Des Moines Wine and Food Connection

2011 Wine Industry Tastings Pt. V

Okoboji Wines tasting; 37 wines tasted 

I've been a bit slow getting back to this. Sorry for the delay.

Okoboji Wines have an extensive, diversified portfolio of wonderful wines from all over the world. Their tasting each year is the most work for me because they pour many wines that aren't available to taste year round due to small allotments or availability. Plus I want to get caught up on the current vintage of some of my "standards". On top of that there are many new wines to try each year. I tasted 110 wines one year and over 160 another year. This year the show was scaled down quite a bit which was understandable, economy being taken into consideration. The tasting was still extremely nice and much more manageable from the tasting perspective. Des Moines Golf & Country Club is a beautiful setting and the food superb. Could have used a bit more room for notes but vintage and pricing were nice.

So what was good?

Al Fresco Month at Casa di Vino

Hi all: May is officially “Al Fresco” Month at Casa di Vino. Time to enjoy the great outdoors. Fire up the grill, sweep the deck, wipe down the patio furniture & uncover the boat or pool if you’re lucky enough. CdV has two tastings this month that will make any al fresco experience even better. Great wines and recipes to match. Hope to see you here.

 

Tuesday, May 3 from 5-7 PM Casa di Vino presents “Soups, Salads & Appetizers”. Light dining & easy to make. Come taste the wines that will make your meal that much more enjoyable. 

 

Tuesday, May 17 from 5-7 PM  CdV says fire it up! If it belongs “On the Barbie” Casa di Vino has a wine to go with it. If you’re just chilling out these wines will play that way also.

 

Don’t forget, Casa di Vino is your food & wine connection for all your match-making conundrums.

 Bon appétit,

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine & Food Guy
Des Moines Wine and Food Connection

A Celebration of Harvest

Had a fun tasting here at Casa di Vino Tuesday evening. "A Celebration of Harvest" celebrated the seasonal crops and foods that we enjoy as autumn sets in. Your wine and food guy not only paired recipes up with each wine that we poured but also made a pumpkin stew in the crockpot for folks to sample with the vino we poured. All the recipes will be available on the CDV website in the next day or two. Shannon Ridge Sauvignon Blanc from California and Castle Rock Willamette Valley Pinot Noir were the tasting stars. The Castle Rock, with it's cinnamon notes went particularly well with the stew. Autumn is a wonderful time of year to enjoy food and wine. The bounty of the harvest and the pleasure of the fruits of the vine just serve to help us appreciate the glory of the world around us. Live well, eat well, enjoy life.

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine and Food Guy
Des Moines Wine and Food Connection  

October at Casa di Vino

Tow wine tastings and and Introduction to Wine class at CDV this month:

Tuesday, October 12 from 5-7 PM Casa di Vino shares "A Celebration of Harvest". Join us as we pour wines that compliment the bounty of the season. Recipes will be available.

Tuesday, October 26 from 5-7 PM CDV pours "New Arrivals". Come taste our latest discoveries and see what we'll be pouring (and drinking) throughout the holiday season. 

***Thursday, October 21 from 7-9 PM Casa di Vino's "Introduction to Wine" class. Join CDV as we help foster an appreciation for wine with our introductory class. Seating is $25 per person and is limited. Reservations are required.

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine & Food Guy,
Des Moines Wine and Food Connection 

Food Pairings

Here at Casa di Vino your wine and food guy spend a lot of time thinking about wine, food and the best ways to put the two together. A lot of times flavors and dishes just come to mind when I'm sampling a wine. I love when these ideas come to fruition. Aside from these moments of pairing clarity though there are some food and wine "standards" that have just proven over time to be wonderful pairings. By the way, the old standard "reds with red meat, whites with white" is completely obsolete. That standard is out the window in this day and age. There are reds that work with white meat and whites that pair with red meat. One classic pairing is pinot noir and salmon. The subtle, delicate flavors of pinot noir marry so well with salmon that although there are other reds that match nicely pinot noir is "the standard".

Last night Laura and I had company over and I grilled salmon as well as made a garden pesto sauce of basil, oregano, chives & garlic to go over the top. Along with quinoa and grilled asparagus we were all set. For wine we opened a bottle of 2005 Alma Rosa "La Encantada Vineyard" Pinot Noir from the Santa Rita Hills area of central California. Alma Rosa is the next project Thekla & Richard Sanford took on after selling their Sanford winery of Santa Barbara a few years ago. The 4 year old Encantada showed a pale black cherry color as well as a cherry & cola nose. On the palate the wine held red and black cherry, cola & rhubarb flavors. Bright and lively but not overpowering, this wine wrapped itself around the salmon and gave it a bright red fruity hug. There were satisfied smiles all around as we each tasted the combo.

Always feel free to try new combinations and experiment. There are no rights and wrongs. If you like something then it's right. Period. When it comes to classics though there is something to be said for tradition. The classics didn't become classics for nothing.

Eat well, drink well, live well,

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine & Food Guy
Des Moines Wine and Food Connection  

  

May at Casa di Vino

Hi all:

Tuesday, May 4, from 5-7 PM CDV is pleased to continue our Food & Wine Series by featuring “An Evening with Sheree Clark”. Sheree is a holistic health and nutrition counselor specializing in raw foods. With spring here the opportunity to eat “raw” comes into full bloom. Come join us as we sample tasty bites of Sheree’s fare paired with individually chosen wine. It should be enlightening and good fun.

 

Tuesday, May 18 from 5-7 Casa di Vino celebrates our 5th Annual “Super Summer Kickoff”. CDV will pour a variety of wines that you can enjoy all summer long. Whether relaxing on the deck or boat, picnicking, or grilling and chilling, these wines will make the experience more enjoyable. Just in time for Memorial Day. CDV will have great summer recipes paired with each of the wines also. Come taste the wines we’ll be quaffing all throughout the summer. Bet you find something you like.

 

Casa di Vino’s summer cheese and salami selection is due through the door any minute. When you’re thinking about what to nibble on with that glass of vino think CDV.

 

Don’t forget: Casa di Vino always has something white & something red open to try. Stop on by to taste what you may be enjoying this evening.

Enjoy the spring,

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine & Food Guy
Des Moines  Wine and Food Connection

CDV Tasting Update

Don't forget: This coming Tuesday, Feb. 23rd from 5-7 PM Casa di Vino will have Kate Phanmaha of Cooking2Connect plating up samples of her wares while CDV pairs up the wine combos. It should be good fun. Our last "Convivio" (Spanish for get-together) with Chocolaterie Stam drew 80+ people. I'm still nibbling chocolate leftovers. Kate will be sampling Pork Pad Thai as well as other tasty treats. This wine and food guy is really looking forward to matching wines with Kate's food. Hope you can join us.

Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine & Food Guy,
Des Moines Wine and Food Connection