Could You Tell?

Could you tell yesterday that I was bored? When I'm bored I tend to make way to many posts in one day.

That happens when-

The Hub's is in Arkansas for yet another Easter and spends his day working from "home". Which means I hardly got to talk to him.

Son M spent his Easter with his Dad

Daughter K had to work

Daughter A spent the entire day texting with her friends about how bored they all were at their family gatherings

B-Monkey spent most of his day playing outside with friends

J-Bird spent his day like he always does- playing games on the computer.

Which left me to make a ton of posts on my blog lol

But I did manage to cook a full Easter dinner, complete with homemade brownies- no box mix for this girl.

Back up all my iTunes ( can you say took FOREVER!)

Back up all my photos on my external hard drive ( can you say FOREVER again !)

Took a soak in the hot tub. With all the neighbors looking at me like I was strange. Um hello we bought the darn thing to use, so I'm going to use it Thank You very much.

Polished off an entire bottle of wine by myself. Which is something I never do! Normally I just have a glass a day until the bottle is gone But for some reason yesterday I just kept pouring. Oh well I slept really good last night lol

So that was my Easter in an egg shell lol

Today I'm sitting here watching the rain and listening to B-Monkey & J-Bird fight over the computer. Is it Tuesday yet?

Don't forget to enter my Spring Cleaning Contest And to post any of your photography questions you may have !

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Favorite Kind of Mail

Got to be my favorite thing to get in the mail ( OK is was UPS but you get the idea).

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W.L.W.-A side note

I meant to post about this on my post below for Wine Lesson Wednesday, but "mommy brain" took over and I forgot.

Many people may be wondering just how do I figure out the different fruits, etc. that I taste in the wines I drink. 

The answer to this question is multi part. First off I do a lot of research on the wine itself. Sometimes this is not always possible due to the wines being new to the country or many of the sites are not in English.  Next I relay a lot on my local wine seller and Sommelier. I like to pick both of their brains for all kinds of information about wines in general. I've also been know to have one or both of them over to try some of the wines we've received as gifts from business associates. They especially enjoy this when it's wines they have never tasted before.

I also received as a gift an aroma kit, similar to this one. Which is more or less just a kit filled with different scents to help you learn about the different grapes, soils, etc. used in winemaking. 

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Wine Lesson Wednesday- A Weekly Feature

Before I start this weeks lesson I thought I would tell you about what could be an interesting way to enjoy wine. While reading the Feb./March issue of Fine Cooking Magazine Great Finds section, I came across a company called Mercer's Dairy where they take their premium ice cream and blend it with wines from some of the oldest vineyards in America. So if your looking for a different way to enjoy your "glass" of wine you may want to check them out. 

Now for this weeks lesson.

  Last week I covered both German and Austrian wines, as well as some of the many grapes used to produce them. For this weeks lesson I will be talking about 2 wines I have discovered from the region. 

Molitor ( Karl Molitor Wine Estate ) 

Riesling - Rheingau, Germany - 2007 *

Karl Molitor inherited the estate from his father in 1971 and runs the winery with his eldest son Klaus. With a degree in winemaking, Klaus brings a modern perspective to the estate. The winery is very much a family affair with the extended family members doing most of the work from pruning the vines to bottling. 

This wonderful Riesling has a velvety texture with notes of apricots, kumquat, and tangerine zest. 

George Albrecht Schneider

Dornfelder- Rheinhessen, Germany- 2006 *

The George Albrecht Schneider estate has been in the Schneider family for seven generations, with three generations still hard at work producing excellent wines. The Dornfelder grape is a hybrid created in 1955 and named after an 18TH century German finance minister who was a friend to the wine industry. 

This wine reminds me of a cross between a Pinot Noir and a Sangivoese , although it's heritage is from just about every German red grape grown. It has a spicy floral flavor with hints of boysenberry, loganberry , as well as raspberry. kirsch cherry liquor and a tiny bit of menthol.

* As of today I am unable to find any online wine sellers that sell either of these wines. If your interested in trying either , you may want to inquire with your local wine seller to see if they can import some for you. Ours was given to us by a business associate of my husband who lives in the area.

Next week I will be covering A Pinot Blanc from France and a Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot from South Africa. Until then Salute! 

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Wine Lesson Wednesday -A Weekly Feature

In this weeks lesson I will be covering wines of Germany and Austria , as well as some of the grapes they use. 

GERMAN WINES: German vineyards are at the northern most extreme of where grapes can ripen. The country produces some the the worlds most elegant white wines and its often marginal climate and difficult growing conditions have lead winemakers to develop new crossings particularly suited to its needs.

White Varieties:

Riesling- 

Riesling is the noble grape of Germany and acknowledged as one of the greatest white grape varieties of the world. It is most widely planted in prestigious sites in the Rheingau and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. The wines are very clean, floral and crisp with a fresh acidity.

Gewurztraminer- 

 Gewurztraminer is a white grape that produces spicy, aromatic wines. Also an important grape in Alsace, France. 

Muller-Thurgau-

Muller-Thurgau is a white grape developed in the early 1880s and is thought to be a cross between both a Riesling and Silvaner, or between two clones of Riesling. The advantage of this grape is that it ripens early and is very reliable. The wines are flowery with medium acidity.

Red Varieties:

Spatburgunder- 

Spatburgunder is a red grape more commonly known as Pinot Noir. In Germany, the grape is a late ripening variety that produces full, fruity wines.

Dornfelder-

Dornfelder is a recent arrival, having been created in 1956. The grape is unusual in that it has red-colored flesh and as a result produces wines which are deep in color. Produces fresh and fruity wines which are increasingly fashionable.

AUSTRIAN WINES: Like Germany, Austria is best known for exceptional dry white wines and superb sweet wines. Until the 1990's most of the country's wine production was consumed within its borders. Generally speaking, Austrian white wines are fuller bodied then German white wines. 

White Varieties :

Gruner Veltliner-

Gruner Veltliner is Austria's most important white variety  and a source of national pride. The wines are typically dry, peppery and spicy, with an almost Burgundian like quality.

Red Varieties:

Zweigelt- 

Zweigelt is a red variety that was developed in 1922. It is a cross between the Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent grapes. Remarkably it is now the most widely planted red grape in Austria. Produces fruity wines that are generally consumed young. 

Blaufrankisch-

Blaufrankisch is a red grape that produces wines that are rich in tannin and exhibit a spicy, muscular character. 

Next week I will explore some of the many German and Austrian wines that use these grape varieties. Until then Salute ! 

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