Showing posts with label red. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 21

5th Annual Gotta Go Ultimate Gift Guide 2012 Winners Announced

Judge's Favorite 2012
It's time for the 5th annual Gotta Go Ultimate Gift Guide 2012, giving you the best ideas accumulated through personal experience, referrals and submissions. The handy list is gift-wrapped with links and recipient suggestions making it easier to find a perfect gift for just about everyone.

Last year's new item ~ Judge's Favorite Award ~ was so popular, we are continuing it. This year's Ultimate Gift Guide has another new item: Twitter links so you can follow the companies.

Without further ado...

JUDGES' FAVORITE AWARD
Fischer & Wieser
Gift: 3-Sauce gift pack
What: Pineapple Bourbon, Raspberry Chipotle & Mango Ginger Habenero
Who: Hostess gift, gourmet cooks, gourmands
Website: Jelly.com
Twitter: @FischernWieser
*********************

 Cantina di Soave Volere
Gift: Wine in a purse
What: Purse-shaped wine container,
available in Pinot Grigio, Rose or Merlot-Pinot Noir blend
Who: Gal pals, hostess, Secret Santa
Website: VolereWines.com
Twitter: N/A
(Read review here)

Franciscan Estates
Gift: Magnificat
What: Meritage Blend wine
Who: favorite wine enthusiast, hostess gift

Orchids at Palm Court-Hilton Netherland Plaza
Gift: Executive Orchids at Palm Court cookbook
What: personalized cookbook by Cincinnati's award-winning Executive Chef Todd Kelly
Who: Gourmet cooks, newlyweds, foodies
240 Sweet
Gift: Gourmet Marshmallows & Bourbon barrel-aged Sugar
What: Top quality gourmet marshmallow holiday pack; gourmet sugar
Who: stocking stuffer, monthly club lover, sweets lover, gourmet cooks, bakers, gourmands
Website: 240Sweet.com
Twitter: @240Sweet

St. Elmo Steak House
Gift: Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
What: World--famous hot shrimp cocktail sauce
Who: Seafood lovers, stocking stuffer, hostess gift, Secret Santa
Website: StElmos.com
Twitter: @stelmo

Burton's Maplewood Farm
Gift: Brandy-infused maple syrup
What: Limited quantity collection of maple syrup steeped in brandy barrel for 12 months
Who: Foodies, gourmet cooks, waffle lovers, mixologists
Twitter: @MaplewoodFarm

Quench
Gift: Bar10der
What: 10-in-1 cocktail tool in cool colors; the Swiss Army knife for mixologists
Who: professional or home bartender, favorite in-law
Website: TheBar10der.com
Twitter: N/A

Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits
Gift: Ruta 22
What: Patagonia Malbec
Who: Wine lovers, hostess gift
Website: WJDeutsch.com
Twitter: N/A

 Red Wanting Blue

Gift: CD and T-shirt
What: Popular modern rock band's latest musical offering
Who: Music lovers, Secret Santa, Stocking Stuffer
Twitter: @RedWantingBlue

Indiana Humanities
Gift: Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest
What: Coffee table book rich in Hoosier food effort
Who: foodies, craft beer enthusiasts
Twitter: @INHumanities

Seasons 52
Gift: Wine glass set with gift card
What: Etched wine glasses and $25 gift card
Who: Foodies, wine drinkers, hostess gift
Website: Seasons52.com
Twitter: @Seasons52

Lobel's
Gift: Meat and Wine
What: Recipes, pairings and more by NYC's top meat purveyors
Who: Gourmands, wine enthusiasts, chefs
Website: Lobels.com
Twitter: N/A

Pisco Porton
Gift: Gift set
What:  decorative bottle of Pisco Porton and elegant glasses
Who: Brandy enthusiasts, hostess gift
Website: PiscoPorton.com
Twitter: @piscoporton

Avion
Gift: Gift set
What: Three pack of Tequila Avion
Who: tequila enthusiasts, stocking stuffer

Hoosier Momma
Gift: Cocktail mixers
What: Vegan-free Bloody Mary, Margarita mixers
Who: Cocktail drinkers, hostess gift, stocking stuffer

Maker's Mark
Gift: The Ambassador of Bourbon Book
What: Visually intoxicating coffee table book of Kentucky whisky pioneer's history
Who: Whisky drinkers, historians, mixologists, host gift
Twitter: @MakersMark

Dane Clark
Gift: CD-Postcards from the Hard Road
What: Hoosier native shows his rock 'n' roll roots
Who: Music lovers, Secret Santa
Website: DaneClark.com
Twitter: @DaneClarkMusic

Ulysses Press
Gift: Holiday Slow-cooker recipes
What: Cookbook for holiday food in an easy way
Who: singles, couples, elderly
Twitter: @ulyssespress

Chocolate for the Spirit
Gift: Dark chocolate lover's gift pack
What: assorted dark chocolate goodies, including salted caramels
Who: hostess gift, chocolate lovers, teachers, mom

Disney Entertainment
Gift: Brave DVD 5 cd-pack
What: #1 animated film of 2012
Who: family, kids, Disney fans
Twitter: @PixarBrave
Inovasi
Gift: No drama gin by North Shore Distillery
What: Herbacious over-proofed gin
Who: Gin and tonic lovers, home bartenders, host gift
Website: Inovasi.us
Twitter: N/A

Alpha Books
Gift: The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Texas Hold'em
What: Pocket-size aid for real-life tips on winning and keeping your cool
Who: Wanna be poker superstars, stocking stuffer
Website: IdiotsGuide.com
Twitter: N/A
Fusionbrands
Gift: Cup Cooley
What: Keep hands from being burned with to-go coffee cups
Who: Starbucks lovers, stocking stuffer
Website: FusionBrands.com
Twitter: N/A


Images furnished by companies

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in magazines and several Indianapolis area newspapers. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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Wednesday, August 22

Infused: Review Volere Wine in a Purse

I was asked to review a wine.

Wine in a purse to be exact.

As a wine drinker, and fan of cool purses, I was intrigued.

The Volere box arrived and I found inside a sassy red handbag made of recyclable materials filled with a Merlot-Pinot Noir blend. Hmmm... compact size, cute container and disposable without guilt. All pluses so far.

Volére is the carry-with-you boxed, ahem... purse line of three artisan wines: Pinot Grigio (Tan/white purse), Merlot/Pinot Noir (Red purse) and Rosé (Pink/white purse). Price point is $14.99. The wine producer is Cantina di Soave from Italy’s Veneto region. Price is comparable with box wines and the packaging lands squarely in the omg-that's-so-cute, I-must-have department. 

Each purse holds 1.5 liters (two bottles worth) of the Italian wine making it very user friendly. No more lugging two clinking glass bottles and an opener, and no more worry about dispensing of breakable glass. Nice. Okay, but how does it taste? Because no matter how adorable, how efficient (great compact size for two bottles' worth) and how affordable it is, if its taste gets it thrown away with most of the wine still inside, it's a no-go anywhere wine.

The label on the Merlot/Pinot Noir blend describes it as "silky, vibrant red with delightful notes of red berry, cherry and currant, with a hint of vanilla."
Definitely the berry/cherry was present and that hint of vanilla was exactly that. A hint. Not overpowering, not even strong. This bright, delightful (yes, they described it accurately) Italian blend perfectly matches its exterior. Sassy, playful and flirty.

This is a fun wine. If you give it even 30 seconds worth of thought, you have over thought the situation. It isn't meant to be discovered, allowed to breathe or contemplated ~ simply enjoyed.

Food pairings? Again, simple is the solution. Salmon or tuna, and cheeses such as asiago, brie, gouda pair nicely to keep it light.
As I mention in this early review (click to read) the central part of wine enjoyment is food pairing; however, that wine connects with other factors to create an entire experience. Drinking wine while overlooking a lake is a different experience than that same wine being enjoyed while snuggling in front of a fireplace.

Music also plays a role along with the food, wine and atmosphere, detracting or enhancing the mood and experience as well. Match it all the way through for success.

My motto: Wine + food + environment + music = great experience.

My choice of music: For this wine, with an outdoor-grilled, or picnic-like light meal, I would select conversation-friendly music as you will undoubtedly be sharing this with your friends on a deck, boat or at that favorite amphitheatre. You can't go wrong with 80s music such as Cyndi Lauper or Cher, or any decade's pop music. Nothing heavy, depressing or too straight-laced for this flirty red.

Would I serve this to a Master Sommelier? Not a chance. But there are fewer than 200 of them in the world. Would I serve it to a wine snob? No way. But I would serve it to my friends in a heartbeat.

Bottom Line: Volere "wine in purse" is fun, fashionable and flirty in taste, and perfect in size for a few friends. I anticipate a line of attache-case wines in the near future for those larger parties.

Images and sample supplied by Cantina di Soave Vineyards.

 Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer, and performing arts and restaurant critic. Read her new column, Infused, at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M and Retired Living magazines and several Indianapolis area newspapers. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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