Wine Anyone?

I picked up this beautiful wine rack with doors at a yard sale for $60. The tag was higher but I purchased several items and the owner was willing to lower the price.

 The original skeleton key for the lock came with it.

The rack is  filled with mostly wines from Michigan Wineries. I'm a big believer of supporting local businesses. 

I also enjoy trying wines from wineries whenever we go in our travels. Feel free to post your favorites! 

Romantic Meal with Aurora Luminous

 Hubby and I enjoyed a quiet evening and an opportunity to prepare a meal together. 

Hubby grilled some Ahi Tuna, a few skewers of shrimp  with a light Cajun seasoning.

I melted some butter at low heat in a cast iron pan, added chopped garlic, fresh parsley and a little salt & pepper. I simmer it, stirring constantly to keep it from burning. Browning is good tho. I added some small scallops and stirred until the scallops were nicely coated and warm. 

I baked some refrigerator biscuits but added my own touch. Sprinkled garlic salt, garlic powder, parsley and Parmesan cheese on top before baking.

In another cast iron pan, I melted butter with some Herbs de Provence. I added some fresh green beans and chopped water chestnuts. After tossing a couple ice cubes into the pan, I covered it and continued cooking on medium for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While we prepared the me, we enjoyed some wine from Aurora Cellers. This small boutique style winery with old fashion charm is located in the Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan. The winery exudes romance as it hosts weddings on site. 

The wine I chose to accompany our light fare was a bottle of Luminous, and 2019 Gold Medal winner in a Michigan Wine Competition. Luminous is a crisp refreshing blend of 25% Riesling (my favorite), 35% Seyval, 25% Vignoles, and 15% Pinot Gris. When I drank the wine alone, it seemed to need something. That something was food. The fish and shrimp had a little spice. The wine danced across my tongue with light citrus notes cooling the heat. LOVE IT! A buttery finish was perfect compliment to the skillet dishes. 

I highly recommend Luminous from Aurora Cellers to accentuate a lightly spicy grilled seafood. 

This wine is available in most retail markets.

#WineWednesday - Michcato White

 A hot summer day spent at the beach with the girls then finish the day with a glass of Michcato White Wine.

After spending the day floating in Lake Huron with the ladies a very cold beverage is due. I cooled my thermos cup with ice before pouring the chilled wine in. My beverage remained cool the entire time we sat in Adirondack  chairs at the water's edge watching the sun set.

A Michigan Michcato.

Michcato White is produced by St. Julian Winery. This light wine is derived from specialty grapes grown on the western shores of Michigan. I love the soft sweetness with hints of fruit. The crisp finish is perfect for a summer evening.

TIP: This wine pairs nicely with roasted marshmallows and good friends.

Michcato White from St. Julian Winery is available at most grocery stores for a reasonable price.

Blueberries? Wine Not?

Sometimes the lack of patience overcomes me.

I wanted a cool glass of wine but the fridge was bare of vino. So like a bad girl, I added a couple of ice cubes to my glass. I grabbed a handful of fresh berries and tossed them in my mouth. As I bit down, freezing cold shot through my jaw. Holy cow! Someone had turned up the temp of the veggie drawer.

Hmmm... I grabbed another handful of berries and dropped them into my glass then added the wine. 

The wine chilled nicely, abet watered down. As I finished my beverage, the treat of wine soaked berries awaited my consumption. And oh, what a treat it was!

Leelanau Cellers is one of my favorite wineries located in Northern Michigan. Their Riesling wines are some of the most sought after wines in the state. Semi-sweet wine with ribbons of seasonal fruit such as peaches, apples, or pears ready to wrap your senses into a delightful bow.

The Tall Ship family of wines honors the heritage of the tall ships, or schooners, that were common on the Great Lakes. The huge canvas sails of these ships were truly majestic and became representative of a nostalgic escape to a time and age when fine craftsmanship reigned.

WINE TIP: 

The Tall Ship Riesling is a late harvest fruit layered wine. Great enjoyed alone or with your honey. Try pairing it with cheese and smoked fish. 

WINE TIP:

To cool wine quickly, place a strainer with ice cubes over a glass. Pour wine. As the wine passes the ice and through the strainer, the temperature cools without watering the wine down.

Drinking With My Lab

I'm usually a shop-locally-kind-of-girl, but I picked up this bottle of wine because of the name. 

I love my lab.

The capital of Portugal has a wonderful Mediterranean climate known for producing wine for centuries. This wine, Lab of Portugal, is a blend of four different kinds of grapes harvested from clay and limestone soil near Lisbon.  The blend was aged in new oak barrels for four months. 

I paired the wine with grilled veggies and BBQ ribs. With my first impression I noticed how different it is from the wines I normally drink. It had an immediate pine note. Pine, seriously? Must be the combination of the dark red fruits and tannins. As I sipped this bold dry wine, a familiar memory tickled my mind. Then it came to me.

This wine tastes like Up North. Michiganders will know that term. For those who don't, imagine visiting my gram's cottage tucked in a cluster of cedar trees. Knotty pine walls surround you and the linens have a fragrance of Ivory soap.  A breeze travels off the lake past the trees and into the cottage. 

That essence is in this bottle! Drink Lab with steak or a cheese plate and be carried away.

Oh, yes...my sweet lab, Maggie likes wine and gives Lab of Portugal her paw of approval.

Which Wine for Dinner Tonight?

A hot evening calls for a light dinner.

I prepared some tilapia filets with fresh asparagus spears. Neatly placed them in a shallow stoneware baking dish, I drizzled melted butter over all then added a bit a salt, pepper and chopped parsley from my garden pot. (Bake at 400 for 15-20 min).  Instead of a heavy starch, we had Michigan produced cottage cheese and chives from my garden pot.

A reader suggest I try Michcato from St. Julian Winery. This semi-sweet white is a perfect compliment to our dinner. Subtle flavors of mango, pineapple and lemon cool the pallet. Serve chilled. I enjoyed a glass after dinner instead of dessert.

The wine is made primarily with Traminette grapes grown along Lake Michigan and bottled in Paw Paw, MI. The Michcato is Michigan's version of a Moscato. 

A great wine with a light meal or just for summer sipping. Sip on a glass while your honey grills or enjoy together after a meal while the kids do the dishes. 

This wine is also available in a can; perfect for picnics.

Visit St. Julian Winery for more info.