Wine

Why I’m Choosing Washington State Wine

April 22, 2019 by Alyssa

Washington State wine is making a splash in the global wine industry. With over 70 varieties & 17.5 million cases produced, it’s become the new epicenter of wine.

I’m a fan of New World wine and when I scour a restaurant menu for a glass I might like and come across a wine sourced from Washington State, I order it without hesitation because I know it’s going to be a winner. So, when Washington State wine reached out to partner with me for their upcoming events, it was an easy yes! because I was already a fan of the state’s wine.

Why Choose Washington State Wine

Washington State wine is making a huge splash in the wine world and it’s easy to see (and taste!) why. If you aren’t familiar with Washington State wine, then you’re truly missing out on an opportunity to enjoy a world class glass of wine!

Washington is one of the fastest growing wine regions in the world and considered the #NewEpicenter of wine. Recently, the state produced 17.5 million cases of wine making it the second largest producer in the States. Their wine, while premium, is also accessible and bottles are sold for $8 and up.

Contributing to the state’s wine growth is the state’s optimal growing conditions which are a product of cataclysmic events (like the Missoula Floods). Washington’s also on the same latitude as regions like Bordeaux, and they have 300 days of sunlight per year — that’s more than regions like Napa making it ideal for grape growing.

The state’s currently producing 70 grape varieties, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah with more than 55,000 acres of vines and more than 900 wineries. One of the most popular regions for Washington State wine production is Columbia Valley. This region has over 100 wineries and is a major producer of Cabernet Sauvignon (my personal favorite) and Syrah. It’d make a great wine tasting destination for anyone looking to travel to Washington.

Washington State Wine in Austin

You may have noticed an influx in Washington State wine chatter around Austin and that’s because Washing State wine is pouring at major Austin events including Live Fire earlier this month, Hot Luck in May, and for me, the most exciting event, this upcoming weekend’s Austin Food & Wine Festival.

I’m excited to swing by the Washington State wine tent on Saturday to taste my way through this state’s extensive wine selection from whites, rose and reds. If you see me there, be sure to raise your glass of Washington State wine and say hi.

Have you tried any Washington State wine yet? Share your favorites in the comments!

I received product from Washington State wine in
exchange for a post but all opinions are my own.

Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie & Wine Pairing

July 5, 2017 by Alyssa

Treat yourself to something special with this delightfully sweet summer dessert and wine pairing featuring Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie and Ste. Genevieve’s Pink Moscato.

I love the early summer season because it’s prime for berries! When I came across the freshest, juiciest strawberries at Austin’s downtown farmer’s market a few weekends ago, I knew they would make the perfect pairing with Ste. Genevieve’s Pink Moscato and highlight the fresh, seasonal fruit in this Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie!

Like my local strawberries, Ste. Genevieve is a Texas-based winery established in 1988 on a vineyard in Fort Stockton, Texas.

The winery itself has a tasting room, The Grey Mule Saloon, that’s deep in Texas history where you can taste Ste. Genevieve’s wine, enjoy a few snacks, and learn about their wine making process!

Ste. Genevieve’s Pink Moscato is a sweet wine that’s best served chilled, making it perfect for Texas’ hot summer days and nights! It pairs well with light desserts and fresh fruit which is why it’s the perfect mate to this Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie!

Even though I’m typically a red wine drinker, when the temperature hits above 90 degrees a sweet, chilled wine begins calling my name! Ste. Genevieve’s cool, Pink Moscato is definitely a crave-able summer wine offering up just enough sweet without becoming syrupy! I found this Pink Moscato perfect for late-afternoon sipping while also being well-suited for a late night dessert pairing to curb a sweet tooth. <3M, a huge fan of sweet wines, happily enjoyed this Pink Moscato, delighted that I finally opened something of his preference.

Inspired by the sweet, fruity notes of Ste. Genevieve’s Pink Moscato and fresh strawberries, I revamped a pie from my childhood for this pairing. While still staying true to Mom’s original, I made it a tad more modern by pairing it with Ste. Genevieve’s gorgeous, fruity pink wine. I also modified the recipe just a tad by slicing the strawberries so they’re more bite-sized (Mom used to leave them whole!) then added homemade almond whipped cream and toasted almonds for crunch!

When I was little eating this pie, my favorite part was the shortbread cookie crust! Much like my ice cream cake, I’m often tempted to just bake shortbread cookie crumbs and butter to eat straight up! The crust is seriously THAT good. The crust for this Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie follows a similar technique to the ice cream cake’s crust and making the whole pie is almost as easy as pouring yourself a glass of wine.

In addition to the shortbread crust, this Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie also features fresh berries covered in a strawberry glazed. This pie is perfect for summer as it requires very little bake time, just 10 minutes in the oven to bake the crust and a few more on the stovetop to make the fresh strawberry glaze. After slicing all the berries, you mound them into the baked shortbread pie crust, pour over the strawberry glaze and let it chill for 3 hours. When you’re ready to serve, you whip up your fresh whipped cream, slice, severe and pour (the wine!).

After slicing all the berries, you mound them into the baked shortbread pie crust, pour over the strawberry glaze and let it chill for 2-3 hours. When you’re ready to serve, you whip up your fresh whipped cream, slice, severe and pour (the wine!).

I recommend heading to the porch to enjoy this dessert & Ste. Genevieve wine pairing while you relax and take in the warm summer nights!

In return for a recipe pairing, Ste. Genevieve provided me with complimentary wine but all opinions are my own.

Alyssa

Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie Crust

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings: 1

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed shortbread cookies ~1 package of Lorna Doones
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup unsalted butter melted

Method

Preheat oven to 350* degrees
In small bowl, stir together the crushed shortbread cookies and almond slices
Pour the melted butter into the cookie & nuts and mix until everything is combined
Press on the crust mixture into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan
Bake the crust in the oven for 8-10 minutes
Cool for 10-15 minutes before assembling the pie

Alyssa

Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie Filling

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings: 10

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Filling:
6 cups fresh strawberries hulled & halved*
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Method

Mash enough strawberries to equal 1 cup
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.
Whisk in mashed berries and water
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (8 to 10 minutes)
Boil the mixture for one minute then remove from heat
Stir in salt and almond extract and allow to cool 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened
Once mixture is cooled, fill pie crust with the remaining fresh strawberries
Pour the cooked strawberry glaze in a strainer and strain over fresh strawberries**
Refrigerate at least 2 hours
To serve, slice & top with homemade whipped cream

Notes

*If the strawberries are rather large, quarter them so the pieces are smaller.
**You may need to gently shake the glaze so it drips between the spaces of the berries. It's okay if you have some glaze leftover and don't use it all in the pie. Save it & use as jam for breakfast.

Alyssa

Chilled Strawberry Shortbread Pie Whipped Cream

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings: 1

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Whipped Cream:
8 ounces heavy whipping cream*
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Method

Chill an electric mixing bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes
When ready to make whipped cream, pour the heavy whipping cream and sugar into the chilled bowl
Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-high for 3-5 minutes until stiff peaks form
Turn off mixer, add in almond extract and combine on low for 10-15 seconds

Notes

*Half and Half, whole milk, etc. will not work. This must be heavy whipping cream

Budget White Wines for Summer Sipping

June 22, 2016 by Alyssa

To kick off the first week of summer, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite budget white wines that you can enjoy all summer long without breaking the bank!

I’m not sure how the rest of the country’s weather is feelin’ but here in Texas, summer has arrived! We’re talking 100 degree days, thick humidity and sun, sun, sun! When the heat hits hard in Texas, all I want to do is break out the white wines and pour myself a tall glass.

In light of the summer heat, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite bottles that you can enjoy all summer long without breaking the bank! I love crisp white wines that offer up a bit of fruit and acidity. I personally favor sauvignon blancs but below I also share my favorite Chardonnay & Vinho Verde, a white wine you may not be familiar with.

First up is Oya Pointe Sauvignon Blanc from Barlborough, New Zealand. Now, I take no credit in the discovery of this wine. In fact, I happily thank Whole Foods Market’s Bar Lamar for the sampling that led me to purchase a bottle of Oya Pointe and at a steal price of only $12!

This wine pairs well with hearty fish, vegetables or a light pasta. It’s also great to sip on when enjoying a meal that has a bit of spice to it. <3M and I enjoyed this bottle with a lemon ricotta & Italian sausage fusilli dish, I made a few weekends ago!

The light lemon complimented the citrus notes in the wine while its crispness balanced the bites of spice from the sausage. If you can hunt it down, it’s definitely worth the buy! (And I promise, I’ll post the ricotta fusilli recipe in the near future, if you’re interested!)

Next up is Firebrand Chardonnay from California. This bottle is not like your typically Chardonnay. It is is no way buttery nor oaky — two tastes that often come to mind when you thinks of Chardonnay. This wine is crisp & clean! Similar to the above white, this Firebrand Chardonnay also pairs well with fish, veggies and pasta.

<3M and I again went the way of Italiano and paired the Firebrand Chardonnay with my Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs. The dish itself was mild and didn’t over power the lightness of the white wine on the warm summer night.

Last up, we hop over to Portugal with Nobilis Vinho Verde. If you aren’t familiar with Vinho Verde, the first thing you should know is that it has a hint of effervescence! It contains just the slightest bit of bubbles — just enough to tickle your tongue!

Vinho Verde is also pretty versatile when it comes to food pairings — like most whites, it goes great with fish, vegetables, and spicy food. But, because of it’s unique bubbly characteristic, it also makes a great dessert pairing! And this bottle is only $7 a pop!

If you’re looking for a pairing recommendation, I would try pairing the Nobilis Vinho Verde with some seafood and chimichurri sauce, I’d suggest something fancy, like grilled scallops! Or, if you want to take this wine into dessert, try it paired with this lemon pound cake. The fruit in the wine will help pick up the citrus in the pound cake!

Do you have any summer wines you’re enjoying right now? Maybe a light white like those above or a special rose? Please share, I’d love to hear about them!