Bottle Poppin' Picks + Spotify Playlist

Analise Gregory August 18, 2020

“Wine is bottled poetry.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Discovering new wines and champagnes is something that I truly enjoy. I love opening a bottle of wine with my husband in our kitchen, with music playing softly in the background. For me, a glass of wine at the end of the day is the perfect way to unwind, and music is the perfect compliment to that.

Today, I am sharing four spectacular picks - three wines and one champagne, plus a playlist to go with your next wine down.

analisemia · Playlist · 33 songs · 0 likes

2019 Betelgeuse Rosé

You may recall me singing this rosé’s praises recently, but this wine is totally worth an encore feature. This rosé will now be a staple in my home, and it’s absolutely lovely.

The grape of this wine is:

Pinot Noir

This rosé has notes of:

Red fruit: strawberry, cherry, watermelon
Tropical: guava, kiwi

The watermelon and strawberry notes are so well balanced, also stone fruit was immediately present on the palate as well. For the secondary notes, you’ll taste rose petal and a touch of citrus and lemongrass.

A perfect pairing for this wine would be a seafood, grilled chicken, or vegetarian dish. Also, this rosé is perfect to sip by itself.

Orin Swift Machete

This California Red Blend is simply lovely. The grapes in this wine are:

Shiraz/Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon
Grenache
Malbec
Merlot
Petite Sirah

It is a complex wine, with a ton of mouth feel. The notes in this bottle are pronounced, and you’ll find:

Black fruit: plum, blueberry, and blackberry
Oak: vanilla and chocolate
Earth: leather and smoke
Red fruit: cherry and raspberry
Spice: licorice and anise

Also, there are some subtle notes of floral and dried fruit as well.

This wine would pair wonderfully with beef, lamb, veal, turkey, or chicken. A dry aged steak would honestly be a lovely dish to have with this wine as well.

2013 Bressan Schioppettino

I fell in love with this wine during my trip to Italy in 2019, and I’m desperately holding onto this last bottle in my collection. This wine is so unique, and like nothing I’ve ever had.

The grape in this wine is:

Schioppettino

This wine has the following notes:

Spice: white pepper and black pepper
Oak: clove and tobacco
Red fruit: cherry, raspberry, and strawberry
Earth: leather and smoke

The Bressan Schioppettino would be the perfect pair with beef, pasta, lamb, or venison. Personally, I love pairing this wine with Cacio e Pepe the pepper in both the pasta and Bressan blend beautifully together.

Pierre Paillard Bouzy Grand Cru Les Parcelles Extra Brut

My local wine shop recommended this champagne, and although the price tag on this bottle was a bit steep, it was really amazing.

The grapes in this wine are:

Pinot Noir
Chardonnay

For the notes, you’ll taste:

Tree fruit: green apple and pear
Citrus: lemon

Also, you’ll find a lot of brioche and toast notes on this champagne.

This champagne pairs perfectly with pork, salmon, tuna, shellfish, mild and soft cheeses. I love pairing this bottle of bubbly with smoked salmon or lobster - it is simply divine.

XO, Analise

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich + Lambrusco Pairing

Analise Gregory August 15, 2020

“I like to cook with the philosophy of using great ingredients and not altering them too much.” - Aaron Sanchez

Buttermilk fried chicken is a classic, and truly one of my favorite things to make at home. It is rare I make one of my favorite dishes. Lately, I have been craving a buttermilk fried chicken thigh sandwich, and decided to create this dish at home.

Traditionally buttermilk fried chicken pairs wonderfully with Champagne, Crémant, or Prosecco - but today I’m switching it up, and pairing this meal with Lambrusco.

Not familiar with Lambrusco? I’m sharing all the details on this lovely wine below.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

Fried chicken is truly a classic. Marinated boneless chicken thighs for 24 hours, in a special blend of herbs and spices was the key to making this protein perfect.

On the day of cooking, I put each chicken thigh into a bowl of buttermilk, ensuring the flavor sets in just right. This really helps tenderize the meat, and upon frying the chicken, it was able to get the perfect golden crispy crunch.

The sandwich was simple - a buttered potato bun, fresh arugula, avocado, garlic and herb mayo, with the crown jewel of course - a buttermilk fried chicken thigh.

Buttermilk fried chicken thigh sandwich with garlic herb mayo, avocado, and arugula on a buttered potato bun.

Lambrusco

Lambrusco is an Italian red grape, and this is a sparkling wine. The region of this particular Lambrusco is Salamino di Santa Croce. They are typically lighter in color, semi-sparkling, and is either semi-sweet or dry style. Also, this varietal gets in name from its resemblance to sausage as a grape cluster - pretty cool, right?

All in all, Lambrusco is great to pair with a rich or fatty dish, as the acid and tannins of this wine really help balance one another.

Now, lets dive into this particular wine!

I picked up this bottle at my local bakery, Prosperity Kitchen & Pantry - a popular spot near my home in Virginia Beach, VA. It is rare that I’m able to find a lovely Lambrusco, so I jumped at the opportunity. Immediately I knew what I had to pair it with a fried chicken dish. The cool thing about this wine is that it is organic, and I’m always interested in trying these particular types of wines.

The notes on this wine are:

Red Fruit: cherry and cranberry
Earth: minerality and balsamic
Black Fruit: plum, black cherry, and blackberry
Malolactic: yeast and dairy
Spice: pepper, clove, anise, and cinnamon

Also, there are some subtle notes of apple and peach. Overall, for a price point of under $25, this wine is complex and overall very well done.

This wine would pair well with pork, salmon, tuna, cheese, cured meat, and of course chicken - particularly buttermilk fried chicken.

XO, Analise

Chimichurri Steak + Merlot Pairing

Analise Gregory August 11, 2020

“Simple ingredients, treated with respect... put them together and you will always have a great dish.” - Jose Andres

One of my husband’s favorite dishes ever is a dry aged steak. It’s a treat when he is able to create this dish at home. For this steak, we paired it with a homemade chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri is a combination of fresh herbs and seasonings (finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and red wine vinegar) - it truly paired wonderfully with the dry aged steak or really any grilled meat.

When selecting a wine for this dish, it was a no brainer - Merlot would be a wonderful pair. There are some wonderful Merlots on the market today, but finding one for a reasonable price, balance, and complexity can prove to be a bit challenging. Alas, I was swept off my feet with a Merlot straight from the Rutherford region in California.

Today. I am pairing a spectacular wine, 2018 Textbook Merlot with a one of a kind Dry Aged Steak entrée and it is most certainly a treat.

Sliced dry aged coffee rub steak paired with a chimichurri sauce, accompanied by roasted garlic and herb rainbow carrots.

2018 Textbook Merlot

This merlot is absolutely stunning, and for less than $20 it was a steal. My WSET Level 2 classmate recommended this lovely bottle during my visit to our local Whole Foods, and she was incredibly right - I’d fall in love with this wine.

Here are the notes on the 2018 Textbook Merlot:

Oak: vanilla and chocolate
Black fruit: blackberry, plum, and black cherry
Earth: leather, hickory, and smoke

This Merlot is from California - Rutherford to be exact. The 2018 Textbook Merlot is bursting with flavor, and such a dynamic merlot for the price point. It is bold and smooth - the perfect balance. At first sip, it is soft on the palate, and dry on the finish.

I chose this wine for this dish as it was an outstanding compliment to the smoked dry aged steak. Mesquite wood was used in the smoking process, thus giving this protein a nice hearty flavor - the perfect match to this merlot pairing.

Any beef, lamb, or veal dish would compliment this wine perfectly - but this Chimichurri Steak is the optimal pairing.

Sliced smoked medium rare dry aged steak.

XO, Analise

Coravin Model Two Elite Pro Review

Analise Gregory August 8, 2020

“I've always wanted to improve on the idea of living well, In moderation, wine is good for you - mentally, physically, and spiritually.” - Robert Mondavi

When I first saw the Coravin in action several years ago at a local wine shop, I was really fascinated by it. This tool was the perfect item to taste some delicious wines without having to go through the trouble of uncorking your bottles. Immediately when I saw this gadget in action I loved the fact that it could preserve and lengthen the life of your wine - it’s truly a total game changer.

Over the past year or so, I’ve really dived into my wine education, and diversified my palate so much. Adding the Coravin into my collection made sense - the ability to enjoy wine at ease, and not having to rush through a bottle.

If you have been thinking about getting a Coravin, I’m here to tell you all about it. I’m sharing my experience, which model I selected, and some tips on how to use it best.

Coravin Model Two Elite Pro

After doing a lot of research, and consulting with my cousin Alisha who owns one herself, I decided to go with the Model Two Elite Pro. A Coravin in general come with a hefty price tag, but it pays for itself in the long run in my personal opinion - think about all of the wine you’ll be saving!

Here is why I decided to make the leap in purchasing one:

Excellent Reviews: The Model Two Elite Pro itself received fantastic reviews from buyers - and it is one of the most popular models.
Cost Savings: I love pairing my wines with meals that I curate right at home. Most times, I prefer to enjoy one glass with that dish - not a whole bottle. In the long run I save money and wine by only drinking exactly what I’d want, when I want, without ever over indulging.
Enjoy Wine at Ease: Writing about wine is something I do quite often, and many times I’m often tasting several varietals. Having to open a bunch of bottles at one time would really be a bummer, especially if it is one that I fall in love with and want to enjoy at a later time. The Coravin really comes in handy when you just want to have a sip and not an entire bottle.
Lengthens the Life of Your Wine: My husband and I have both invested quite a lot into our wine collection. We have had bottles shipped to our home from out of the country, as well as own vintages we’ll never be able to find again. Again, the Coravin saves the day, so we can enjoy a glass here and there without having to open an entire bottle, forcing us to drink it quickly before it goes bad.
Sale Price: Lastly, and this was a major reason why I invested in a Coravin - it was on sale. I love a good deal, and this model came with a lot of perks, and was heavily marked down from its original price.

Coravin Model Two Elite Pro Features

What sold me on the Coravin was how wonderfully made it was, and all of the variety of colors in came in. It has chrome accents, and is very sturdy - this item will last for a very long time, as long as it’s treated with care.

My model came with several items that made its package complete:

Coravin Wine Needle - This is designed to specifically go into the cork and pours the wine right into your glass
4 Premium Coravin Capsules - The capsules are unique to Coravin, each one contains only the purest argon gas. This enables the Coravin to effectively operate, as each capsule pressurize bottles and allow wine to freely flow right into your glass. Each capsule can pour around 15 glasses of wine.
Carrying Case - The carrying case is perfect, as I can transport my Coravin outside my home without fear of damaging it.
Coravin Stand - This base is perfect, it is sturdy, and has a matted black finish. I’m easily able to display my Coravin elegantly on my bar.

Tips for Best Use

When investing in an item like this, you’ll what to make sure it stands the test of time.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using a Coravin:

The Coravin works best with natural corks, and not synthetic ones. Synthetic corks do not naturally close back up, thus air will enter into wine bottle. Be sure, to carefully check your cork before using your Coravin.
Do not lay your bottle down after using the Coravin, keep it upright for at least 24 hours, to ensure the small hole in the cork closes naturally. It is important to make sure your wine does not drip outside of the bottle - so to err on the side of caution keep your bottle upright after using the Coravin.
This device is not meant to be used on champagne, prosecco, or any sparkling champagne corks - only on the traditional corks found in red or white wine bottles.
Gently run lukewarm water through your Coravin after each use. This will remove any leftover residue and will be nice and clean before you use it on your next bottle of wine.

Hope this review was helpful! I would love to hear your thoughts if you have Coarvin, or are thinking of getting one!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Fried Lobster Tails

Analise Gregory August 4, 2020

“Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way - that's the best way to take your everyday cooking to a higher level.” - Jose Andres

Lobster is something that I really enjoy, and seldom have on a regular basis. Yet, when I was able to find some wonderful lobster tails at my local grocery store it was a must that I’d make Fried Lobster Tails. This dish was a treat, and when paired with sautéed greens it’s absolutely delicious.

Below is a super simple recipe to take your lobster tails to a whole new level.

What You’ll Need:

(serves two)

4 lobster tails
1 egg
4 tablespoons of water
4 teaspoons black pepper (divided)
2 teaspoon of red pepper (divided)
4 teaspoons of lemon pepper seasoning (divided)
2 teaspoons of salt (divided)
1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs
Canola oil

Instructions:

STEP 1: Ensure each lobster tails is thawed out completely. Then, butterfly the lobster tails so that the meat sits gently on top of the shell.

Pro Tip: Hold a lobster tail in one hand with the top of the hard shell facing up. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut through the top of the shell and through the meat. Stopping just before the bottom shell. Do not cut through wide end of the tail.

STEP 2: Then take half of the seasonings of salt, black pepper, red pepper, and lemon pepper - generously seasoning your lobster meat.

STEP 3: Next, combine the flour, and the rest of your seasonings together, dredge each lobster tail into the flour mixture.

STEP 4: Whisk your egg and water mixture until frothy. Dip each lobster tail (meat only) into the egg wash, then immediately coat in seasoned bread crumbs.

STEP 5: Pour canola oil into the cooking vessel, and make sure that there is enough oil in the container to fully submerge each tail. Ensure your canola oil temperature is at 350 degrees fahrenheit. Then, slowly add your lobster tail into the cooking vessel (meat side down). Cook for about 5-8 minutes, and you’ll notice the golden texture on the seasoned bread crumb mixture.

Pro Tip: Pay close attention to the tails, they’ll begin to turn bright red as they are being cooked.

STEP 6: Remove lobster tails from the cooking vessel and let any excess oil drain on a wire rack. Wait for about 3 minutes for the tails to cool before indulging.

STEP 7: Enjoy!

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XO, Analise