I just got back from a trip to Vegas (my bachelorette party actually), and while I was there I had a fantastic meal at Nobu. Located in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Nobu Las Vegas is a gorgeous restaurant with some of the best food I have ever had. Classically trained in Tokyo Nobu Matsuhisa is famous for taking traditional Japanese cuisine and infusing it with South American and Western flavors that make an incredible combination.

The menu is all served family style and you can either pick your own menu, allow your server to help you choose, or give over your dinner to the chefs (called Omakase). My party decided to have our server help us out and he was incredibly helpful. We told Billy what we liked and he sold us on dishes that I honestly would never have picked myself. I highly recommend asking for him if you're in the area, he is just wonderful.

We started the evening out with a round of drinks. I had the Champagne 95 (Mot Nectar Ros, Grand Marnier, Peach Schnapps, Pineapple, Puree, and a raspberry for garnish), It had the fiz of mimosa, but with a wonderful fruity sweetness. My dining companions had the Bellini Martini (Snow Queen Vodka, Peach Schnapps, White Peach Puree, with a cassis garnish), the Elite Melon (Stoli Elit Vodka, Honeydew Melon Puree, Simple Syrup, Soda, with a raspberry garnish), and the Pomegranate Martini (Snow Queen Vodka, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, Pomegranate Juice, with a lemon garnish). I had a sip from all of them, and though mine was definitely my favorite, they were all very good.

For dinner we started out with three cold dishes:
-Fresh Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno
-Tiradito 'Live Scallop'
-Lightly Grilled Unagi



I was floored by how good all three of these dishes were. Beautifully presented and exquisitely delicious.

For our hot dish we tried Nobu's signature dish Black Cod with Miso. And I have honestly never had a better piece of fish.



For dessert we had the Bento Box, a flourless chocolate cake with a white chocolate sauce, shiso oil and green tea ice cream. It looked beautiful while it was there....but only lasted about 30 seconds with a group of four women!



If you happen to be in the area, or near any of the Nobu restaurants around the world....take the time to have dinner there. You won't regret it.

I went to Salsa Night at the Cubanacan Restaurant this weekend with my friend Melissa. Originally I made the reservation simply because of the free salsa dancing lessons that they offer through Springs Salsa and Dance Fitness on the last Saturday of every month. But when I asked Melissa to come along, she told me how wonderful their food was. And I wasn't let down at all.

The food was excellent. I would go there just to order their rice, which is seasoned perfectly. And the fried plantains on the side of my plate topped off the meal perfectly. Next time I go I need to try the Mojitos, which are their specialty drink.

The picture quality is a little grainy because I took them with my phone, but I think they still give you an idea of how great the food looks.

This past weekend I volunteered as a "plate runner" for the chef's competition at the 2008 Colorado Restaurant Expo at the Broadmoor Hotel. I had the privilege of working with Chef Jeff Knight from the Craftwood Inn, and I'm very pleased to say that we won! Here's a sampling of what he created.



While I wasn't running plates back to the judge's room, I spent my time tasting in the exhibit hall. There were a lot of restaurants represented, but only a few really stood out to me this year.


The first thing I tasted was Palapa's Surfside Island Dining, which featured a fantastic ceviche in mini taco shells. I haven't had a meal at their restaurant yet, but I will definitely try it out now.


Rocco's Italian Restaurant had absolutely wonderful tortellini out for tasting. I'm a sucker for stuffed pasta, and this was some of the best I've ever had.


I've driven by Merlino's Belvedere Restaurant in Cañon City several times on my way through, but I've never stopped to eat there before. I recall hearing the name quite a bit when I first moved to Colorado, but not as much lately. But after tasting their Sausage and Mozzarella plate, I'm going to have to make a special trip down there for dinner soon.

I just wanted to tell you all about the wonderful caterer I found for my wedding.....he's fantastic!

Heart 2 Heart offers catering and wedding cakes, and does both beautifully. Chef Aron Bignell is truly wonderful. I had a caterer set up previously that ended up flaking out on me, so I found myself in a real spot (3 months before the wedding!). Aron was so incredibly helpful. He put together a fantastic buffet of appetizers for me, and was willing to work with me to make sure everything was the way I wanted it. I couldn't have asked for better. If you need a caterer ever, definitely give him a call.

I know I'm a day late, but I still wanted to share my thoughts!

The topic for Wine Blogging Wednesday #43 is Comfort Wine. I knew exactly what to write about from the moment I read this topic. White Zinfandel has always been my wine to relax with. It's a great wine to unwind with after work.

A while back a friend of mine bought me a box of Carlo Rossi White Zin, and to be honest with you all....I love it! I have no problem with box wines to begin with. They keep well in the refrigerator, which makes them perfect for an after work drink. Who wants to open up a bottle of wine at night if all you want to have is a glass or two. It's much, much easier (and less wasteful) to just keep a box, or cask if you will, in the refrigerator.

Another great thing about White Zin is that it's incredibly easy to drink. It's a fruity, sweet wine that is perfect for any time!

If you haven't tried a blush wine in a while, go try some White Zin tonight. I think you'll like it!

Saturday night my fiancé and I went out to dinner at the Melting Pot. As always the food was absolutely wonderful. What can I say? I adore fondue!

I also tried their newest wine fight from Waterbrook Winery in Walla Walla Valley, Washington. Here's a list of the wines:

Cheese Course paired with
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Bright flavors of apricot, pineapple and hints of cantaloupe lead to a soft finish with subtle oak.
I wasn't terribly impressed with this wine. It was okay, but a bit tart.

Salad Course paired with
2006 Melange Blanc
Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris & Sauvignon Blanc all blend to offer stone fruit flavors, vanilla blossom and light nutmeg.
This wine was quite good. A very nice blend.

Entrée Course paired with
2005 Merlot-Cabernet
Nuances of leather and tobacco fill this deep red wine. Rich flavors of coffee and plums fill the palate complimented by currants and rounded tannins on the finish.
Not a fantastic wine. Decent, but not great.

Dessert Course paired with
2005 Melange
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Cab Franc & Syrah all offer a palate of rich berries, pepper and chocolate.
This was also a nice blend. I preferred the white, but the red wasn't bad.

I feel like I've been giving a lot of bad reviews lately, but unfortunately I just haven't been getting the best of service when I've gone out.

I went to lunch today with two of my colleagues at Plate World Cuisine because I had a coupon and had been wanting to try out the restaurant. Unfortunately I was very disappointed overall. While the ambiance is very nice (contemporary asian feel), the service was quite disappointing. I ordered a grilled flatbread with artichokes and manchego cheese, while my colleagues ordered prosciuto wrapped shrimp and tenderloins with pasta. I tried all three dishes, and I will say that the other two were really quite good. I wasn't very impressed with my meal though. Rather than tasting grilled it tasted more like it was burnt. I did enjoy their desert though. I ordered a Asian desert sampler and was very pleased with it.

Now as for the service, during our meal we had to ask for salt and pepper shakers because the ones on our table were empty and then had to ask for spoons to eat the desert with. Our server was nice enough, but was covering far too many tables. It was her manager that I really had a problem with. First he informed me that even though neither the ad or the coupon I had said anything about it, it was only for use at dinner and he would not honor it. He did give us a coupon to use instead for 10% off (my original coupon had been for $15 off of two entrees), he made us wait for about 20 minutes for him to take off the discount. And since we were on our lunch break, that made us late getting back to the office.

Overall I did enjoy some of the food there, but it wasn't good enough to counter the lack of customer service we received.

Vinewords rating:
☆☆

This weekend my fiancé and I went up to Denver to celebrate one of our good friend's birthdays. She wanted to go out for dinner, and then go out for drinks afterwards. Simple enough, but you never know what you'll run into when you head out for a night on the town.

We started off by going to in downtown Denver. Aside from not having a very nice hostess (she let us know that we had to eat and get out because they had a large party coming later), it was a fantastic experience. If you've never been to a Mongolian BBQ before (this was my first time), here's how it works. First you grab a bowl and fill it up with raw meat and seafood, then add whatever veggies and noodles you want. Grab a cup of sauce, and take it all to a large grill where the cooks mix everything together for you. This particular grill was very big and round. Four or five cooks rotated around it preparing the food. Some of them were very entertaining too, flipping cooking knives and tossing around shrimp.

Oh, they do have a vegetarian and gluten-free option if you need it.

After dinner we went to have a drink and decided to try the Breckenridge Brewery. I can honestly say it was one of my worst experiences at a bar/restaurant. The waiter was rude and unhelpful. The few times he did come by to check on us he "kindly" informed us that if we didn't want beer or water, we were probably in the wrong place. And let me say that right behind him as he said this was a rather large wall of hard liquor. So very quickly we decided to move on.

Birthday girl Dorian recommended the Whiskey Bar because it was very laid back, and not too loud ever. It was a great suggestion. The Whiskey Bar is a nice little neighborhood bar, with some fun extras. Saturdays are trivia night, and the girls from Volta Vodka were there for drink specials and free hand-outs. Volta is a caffeinated vodka infused with guarana, taurine and yerba mate. While that might not mean a lot to you in your vodka, it made for some pretty tasty mixed drinks.



And as the name may lead you to believe, they also feature over 115 whiskies. The Highland Park 12 year was the favorite of the night for our group.

As usual for a weekend in Denver for us, we ended up finishing up the night at Dave & Buster's. What can I say? It's an arcade for adults, what isn't fun about that?

Last week's First Thursday wine tasting at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center featured wines from Napa Valley. Three red and one white wine were tasted, and paired with appetizers.

I always make it a point to go to this tasting because it really is hard to beat the price, four wines for $17 ($12 for members). It's a nice atmosphere, and a great place to mingle with art and wine lovers.

The first wine I tasted was undoubtedly my favorite of the evening. The 2005 Michael Pozzan Napa Cuvée #11 is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the grapes coming from several different vineyards in Napa Valley. The wine is numbered and changes every year to represent the number of vintages that have been produced. It's only available in select markets, and has a very limited production run. For having such a small production, the wine is incredibly affordable at only $18.99 a bottle.

I thought this wine was incredibly smooth and easy to drink. With wonderful berry flavors it paired really well with the Polenta Triangles and Black Bean Mango Salsa that it was paired with. Highly recommended.

Vinewords Rating: 10 out of 10

The second wine I tasted was a good wine, though not nearly as good as the Cuvée. The 2006 Napa Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc stood out immediately because of it's peachy scent and taste. The grapes for this wine come from the Yountville appellation of Napa Valley and are 100% organically grown. 30% of the wine is aged in oak, wine the remaining wine is aged in stainless steel tanks. The bottles are reasonably priced at $13.99 a bottle.

I enjoyed the fruitiness of this wine quite a bit, and it paired very well with the Open Faced Ham Cocktail Sandwich it was paired with. This would be an excellent wine for summer BBQs or picnics. I'd love to try and pair it with a mango chicken dish.

Vinewords Rating: 8 out of 10

The final two red wines at the tasting both seemed to pale in comparison to the Cuvée. Ordinarily I think they would have been good wines, but in comparison they just weren't as good. Gustavo Thrace's The 3rd Bottle Red is so named because it's meant to be consumed later in the night, after your more expensive bottles are already gone. The website states that "because of the deals we get on the fruit we aren't allowed to say which growers the fruit comes from, but rest assured you have tasted this fruit in some well known Napa beauties." It was paired with Duck Confit and Fig Pizza, which I actually enjoyed more than the wine. The wine is priced at $11.99 a bottle.

Vinewords Rating: 6 out of 10

The 2005 Castle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon has much more of a dark fruit taste than the Cuvée, and isn't quite as smooth. The grapes are grown the south-facing vineyards in Columbia Valley, which shares the same latitude as the Bordeaux region in France. It also receives 18 months of aging in French oak barrels. At first the wine has quite a kick, so I would probably suggest decanting this wine before serving. Paired with a Chocolate Dipped Sour Cherry Tarlet, the flavor mellowed out and became pretty enjoyable. Bottles are priced at $10.99.

Vinewords Rating: 7 out of 10

Feel free to chime in if any of you were at the tasting as well. What did you think?

This month's Wine Blogging Wednesday's theme is wine from the Friuli - Venezia Giulia region of Italy.

Located in northeastern Italy, Friuli - Venezia Giulia is bordered by the Alps to the north and Slovenia to the east. A very small region, it's only about two-thirds the size of Connecticut.

Over 30 different grape varieties are grown ther, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. As well as several local varieties like Refosco del peduncolo rosso, Schippettino, Friulano, Ribolla gialla and Verduzzo.

Finding wines from this region was not an easy task for me. It took me over half an hour to find the two bottles that I tasted, and that was the store with the best selection in town. What I finally found were two white wines, a 2004 Tocai Friulano from Giordano Sirch and a 2006 Pinot Grigio from Ruffino Lumina. Both bottles retailed for around $17.

Tocai Friulano is a local varietal. In 2006 the name was officially changed to just Friulano because of it's similarity to the Hungarian wine Tokaji. If you read Italian you can take a look at Sirch's website here, unfortunately they don't have an english version. This was a very interesting wine, it had a taste unlike anything I've ever tried before. It has a bright golden yellow hue, with accents of bright green. The aroma is not very strong, but the taste is a strong acidity with a sweet and fruity aftertaste.

Vinewords Rating: 7 out of 10



Ruffino's Lumina Pinot Grigio is not one of the best Pinot Grigio's I've ever had. It has a bright golden yellow hue, and a slightly "green" aroma. It's very acidic, and has a hint of a honey flavor. You can visit their website here, fortunately this one is in english. The acidity was honestly too overpowering for me, but it is a very young wine so a bit of age might mellow it out some. If only I had a Clef-du-Vin right now!

Vinewords Rating: 6 out of 10


Overall I don't think I was horribly impressed with this wine region, but I can definitely see that it has potential. If I could find some better quality bottles, I believe that I would taste something from this region again.

My company had it's annual Christmas potluck yesterday, and several of my coworkers bought me bottles of wine. The one that interests me the most is a bottle of Riesling from Chateau Grand Traverse in Michigan. I'm a sucker for Rieslings in general, but the person that gave this bottle to me swears by this wine. The company's website describes the wine this way:



The winery also has an Inn on site overlooking the vineyards and Grand Traverse Bay, with rates starting at $125 a night. You can check out their rooms at www.cgtwines.com and make reservations by calling 1-800-283-0247. Check it out, it looks gorgeous.

This is officially my first Wine Blogging Wednesday post, I always seem to miss it by a couple of days. But this time I'm right on schedule. This month WannabeWino is the host, and our theme is Que Sirah Sirah. Also known as Durif in some areas, Petite Sirah is a red wine mostly produced in Israel, Australia, California, and France.

Honestly, Petite Sirah is not a wine I have a lot of familiarity with. So this should make for an interesting tasting.


I decided to try Beringer's 2003 Single Vineyard Petite Sirah from Tuttle Ranch. I got this bottle in a shipment from the Taste of Beringer wine club. It retails for about $35 on Beringer's website and in their vineyard gift shop.

I'm not always the biggest fan of full-bodied reds, but I have to say that I enjoyed this one. After fermentation, the wine was aged for almost 24 months in 100-percent new French oak barrels. I think partially because of that attention to detail, it wasn't a difficult wine to drink. It has a beautiful deep, dark burgundy color to it and an absolutely wonderful aroma full of berries. The taste is full-bodied and intense, but well-balanced and easy to drink. It's not an overbearing wine.

Vinewords Rating: 8 out of 10

Let me know if any of you have tried a Petite Sirah that you think is just fantastic.

This Thanksgiving I opened up a bottle of Cakebread Cellars 2006 Sauvignon Blanc to have with dinner. A couple friends recently picked up this bottle of wine for me, and after having some I'm very glad they did.

This Sauvignon Blanc is fantastic. The color alone is slightly striking, possessing a light straw color with vibrant green hues. The aroma is acidic, but with fruity tones. Combined with a wonderfully calm and well balanced taste, this wine is perfect for a holiday dinner.

I should note that my Thanksgiving dinner was not exactly traditional. I served a garlic, teriyaki lamb chop with garlic asparagus with rice, and a caesar salad. The wine paired quite well with the lamb. They combined to make the wine softer and less acidic. Quite enjoyable.

Vinewords Rating: 8 out of 10

Colorado Cellars is Colorado's oldest winery. Founded in 1978, they have gone by several different names.

As one of the more recognizable Colorado wines, you can usually find Colorado Cellars wines in any good wine store. Always one of my favorites at wine tastings, I picked up this bottle at Wines of Colorado when I was there for dinner. Slightly more expensive than some at around $18 a bottle, I believe it's well worth it. The White Riesling is light and sweet. A very refreshing summer afternoon wine, or well paired with a fish dinner (it went very well with sushi).

Vinewords Rating: 8 out of 10

The Wines of Colorado is a restaurant and wine shoppe on Highway 24 just west of Colorado Springs in Cascade, Colorado. I've been hearing about this place for some time, and my fiancé surprised me this weekend by taking me there for dinner on Saturday night.

It's a great little location. A small building on the banks of Fountain Creek. The restaurant portion of the building is very small, but in good weather there's also a much larger patio by the creek. The wine and gift shoppe is also very small, but packed full of a variety of Colorado wines and some fun and useful wine accessories.

The menu isn't huge or filled with unknown dishes. In fact, one of the most popular things on their menu are the "wine" burgers. Dan and I started with an appetizer of Whole Smoked Garlic, served with flatbread crackers and a dipping sauce of olive oil and rosemary. For entrees we ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Buffalo Wine Burger, served with a Colorado Cellars Chardonnay and a Two Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon respectively. For dessert we finished with an Italian Creme Cake with Colorado Cellars Eclipse Red. I enjoyed the food a lot. The roasted garlic was a bit difficult to eat because it's served still inside the clove, but the flavor was fantastic. The Buffalo Burger I had was really excellent (I've never been able to taste a difference between buffalo and beef), and Dan enjoyed his Grilled Chicken as well. The Cabernet Sauvignon paired excellently with the burger, but the Chardonnay lacked any real character. Dessert was excellent as well, and the Eclipse Red is a fantastic sweet wine.

Instead of a wine list the restaurant offers free wine tasting in the gift shoppe. I have to say this bothered me a bit because even after tasting some wines, I still would have liked to look over a list of everything that was offered.

My only real problem with the night was the fact that I felt somewhat ignored by the staff. When Dan and I went to do our complimentary wine tasting the woman behind the counter only paid attention to us until a group of older people came through. After that we seemed to be non-existent to her. The other service problem was that there were only two waitresses for the entire restaurant, and while it wasn't completely packed it was still pretty busy.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
☆☆☆

Carlson Vineyards' Riesling has been celebrated as one of the world's best for years. Located in the Grand Valley, Carlson Vineyards is a family run business with a great deal of heart.

The Laughing Cat Riesling is produced from 100% Colorado grown Riesling grapes and costs about $12 a bottle. It is a light, sweet wine and possibly one of the best Rieslings I've ever tried. Extremely well balanced between acidity and sweetness, this wine is fantastic by itself or paired with light dishes.

If you enjoy Rieslings, I highly recommend this one to you. Absolutely fantastic.

Vinewords Rating: 10 out of 10

My fiancé is a huge port fan, so I picked up this bottle for him while I was down in Grand Junction. Graystone Vineyards has a small tasting room off of the side of the highway in Palisade, Colorado that I stopped at while I was there. Beautiful tasting room, I highly suggest going if you have the chance.

This is a white port made from Pinot Gris grapes, and is by far the sweetest port I have ever tasted. It is a very strong port with caramel and fruit notes to it. I usually love ports and wines to be on the sweeter side, however this port is almost a little too sweet for me. I've read that white port is often used as an ingredient in mixed drinks though, and I would love to try that. I think it would lend well to mix drinks.

Vinewords Rating: 7 out of 10

I was browsing at Total Beverage in Denver a couple weekends ago and decided I had to try this rosé wine. Big House Wines is a winery out of Santa Cruz, California that produces 3 easy to recognize wines: Big House Red, Big House White, and Big House Pink. The winery got it's name from it's extremely close proximity to the Soledad State Correctional Facility in Monterey County, and it's definitely a memorable name.

The Big House Pink is what I tried tonight. It's an excellent light, fruity wine. Made from a blend of Sangiovese, Barbera, Zinfandel, Carignane, and Mourvédre, Big House Pink is a modern, fruity, and very "American" wine. While not the sweetest of rosés it is surprisingly full-bodied.

Vinewords Rating: 7 out of 10

I hadn't ever tried wine from Canyon Wind Cellars until the Colorado Mountain Winefest. It's not a wine that you see often, even locally. It is however, worth the effort to get a bottle.

The Desert Rosé is an excellent wine. As you know, I'm very fond of rosés, and this wine ranks as one of my tops. It has an amazing aroma, sweet and fruity with an obvious undertone of strawberries. And the taste is very well balanced, sweet with just a hint of acidity. If you enjoy White Merlot, I think you'll enjoy this wine as well.

Vinewords Rating: 9 out of 10

(photo courtesy of www.canyonwindcellars.com)

Augustina's Winery is a small winery located in Boulder, Colorado. They produce a variety of just under ten wines that I always find enjoyable. Wine Chick White is a blend of Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, and Viognier. The first time I bought this wine I tried it at the Manitou Springs Wine Festival and thought that it would make a great camping wine. It's a light and refreshing wine with just a hint of acidity.




Wine Chick White is also very affordable at only $11 a bottle. I picked up this bottle at their booth at the Colorado Mountain Winefest and having been just dying to pop it open. I enjoyed it tonight after a wonderful sushi dinner from Ai Sushi.

Vinewords Rating: 9 out of 10

I picked up a bottle of the Two Rivers 2006 Riesling when I was in Grand Junction at the Winefest. It's a moderately priced wine at $12 a bottle, which is fairly average for Colorado wines. I've tasted Two Rivers' wines at several wine festivals, and it is always one of my favorites.

The 2006 Riesling is an excellent example of Two Rivers' wines. It's a slightly dry Riesling, but still has elements of sweetness and fruits. I opened it up to have with a sushi dinner, and it was a very good pairing. Riesling always works well with seafood.

If you can find a bottle at a local wine store or have the opportunity to order one online, I would highly recommend it.

Vinewords Rating: 8 out of 10

I know everybody has them. The bottles of wine that you've paid a bit more for and don't want to use for everyday drinking. If you happen to have a bottle of the Beringer 2002 Cabernet Franc from the Steinhauer Ranch Vineyard, it probably falls into that category. At $50 a bottle, it's not exactly a cheap bottle of wine.

Robert M. Parker Jr. had this to say about it:
"Rated 90-92. The 2002 Cabernet Franc exhibits wonderful density, a big, spicy, floral nose, well-definited, medium to full-bodied flavors, and outstanding richness, extract and overall harmony. It is further evidence of just how promising California Cabernet Franc can be."

I had this bottle of wine because I'm a member of the Beringer Wine Club, and this bottle was in one of my monthly shipments. Wine clubs can be a great way to discover new wines, whether they're from your favorite vineyard or a variety of boutique wineries. Beringer happens to be my favorite vineyard.

As a single vineyard wine, the grapes used to make this bottle all came from Beringer's Steinhauer Ranch. Steinhauer Ranch lies just northeast of the town of Angwin on Howell Mountain at about 1800 feet elevation. Its soil is volcanic with a rich red color and the texture is friable and loose. Ten percent of Cabernet Sauvignon from the vineyard was blended in before bottling.

I found this wine to be quite good. It had a wonderful aroma full of spices, and a hint of chocolate. The flavor was very rich and strong, but well-balanced enough to still be smooth and easy to drink. Obviously the price doesn't permit most of us to be able to drink it regularly, but on the occasions when you feel like picking up a slightly more expensive bottle you should definitely give this one a chance.

Vinewords Rating: 8 out of 10

This restaurant was packed! And if you watch any travel shows you know to always go to the place with the longest line, it's a sure sign of good food! And it was definitely a good restaurant, unfortunately with all of the people there it was just a little slow for my needs. I came here in between visiting vineyards and going to the chocolate and wine tasting, so I only had about an hour to eat.

The atmosphere was very nice, the waiters were in tails, but also very fun. While I was there they played the Godfather theme song, and "Michael's Lounge" had pictures from the Godfather movies hanging all over the walls.

While I did have to take my food to go, it was very good when I finally got the chance to eat it. I've had Eggplant Parmigiana in a lot of different places, and I tend to be very picky about it. This one was very good, it maybe could have been a bit crispier, but that's more personal preference that anything else.

If you happen to be in town, I fully recommend stopping by Pantuso's for dinner.

Well, it wasn't much more than a day of driving, but I made it down to Grand Junction for the Winefest. It's a very nice area, better than I had expected. The contrast of vineyards next to rocky cliffs is really a spectacular sight. And downtown Grand Junction is really quite nice. There was a farmer's market going on when I got here, so I walked around and found a nice little Italian restaurant for dinner. I chose it because it claimed to have a "Renowned Wine List".

I was pleasantly surprised by Dolce Vita. I ordered the special of the day: shrimp, calamari, sea scallops, garlic, roma tomatoes, capers, red bell peppers, black olives, basil and spinach in white wine sauce over spaghetti. It was really quite good, and so rich and filling that I couldn't even eat it all. Not the best price at $24, but well worth it for the seafood in my opinion. For wine I ordered a Verdicchio. The Casalfarneto Fontevecchia was $5.95 a glass, and quite good. The wine list described it as "single vineyard, amazing color and power, beautiful fruit with expression, perfect with seafood". It was a very good wine. Slightly tart and acidic at first, but excellent when paired with the scallops in the special of the day. Great combination.


The wine comes from a small estate of only 45 acres in Colli di Jesi of the Marche region of Italy. The vineyard only produces about 4,000 cases a year. Fermented in stainless steel for six months before bottling, the wine is described as having a "rich, creamy texture and a dry, elegant finish".

I have to add that my waiter, Tim, was absolutely fantastic. Eating out at a restaurant by yourself is not always the greatest thing, and he was extremely friendly and helpful.

Good night on the town overall. Tomorrow the festivities begin, more then!

I had the opportunity recently to celebrate the birthday of one of my good friends at the Melting Pot in Colorado Springs. Being a lover of fondue, I knew I was going to enjoy the food. However I was also pleasantly surprised by their wine selection.

In the center of the restaurant is a rather impressive wine cooler, that not only adds to the dining ambiance, but assures you that you will have a multitude of wines to choose from with your dinner. My friend Melissa and I decided to go with the 4 course meal that they offer (cheese, salad, meat, and chocolate), as well as the wine flight that goes along with each course. At the time we were there they were offering a fantastic flight of 4 white wines.

The wines were (in order):

• Giminez 2005 (Argentina)
• Heinz Schmitt 2005 Halbtrocken (Germany)
• Tolosa 2005 "No Oak" Chardonnay (California)
• Airlie 7 2005 (Oregon - 7 grape blend)

All of them were truly excellent, and paired extremely well. Though somewhat prepackaged, I was also impressed with what the waitstaff knew about the wines they were serving. It at least gave the impression that they had tasted the wines themselves.

There are several meaderies in Colorado, and Spruce Mountain Meadery in Larkspur is definitely one of the best. If you've never tried mead, I would recommend giving it a shot, you might be surprised.

Mead, also known as honey wine, is a very old and traditional drink dating back to 1700 B.C. It is a fermented drink made of honey, water, and yeast. The name comes from "meadhing" which is the process of brewing honey. Spruce Mountain Meadery considers itself a "micro-winery" that handcrafts their meads in small batches. They also pasteurize their meads so that there is no need to add sulfites.

At the Manitou Springs Wine Festival, the meadery was offering a trio: a Traditional Honey Wine, a fruit mead (Blackberry Honey Wine), and a spiced mead (Honey Wine with Cinnamon and Nutmeg). I've tried several of their meads previously at other festivals, so it was somewhat of a given that I would give them another taste. Now if you've read any of my reviews in the past you'll know that I'm quite fond of sweet wine, so the honey wine is also a favorite of mine. Some wines made from things other than grapes taste like little more than fruit juice, but mead possesses much more character than that.

Let me tell you a bit about the Traditional Honey Wine. The texture of the mead is quite thick in the mouth, it has the "chewy" feeling of dessert wine. It appears slightly thicker to the eye as well, not as crisp and clear as a white wine would look, but with the same type of hay color to it. The aroma is very homey and warm, it reminds me a lot of sitting by the fire with a cup of tea (probably because I put so much honey in my tea!). Mead is a fantastic drink for doing just that, cozying up by the fire on a rainy, cold day. You might even try warming it up a bit, especially the spiced mead, much like you'd do with a mulled cider.

The second of my "best of the best" from the Manitou Wine Festival is Augustina's Winery. In specific, their WineChick White and Boulder Backpacking Wine.

Augustina's Winery is located in Boulder, and shares the same outlook on wine that most Boulder residents have about life. The winery's philosophy states it is "dedicated to making wine that goes with backpacking adventures, raucous poker parties, family barbecues, good mystery novels, and gingersnaps." The winery is owned by Marianne "Gussie" Walter, and is a self-proclaimed "one woman winery."

The wines are produced from Colorado grown grapes from three small, family vineyards in the Palisade and Grand Junction area. The winery itself is located in Boulder's old warehouse district, and is surrounded by everything from artists and musicians to mechanics and restaurants. The winery is open for tours and tastings, but calling before is recommended.

WineChick White is a blend of Riesling, Gewürtztraminer, and Viognier. It's a fruity and light wine that goes down very easily. A perfect wine for summer picnics and BBQ's.

Boulder Backpacking Wine is a Cabernet Franc that's warm and earthy, and really would be perfect after a long day of hiking or really any kind of outdoor adventure.

Both wines are extremely affordable. In fact, none of the wines produced at Augustina's are over $20, and most are closer to $10. The wines can be found at farmer's markets throughout the Denver area through the summer, as well as at several wine festivals (check here for more information).

My favorite pick from this year's Manitou Springs Wine Festival is Desert Moon Vineyards 2005 Fireside Ruby. The Fireside Ruby is a port wine, made from a Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

Port is a type of fortified wine, made by adding alcohol to the wine during fermentation to stop the process and increase the alcohol content. Fortified wines were originally developed when ship's crews wanted to bring wine on their sea voyages. When wine is stored on a ship with the movement of the ocean and the extreme temperatures, it inevitably turns the wine into vinegar. Thus port was developed as a wine that can stand up to those conditions.

Located in the Grand Valley, the first AVA (American Viticulture Area) in Colorado, Desert Moon Vineyards began in 2002 when the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted. However the farm has existed since the late 60's when it was known as the Groovy View Apricot Orchard. The name Desert Moon Vineyards came from the view of the vineyard bathed in moonlight on a summer night, as the moon rose over the Grand Mesa.

Desert Moon's Fireside Ruby is a warm and intense port, that evokes caramel and cherry flavors. It's quite strong, especially if you're not used to drinking port. However I believe that it's a fantastically rich and wonderful port. At the wine festival there were dark chocolate pieces served alongside the tastings of Fireside Ruby, and it was definitely a superb pairing. Chocolate and port are always a good match, but it truly intensifies the flavors in the Fireside Ruby while mellowing out the intensity of the alcohol.

Desert Moon wines are available in several locations across the Front Range. You can find a map of locations here. Unfortunately none of the locations are in Colorado Springs, but it would be worth the drive to Denver to give their wines a try. The bottles are reasonably priced in the mid-range (the Fireside Port was $16 a bottle). The vineyard also produces a very good Riesling, Semillon, Rose of Cabernet, and a red blend called Altitude.

I opened up this bottle of wine because I wanted to have something to go with the steak that my fiancé had just grilled on our barbeque. The steak had been marinated in a mixture of spices, though it was mainly flavored with garlic. So to pair with it, I wanted a wine that had a bit of spiciness to it.

Sangiovese is a red wine from Tuscany in Italy, and is mostly known for being the main component in Chianti. The name means "the blood of Jove" (the roman name for Zeus).

This particular bottle had just the right flavors, and worked perfectly to pair with my steak. The wine's aroma is fruity and strong with a hint of strawberry. The taste possesses that same amount of fruitiness but with just a hint of spice to it. And with a it's gorgeous deep red color, it makes a perfect wine for summer bbq's or picnics.


Click on the image of the label to the left to purchase your own bottle.

This past weekend I hosted a wine tasting for some close friends. I asked everyone to bring their favorite wine, so we ended up with quite a lot of variety. Here are my thoughts on some of the wines we tasted.

Beringer White Zinfandel
This is honest to goodness one of my absolute favorite wines. I truly think that rosé wines get a bad rap. They have a lot of the depth that red wines do, but they also have a fruity lightness that white wines do. White Zin in general is a fruity wine, with a slight hint of bitterness. If you like strawberries, you'll most likely enjoy a white zin.

Peter Mertes Spätlese Riesling
This is one of the best riesling I've ever tasted. Spätlese is a german term that means "picked late," which means that the wine is much sweeter than usual. It's a very light, sweet, and slightly bubbly wine. I highly recommend trying it.

Beringer White Merlot
This was a surprise wine for me. I'm not a huge Merlot fan, but I absolutely adored this wine. It's extremely fruity, with hints of strawberries and cherries. You know I love rosé wines, and white zin is one of my favorites, but this wine is right up there with it.

Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon
This is an excellent red wine. It has hints of fruit in it, but it's still a strong and bold red. While most of the wines I've listed here are in the $6 to $7 range, this wine is a bit more expensive at around $19. I believe it's well worth the price though.

If anybody out there has any thoughts on any of these, please feel free to post!

For Valentine's Day my fiancé bought me a wonderful bottle of wine. Here are the details:


2005 Flora Springs Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Cost ~ $30USD

Sight: Clear straw yellow
Smell: Strong and acidic.
Taste: Sweet, yet acidic. With hints of fruit.

I drank it with a garlic shrimp and salmon meal, and it was absolutely wonderful. The seafood really brought out the fruit accents in the wine. Overall I gave the wine a 7 (on a scale of 1-10). It was overall a fantastic wine, but could have been a bit smoother for my taste.

You can purchase a bottle for yourself by clicking on the image below.

     

I highly recommend trying it. Let me know what you think!