Are you going to SXSW? The Wine Sisterhood will be pouring at the Girl and Guy party presented by Kirtsy on Sunday, March 14 beginning at 5pm at the world-famous Allens Boots. Sold out,--it's one of the hottest parties at SXSW--but we have a few remaining spots for sponsor VIPs.

We'll be pouring Middle Sister and Purple Cowboy. If you'd like to join us, send us an email by end of day Thursday, March 11 and we'll put you on the list. LIST IS CLOSED NOW.

Just off the boat from Italy wih love! We invite you all to visit the brand new Website for one of our very latest wines--Cocca di Papa. Cocca di Papa means "Daddy's Girl" in Italian and that's exactly where we've sourced the fruit--from the signature growing regions for Italy's two most popular wines: Chianti and Pinot Grigio. 

Cocca di Papa Chianti is grown with care under the Tuscan sun; our Pinot Grigio comes from the cooler Veneto region. The wines are vinted and bottled in Italy, then journey across the sea to your dinner table. 

The Italians consider wine to be an essential part of the meal. These wines are made in a well-balanced style that is intended to enhance (not overpower) whatever you're serving. You'll taste bright, fruit, refreshing acidity, balanced alcohol, and for the Chianti, just a touch of oak. The Pinot Grigio is fermented in stainless steel to maintain its fresh fruit character.

We think you'll not only love the taste but also the super stylish label which is in the running for a number of prestigious design awards. Check out Cocca di Papa and let us know what you think. 

Cocca di Papa is currently at your local Target store (where wine is sold).

Salute!

Do you like wine and cowboys?

Who doesn't! We'd love for your to join our community so you can take this month's survey and voice your opinion about a new wine we'rethinking about producing. Our newest wine has a western story behind it and is sourced from one of our very favorite California growing regions--Paso Robles (aka "Cowboy Wine Country").

Sign up to become a Wine Sisterhood member, so you can access the survey, or if you're already a member just log-in and vote. Once again, we'll be drawing a survey participant at random and awarding a prize--just to say thanks for playing!

 We'll be announcing the results of the
February survey shortly, and also the monthly winner.

So stay tuned for more and be sure to VOTE!

Gnocchi. Pronounce it? We can hardly spell it.
But that's o.k. because it's so creamy-licious.

You know the feeling. You’re looking at a menu, thinking about what to order. But you’re also wondering  “How the heck is that pronounced?”  Maybe your palms get a little sweaty or you start to hyperventilate.

Of course, this mini-drama also happens with wine and wine lists. We’re not suggesting, of course, full-on panic attack mode every time we see a an unfamiliar word, or one that we've never really been sure we're pronouncing correctly, but yes, it can be a tiny tad uncomfortable. Even for us major food and wine enthusiasts. 

Remember the high school French class where you pretended you were in a French restaurant and had to order? Although we will not be able to negotiate a screaming deal on an antique mirror at the Paris Flea Market,, we will most likely be able to order dinner and wine at any little bistro here and abroad. 

On the other hand, having never taken high school German, even that proposition seems remote. Trockenbeerenaulese, anybody? 

So every once in awhile, it's nice to have a little refresher course on some of the more troublesome words in our food and wine vocabulary.

An amusing blog from the Chicago Tribune discusses just this: how to correctly pronounce some of the most commonly mispronounced culinary terms. (Well, common to some people at least).  If  you care what the server or the sommelier thinks about you, you might find this the best thing you'll read all week. 

And although we don't usually care what people think--our Wine Sisterhood policy is no snobs and especially no food and wine snobs--it is kind of interesting to see how some of those tricky terms are really pronounced. 

If ever in doubt about what a food or wine word means or how it is pronounced, we think the best strategy is simply to ask  your helpful server, sommelier, bartender or wine retailer: Or one of your savvy friends at the Wine Sisterhood. Gets you off the hook every time.

Any food or wine words that are a mystery to you? Join the discussion on the Wine Sisterhood community site and we’ll see if we can straighten things out!

Question:  Have you ever NOT ordered or purchased a wine because you didn’t know how to pronounce it?
 

Wine, women and a good book–sounds like fun, doesn’t it.

The Wine Sisterhood is pleased to be a part of the Girlfriendology Book Club, this month featuring The Elegant Gathering of White Snows by Kris Radish. It’s a story about enduring friendships and women connecting–at times, apparently, over a glass or two of wine! This is the second meeting of the book club–you can participate in the discussion live or go back to the forum and add your comments at your leisure. You can even do it in your p.j.’s and you can’t do that with most book clubs!

The book club meets on Girlfriendology on Monday, March 1 from 7-9pm EST. Know it’s not a whole bunch of time, but this might be the perfect rainy/snowy weekend to download it to your Kindle, curl up in front of a fire, pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine and have a little read-in.

At any rate, you’ll want to check out the Girlfriendology site. It’s a wonderful digital community celebrating women’s friendships and connection and it’s packed with both information and inspiration.  Thanks to founder (and friend) Debba Hauppert for bringing the Wine Sisterhood into her circle of friends.

Meet our girl in the valley. Natalie is Director, Sales and Marketing for Canopy Management wines and a founding member of the Wine Sisterhood. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Wine Business, Natalie began her career in the research department of Sutter Home/Trinchero Family Estates, and managed marketing projects for the National Accounts team before joining Canopy Management.

Among her many talents, we especially appreciate Natalie’s passion for food, wine and friends and how she mashes them all up in her own signature style. This makes Natalie our go-to girl whenever we want the scoop on the hot new dinner spot, a soon-to-be-famous winery, or the event to be at on a Saturday night. We joke that Natalie knows “everybody” in the Napa Valley, but that’s not far off the mark.  Need the perfect spot to propose—Natalie will ring up her friend the concierge at Napa’s most romantic inn. Want a private tasting at an appointment-only winery—Natalie will make a call. You get the picture.

Natalie is an avid bocce player on a team called “Joanie Loves Bocce” and as an accomplished home chef, is a member of an active and ambitious St. Helena cookbook club. Every so often she leaves the clubhouse a bit early to whip up paella or something else with way more steps than are necessary on a Wednesday night. Natalie and our friend Helen Jane Hearn also founded Cheese Whizzes, a Napa Valley social group devoted to the enjoyment of cheese and wine. No less than Food and Wine Magazine fell in love with the concept, and featured Natalie, Helen Jane and the Cheese Whizzes in their December 2009 entertaining issue.

Natalie’s network of friends and influencers goes beyond the Napa Valley. She recently attended the kick-off event of New York Fashion Week—the Red Dress Show—as a guest of the show’s creative director, and has provided us with Facebook updates from the East Village and McSorley’s “Wonderful” Saloon.

Natalie has been part of the Tough Enough To Wear Pink? breast cancer awareness project from its inception, and is our point person for Dress for Success and Wine, Women and Shoes, female-focused charities that the Wine Sisterhood and our portfolio of wine proudly support.

Look for Natalie and her black pug Minky, on the bocce courts at Crane Park, St, Helena. Minky is the pug with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. Or send Natalie an email if you and your sisters are coming to the Valley. We’re sure she’ll have some ideas on how to make your visit both memorable and delicious.

Know somebody who would be perfect for a Successful Sister profile? Or maybe it’s you!  Submit your stories!

We’re thrilled to be sponsoring their famous Foodies Night-In twitter party on Monday, February 22 from 4-7pm EST.

Our friend Aliza met the Cooking with Caitlin ladies recently at Blissdom and introduced them to the Wine Sisterhood and some of our wines. Click on the link for all the details and to RSVP.  We’ll be talking food, wine and…? So all you opinionated sisters out there is the Twitterverse, grab a glass and join us!

We are happy to announce the results of our January survey and present to the winning label for our newest wine, Haute Red. We’re happy to report that the label entitled “Black Shoe” received the most votes and will be gracing bottles of this new release to be launched later this Spring!

Haute Red is an alluring Pinot Noir for all you many fans of that finicky but fabulous grape. Pinot Noir has a reputation as the “heartbreak” grape because it can be difficult to grow. But it’s certainly rewarding in the glass. Pinot Noir pairs so effortlessly with such a wide range of foods–vegetarian, salmon, chicken, burgers.   

Along with the launch of Haute Red we are also releasing White Haute, a fresh, delicate Riesling. This wine is crisp and fresh–a good choice for lighter springtime fare and spicier Asian and Latin cuisine. Both wines are sourced from cool-climate California appellations. 

Hope you’ve had a chance to vote in the February survey and help us name the next  Middle Sister wine! If you haven’t already registered to join the Sisterhood and voice your opinion, just click on the link at the top left of the page…the one that says “Ready to Join?”…only takes a moment.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Toast your special valentine with Monogamy (and save the PromisQous for later!). To help you celebrate with your sweetie, we’ve put together a romantic and racy sampler of our popular California bottlings.

 

The Valentine’s Sampler includes:

• One bottle of Monogamy Chardonnay (California; Sonoma/Napa)
  
• One bottle of Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast California)
  
• One bottle of PromisQous White (California; a light and sassy mingling of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Gewurztraminer)
  
• One bottle of PromisQous Red (California; a dark, dashing blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah)

Treat yourself! Our Monogamy Chardonnay just won the gold medal at the San Francisco Wine Competition, and our Monogamy Cabernet and both the PromisQous white and red all won silver medals at the event.

Click here to purchase, and and put a smile on the face of your Special Valentine.

Four bottles total. Special price of $44.95 (plus shipping).

Tell us what you – or your sweetie – thinks if you try this!

You may have noticed that in addition to this blog, we’re also on Ning as well as Facebook and Twitter. So what are we doing in social networks?

Well, I’m sure you’d agree that picking out wines and drinking wines are social activities. And with the advent of blogs, Facebook and Twitter, we can all tell the world what we’re drinking and what we think of the wine we drink. Add in all those wine apps on our mobile devices, and we can have wine information, recommendations and communities literally at our fingertips.

So it follows that Wine Sisterhood would want to be where the action is and where we can form a unique community of women who not only talk about wine and share wine articles, reviews and recommendations, but who can also provide input on the creation of new wine brands. Yes, you heard us right. As a member of Wine Sisterhood, you can provide your opinions on everything from new wine names to wine label designs and hopefully soon to the wine itself. And the best thing? Membership to Wine Sisterhood is totally free.

The key to participating is to sign up to our Ning community because that is where the official surveys are posted. With women like you, we’ve picked the name and label design for our next wine: Red Haute. And starting today, we’re looking for your opinions on the name of a new Middle Sister for Middle Sister Wines. And starting today, we’re looking for your opinions on the name of a new Middle Sister for Middle Sister Wines.

When was the last time you really had a say in how a product was made? Think about it: Before the end of this year, you will see several wines on the shelves of your favorite wine sellers that YOU had a hand in developing. We hope you’ll invite your girlfriends to join us!

How is social media changing the way you think about the products you buy?

Help us select a name for the newest Middle Sister wine…to be introduced later this spring. Join the Wine Sisterhood community and follow the link to the survey and cast your vote! We’ll pick one lucky sister from the voters to receive a fabulous Wine Sisterhood basket of wine-y treats.

Deep Purple Zinfandel, Cinnamon Brownie Bites

6 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Deep Purple Zinfandel
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
6 ounces Good quality Semi-Sweet chocolate
1/4 Cup Hershey’s Syrup
3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/4 Teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 340 degrees.  Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper and spray with non stick spray.
2. Bring wine and butter to a low simmer over medium heat.  Remove from direct heat and add the semi sweet chocolate and cocoa powder.  Stir until mixture is melted.  Let cool slightly.
3. Put sugar, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of electric mixer and beat on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes.  Add chocolate mixture.  Add flour, baking powder and cinnamon.  Beat, scraping sides of bowl until well incorporated – don’t over mix.  Fold in with a spatula the Hershey’s syrup.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 25 minutes.  Let cool completely.  Yields about 9 large or 16 small brownies. 

We cut them into tiny mini bites…. Great for nibbling with a glass of Deep Purple Zinfandel!

Optional:  Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on the top before baking!

We’ve been pouring all day at the Boston Wine Expo and want to say thanks to all the great wine lovers who came by our table and tasted our wines. But now our thoughts turn toward football and the big game tomorrow between New Orleans and Minnesota. We’re not taking sides, you understand. But we did kind of like what our friends at Wrangler did to support our favorite old guy, Brett Favre. (Sure he loves that). Anyway, they turned their logo purple in honor of the Minnesota Vikings. Click on the link to read all about it.

You see, Wrangler and Brett have a long-time relationship, with Brett acting as spokesperson for Wrangler Jeans. Wrangler and our own Purple Cowboy work together to raise funds for breast cancer awareness through the Tough Enough To Wear Pink? organization. And the Favre family, especially Deanna, who is herself a breast cancer survivor, have done incredible work to fight this disease.  So maybe we do feel just a little bit of love toward the QB who’s wearing purple tomorrow.  Wrangler has asked their fans to post this logo to their walls during the playoffs (The Wrangler logo is usually red)

So until we make a Purple Viking wine, Purple Cowboy and a posted logo will have to do.  So go out and have a great game!

Our Thirsty Girl Friend Leslie Sbrocco praises Purple Cowboy in a segment this morning about the Boston Wine Expo and food and wine pairing. Check out the link to Fox Channel 25. Our wine looks fab and so does Leslie–especially considering she got into Boston at 2am and had to be at the studio by 6. She’s a rock star! If you’re coming to the tasting, be sure to stop by the Thirsty Girl booth and say howdy. We’ll be pouring the Cowboy Tenacious Red as well as Middle Sister Rebel Red and Middle Sister Drama Queen Pinot Grigio, PromisQuous Red and Monogamy Cab. We have a treat for you if you’re a Wine Sister or want to be one…just ask.

http://bit.ly/4MuLH2

Leslie Sbrocco
Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing, and Sharing Wine
http://www.lesliesbrocco.com/
http://twitter.com/lesliesb

Meet wine enthusiast and accomplished wine writer Leslie Sbrocco. An award-winning author, writer, speaker, wine consultant, and television host, Leslie’s entertaining approach makes learning about wine and food fun. Her first book, Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine, won the coveted Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year award. Her second book, The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide, was released in October 2006. Her work has been published in outlets such as O, the Oprah magazine; Coastal Living; Woman’s Day; Good Housekeeping; Glamour; and Santé. Prior to completing Wine for Women, Leslie was a columnist for The New York Times online and Cooking with the Times and General Manager/Co-founder of WineToday.com, the wine site of The New York Times Company. Here’s our interview with Leslie…

Wine Sisterhood: Tell us about “Wine for Women” and what inspired you to write it.
“Wine for Women” is a guide to learning about wine in a fun and entertaining, yet functional way. I geared it towards women because we do the majority of wine buying and tend to focus on how to integrate wine into our lifestyle and buy on recommendations from friends as opposed to buying wine on ratings. Being a wine educator and communicator for more than a decade, I noticed that women tend to approach wine from a unique perspective and I wanted to address that.

WS: Why a book specifically for women and how does it differ from one for men or both sexes? How do men and women treat wine differently?
I don’t recommend different wine for men or women. As I say in the book, it’s not about what’s in the bottle but how we approach the bottle. Women want to know what the wine tastes like, what it goes with and how to enjoy it in the context of everyday life. The subtitle of the book is “A Guide to Buying, Pairing, and Sharing” and that’s how the book is structured. Each chapter looks at a particular wine type or variety and I build what I call the essential wine wardrobe. For example, Merlot, due to its characteristic suppleness, is my cashmere of the wine world. I highlight great places where the wine comes from, top producers, and give recipes for each wine category. By the way, it won the Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year Award because men can read it too.

WS: What is your favorite “Wine Moment?”
I’ve had so many favorite moments. A great one was when I got to bungee jump in New Zealand after tasting Pinot Noir in Central Otago. That morning I actually swallowed instead of spitting all the wine at the tasting in preparation for jumping off a bridge! I survived, and it was an amazing experience.

WS: What is your best advice to wine newbies about pairing wines with foods? What are some common myths about wine you can clear up for us?
My best advice is not to worry about pairing food and wine. Drink what you like and eat what you like. But there are guidelines for making magic when pairing. Things like matching the textures of the food and wine and complementing aromas and flavors. In my second book,”The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide,” I have a whole chapter on how to pair wines. I even talk about wines with take-out food. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio and Thai noodles are fabulous.

WS: What is an example of a “wine-friendly”meal that is easy to prepare?
Try pairing this Eggplant and Mushroom Sandwich with a Merlot or Bordeaux:

Saute several portobello mushrooms in olive oil and slice into wide strips. Cut 1 eggplant into rounds about ¾ inch thick and sprinkle salt on each round. Fry each piece in a generous amount of olive oil for 5 to 6 minutes, until brown on both sides and soft in the middle. Place them on paper towels to drain. Toast crusty bread cut in half lengthwise and spread with Dijon mustard. Layer on the cooked vegetables and fresh spinach leaves. Cut into portions and serve warm.

Leslie will be at the Boston Wine Expo January 23-24 promoting her new book “The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide.” She will be pouring Canopy wines at her table, so drop by for a sip!