Mattebella VIneyards

Mattebella Vineyards-
one of the newer vineyards
on the island,
and also
one of the smoothest rose's
ever!!

love love love this place...
it is uber-laid back.

see you soon :)

McCall's Vineyard

these are some ipod photos
of McCall's vineyard
in long island.

we loved it here,
and especially the fact
that the tasting barn
has 2 individual "private-er"
rooms.

on the walls there are antique
farming tools...
and it's quickly turning into
another one of our favorite vineyards.

oh...and great wine, too!!

~the globetrotting gamine

delware/maryland hoppin'

After making our way down this ^
we found ourselves in a very rainy
ocean city, maryland.

it is a cute beach town, that is almost florida-like
in its atmosphere
was already at it's peak season
that hasn't even begun yet!

we decided to take a random recommendation...
and learned that what is featured on a restaurant menu
is almost
always
what you should have!

that ^ is an example of what we should have had

the fat albert

is what i got.

while LML

had a rockfish jambalaya...

which wasn't jambalaya like in nature-

unless being in new orleans

ruined outside-jambalaya for us

forever.

however-

crab

good.

and i don't share food :)

do YOU have any comments?

don't hold back!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

road trip 2012: wine

take it from me,

one can get pretty tired of visiting vineyards and breweries...

YEAH

RIGHT!

a few more fun things that happened

during road trip 2012, 

are as follows:

i learned i want a few of these ^

in the cellar 

of my dream house.

and i want to learn

how to make wine

and beer.

i learned that

we loved

nassau valley vineyards, 

everything about it was coooooool...

especially the puppy named Choley!

such a ham :)

but her Mama wouldn't let us take her home.

i have my own pup, so- understood!

another fun stop on our wine and ale trail-

fenwick's.

oh my word.

i think we fell in love with fenwick's...

and every kind of tasting we did...

we wanted to take everything home, 

especially this green wine.

green!!!

ahhhhhh!

deleware-
the globetrotting gamine loves you :)

vineyard visions. sigh.

vineyard visions...

during the winter,

i especially miss

spending the weekend

in long island wine country

with the best friends

a girl could ever have...

and i miss picnics :)

our new spot

i love going on

so many kinds of adventures

with my husband...

be it culinary, travel-y,

or wine-based.

croteaux vineyards

just made our list

of hot spots we'll be enjoying

come spring.

croteaux, seriously--

we love you.

your wine and atmosphere

is exquisite.

how beautiful did my ipod photos come out?

i credit croteaux-- not my skills or anything!

awesome.

our love to sargie!

the best times

the best times are spent

with good friends

and good food

and good wine.

'nuff said <3

Veranda- you are awesome! There should be a wine and cheese sampler night...

because we probably could have stayed for much longer!

We never run out of things to talk about and

they

are

awesome!

in the summer...

hope you enjoy my photography...

and new collaging efforts! lol

happy day to you!

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

new york 4th of july

happy birthday, america!

this weekend will be filled with family...
bbq's...
fireflies...
bonfires...
marshmallow's...
fireworks...
wine...
cupcakes...
fun...

and my puppy ;)

what are you doing for the fourth of july?

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

vineyard fun 2011

what a great way

to kick off the vineyard season

for me and my friends <3

vineyards, wine, bonfires, picnics...

a huge group of us

and lots of laughs...

i am so incredibly blessed!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

some things never change

below are the pictures of a few of my good friends.

even though a few years have gone by since these were taken...

there's not much we do differently...

wine, cigars, yummy dinners

and chatting where-ever on chilly summer nights.

notice i am not in these,

because i was the one snapping away...

i love these guys and am so glad

that summer is back :)

(LML with his wine...or mine. we never can tell.)

(i must have snapped when the besties were stunned by something.)

what are you looking forward to this summer?

please share :)

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

spiced mulled wine

excerpt taken from here:

GlühweinGlühwein is popular in German-speaking countries and the region of Alsace in France, former German Elsass. It is the traditional beverage offered and drunk during the Christmas holidays. It is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. Fruit wines such as blueberry wine and cherry wine are rarely used instead of grape wine in Germany. Glühwein is drunk pure or "mit Schuss" (with a shot), which means there is rum or liqueur added. The French name is vin chaud (hot wine).




The oldest documented Glühwein tankard is attributed to the German nobleman and first Riesling grower of the world, Count John IV. of Katzenelnbogen around 1420. This gold-plated lockable silver tankard imitating the traditional wine woven wooden can is called Welcome.[1]



A very similar type of mulled wine is popular in the Czech Republic, particularly the mountains such as the Giant Mountains. It is called svařené víno ("boiled wine").



In Poland, grzane wino ("heated wine") is very similar to the Czech variant, especially in the southern regions. There is also a similar method for preparing mulled beer or "Grzaniec" which is popular with Belgian beers because of the sweet flavor of that particular type of beer, which uses the same spices as mulled wine and is heated.



In Serbia, kuvano vino ("boiled wine") is made of red wine, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and served with a slice of lemon or orange.



In Croatia, kuhano vino (cooked wine), is made from red wine, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and orange zest.



In Romania, it is called vin fiert ("boiled wine"), and can be made using either red or white wine, sometimes adding sugar and cinnamon.



In Bulgaria, it is called greyano vino ("heated wine"), and consists of red wine, honey and peppercorn. Sometimes apples and/or citrus fruits, such as lemon or oranges, can be added.



In Moldova, the izvar is made from red wine with black pepper and honey.



In Italy, mulled wine is typical in the northern part of the country and is called vin brulé ("burned wine").



In Latvia, it is called karstvīns ("hot wine"). When out of wine, it is prepared using grape (or currant) juice and Riga Black Balsam.


my theory? spiced wine should be available all winter long. it should be enjoyed with good friends and beautiful setting (such as the one pictured above!)

<3

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

lieb cellars

Lieb Cellars
35 Cox Neck Road, Mattituck NY

Since we are unable to went for winter/this horrible weather to end, we took a siesta out to wine country some weeks back. It was there we fell upon Lieb, where we did a wine and chocolate pairing that was exquisite. Chocolate featured Bon Bons Chocolatier of Huntington <3

We were also touched to see that one of their 'wines for the cause' was the Syrah.

Why it's touching?
"Syrah is one of our favorite grapes and was also the name of our vineyard mascot, who we recently lost to kidney disease. This Syrah wine has been created in his memory. 20% of the proceeds from sales of this wine will be donated to the non-profit Animal Medical Center in NYC for research and treatment of kidney disease in animals. For more information visit:

http://www.amcny.org/supportamc/syrah.aspx.

This is a cool climate Syrah without the jammy fruit found in many warm climate Syrah/Shiraz. Instead it is a medium bodied with balanced acidity, showing black fruit and spiced earth. Well-integrated oak aging produces hints of clove and soft tannins, while the addition of Merlot rounds out the mouthfeel."

Freaking awesome, Lieb. Though we had more than one wine that was very flavorful- we can't remember so we'll have to come back <3

Famished Menu and ok, ok post...

snow. again. really? it was over 50* degrees on friday and now we're back to this.
ugh.

on the plus side- i've been having an uber-busy schedule since the snow had been melting...2 weeks of running around and having fun. i am thankful to be home today.

how were your weekends? did you discover a new place nearby? we did so much, and i'm pretty sure my friends, LML and I went through about 5 bottles of wine.

here's the rundown of what happened last week:

• continued knitting/crocheting!
• hung out with some besties
• saw my baby friend!
• saw Grandma
• went to the doctor
• found out i have to get a neck scan
• hung out with parents
• vineyards
• restaurants

and LML's Birthday!! YAY!
we had an extraordinary week, filled with friends, family and lots of fun! it's been non-stop!




last weekend we actually returned from a mini-vineyard vacation FAMISHED...so we hauled ass to the kitchen and this is what we came up with following the kind diet menu:

some more wine with dinner- we freaking love malbec!

spinach salad with a splash of olive oil- teriyaki flavored pumpkin seeds and craisins.

yummy in my tummy. ok, our tummies.

freaking awesome pasta we picked up at a specialty store sauteed with onions, garlic, yellow peppers, spinach and tomatoes. MMMMMMMM

honestly, i am craving this again tonight.

so off to figure out how many posts it's going to cover my whole week and share with you guys <3

today's agenda:

• crafts
• cooking
• cleaning
• yoga
• writing
• finishing illustrations for children's book #2!

my february list updates:

finish writing two of my novels

i have made oodles of notes- does that count? truth is, waiting for my published children's book to find their way to my home kind of held me back, and now that they are here i want to start making appointments to speak with whoever will list. 50+ book ideas can't be all bad. sign me, please!

finish illustrations for my second children's book

on this item, i've been doing pretty good!

stay in touch

ok, i have the best friends in the entire world- no questions asked. they were very amused by the letters and/or old greeting cards i sent them that i'd had from years and years ago...i have visited my friends and besties, and spent some time with family. i am quite the happy kitten (not to be confused with meow meow, from my previous post)



spread joy

i hope i spread a little, i tried my best :)
say i love you more

this is the goal i've kept up best. i kind of think that i'm STILL driving poor LML crazy...

20 minute activity three times a week

this has been one of the easiest commitments to keep. did i spell that right? who knows!

wash windows

not yet.

wash walls

done!
clean grout

have begun!
scour pots and pans-

one down...a million to go...
polish wood

done!
research my spring activities

done!
donate, donate

almost ready!!
cook/bake new things (this is where 'the kind diet' resolution comes in)

today, sweet potato gnocchi. tomorrow, the world.

begin making appointments for activities in springtime (march and on)

yep, we're on track!

off to the drawing board with my horrid ear infection or sinus infection or something that's insisting on killing me as we speal.

what's up with you? share, share!

Greenport Menu: Noah's

This past weekend, I have to say that LML and I felt it would be perfect to escape. We like Valentine's Day but it was totally not the reason we ran away.

We visited Noah's for the first time since it's opened. It's always packed to the brim and we figured since everyone had already made reservations, let's pop in make some. The hostess told us we didn't need any.

We didn't know that later on after walking in, they would tell us that we needed one! But they were wonderful and understanding and let us dine with them.

I have to admit, I was uber-excited about the menu except for one thing- almost everything had cheese.

Cue the lactose intolerance.
I figured that I might as well indulge since it's my first time there.

We ordered...

anchovy crustini's *yum-ness*

and

scallops covered with gruyere (if memory serves me correctly) and champagne.

the anchovy crustini's (i mayhave improv-ed the name)  were AWESOME...

though I think the scallop small plate kept me up all night. It's sad because the food was GOOD!

i had the wild rice and mushroom risotto- which was the only thing on the menu without cheese.

LML had a kobe beef burger which he was expecting to be WOW-ness...except it was just plain kobe beef with no pop of flavor other than the fries on the plate.

all in all, we would return to noah's again.

and i would order items without cheese.

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

______________________________

edited to add: i forgot to say that we ordered the cabernet sauvignon with dinner. i really should have purchased the bottle and finished it back at the homestead. mmmmmmm!

live, laugh, love

that is exactly what i plan on doing this weekend...
and what i hope you all do as well.

i am so sorry that i've bogged you down with so much information this week!

as always, everything i share is very important to me-

right down to every one of my photographs and exclamation points.

i have been so productive this week (and so unproductive at the same time!)
that i don't want to expose everything i've done yet
but i can't sit still :)

a warm and fuzzy welcome
to all my new followers...

hi!
please feel free to float around and leave me comments wherever!
if there is anything i can do for you, i will if you ask!

in the meantime, this weekend is going to be filled with hot chocolate, tea, LML, and puppy.
i will have finished my HUGE and ever-growing manuscript (i hope!)
i'll have organized my office, visit a restaurant or two, and run some errands.

my assistant will fall asleep watching the tube, of course!

i am afraid to say i'll see my friends- because of the snow that may be arriving tomorrow-

but i would love to see you and have some wine over your cigars <3

in the meantime, i am making my spinach tofu wraps...
what are you all up to this weekend?  <3

a winemaker's wonderings

article taken from here...
A WINEMAKER’S WONDERINGS






Pursuing Mastery

By James Christopher Tracy
There are masters of everything these days: master gardeners, master electricians, master plumbers, master chefs and, yes, masters of wine. Since its inception in 1955, the Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom has bestowed the title of "Master of Wine" on very few people. Currently there are only 279 members from 22 countries. I began my quest for this distinction in 2007, and, last February, I gathered along with 70 or so other candidates in Napa for a one-week session of mock exams, short seminars and workshops that was at once exhilarating and brutal.
Each morning started at 7:30 a.m., pouring and tasting 12 wines blind (the wines are decanted into unlabeled bottles) and then racing, in two hours and 15 minutes, to pen 12-18 pages of answers. There I was in a room with a dozen or so other students and two MW's sitting at the front. The air was pungent with the aroma of wine and alcohol and nerves. Depending on the exam, 12 glasses-of white or red or a mixed flight that could include any color or style including sparkling, sweets and fortifieds-stare you down.
Question sheets are handed out, and excitement and trepidation build as we turn over the paper to find something like:

1) Wines 1 to 8 are all from the same single-grape variety, from four different countries.


For all 8 wines:
a) Identify the grape variety, drawing evidence from all the wines.


For each wine:
b) Identify the origin as closely as possible.
c) Comment on quality, with specific reference to residual sugar, alcohol and maturity.
d) Consider the commercial potential.


Fidgeting bodies and trickles of sweat begin as the clock starts ticking. Sometimes I like to look at and smell all the wines and take some notes before reading the questions while other times I look first to the questions to find some clues and narrow down the choices before nosing all the wines. Then I go about tasting the wines and answering the questions that seem obvious or are bankers as the Brits like to say. The more difficult wines and questions are put aside for a moment. One must remember you do not need to "get the wine right" to pass. Just as important as identifying the variety or origin correctly is writing well-argued answers. You must use evidence that is in the glass and hit all the markers (color, fruit character, intensity, dryness, alcohol, acid, body, tannin, length, etc.). When writing about things like production methods, quality judgments, state of maturity and commercial position you have ample opportunity to display your understanding and aptitude, even when you are clueless of the "correct" answer. So all is not lost when you are faced with that wine and all you can think of is "What the...!"

Personally, on good days when I finish the exam and write good answers with well-argued notes displaying knowledge, understanding, clarity, agility and thus mastery, which are rare, I feel like a rock star. On really bad days (hopefully also rare), when I am incomplete, don't write good notes and identify a Burgundy as a Bordeaux I feel as if I have been dragged in a dark alley to be punched, kicked and generally beat up. Mostly though you just feel slapped around.


James Christopher Tracy is the winemaker and partner at Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, as well as a student candidate for the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Vine Cafe Menu- love!!

Dear Bloggie Friends:

As you all know- I enjoy food.

I love to try new places.

But Vine, once again...

has exceeded my expectations

and made me feel all squishy inside!

this butternut squash soup? squishy feelings!

and beautiful!

my yummy salad- heaven!

LML's burger?! A M A Z I N G!

and i don't even LIKE burgers!

this one made me change my mind. and it was so cute!

and a yummy cupcake with our two bottles of Jason's Vineyard Wine!

Our friends were quite happy with the samplings as well!

I can't wait to come back, Vine!!

love me,

the Globetrotting Gamine