#WineCrushWednesday: Tanisha Townsend of Girl Meets Glass

I've met so many great people along this wine journey that I've been on for the last 4 years. These people, most whom I've never met personally, are the ones who motivate, encourage and inspire daily through their own wine experiences day in and day out via social media.  So because I'm continuously inspired by them, I've decided to feature them once a week as my wine crushes every Wednesday!

So without further or due, meet my first feature the lovely Tanisha Townsend. I met Tanisha through Twitter when I first started my account and one of us began following the other. Since then, we've continued to keep in touch through Facebook and email. She has always been one of my biggest supporters, especially after I took my first WSET I class. She had so much faith that I passed. (Of course I passed *shrugs* LOL)  I live vicariously through her, especially after she moved to Paris! Paris people! Okay, let me stop rambling because I could go on and on. I'll let you find out more about Ms. Townsend for yourself.



Tanisha Townsend of Girl Meets Glass

HITGV: How and when did you become interested in wine?

TT: I became interested in wine about 8 or so years ago while living in DC. There are tons of wineries in MD and VA and I started attending wine festivals. I was speaking with one of the winemakers and became completely fascinated with the flavors, the varietals and the process. The rest is history!

 

HITGV: You are living in Paris, France! How exciting it must be to live in a place known worldwide for it's wines. Tell what it's like living in Paris.

TT: Yep, living in Paris! What is it like? Up and down, happy and sad, all of the emotions! But, overall I will say this was the best move for me. I'm meeting so many people that are involved in so many different aspects of wine. I'm learning so much about wine and am able to taste so many different grapes that I don't have access to in the States. And wine is such a part of life here...wine with lunch is no big deal!

But as for everyday life, living in Paris isn't much different than living anywhere else. Except that I don't understand what people are saying because I don't speak French yet.. HAHA!

 

HITGV: What is the one thing you want people who are just getting into drinking wine to learn or take from drinking wine?

TT: I want people to loosen up about it! People take wine so seriously sometimes. Wine is to be drunk for good times, it's to be shared with friends, it's to warm you up on a cold night. 

HITGV: What's your favorite wine?

TT: This is the toughest question ever! LOL Ok, so my favorite wine changes regularly. But today, my favorite would have to be wines from the Southern Rhone. They're blends made from the Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan and Cinsault grapes. Think aromas and flavors of red berry fruit and spice. 

Now you see why I live vicariously through this lady? I thank Tanisha so much for agreeing to me my first #WineCrushWednesday feature. Hopefully in the near future, sometime in 2016 you'll see a post with she and I together.

Want to live vicariously through Tanisha too? Go to www.girlmeetsglass.tumblr.com

Until next Wednesday! Live, Laugh, Love and Drink Wine!

~ Chelsa B.

Sweet Red Wine Ice Cream~Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day



Today is Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day and of course our pick has to include wine.!Sweet Red Wine of course. Here's a recipe for Sweet Red Wine Ice Cream from Food & Wine.  


6 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet red wine, such as Moscato Rosa, Sagrantino Passito or Recioto di

 

 

1. In a heatproof bowl, mix the egg yolks. In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk and sugar and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk the hot cream into the eggs yolks; return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes; do not let the custard boil or it will curdle.

 

 2. Strain the custard into a bowl. Stir in the red wine. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly     chilled, about 1 hour. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cover and store in the freezer until serving time.

 

 

Is your palate brave enough to try this? Tell us if you celebrated the day with a creative ice cream flavor!

 

Founder Chelsa Brown has Lunch with LaKesha Womack

I had the pleasure of being interviewed my LaKesha Womack on her Blog Talk Radio Show "The LaKesha Womack Show". I got a chance to discuss with her how I became so passionate about wine, starting Heard It Through the Grapevine, Alabama wineries, how to pick out a good wine and more!

 

Check it out HERE!

 

Again, I'd like to thank LaKesha for the opportunity to be on her show. She is a lady on the move! To find out more about LaKesha follow her on Twitter @LaKeshaWomack

 

 

 

Halloween Sangria

 

 

Here's a super spooky Sangria recipe to offer the adult goons and gobblins at this year's Halloween party. It is based on "blood" red wine and versatile enough to allow your own ghoulish substitions as you see fit.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Bottle of "blood" red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
• 2 Cups ginger ale or club soda
• 1 Orange cut into wedges
• 1 Lemon cut into wedges
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• Dash of grenadine syrup (optional, for darker "bloodlike" color)
• Gummy worms, gummy bugs, or spooky hard candy eyes
• For extra Halloween fun, you can freeze those plastic spiders in spooky shaped ice cube trays for the ice mix-ins.

Preparation:

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon and orange into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda, grenadine syrup, ice and gummy candy just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice. Addition ideas: sliced strawberries, peaches, handful of fresh blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, a shot or two of gin, brandy or rum, or olives for "eyeballs." You might also consider adding black plastic spider rings to the stem of the wine glasses for further "effect."


Check out this recipe and more at wine.about.com

 

 

 



Wine Down Wednesday Networking Mixer Recap



Wine tasting and networking at Wine Down Wednesday

 

Our first Wine Down Wednesday would not have been a success without the great atmosphere of The Olive Room, great people to network with and of course great wine!  Nothing beats winding down on Hump Day tasting new wines and meeting new people. Check out the wines that were featured for our attendees tasting pleasures.

 

 

 

 

New Age 2009 (Wine Down Wednesday Favorite)

Light yellow/green colored wine, with fruity and floral aromas of great intensity. Balanced acidity leads to soft, semi-sweet and slighty effervescent flavors and mouth feel. This Argentina wine should be served well-chilled as an aperitif or dessert. Also, taste great with spicy, Thai, Indian, Chinese or Japanese cuisine.




Orsino 2010 Pinot Grigio

Flavors of peaches, pears, lemon, and slight hints of floral. Light to medium body with a brilliant straw color. Short and crisp finish, with a zesty lemon-citrus note. Alabama's own International Wines, Inc is the proud owner of this wine.

                                                        
Clos Du Bois 2009 Chardonnay

 Brilliant straw in color, full-bodied and offers up layered aromas of red and green apple, pear, vanilla bean, blossoms and lemon meringue. The palate delivers balanced structure and palate-cleansing acidity alongside bright fruit flavors backed by intense notes of caramel, toffee, spice and toasty oak. The smooth, rich finish is lingering and wraps up with hints of butter and toast. This ripe, full-bodied Chardonnay will complement dishes like fish prepared in lemon butter, pasta in cream sauce, and similar luscious fare.






Flirt 2009 Red Blend (Wine Down Wednesday Favorite)

 Flirt is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Tempranillo red wines from California. The Tempranillo varietal adds a hint of brown spice and black pepper that accents the black pepper in the Zinfandel.



Hob Nob 2012 Pinot Noir

Hob Nob Pinot Noir is a deep garnet-red color with a dense, deep red core going out into a light crimson rim definition with fairly high viscosity. superconcentrated style of this delicate grape variety with pungent violet pastilles, cran-grape juice, Bing cherry compote and sweet licorice notes underlying with just a hint of minerals. It also has a good and slightly sweetish berry jam finish, which again helps the overall impression. Pairs well with soy sauce, prime rib, sausage and dried cranberries.




Gnarly Head Authentic Red 2009  Red Blend

Gnarly Head Authentic Red is a big, bold Zinfandel-led red blend. The old vines produce scant clusters of small-berried fruit, resulting in intensely flavored, authentic wines with concentrated dark fruit flavors. Blended densely flavorful Zinfandel with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah to deliver a massively juicy core of ripe blackberry and spice. Pair it with steak,  or grilled chops of BBQ.

 
Last but not least...all six of these delicious wines are between $8.99 to $10.00! 
 
So, if you missed the first Wine Down Wednesday and these wines, you should definitely go out and get them from your local shop. But don't miss our next event, "Wine Down Wednesday *Speed Dating Edition*".
 
 
Check out more photos from Wine Down Wednesday Networking Mixer

Wine Down Wednesday *SPEED DATING EDITION*

 

 

  It's SAFE, FUN, & FAST!!

No more personal ads, blind dates or bar scene pick-ups. Where else can you meet a dozen or more people at one time who are there for the same reason you are?

“Speed Dating" events are a modern way to bring single professionals together in casual, fun and pressure-free environments. Everyone's been talking about it, and you've probably seen the concept on popular TV shows such as Sex and The City and in the movie Hitch.

There will be six wines for your tasting pleasure.

 The wine tasting and Speed Dating will began at 6:00PM

 Cost is $10 

Wine tasting is included with Speed Dating.

 You must pre-register for the Speed Dating event to ensure an equal number of men and women.

 

Seating is limited.

For more info and to register for Speed Dating go to http://wdwspeeddating.eventbrite.com/

If you have any questions please contact us by email at heardgrapvine@gmail.com or Chelsa Brown at 334-233-5168.

Wine Down Wednesdays

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Heard It Through Grapevine, Young Professionals of America, and A.T.M presents

"Wine Down Wednesday"

 

DATE: SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

 



Heard It Through Grapevine (www.heardgrapevine.blogspot.com ) Young Professionals of America, and A.T.M presents "Wine Down Wednesday" Every Third Wednesday of the month starting September 19 Thru December 19. Wine Down Wednesday is catering to the business professional crowd, set in a networking environment informing socialites in the art of wine.

Young Professionals of America (YPA) was formed as a resource for entrepreneurs, business owners, managers, and professionals throughout Montgomery County and surrounding areas. YPA provides programs, events and opportunities to support in building connections, learning new techniques and strategies for growth, improving networking skills,boosting business, and gaining referrals.

Dubbed the 'hottest venue in Montgomery, Alabama,The Olive Room, located 121 Montgomery Street Mont. Al 36104, will be serving up appetizers, delicious hors d'oeuvres and six selections of wine for your tasting pleasure from 5:30-7:30PM during Young Professional Wine Down Wednesday networking mixer.

Attendees will be introduced briefly to exclusive advertising offers and the new social media services from AC News and Heard It Through The Grapevine.

All are welcome to attend Wine Down Wednesday and are encouraged to bring plenty of business cards. Professional photographers from will be on hand to help participants and continue to promote companies through social media tagging. To better facilitate follow up appointments and business connections, every attendee will receive a email spreadsheet with contact information for all participants.

Cost is $10 at the door, and you are encouraged to RSVP at C.browntheoliveroom@gmail.com For more information, go to http://www.heardgrapevine.blogspot.com or Contact Chelsa Brown at (334) 233-5168.

Scheduled events:
September 19- Young Professional of America Wine Down Wednesday
October 17- Speed Dating
November 21- Tapas for two

2nd Annual Taste of Fashion Wine Tasting & Fundraiser

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE CHILDREN DISTRICT, SWAY’S WAY MODELING GROUP, AND A TEAM MANAGEMENT LLC PRESENTS 2nd Annual TASTE OF FASHION

Date: August 1,2012

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA--- Sway’s Way Modeling Group and Authentic Team Management have partnered up to present “A Taste of Fashion” at the Renaissance Exchange located at 201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery, AL 36104 on August 22, 2012 from 6:00pm...

to 9:00pm. This fundraiser event will be a teaser to the upcoming Allure of Style VI: Affair to Remember” fashion show at Embassy Suites Hotel located downtown Montgomery on August 26, 2012. This year a portion of the proceeds from the “Taste of Fashion” Fundraiser will go to Montgomery.

Montgomery Children’s District is a pro-active Non-Profit Organization providing mentoring and tutoring services to youth between the ages of 12 and 18 in the tri-city area of Montgomery, Al. Their goal is to commit to promoting social skills that will instill hope in our youth becoming function citizens in today’s society. This fundraiser will help Montgomery Children’s District continue to provide those services not only in the city but the Tri -State area.

All guests arriving at the Renaissance Exchange will enjoy live musicfrom The Souled Out Band and be able to participate in the wine tasting event. Come out and support a wonderful cause to help provide services to those in need.

Get Your Passport!

Travel and visit all 14 of Alabama's vineyards and wineries with your Alabama Wine Trail Passport!

 Passports can be picked up at any winery in the state Alabama. Once you've recieved stamps from each winery you will recieve a gorgeous wine glass bearing the names and logos of each winery.

Beware: The wine glass is not your standard size wine glass! (wink)


So get your passports and drink local! Make sure to check out the Alabama Vineryards and Wineries Tab for information on each of  them.

Happy Wine Trails!

Terrence & Angela of Souled Out perform at Vizzini Farms Winery

Montgomery's very own Terrence & Angela of Souled Out will be performing at Vizzini Farms Winery's first Wine & Jazz event of the year!



You can catch them in Calera, AL Saturday, April 21st from

6pm-10pm.

There will also be a New Orelans theme at the winery.

For more information on this event  go to  www.vizzinifarmswinery.com or call 1 877.780.9463

Also, stay up to date with Souled Out's upcoming performances at www.souledout.ws

Valentine's Day in the River Region

Valentines Day is right around corner!

 Looking for a nice romatic evening for two?

Find out through the Grapevine what's happening in Montgomery and the River Region!



Valentine's in the City in Downtown Montgomery

Participating Resturants: Montgomery Cafe at Embassy Suites, Cantina, Cool Beans, The Alley Bar, Dreamland, SAZA, Olive Room, Central at 129 Coosa Street

For more information go to www.montgomeryal.gov

Love on the Harriott II

February 11-13

Dinner Cruise

Cruises from 7pm-9pm

$149 per couple

To purchase tickets go to http://www.etix.com/ticket/online

Wine & Chocolate Event at Ozan Winery & Vineyards

Calera, Alabama

February 10-11

11am-6pm

For more information go www.ozanwine.com

 

Tis' the Season to Wine and Dine!

The Christmas season is here again and it’s time to shop for gifts! I’m sure you’re thinking about or on the hunt for a great gift for that special friend or family member. Well if they like wine, here are some gift suggestions for those wine lovers close to you.

Foil cutters are a must-have to for wine drinkers. They make opening a bottle much easier and cut that pesky foil off a bottle with one twist of your wrist. They come in a variety of shapes and colors and can be found at Target or your local wine product stores pricing from $4 and up.

A wonderful gift for wine lovers and non-wine lovers as well, are wine gift baskets. This lovely gift can be as big or small as you would like and are stuffed with, of course, a bottle of wine, cheeses, gourmet chocolates, crackers, summer sausage, etc. Baskets can be bought from your local wine shop or purchased online and shipped straight to that special someone. Prices range from $19.95 and up. Also, if you’re the do-it-yourself type, making this gift can be even more cost friendly.

Always a great gift to give is a bottle of wine. This is also great to have if you’re invited to a Christmas party or dinner. If you’re not sure what wine to choose, white wine is always a great choice. There are also bags that you can purchase for wine bottles to give asgifts. Price ranges for a bottle of wine go from under $10 and up.

Gift bags for wine bottles can be purchased at the Dollar Tree for as little as a $1.

Cloverdale Pub Crawl



Come out for a night of fun in the Historic Cloverdale District  as RSVP brings you the next

Pub Crawl!

Wristbands are $5!

Includes access to trolleys and discounts at all participating pub crawl stops including The Capri Theatre, El Rey, Tomatinos, Chophouse, Bud’s, ROUX, Pine Bar, Café Louisa and Sinclairs.

For more information visit www.rsvp-montgomery.com or call 334.356.4598

Halloween Wine & Jazz



Saturday, October 29th

 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Wine, Jazz, and Food. Costumes are welcomed but not required.

Come as you are or how you wanna be.

For more information go to http://www.vizzinifarmswinery.com/

Taste of the River Region

The Alabama Restaurant Association and the Junior League of Montgomery would like to invite you to the

2011 Taste of the River Region
Sunday, October 2, 2011
6:00pm-8:00pm

Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center

Come and enjoy many delicious of the River Region's best restaurants!

Advanced tickets are just $25 or $30 at the door

VIP Tabels are only $500 and come with 10 VIP tickets,early entry (5:30pm) a table and signage recognition

CLICK HERE to order your tickets now!

For more information go to www.jlmontgomery.org

9th Annual Grape Stomp & Lucille Ball Look Alike-Morgan Creek Vineyards

Saturday, September 17
  10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Join us for winery tours, wine tastings, live music and, of course grape stomping.

$10/person

Parking provided

                  Bring a picnic or purchase food on site.

For more on this event and Morgan Creek Vineyards go to the Alabama Wineries and Vineyards Section.                 

Bojo Knows Best!

If you ask most people about Beaujolais, they will say ‘Oh yeah, Beaujolais Nouveau. Good stuff.’ It is, but the Beaujolais region is so much more than just its Nouveau. Beaujolais is the largest wine producing region in Burgundy, France. Located to the south of Maconnais, it has over 50,000 acres of vines planted.

Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape which is a cross between Pinot Noir and the white Gouais. With its close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea and its semi-continental weather, this cross ripens two weeks earlier than Pinot Noir and it isn’t as hard to cultivate. This resulted in a larger production of fruitier wines.  But everyone wasn’t always okay with planting Gamay. In 1395, the Phillipe the Bold outlawed the production of Gamay because he felt that it was taking away prime vineyard land from the more appreciated and respected Pinot Noir. So winemakers pushed Gamay further south out of mainland Burgundy into what is now known as Beaujolais, where it found itself in granitic soils where the grape flourished.

The region of Beaujolais is divided into two distinct soil types which also divide the region into Northern and Southern Beaujolais with Villefranche as the middle point. The hilly northern portion has most of the Cru Beaujolais communes and is made up of granite, schist and a little limestone. The southern half or Bas Beaujolais is a bit flatter and contains more clay-based, sandy soils with some limestone patches sprinkled throughout the region. These soil differences present themselves in the wine with the North producing wines with a fuller body and a more complex structure. The wines of the South have a crisper, more acidic flavor with loads of red fruit on the palate.

Back to Beaujolais Nouveau, it was actually created by George Duboeuf for marketing purposes. It’s a light, fruity style of Beaujolais that is meant to be drunk quickly and can be slightly chilled. The grapes are picked around late August, early September and the wine is only fermented a few days before it’s bottled. These wines are then released to t he public on the third Thursday of November at 12:01 am, Beaujolais Nouveau Day. This wine can last for a couple of years but it won’t develop any additional flavors or characteristics from bottle aging.

As for the actual wines of Beaujolais, they are divided into the following levels of quality:

Beaujolais AOC – all Beaujolais falls into this category

                Beaujolais Blanc – made from Chardonnay and Aligote  

                Beaujolais Rose

Beaujolais Villages AOC

Cru Beaujolais – the highest level of quality, 10 Crus

So when you’re thinking of a red wine for white wine drinkers, think Beaujolais!

 Article by Tanisha Townsend

Find out more on Tanisha in our About Section

2nd Annual Riverwalk Wine Festival

Make plans now for this spectacular afternoon of wine on the water!

Saturday

October 8, 2011

1:00pm to 4:00p.m.

Montgomery Riverfront in Downtown Montgomery

Event will include wine tasting from 11 different distributors representing over 100 wineries.

Admission is $25 per person and will include:

• Etched wine glass commemorating the event
• Discounted wine purchases from participating local wine shoppes
• Food samples
• Live music
• Picnic baskets and coolers are welcome
• Discounted tickets for a special Harriott II Wine Cruise

You can purchase your tickets here:

• Online Now at E-tix
• RSVP Montgomery
• Riverfront Facilities
• Derk's Filet & Vine
• Peppertree Steaks & Wine
• Tickets will be available for purchase on August 15

 

6th Annnual Jazz on the Grass



WVAS-FM and the Alabama Jazz & Blues Federation present

the 6th annual

Jazz on the Grass

at the Riverwalk Amphitheater in Downtown Montgomery.

Featuring performances by Hart Ramsey, Reggie Hines, Kim Scott, Roman Street, The Hot 8 Brass Band, The Recreators and much more.

Gates open at 10am horns up at 11.

Tickets available at Dirk's Filet & Vine in Old Cloverdale, Ted the Wine Guy, Riverwalk Stadium, Another Chance Package Store and you can go online at etix.com

For more information call 334-229-4708.

August is Pinot Grigio Month!

Courtesy of About.com

Definition: Italy's most popular white wine is produced from the * Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris grape varietal. This wine hails from the northeast region of Veneto and Friuli. A light, crisp white wine that is intended to be consumed early on.

Flavor Profile Pinot Grigio flavors can range from melon to pear and some even offer a subtle tropical or citrus fruit, often there is a honey or smoky flavor component as well. As for color, Pinot Grigio is typically a pale, straw-like yellow with some golden hues thrown in. The texture of a Pinot Grigio is worth noting, as it has very smooth, almost silk-like overtones that leave an impression on the palate.

Food Pairing
Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with seafood, light pastas and cheese cracker combinations. Since this wine is fairly acidic itself, avoid pairing with foods that have high acid contents, like citrus fruits or tomato-based recipes.

Key Producers to Try
Stella
Hogue
Stone Wolf
St. Michael-Eppan
Chehalem
Bethel Heights
Eyrie Vineyards

Happy Pinot Grigio Drinking!