Posts Tagged ‘ao yun’

Wines, Wine Experiences and Wine Tools for the Holidays

Celebrating any other milestone always goes better with a good wine. Here are some interesting wines, experiences and gifts to enhance your sipping enjoyment.

WINES FOR THE CURIOUS AND EPICUREAN

Orange Glou

For something less familiar, orange wines offer a distinctively colored wine with a taste that’s all their own. The international collection of wines curated by Orange Glou are skin-contact white wines made from white grapes fermented with the grape skins, producing orange natural wines. Options include three and six bottles monthly or a one-time option for the orange curious.

Tolenas Winery

A dessert wine is a lovely finish to any meal. Tolenas Winery newest is a 100% Zinfandel port, lighter and fruitier than usual due to the 2020 heat spell but still taking advantage of the cool California coastal breezes. A female star in the industry, winemaker Lisa Howard is committed to producing wines without chemicals or additives.

Collection Privée from Francois-Louis Vuitton

If your goal is to be the first in line for unusual experiences and a trip to France won’t happen any time soon, you might want to consider investing in the first edition Bordeaux Collection Privée from Francois-Louis Vuitton, the great, great grandson of Louis Vuitton.  Newly introduced to the United States this winter, the collection reflects the terroir of Bordeaux and the elegance of the Parisian lifestyle with Private Cuvée wines from top châteaux such as Léoville-Poyferré (Saint-Julien), Lascombes (Margaux), Faugères (Saint-Émilion), Beauregard (Pomerol), and Lafaurie-Peraguey (Sauternes). Each comes gorgeously boxed.

Dough Wines

Created with Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners, Dough Wines is the first collaborative wine brand from the James Beard Foundation. Dough Wines supports the culinary arts and beverage professions, currently focusing on assisting the Foundation with restaurant recovery, equality in the kitchen and food sustainability. The appellation wines are bundled into three-pack sets: Red Blend Pack, Chardonnay Pack, Pinot Noir Pack, Napa Valley Pack and Best of Napa Valley Pack.

Wines of Sicily

Wines of Sicily is a consortium that works with more than 400 different producers in Sicily who preserve the art of winemaking with sustainable practices. You’ll want to try Nero d’Avola, a versatile wine with an aroma of red floral notes accompanied by flavors of sweet spices and cocoa. Do as the Sicilians do and chill Frappato to bring out its depth and spice and red cherry notes.  For white wine fans, Grillo is a food-friendly blend with citrus blossom and fruity aromas. Lucido (also called Catarrato) pairs well with seafood and veggies with its hints of yellow and green and white flowers and citrus aromas.

Ao Yun

An unusual, stylish wine, Ao Yun (“roaming above the clouds”) is a full-bodied Cabernet blend from the first wine estate in China’s Yunnan province on the foothills of the Himalayas. The 2016 vintage combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with notes of sandalwood, Dhofar incense, and crushed strawberries. Ao Yun has partnered with renowned crystal maker Riedel to design an exclusive wine glass for the optimal tasting experience for this Cab blend.

DISTINCTIVE TASTING EXPERIENCES

Macari Vineyards

Macari Vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island takes glamping to a new level of luxury with individual bungalows for a personal wine tasting. Customize your experience with a selection of wines including their popular Cabernet Franc, Dos Aguas red blend, Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé. Add to that a Mediterranean snack spread, your own playlist streamed through a Bluetooth retro radio, comfy throw-covered chairs and sofas and your gang will enjoy a wine experience like no other. The beautiful vineyard is celebrated for its biodynamic approach to winemaking and is run by three generations of the Macari family.

Far Niente family of wines

The Far Niente family of wines from Napa Valley includes some of the finest vineyards in the country.  You can experience all with a variety of three-wine samplers and a pre-arranged virtual wine tasting subscription. The Far Niente range includes Cabernet Sauvignon from Nickel & Nickel, Far Niente and Bella Union; or Chardonnay from Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente. The happy hour experience includes explanations by wine educators, Far Niente family winemakers and wine experts, plus instruction by chefs on how to create perfect wine and meal pairings.

WINE EXPERIENCE ADD-ONS

Quilt Wines

Add a fun touch to stay-at-home entertaining with Quilt Wines’ Puzzle Pack. Along with a selection of wine, you’ll get a limited-edition 500-piece Napa Valley Quilt Wines puzzle. The wine collection gives you a range of white and red wines including rosé, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and the popular Red Blend.

RGNY

You can be your own winemaker with the new blending kit from RGNY, an innovative winery located on Long Island’s North Fork. The kit comes with curated videos, featuring lead winemaker, Lilia Pérez to help guide you through the almost-scientific exercise of blending RGNYs Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The kit also includes a beaker, four carafes of wine for blending and tasting, glasses and tasting note cards.

TaZa

For safe drinking, unbreakable wine glasses are the smart choice if you’re planning to dine outdoors. TaZa’s chic plastic versions mimic the feel of traditional glasses and come in stemmed and stemless to please all preferences. A must for serious wine drinkers, the ArT Wine Preserver will keep an opened bottle of wine fresh for up to 30 days. Using pure argon gas, this smart device displaces oxygen while maintaining taste.

If you still prefer glass, Empire State of Wine has you covered for no-spill drinking. The shop’s Signature NO-SPILL Stemless Wine and Cocktail Glasses feature Lady Liberty herself with each glass a different color so you can remember whose wine is whose. Even if you manage to tip them over, they still won’t spill as they balance to the side.

And lastly, Repour’s wine stoppers utilize oxygen absorption in an easy-to-use wine stopper for lasting wine freshness for up to two months. Although, in all honesty, I don’t know many people who keep an open bottle that long!

Where to Buy Wine in New York City

Here are four of my favorite shops that carry wide varieties of wine and have staff who are far more knowledgeable than I:

Mister Wright

Sherrry-Lehmann

Astor Wines

Empire State of Wine

Empire State of Wine Courtesy of Empire State Wine

Happy Holidays – drink up!

21 Ways to Fête your Father (or Husband or Favorite Male) on June 21, Father’s Day

It’s Dad’s Day and it’s not too late to find the perfect gift to celebrate. Here are 21 ways to show your love on June 21, Father’s Day (and one more for good measure).

A SPIRITED CELEBRATION

With outdoor dining in full swing, grillmaster dads will love these two bold, terroir-driven reds to accompany a burger, steak or Portobello mushroom. 2016 7 Deadly Zinfandel is an old vine zinfandel from Lodi, California with aromas of jammy berry as well as leather, oak and spice.

7 Deadly Zinfandel

On the palate, it’s defined by a mélange of dark fruits, currant and toffee with a long spicy finish. The vineyard’s new 2018 7 Deadly Cab is equally full-bodied with a long finish, with fruit-forward blackberry flavors accented by aromas of vanilla and mocha.

And here’s some good news for health-conscious dads. Along with being vegan and gluten free, wines from 7 Deadly Zins are certified sustainable by the Lodi Rules Program, a rigorous and comprehensive sustainable winegrowing program centered on grower farming practices that benefit the environment, community and local economy.

Good Clean Wines

To avoid Dad’s feeling a bit out of sorts from all that rich wine and meat, add Good Clean Wines to his anytime repertoire. GoodClean.Wine white, red, rosé, spumante and spumante rosé are minimal-intervention at the growing and production stages with no added chemicals, pesticides or preservatives. That means there’s less chance for a hangover. The wine is produced naturally and made by small winemakers in Italy where grapes are allowed to take their own course. Good Clean Wines are produced in first-rate soils in sustainable vineyards and wineries with strict biodiverse, organic farming and winemaking practices.

Photo Credit: José Ángel Galavis Rivas

Introduce the curious Dad to a wine that’s out of the ordinary with an
Orange Glou Orange Wine Subscription. These distinctively colored wines are skin-contact white wines made from white grapes fermented with the grape skins, producing orange natural wines. Options include three and six bottles monthly or a one-time option for the orange curious.

TaZa

To go with any of these, you’ll need unbreakable wine glasses, the smart choice for outdoor dining or simply worry-free refreshment. I love the look and feel of TaZa’s chic plastic ones. Dad can use them for his favorite bourbon or whiskey cocktail as well. Buy him a selection of stemmed and stemless to cover all bases.

Ao Yun

For the dad who craves the utmost in style, give the gift of Ao Yun, a full-bodied Cabernet blend from the first wine estate in China’s Yunnan province on the foothills of the Himalayas. The multi-layered 2015 vintage combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with notes of sandalwood, Dhofar incense and crushed strawberries. You won’t want to use plastic glasses with this complex Cab blend — Ao Yun has partnered with renowned crystal maker Riedel to design an exclusive wine glass for the optimal tasting experience.

Ah-So Wine

If Dad is more of a beach or pool kind of guy, a premium, pedigreed wine in a can is a great choice for its portability and drinkability. Happily, it’s essentially single-serve so there’s no worry about sharing. Colorado-born, Navarra-raised Ah-So Wine, the first-ever Spanish wine in a can, is estate-grown and estate-canned in Navarra, Spain following traditional viticulture methods and embracing organic and sustainable production from the delaCalles winemaking family.

YaVe Tequila

But maybe Dad’s more of a tequila drinker. He’s not forgotten either. YaVe Tequila’s premium Jalapeño Infused Reposado Tequila is a spicy base for a margarita with a kick. The tequila is aged for eight months in Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels with jalapeño natural flavor slowly introduced, resulting in a rich, spicy scent with a smooth finish. Buy it with a luxury drawstring bottle holder or in a handmade leather bottle for a more elevated gift. Or a beer aficionado. A craft beer gift box from Tavour might be just the ticket. Tavour works directly with over 600 Independent breweries to curate craft beer gift boxes with selections that cannot be found in your local area. For a sample of gift box options, look at https://gifts.tavour.com.

Azulana Sparkling Tequila

Like the Ah-So wines, Azulana Sparkling Tequila is a convenient, refresher than comes in a can. It’s a ready-to-drink cocktail made with 100% blue agave tequila and sparkling soda, sweetened with just a tad of agave nectar. Create an assortment for Dad with original margarita, lime or pineapple-rosemary versions. They’re all pretty wonderful and they’re produced in Jalisco, Guadalajara, the birthplace of tequila. You’ll be helping the agave farmers, too, with your purchase: Azulana commits 8% of profits to non-profits initiatives in Mexico.

GRILLING AND GOURMET

Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce has a limited edition “Grill Dad” Gift Box for the chef Dad. The gift box features a limited edition “Grill Dad” T-shirt and three bottles of Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce, a teriyaki-ish sauce that might just change your thoughts about BBQ forever.

Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce

Cold-filled and small batch-crafted in California from an heirloom family recipe, Bachan’s 10 ingredients are all non-GMO and mostly organic, with a flavor profile that’s a departure from American tangy or tomato-ey. Use it on beef, chicken, even grilled veggies.

RED South Beach Steaks

For a complete grill experience from drinks to meat, RED South Beach has you covered. The acclaimed Miami Beach steakhouse is offering the ultimate gift for the home-chef Dad. The Master Chef Box has RED’s signature high-quality steaks, steak rubs, a bottle of Makers Mark and a RED apron, all packaged in a sleek reusable RED Butcher Shop Bag. Write to Office@REDSOBE.co to order.

Rouxbe

If your guy tends to something more gourmet, Rouxbe online culinary school offers courses developed by world-class chef educators and former culinary school executives. Whether Dad wants to gain confidence in the kitchen or is a professional interested in expanding his skill set, there’s a full range of courses, lessons, live events with culinary experts and recipes to keep him busy. Dad can hone his knife skills, master pasta, or bake bread among other choices. If you’re not sure that Dad would like this, you can gift him a free 30-day trial membership to test the waters. For Father’s Day, an Annual Membership is priced at 40% off.

BlendJet One

For the Dad who’s always on the go, the BlendJet One is a portable blender that fits into a tote or backpack for easy smoothies. Just charge the base and pack it up. Add ingredients, mix and voilà, a delicious snack or healthy meal. There are six flavors to choose from, all in a freeze-dried and powdered form, and all made with GMO-free real fruit and all-vegan ingredients. At checkout, use coupon code DADDAY10 for a 10% discount.

A STAYCATION VACATION

Since travel takes on a different cast this year, why not make Dad’s home vacation a luxe staycation? Dad will feel like he’s just stepped out of the spa with a Peshterry robe, the one found at many boutique hotels.

Peshterry Robe

It’s soft and comfortable as well as sustainably and ethically produced. Made in Turkey, the striped cotton robes have fast-drying terrycloth on the inside.

Pedipocket Blanket

For chilly nights around the fire pit or for cozying up indoors, the velvety-soft Pedipocket Blanket will keep Dad comfortable from head to toe. This ultra-plush, microfiber fleece blanket is nearly six feet long and has a built-in pocket on the bottom that will keep his feet nice and warm. Choose from 31 styles and colors.

The Original Foot Alignment Socks

Add some comfort and flair to Dad’s feet with two sock options. The Original Foot Alignment Socks will soothe dad’s feet after a hard day of work, working out, playing golf or just life in general. They’re like soaking your feet in a tub without needing any water, and they come in ten cheery colors.

Mojja’s

Dad can sass up his feet with mojja’s funky socks. Who wouldn’t want to rock a pair with pizza slices on them, or milk and cookies, frogs or donuts? Their Sock of the Month subscription is a perfect gift that keeps on gifting style with a sense of humor.

And since Dad might not be taking as many photos as he usually does this summer, it’s a great time to organize memories from previous trips to inspire his future wanderlust. While the thought of this might seem daunting, Mylio is like having a virtual photo-organizing assistant, and it’s free. The app automatically organizes digital photos so Dad can stop that non-stop scrolling and searching for the photo he can never seem to find. What’s even better, Mylio brings all the photos from his various tech devices together and sorts in a variety of ways like face tagging, dates, events and geotagging into folders and albums.

Umizato

Any type of computer work requires additional safety measures so I recommend protecting Dad’s eyes with blue light-blocking glasses. To prevent any chance of headache or eye strain after staring at yet another digital screen for hours, the lightweight, handcrafted glasses from Umizato will filter blue light so he’ll be more productive and feel better while looking sharp as ever. They’ll also help him sleep better.

Sprigboxes

While a hike in the forest may not be on Dad’s agenda this summer, he can indulge in some homestyle gardening that is simple and productive. A perfect starter kit requiring no significant planting space, Sprigboxes are small wooden cubes that come with everything he’ll need to grow his own little garden. Pick as many as you’d like one – they come with flowers, herbs, plants, fruits and veggies like sunflowers, rosemary, palm trees, strawberries and chili. Just add water.

ForestNation. Photo By: Padhi Swadesh

If Dad’s still yearning to see some trees, he can benefit the environment with a tree gift at home and abroad. For each tree gift set, ForestNation will plant 10 matching trees in locations in need.

The Cubii Pro

And, finally, give Dad a gift to help him prepare for that eventual hike. The Cubii Pro – Seated Under-Desk Elliptical will keep the WFH Dad in shape even while he’s sitting at a desk. As is all the rage, the elliptical comes with an app with on-demand videos to combine with weights or resistance bands, if desired, for a full workout.

Planning a trip to NYC?