Andrew and I are heading up north for a weekend of rest and relaxation - and of course some good eating and drinking! What's a weekend up north without some great grilling food and wine to sip on?! This week, I have gathered some of our favorite everyday wines - and a few special picks - to pair with food (and some to enjoy on their own). If you are heading to a cabin or entertaining friends at home, here are some great ideas for the last hurrah of the summer!
Our favorite "go-to" white wine this summer is the J. Lohr Riverstone Arroyo Seco Chardonnay. You can find it at World Market right now for $9.99/bottle and it is a steal - great, buttery undertones with fresh citrus notes on the finish (we don't like our Chardonnays too oaky). It is great for sipping on its own or to pair with a bruschetta and fresh mozzarella appetizer, fresh baked bread with red pepper and white bean spread (recipe below) or chicken and fish dishes.
When it comes to red wine, Andrew and I have been really into Zins and Cabs- they are also fun to drink on their own or with grilled steak/burgers/lamb. I am willing to spend a little more for reds, but I always try to buy them on sale. This weekend, we are trying out a 2003 Chateau Sauverain Cabernet Sauvignon (19.99/bottle - but I purchased it during the Surdyk's wine sale for around $16.99). I'll let you know if it's worth a special purchase. Two other favorite Cabs are the 2005 Coppola Claret ($13.99-$16.99)** and the 2004 or 2005 J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon ($12.99-$14.99). This Cab is worth every penny! (I'll touch on Zinfandels at another time!)
On our way of of town, we plan to stop by Von Hanson's - our favorite meat market in the Twin Cities - for some grill steaks (very affordable, tender, juicy and great if you are entertaining a crowd of steak lovers- you can get them as-is or seasoned). Their free range chicken breasts (also plain or pre-marinated), are fantastic as well. If you are a beer can chicken fan, you can get whole free-range chickens there too, and nothing compares if you like entertaining with this main course. We keep the sides easy with grilled veggies, baked potatoes, pasta salads, etc.
I'd love to hear about your Labor Day weekend entertaining plans (recipes, grilling tips, party tips etc.), favorite meat markets, or about your go-to beer and "picnic" wines that you have been enjoying this summer! Have a great long weekend!
**I give price ranges to indicate the best price I have found the bottle for up to the regular retail price
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3 comments:
We are going to be camping in the Black Hills of South Dakota, so our weekend fare with be mostly canned soups, rice and other dried foods that are easy to pack. And of course, we'll have the camping favorite---s'mores. Yummy!
YUMMY! :) We will be eating s'mores around a campfire too, no doubt!!!
I tried the J Lohr Cab with a steak dinner this weekend and it was very tasty! Thanks for the recommendation.
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