Lil' Miss WinoBee Does Disney

I love it when pleasure collides with passion. That's pretty much the purpose of my recent trip down to sunny Orlando, where I got to:

1) Meet up with my best friend who just moved to Florida

2) Run in a 5K through the backlots of Hollywood Studios

3) Frolic the Magic Kingdom (sans Teacups since the stupid things were broken. Let's be honest, if they were Wine Flutes, we know they would have been rockin n' rollin)

4) Hit up Epcot's WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL!!

Ok, so clearly participation in #2 might have evolved from a desire to attend #4, I won't fib. Afterall, there is no better way to celebrate burning off calories than putting them right back in your body with great wine and delicious food.

Cue, Sunday at Disney's Epcot where we traveled 'round their [fake] world stopping to delve face first into each culture one drink and bite at a time. From France and Morrocco, to New Zealand and Germany, we attempted to expand our palettes through immersing in each of the country's specialties.

DISCLAIMER: Now, I must forwarn this is one of my longer posts, so if you prefer, scroll to the bottom and check out our interactive video that highlights our favorite stops! If you want the specifics, keep on reading below!

The first stop along the way was none other than right where I had just traveled from, New York! To my delight, New York was sampling a delicious ice wine, Casa Larga Fiordi Vidal. You know I can't turn down ice wine even if its the first drink of the day, so naturally thats the one I opted for at a wopping $8 for 2 oz. worth of tasting. To my enjoyment, it was worth it. Very sweet, as ice wines always are. Great summer fruit flavors, particularly apricot and peach, with a note of honeysuckle on the finish.

Stop #2 was New Zealand and I was conned (ok, so

no one literally twisted my arm, but whatever) into pairing succulent Seared Scallops with Villa Marie Sauvignon Blanc. Now, normally I love the light, crisp, citrusy taste of Sauvignon Blanc, but this glass didn't offer any of those attributes. Bummer.

Stop #3 was Paris (but for us, it was more like Pair-Eee). This might have been my favorite stop not just because of the wine, but also because of the braised short ribs I paired my Bordeaux with.

Now, poor Bordeaux has received a pretentious stigma over the years, but there in the midst of a big comeback because more and more WinoBees like ourselves are discovering their Old World flare without the snobbery of the people pushing them on us. To my surprise, my Bordeaux (and shame on me for forgetting the vintage) was very smooth and light on the tannins. As a stand-alone, it didn't have alot of flavor, but when you combined it with the short ribs, the earthy/minerally tastes were really brought to life.

Where did we go next? Umm, where didn't we go next? Somewhere in the middle of everything, we stopped along at a few other countries and even picked up a beer-stein in Germany, until we got to the MotherLand... ITALIA!!!

Mmm... Castello Banfi, a favorite. Deviating from my normal Brunello di Moltacino, I picked up a glass of a relatively new vintage called, BelnerO. BelnerO is made of 100% Italian Sangiovese grapes. The glass boasts purple and dark fruits on both the nose and the palettes, with a smooth finish that leaves notes of French Oak (after all, it was barreled in it for 19 months). It was nearly perfection, a must try for all, and a great way to finish out our Disney Wine & Food Tour!

Event Buzz: The 13th Annual Great Wine Escape Weekend

Monterey’s exceptional wineries, accompanied by local and nationally recognized chefs, will come together to commemorate The 13^th Annual Great Wine Escape Weekend, November 13^th-15^th, 2009. The festivities beckon wine and food lovers from around the country.

Friday, November 13

• Coastal Kitchen—Food and wine seminars throughout the day
• Winemaker Dinners

Saturday, November 14

• Self-Guided or Luxury Coach Tours of Monterey Wine Country
• From Terroir to Table—Educational vineyard and winery tours
• Winemaker For A Day—A chance to fulfill the dream
• Winemaker Dinners—Featuring Monterey’s hottest chefs and vintners

Sunday, November 15

• The Grand Finale Tasting—Thirty-five Monterey County wineries and a dozen restaurants

The Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association web site provides package pricing, individual event prices and hotel recommendations. Additional information can be found by visiting www.montereywines.org/gwe.

Participating wineries include: Bernardus Vineyards and Winery, Boekenoogen Vineyards & Winery, Carmel Road Winery, Chalone Vineyard, Chateau Julien Wine Estate, Estancia, Galante Vineyards & Winery, Graff Family Vineyards, Hahn Estates/Smith & Hook Winery, Heller Estate Organic Vineyards, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Line Shack Winery, Joyce Vineyard Winery, Lockwood Vineyard & Winery, Manzoni Estate Vineyard, Mariposa Wine Company, Marin’s Vineyard, McIntyre Vineyards, Mission Trail Vineyards, Monterey Wine Company, Morgan Winery, Otter Cove Wines, Paraiso Vineyards, Pierce Ranch Vineyards, Puma Road, San Bernabe Vineyards, Scheid Vineyards, Thomas Fogarty and Ventana Vineyards

Halloween's Over?

Besides all the delicious libations I stirred up during "Cocktail Week" (including Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake shots, which earned me bragging rights at work during our annual interoffice cocktail competition), you knew it was inevitable that I would spend my "All Hallow's Eve" uncorking my festivities. So, what was worthy of this Queen of Hearts?

Cinnabar's 2006 Mercury Rising! The fine folks at Cinnabar out in Saratoga, CA sent me some bottles to try out and review, and up until this point I've only had the opportunity to indulge in their Cabernet (which was also pretty fantastic!) Although I admit I should have prepared for such a full-bodied wine by accompanying it with a big juicy steak, or even some intensly flavored cheeses, I decided to decant and dive right in.

This Bordeaux-style blend is made from a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petite Verdot grapes. It's very plush and offers an intense complexity. It opens with a nose of dark fruits and toasted oak (aged in French, American & Hungarian oak barrels for 19 months), but also blends with some earthy attributes, like herbs. The tannins were smooth for being such a full wine, and they helped support the dense fruit, tobacco and spice flavors that came through on the palate. I must say, this $20 wine tastes like its worth hundreds - invest now!

Where to Buy: CinnabarWine.com

Cost: $20

TNT Goes Real Cheap... as in "Box Wine"

Recently Wine Spectator did a special on "box wines" last month. Intrigued by their spread, I decided I'd do a little taste test of my own. And with the holidays almost upon us, who doesn't love to entertain? Could these box wines hold up to bottled wines? Are the stereotypes of box wines a thing of the past? Will you be pouring box wines the next time you host?

Ironically enough, the box wines I tried weren't too bad. Having said that, I paid $20 for each box (each box is equivalent to 4 bottles). If you're paying over $25 for the box, you can find better bottled wine for around $6-$7 per bottle (Columbia Crest Two Vines is impossible to beat, in my mind). But if you can find these for under $25, then you can't really go wrong.

I went to several wine stores in NJ to see what was commonly available. I decided to stay clear of the real cheap stuff (if they don't produce good bottled wine, the boxes won't be any good). That means I didn't try Franzia, Carlo Rossi, Almaden, etc. I picked up "Black Box Cabernet" from California and "Hardy's Cabernet" from Australia. I was also looking for "Killer Juice Cabernet", but couldn't find it at any of the stores I visited. There are a few other brands (Fish Eye and Bota Box, to name a few), but I didn't need the equivalent of 2 cases of wine in my fridge. So I decided to limit my taste test to these two readily available wines.

The nice thing about the box wines is their shelf life. With the "spigot" dispensing the wine, no air is allowed into the bag holding the wine. This means, the wine has a life of several months once opened. Plus they take up almost no room... especially compared to the 4 bottles that are included in each box. But, the most important... how do they taste???

2007 Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon, California

Purchased for $20 (3L box). Nose of clove, strawberry and oak. On the palate, more of the same... candied cherry, strawberry, butterscotch and a hint of spice. Simple, easy. Short finish.

My take: Average+

2007 Hardy's Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia
Purchased for $17 (3L box). On the nose, oak is the most dominant scent followed by bubble gum and strawberry notes. There may be a hint of mint as well. But don't let all these scents trick you into thinking this is a complex wine. On the palate, the oak and strawberry really come through.

My take: Average-

So for about $5 per bottle, these wines aren't too shabby. Easy to drink, simple, non-thinking wines. Definitely great if you're entertaining for a large number of people. But if you're paying more than $25 for the box, you can do better with actual bottled wine. Having said that, if you want something to keep in the back of the fridge for a quick glass when you're not looking to open an entire bottle, you can't go wrong. With a shelf-life of several months and minimal cost, these two box wines can't be beat.

Cocktail Week: Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Shots

It's not Halloween without a little "tricking" and "treating" (but more so treating). And the night is never complete until you smash a pumpkin, and in our case, we mean it literally. Check out this delicious recipe for Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert Shots created by Celebrity Chef, Jon Ashton

Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert Shots

• 1 can (14 oz) pumpkin, chilled
• 3 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
• 6 oz lowfat vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup lowfat milk
• 1/4 cup Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 teaspoons graham cracker crumbs, optional

Place all ingredients (except graham cracker crumbs) in a blender and blend until silky. Pour into shot glasses and top each serving with a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs.

Cocktail Week: Death by Chocolate

If you're a chocolate lover like me, this is a must-try. We'll just call it a grown-up chocolate milkshake and let you see for yourself!

Death by Chocolate

• 1 oz Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
• 1 oz coffee liqueur
• 1 oz dark crème de cacao
• 1 oz chocolate syrup
• 2 scoops chocolate ice cream
• 1 cup crushed ice
• Whipped cream
• Maraschino cherry

Pour all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a hurricane or margarita glass and add whipped cream. Top the cream with a cherry and serve.

Cocktail Week: Spiced Caramel Apple

In perfect time for Fall gatherings, try this Spiced Caramel Apple created by Kara Newman, author of Spice & Ice:

Spiced Caramel Apple

• 2 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
• 1 oz Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka
• 2-1/2 oz Apple cider
• 1 dash lemon juice

Rim glass with agave syrup and crumbled gingersnap cookies and set aside. Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into martini glass.