Dave Matthews & Wine!

the Dreaming Tree

This is so interesting!  I am a huge Dave Matthews Band fan and Dave Matthews has teamed up with Steve Reeder for wine!  Of course it is called the Dreaming Tree (DMB song).  Dave's journey and interest with wine began in Virginia...

The Dreaming Tree talks about the four step process for getting the wine from the production to your table and how the environment is important.  Step one is about using clean gas during production to ensure there is no pollution over the vines.  Step two is all in the label.  Their labels are made with 100% recycled paper because it is the Dreaming Tree after all right?  Step three is the transfer.  Shipping the wine requires less fuel because the bottles are 50% lighter.  And finally, the forth step is popping the cork at the table.  Their corks are "sustainably grown".

"At the Dreaming Tree, we think the best vintage is pretty much right now and the best pairing is your favorite people.  Hey, there's nothing wrong with collecting wine, but isn't it more fun to drink instead?" http://www.dreamingtreewines.com

Are U a Cab Fan?

As I have mentioned before, although I enjoy all wine, I'm more fond of red wines and Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite wine of all.  I wanted to share this great, inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon wine:

J. LOHR Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is stored in a French oak Chateau Barrel during production and the vineyard is located in California.  It's bottle age is 11 months, but can be aged for up to 10 to 15 years.  Here is a description from the Winemaker, Steve Peck:
 
      "The 2007 Cabernet is dark colored with red-purple hues.  Aromas of black plum, cherry and fresh fig
       are wrapped in a bouquet of roasted hazelnut, coconut and Italian espresso.  This wine offers large
       palate volume in a very soft package with a supple finish.  This new world wine showcases the best
       of the varietal fruit, with complexity and structure reminiscent of the finest of Bordeaux."

I enjoy this wine and think it is great for a simple, late night glass or paired with a lighter, pasta dish as a food pairing.  It's only about $14 at the Harris Teeter in Suffolk, VA.  If you are a fan of Cabernet Sauvignon, then you have to try this wine!

Yummy!

- Possible Food Pairings for Wines -

Riesling: This wine goes well with fish, chicken and pork, tuna, salmon, eel, and spicy Japanese food.

Sauvignon Blanc: Salads, seafood and any poultry are great pairings for this wine.

Chardonnay: Great wine for chicken and fish dishes.

Moscato: This wine is fine on it's own, but alright to pair with a dessert or sweeter treat.

Pinot Grigio: Great with mostly anything and mainly a personal preference.

     * Suggestion: If only a fan of white wine, pair this when eating red meats if necessary.

Merlot: This wine is similar to pinot grigio because it can be paired with mostly anything and is simply a personal preference.

     * Suggestion: If only a fan of red wine, pair this when eating white meat if necessary.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Great wine for any red meat that is simply prepared.

Pinot Noir: This wine goes great with sushi, grilled salmon, chicken and lamb.

Zinfandel: Great wine for grilled meats, red-sauce pastas, and pizza.

     * Suggestion: Try and pair according to the variety of the wine and it's heaviness.  A heavy wine may not compliment a heavy barbecued dish, but a fresher Zinfandel would.

* Try to avoid red meats with white or sweet wines.

* Sweeter wines go better if paired alone or with dessert.

<F. Breton>

What is Wine?

Back to basics, wine comes from grapes of course!  It's the fermented juice of grapes and is made in many different varieties such as: red, white, sweet, sparkling, dry and still. The alcoholic content of wine is usually around 14%.  Wine is used for cooking, religious ceremonies/rites, and known mainly as a beverage.

Wine brings people together.  Wine dates back to 6000 B.C.  According to an article on www.tree.com, as time progressed, wealthy individuals enjoyed the fruits of the vine.  Monks even had a role because of the growing and expanding of the vines.  Starting in the 1960s, table wines returned.  Today, every state in America can have at least one, successful vineyard.  California continues to be the leader of wine production in the United States.

Happy Vino!

Wine is something that is very interesting to me.  It's not simply wine but also their different kinds, titles, origins, tastes, color and there food pairings.  Can you imagine all the things I get to discuss?  Obviously this is very broad so I am going to narrow it down and focus on the local wines in Virginia.  Hampton Roads has so many vineyards that are producing amazing wine.  If you're a wine lover too then hopefully you'll enjoy this and even learn where to buy local wine in Virginia with a great value.  I hope to learn a few things while doing the research for this blog myself.  Who knows...maybe I'll even bake a few things to go along with certain wines I find.  Enjoy!