Cellar Princess | theBrideScoop

Cellar Princess: Have a drink on Re’

November 7, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Often times, the metaphor for a marriage is that of a business transaction: mergers and acquisitions.

There’s nothing sexy or romantic about it. You have to learn how to negotiate and make compromises. That’s never fun, but it may be a little more bearable with a drink in hand. But deciding what drink… well, that’s another dilemma you and your significant other may face.

www.femmeducoupe.com

In comes Revae Schneider, the mediator. The therapist. The one they call a bar stylist to help merge your respective imbibing habits. Peacefully. She may ask you probing questions that may make you uncomfortable – such as what age you had your first… um, drink, that is. Or, how you like it: hot and quick like Southern Comfort or smooth, sensual and never-ending like a great wine with a perfect lingering finish.

Whatever your postprandial predilections, Revae will help the two of you make beautiful liquor love to your new bar in your new home.

Revae Schneider is the proprietoress of Femme du Coupe - a bar-styling company that specializes in crafting bespoke cocktails and bar concepts for in-home and professional use. To contact Revae for a consultation, please call her at (773) 916-6070.

J’nai Gaither, our Cellar Princess, promises to make all your wine selections royal! Friend her on facebook and follow her on twitter.

Cellar Princess: Wine Camp Tips

October 24, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Our wine expert Cellar Princess J’nai Gaither shared the fabulous experience of her time at Camp Schramsberg on Saturday and then followed up yesterday with a glowing recommendation for Meadowood Resort in Napa Valley as her #1 pick of place to stay while at “Camp”.

Today, Cellar Princess shares her top wine camp tips to make the experience the most awesome it can be for you:

- Wear comfortable shoes. Expect to do lots of walking up hills and along graveled roads.

Wear Comfortable Shoes (Photo by Matthew Levy)

- NEVER try to eat anything, not even a snack, in your “down” time. You will not have much of it. I only remember having an hour and a half break on one day and I spent that having yet another glass of wine with Meadowood’s PR director!
- Bring plenty of film, USB cords for transferring files, enough space to take mini videos. There will be SO much that you will want to record/snap photos of, from the winemakers and Schramsberg staff to the vines and ALL of the food and wine courses, to the wait staff that drops your table’s plates before you in perfect unison. It’s like watching a ballet.
- If you can, save room in your luggage because you WON’T go home empty handed. Yes, the Camp fee is for the Camp but you get goodies. And I’m not just talking about “parting gifts”. I’m talking about gifts that will leave your mouth agape and leave you wondering, “How on earth did I get to be so lucky?!”. You WILL need another suitcase to cart it all home.

Plenty of Food & Drink in Class (Photo by Matthew Levy)

- By all means, if you can, extend your trip either before Camp begins or after Camp concludes since you’ll want to experience everything your hotel and/or the Napa Valley have to offer. If you’re not tired of eating after the Camp, you may want to indulge in some of the famed and amazing restaurants that lay in the Valley. If you’re fed up with spending money (because Napa can get expensive), at least go to Taylor’s Refresher, a/k/a Gott’s Roadside: it’s a Napa Valley legend and the burgers are oh so good.
- Plan out your method of transportation well in advance of your visit to the Valley. Though all of your Camp-related transportation will be provided, if you want to visit other parts of the Valley, you may want to rent a car. Or you may want to hire a private car service. NOTE: Taking a cab if you’re staying anywhere other than Napa city is not an option. They don’t work the way that taxis in large cities do. Here’s what I did: from the airport I caught the Evans Airporter to Napa city, a coach bus that takes you directly to the city and then Black Tie Taxi (actually, a Black Tie Lincoln Towncar – things are done a bit differently in the Valley) directly to the Resort. And if you do Black Tie, there’s a flat rate to go to any place in Napa Valley from Napa city.
- Last, but certainly not least, ENJOY being with each other and working together and collaborating for the three days of Camp. It’ll be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before and likely won’t experience again unless you’re completely hooked afterward. And you WILL be completely hooked; you will be on the phone with Matt trying to schedule for the next Camp session immediately.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Where to Stay When at Wine Camp

October 23, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Our wine expert Cellar Princess J’nai Gaither shared the fabulous experience of her time at Camp Schramsberg yesterday. And her conclusion: Camp Schramsberg is the Camp of everyone’s dreams! Oh, my… what a time.

www.meadowood.com

Camp Schramsberg‘s fee is only inclusive of the Camp itself but you get your money’s worth and then some. Since lodging is up to you, you can choose any hotel you’d like in the Napa Valley. I chose Meadowood Resort because of its vaunted reputation. It’s somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for quite some time. It was also the hosting property where most of our meals and food and wine seminars occurred. Camp began and ended there every night, so it made it much easier to not have to travel off the grounds when you’re dog tired and full from the day’s activities.

Ahhhh.... Relaxation (Photo from www.meadowood.com)

Meadowood Resort is a storybook 250-acre property scattered high above the hills in St. Helena, California. It’s garnered much acclaim, not only its restaurant, but the property and amenities themselves. Consider it your “bunking” headquarters for your Camp experience although you may never want to leave once Camp has concluded.

Enjoy Poolside (Photo from www.meadowood.com)

You can reward yourself with signature spa treatments at the Spa but only after you’ve played nine holes of golf on the resort’s own course, tennis at its tennis courts and croquet on its own croquet field. Yes, after all of that activity, you’re certainly going to need a relaxing massage. Or, if you feel you’ve spent more than enough money already, feel free to retire to your room to your two person soaking tub to bathe with provided fragrant sea salts and Molton Brown bath products. If a bath isn’t your speed, walk a couple of steps to enjoy a relaxing rain shower in your separate shower. It’s big enough for two… or three or four… just don’t let the Camp counselor catch you! He’s sure to write a note to your parents ;-)

Perfect Pairing ~ Golf & Wine (Photo from www.meadowood.com)

And if the night is still young (it won’t be since you’ll be in Camp all day), check out your beautiful 200 square foot terrace and enjoy each other under the moon and stars and forested area that surround you. There’s nothing more romantic. Except for maybe a perfect night’s sleep in your fluffy bed. The pillows are abundant and the sheets’ thread count is off the charts. Although there are many windows in your room, you’re in a wooded area and the lovely Meadowood sleep fairies have drawn your shades. Sweet dreams are guaranteed. Trust me, you’ll need it. You’ll be doing it all over again tomorrow for day two.

Be One With Nature (Photo from www.meadowood.com)

On Monday, Cellar Princess will share her camp tips for make your stay the ultimate experience.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Going to Wine Camp

October 22, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Our wine expert Cellar Princess J’nai Gaither got an amazing opportunity to visit Camp Schramsberg in Napa Valley, California and in a three part series over the next three days she will detail her adventures, give an awesome hotel recommendation and a list of tips if you plan on going to “Camp”.

Cellar Princess & Blair (Photo by Matthew Levy)

In my opinion, there’s nothing more romantic than wine and food. Nothing else compares. Nothing is as sensuous, sexy, beautiful or engaging as a luscious, perfect wine with its gastronomic equivalent (match). It reminds me of my perfect pairing between my significant other and me. And there’s nothing more exciting than an adventure. Especially when that adventure involves wine and food. And when I can combine all of the aforementioned three into one vacation, I’m golden. If you’re an eno-gastronomist as I like to call it, you’d be remiss not to experience of Camp Schramsberg.

Wine Class (Photo by Matthew Levy)

Many wineries and companies host them – a “camp” of sorts that involves learning the winemaking process from the ground up, while also learning the ins/outs and rights/wrongs of food and wine pairing, all in beautiful surroundings with intelligent epi- and eno-curious individuals. Last month, I finally attended one and quickly decided that this was the one of the best educational decisions I’d ever made!

Camp Schramsberg is like no “Camp” you have ever seen: there is no campfire unless you count the glittering votives that line the table of your welcome dinner, with fare prepared by renowned chef (and sister of Heidi Barrett of Screaming Eagle fame) Holly Peterson. And I never remember camp having unlimited access to some of the finest beverages in the US, unless you count 2% milk carton at lunch time as a fine beverage; but Schramsberg sparkling wines practically become a permanent part of your bloodstream (at least, for the next three days).

Class is in Session (Photo by Matthew Levy)

The wonderful thing about the Camp is that everyone is together ALL of the time: you, your significant other, others’ significant others, Hugh Davies (proprietor/head winemaker), Keith Hock (sparkling wine winemaker), Sean Thompson (cabernet winemaker), Holly Peterson (renowned chef and enologist) and Matt Levy (Schramsberg PR extraordinaire/”Camp” Director). At every breakfast, lunch and dinner, from vineyard to vineyard, there they are. You can’t escape them even if you wanted to! But that’s one of the reasons that make the camp so great – you always feel that it’s perfectly integrated in every aspect. And you wonder how this wine can be so incredible when all of its major components are out in the field with you from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. teaching you all the intricacies of fermentation, assemblage (you’ll learn more about that when you go to Camp in March), harvesting, etc. Yes, it’s hard work. What with all of the imbibing (you may be a proselytizer of Schramsberg afterward or done with sparklers altogether) and eating… dear God, the eating!

Hard Labor at the Camp (Photo by Matthew Levy)

Because food and wine go together like peas and carrots, you’re going to do a lot of both before you’re ever able to come up for air. Trust me, it is the way we’d all probably choose to die if we had the choice. The day begins early, around 6:30 a.m., then there’s “work”, 30 minutes of picking grapes and listening to amazing vineyard stories. Back at the winery, you do some tasting and then lunch begins. Wait, what?! Lunch?! Didn’t I just eat breakfast?! Well yes, you did. But that’s how it’s done in wine country so stop your complaining and get used to it right now! Be prepared to eat long (as in five hours long) lunches with your significant other and other “campers”. Yes, again, it’s hard work, but someone’s got to do it. It beats the alternative – camp of your youth.

Wine Class in Session (Photo by Matthew Levy)

Camp Schramsberg: The Camp of everyone’s dreams, should be the unofficial title of the adventure. Oh, my… what a time.

Tomorrow, I will share my suggested lodging for your Camp Schramsberg experience.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Marilyn Monroe Wines at Binny’s

October 6, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Our wine expert Cellar Princess J’nai Gaither will be at Binny’s South Loop this Friday, October 7, to host Thirsty Girl! It’ll be super fun. More for the women but the guys can come too! Who doesn’t enjoy free liquor? And there’s a giveaway of fabulous diamond-esque studs!

www.thirstygirl.com

The occasion? A nationwide event celebrating the 25th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe Wines. They’re Merlot-based wines whose bottles have a color image of the diva on it. She embodied everything that Thirsty Girl is about – living life to the fullest… without the overdosing part!

Marilyn Wines Blonde de Noirs (Photo from www.marilynwines.com)

Any of you who have ever been to Thirsty Girl events know how awesome, woman friendly and woman empowering they are. Thirsty Girl is the brainchild of one of J’nai’s favorite wine personalities, Leslie Sbrocco, a host of “Check, Please!” San Francisco, a prolific and award winning wine writer and an all around great spirit. Please feel free to post, tweet or send out to all of your folks. We want a GREAT turnout!

Binny’s South Loop
1132 South Jefferson Street, Chicago, IL

Friday, October 7, 2011
4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

A Brave New World… of Wine!

August 28, 2011 By tBS Editor Leave a Comment

Anyone who knows me knows that I love being the champion of the underdog, the discoverer of the new and the doer of the unexpected. My wine drinking predilections are no exception. I enjoy wines from regions other than Italy, France and California, and I believe you should too if you really want a WORLD class wedding. And it’s understood that most of these regions have a long wine making history but they’re considered NEW WORLD because they still aren’t as popular as the aforementioned. Here are some of my faves.

Wines Around the World (Photo from www.kitchenrestaurant.co.uk)

Argentina: This South American country’s wines, namely Malbec, has really taken flight in the last ten years. The inky purple, tannic wine is consumed like water with steaks and other game, and is not only loved by the Argentines, but winning over the world as well.

Australia: Another southern hemisphere beauty, Australia’s relentless sun ripens the grapes, and coupled with ocean breezes, make the ideal terroir for many fine wines. The country’s claim to wine fame has been Shiraz, a fruity, big, sometimes, chewy wine. Though some people believe that the wines are way too fruity and too alcoholic tasting, many regions in Australia produce wonderfully balanced expressions of the grape. My favorite? The Barossa Valley.

Chile: This long, skinny strip of a country is home to the most extreme geological conditions, making the country a hotspot for many styles of wine. From the driest desert in the world, the Atacama, to the icy conditions of Patagonia, Chilean wine can satisfy the most finicky of drinkers. My favorite region is the Colchagua Valley, a very popular viticultural hub, which produces one of my favorite Chilean wines, Clos Apalta, made from the Carmenere grape.

Greece: It’s very obvious that Greece is not new to the wine making biz. Hello? Dionysus (Bacchus) anyone? There’s over 4,000 years of history behind Greece’s wines, but they have only recently made their foray onto our tongues and into our glasses. Though Greece has over 300 indigenous varietals, you don’t have to stray too far from home since many international varietals are used. A good wine for the novice, and one that you may have heard of, is Domaine Skouras. You can try one of his “red blends” which blends native Greek varietal Agiorgitiko and, everyone’s fave, Cabernet Sauvignon.

New Zealand: Down under is a force to be reckoned with, with both Australia and New Zealand vying for top tasting honors in the consumer’s palate competition. However, the wines that each is known for are entirely different – Australia’s red Shiraz and New Zealand’s white Sauvignon Blanc. When it hails from the Marlborough region, stone fruit and citrus flavors abound, along with an almost effervescence brought on by its sometimes bracing acidity.

South Africa: Like those mentioned before it, South Africa too, is a legacy wine making region, with over 350 of wine making history in its past. The wines produced are still working their way onto the radar of many drinkers. It’s about time that we gave the country its due. They are doing wonderful things with Chenin Blancs, and, in the case of Bruwer Raats, amazing things with Cabernet Franc as well. Pinotage, an indigenous varietal, is a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Hermitage, but it’s not too popular in the States. I’ve asked many people about Pinotage and all I hear is that there are no good ones. That’s not true. And when I find one, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Sparkling Around The World – Cava

August 21, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Series by Cellar Princess – Sparkling Around the World and Part II is all about Cava.

As we discussed a few weeks ago, there are many sparkling wines in the world besides champagne. One of the best values is cava – a sparkler from Spain. If you’re to wed on a budget, then cava is the wine for you.

It’s produced in the Penedes region and is made in the champagne method (method champenoise). The wines are aged for up to 24 months prior to release, so you can be sure you’re getting something close to the high priced wines that come from the Champagne region of France.

Cava Varietals (Photo from www.laalacenadezafra.com)

Cava, like champagne, can only be made from certain Spanish grapes. The major ones are macabeo, xarello and parellada, which are all white varietals, though red monastrell and garnacha are also allowed.

One of the things I think makes cava interesting is that its varying sweet levels are accompanied by varying storage temperature suggestions. The sweet brut nature needs to be stored in much cooler temperatures than the dry semi-seco which can be stored at room temperature. That’s not always the case for sparklers but it does add another interesting characteristic, which demonstrates its value: no wine storage unit needed!

Next time you’re shopping for a wine to pour at your reception or dinner party, choose a cava for its delicious taste and wide variety, its price tag, and it’s fizzy effervescence. All of those combined show that the party is just about to start!

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Looking Thru Rosé Colored Glasses

August 14, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Rosé wine is oft considered to be the Cinderella of wines. It’s pretty but most people like to keep it tucked away under lock and key, so that it never sees the light of day. Rosés are plagued by their color, born with a bit more melanin than some like to see. Its salmon colored hue often conjures up images of porch swilling, uncouth country folk and the word is immediately associated with white zinfandel. But why are people prejudiced of rosé? And, is white zinfandel really that bad?

Pink in its Many Forms (Photo from wwww.wineintro.com)

The demise of girly, pink rosé has origins some thirty years ago. White zinfandel burst onto the scene in the 1970s when Bob Trinchero of Sutter Home wanted to try something different with his red wine production. He separated some of the free run juice of red zinfandel to concentrate and intensify the flavors even more. However, the separated free run juice was abundant and he didn’t want to waste it. He decided to ferment it but the all the sugars hadn’t converted to alcohol (i.e. stuck fermentation). The result was slight sweetness and an interesting pink color that he was happy with, so he bottled it and sold it. The wine became so popular that to this day, there are nearly 18 million cases sold each year. But because of its high, mass market volume and “girly” color, rosé wines suffer from a bad rep.

Contrary to popular belief, rosé wines are very versatile and can pair with many foods - from white meats like pork and chicken, to Latin foods and Asian, to red meats such as lamb or beef. But they’re still ostracized from society. Rosés’ image is forever sullied and is often mistaken for the non-wine drinker’s wine but it’s high time that image is squashed! Rosés are serious wines that can transform a meal and your glass.

One of my favorite ways to drink rosé is when it sparkles. Yes, rosés are turned into sparkling wines and some of the world’s best sparkling wine and champagne houses offer this version of the juice: Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, Billecart-Salmon, to mention a few. But even then, people still don’t believe in the power of the pink. And the fact that they don’t necessarily age well doesn’t help their cause; however, if more folks would venture outside of their comfort zone to try new cuisine and wines, they’d understand the brilliance that is rosé and would thank the Trinchero stars that rosés are still around.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Rot of the Noblest Form

August 7, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

Fungus. Rot. Botrytis. Words that certainly don’t sound appetizing or desirable when discussing wine but all three refer to the same thing that makes some of the best and most prized wines around. This fungus is of the noblest form and, in fact, is called “noble rot” orbotrytis. Trust me, you’ll learn to love it.

Dessert Wine (Photo from www.sandeepkejriwal.com)

Yes, a fungus called botrytis is responsible for many of the sweet wines that you enjoy. It’s the principal “sweetener” in German Trockenbeerenauslese wines as well as ice wine. This fungus is, we’ll say, hydrophilic – it LOVES water; thrives on water like we do. So, in essence, it’s abit clingy and parasitic but with what results!

Botrytis sucks the water from the grapes, shriveling it like a raisin, dehydrating it and leaving only the solids like sugars behind. Because there’s no longer any water, sugars are highly concentrated and the resulting wine is very sweet. For the same reason botrytised grapes will yield very little juice, making these wines highly valuable.

Why does botrytis come for a visit? If grapes stay on thevine too long and over ripen, the fungus comes to take advantage of it. In addition to the sweet taste of a botrytis-afflicted wine, it produces an enzyme that gives its wines an oxidized, yellow, golden honey color, that’s become a highly prized and highly coveted characteristic amongst dessert wines.

So next time when you’re shopping around for an aperitif for your party or a pairing for dessert course, ask the shop keep, “where can I find your botrytised wines?” They will be properly impressed with your knowledge and your guests will love your selection!

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.

Cellar Princess: Sparkling Around The World – CHAMPAGNE

August 3, 2011 By Cellar Princess Leave a Comment

A new series by Cellar Princess – Sparkling Around the World and today starts with Champagne.

Champagne – the quintessential celebratory beverage – is probably the most famous of all sparkling wines, but also the most misunderstood. Wait, what?! Champagne is a sparkling wine? Yes, it is. But all sparkling wines are not champagne. And that’s the first thing you should know about it.

The next thing to know about Champagne is that it’s a region in France first, where its eponymous sparkling wine is produced. Only sparklers that hail from this region are allowed to be called champagne, as mandated by French law. This has come under fire in recent years and the French are fierce to protect the “champagne” name from being used willy-nilly by any sparkler with bubbles; I’m a purist, so I really hope that
“champagne’s” name is protected.

Champagne Region of France (Photo from www.nga.gov)

There are only three main grape varietals that go into champagne production: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. The latter two are red grape varietals and this may come as a surprise to most since most champagne is not red! But some of those famous names that we love to toss about, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Ruinart and Pol Roger, produce pink champagne.

Variety of Mumm Champagne (Photo from www.wine-pages.com)

Why do we mostly associate champagne with celebration? Well, for one, it’s the BUBBLES: those effervescent balls of fizz that delightfully hiss at us upon pouring. But what’s really interesting about those bubbles is how they got into the bottle. One of the production methods for champagne is the methode champenoise (or the champagne method) to obtain that fizz. That means that after a first round of fermentation, another round of fermentation occurs inside the bottle when yeast and sugar are added; and that combination is explosive, so to speak, because carbon dioxide gas is produced, and upon contact of the glass or flute, the bubbles appear. Opa!

Note: Champagne must age for a minimum of 18 months before release.

Your Cellar Princess promises to make all your wine selections royal! Follow her on facebook and twitter.