Usually I travel in the morning, but my trip to Tampa brought me to Newark Airport in NJ (just outside of NYC) in the afternoon and I headed straight to Vino Volo.  Based in the San Francisco Bay area, this company is located in many major airports and they take their wine seriously.  Current airports include this massive list:

-          Baltimore (BWI)
-          Detroit (DTW)
-          New York (JFK)
-          Newark (EWR)
-          Oakland (OAK)
-          Orange County (SNA)
-          Philadelphia (PHL)
-          Sacramento (SMF)
-          San Antonio (SAT)
-          San Francisco (SFO)
-          Seattle (SEA)
-          Washington, DC (IAD)

Straight from their website, they describe their concept as:

“Vino Volo aims to revolutionize how people experience wine. Each store is a comfortable post-security retreat for air travelers, combining a cozy wine lounge, restaurant, and boutique wine shop. Vino Volo (derived from “wine flight” in Italian) offers wines from around the world by the glass, in tasting flights, and by the bottle for guests to take home or have shipped. Operating successfully in airports across the nation, Vino Volo is the only airport wine bar and wine retail concept with a depth of experience and a proven track record.” www.vinovolo.com

I found the bartender to be extremely knowledgeable and friendly; someone you can really discuss the qualities of wine with.  The menu offers small bites that are suggested to pair with white, red and sweet wines.  The wine list is extensive for an airport establishment, offering glasses or carefully arranged flights.  Each glass or flight is served with a helpful coaster indicating the wine, cost of a bottle, country of origin, winery, grape, year, tasting notes and suggested food pairings.  Very helpful if you want to pocket this and take it with you on your trip to remember later!

Even more helpful is the fact that you can purchase bottles to go.  Before you head out for a trip, invest in a bottle you know will be good for your hotel room or resort, don’t pay the expensive fees there!  They also produce small, airplane-size bottles to purchase individually.  Now, I thought I was told that you could bring these to drink on the airplane.  The flight attendant told me otherwise, so be careful!

All in all, at the airports listed above, a good wine experience is waiting out there for you.  Bon Voyage!

Cork Ball by Virginia Phillip Wine Shop & Academy

Happy New Year Jessup fans!  I saw this post a while ago on The Party Dress blog.  It is a great place for inspiration for those who like to entertain.  I thought it was a very inventive idea for using up all of those Jessup wine corks (I know I have glasses full) in a way that can add interest to the wine center of your home.  This project was created by the Virginia Phillip Wine Academy located in West Palm Beach. FL.  All you need is a styrofoam ball, a hot glue gun, and a ton of corks to get started!

See the original post with instructions here.

Here is a cute idea for a gift to pair with the perfect bottle of wine for any vinofile on your list:

Spit Bucket Essential Wine Kit

This three part kit is adorable with a set of wine coasters stating: see, swirl, sniff, sip, savor, and smile (the perfect reminders for anyone enjoying wine).  A set of three reusable wine stoppers giving you the peace sign are also included.  My favorite part of this set: the vinodote a set of cards with a tasting game that will add a bit of fun to any wine tasting or holiday gathering!  Check out more details at Spit Bucket.

Here is one of my favorite cookie gift recipes shared with me at my first cookie exchange by my cousin-in-law Shanon.  These biscotti are great to wrap up and give as gifts or keep yourself to have with your morning coffee.

Dried Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscotti
Makes about 28 (double the recipe, you will want a bunch of these)

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
1 egg white
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped, or white chocolate chips (for topping)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/ tsp salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend.  Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, 2 eggs and almond extract in large bowl until well blended.  Mix in flour mixture, then dried cranberries.  Divide dough in half.  Using floured hands, shape each piece into 2 1/2 inch-wide, 9 1/2 inch-long, 1 inch-high log.  Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.  Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush egg white glaze on top and sides of each log.

Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 35 minutes.  Cool completely on sheet on rack.  Maintain oven temperature.  Transfer logs to work surface.  Discard parchment.  Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices.  Arrange slices, cut side down, on same sheet.  Bake 10 minutes; turn biscotti over.  Bake until beginning to color, about 5 minutes.  Transfer biscotti to rack.

Stir chocolate on top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth.  Remove from over water.  Using fork, drizzle chocolate over biscotti.  Let stand until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

I had to share this with you because it is such an easy idea to elevate a wine gift.  Bring it with you to Thanksgiving dinner or use it to wrap up a bottle for Chanukah or Christmas.  Heck – why not present someone with an empty holder with the promise of a visit to Jessup Cellars inside!

Need help choosing some wine?  There is still time to order bottles from Jessup.  See the selection here and watch tasting notes from Sommelier Bob Clark.

Bonnie’s Market Fresh Apple Pie

10 inch pie shell (or you can get ambitious and create your own crust)

Filling:
1 2/3 cup sour cream
6-9 MacIntosh apples
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsps. vanilla
1/3 cup flour

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter
chopped walnuts (optional – and NOT what my mom uses)

Peel and slice apples (or bribe someone else to peel them for you, as this is the annoying part…)  Combine with all filling ingredients and pour into the pie shell.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce to 350 degrees for 35 more minutes.  Melt the butter.  Blend remaining topping ingredients and mix with melted butter.  Remove pie from oven and top with the topping mixture.  Return the pie to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

To me this pie means home and holiday.  It will pair well with Jessup Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.  I hope you take some time to try this pie or bake one of your own to create a great food and wine moment this holiday season.

This Thanksgiving prep article from The Kitchn (derived from Apartment Therapy…which I just love) got me thinking about it all.  Read on for thoughts on pie crusts, – you can make batches of dough early – drafting a menu, tools, gravy and table decorations.  Thanksgiving Prep – Start Today!

Maybe not doing a full Thanksgiving dinner, need to bring something, or really want to impress your in-laws with creative appetizers?  @Peter_Callahan, cook book author, NYC caterer, and miniature food innovator recently said this on twitter: “When it comes to entertaining at home, don’t let it intimidate you. Just stick to simple bites purchased right off the shelves #bitebybite.”  Check out his newly-published book for some creative entertaining ideas: Bite by Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party

And while you are perusing the virtual book store, don’t forget to buy the latest from home decorating, cookie baking, entertaining maven Martha Stewart: Martha’s Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations

The food – for me, Thanksgiving is a bunch of food memories.  We’ve eaten the same meal for almost my entire life.  Yes, new things are introduced as we get older and my brother tries his hand at making 17 different kinds of stuffing, or when my husband joined our table and made us have real mashed potatoes instead of just sweet potatoes topped with marshmallow (I guess I can forgive him).  For whatever traditional Thanksgiving meal you are planning, don’t forget to stock up on some Jessup…now…to go with it.  The 2008 Yolo County Petite Sirah is a perfect pairing with turkey because its deep berry notes are akin to cranberry sauce.  You can still order before the holidays!

But maybe you aren’t the cooking type, or again, you are trying to impress some very dapper in-laws?  Some delivery to your home (in NYC anyway), no fuss solutions: Daniel Boulud is actually offering a takeout turkey feast for 10 for only $395 (courtesy of Grub Street New York). And there is always the tried and true grocery staple Fresh Direct that will deliver your holiday meal for as little as $17 a person.

Some easy décor ideas for your Thanksgiving table:

Golden Gourds

• Golden gourds.  As simple as picking up tiny pumpkins and gourds at your local farmer’s market or grocery store.  Buy some metallic paint and use whatever cake stands, plates or bowls you have on hand to display them on your table or on a side board.

Use items from around the house to decorate

I love creative napkin accents!

• Use common cooking ingredients (and things you can reuse once Thanksgiving dinner is over) to fill interesting jars around your house. Also, take the time to wrap napkins with something interesting.  My aunt creates tiny pins inspired by the fall that everyone can wear for the meal and take home as a keepsake.

Turkey crayons

• Having kids over?  Set a kids table topped with craft paper or make craft paper place mats and give them these adorable turkey crayons to amuse themselves. Plus – have everyone write what they are thankful for right onto the table!

• Think about flowers!  If you have a farmers market near you, see what the local growers have on hand.  One bunch of flowers can fill tiny bud vases down the center of your table or make a beautiful arrangement near the front door.  Try large branches of bittersweet (tiny red or yellow berries) on the buffet (just make sure that your pets stay away from the berries).  Or use my favorite, dahlias, to create arrangements in all of your favorite fall colors!

However you celebrate – happy planning!  Make sure that you have great family, friends and food around you, and take some time to slow down the moment and enjoy some wine.

Stay tuned for my next blog post where I will share my mom’s amazing apple pie recipe before I head away to a much-needed vacation with my husband in Disney World!

The WineStation at Corks & More in Ithaca, NY

Corks & More is just one of many wine bars, restaurants, event venues, and retail operations that have started using The WineStation, created by Napa Technology.  Oh, did I mention you can also get a station in your home, hmm, Christmas and Channukah are fast approaching….

The basic premise is that a wine consumer has a pre-paid card with a smart chip.  At Corks & More you put a $2 deposit down for the card and can fill it with however much you want.  The cards are inserted into the sides of the machine (each one holding 4 different bottles of wine) and the drinker can choose if they would like a taste, a half glass or a full glass.  The system keeps wine fresh and allows bottles to be easily changed.  It is also just downright cool to insert your card and have wine just pour into your glass!

Getting your own wine is so simple!

I really love this idea because it creates a very casual setting where the people drinking the wine are able to “choose their own adventure.”  You don’t have to feel intimidated by lack of knowledge about wine, you simply can get a taste, see what you like, try different things or go back for more.  There is no staring at the wine menu reading varietals you’ve never heard of and hoping that you don’t sound silly asking the bartender questions.

Some places where you can experience The WineStation all for yourself:

Corks & More – Ithaca, NY

The Grand Hyatt New York’s – New York, NY

Vintry Wine & Whiskey Bar – New York, NY

Asheville Wine Market – Asheville, NC

Yakima Valley Visitor’s Center – Yakima, WA

Wine Awhile – Mount Pleasant, SC

Brooklyn Winery has quickly become a favorite of mine.  The fact that this bar is in Williamsburg and I live in Prospect Heights easily proves my devotion (for those of you non city dwellers, the distance isn’t far by car, but none of us have cars here!).  Their goal is to “remove the mystery surrounding wine by making this oft-intimidating beverage accessible in a variety of enjoyable ways.”  Since opening, they have really achieve their mission (I think), steadily increasing their offerings.  The atmosphere is laid back and the staff is always friendly.  I love the recycled vibe of the décor (they have old industrial sewing machine legs on the tables).  They recently celebrated the opening of their first round of house-made, small batch wines that they offer on top.  Hurry in to try them because they are selling out quickly!  Most grapes are sourced in NY State though some are from California.  See a full list of their wines available on tap here.  Food choices are ever-expanding.  I recently attempted to eat the Pate Three Ways by myself (BIG mistake which I heroically dove right into) after a wine class.  You can make your own wine here or you can also bring a corporate group for a blending teambuilding. I had my own birthday party here this past May, so definitely check it out!

As of last month, each Monday night Brooklyn Winery is hosting wine classes.  What impresses me the most is that most are taught by owners or employees, showing the dedication to wine and craft beers that exists for everyone who is a part of this place.  I was lucky enough to be part of the first class on ‘The “Other” French Wines’ taught by Paul Brady, a Brooklyn Winery team member, France enthusiasm, jazz guitarist and contributor to Wine and Jazz magazine.   For only $25 ($25!)  we went through a lesson about traditional French wine-making culture, a glossary of tasting terminology, and tasted three of the “other” French wines:

Chateau du Hureau, Saumur-Champigny, Tuffe, 2008 (Cabernet Franc, 100% organic)
Domaine Bassac, Vin de Pays – IGP, Cote de Thongue, 2009 (Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% organic)
Domaine de Fenouillet, Beaumes de Venise, 2007 (35% Syrah, 50% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, unfiltered)

Taught in one of their private rooms with a view of their barrels, the experience was friendly and inviting, and completely in tune with Brooklyn Winery’s mission to make wine accessible.  Check out some upcoming classes and hang out afterwards to talk with the staff and enjoy some of their wines on tap!

City Winery, located in downtown Manhattan, was created to bring together the owner’s passion for music and wine.  Here you can learn about wine, build your own barrel, experience house made wine, take a wine-related class or catch a performance from a host of musical artists.  Check out their class schedule.  However, I think we experience the best City Winery has to offer when we were there for a private event (our friends’ rehearsal dinner) in July.

In honor of the love birds, about 30 people gathered in the Winery (the production room) for a four course meal with wine pairings.  From an event perspective this space, that can hold 70 for a seated dinner or 100 for a reception, is a hidden gem.  You get the winery feel paired with something urban.  Machinery and tanks backed against the wall surround your dining tables.  There are drains on the floor and you are sure that this is an active production facility throughout the year.  You can also have an event in the Cellar Room downstairs or the main restaurant space. For your event, City Winery can create a custom label for any of their in-house bottles.

The menu they served for the phenomenal four course meal was:

Roasted beet salad served with Borgo M Pinot Grigio
Chiogga, Golden & Red Beets with herb vinaigrette, candied walnuts, pasteurized goat cheese an mache
Roasted Monk Fish served with Planeta Cerasuolo 2008
Escarole, peppers miatake, piri piri sauce
Moroccan-spiced skirt steak with La Posta Cocina Tinto 2009
Smashed fingerling potatoes, charmoule sauce
Espresso trifle or wine-poached stone fruit with Santa Julia Torrontes ‘Tardio’ 2008

So when you need a winery-fix in The Big Apple check out one of these places that are showing urbanites that you don’t always have to fly 3,000 miles away to witness wine production.

2007 Merlot
2008 Pinot Noir
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Table for Four
2007 Zinfandel Port

Line up of Jessup Cellars wines to taste

We prepped for the party by trying to open up the space in our apartment creating a large area where everyone could interact with each other and sample all of the food we prepared.  To help spruce up the place, I went to the Grand Army Plaza Green Market and purchased freshly-cut flowers from Lebak Farms in Chesterfield, NJ:  beautiful dahlias, celosia and zinnias in fall colors.  Recycling the empty Jessup wine bottles that we had, I made arrangements in various bottles to place around the apartment.

My go to specialty food purveyor in Brooklyn, BKLYN Larder took on the task of helping to pair cheese with each wine.  Their suggestions were fantastic, but my favorite pairing was the Quadrello di Bufala from Lombardy, Italy that they paired with the Pinot Noir.  The other pairings were:

Summer Snow, Weston VT (sheep’s milk) with Sauvignon Blanc
Bra d’Alpeggio (raw cow’s and goat’s milk) with the Merlot
Tarentaise, Reading VT (spring cow’s milk) with the Table for Four
Pecorino Ginepro (sheep’s milk) with the Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheese from BKLYN Larder

To this fantastic list of cheese we added a few other nibbles to pair with the wines.  Homemade focaccia bread was the base for two pizzas: a margherita and a sweet potato/ caramelized onions/ sopressata.  We also made crostini with an artichoke and parmesan puree and through in some BKLYN Larder house marinated olives (which I am addicted to).  Oh, and wonderful friends brought dark chocolate desserts to pair with the Port.

The interactive part of our party was found in the kitchen.  We displayed all of the wines on the kitchen counter, letting everyone pour their own tastes and work their way through the 6 wines at their own pace.  On the refrigerator door were home-made magnets (courtesy of my wonderful husband that indulges me in all home event planning efforts) listing each wine and their tasting notes.  Tiny magnets were strewn about the bottom of the refrigerator, each printed with different words relating to wine and tasting.  Such as: mind-altering, bright, chocolate, cloudy, finish, perfect and my favorite blank for a “create-your-own.”  Throughout the night, guests were able to pair words with various wines and share their thoughts.  And everyone really got into it!  I will say, some of the write-ins were a bit risqué, but here are the responses (the bold ones are my favorite):

Interactive tasting set up on the fridge

Sauvignon Blanc: Citrus, tart, bright, grapefruit, trangy, tasty, quick, yowza.  The write-ins: lovely, crisp, never ending summer.

Merlot : Dry, peppery, tannic, fruit, easy-drinking, buttery

Pinot Noir: balanced, cherry, sweet, vanilla, smoky, alcohol, earthy, oak, perfect.  Write-ins: autumnal, panty dropper (come on, it’s hilarious)

Cabernet Sauvignon: Napa in a bottle, bitter, body, rich, no joke, layers, full, mushy, big, supple, aggressive.

Table for Four: Slap you mama, mind-altering, berries, slow developing, smooth, deep.  Write-ins: Me gusto, full body

Zinfandel Port: Ripe, flowery, chocolate, finesse, powerful, luscious.  Write-ins: Cherryliscious, dessert

Tasting note magnets

Needless to say, everyone had a great time.  The Pinot Noir was by far the favorite of the evening.  We had to open a third bottle that we had on our shelves to satisfy the masses.  The Sauvignon Blanc was a close second (as shown by the three glowing comments I received below post-party).  My favorite of the night was the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Always a Table for Four lover, I decanted the first bottle and actually found that I liked the non-decanted second bottle better!

Here are some thoughts from my guests:

Heather – “My favorite of the evening was definitely the Sauvignon Blanc. While I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it, as I’m usually not a huge fan of Napa Sauvignon Blanc, this was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. It was crisp and light, and decidedly citrusy – just how I like it! It was the perfect opportunity to extend the summer just a bit into a cooler September.”

Emily – “This wine was a perfect white wine for the evening.  The taste was crisp, semi-sweet, and left me desiring more.  I was engulfed in its fruit aromas, which hinted of grapefruit and berries.  It paired nicely with cheese and crackers.”

Faye – “I’m a die-hard, full-bodied Chardonnay lover…. I’m talking oaky, buttery glassfuls of flavorful heaven (I know.. us Chard drinkers are hard to come by). Nothing depresses me more than when summer ends, and perfect white wine drinking weather is long gone.  Why stop drinking white wine you say? Well, I’m the same person that refuses to drink iced coffee the second the leaves turn. It just feels…wrong.  So, I need a good red wine to help the transition and turn my frown upside down.  Usually, this comes in the form of a velvety smooth Pinot Noir.  During Morgan’s tasting the other weekend, I was introduced to the most fantastic pinot noir that has crossed my lips in quite some time.  Filled with juicy notes of cherry, silky vanilla and my favorite nuances of oak, I blatantly ignored the other wines (after tasting them of course) and returned to my beloved 2008 Pinot Noir.  My first tasting comment was “Autumnal”… 5 very smooth glasses later, my boyfriend was happy to see that I appropriately commented that it was a “panty-dropper”.  Nuff’ said.” – (she’s a writer, I don’t know if you could tell

Faye enjoying her Pinot Noir

Everyone is anxiously awaiting the next tasting and making plans to travel to the Jessup tasting room in Yountville ASAP!