Stacy's Wine Blog

If you are looking to pair some fun beverages with a pulled pork barbecue, then about.com's drink guides have got you covered. From beer, to cocktails and wine we have pulled together several flavorful recommendations to complement this Southern Food pulled pork barbecue recipe. Read more...

Spain's Rioja wine region has long been one of Spain's crown jewels. Is it any wonder that one of the regions oldest wineries is a shining gem itself? Introducing, Bodegas Montecillo, owned and faithfully operated by the Osborne family since 1973. This winery was established in the Rioja Alta region in 1874 and is the epitome of tradition - from housing an onsite cooperage, to using traditional Bordeaux methods to make their wines, to heavily relying on Spain's traditional red grape, Tempranillo, to make expressive wines at good price points that are versatile and extremely food friendly - Bodegas Montecillo is living its legacy. Read more...

At the beginning of the summer, I had the chance to meet Maria Martinez-Sierra on her own turf at the Bodegas Montecillo winery in Spain's Rioja region. Maria is the larger than life winemaker that oversees all of the Bodegas Montecillo wine endeavors. She is exacting in her craft, humorous in heart and has a commanding, yet gracious presence. She is one of the true industry pioneers on many fronts. She has enjoyed over 30 years of winemaking experience and is well-respected as one of Europes’ top winemakers and a prominent ambassador for Spanish wines. Read more...

This is a delicious Malbec with intensity and kick, fruit and firm tannins. Malbec continues to be Argentina's signature grape and for good reason - it is rugged enough to handle a variety of meats, sausages and chipotle accents. The flavor profile consists of blackberry and some plum with a bit of smokiness and vanilla spice. The Trapiche Broquel Malbec is a fuller-bodied wine with good flavor and a decent finish. Should be a fairly versatile wine for summer grilling.

A vertical tasting is conducted by tasting one wine varietal from the same producer from several vintages. For example, you may set up a tasting to feature Clos Du Val’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from 2003, 2004 and 2005. Tasting the same varietal of wines from the same maker and the same vineyard and leaving the production year as the “single” variable allows the party to see how dramatic or subtle a wine changes from year to year. Read more...

Sherry wines are gaining new ground in the wine world, and it is well deserved to say the least. Sherries have a long history of serving the likes of Christopher Columbus to Shakespeare, and have recently been previewing new spotlights for their good value and food-friendly behavior in our modern world of wine.

Getting down to brass tacks, Sherry is a fortified wine, produced in southwest Spain's "Sherry Triangle." The two predominant types of Sherry are Fino (very dry with a lighter-body) and Oloroso (still dry, but much richer in both flavor and body). If the winemaker is going for Fino, alcohol is added (fortification) until it reaches just over 15%; however, if Oloroso is the goal then alcohol is added to reach an 18% alcohol content. Read more...

Image of Palomino Grapes, used to make Sherry, from Osborne's El Caballo Vineyard

Osborne is one of the oldest family-owned Sherry producers in Spain, making high quality, consistent wines and Sherries for your tasting pleasure! The Osborne Fino Quinta is a very light, dry Sherry. With an inviting straw-like color and an absorbing almond aroma this fino is very bright and engaging on the palate and enjoys a crisp, invigorating finish. It offers a slight tanginess on the tongue with the catching flavors of green apple and olive, but well tamed with tapas, salty snacks, olives, chips, or sautéed artichokes with garlic. Serve well-chilled as an apéritif, or enjoy its food-friendly versatility and keep it going strong throughout a meal of sliced ham, shellfish, sushi or fried food splurges. At $16 a pop this Fino is perfect for end of summer get togethers!

The E Minor Shiraz from Australia's Barossa Valley is a medium-bodied, spicy Shiraz that boasts big cherry and juicy plum flavors. There is some heat and pepper on the palate - the tannins are level-headed and unobtrusive - they go with the flow and make for a great food pairing partner, especially for grilled steaks or sausage, barbecue ribs, peppery marinades and the like.

Image courtesy of Barossa Valley Estate

The 2006 Clean Slate Riesling, from Germany's distinguished Mosel valley, is an ultra refreshing Riesling - perfect for summer salads, sushi and delicious with apple-based desserts. The flavor profile is full of ripe peach, fantastic minerality and a sweet spice with a very clean sweeping finish.

If you are interested you can buy Clean Slate Riesling direct here.

With summer in full swing, it's easy to find yourself pouring wine that is living life on the warmer side. Many learn that red wines need to be served at "room temperature" - forgetting that "room temperature" in the states can be considerablly higher in the summer. Double check some standard serving temps and if needed give your reds a quick chill before you fire up the grill - so that you will have a wine that is ready to bring forth flavor and not just dominating alcohol when you are ready to eat red meat.