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!

Check out this new video post with your favorite go-to-wine-gal Sommelier Leslee Miller of Amusée. 

A side by side comparison tasting between these Two Fiesty, Delicious, Efforvescent, Brite Portuguese Vinho Verdes for the Season!

Broadbent’s Vinho Verde – found on the shelf for $10.99  &  the Tr3s Castas Vinho Verde for $11.99 – both a killer deal for a fun easy drinker.  I found them both on the shelf at one of my favorite local retailers – Solo Vino Wine Shop in St Paul.

Which one fits your palate?

Enjoy – In HD!

And the hits just keep on comin’!  This summer has been filled with class after class, all of them knocking the hits right out of the park.  Thursday nite with our BAD ASS BBQ & BEST BUCK 4 BUCK WINES class at Cooks of Crocus Hill was no exception.  With a class over 30 peeps deep and a group ready to take on anything Q’d, we were all in the mood for a little fun.

The wines were all focused around good valued juice that packed a little more punch than the price price point you paid.  You know, something you could say you paid $20 for and no one would ever know that you paid $10 because it was that good!  With everything from an easy drinkin’ $7 Bordeaux Rosé to WINE IN A BOX (yep, you heard it right!) – the hit of the nite – all blind and the wine, which was served from decanters, was unveiled only after everyone started guessing $18-$25 for the bottle.  The box, which I wrapped in brown paper bag and labeled:  BAD ASS VINO, turned the room into a roar with my Aus Banrock Station Shiraz in a box.  Something you’d find on the shelf for about $8 a 750mL, was now in a 3L box staring us down for a total of $20 (that’s 4 bottles!)  The room applauded!

But, here was the real gem of the nite…the last pairing of our dinner.  Grilled strawberries and…you’ll have to watch to find out! 

Check out Chef Mike Shannon from Cooks of Crocus Hill and myself as we give you a little 411 on this spectacular summer pairing and unveil the wine we used for delicious Grilled Summer Strawberries and house made Lemon Sorbet!  (In HD)

Folks are always asking and I’m always trying them…from one end of the Mississippi to the other, I’m reviewing them left and right.  What are they?  Minnesotan wines.  From grapes like Frontenac, Marquette to St Croix – they’re a foxy group of characters.

Take a look as my pal, Chef Mike Shannon from Cooks of Crocus Hill, and I review a wine made in our own backyard.  Literally, kind of a ‘city made’ wine.  From Warehouse Winery - this, a blend of Frontenac with California purchased grapes: Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Franc. 

Watch as we review and then PAIR to this funky wine concoction!  In HD.

So I wandered into my favorite old joint last nite for the first time in a long time, except for the same smiley face that I was used to behind the counter sipping coffee and grinning ear to ear with cheese in his beard, wasn’t there.  Instead, I found pink and frilly, poofy colored frosting’d cupcakes now behind the windows that I once knew filled with artisanal cheese and a young woman dressed in a pink apron eager to help me.  My friend, Ken Liss, owner of previous Premier Cheese Shop, was always the best person to find behind his shop counter, usually talking someone’s ear off about something, but always happy to see you.  Today, my once favorite artisanal cheese shop is now ‘Sweet Retreat Cupcakes’.

Knowing that the transition had taken place, I decided to check it out and take my love for cheese in to trade it in for chocolate cupcakes.  I’m not the biggest fan, to be honest, of chocolate but I thought it would be a good ‘treat’ for the guests I have arriving in town for the weekend.

Here’s what I found… An almost empty showcase cooler of 4-5 different cupcakes.  Was it any different than any other ‘cupcake boutique’ I’ve been to outside of NY…not so much.  If you’ve ever been to NYC, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  Magnolia Cupcakes on Bleecker Street is about  THE BEST of any CUPCAKE Boutique in the country, that is if you’re into cupcakes.  Here, even if you didn’t think you liked cupcakes, will walk out with a new obsession.

Not that I’m doggin’ out the shop in Edina, but I’m just not sure the demand for cupcakes galore is the right thing in that spot.  And, with a sort of ‘baron’ looking showcase, I wasn’t super convinced that they’ll be in the same spot a year or two from now.

The Sweet Treat, however, did offer (of what they had) some cool flavors, but again, nothing too unique.  So, I ordered four of the five flavors they offered:  S’mores, Peanut Butter, Red Velvet and Cookies n’ Cream.  And, as I stood there looking at their heavy frosting’d tops, I thought…I’m taking these home and pairing them up to wine!  And, that is exactly what I did.

Here’s what I came up with~

Red Velvet Cupcake: My take, it was okay…nothing like MY Red Velvet Recipe that came from a family friend’s grandmother born in the south.  OMG.  That’s all I have to say.  Sweet Retreat’s R V Cupcake, pretty good but missing the ‘cocoa’ taste.    Wine Pairing: My thoughts- a Fat Shiraz (yes, pronounced Shiraaaaaaz), like one from Australia’s Two Hands Winery.  Their wines are over the top, fat, sassy and often never balanced – over blown with saturated fruit and barrel.  However, peeerrrrfect for a R V Cupcake.  The cocoa velvet fruit, layered in raspberry smoke coming from this wine would fit perfectly with the cupcake.  I like the Two Hands Angel’s Share, nice but not too overblown.  I think really nice with this not too sappy c-cake, but perfect.

Cookies n’ Cream Cupcake: My take, creamy and reminded me of undercooked cookie dough.  I liked it.  Sweet, but again, creamy.    Wine Pairing: A Fat, Round, Creamy Chardonnay .  I think~ Napa Valley’s Pine Ridge Epitome Chardonnay.  Hell, it’s a Chard that is really over blown (when it comes to price and palate) but if it pairs to lobster tail dripped in butter, it will pair with this over blown, creamy, buttery cupcake.  Dip that baby in butter and away you’ll go.

Peanut Butter Cupcake: My take, my fav!  I loved the salty, creamy, slightly savory aspect of this very icing’d cupcake.  Overdone with icing, falling off the side of the cake, the ccake was impossible to contain.  Yes, very good.    Wine Pairing: A nice, rich, juicy, banana split-like Semillon.  The wine that I think of, Alpha Domus Late Harvest Semillon.  Called the Leonarda, which is the name of the winery owner’s grandmother.  Plus, I love the Alpha Domus story (of NZ) and this particular wine…juicy, banana-split like and honeyed.  Love it and the only real wines I feel like goes with peanut butter is rich honeyed Riesling and Semillon.  Good stuff.

Lastly, the S’mores Cupcake: My take, I likey.  The cupcake was finished with a ‘toasted’ marshmallow frosting (sticky as heck) and a baby Hershey’s chocolate bar.  I liked the touch.  Graham Cracker-like crust, fat chocolate center and creamy mallow topping, good job.  Wine Pairing: Something really chocolaty, and decadently, over the top.  I would say two wines come to mind.  One: Napa Valley’s Rombauer Zinfandel.

Here it is (to my favorite CRUSH PAD fans)…The Rombauer Zinfandel is one wine that I love to describe as ‘A Ho in Ho’s Clothing’. What does that even mean?!  Just exactly like what it sounds like, and it doesn’t belong in church with an alcohol percentage like that (often well over 16%).  You can’t even dress it up and make it look better…nothing would stay on this hot, slippery, contaminated, beast of a Zin.  It screams:  ”Hey, here I am!!!!  Drink me, dang it!”  Over the top, exposed and ridiculously loose on the palate.  No boundaries.  And, definitely needs to be put into the ‘fortified section’ if you ask me. Need I say more?  But good, I’d think with this decedent cupcake.  See?  Every wine has its place!

My second pick for this cupcake: A smokey, rich saturated Cabernet from Chile.  I like the Root 1 Cabernet from Chile’s Colchagua Valley.  With just a smidgen of gooey Syrah (15%) added to it, the wine is chocolaty, rich, smokey and really sappy.  It’s perfect for a dessert this like.

One Old School Hard & Fast Rule: Always make sure your wine is one ‘titch’ sweeter than your dessert.  Does that mean ‘dessert wine’, NO WAY!  It just means…pick up one degree of any grape, hotter.  IE:  Australia, Napa, Chile – how hot does it get in some of those locations right?  And what does that mean?:  The hotter the climate, the higher the sugars, thus, the higher the alcohol levels and mostly, the sweeter the wine.

So…there you have it.   A quickie and a SWEET review on Edina’s new Sweet Retreat Cupcake Shop. BUT also, what to pair to these cupcakes if you’re taking them home to drink with.  Salut and happy cupcake-ing!

Who doesn’t LOVE Ladera Winery?  I know, I know.  I definitely have my favorites, that’s for sure.  But Ladera…they are always at the top of my list when it comes to California’s Howell Mountain Cabernets.  Ladera Winery founded by some of the nicest Minnesota peeps, the Stotesbery Family.  With me is good friend, Dan Stotesbery, son of owners Pat and Anne.  Always happy to share his love for Minnesota!

Take a look inside as we give you a sneak peek inside Ladera’s portfolio and really,  how Ladera came to be.  (IN HD!)

Don’t miss Dan and Ladera’s Winemaker, Karen Culler, this week in Minneapolis. At the Westin Mpls tonite for a Ladera Wine Dinner inside BANK Restaurant and this weekend at Minneapolis’s own ~ WINEFEST.  

 Two hot wine events this weekend, not to miss!

Not kidding, these are some crazy crows!  Travelocity Gnome joins us on shoot while Minneapolis Sommelier Leslee Miller of Amusée (www.amuseewine.com) is attacked by wild city crows while talking about one her favorite rosés of the season from A to Z Winery out of the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

In HD!

Sizzzzzzleeeee…is all you heard last nite in a room chucked full of almost 40 people for a very fun  Smoked, Grilled and Sauced Class @ Cooks of Crocus Hill in St Paul  with Minneapolis Culinary Superstars:  Chef Mike Shannon, Sommelier Leslee Miller and Cicerone Michael Agnew. 

First thing you ask is…what’s a Cicerone and what’s he doing with Mike and Leslee?  Michael is a new friend of this culinary team and we welcome him wholely with his wonderful knowledge of BEER.   Beer, that’s right I said it…and, a Cicerone is a person with a certification in beer knowledge.  ‘Kind of’ like a Sommelier.  The program is new to the US so they are, as Michael says, still figuring it all out.  But look out, the world is full of beer dorks, and I have to say…I like it. 

With a full menu ranging from:  Pulled Pork Cobb Salad, Smoked Salmon Pizza, Grilled Lamb Chops, Jamaican Chicken with Caribbean Slaw and Mike’s Specialty (who knew?!) Cheesecake with Chocolate Almond Crust and Tart Cherry Sauce.  Yum-my.    Between Cicerone and Sommelier, each course was paired off to alternate courses until the two libation dorks went head to head with the Lamb and Cheesecake courses. 

Here’s a run down of my favorite hits…

The starter wine ~ Famega Vinho Verde~ A Perfect Portuguese Treat, especially this time of year!  I love this wine.  A fresh, slightly fizzy Alvarinho (not Albarino, which would be from Spain) – that leaves a little tingle on your palate.  Very, very low in alcohol, a whoppin’ 9.5% alcohol and OMG, easy on the budget, maybe $8 on the shelf.  Milka what?!  That’s something you should be filling the bathtub up with on a Saturday afternoon!

The Pulled Pork Cobb Salad and the Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier.  First, let me just say that my Mike knows how to do anything that involves Smoke and Meat!  I mean he, in my book, is sort of like a little southern God.  His pulled pork, I’d throw on my pancakes!  The Hefe Weissbier was a perfect pairing to this Cobb.  With a slight egg like note of soft, yeast and floral aromas and mouth-filling creamy wheat, it was a perfect refreshment to this down home meaty Cobb.

Next, Korta Katarina’s Croatian Rosé (if you haven’t had the run down of these tasting notes, hit the blog entries below!) and the Smoked Salmon Pizza.  I love funky things on my pizza and this was a real winner for me.  The full salmon flavors, yet the supple strawberry fields of the rosé went hand in hand. 

The Jamaican Chicken with Caribbean Slaw was a lovely treat with probably my new favorite IPA.  Meantime Brewing Co. made India Pale Ale.  I love hops!  I love the floral aromas and the zesty little kick that they give beer, this was a very good pairing with the slaw having a slight kick to its profile.

The next two course were my favs…

The Grilled Lamb Chops ~ 1.  I have to give it up for one of my favorite Brunello di Montalcino producers, IL POGGIONE.  My 2004 Brunello di Montalcino rocked the lamb.  The herbal elements to the Sangiovese paired to the lamb chop and its Italian like chickpeas and tomato side…get out of town.  I mean, it was like that old Elvira Pinball Game, I was rocked!   

2.  I do however, have to hand it to my beer friend.  His pairing to the dish, Flat Earth Ovni Ale.  A local group of really great peeps.  I will tell you, I’ve been over there in St Paul to visit them a few times, and their beer is killer!  You must check out their Tues and Thurs Happy Hour!   This traditional farmhouse Biere de Garde was malty, rich, nutty and heavy with caramel.  Absolutely terrific with the lamb.

Last but not least ~  1.  The Tart Cherry Cheesecake with Chocolate Almond Crust.  And, I don’t even like sweets!  This was it for me.  What did I pour?  A very cool, old school producer from Germany, Schlink Haus, and their Dornfelder.  The Dornfelder grape produced slightly sweet had almost a nutty, sour cherry peel to it and oh boy, it was unbelievable.  I loved it!  And, I think I licked the bottom on the plate – c’mon Mike, you didn’t tell us you could cook cheesecake like that?  2.  Our Cicerone paired one of my favorite Sunday morning sippers, the Lindemans Kriek Lambic.  A spontaneous fermented wheat beer with a lush, bubbly content – ripe with cherry yet sour with strains of yeast.  I’m not sure what pairing I liked more on this one?  They were both just rock solid pairs in my opinion.  Very cool.

There you have it.  If you missed out again, what the heck are you waiting for?  These classes have been named: 

   THE TWIN CITIES’S  BEST FOOD AND WINE PAIRING CLASSES! 

With a class full of 40pp, we still had 30pp on our wait list.  Looks like we’ll have to teach another soon.  And really, if it wasn’t for our ‘peeps’ that support us with these amazing classes and the fun that YOU ALL bring to the room, we wouldn’t be here.  Thank you! for all who make these classes a blast. 

Don’t forget to sign up for these classes early, they have been known to fill up immediately.  Check ‘em out if you can, in the meantime…keep drinking and pairing!

If you didn’t get a chance to head over to my very good friend, Chuck Kanski’s Rosé Tent Tasting last year at Solo Vino – you missed out!  Here’s your chance again.  With over a hundred rosés to taste and buy, you’ll have a chance to dip into every corner of the world with these wonderful spring sippers!

Plus, if you haven’t had a chance to try the new Croatian wines in the city from Korta Katarina Winery, I’ll be there pouring their rosé!  Come on over and see us!

Details…