While there never seems to be enough time to actually EAT everything you came for in NY, there is certainly never a lack of exercise burning off what you’ve actually consumed.  After a full adventuresome first day, our next was spent sight seeing.  From exceptional views atop The Top of The Rock (Rockefeller Center), to the winding mid town streets- we hoofed our way through some of the center of the city’s most famous hot spots.   And, of course through some of NY’s most famous shopping spots as well.  From Gucci to Zegna, Cole Hahn, Prada and more…the shopping in NY is never a drag. 

With an afternoon filled with street-side attractions, and with a pile of shopping bags to show for our ‘time well spent’ – we decided to head over to the lower east side of Central Park for one of the city’s most famous glasses of bubbly.  A Champagne Cocktail from the Plaza Hotel.  One of my favorite NY things!  With windows that look out on to the corner of the park and with zillions of people flocking by- this was second best to nothing.  It’s funny how the Plaza rolls, with the dining room always booked for proper tea, and the Oak Room already a buzz with happy hour, the Champagne Bar is one of THE most expensive joints in the city to enjoy a cocktail.  With more than 30-40 different bubbles to enjoy, their signature cocktails always seem to be the best.  With that, I opted for the house Bellini.  Of course a cocktail famed from its original Harry’s Bar in Italy, this rendition is almost as good – very delicious.  My husband chose the cucumber mojito – just as tasty!  After plates of mini pork sliders and a chicken caesar later, I was convinced to try the famous ‘Sex in the City’ drink equipped with both tequila and cava.  Again, yummy even if I did feel a bit ‘girly’ sipping something so PINK.

Truthfully, the weather couldn’t have been any better.  With a sunny September day in hand, 85 degrees and not a cloud in the sky – we strolled back to our penthouse suite to make plans for dinner.  Dinner…something I looked forward to all day!  While there were many places on our list, we both agreed we were both in the mood for Italian.  And who better to enjoy it with?  Mario Batali.  Famed for his classic Italian dishes, we knew we wouldn’t go home hungry after a vist to one of his NY originals, Babbo. 

Babbo, an interesting NY restaurant snuggled into Greenwich Village is one that many New Yorkers do not miss.  Knowing that our chances of actually eating within the next two hours without a reservation were slim, so we geared up for a lengthy wait at the bar – standing behind plates of delicious food and folks clamoring to sit at the bar.  The ‘system’, if you will, at Babbo is really quite interesting.  While the main restaurant is by reservation only, the bar area is set up by the front host as a line of folks waiting to eat at either the bar or its six surrounding two tops lining the walls of the entryway.  Yet after just one hour of standing bar side weeding our way through the Wines by the 1/4 L’s list, we were seated. 

With a list of food almost impossible to choose from, and plates of dreamy traditional Italian classics, we finally decided on a few.  Starting first with a primi called ‘Mint Love Letters’, which happened to be an amazing dish of fresh made stuffed mint ravioli and topped with a meaty Lamb Ragu, I thought I had died already and gone to heaven.  My husband’s dish, however, is still one that I cannot stop thinking about even this morning for breakfast!  Mario’s classic Pasta Bolognese with handmade Pappardelle.  Are you kidding me?  I can’t stop dreaming of the meaty, earthy, silky notes of both the sauce and the pasta.  I could have eaten the whole plate myself!  And to top it all off, a fabulously 2001 Riserva Barolo to pair to it. 

Moving on to main plates, my husband ordered of one of THE largest Pork Chops I have ever seen, drizzled in 30 yr old balsamic vinegar.  My main dish, a plate of perfectly cooked sliced beef tongue, and a side of Mario’s famous Brussels sprouts with house pancetta.  OMG is all I have to say about THAT dish!  So flippin good and magically cooked.  I mean, who cooks pancetta so perfectly?  And crisps Brussels Sprouts like that?  Mario Batali, that’s who!  Our nite couldn’t have been any better with food and wine leaking from every orifice.  We were two foodies in heaven, dreaming of house cured pancetta and bolognese that nite  in our enormous NY apt. 

The day next didn’t quit with delicious city treats.  From our walk through Central Park, over to the Upper West Side where I never miss a chance to get a H&H NY Bagel and a trip across the street from it to one of the city’s most famous food markets, Zabar’s – I was in heaven.  Back through the park, down the Upper East Side and more perusing into midtown, our stomachs were set on finding another stellar dinner.  With some spice in mind, we geared up and headed on down to the Meat Packing District for another famous NY chef experience.  Jean-Georges, a man after my own Frenchie heart with roots from Strasbourg, France is one chef that can fit any palate depending on your mood.  Tonite, we down for a little heat and creativity which only spelled one thing:  The Spice Market. 

Upon our arrival, we decided that cocktails not wine were probably our best interest for the nite.  And, a famous Jean-Georges cocktail to fit that bill…The Ginger Margarita.  And oh boy, served by the pitcher for good reason – because one is just not good enough!  Again, the menu was nothing short of amazing with choices wandering into every Thai Asian fusion corner imaginable. 

Our starters which went from Peeky Toe Crab dumplings, Spicy Asian Slaw Salad to pureed Butternut Squash Soup topped with roasted pine nuts and creme fraiche were already more than I could handle.  So good.  To top off our beginnings, I took our server’s recommendation and tried the Concord Mimosato wash it all down.  Concord grapes, a bit tannic and really sometimes a hard ‘grape’ of sorts to know what to do with.  I liked the concord twist, however, on this rendition of a classic mimosa.  We were explained that Jean was a big proponent of using sustainable NY ingredients, this was his way of using ‘local’ grapes to infuse his menu.  They were again used in a Concord Cheesecake on the list for dessert.

After stuffing ourselves with first plates, we leaned into a delicious Green Curry Chicken which, a thick and creamy broth of delightful flavors and chicken along with a side of the restaurant’s famous ginger fried rice.  The rice dish, the most interesting of this course, had a fried egg dipped in raw ginger served sunny-side up over the fried rice.  All very tasty and certainly, very ‘food’ memorable.  After dinner, our evening’s ventures continued with a trip down to New York City’s Famous Time Square and a nite cap at the hotel bar, The Bull and the Bear, before retiring for the evening. 

While our trip left us nothing short of ‘Amazing’, we counted the things we missed from a New York perspective (pizza, bacon donut, Balthazar Restaurant, a trip to Ellis Island and more).  Yet we were okay to miss a ‘few’ NY things, knowing that this was NOT going to be my husband’s last trip to one of my favorite U.S. cities.  Vivacious, classic, yet full of adventure, this was one trip that will go down in the S+L travelling history book and one fabulous first anniversary. 

Salut to future NYC visits and more!

Here I am, Back in the Big Apple.  A city that I just can’t get away from.  I dream of it of many fronts.  Wanting to drink, eat and shop my way through every inch of it.  Every time I’m here, it’s always a new experience yet, this trip has already has taken the cake for probably the ‘most memorable’ of all of my NYC Trips.

First, it should be my most memorable trip.  It is a trip to celebrate my first wedding anniversary, on top of that, my husband’s first trip to this fabulous city.  Planned as a gift, a getaway before the busy season hits and one for just enjoying some R & R between us – little did we know that ‘relaxation’ wasn’t the name of the game when we landed during one of New York’s busiest political weeks.  With a plan to settle into one of the city’s most famous hotels, The Waldorf Astoria, sip cocktails, and just relax before we head out for our first late afternoon of site seeing and delicious dinner – we quickly realized that getting first, anywhere, was going to be a problem.

To begin, one must always prepare for arriving at Laguardia airport, as it is always a circus.  Drivers in your face, people in lines and some form of construction, mayhem and airport craziness is the general rule for this NY airport.  Cabbing it into Manhattan can be interesting, so we took the first limo that we were presented.  With a bumper glued on by some sort of house caulk, we snuggled into a super stretch white limo headed off for the city.  As the city approached, the onslaught of mid afternoon traffic hit us, yet not only were there cars but lines and lines of police cars and armored security trucks.  After spending a few minutes in midtown traffic, our limo driver jumped out, handed his mail to the post office  truck to our right, got back in, turned around and said “We won’t be going anywhere fast in this, do you guys want to jump out and walk from here?”  We looked at one another and laughed.  After explaining that the president, ex-president and that Ahmadinejad guy were all in town and the amount of security that we were to face block after block would eventually take more time to drive through than walk through, that hoofing it a few blocks would save us some time.  So, there we were suitcases in hand and walking the streets of mid Manhatten.

Once arriving to the Waldorf, the lines of security, snipers and hand-guns we faced were obviously just the beginning to our time consuming check in.  X-ray machines, baggage checks and security wands were waved from head to toe.  Security laughed as my cute Minnesotan husband made jokes about the cost of our room and the ‘deal’ that we were getting.  Upon reaching  the check-in desk, we were told to have some drinks at the bar and wait for our room.  Sounded good, but the bar, again was just another space filled with secret service, black suits and diplomats making it an interesting venture.  Yet, I was easily distracted and quickly forgot about the extra line of black suits sitting to my right after being handed the wine list.  With options that I wasn’t necessarily used to in the Twin Cities, my eyes lit up with excitement wanting to try everything I saw.  Finally after deciding on my first, I kicked back enjoying a fabulous glass of Hermann J Wiemer Blanc de Noir from the Finger Lakes.  Only then moments later deciding on a delicious ‘sauteed’ asparagus like Vouvray, an alluring vegetal, cheesey, almondy glass of Chablis and finally, a surprising sip of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from a winery called Routestock with a brite cherry, swisher sweet, cooked bacon peel aroma.  Ahhh, my day had finally begun and with that, knew that the rest of the day was to be more of an adventure.

Once the room was ready, we started for the elevator, filled with more ‘officials’ than one could possibly imagine in one spot, outside the White House.   Hitting the 41st floor button seemed to go well until the elevator suddenly shifted and started heading DOWN.  Down to a floor where we were ushered off the elevator by more men in black suits and held in a small room with no explanation.  Curtains, dividers and more security held us from looking into the hallway from which we came.  And, with the roar of a  sudden armored truck racing up the street, a slew of reporters stampeeding by and more black suits stacked in lines like walls, our ‘mystery guest’ was rushed off before we even knew who to look for.  With more excitement than one knew what to do with, and a good 30 minutes later, we were then allowed to hit the elevator again.  Laughing through the hallway trying to make sense of our ’already’ NY adventure, we remembered that we were told when we went back for our keys once the room was ready, that we were ‘upgraded’ for our wait.  Upgraded.  Hmmm…. that was an understatement.  As it turned out, an upgrade at the Astoria Towers meant a 2,000 square foot apartment!  Fully equipped with a kitchen, dining area, sitting lounge, foyer, large bathroom, powder room and huge bedroom – I wondered when we’d have time to throw a formal dinner party in our new NY apartment.  And, as I look around at our humble abode this morning,  I sit typing from my own ‘oval office’ giggling,  thinking…’I hope my husband doesn’t think this is what ALL NY hotel rooms look like!’

The rest of our evening was a bit more relaxed, even as we stumbled upon characters, places and more to eat and drink.  From Grand Central Station, Artisanal for cheese and wine pairings, and on to Gramercy Tavern where the in house smoked venison kielbasa seemed to blow the mind of even the pickiest of MN eaters, my husband, the nite was perfect.  And so far…just the beginning to one trip that is surely never to be forgotten.  And an anniversary trip, certainly one for the record books.

More stories I’m sure to come.  Stay tuned and Enjoy this Beautiful Fall Weekend in September, no matter where you are.  Salut!

Wow, is it football season already?  Well, I’m ready!

With a clean slate to start with and my husband’s favorite team, The Vikings, already in last place – My Packers are looking pretty good! 

Football.  It’s a ritual in our house.  Food, wine, more food, yelling at the TV screen, more wine and well, more hootin’ and hollerin’.  It’s always celebrated with friends and it’s always fun, no matter who’s playing.  While I’m clearly the Packer Backer in the house, there seems to be only one problem with my marriage…my husband is a Vikings Fan.  And, it makes life interesting every Sunday.  We sit on the same couch watching our favorite teams until, of course, our own teams play each other – separate seating arrangements are then needed.

As for the first game of the season, however, I sat to watch the Vikes take on the defending Superbowl Champs, the New Orleans Saints for one reason ~ because Dave Matthews was the Pregame Show!  And, with a husband as sweet as mine – hands filled with wine gifts to entice me, how could I say no? 

So here it is, First Game of the Season and the Kick Off Wine – Not a Bad Way to Start my Football Season… Check it out!  In HD

You asked for it and you got it!

My first time to the Minnesota State Fair and I’ve already taken it to the next level.  I paired all the fair goodies up to WINE!  Yes, wine.  

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there isn’t anything that I can’t pair to.  

While beer seems to be the perfect match to these State Fair Gems, no food goes without a perfect wine pairing…Check it out! 

Wine Paired to~
The MN State Fair Famous – Pronto Pup (aka: corn dog)
Cheese Curds
The Gizmo
Chicken Fried Bacon and
The Fair’s ‘Oh so Famous!’ Bag o’ Donuts

In case you were asleep, or decided you didn’t want to look at the Internet or peruse most social media sites on Thursday…It was Officially Cabernet Day to anyone and everyone that loves wine!

Cabernet…considered the King of Grapes, is one grape that adds flare to any meal, conversation or party.  He is bold, strong, robust and at times, filthy.  Some of my favorite Cabernet smells are dark red berry, violet, gravel and raw meat.  Cabernet, depending on his region (yes, he’s officially, a HE) can range from smells of red berry, dark berry, chocolate, mineral, meat and pencil shaving.  Hints of eucalyptus, mint, green bell pepper, jalapeno and more can and do apply as well.

For instance….a Blind Tasting Component for me of Chilean Cab is ‘sliced jalapenos dipped in chocolate’ and of the region of Napa, fat rich dark berry fruit, sometimes of a briar bush but distinctly of dark cocoa as well.  Remember, Cabernet has a group of grapes he hangs with.  Specifically, his Queen:  Ms. Merlot.  Juicy and dripping with soul and voluptuous character, she’s a gem seated at the King’s right hand.  Others in his group include:  Cabernet Franc (meant for aromatics and acid), Petite Verdot (added to a blend for color), and Malbec (added for color along with flavor and spice).  Once these are together, we have what’s called:  A Bordeaux Blend.  Officially, the grapes of Bordeaux.  See?  Not that hard, right?

Most ‘Cabernets’ are a blend of one or some or all of the above however, there are a few gems out there that do ride 100% the varietal – all Cabernet.  In my opinion, the most interesting of sorts.  100% the varietal means, you really get to see what this baby’s soil tastes like.

Let’s pick apart the wines I had for the nite on Cabernet Day! (I want to preface this by saying, I shared with friends.  I didn’t drink them all myself!!)

2009 Hendry Rosé:  One of my favorite Napa producers.  George Hendry’s Rosé sometimes consists of a saignée blend (a bleed of) of the Bordeaux varietals, the 2009 that we enjoyed of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel and Primitivo (Italian Zin).  We enjoyed this juicy, meaty rosé with a plate of cheeses to start.

2003 Almaviva Cab:  A French Philippe de Rothschild and Concha y Toro venture out of Chile.  This sucker was loaded with candied fruit, but perfectly balanced with a hint of dry gravel dirt and minerals.  So fab with our fresh farmer’s market eggplant.  Dipped in panko crumbs and fried to perfection, the wine picked up the sweet parts of our eggplant.  Awesome pairing!

2001 Pine Ridge ‘Andrus Reserve’ Cabernet:  This, a blend of Bordeaux varietals was aged, almost perfectly.  For a 9 year old wine, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I keep drinking through my late ‘Gary Andrus’ Wines, and some are ready and some, past their prime.  This~ with dirty red fruit, meaty with raw tones to it, and lingered for days.  Really, really good and incidentally, GREAT with our heirloom tomato caprese salad.  The tomatoes were uber ripe and delicious with this wine!

2003 Villa Cafaggio ‘Cortaccio’:  A 100% Cabernet from Tuscany and always one of my favorite wineries from Tuscany.  This wine reeked of leather, dried herbs, red tomatoes and made me crave an Italian Meat Ragu.  Mouth-watering and really so wonderful with our main course ~ A grilled peppered tenderloin and fresh green beans sauteed with shallots.  Like candy, if you like dirty candy!  Truly, an Old World Gem.

Last on the table, but certainly NOT least:  2004 Cayuse ‘The Widowmaker’ Cabernet from Walla Walla.  From the works of my friend, Christophe Baron, this wine has sat in my cellar begging to be opened.  And with a Walla Walla, WA background – weirdly flinty, chocolaty, porky and full of blackberries, marionberries and blueberries – this wine was perfect with the molten lava chocolate cakes I made topped with candied bacon! Yum!

Overall, one of my new favorite holidays~ Cabernet Day! Perfectly paired with fabulous friends and delicious home-grown garden food, I’ll take a Grape Day over any day of the week… So, When do we celebrate Pinot Noir Day?

Here we are already… I have to be honest, I’m not a fan of this holiday called: Labor Day.  It’s like a marker that only spells out one thing, The End of Summer.  Sadly.  With my neighbor’s kids already back in school and the smell of damp condensation in the air, I’m excited to see fall, but not the onset of another Minnesota winter.

Since my move to the great state of Minnesota, almost four years ago now, I have come to appreciate quite a few things Midwestern from clearly a much different perspective than I had of this part of the country when living on the west coast.  For one, the power of having great neighbors.  All things considered, I have a tremendous neighborhood filled with great folks, awesome kids and a part of the city that lives very close to every lake in south Minneapolis, it’s great.  Two, as a Midwesterner, you’re allowed to greet folks on the sidewalk with a smile, say hello to everyone you meet and ask folks about their families without getting a weird look like you’re trying to steal their purse.  And lastly, it’s the good ole Midwestern fun that comes with living here.  People get geared up for the summers here – swimming in lakes, heading to the cabin on the weekends and suddenly, the State Fair becomes a major hi-lite to the summer’s end.  But there’s one thing that I can truly appreciate again after living for years on the west coast that only Midwesterners get really geared up for in the summer, and that is: Fishing. 

Fishing in the Midwest involves a good fishing pole, worms for bait or even some crazy ass lure that would reel in one heck of a Minnesotan Monster, The Very Infamous and Very Elusive Muskie.  While the muskie should take the place of our state bird, as state animal – it is the one thing that Minnesotans dream of when it comes to outdoor activity.  Hard to catch, fun to reel in and never meant for keeping.  Hook it up, take your picture and let it go – is the name of the game.  Well, I tried my hand at catching the little monster last weekend.  While I was proven unsuccessful, I did catch this…

It’s clearly not a muskie and really, not even big even to eat…but the comment did come up after my catch, and it was: “So Leslee, what would you pair to all these lake fish for wine?”

Of course my family would ask me that question.  But, a great question at that.  So, I figured as everyone is off to the cabin for the upcoming holiday – Labor Day – you may ask yourself, ‘What wine should I stock the cooler with for our weekend?’

No worries, I’m here to tell ya – PLUS give you my Top Hits for pairing wine to these little fish-es. 

* Remember when pairing to ANY dish, that it’s not necessarily the COLOR of the main ingredient, BUT in fact, How it’s going to be Prepared.  Very important.  Think of my little fish up here, while it’s white yes – a white wine does NOT necessarily apply to this dish – it’s the preparation behind it’s serving.  Will you smoke it, pan fry it, grill it or broil it?

Here’s a fish (below that my mother-in-law had to catch for us!) that could be smoked~a good ole Minnesota Northern.  Growing up in Wisconsin, my mom would smoke these little buggers.  Smoking a fish adds an element that it unlike no other. 

While a beer seems to be a pretty good pairing, here are a couple of goodies for pairing to that smoke factor with your fish, along with some other preparation pairings.

Smoked:  Dry Chardonnay (choose a French Burgundian for a more dry style), Sancerre (a French Sauvignon Blanc), a Dry Riesling (German Kabinett) or even a wonderfully dry Sherry (Fino or Manzanilla).  If one were to smoke a salmon:  A Perfect Pairing ~ A New World Pinot Noir (meaning any Pinot outside of the EU)

Grilling Solutions:  A wonderful Rosé – I love so many of these beautiful Ribera Del Duero Rosés – head over to Solo Vino in St Paul for some of the Twin Cities best rosé selections.  Again, a Pinot Noir would be wonderful (choose one with a bit of barrel to it – smokey tasting).  Or better yet – a Fabulous Grenache – now that would be a match made in heaven.  French or Spanish for your Grenache will do.

Blackened:  Beer, yes beer is key here but… Pinot Noir again (this time pick an Oregonian!)  How about a wonderful Syrah?  I wouldn’t go Shiraz (Aus or South Africa, too heavy) but maybe a fun Washington Syrah.  And, I love Chenin Blanc with a blackened fish – yum!

Broiled:  How bout a wonderful Alsatian Pinot Gris, or better yet – a fun Sparkling wine?  Fresh but NOT sweet.  Maybe one northern Italy and one that won’t break the bank – Prosecco?

Broiled with Butter:  Here’s your chance to have that big Butter Oaky Chardonnay from the New World!

Pan Fried:  Sauvignon Blanc with a white fish seems to be my favorite

Also – consider this… Is your Fish Steaky?  If you were having an Ahi Steak, I recommend an Italian wine that grows coast side or even, a Sicilian or a Croatian Wine?  

Remember that line:  What Grows Together, Goes Together!   Here’s your chance to apply the notion.  Ahi ~ from Sicily, drink a fun inexpensive Nero d’Avola.  A swordfish steak – remember your preparation method first – but if you were to add fresh tomatoes and litely grill it – a delicious Sangiovese from Tuscany!

See, not that hard right?  Pairing is fun when you just think it through – Step by Step!

Of course, your Labor Day Weekend will include other ventures like S’More Making (Pick a fun Zinfandel from Dry Creek, Cali to pair) or Throwing a Frisbee (I love Sauvignon Blanc for these activities – any region will do), Reading a Book Lakeside (How about a Bubble? I Love Pac NW Bubbly, like Argyle, for this occasion) and well, how about Cruising Shoreline in your Canoe (I pick Pinot, or better yet – a fun, lite hearted Barbera from the Piedmont region of Italy). 

There you have it – from Fish to Fun with all these Yummy Labor Day Wine Pairings.  After all, it’s summer last hooray, right?  Live it up and oh yeah, don’t forget the Beer, too!  Happy Labor Day!

In case you missed it, there was a Showdown ThrowDown last nite in the Twin Cities between two of Music’s Hottest Blonde Bombshells – Lady Gaga & Carrie Underwood.  Gaga at St Paul’s Xcel Enery Center and Underwood at the State Fair…hmmm.  Love ya Carrie, but the state fair, really?  Gaga was so hot, she added another date to her Twin Cities schedule and squeezed in another show at the Xcel last nite – pretty cool.

While it truly wasn’t a showdown at all – unless you consider Underwood’s gun slingin’ leather belt she was wearing part of the ThrowDown Attire - my vote for Best Performance goes to Queen Gaga.  No, I didn’t see Carrie’s performance AND Gaga’s…I was only game for the raunchiest show in town, The Gaga.  Incidentally, which is a perfect follow-up to my previous ‘How to Make Love to Wine’ blog. 

Taken from Lady Gaga herself:  “I hate the truth.  I’d prefer a giant dose of Bullsh-  any day before I’d rather hear the truth.”  So, this is my review of the show with wine pairings to boot. 
Hey Gaga:  Are you ready to ‘Show me Your Teeth’?

A friend of mine said before hitting the show last nite, “The best way to describe Lady Gaga’s Show last nite (she played the nite before also) is by saying, it was a Fiasco!”  And now, after seeing it…I get that.  But, I loved that aspect of it at the same time!  Crazy, out of control, just out-right sick and twisted, but isn’t that why we all went?  It’s like never being able to pass by a car wreck, we all have to SEE what’s inside – something grueling, disturbing and a bit sick.  That is the Queen Gaga.  And the fans, just as sick, demented and unleashed as their performer.  From little girls 5 yrs of age and up to someone’s grandma sitting next to me – the show brought out the best, worst and most scantily clad audience of the state.  Yet somehow, Gaga’s message of:  Equality, Bi-Lovin’, Acceptance and Inner Monster Release – applied to almost everyone in the audience.  At least that’s what the roar from the crowd implied.  So I thought…what the h- am I going to pair to this, a Monster Ball of sorts, when it comes to Wine & the music of Ms. Gaga?

So I asked and here’s what I got…

After checking out these hot mamas and their drinks, I thought – I must get deeper on this subject.  So I tore it apart song by song. 

Starting here with ‘Disco Stick’ :

 

Hmmm, let’s see.  We don’t necessarily need to talk about the meaning of ‘Disco Stick’, I think we covered that in “How to Make Love to Your Wine” last week.  So, we pair to the wines that may apply to the action involving a ‘Disco Stick’ of sorts.  I know, not exactly Al Green y’all, but it could refer to that baby making moment that has you all hot and bothered. 

What wine puts YOU in the mood?  That’s for you to answer, but I have one region in mind that may apply to the situation at hand.  Let’s take a wine from the Girl’s Video above… Veuve Clicquot.  While I’m not necessarily a fan of the juice from Clicquot that comes to the U.S. (remember, what we get here in the U.S. has more sugar) – I AM a fan of a creamy, luxurious, slippery Champagne.  Completely applicable to Ms. Gaga’s ‘Disco Stick’, don’t chya think?

Next.  A Wine to Drink when all you want to do is:  ‘Just Dance’

Dancing, moving, gyrating – whatever you want to call it.  It’s a feel good kind of move, right?  Whether it’s Disco, Hip-Hop or Country – it makes the world go ’round and if we didn’t have our own Lady Gagas to jam out to, what would we have?  And wine…helping the world to become better dancers, right? 

What Wine Makes YOU want to ‘Just Dance’?  Again, bubbly fits into this category, but for me – something fresh, fun and exciting plays a pretty even part for opening my chakras.  I pick a delightfully, cheery, green and grassy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Much different from my heart throb region of Savis, the Loire Valley reeking of mineral and chalk, I like New Zealand for their fresh, brite, sunshine-y, grassy attitude.  When it’s cold and dreary here in the great Midwest come January, I reach for a nice pick me up.  I do, in fact, enjoy Whitehaven’s Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough.  A smile for under $15, where could one possibly go wrong?

And last, but certainly not least… One of my favorite Gaga songs and really, quite the act, Sir Alejandro:

You heard it here ~ What Grows Together Goes Together!  Looking for a cool new way to practice your Spanish?  Check into Rioja Rehab and call me when you’re out!  My pick for something dirty, twisted, meaty and maybe even a little bloody – check out one of my favorite regions in Spain: Rioja.  The grape here peeps remember is:  Tempranillo.  Full of soot, sometimes poopy but always delicious.  One of my favorites ~ Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserve.  Oooohhh so gooood and still a rock ‘em, sock ‘em wine for under $30 – a real winner! 

Moral of the Story:  Dirty with personality. 

And, shouldn’t that sum it all up for us here, Ms. Gaga?  I’ve decided, I like you.  I’ll keep you plugged into my IPod for a while.  ‘Cuz you make me want to dance, sip, disco and more.  Thanks for a fab show and thanks to all who I enjoyed it with!  Overall, a killer performance by one hot lady (or man, whatever?).  Hope you like the pairings…of course, they’re for you to choose, these are just some starters.  Drink what you like, and drink it with style! 

Now turn up that music and GET TO DRINKING!!!