Week in Review: April 30
Happy Malbec World Day!
Although its origins are rooted in the Sud-Ouest (South West) wine growing region of France, Malbec now is best known as an Argentinian varietal. Argentina has around 75% of all acres of Malbec, but the grape grows in 7 countries around the world.
We asked three of our Malbec producers- two in Argentina (MAAL Wines and TintoNegro) and one in Cahors (Triguedina)- what makes Malbec such a special varietal.
From its versatility with food, depth and range of flavor, and rich beautiful color, it's no wonder Malbec is one of the most popular red wines. Pick up a bottle and see for yourself why Malbec is special.
Week in Review: December 18
Drink & Know Things
In the hit HBO show “Game of Thrones,” Tyrion Lannister uttered a line that spawned a thousand memes (and tshirts, Instagram bios, and catchphrases). “I drink and I know things.” Rarely is there an episode where the clever Hand of the Queen doesn’t have a glass of wine in his hand.
This got us thinking. How many other characters are fans of a glass or two of vino? And how can you drink like your favorite character?
Photo: The Telegraph
First up, the one and only Tyrion Lannister.
Game of Thrones films in a variety of exotic locations including Croatia, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Morocco, and Malta just to name a few. This current season Tyrion finds himself in the fictional Dragonstone, filmed on location in Spain. So to drink like Tyrion, grab yourself a glass of Spanish red. Our favorites Spanish producer is Marqués de Cáceres. You can't go wrong with any of their wines. Tyrion may prefer red, but Marqués de Cáceres makes a delicious white and rosé in addition to their red offerings.
Photo: Pinterest
Olivia Pope
Like Tyrion, Olivia is a fan of a generous glass of red wine. From her white wardrobe to clean lines and classic style, our white-hat wearing protagonist is a fan of classic and quality. She isn’t drinking two buck chuck. Complex like her character (and the storylines woven by Shonda Rhimes!), Olivia would be one to pour a glass of Triguedina “The New Black Wine.”
Photo: Pinterest
Hannibal Lector
Unlike our previous characters, Hannibal Lector is not a protagonist in any sense of the word. (And yes, Hannibal is also a TV character!) He is famed for enjoying Chianti. So if you’d like to emulate any part ofHannibal Lector, let it only be his taste in wine. A glass of Borgo Scopeto Chianti Classico would hit the spot quite nicely.
Now most TV characters drink red because it looks better on camera (no pesky condensation to deal with like a chilled white wine!) But one of our favorite television characters knows that a crisp, cool white is worth the extra filming hassle.
Photo: Pinterest
Tami Taylor
When you think football you likely think beer, but our favorite football coach’s wife Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights knows wine is an excellent choice. She wasn’t afraid to make her love of wine known. A bottle like Mohua Sauvignon Blanc or Famille Perrin La Vieille Ferme Blanc would endear you to Mrs. Taylor forever.
So as Tyrion says, drink and know things. Just be sure you're drinking Vineyard Brands.
Week in Review: May 30
Eat, Drink, and be Malbec
Since Monday was Malbec World Day, keep the celebration going and try one of these tasty recipes with your favorite Malbec.
One simple technique for pairing food and wine is to practice regional pairing. Having Italian food? Try an Italian wine. This certainly isn’t the only way to pair food and it’s not foolproof, but it’s a good template.
Since Malbec has really flourished in Argentina and become the signature varietal for the country, what better recipe to start with than steak—an Argentinian staple. At peak beef consumption in 1956, Argentinians consumed 222 pounds of beef for every man, woman, and child. Now Argentina hovers around roughly 120 pounds of beef per capita (compare that to US consumption rate of 79.3 lbs per capita and the fact only ten countries in the entire world consume 50+ lbs per capita).
SKIRT STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Photo: epicurious.com
Continuing in our homage to beef-fanatic Argentina, GRIDDLED GAUCHO STEAK WITH BREAD-AND-BASIL SALAD is another excellent pairing with Malbec.
Photo: foodandwine.com
Moving away a little bit from the idea of regional pairing (but sticking with the carnivore theme), try a quintessential American cheeseburger. The lush Malbec will really bring out the flavors of this FAKE SHACK BURGER.
Photo: smittenkitchen.com
While instinctually Malbec and meat go hand-in-hand, don’t be afraid to try a vegetable dish, like this SWEET POTATO, BLACK BEAN, SPINACH QUESADILLA
Photo: womensday.com
Finally, one more veggie recipe for those not so Argentinian in their meat consumption habits. This AUBERGINE STEW from Jamie Oliver is a great meat alternative.
Photo: jamieoliver.com