Photo: Angèle Kamp via Unsplash
Hello, it's Friday! You made it! Now, behold a few of our favorite things from the week.
FRIDAY FAVES - 9.18.2020
- I have been making quiche constantly and I just learned a secret trick: Create a crispy cheese barrier to prevent soggy bottom crust!
- Chunky, ultra-cool earrings from Lets Meet Friday.
- Loving all the good, warm Fall foods paired to wine. Especially some buttery roasted sweet potatoes with a glass of this creamy De Wetshof 'Bon Vallon' Chardonnay. Oof!
- For those nights when only mac 'n' cheese will do.
- If you love scary movies or you WANT to love scary movies, you've gotta check out The Scaredy Cats Horror Show. Perfect pre-Halloween entertainment.
Enjoy the weekend!
-- Emily Rentsch
Photo: Adam Zuehlke
Welcome to our new weekly feature: Friday Faves! At the end of every week we'll highlight a smattering of things we're reading, drinking, and getting into at Sip Better. It's really just an excuse to gush about what we love right now.
Check out our first list below, and if you like it, come back next Friday!
FRIDAY FAVES - 9.11.20
- I guess Bloodwine is a thing? Any Star Trek fans out there?
- This bronzer stick is made with Chaga mushrooms! I haven't tried it yet but I keep hearing great reviews.
- Brad Pitt and his new girlfriend brought a little drama to the Miraval wine estate (the one he owns with Angelina!).
- All dressed up for the Kentucky Derby!
- Drinking this zesty Calabrian white wine. SO good with a grilled turkey burger. Or oysters. Or shrimp. Or a lobster roll!
Have a great weekend, friends!
-- Emily Rentsch
Photo: Blake Wisz via Unsplash
Let's talk Vermouth!
If you're thinking, "Booooring!", well stop that right now because Vermouth has gotten a She's All That-style makeover and is ready to go to the dance with YOU. Or just sit on your front porch and talk for hours. Whatever. Because that's just the kind of drink Vermouth is--easy going, versatile, and there for you.
Most of us know Vermouth as a wallflower. It plays a crucial supporting role in classic cocktails like the Martini and the Manhattan, but beyond that, it's not the most popular bottle on the shelf. In fact, it's not always clear where you would locate Vermouth in your local liquor store. Is it a liqueur? A mixer? A wine?
Let's straighten that part out right away. Vermouth is a wine! A fortified wine, to be exact. Fortified wines are neutral grape spirits that have been aromatized with flavorful herbs and botanicals. Are you familiar with Sherry or Port? Those are fortified wines, too! The practice of fortifying originated hundreds of years ago as a way...
Photo: Sharon McCutcheon via Unsplash
Right now, in June of 2020, the words skin contact might totally freak you out. Social distancing is a thing, staying extra safe is on all of our minds, and the thought of touching another human being is suddenly a frought thought indeed.
But we're not here to talk about that! On THIS blog, we're talking skin contact as it applies to wine. Wine! What a happy topic.
Soooo, what is skin contact wine, anyway?
It's super simple. Skin contact wines are white wines that are made more like red wines.
The big difference between making a white wine and a red wine lies in the fermentation process. With a white wine, the winemaker presses the grapes and then removes the pomace (all of the residual solids, like seeds, grape skins, etc.) before fermenting the juice in a tank or other vessel. When making red wine, the winemaker will allow that pomace to hang out in the fermentation vessel with the juice, giving them more time to macerate. All of those lovely seeds and skins impart several things...
Photo: Leslee Miller
You could say that Viña Mayu's destiny was written in the stars.
Mauro Olivier grew up working in vineyards during summer breaks from school. So when the time came to start his own winery, he decided to make the most of the clear, arid conditions in Chile's Elqui Valley. In this desert valley, the days are hot and dry and the nights are fresh and cool. It is known for its crystal clear atmosphere, perfect for viewing the stars and the majesty of the solar system at night. The valley actually holds the worlds' majority of observatories. In fact, the Elqui Valley is considered an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. So, in 2005, Olivier staked a winery in this magical region, calling it Mayu, the Incan word for "river of stars" (the Milky Way!).
Olivier tapped his cousin, Italian-born Giorgio Flessati (pictured above), to be Mayu's winemaker, and the two set out to make unique and delicious wines that take advantage of the Elqui Valley's extreme nature. With over 320 days of sunshine...
