Archive March 30, 2007

Happy Hour Tapas

It’s that time again! End of the month and time for a happy hour you can pull off at home. I don’t know about you, but I love a good excuse to go out and buy some new wines to try. Sometimes I add food to my happy hours to make the wine taste even better.

Here’s what will be at my happy hour tonight:

Drink this:
2005 Mason Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley CA.
This is the signature wine from a family owned and operated winery in Oakville. The Masons are well- known for their Sauvignon Blanc and this one is a gem for the price. It’s a very crisp wine flavored with grapefruit, citrus and fig nuances. It has good acidity and balance allowing it to pair with a great variety of foods from spicy to fruity. Retail $13- 19

2005 Wild Horse Pinot Noir, Central Coast, CA.
This is my absolute favorite glass of wine to drink when I get off work (okay maybe 2 or 3 glasses) When you think Wild Horse, you think Pinot Noir. They blend Pinot grapes from their favorite vineyards in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and San Benito County. This Pinot explodes with aromas and flavors of dried cherries, vanilla, cinnamon and a little bit of earth. Pinot Noir is one of the most versatile and food friendly red wines around. Retail $18-26.

Serve this:
Fig and Ham Tapas
Ingredients

• Ripe figs
• Fresh Chives
• Smoked ham - cut into small pieces
• Extra virgin olive oil

Make a small cut in the middle of the fig and add some smoked ham and a pinch of chives into each one. Drizzle some really good extra virgin olive oil on top and you’re done!

If you have a favorite happy hour recipe you love (even if it includes Velveeta cheese) email it to me so I can pair it up with great wines and share it with our Friday’s crowd.

So there you have it; Tapas from Spain and vino from California. Life is good and happy hour is even better.

Cheers!

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