Update!

Divas d'Vine is moving to a new blog. From now on all posting will be on Let's Talk Wine! So if you have this blog bookmarked, change to the new blog because after this, there will be no more posts here.

Lamb and Vegetable Sauce for Festive Pasta

Click the photo for the recipe and more photos!

The classic pairing for a lamb dish is a Bordeaux, and I think that would definitely work well with this dish. The wine that comes to mind is Chateau Beaulieu Bordeaux Comtes de Tastes. Made primarily from Merlot, the deep ruby/purple-tinged red displays sweet, elegant notes of blueberries, black cherries, cedar and spice box. Medium-bodied with surprising richness and purity as well as impressive equilibrium, this well-made Bordeaux Superieur can compete with some classified growths. If you're anything like me, your mouth is watering at the thought of this wonderful pairing!

Paella paired with Valsacro Rioja

Click the photo to take you to the recipe and more photos!

What better to go with Paella, a traditional Spanish dish, than a good, hearty Spanish red wine. The first one that springs to mind is Valsacro Rioja, a delicious blend of 70-year old Grenache, 28-year old Tempranillo & 25-year old Mazuelo. This is a serious, structured, backward effort displaying notes of lead pencil shavings, black cherries, cedar & licorice. It is a medium-bodied, attractive, elegant Rioja with moderately high tannin, excellent depth & fine purity as well as personality. Still tightly knit, it will benefit from another year or two of bottle age, and should last for a decade.

Arctic Char and Smoked Salmon Rillettes paired with Lemelson Pinot Noir Thea's Selection

Please click the photo to take you to the recipe!

One of the best wines paired with salmon (in my humble opinion) is Pinot Noir. The Lemelson Pinot Noir Thea's Selection is my choice to pair with Bea's recipe. This wine recently received a rating of 92 points from Wine Spectator: "Rich and aromatic. Not heavy, but packed with huckleberry, plum and an array of sweet spices that keep sailing through the long, beautifully formed finish. A complete wine that has style and grace."

Sound good? Try it, and let me know what you think ;-)

Kiwi, Grapefruit and Crab Salad paired with Santa Julia Torrontes

Please click the picture to take you to the recipe!

The ingredients in this colorful and gorgeous creation would work very well with Santa Julia Torrontes from Argentina. This lovely dry white wine has notes of rose, orange peel, white peaches, fruits salad, chamomile and other aromatic herbs that fill the nose. A fresh flavor and light body with flavors of green apple, ripe fruits like peaches and pears. A balanced wine with great fineness in aromas and flavors.

Sautéed Gnocchi with Tarragon Tomato Sauce paired with Carpineto Dogajolo

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Carpineto Dogajolo is a wonderful Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is deep garnet with violet reflections. Aromas of intense fruit, with hints of cherry, vanilla, coffee and spice. The palate is full, soft, complex and well-balanced. This wine will be a lovely match for the gnocchi!

November 6

Last night there were eight of us in attendance and we tried some really nice wines! First up was Joseph Phelps Le Mistral, a lovely blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignane, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouchet. Soft and delicate aromas of dark cherries that followed through on the palate. A little bit of spice rounded out the finish. Clearly it was the hit of the evening!

Next up was Heaven's Gate Barossa Shiraz. Australian Shiraz, and Barossa Valley in particular, have to be my most favorite wine. Inky-dark with aromas of tar and roasted fruits, this was my personal favorite of the evening (no surprise there). Full-bodied with a good, long finish, it was everything a Shiraz should be.

Last we tried BenMarco Malbec. Still quite young, this tannic treasure has some aging to do before it is perfect. Bold, dense and full-bodied, with a wonderful bouquet of roasted coffee beans. All this wine needed was a good thick steak to pair with it.

Next month, we're changing the venue for the Divas meeting. Instead of meeting at Blue Bamboo, we'll meet at my store (Southside Cellars) on December 9 for Laurel D'Agnillo's one woman exhibit entitled "Simple Reflections". So join us for wine, art and fun!