It was another grape night! About 46 women posted for an evening of Summer Sippers & Sparklers. Guest Expert Trish Caruana enlightened us about how to remain upbeat despite the news, the economy and any other challenge that might get us down.
Debra from Mercy Medical Center’s innovative S.A.F.E. Forensic Nursing program shared some harsh truths and sound advice about the realities that 1 in 4 women will be the victim of a sexual crime in her lifetime. She also shared invaluable advice about what to do if you are a victim. See the end of this entry for that info.
Don’t forget we’ve put out an APB for Spirited Woman nominations - Don’t know what that is - click here!
The wines we tasted showed well - and as usual - Chris, our favorite guy in the kitchen made a GREAT meal for us.
We started with a mixed field green salad with warm pear, goat cheese and a raspberry dressing. This was followed by a choice of grilled Mahi Mahi with Lump Crab and fabulous mashed potatoes or Prime Rib (that’s right - you heard me - Prime Rib - and it wasn’t no shabby portion either 
also with mashed potatoes and both with a medley of fresh summer green beans. Dessert was a decadent chocolate cake garnished with raspberries - and all of this was preceded by of course - a fabulous assortment of Cabot Creamery cheeses :)!
About the wines - here are my unedited notes…Don’t try to make perfect sense of them - I said unedited - but there’s some good advice here… and if only for the recommendations… it’s worth taking a look.
The hits of the evening were the Bove Sparkling from the Loire region in France, the Vinho Verde from Portugal and the Rioja - but everything else showed very well. Try a bottle of each and comment back!
Before the wines - yes - I’ve decided to venture onto video - you don’t get much but a glimpse of the fun we have here - but it is worth a look! Click here.
Ok - now to the wines…
Tonight’s Notes:
Thank you to our sponsors
Baltimore4Her.com • Brick Bodies •Cabot Creamery • Fiji Water•
Hunt Valley Laser & Skin Care• KAWG&F •Lynn Brick’s Women’s Health & Fitness •
Merry Maids • Tydings & Rosenberg LLP
Summer Sparklers - Why? - Why not!
Sparkling wines are great for summer, here’s why:
They are refreshing, versatile, affordable, and festive and also – go with a variety of foods.
What we started with…
Bove – Sparkling Chenin Blanc – from the Loire region in France. Chenin Blanc along with Riesling is one of the two most versatile grape varietals because it can make: Sparkling Sweet or Dry (Brut), Regular Table Wine, Dessert Wine – Late harvest .
The Loire Region for those who don’t know – is the land of Cinderella castles – located slightly southwest of Paris.
Back to Sparkling Wine – Sparkling wines take the guesswork out of what to serve because few people don’t enjoy them. They also minimize stains and eliminate the need for different types of stemware.
Try making Sangria with Sparkling wine – using half regular wine – making the recipe and adding sparkling wine just prior to service. It’s an unexpected and fun twist.
Pierre Larousse is another type of French Sparkler – this one hails from Alsace – in Alsace they also make Cremant D’Alsace but that’s another post and/or event.
Tip #1 – Serve water due to the reality people metabolize alcohol sooner with the heat than they do in the winter – you never want your guests quenching their thirst with wine – it’s best they do that with WATER.
Broadbent Sunflower Portugal (Vinho Verde) $11
Vinho Verde – means “Green Wine” – which is young wine. Vinho Verde is kind of like Beaujolais nouveau but made with the traditional white - Alvarihno is the most popular and common – but there are about 20 white varietals and also 16 red used commonly to make this traditional spring/summer wine.
Almost half of Vinho Verde is RED but little of it is exported. The reds are deep red and tannic – usually made from the Azal Tinto varietal.
Tip #2 Understand your limits
This has several meanings – the first is – obvious –don’t drink so much you’ll regret it in more ways than one – the second is more esoteric which means, when it comes to summertime, entertaining – go easy on yourself, don’t look to make the perfect wine choices as often – guests won’t pay as much attention. When you entertain in the summer you’re usually outside, there’s often a lot more going on… the focus may not be so honed in on the wine… give yourself a break “understand your limits” – Budget wise, time wise, venue wise, etc… and keep that in mind when choosing what to drink.
Excelsior Robertson Chardonnay South Africa (Western Cape) $10+
I love this Chardonnay because it’s not overly oaked – I also like South African wines because they provide great value. The Robertson valley in South Africa is the Western Cape.
On 8th January 1918, growers in the Western Cape founded the Koöperatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika Bpkt (KWV). KWV came to dominate the industry until the end of the apartheid. In the 1930s they set up the South African Wine Farmers Association (SAWFA) as a 50:50 joint venture with their British agents, Vine Products, taking full control after the Second World War.
There are about 60 appellations in the Wine of Origine (WO) in South African – equivalent to the French DOC. WO must be made from 100% grapes grown in a given area.
Chardonnay is a natural with any seafood – provided it’s not overly oaked – remember if you have a ton of Old Bay though – you’ll likely lose any taste nuance and it might be better to go for beer.
Tip # 3 Make sure that you have enough wine on hand Make sure that you have enough wine on hand when entertaining – 1/3 bottle per person (lunch/cocktails) ½ bottle per person for a dinner or evening party. Always allow for corked bottles by buying one extra.
Graham Beck PINNO South Africa (Franschhoek)$11+ – Love this – pinotage grape, screw cap – refreshing, fun, unexpected. A great value and fun addition to any evening/event.
Tip # 4 Make food and wine pairings effortless by incorporating some of the wine you’re serving in the dishes you’re making (substitute wine for vinegar in salad dressings, use as a marinade, or macerate fruit before grilling).
Ferraton Red France (Cotes Du Rhone) $12 – Why CDR? I like blends for summer entertaining – they are just easier. You tend to find that everyone likes a blend more than a given varietal.
CDR is located slightly south west of Lyon which is technically the end of the Burgundy region.
Tip #5 Experiment with new wines you don’t know, and try different pairings. Summer calls for different foods – try different wines!
Azabache Tempranillo Spain (Rioja) $14
Rioja’s still provide tremendous value for the money and also – tend to go great with anything grilled as a lot of Spanish food dishes require things to be done “A La Plancha” – making Rioja’s (red or white) perfect summertime wines.
Tempranillo is to Rioja what Merlot and Cabernet are to Bordeaux.
Tip # 6 Revisit box wines and screw caps – boxes are great for the boat, camping and large groups and screw caps are perfect for entertaining.
Thanks as usual to Carol Fling of Vintner’s Selections for being cooperative and providing us with outstanding wines for the evening!.
Now - to the important safety tips for women - courtesy of Mercy Medical Center’s S.A.F.E. spokesperson:
If you suspect you’ve been sexually assuaulted - get yourself to Mercy Medical Center as soon as possible.
Do not wash, do not if possible relieve yourself in the bathroom (if you must - save it - not in any container that might have contained acide prior and bring it with you).
If you can’t bear to keep your clothes on - change but keep the clothes in a paper bag and bring them with you.
Do not leave your drink unattended in ANY setting.
Remember RAPE is a crime of violence not of SEX. Anyone is at risk - young, old, fat, thin, hot, homely, married, single…
Share this information with other women you care about - it might make the difference between a conviction and resolution versus - another perpetrator walking.
For more information on women’s safety click here.
Barnard Griffin White Riesling Washington State, USA ($10) OK - Why Riesling you ask? Here’s the deal… Easter and Passover (no this wine is not Kosher but if you do the meal and don’t necessarily keep Kosher it would work, make sense?) This slightly sweet wine works with a variety of salty, sweet, savory foods. It is crisp enough to keep your tastebuds snappy and can go with a LOT of different things.
