It’s that time of year, folks!  Plonkapalooza 2010 took place this week and I have dozens of new wines to try, hurrah!  For those of you who may not be familiar with the event, the Plonkapalooza is an annual wine tasting event in which local wine shops nominate bottles sold for $12 or less to be a part of a blind tasting hosted by some of the area’s top wine experts.  I wrote a few articles about Plonkapalooza 2009 if you’d like to check out last year’s nominees…  So, boston.com recapped this year’s event in a recent article and low and behold, it sang the praises of a wine I just recently reviewed myself! A month ago we went to my parent’s house for dinner and I brought a bottle of Saint-Peyre to pair with the lemony baked artichoke and shrimp dish my mother prepared.  It was fantastic, and a French twist-off at that!  Low and behold, we get this quote from Stephen Meuse at boston.com:

Ah ha!  How about that?  Oh man, I must have ESPN or something because I TOTALLY called this wine out as a winner weeks before Plonkapalooza.  See mom & dad?  My $100K+ education with a BA in Spanish is REALLY starting to pay off  :)  Who am I kidding, my mother and father have always been my biggest supporters, both of MoreThanMerlot.com and of just me in general.  What exciting news to start off the weekend!  Hope you all have a spooktacular Halloween, and seeing as today is pay day I will run out and pick up a few bottles of Plonkapalooza 2010 nominees for your reviewing pleasure!  Hasta pronto!

(photo via)

Ok, not really, that would mean something bad has happened, right?  Well trust me, all is well in Merlot-land,  apothecaries need not come a’ running…  A little play on words for a nice little wine I discovered, Apothic Red from California.  I found Apothic on sale at Fresh Market for $9.99.  Of course I always pick up a right-priced blend, so I grabbed a bottle of this Syrah, Zinfandel & Merlot mix to try at home.  For three strong varietals, this blend turned out to be much smoother than anticipated, particularly notable was the sweet vanilla on the finish (the fiancé attributed the sweetness to the fact that the wine label described the blend as a “smooth red,” like the last “smooth red” blend we tried…  Are the wine makers onto a new adjective trend of which I am not aware?).  Full bodied and delightful, I would totally grab this bottle to sip on its own after a meal.  I could also see using this in a marinara sauce.  You know that old trick of putting brown sugar in your sauce to neutralize the acid?  I feel like the sugar in this wine could serve a similar purpose.  But that’s just a thought, not science.  If I remember to try this the next time I make sauce I’ll report back on my findings…  Anywho, I enjoyed Apothic Red and I think you will too!  Until the next time, happy-almost-Friday!!

(Inkberry wine with Italian bread and rosemary olive oil)

(Salumi platter that will make your head spin)

Alma, the Italian (and Spanish) word for soul, also the name of the restaurant we just happened upon last night in an effort to check out the new Hingham Beer Works at the Shipyard.  Looking to grab a quick drink after work we tried to squeeze in at the bar at Beer Works but eventually gave up and walked into it’s neighbor, Alma Nove.  This place is going to be a gold mine.  Quality menu items (and unfortunately prices) that are competitive with downtown-Boston without the hassle of driving into the city, Hingham-ites (and of course their neighbors such as ourselves) are going to LOVE Alma Nove.  We started off with a reasonably priced bottle of Inkberry wine, a 50/50 blend of Cab and Shiraz from Central Ranges  Australia.  It was great!  It took a bit to open up, but by the time we were through with our amazing salad of arugula, blue cheese, San Daniela prosciutto and port-soaked figs (DIE – notice we inhaled this and thus no picture) the wine was perfectly balanced.  We then moved on to the salumi platter with italian cured meats, MORE blue cheese, homemade eggplant, tomato and fig tapanades, shaved parmesan and crispy Asiago toasts.  Just dig a hole and tell the wedding diet to lay down and die now, will you?  But we split both apps so there was some portion control going on at least.  Oh, and did I mention out bartender was like the most adorable little man in the world?  Oh my goodness.  The service was great, a tad eager perhaps, but it’s a new place and they need to make a name for themselves!  It’s fun being in an environment where everyone is so excited and seems happy to be there, it’s refreshing!  I will definitely be going back to Alma Nove, next time after pay day so I can dig into their delectable looking entrées…  Salute!

Today it is unseasonably warm in the greater Boston area.  I walked out the door this morning ready to face the chill, cup of hot steaming tea in hand, and was greeted instead by muggy, frizz-inducing blah.  It actually upset me.  Although I kind of hope this weather sticks around for the weekend so the kiddies aren’t freezing their cuttie puttuties off on Sunday (can I get an “Amen” from my fellow New Englanders who had too many Halloween costumes ruined by cotton turtlenecks and thick wool tights?  Pocahontas did NOT wear turtlenecks and tights, I don’t care what my mother says), it takes a certain mindset to face the winter weather around here.  Once I’ve succumbed to the fact that the weather will be grey and dreary and cold through the end of March it actually makes it a lot easier to get out of bed in the morning.  You don’t feel let down when you look outside, you are just having your expectations met!  But today, expectations be darned, we are teased with a temperature that whips us out of our zombie-like acceptance and thrusts into us the hope for perhaps a bit more summer sun.  Cruel.  I really just want a Winter Warmer!  I want to enjoy a bowl of popcorn and a glass of spicy Cabernet while snuggling under a blanket with my cat and watching movies!  I want to sing Christmas carols!!  Phew, thanks for letting me get that out of my system.  Just to be spiteful I think tonight I am going to roast up the beautiful carnival squash I bought at Whole Foods this weekend, top it with some blue cheese, pair it with a rich  Pinot Noir and watch “Love, Actually.”  Take THAT last fleeting glimpse of warmth!  At least I’ll be walking in a winter wonderland in my heart…

Sorry I was a bit MIA over the past week, I have been on-again, off-again sick and not completely on my game with blogging or wine drinking (ok, I drank my share of wine but when you’re sick you don’t really experience the flavors as fully so I am not as inspired to write…).  After a very indulgent dinner on Saturday night with my parents (yeah, like authentic swiss fondue, wedge salads with homemade blue cheese dressing, roasted chicken and pumpkin squares sort of indulgent) I hit the gym on Sunday and whipped up a Weight Watchers inspired beef stew for dinner.  The stew recipe called for red wine vinegar but of COURSE I hate cooking with the stuff and opted to use real red wine instead.  I basically just threw 4 carrots, 3 celery stalks, 3 peeled baking potatoes, 2 onions, 2 lbs. of beef, a can of chicken stock, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and 2 TBS of tapioca (remember, Weight Watchers inspired, they always have some random ingredients that do something magical) in a pot and cooked it at 325 degrees for 3 hours.  It turned out really well and was even better as left-overs this afternoon for lunch.  I wanted something bold and flavorful to pair with the dish so I elected a Cabernet Sauvignon by Red Diamond out of Washington state.   Red Diamond is one of those wines I see all the time and I couldn’t remember if I had ever tried it so I decided to give it a go for this pairing.  Although I was hoping for something a little more spicy for the sake of the stew, I really can’t complain about this wine.  It was very well balanced and had a delightful fruity palate.  Strong without being overwhelming, good tannin without being dry, this was very drinkable Cab.  For only $9.99 a bottle or 3 for $25, this wine is very fairly priced and would be a great pick to bring over to a friend’s house for dinner.  Plus they have one of those clever find-a-bottle-in-your-area functionalities on their website so tracking one down will be a breeze!  Grab a bottle and let me know what you think!  In the meantime, I’m planning some black and orange whoopie pies for this weekend, any wine pairing suggestions for those?  Let me know your thoughts…  Cheers!

(photo credit via)

Happy hump day, everyone!  How glad I am to be writing in computer form, my hand is sore from an evening of hand written thank-you cards for all of the lovely gifts from my shower this weekend.  It is true, our generation really hardly ever writes any more, do we?  I mean on paper, of course.  My cursive has really gone to crap, I need lots of practice before December…  Anyway, I thought I would share some of my amazing wine-related gifts in case you need some inspiration for holiday shopping (that’s right – it’s just around the corner!).  So here we go!

When I was working in fine dining, my first mentor told me that in a proper dining room nothing should touch the linens.  Plates should be set on chargers, flatware should be set on napkins, and wine bottles should be set on coasters.  Well, when I saw this beautiful wine coaster at Pottery Barn I just HAD to register for it.  Isn’t it lovely?  We absolutely adore it.

Remember when I posted about these amazing Skybar Wine Chill Drops from Williams-Sonoma!  Well, low and behold I got them as a shower gift!  We are so pumped, we have used them already.  They chill red wine in 90 seconds and white in 5-8 minutes!  So much more effective than freezing a bottle, let me tell you…

Now, how do you keep the rest of the bottle cool while you are chilling your individual glass with the Drops?  With a gorgeous stainless steel wine cooler, of course!  This beautiful piece works wonders, and it looks stunning on a table top with our other silver pieces (or just sitting on the coffee table next to a plate of cheese).

And finally, my darling grandmother has generously passed down her beautiful stemware to me and my lucky fiancé.  It is the jewel of Orrefors, the “Prelude” collection.  It is delicate, perfectly weighted and just stunning.  Since my grandmother had service for 8 and we have registered for china and flatware service for 12, we added a few extra wine and water glasses to the registry and received several pieces at the shower!  We were so touched and my grandmother was so happy.

Am I a seriously lucky girl or what?  Now that I’ll be sipping in style, will I need to spend more than $10 on wine?  Perhaps on occasion, but certainly not as a general rule.  Thanks again to all my family and friends who made my shower so amazing, I love you all and am so grateful to have you in my life!

(photo credits via Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma & Bloomingdale’s)

Tango Restaurant

I made it, I survived!  Bridal shower and bachelorette party in one day and I am still here, very impressive if I may say so myself  :)  Oh my goodness, what a day it was.  I have so many wonderful stories to share with you!  I am seriously the luckiest girl in the whole world to have such an incredible family, amazing group of friends, and of COURSE such a loving fiancé.  The first component of the day that I would like to tell you about is the venue where my shower was held in the afternoon.  My mother found the most perfect venue for my shower, Tango Restaurant in Arlington center.  Tango is a beautiful Argentine eatery with exposed brick, bold yellow and blue hues and tango posters as far as the eye can see.  The food, or should I say the mountains upon mountains of food, was incredible and paired with the most perfect sangria I have had the pleasure of enjoying States-side.  We started with crispy beef and chicken empanadas that were simply divine.  For my entrée I has a seared flank steak that was seriously as big as my face.  I ate a quarter of it and was completely stuffed.  For dessert my mother brought in a triple chocolate cake from the bakery we are using for our wedding cake and it was just delicious.  The service was incredible, all in all it was just perfect!  How I ate that much food and drank that much wine and still managed to get through games and presents I am not quite sure, but it was definitely a good thing to have a solid meal in me before venturing out that evening, I’ll tell you that much…  So if you’re in the Boston area and are looking for a new place to try, I highly recommend Tango!  Of course, it won’t be as much fun without 40 of your closest friends and family members, but I think you’ll enjoy it all the same.  We received so many fantastic wine-related presents at the shower, I’ll tell you all about those tomorrow!  We are approaching the holidays after all, time for a little gift-inspiration.  Hasta manana!!

(PS – Did I mention that Tango made me even 100 million times about going to Buenos Aires?  Because it did.  100 million times.)

(photo via tangoarlington.com)

That’s right – my sister is airborne this very moment!  En route to what promises to be an, ahem, eventful weekend to say the least.  With only 2 months to go before the big day, this weekend we are packing in both my bridal shower and bachelorette party!  I know absolutely nothing about either event save the date and the time I need to be ready to be collected.  I should have some gooood stories to share with you on Monday  :)  But for today, I have a great little find to tell you about, Round Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (2008 St. Helena, California).  In the mood for something red but with no other particular requirements, we grabbed this bottle for it’s affordable price ($9.99) and attractive presentation.  I am really psyched, because this is totally the kind of Cab you can drink on any occasion with lots of different pairings!  Light enough to drink on its own or with a mild cheese plate, but enough spice and delicious fruit (the raspberry stood out to me the most) to hold up against more flavorful pairings as well!  The tannins were very well balanced.  You knew you were drinking a Cab but you didn’t feel like your mouth was full of sand after every sip.  All in all I was very pleased with the selection!  Now, we’re kicking off the weekend of festivities this evening with a family dinner at home, so if things get too crazy and I can’t drop you a line tomorrow please forgive me.  I promise I’ll do lots of “research” in the next fews days to make up for it  :)  And away we go!

(photo credit via roundhillwines.com)

Sorry if you don’t get the Mad Men reference, but with the season finale coming up this weekend it is all but consuming me at present.  So, last night I had my first dress fitting (stressful) and by the time we got through the traffic (more stressful!) and arrived back home I was ready for a glass of wine.  On the way home, we picked up a bottle Sterling Vinter’s Collection Sauvignon Blanc (California).  I initially had mixed reviews on the Sterling Vinter’s Collection Meritage I had tried, but eventually it grew on me and so I was eager to give Sterling another chance.  The great news is that it was on sale for $7.49!  I guess they bought too many cases and had to move it off the floor quickly, so I was happy to assist in the effort.  What I liked about this wine is that it was not all citrus all the time.  I picked up more on the melon flavor and the mineral quality, noticing just a hint of lemon.  This will be GREAT for Pinot Grigio lovers, similar palates but unique in its own way.  We paired the wine with my fiancés famous mussels (although unfortunately not from Brussels) and it was just perfect.  Would I buy this again?  Yes.  For $7.49?  I’ll take a case, please!  So keep on the look out and let me know if you’re able to track this one down, I think you’ll really enjoy it!

Roger Sterling, I swear I’ve seen him drink wine between all the vodka…

(photo via AMC)

My head really hurts today.  And no, not as a result of some wile bender of a weekend (although I DID attend my cousin’s Oktoberfest party which had the potential to do some serious damage had we not left at 8pm and made the wise yet sad decision to stay home and miss the OTHER Oktoberfest party we were supposed to attend), it is actually because I tripped and hit my forehead on the corner of a window sill.  Oooowwww.  Of COURSE I have my bridal shower and bachelorette party this weekend so I was freaking OUT that the lump would not go down in time.  Gladly today I am looking much less Quasimodo-like then yesterday so I think I’m in the clear…  So how did I calm my nerves?  Conquista Cabernet Sauvignon, of course!  This is a great Argentine wine maker that has been doing a very solid Malbec for years.  But Monique, my darling Monique, insisted that we try the Cab instead of the Malbec (so of course we just bought both), exalting the Cab as one of the best she had tried in this price range (sale on 2 for $20).  I loved this wine because it had the delicious black currant you expect from a Cab but with much softer tannins.  I didn’t feel like I needed to drink a gallon of water between each sip.  This is still a hearty wine and would be great for winter dinners.  The Malbec was great too.  I agree with Monique, I think the Cab was a more remarkable varietal wine, but I would by the Malbec again in a second.  All this, and only 69 days until we depart for Argentina!!  We’re getting excited, hurrah for Argentina and hurrah for good wine!!!