The "Generous Pour" with George Miliotes

Master Sommelier George Miliotes was in Houston last night presenting his wine selections for this summer's "Generous Pour" event at The Capital Grille in City Center for local wine and food writers. From now until August 30, guests can opt to indulge in eight wines that are new to the menu for $28 per person. This year's fun twist is that all of the selected wines were produced by women in California. The list features three whites and five reds in a range of varieties and styles.

We started with the 2013 Barrymore Pinot Grigio from Monterey. This fresh and fruity easy-drinking white paired perfectly with the pan fried calamari with hot cherry peppers. This was followed by the Galerie "Naissance" Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc which was aged on its lees in neutral oak barrels giving an added richness to the wine and it was served with prosciutto wrapped mozzarella and vine ripened tomatoes. The final white wine was the very limited production Stonestreet "Bear Point" Alexander Valley Chardonnay made in California's classic style- oaky and creamy, perfect with the lobster and crab cake appetizer.

I next enjoyed tasting the red wines with my dinner entree of porcini rubbed bone-in ribeye with 15 year aged balsamic accompanied by lobster mac 'n' cheese, roasted brussels sprouts with smoked bacon, grilled asparagus and roasted fingerling potatoes. The red wines include the single estate Cambria "Julia's Vineyard" Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley, the Matanzas Creek Sonoma Merlot from cooler climate Bennett Valley, the limited production Arrowood Reserve Speciale Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, the Mt Brave Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt Veeder and the 2007 Kinton Syrah from Santa Barbara which George Miliotes called California' greatest vintage. All five were excellent wines but the Syrah was the best pairing with my steak; it was very smooth with spicy berry flavors and a slight savoriness in the long finish.

The evening ended with coffee and an array of desserts including flourless chocolate espresso cake, coconut cream pie and cheesecake with seasonal berries. The food was all delicious and the new "Generous Pour" wine list offers something for everyone, it would make a great date night or a fun evening out with friends. It is something to check out before the month ends, don't miss out!

Learn more about the women behind the wine- here.

Lust Zinfandel 2007

My husband loves this wine so he purchased quite a few bottles at a recent Michael~David dinner that we had attended. Last night, I decided to open a bottle to serve with dinner. I was making a roasted southwestern pork tenderloin, sweet potato fries (w/ chipolte ketchup) and a salad consisting of baby lettuce (fresh from my garden) with strawberries, red bell peppers, red onions and walnuts tossed with a white balsamic-raspberry vinaigrette. This turned out to be a great pairing. It is a bold wine that really stood up to the strong chipolte seasoning while complementing the fruit flavors. I opened the bottle a 1/2 hour before I served it as I have found this wine to be more enjoyable when I do so. The Lust Zinfandel by Michael~David 2007 was a dark purple color with a ruby rim. It has intense aromas of very ripe mixed berries and baking spices-both allspice and ginger with hints of ...

Introducing Oltrepò Pavese - An Italian Sparkling Wine that You Should Know

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy to taste the wines of Oltrepò Pavese. I discovered that these sparkling wines are based on Pinot Noir, they are made in the traditional method, like Champagne, and most importantly, they are an Italian hidden gem that bubble lovers across the world need to put on their radar. In the August issue of Galveston Monthly magazine, I introduce these wines to my readers.

World of Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara -on location

Tasting Rombauer Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Pacific Ocean views. I was given the opportunity to attend the annual World of Pinot Noir event last month which brings together the foremost Pinot Noir wineries and winemakers from around the world in a weekend-long celebration of this enticing wine. Champagne to Bourgogne in France, down under wines from Tasmania in Australia, Pinot focused wineries in South America, and all along America's premium West Coast Pinot regions including Santa Barbara, Russian River Valley, up to Willamette Valley, this is truly a celebration of Pinot Noir from around the world. A Grand Tasting of Pinot Noir at the Ritz Carlton Bacara. Though the house was full ,it was still easy to maneuver to the different tasting tables to sip with the many winemakers on the floor. Attendees have the opportunity to enjoy tasting classes, paired winemaker lunches and dinners, and two Grand Tastings in the refined comfort of the Ritz Carlton Bacara Hotel in ...

Wine Life - Houston

Search This Blog