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Dear Kelly,
I adore October! It's so much fun to decorate for
Halloween, dig out those cozy wool sweaters, take a
walk in the pumpkin patch and find the perfect
specimen to carve, tailgate before the big game,
and sneak a piece or two of chocolate from the kids'
Trick
or Treat stash. And it just feels right these days to
switch from cooking on the grill, to the stove or oven--
braising,
simmering and roasting.
In this month's edition of Kelly's Grape Times, I'll give
you info about a few wines recently I've tried and
enjoyed. You can also read up
on my latest articles, including one about
that "interesting wines" section on a restaurant's wine
list. If
you missed my appearance live on Fox 5, you can
view it online. And my "Cocktail Corner" gives info and
a recipe for a fantastic fall warmer upper...that's
served cold.
Hope you are enjoying the fall season. And if you are
in the DC area, I
hope you'll consider coming out for the DC
Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining show on
November 8 and 9. I'll be doing a wine seminar at 2
PM on Saturday November 8.
If you are at the show, stop by and say hello! Hope to
see you there!
Cheers--
Kelly
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What I've been sipping...
Some wines to try
* The 2004 Clif Bar "The Climber" (yes, those
are the same folks who bring you those healthy, tasty
Clif Bars) is a blend of 59% Zinfandel, 20% Syrah, 9%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 6% Petite Sirah.
Lately I've been finding many red Zins too sweet. But
blending it with other grapes keeps that syrupy,
viscuous feel in check, and the finish on the drier side.
This wine has lots of raspberry on the nose and bright
raspberry and strawberry fruit flavors.
www.clifbarfamilywinery.com.
* Anne Amie Cuvee a Amrita is a fun,
funky blend of interesting white grapes, including
Muller-Thurgau and Viognier. The result is a wine that
is much more than the sum of its parts, with attractive
aromas and flavors of orange blossoms, passionfruit,
gooseberry and key lime. Every sip makes you notice
another flavor or component...and also makes you
want to go back for another sip. www.anneamie.com.
* Sipping Chile's In Situ Chardonnay recently
made me rethink
my
avoidance of any oaked Chards. It's very balanced,
with just a touch of spicy oak and crisp apple and
pear. But enough of a line of acidity remains to make it
food
friendly. www.almadechile.com/insitu.html
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Cocktail Corner
A few weeks ago, I headed to Nage
Restaurant in
DC
to sample their fall menu. Mixologist Galen Johnson
contemplated the chef's new dishes, and created a
tantalizing tipple that speaks to the chilly season, yet
is
sipped on the rocks.
Johnson starts with apple cider slowly simmered with
roasted plums, rum and red wine, to which he adds
spiced rum and house made orange and tarragon
bitters. He floats Brut Champagne on top, serves the
drink in a rocks glass, and tops it off with an apple
peel rosette garnish. The result is a sweet, spicy and
fruity concoction that evokes sweater weather.
The drink is called "Eve's Plumb Rocked Adam's
Apple", a nod to Johnson's favorite actress on the
Brady Bunch. "I guess I always felt a little Jan Brady at
heart, and it's about time that she got some actual
credit," he explains. While not necessarily complicated
to make, the cider does need to simmer for a long
time. But Galen says
the smell of apple, spices, ginger,
and roasted plums is the best air freshener you'll ever
have. I couldn't agree more.
Eve's Plumb Rocked Adam's Apple
Courtesy of Galen Johnson, Nage, Washington,
DC
Makes 1 drink
4 leaves of fresh tarragon
2 splashes of bitters (Johnson makes his own with 6
leaves of tarragon, 3 orange wheels, lemon grass and
honey. Or substitute commercially made orange
bitters.)
2 oz. apple/plum cider (see recipe below)
2 oz. Captain Morgans' Spiced Rum
1 oz. Brut Champagne
Muddle tarragon and bitters in a rocks glass. Add ice,
juices, and rum and shake vigorously. Add to glass.
Float the champagne on top, garnish with apple peel
rosette and serve.
Apple/Plum Cider
Courtesy of Galen Johnson, Nage, Washington,
DC
Makes about 1 gallon
1 gallon apple juice
Mulling spices
8 plums, pitted and cut into cubes
Honey
3 slivers peeled ginger
‡ bottle of red wine
1 cup of rum
Pour apple cider into large stockpot. Add mulling
spices and simmer on as low a heat as possible. Add
plums to roasting pan, drizzle with honey. Bake in a
250 degree oven until the plums are tender, sweet
and fragrant. Add them to the cider, along with the
ginger, red wine and rum. Keep the heat as low as
possible and let cook for 7 hours.
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Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting will make your next
event special. If you are planning a private or corporate
gathering,
whether it is a wedding shower, birthday party, get-
together with
friends, or a business promotional or employee
motivational event, consider
Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting. Our interactive,
educational wine tastings
and classes
are a memorable and unique option for your next
gathering. Kelly
holds an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from
the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust), and she
has been offering wine tastings for private and
corporate events in the DC area for over seven years.
Just
see what our clients are saying about us.
Check
out www.trywine.net
for more information, email us
at trywine@gmail.com, or call us at
703.203.9463.
Feel free to pass this along to
other wine lovers you know!
And don't forget about Kelly's other services. She is
available for freelance writing, wine list creation and
management, and wine and food pairing consultation.
Cheers, and happy sipping!
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