Drinkin' on the Deck- City Girl's Wine Journal

Another summer is fast approaching and I'm soooo looking forward to spring and summer evenings sitting on the deck in the backyard of our little city house, busy traffic sounds, birds chirping in the tree overhead, dogs barking in the neighborhood. Our deck is small but cozy, screened from the neighbors by a bamboo screen. Potted plants- herbs and flowers, add ambiance and the shady spot is cool and comfortable. We don't have room for a table with a great big brolly, but we have chairs and a table, the perfect place to relax and set your cocktail. The Chef and I don't imbibe very often but on occasion a bottle of wine will be popped open, glasses poured, and calmness descends upon us. The Chef cooks at a trendy wine and small plates restaurant so we often get the inside track on new wines, what's popular, what's highly rated, what to drink, so I thought it would be a good idea to share a few of my favorites.

Some people are strictly white wine drinkers and others are die hard red drinkers. I have favorites on both sides of the vineyard fence. As you might know, Riesling tops the list of white wines for me, with Pinot Grigio as the runner up but I don't limit myself to just those two. I have had several Sauvignon Blancs that are fabulous, and an unoaked Chardonnay is quite pleasant. In Iowa you see a lot of wines made with Brianna or Edelweisse grapes, both of which are quite similar to sweet Rieslings. 

Gaga was a white blend from California that was a true delight to drink. I found this wine at Gateway Market and grabbed a couple bottles. This wine was so fruity and crisp- I served it well chilled. Like many other whites, it would pair great with lighter dishes, salad, seafoods, appetizers. It's a fantastic sit on the patio and sip wine.

Normally you don't keep whites for long, generally speaking they are better drank while young. However, this Robertson Gewurztraminer somehow snuck by me and hid in the back of the cabinet for a while. That was not necessarily a bad thing. It was a 2007 vintage that was eventually opened in 2014 and it was still incredibly delicious, almost a creamy sensation. The years had turned this German style wine quite a lot sweeter than it probably was originally. If you're at all like me and love Riesling, you'll love Gewurztraminer too.

Iowa has about one hundred fantastic wineries these days, and that means a whole lot of places to visit and tour, wines to sample, and many of the wineries also have restaurants. Santa Maria Winery in Carroll is a stunningly beautiful Italian villa style building with a beautiful tasting room and restaurant that turns out some incredible food. My favorite Santa Maria wine is hands down Bella Collina. It's a red blend of Iowa-grown grapes that's quite a bit drier than what many of my wine drinking friends prefer. I, however, love a great dry red. They pair well with steaks and grilled foods and some also make great sipping wines. 

Back to the Rieslings- Blue Fin was a nice California Riesling that I picked up not too long ago. Just the right amount of sweet for me, this was one of those wines I'd buy again and again. Nice sweet and acid balance this one is great for enjoying all by itself or with any dish you like.

Joseph Handler Riesling is my most recent wine purchase. I picked this bottle up at Trader Joe's and drank it the same day. Chilled in the freezer until almost slushy, it was so bright and fruity. Hints of sweet, not too acidic, I enjoyed this bottle immensely. This was NOT an expensive wine at all, in fact it was below $10 and well worth twice the price. Many people shy away from these cheaper wines but the reality is, price doesn't normally determine the quality of the wine. Take a chance on a cheap bottle sometime and you might find a new favorite.

If you want me to enjoy a Chardonnay, it has to be an unoaked Chard. I have never liked the flavor that oak brings to wines, especially whites. Some reds hide it well but in my opinion Chardonnay tastes like an old wet board when it's been aged in oak. Sunfish is a California Chardonnay that I fell in love with about ten years ago. I've enjoyed many bottles from many vintages over the years. It's great for recipes that have "dry white wine" as an ingredient. Chardonnay does have that tanniny dryness that some people don't like. Even thought this is a dryer white, it's still perfect for sipping on its own. 

A couple other great wines I picked up at Gateway Market were Raimat Castell de Raimat and Delish. Raimat is a rose wine, not something I normally pick, but a while back my friend Jessica and I decided to try some rose wines, so I grabbed this to take it for a test drive. I am not a rose fan. Sorry. I tried. Not that this wine wasn't a good wine, it's just not my thing. Much like moscato, white I really do not like, I just couldn't get into roses. Too acidy and not enough fruit forward. Now, the Delish Sauvignon Blanc was a winner. I love the green and grassy notes in Sauvignon Blancs and this one was so refreshing. I'd buy a case of this to keep on hand.

Our furkid Peanut came to us over the summer as a stray.
She is now a comfy and cozy housecat and we love her.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Grillin' and chillin' in Wine Country

Oh, did you think I meant Napa? Or California Wine Country? Oh heck no- Iowa Wine Country! I suppose a lot of people don't realize that Iowa has become one of the wine-producing hot spots in the nation, with more than 300 vineyards and over 100 wineries currently producing in the state. In fact, Iowa is divided into five separate "wine trails" that cover the entire state and make for some awesome day-tripping. Some of the wineries make wines exclusively from grapes grown in their own vineyards, while others import juice or grapes from other regions and make some of the wines most people are familiar with, such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Iowa, being in zone 5 for agriculture, requires grapevines that can withstand cold temperatures for the long months of winter. Most of the familiar vines cannot, so growers here raise vines such as Edelweiss, Chardonel, Frontenac, St. Croix, and many others. Some closely mimic their warmer climate cousins, and some have unique flavors and aromas all their own. Touring a vineyard and winery in Iowa is fun! I've toured wineries that were little more than a garage with a few fermenting tanks to an elegant Italian villa setting in the middle of a downtown business district. Each Iowa winery is distinctive and has their very own niche.

Cooking with wine is very rewarding. By integrating the flavors in your glass into your food you are immersing yourself in the wine experience as much as possible, and adding depth and character to whatever you are preparing. I love a good steak marinated in rich red wine and herbs. The wine adds such a delicious fruitiness to the meat, residual sugars help to add to the caramelization on the grill, and nothing beats adding herbs for a punch of flavor. Herbs allow you to have a lot more flexibility in the flavors of your food too- some are more earthy and hearty, like sage and rosemary, while others, like thyme or chives, bring a fresh "green" flavor.

Today we are grilling up some steak kebabs. I'm a big fan of kebabs because they are quick to cook on the grill, keeping the meat juicy and tender, and when you add vegetables to the skewers you can make a little steak go a lot farther. Veggies are another great way to customize your meal. Cook only what you like! In this case, we're grilling, so if you wanted to add potatoes, say baby new potatoes, you might want to precook them a little before threading into the skewer. I like to stick with things that cook at about the same length of time- summer squash, onions, mushrooms, peppers. Cherry tomatoes work well also. Asparagus on the grill is phenomenal. Use what's fresh and what's in season.

Iowa Wine Country Steak Kebabs

top sirloin steak- allow about 4-6 ounces per person/serving

fresh vegetable of your choice- I used zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, mushrooms and           onion

1 cup Pinot Noir

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more

herbs of choice- I used Herbes de Provence for this batch 

salt, pepper

crushed or minced garlic, usually 3-4 cloves will do

Cut steak into generous cubes- I like 2 inch cubes- they don't overcook and they are easier to thread onto the skewers. Place in large zip close bag and all everything except the vegetables. Close the bag, removing as much air as possible. Smoosh and massage the bag to distribute the wine and seasonings evenly. Place on plate or tray in fridge for 2-4 hours, or as long as overnight. I used Pinot Noir in my marinade, but any big bold red will work- Cabernet is awesome, Chianti is a little "spicier", Merlot is also very good. Use whatever red wine you like but stick with a drier wine- this is not the place for a red Moscato.

Meanwhile soak skewers in water to prevent burning, or use metal ones. Clean and cut the vegetables into pieces about 2 inches like the steak cubes. Using separate skewers for the vegetables, thread them onto skewers as you like, alternating bites or make skewers of all the same vegetable. Sometimes this way works better when you are using veggies like baby potatoes that may need several more minutes. Drizzle with additional olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Remove meat from marinade. You can pat dry lightly with a paper towel but don't rinse off the meat. Thread the cubes onto the skewers. Drizzle or brush with a little bit of additional oil to prevent sticking on the grill. 

Cook skewers until desired doneness. To serve, you can either let each person have a skewer of each or you can remove everything, discard the skewers and serve in bowls/platters- whatever works best for you. I find that if some people like their meat more rare than others, it's best to leave them on skewers and separate. 

If you're wondering what the heck is the deal with the four mini
skewers on the top rack- we have furkids,  and they are spoiled!

Most importantly, please serve the wine you cook with alongside the meal. Never ever ever buy "cooking wine"- you should never cook with something you aren't willing to drink. If you don't want to drink it right now, save it and make spritzers or sangria, or freeze the wine for future cooking (old ice trays are great for this). It's ok to use an inexpensive wine, as long as it's also something you are willing to drink. 

Enjoy!