Touchdown, Wine!

There's been quite the debate over who will win Super Bowl LII. Will Tom Brady and Bill Belichik lead the Patriots to yet another win? Or will the Philadelphia Eagles win their first championship since 1960? 

One thing that won't be up for debate is the MVP of your Super Bowl Watch Party. Spoiler alert, it's wine! 

We've collected some of our favorite recipes for snacks perfect for the big game from Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Southern Living and paired them with some of our favorite wines. 

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Photo Credit: Bon Appétit 

CHIPS & GUACAMOLE: Every good party needs chips and dip and this one will guac your world. A bright white like Marqués de Cáceres Verdejo, a dry Riesling like August Kesseler Rudesheim Riesling, or a zesty New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc like Mohua all pair perfectly. 

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Photo Credit: Food & Wine

PIGS IN A BLANKET: Few things disappear as quickly at a party as Pigs in a Blanket. The warm sausage and crisp pastry...we're getting hungry just thinking about it. These from Food & Wine are brushed with a tasty mix of honey, mustard, and fresh black pepper to kick things up a notch. Pair with a dry rosé, like La Vieille Ferme or Miraval (both made by the Perrin Family). 

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Photo Credit: Bon Appétit 

PIZZA: Whether or not your team ends up breaking a pizza your heart, you'll want a slice of this pie from Bon Appétit Magazine. Get creative and add your own toppings or stick to classic cheese. Either way, pair with a Barbera or Dolcetto like Massolino produces. 

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Photo Credit: Bon Appétit

CHILI: How could we share recipes for the Super Bowl without including a recipe that is served in a bowl? Chili is the perfect antidote to cold weather and bonus- this one is made in a crockpot so you'll spend less time cooking and more time drinking! Try this crockpot chili with South African Ashbourne Pinotage, a Rhône Blend from Famille Perrin like Châteauneuf du Pape Les Sinards, or an Argentinian Malbec (you really can't go wrong with anything from TintoNegro). 

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Photo Credit: Southern Living Magazine

NACHOS: These are nacho average chips and toppings. These sheet pan nachos are customizable for any taste, fast, and fun. So if the party eats them up (and they will!), you'll be able to pop another round in the oven. This Southern Living recipe is elevated when paired with Thibault Liger Belair Moulin à Vent Vieilles Vignes Beaujolais. 

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A few other tips for Super Bowl snack pairings:

Serving anything fried- French fries, fried chicken, fried pickles, etc? Serve champagne. We love Champagne Delamotte Brut  or Blanc de Blancs. 

Serving wings? With spicy dipping sauces or marinades you'll want to go with something semi-dry but a little sweet- like Pichot Vouvray. 

Finally, the meatier the dish (maybe you add bacon and sausage and pepperoni to your pizza...), the heartier the wine. Borgo Scopeto makes a beautiful Chianti that can stand up to hearty meats. 

2017: Year in Review

As 2017 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on all the people, events, and especially wines, that made it such a momentous year. 

At Vineyard Brands, we feel so fortunate to work with so many talented and and passionate winemakers. These people make wine because it is more than a job- it is their calling. The quality of their wines reflect that.

Red, White, Old World, New World, wines from across our portfolio earned accolades and made Top 100 lists from leading publications. 

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Two Vineyard Brands wines earned spots on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2017.
#19 Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva 2012: 
“Black cherry, currant and floral notes are expressive and alluring, balanced by loamy earth, tobacco and mineral elements that add a savory quality. Firm, well-integrated tannins give support to the polished texture, while orange peel acidity fuels the fresh finish. Drink now through 2027.” 93 points

#26 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc 2015:
“This vibrant and mouthwatering white shows green apple, Meyer lemon and dried pineapple flavors that are fresh and juicy. Lemon verbena and lime sherbet notes reverberate on the long, detailed finish. Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. Drink now.” 93 points

Famille Perrin’s Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015 was recognized as one of James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of 2017.
"All 13 grapes. This has a dark fruited, blueberry and blue plum nose with wide swinging tannins. Some white peppery elements, violets, brooding dark spices, blue fruits and dark plums. Builds from the ground up. Dark stones. Impressive, powerful. wine. Drink from 2025." 97 points

Wine Enthusiast named wine from both Champagne Salon (with a perfect score of 100!) and Massolino to their Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2017.
#11 Champagne Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil 2006: 
"This new release from a great vintage for Chardonnay in Champagne in s perfect blanc de blancs, showing a wealth of intensity from the crisp, chalky, mineral tones to the perfumed apple notes. The aromas hint as developing tastiness that adds depth and complexity. The wine is still young and it will age for years. Drink from 2020." 100 points

#25 Massolino Barolo Parafada 2013:
"...The full-bodied palate shows great energy and intensity, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, ripe cranberry, white pepper and clove framed in youthfully assertive, refined tannins and bright acidity..." 97 points

Wine Enthusiast also named Les Frères Couillaud Château de la Ragotière Sélection Vieilles Vignes Sur Lie (Muscade Sèvre et Maine) as #72 on their Top 100 of 2017.
"Old vines, up to 60 years old, are the basis of this concentrated, ripe and intense wine. it is impressive and tightly wound, with layers of rich citrus fruit and a chalky texture. This is still a little young, so drink from 2018."

International Wine Report’s Top 100 of 2017 featured two more Vineyard Brands wines-
#66 Laurent Tribut Côte de Lechet 2015 and #100 is Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2016.

August Kesseler Riesling R was named to the Wine Spectator 100 Top Values of 2017. 
"This is redolent of fresh-cut Fuji apple, with notes of ripe melon and kiwifruit that are crunchy and well-spiced." 89 points

Decanter's list of the most exciting wines of 2017 included two wines from the Vineyard Brands portfolio, one from Warre's and one from Louis Michel & Fils. 
#14 Warre's Bottle Aged Late Bottled Vintage Port 2004:
"Vivids damsons and blackcurrants with liniment and spice, giving a luxuriously sweet, soft mouthful. The rich chocolate notes are kept in check by ripe enveloping tannins, beautifully integrated wood and fresh acidity."

#44 Louis Michel & Fils Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2015:
"A delicate herbal and lemony style with crisp apple and a mineral mint character to the fore. Vibrant and vivid yet maintains a lean, restrained nature. Lots of persistence, so more complexity will come."

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In addition to these Top 100 lists, Vineyard Brands wines were lauded in many other ways.

Gradis’ciutta was awarded Gold Medals from Gilbert and Gaillard Wine Guide for the Bratinis DOC COLLIO 2015 and Cabernet Franc DOC COLLIO 2015.

Platter’s by Diners Club International awarded five stars to wines from Stark-Condé, Boekenhoutskloof, Chamonix, and Constantia Glen. (The full list is here)

The Daily Meal named Tablas Creek Vineyard #2 on their list of the 101 Best Wineries in America. 

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Some of our winemakers themselves were recognized for their tremendous work.

Berene Sauls & Tesselaarsdal Wines Pty Ltd won Top Female Entrepreneur in the Agro-processing category as well as the Ministral Award hosted by the Department of Agriculture Western Cape.

Alejandro “Colo” Sejanovich of TintoNegro was named one of the Top 10 Winemakers of South America by Decanter.

Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard won Wine Industry Person of the Year by San Luis Obispo County wine industry. 

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Finally, we were honored to be a nominee for Importer of the Year for the prestigious Wine Enthusiast 2017 Wine Star Awards. 

...oh and the French national team celebrated earning their spot at the FIFA World Cup with a bottle of Champagne Delamotte. 

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2017 has been a year to remember. Thanks to all of you for making our wines a part of your life. We'll leave you with two toasts to the New Year and see you in 2018!

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want."

"Here's a toast to the future, a toast to the past, and a toast to our friends, far and near. May the future be pleasant, the past a bright dream; may our friend remain faithful and dear."

Week in Review: August 14

Sales Rep Spotlight: Rosé Cookout

Rosé is THE drink of the summer. As we've mentioned before, a good rule of thumb for pairing Rosés with food is to remember "Pink & Provençal". Easy enough since that describes Rosé itself. 

Our sales rep Patrick Harney used that advice when he hosted a Rosé Cookout for Bacchus Importers' Maryland Sales Team. Read more from Patrick to learn how and why he came up with the idea, why he thinks Rosé is so popular, and some of his favorite recipes to pair with Rosé.

"Summertime for me means summer camp.  I think about how my kids learn in summer camp versus how they learn in school and sometimes I wonder whether the experiential learning they enjoy at camp isn’t more effective than the methods employed by their schools.  There’s a lot to be said about making a point experientially.  Too often we stand in front of our wholesale sales teams and deliver Powerpoint presentations chock full of features and benefits in hopes that as a result, sales will magically increase.  When Beth Kostelnik  (my then Brand Manager at Bacchus) told me I should have a rosé dinner and take lots of pictures and put them on social media, I thought what a terrific idea that was...even though I am seriously social media challenged.  I later decided to expand on that idea and make the sales team at Bacchus a Rosé-centric lunch.  I thought the team could benefit from how wonderfully Rosé works with Provence-inspired dishes and thus be able to share the experience with their retail and restaurant customers.

The dishes were all adaptations from Richard Olney’s Provence cookbook--a really terrific book full of pictures and easy to follow recipes.  I did most of the prep at home on Thursday evening.  On Friday, grilling commenced out near the loading dock while the sales team went into their meeting.  Once done, everything was set up buffet style in the kitchen, the sales team served themselves and we shared lunch together back in the sales room.  I started the discussion by sharing some of the latest IRI data clearly showing the incredible growth of both the Rosé category and many Vineyard Brands’ Rosés in particular.  After tossing some numbers around I explained why I chose the dishes to be served and the geographic and cultural ties that Rosé had to Provençal cuisine.  The discussion turned to more of roundtable forum discussing favorite Rosés and specific food pairings.  We, of course, talked a lot about food…who, in our business, doesn’t love to eat?  We came around to how casually but effectively Rosé is able to pair with all kinds of food in general and how maybe that’s the real reason behind the incredible growth of this type of wine.

Many years ago,  I attended an organized Pinot Gris and white varietals tasting conducted by Erath of Oregon. The tasting used various samples of food to illustrate the versatility of Pinot Gris, how it is able to pair with cheese, vegetables, protein, etc. It was very well done and their point was effectively made.  I recall at the time thinking that this was perhaps the reason behind the baffling rise in the popularity of Pinot Grigio.  Certainly the tastes and preferences of wine consumers always seem to be downright mysterious and I think many of us professionals tend to underestimate them.  I think the rise of Rosé and the continued success of Pinot Grigio show that consumers embrace wines which are fresh and easily approachable yet show a refined ability to pair well with many different types of food.   While we can talk forever as to what works and why in our business, sometimes the best way to understand it is by sharing in the experience.  I think that’s what was accomplished at the Rosé Cookout.  Beyond that, the rosé cookout was a great way to really connect with the Bacchus team. Sales reps are used to having suppliers buy them lunch, so they are more deeply touched when the supplier actually makes them lunch.  They appreciate the extra effort and care which comes with doing more than merely whipping out a credit card." 

Menu: 

Vegetable Crudite
Grilled Country Bread with Anchovy Oil

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Tomato and Persillade
Grilled Chicken with Olive Tapenade
Grilled Sausages

Ratatouille
Zucchini Gratin
Rosemary-ed Baby Spring Potatoes

You can find the cookbook Patrick used on Amazon. If you'd like more recipes to try with your favorite rosé, check out our blog post on rosé and food pairings here. 

Week in Review: June 19

Week in Review: April 3