The Gift Exchange

The warm summer weather is officially here in the Northwest. I am not a big fan of the hot weather. I prefer to spend my days inside with the AC cranked up with something cool and refreshing to drink. My dogs, however, will not allow that! They just love the sun and are sun worshipers through and through. They love running all over the yard, barking at the squirrels, birds and passing cars. One of their most favorite things in the whole world is to play ball. Though they’re not very good at dropping the ball once they bring it back. This is not my idea of a good time when it’s 90 degrees outside, but I’ve recently discovered something that will make the dogs and me happy. One of our new Pet Gifts at GiftTree is the Chateau La Paws Dog Lover’s Wine Gift. It comes with 2 bottles of the creatively named Chateau La Paws wine, which was created by veterinarian Dr. Kent Rosemblum. It’s creatively packaged along with three tennis balls. So maybe the next time it’s too hot to play, I’ll set the hammock up in the shade and enjoy a bottle of wine while tossing the ball for my dogs. Sounds like a good summer day to me!

One of my favorite summer activities is loading a car up with friends and family and heading out to the beautiful Oregon wine country to go wine tasting. Not only is the scenery spectacular, but wine tasting is a very social, sensory experience and simply a great time.

When you arrive at a winery, you will frequently see and hear the word “flights.” Tasting Flights” do not have anything to do with airplanes. Rather it is a term used to describe a selection of wine, usually between three and eight smaller-sized glasses, each with one to two ounces of wine. Typically the winery will supply you with an informational sheet that tells you about each wine so that you can taste and compare. Also, flights are usually themed by region or vintage.

You do have to pay for flights, unfortunately, and they typically run from $5 to $15, depending on the quality of the wine being sampled. Not to worry, though – many wineries provide free samples of their most popular varietals.

Not only do Tasting Flights allow you to try some phenomenal wines that may otherwise be out of budget, but it gives you the opportunity to find new wines for yourself wine gifts for others. Have fun!

Tears of what? Does wine cry, you ask? Not technically. Instead, “tears of wine” refers to the phenomenon of a ring of liquid near the top of the glass after you swirl its contents. Droplets form and appear to drip from the line, appearing to cry. High alcohol content makes the wine thicker and therefore the tears take longer to trail downwards.

This effect is also called wine legs, curtains, and church windows. With creative names like that, you can sound like a true connoisseur the next time you are out having dinner. “My, what impressive church windows this Sherry has…”

The blanket is spread on the grass, you and your partner unpack the picnic hamper–a loaf of bread, artisan cheese, some grapes and a bottle of wine. You’re looking cute and he’s looking handsome. That is, of course, until one of you knocks over the wine bottle and a river of your favorite vintage trickles everywhere. Nobody’s having fun now except the ants! If this scenario is all too familiar, check out one of our newer gifts for the summer. Whether at the beach or on a rolling expanse of fresh green grass, the Picnic Stix securely hold a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. I particularly like them at the beach. It keeps the sand off the bottle and the glasses as well as preventing spills.

With the summer months upon us, many of us will be drinking the warm weather favorite, Chardonnay. Here are some suggestions and tips for enjoying this classic wine and purchasing Chardonnay wine gifts.

First of all, make sure you serve the Chardonnay chilled at around 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is warmer than a refrigerator’s standard temperature. If the wine is too cold, you lose all of its fruity flavors.

Chardonnay is a relatively light wine that is known for having oak, butter, and tropical fruit flavors. It is most commonly paired with chicken and white meats such as turkey, smoked fish, spicy Asian cuisine, and aged cheeses. In general, you will want to avoid tomato-based dishes when drinking Chardonnay. The sharp acidity of the tomato does not mix well with the buttery flavors in the wine. Heavy flavors of steak and game will also overwhelm Chardonnay’s fruit essences and aromas.

One of my favorite summertime Chards is the Gloria Ferrer Carneros Chardonnay. Think ripe mango, pineapple, toast, and spicy pear. It goes well with just about every chicken dish imaginable, as well as on its own. Cheers!

One of the most popular wine gift baskets we offer is The Napa Experience Wine Gift Basket. It has 3 wonderful Napa Valley wines in a traditional English picnic hamper, along with a wonderful assortment of gourmet delicacies. Last year I had a customer who, after ordering several of these for his clients, called me back and wanted to order one for himself. He said he had so many rave reviews about the basket that he wanted to see what he had sent! Since then, it has remained his favorite gift. He says it never fails to completely wow his recipients. I think that says it all.

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between a nice bottle of wine and a nicely packaged bottle of wine. Being that you can’t always judge a book by its cover, read on to discover how to decipher the important details when purchasing wine gifts or wine at the store:

1) Appellation: Wines from noteworthy regions will proudly display the place of origin, which is often a major indicator of quality. Be wary of ambiguous appellations like “California” or “France.”

2) Vintage: Just because it is older does not mean that it is better. Some years have been very poor for certain grape varieties, such as 2005 was for California’s Zinfandel crop. Also, be careful of purchasing dust-covered bottles from the supermarket shelf; stores rarely have optimal environments for storing wine. Read the rest of this entry »

This week we will discuss optimal food pairings with Cabernet Sauvignon. Each week or so a new varietal will be explored so that you can make educated decisions when purchasing wine gifts for yourself and others.

About Cabernet Sauvignon: A popular wine whose flavors range from black fruits, bell pepper, chocolate, black currant, cherry, plum, mint, cigar box, spice, and chocolate. Most “Cabs” need a few years of aging to gain a fine wine quality of layered fruit and firm structure. Many California Cabernets are drinkable from three to then years or even longer. Tannins—a natural part of grape skins, seeds, and stems—make Cabernet a firm-bodied, substantial wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with rich roasted meats such as prime rib and roast lamb, game birds like goose or duck, and even pizza and pasta. Its spicy flavors help bring out the best in the food while also complementing spicy, smoky, and gamey notes. Cabs go well with a number of desserts, especially dark chocolate cakes and truffles.

Be sure to check out the BV Georges Latour Cabernet Sauvignon. This outstanding 2003 vintage is highly rated and would be a great wine with which to begin exploring your own creative food pairings.

Famed vintner Robert Mondavi, credited with leading California wine into international prominence, died peacefully today in his Yountville, CA, home at the age of 94.

Mondavi was well known not only for his extraordinary wines, but also for being an enthusiastic ambassador of the health benefits of wine consumption, as well as the cultural and social benefits of wine.

Raised on a family vineyard in Lodi, CA, in 1966 Robert purchased his own vineyard in Napa Valley where he championed the use of cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks, and French oak barrels. In a career that spanned eight decades, Mondavi often led by example, setting lofty goals for his winery and inspiring California wine makers to make wines that would compete with the best in the world. Mondavi traveled tirelessly in an effort to promote California wines as world class wines, as good as the best of Europe, and made true believers out of millions of wine lovers.

Robert Mondavi left an indelible legacy, and will always be remembered by his energy, enthusiasm, and vision.

A wine tasting event is a great party activity and an ideal way for friends and family to experience new varietals and expand their wine knowledge. Here are some pointers for hosting an easy and successful home tasting:

-Ask party attendants to bring wine gifts and also a set of wine glasses if you do not have enough in your collection.

-Decide which type of wine tasting you would like to host. Vertical wine tasting is conducted by tasting different vintages of the same varietal from the same winery. Horizontal tasting involves sampling wines from the same vintage but from different wineries. The most fun tasting method for parties, however, is often blind taste testing as it challenges people’s perceptions and sensory capabilities. Read the rest of this entry »