Wine Trip Chick

If you’ve read through a few posts, you may have noticed that I sometimes stretch the term “wine trips” for some of my entries.  However, every post is indeed “wine-oriented” and definitely an “experience.”  Such is the case of this post. Stay with me, as I explain…

Long before year 2012, it has been very common (at least for my family) for us to be strewn all of the U.S. My folks live in Canton, Georgia.  My husband Tim’s parents in Winnebago, Illinois. Tim’s sister – Memphis. I have two sisters — Amy lives in Cincinnati and Wendy lives in Pinehurst, North Carolina with her family. So, with the exception of Amy, any family visit requires taking a few “vacation” days off from work, finding subs to teach the Jazzercise classes I’ll miss, packing and hopping flights — all of which, I’m sure you’d agree, constitute a “trip.” And unlike actual vacation trips with Tim or my girlfriends where wine would be part of the fun and rabble-rousing…wine serves a slightly different purpose with family. Are you with me?!?

I’m on one of these family “trips” right now. A 4-day, 4-night stay at my sister’s house in NC to serve as caregiver to my niece Elizabeth (15.75), nephew Chase (11.5) and nephew Ethan (5.25). Okay, so how does a very content, child-less aunt get “roped” into such a gig?  Well, it’s my sister and brother-in-law’s 20th anniversary and since my brother-in-law had a race (running) in Washington, DC — it seemed like the perfect weekend getaway for them. Yes! Every four years, two weeks before a presidential election, D.C. becomes the hottest, most romantic city in the U.S. — now YOU know!  Anyhow, my sister’s mother-in-law (who lives in Huntsville, Alabama — BTW) was the first draft pick, but she broke her ankle and had to cancel — so wanting to visit he kids and finding an inexpensive direct flight from CVG to Raleigh-Durham, I volunteered and here I am!

On the flight, I was really, really questioning, “what the heck was I about to do?” And “why, why did I ever agree to do this?” I mean, the longest I’ve EVER taken care of any of my precious sisters’ off-springs is about 24 hours and that’s been my two Cincinnati nieces, in my own house, in my own surroundings and on a weekend-so nothing was on the schedule but fun Aunt Robbie time! What the heck was I going to do with THREE kids in a place I’d never been before in my life? Staying in a house I’ve never visited? Driving a MINI-VAN? Taking them to/from THREE different schools? Making sure they were fed, clean, safe and happy? On the plane trip, my heart-rate was really starting to dance, and then an idea struck — WINE!  I can purchase a bottle (or four) of North Carolina wine and relax and recharge after the kids are in bed. Wine will help me get through this weekend! And I can sample some local wine and post on winetripchick about it! YES! A ray of sunshine in an otherwise scary storm!

My sister picked me up Thursday at the airport and we drove the hour or so to back towards her home for lunch at one of her favorite places the the so quaint community of Southern Pines. Wendy pointed out different things as we drove including the wine shop downtown — how kismet! I shared my weekend survival plan with her and after lunch we swung by The Wine Cellar & Tasting Room. A very nice lady directed me to the North Carolina wines and I picked up two bottles — not wanting to look like a complete wino in front of my sister.

The remainder of Thursday afternoon was spent picking up each of the kids at three different schools spread poles apart (or rather traffic roundabouts apart), stopping by the grocery store and preparing dinner. Luckily, it took very little prompting for me to convince my brother-in-law to open one of the wine bottles and enjoy a glass or two with me (they were leaving for D.C. at 6am Friday morning – LUCKILY! So, I was able to visit a bit with my sis and be shown the ropes).

We opened a bottle of Three White Table Wine from Childress Vineyards in Lexington, NC. When I asked the lady at the wine shop if the “Three” represented three grape varietals used to make the wine, she thought yes, but the bottle didn’t say which three. When I told my brother-in-law this story, he chuckled and said the name “Three” represented the legendary number 3 car driven by Dale Earnhardt. Later on Friday, my nephew Chase who is a huge NASCAR fan gave me more to the story by explaining to me that Dale Earnhardt’s number 3 car was owned by Richard Childress Racing. He told me how in 2001 (the same year Chase was born — BTW), in the last turn of the last lap at Daytona Beach, Earnhardt who didn’t wear a harness died instantly in the infamous crash. Chase then said that the use of “Three” is always in remembrance of Dale Earnhardt. How about that! I picked up a wine that my nephew could tell me the meaning behind! So cool!

Sharing with you a bit about the wine itself…I would describe it as very drinkable. The alcohol content was only 12.5%, so I was able to enjoy two glasses easily Friday night before the kids went to bed!  I can agree with the label’s statement of the wine having a “light acidity”and that it would “please any palate,” but I didn’t really get the “tropical flavors” although it had a very mild and pleasant flavor. It only cost $12 or $13, so between the NASCAR education it spurred from my nephew and its simple, uncomplicated taste — I was thoroughly pleased!

How appropriate, here it is end of Day Three of my “trip,” and I’ve finished the Childress “Three.” So, I opened the other bottle I bought, another white — this time a 2009 Viognier from Black Rock Vineyards in Carthage, NC. What drew me to choose the Black Rock was the Viognier and my great experiences with this varietal last year at the 2010 North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville, Virginia. I was curious what a North Carolina Viognier would taste like. True to most Viogniers, the Black Rock has an oily taste quality I want describe as a little fishy in this wine. The aroma is also very floral which is common to this varietal. It’s not a bad wine, but unlike the Childress Three, this one I kind of need some food or nibbly-bit like nuts to go along with it — something salty. What’s pretty cool is that Black Rock is a very new vineyard which is trying out five white varietals (and nine reds) to see which one works best with their soils, climate, etc. So, one should keep track of this vineyard to see how it matures with time especially if you’re nearby.

With the kids, a trip to these vineyards wasn’t practical. However, so far, I think I’m doing pretty darn good. Most of Friday was spent at school, then Mellow Mushroom for dinner and lots of Wii Mario Kart back at home. Today (Saturday), I learned that  a trip to C-Cup Cupcakes and Game Stop really makes all three of them extra happy! Also, thank you Red Box for Puss in Boots and Breaking Dawn Part One which I rewatched with Elizabeth, so we’re both all set for mid-November and the release of Part Two (not that it matters, but she’s Team Jacob and I’m, of course, Team Edward)!

Tomorrow is my last day and night of duty before I catch a flight back to Cincinnati on Monday. As anyone who knows me suspected, it feels like I’ve been away from home for weeks and I can’t wait to return! But I’ve truly enjoyed my visit so far and I expect another fun, bonding-day with the kids tomorrow. And although I have not had to rely on it…I do still have 3/4ths of a bottle of the Black Rock left to look forward to tomorrow night…just in case my domestic bliss takes a horribly-bad turn!

One of my girlfriends — that I’ve met thanks to my Downtown Cincinnati Jazzercise classes — is Megan. She works for Macy’s — so cool — and her job involves TONS of traveling around the U.S. and abroad!  Megan, is a vivacious, young, single female who is so creative and brilliant!  She is always coming up with fresh, new ways to have fun…which just about always include wine…Jazzercise, travel, wine – no wonder we became friends, right?!?

Megan’s most recent brilliant idea for a Girls Night Out (GNO) was to host a “Wine Olympics: Opening Ceremony Party” in her Newport, Kentucky condo last night. So here’s what she did…when we girls RSVP’d to attend the event, Megan emailed us a country. We then brought a bottle of wine from that country to the party. Megan wrapped-up each bottle in shiny-gold party bags as we arrived, so no one knew what anyone else brought. I think there were about a dozen of us, so lots of wine from around the world to sample!

I was assigned Germany and thanks to my husband Tim’s oh-so-helpful-and-wonderful website (www.cheapwineratings.com), I very easily located a fantastic Riesling – Clean Slate — and with a quick visit to the Party Source’s online wine inventory, I learned that they had four bottles in stock – and BONUS, they were on sale = $8.99/bottle!!! SCORE!!!  Since the price was right, I bought two and chilled them ahead of time, so they were perfect to start drinking as soon as I arrived at the party. I think a lot of the girls picked up their bottles on the way – just because mine was the only white that was chilled to an “appropriate” drinking temperature. Something to remember when you grab a bottle to bring to your next event – a little planning ahead, goes a long way to being able to fully enjoy any bottle of wine.

I chose a German Riesling to bring to the party because I think when most of us think “German wine” that’s what automatically pops into our heads. Plus, I often hear people say how they “don’t like Riesling wine” because “it’s too sweet!” Well, it doesn’t HAVE to be “too sweet!” It was initially Tim’s www.cheapwineratings.com score of 89 points that drew my attention to Clean Slate. What ultimately sold me was his description of its taste…and I quote, “The palate brings even more excitement with a vibrant tart-yet-slightly-sweet flavor profile. It features tart apple, peach and lime flavors with outstanding acidity. It finishes with a touch of salt, a touch of lime and a touch of peach. This is a solid wine and an exceptional bargain!” Isn’t he poetic?  It sounded like the perfect wine for Megan’s Olympic party!

….Back to last night and the party, Megan equipped us each with pen and paper, so after she had disguised and numbered all the bottles, we all started sampling and attempting to pair the country of origin correctly for each wine. This sparked lots of conversation and like any party, we all wound-up hanging around Megan’s kitchen island drinking our wine and paying VERY little attention to the television and London Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Let’s face it – it was an excuse for a bunch of women to enjoy wine, mix and mingle.

I, thankfully, was 99.9% sure that I could identify my Clean Slate and was greatly entertained by just about everyone at the party saying that they liked my Riesling out of all the bottles – they didn’t know what it was, but liked its crisp, fresh, lightly-fruity flavor.  Thank goodness, I brought two bottles because both were gone by the end of the night.  I think it was the couple of “red wine drinkers” who were the only ones not preferring the Riesling.  Although one self-identified “red wine drinker” commented more than once on how good the Clean Slate was!

To reveal the winners, Megan stripped-off the party wrap from around each bottle one-by-one. In the end, two of the girls tied for first place with six correct countries/wines paired.  I, very respectfully, technically came in third place with five correct answers — thanks in part to knowing my own wine (how embarrassing would that have been?!?) and identifying the undeniable white and red Austrian wine screw top on one of the other bottles. When the girls saw the Clean Slate, I informed them that it was my bottle – many took snapshots of the label to remember the name and asked where I bought it. They were as shocked as me by the price. What a great Friday night and start to the weekend! I had so much fun meeting new people and introducing them to a great Riesling! Thank you, Megan for a lovely, good time!

My NASCAR Sangria Wines

Thought I’d share what wines I used to make my “NASCAR Sangria” and the recipe.  “Down Under” Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is a South Eastern Australian wine, Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is a California, Brazin Zinfandel Lodi 2008 is also a California, and Apaltagua Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is grown on the Apalta Valley Estate in Colchagua, Chile.  All four wines blended well with the other ingredients below and ended up getting mixed together between my three pitchers.  Here’s my recipe:  4 – bottles of red wine; 4 – sliced oranges without peel; 2 – sliced limes without peel; 2 – sliced mangos without peel (of course!); 8 oz – Triple Sec; 8 oz – Brandy; and 1/2 cup sugar or to taste.  Stir together and place in frig for hour or so to chill-up.  Place ice cubes in glass, pour in about 4 oz of lemon-lime soda, top with sangria liquid, then scoop out some fruit and place on top. I suggest drinking with a straw, so the ice and fruit don’t wind up on your cute summer top!  Enjoy!

My NASCAR Sangria Wines

Thought I’d share what wines I used to make my “NASCAR Sangria” and the recipe.  “Down Under” Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is a South Eastern Australian wine, Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is a California, Brazin Zinfandel Lodi 2008 is also a California, and Apaltagua Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is grown on the Apalta Valley Estate in Colchagua, Chile.  All four wines blended well with the other ingredients below and ended up getting mixed together between my three pitchers.  Here’s my recipe:  4 – bottles of red wine; 4 – sliced oranges without peel; 2 – sliced limes without peel; 2 – sliced mangos without peel (of course!); 8 oz – Triple Sec; 8 oz – Brandy; and 1/2 cup sugar or to taste.  Stir together and place in frig for hour or so to chill-up.  Place ice cubes in glass, pour in about 4 oz of lemon-lime soda, top with sangria liquid, then scoop out some fruit and place on top. I suggest drinking with a straw, so the ice and fruit don’t wind-up on your cute summer top! Enjoy!

Okay, I know what you’re thinking, “What the heck does NASCAR have to do with WINE?!?” and “Are you serious?!?”  Yes!  I’m serious!  And hopefully you’ll read on and give me a chance to share this rather unique and unexpected trip with you. 

Now, I’m a city-girl who likes things to be new, clean and untouched — three things NOT in common with NASCAR.  However, I am a VERY curious person and am willing to try just about anything, at least once.  Come on!  Life’s too short!  Sometimes, you just have to close your eyes and say, “YES!”

Well, here’s the deal.  One of my most dear, closest girlfriends happens to be in love with Jeff Gordon and, thus, she’s Big-Big-Big time into NASCAR.  Match that with the fact that the Inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Kentucky Speedway was held yesterday in Sparta (only 40 miles from Cincinnati) and, well, I figured if I’m ever going to experience a NASCAR race — THIS was the time to do it. 

All the big names were there (okay, I’ll admit…I’d only heard of about 4 or 5 of them before yesterday) and although I still don’t understand the fascination with NASCAR {I mean: (a) you can’t hear any of the commentary unless you’re wearing a pair of those dorky earphones, (b) if cars are going by — which is THE WHOLE race once they break out of the starting pack — you can’t carry on ANY conversation=ZERO!, and-did I fail to mention-(c) all they do is drive around a mile and a half oval 267 times?!?}, anyway, besides all of THAT – I must admit seeing the bright-colored cars speeding around the track, the knowledge that the likes of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were actually BEHIND the wheel- in the flesh driving their cars, the rumbling the cars made in the center of your chest ,and the absolutely perfect weather — all combined for a lovely evening in rural Kentucky surrounded by 100,000+ complete strangers.

So yesterday, I arrived at my girlfriend’s campsite at about 2pm. I immediately unpacked the grilled salmon salad I’d packed and poured myself a cup of my homemade Sangria (no one said I had to “rough it”).  I choose Sangria because I knew I could make it all ahead of time and pack it in the cooler using plastic pitchers.  Grab a cup, add some ice, a little Sprite, pour in the Sangria and scoop out a few pieces of wine/brandy-laden mango, orange and lime = HEAVEN!  This was THE perfect wine beverage for the 88 degree, humid with a very slight breeze afternoon.  I just sipped my Sangria (I, of course, brought along blue straws to match my blue Solo cups) and sat in the shade.  Be aware – you need to pack LOTS of ice.  It melts incredibly fast in the summer heat.  Also, my rule is to have a drink, then drink a whole bottled water.  My goal, unlike the majority of other race attendees, was NOT to “get wasted.”  I was nice and relaxed, felt great (no icky tummy or headache) and was in complete control — VERY important given the venue, yes?!?  Okay, so the Sangria did not only taste great, was cool and refreshing, but also the fact that I was mixing it with ice and Sprite — enabled me to control how much or how little alcohol I was consuming.    It was a win-win-win NASCAR wine choice!

Well, in the end, Jeff Gordon didn’t win, but we had alot of fun!  I “camped” in my Saturn Vue Hybrid, woke up at about 5:30am and drove on home this morning.  I think it’ll be my one and only NASCAR race — been there, done that — but the best part…another great time spent with one of my girlfriends (plus! I have leftover Sangria in the frig!) – time to go enjoy a glass!  Cheers!