Chocolate and Red Wine. A Wine with Legs!

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of being well-preserved, but to skid sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, still screaming, 'Whoo what a ride!" -
Theresa Hollis

A favorite weekend adventure at the Roberts’ house is to find new venues for delicious foods, wines, and music. A recent trip to Chocolate Secrets in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas provided all of these treats.

Chocolate Secrets (www.mychocolatesecrets.com) is an organic chocolatier and limited menu restaurant. Among some of their featured treats are hand-made chocolate truffles, 26 flavors of macarons and chocolate molded specialties.          
                                    

Chocolate Secrets has a family friendly environment with an extensive selection of wines. Owner Pam Eudaric-Amiri has created a truly inviting local destination. Whether it’s a quick stop to enjoy chocolates and an Affagato expresso beverage or the Wednesday through Saturday jazz offerings, Chocolate Secrets is a great place for patrons of all ages.

On a recent visit I enjoyed a bottle of Langetwins Caricature 2013 Red Blend (www.langetwins.com). The Langetwins winery is located in the Lodi appellation and participated during tasting sessions at the Wine Bloggers’ conference that I attended in August. Known as a “Wine with Legs”, this 2013 red blend is a robust mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Teroldego, Malbec and Petit Verdot varietals.

PositiveVines helpful hint – Blending is used to maximize the complexity of a wine. Adding the deep red Teroldego varietal grape from Northern Italy, adds more tannins to produce a fuller bodied taste.

The Langetwins winery is a family owned business that started in the same manner as most Lodi wineries as an agricultural business growing watermelons. Click here to read my recent blog about the Lodi region to learn more about the history of this jewel in the American wine scene. Randall and Brad Lange are twin brothers who own the winery. They embody sustainable farming practices that are predominant in Lodi.

                                   

Caricature’s 2013 Red blend is as fun as the label art is on the bottle. It is a full bodied red blend with blackberry and cherry fruits aged in spiced oak barrels. This is a fruit forward red blend that pairs very well with the incredible chocolates and cheese plates offered at Chocolate Secrets. This wine retails for $15 per bottle and is part of the growing popularity of red wines in America.

I don’t want to forget our entertainer for the evening Darwin Martin. Mr. Martin’s team of accomplished musicians played exceptional jazz. You want to come see him the next time that he plays around the Dallas area. You can sample his smooth sounds by clicking here.

Take a trip to Chocolate Secrets in the near future and enjoy a bottle of Caricature Red Blend with a few chocolates. You will be addicted to the atmosphere, chocolates and this fun, full bodied red wine.

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy and always think positively!

Drink Responsibly!

Try a new twist on the traditional Mojito

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing and mojito is in your hand.” – Bar Refaeli

Labor Day in America signals the end of summer. School starts, public pools close and extended families gather for barbeques. Pool parties and barbeques are great time to sip on tall, refreshing cocktails. The Mojito is a classic Cuban drink that has seen a resurgence in popularity. Most Mojitos are made using white rum. In today’s post, we’ll try an updated variation using Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Sherry (www.tiopepe.co.uk).

Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes in the Jerez region of Spain. The Palomino Fino Sherry from Tio Pepe is a dry light variation with hints of almond, honey and apple. During a recent tasting customers who sampled the sherry found that the almond taste came through boldly. Fino is the driest and lightest of the types of sherry. It is aged in barrels under a cap of yeast to prevent contact with air. The alcohol content in sherry is higher than the average wine at 15% so adding this to your Mojito mixture will provide extra punch to your cocktail.

The traditional Mojito is made using white rum, simple syrup, mint leaves, lime juice and sparking soda. For the tasting I used the Tio Pepe Sherry in place of the rum. Using sherry in the Mojito cocktail gave a slightly smokey and nutty flavor to balance the tartness of the lime. The muddled mint flavors came through very nicely.   

PositiveVines‘ HelpfulTip: Experiment with muddling your mint leaves. A muddler can be purchased at any beverage store (it looks like a mini baseball bat). Some mixologists recommend just slightly pressing on the mint to release the flavor and avoid getting any of the bitterness of the herb. Others prefer the full flavor of the mint. 

Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Sherry is readily available in most wine stores. It retails at $16.99 per bottle and I’ve seen it during summer months on sale for $12.99. Pick up a bottle this week and start working on your Mojito recipe. Impress the adults at your Labor Day barbeque with this versatile island drink from Havana.

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy and always think positively!

Drink Responsibly!