IPNC, the International Pinot Noir Celebration, is one of the world’s most premiere wine events. Held held every year in July on the campus of Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, this three-day event lived up to its hype. The event is described as a “mecca for lovers of Pinot Noir,” but I’d also add that…
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Friday Favorites – It’s BBQ competition time… almost
A weekly roundup of my favorite things from the week in the categories of wine, food, travel, and occasionally lifestyle. BBQ Competition Prep This is it. We’re down to the last week before our first major barbecue competition — The 8th Annual McKinley Springs BBQ Showdown & Benefit — next weekend and we couldn’t be…
Sparkling Wines for The Holidays
Let’s pop some bubbly! It’s that time of year folks. The time of year where store shelves are stocked high with sparkling wines the same way they are inundated with rosé in the summertime. And while I drink bubbles year-round (heck yeah, even in a blizzard!), I do recognize that it’s this time of year…
Celebrating Four Years of Parenthood with Berlucchi Cuvée 61 Rosé Brut
Something special happened over the weekend. The twins turned four! How did that happen?!? I know I sound like a cliché parent, but just yesterday (seriously, yesterday!) they were just infants. Now they’re little boys who like to remind me that they’re not babies. Let’s get one thing straight kids; even when you’re towering over…
What is Champagne?
What exactly is Champagne? What makes it different from other sparkling wines from the world? For several summers I was hired by the Comité Champagne (the U.S. Champagne Bureau) to teach a series of Champagne classes in Portland to spread the love for this magical sparkling drink and I learned something eye opening. I was…
July Favorites
A roundup of my favorite things from the week in the categories of wine, food, travel, and lifestyle. It’s been awhile since I posted my weekly favorites. This month was a blur, involving lots of travel, visitors, and toddlers who aren’t in preschool for the summer (eek!). So here are a few favs from the…
Friday Favorites – Touring Oregon Wine Country
A weekly roundup of my favorite things this week in the categories of wine, food, travel, and lifestyle. Since returning to Oregon I’ve tried to immerse myself in Pacific Northwest wines, specifically on understanding the intricacies of each wine-growing region. This week I had the opportunity to spend some time focusing on two different regions…
What we’ve been drinking
I recently attended two fantastic events showcasing Northwest wines. First, at Taste Washington in Seattle, and second (and closer to my own backyard) the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Grand Tasting in Portland. In addition, I’ve opened several standout wines at home recently that I’ve wanted to share. So I decided to highlight some of the best…
Burger Wines — what does that even mean?
What food do you think has more variations, a burger or a pizza? This is a question I spent way too much time thinking about the other night, thus prompting this post. (The photo above is of one of my favorite burger recipes — Turkey Burgers with Bacon Paste. A recipe I wrote for the…
Splurge Worthy Wines
My birthday fell in the middle of last week. That means only one thing — it became absolutely okay to open up some amazing wines on a Wednesday. In my job I am incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to taste amazing wines on a regular basis. But what I buy and drink at home…
Sparkling wines for the other 364 days a year
Now that New Year’s and Valentine’s Day have come and gone it seems as though discussions on sparkling wines have come to a screeching halt. Sure it is nice to celebrate those two occasions with bubbly, and I’ve said it to dozens of people “I absolutely support any holiday that encourages people to drink more…
Oregon Pinots are far from boring. Meet Stoller Family Estate.
About a month ago I read an article where the writer expressed some very critical opinions about Oregon Pinot Noir. She asserts that you can’t find a decent Oregon Pinot for under $20 and generalized that most others priced above $20 weren’t very interesting anyways, using terms like “meh”, “lackluster” and “overpriced” to describe them….
Sparkling Wine Outside of Champagne
The second in a series on the difference between Champagne and other Sparkling Wines of the world. Make sure to start here, then head back to find out more about sparkling wines of the world, styles of sparkling wine, and where they are produced throughout the world. Are you ready to pop some bubbly?! Champagne…
Wine and Food Pairing: It’s not poppycock
Today I am speaking at the 4th annual American Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville, Virginia on the topic of Wine & Food Pairing so I thought I’d let you in on some of the goods. As soon as I have a link to the video of the presentation I promise to post it here… even…
Recipe Index
Below is a list of recipes that I have posted here on Vindulge by category. Most of them are paired with wine. My husband and I are avid grillers and barbecuers, so you’ll find a heavy focus on those styles of cuisine. For a downloadable wine and food pairing chart, please click on the link: Vindulge…
Chardonnays that will keep you warm this winter
It’s true. I drink white wine in the winter. A lot of it actually. And I know I’m not the only one. There’s something about drinking white wine in the winter that is refreshing to me, often reminding me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, or rather hope for a…
WillaKenzie, Aquariva and a Great Food & Wine Pairing
Trying to explore as much Oregon as I can before moving to the Northeast, I accepted an invitation to a wine and food pairing lunch a couple weeks back hosted by WillaKenzie Estate Winery. Lunch consisted of a five-course food and wine pairing prepared by Chef Andy Arndt of Aquariva that turned out to be…
Pinot, Pinot, and more Pinot!
A couple of Willamette Valley ‘07’s and an intro to an ‘08 I promised myself I wouldn’t use this blog to rant on and on about my thoughts around the endless stream of negative comments about Willamette Valley Oregon’s 2007 vintage, so I won’t. Sparing you said endless rant, I do need to say this,…
Recipes
Here is a list of recipes that I have posted here on Vindulge by category. Most of them are paired with wine. For a downloadable wine and food pairing chart, please click on the link: Download Wine & Food Pairing Chart Appetizers Chipoltle Garlic Salsa: “Revenge Salsa” Goat Cheese Topped with Caramelized Shallots My Mama’s Salsa: …
Mumm Napa
Winter is apparently in full effect this week in Portland, with temperatures as low as the teens (brrr), and guess what’s in my glass… bubbles. Yes, bubbles indeed! Just because it’s cold that doesn’t keep me from drinking bubbly this time of the year. I am of the school of thought that bubbles are appropriate…
The perfect bubbles for a Girls’ Night!
Yesterday was one of those perfect summer afternoons with temperatures in the low 80’s, sunny, slightly breezy… basically the perfect day to be outside. For me, when the weather is this nice I love nothing more than to just relax in my backyard, in the sun, while enjoying the company of good friends, over a…
The Columbia Gorge Isn’t Just for Windsurfers… It’s for Wine Lovers Too!
After years of working in Hood River, OR, it was finally nice to get out and be a tourist this past weekend. Living in Portland, my commute to Hood River used to be 104 miles round trip. On top of long work hours I hardly spent any leisurely time in the Columbia Gorge. So at…