairing Recommendations with Shiraz include: Beef, Lamb, Pork and Duck.

Best Dish: Black Pepper Braised Lamb Shanks. 

"In closing, food and wine pairing is meant to be a sensory and pleasurable pairing. Some of the best chefs in the world, follow their instinct and create flavors that become culinary masterpieces.  I have worked with many world class chefs for over twenty years and the best of these chefs, brought their family recipes passed down from generations to a new level of dining excellence. It all starts with one basic necessity, we have to eat to survive and I have learned through the years, food definitely tastes better paired with wine."