Search for the great Seltzer

Search for the great Seltzer

Who here loves a good hard seltzer?

I know I do!

Which is why I am continuously on the hunt for the best seltzer out there!

I do enjoy the Truly’s and the White claws out there, but I also want to expand my seltzer experience!

Which is why I rounded up a few of my favorite seltzers that I have been recently loving!

My Top 5 Seltzers

1. Brew dog: Clean and press: I recently picked this up from Total wine and I was instantly hooked!

   What I like about this brand is it’s derived form single Malt vodka so I don’t get that weird artificially taste with it and the flavors are delicious!

   Favorite Flavor: Slammed white peach and mango or Pulped Blood orange and pomegranate

2. Vizzy! I actually tried this brand for the first time last year! Something I like about thus brand is that the seltzer includes Vitamin C which I feel like gives me a pass to drink more LOL. They actually just came out with a new lemonade flavor that I am super interested to try!

   Favorite Flavor: Pineapple Mango

3. Bon and VIV: My friend introduced me to these and I love them! Some of the seltzers have an artificial taste or a weird aftertaste, this brand does not! Bon and VIV is really fresh and the flavors are very natural!

   Favorite Flavor: Raspberry Dragonfruit

4. Aldi brand: Vista Bay: They also just came out with a hard lemonade flavor. I love picking these up when I’m at Aldi’s. I feel like it is not super over powering and a super easy seltzer to drink. I also like using these as mixers if I am making a cocktail. The price point Is definite a plus Its less than $10 for a pack!

   Favorite flavor: Pink Grapefruit

5. This is a bonus since it’s not technically a seltzer! JuneShine hard Kombucha. I usually am not a fan of Kombucha but this is so delicious! I love the flavors from this brand! Def recommended if you are a kombucha drinker!

   Favorite flavor: Midnight Painkiller: ( pineapple, coconut, orange, activated charcoal and nutmeg)

   With Summer approaching I know I will be sitting on my patio sipping seltzers all summer long!

   What are some of your favorite seltzers? Hard or not?

Delaplane Cellars

Delaplane Cellars

Twas a great day to visit a winery, and so we did!

My visit to Delaplane Cellars did not disappoint! From the atmosphere to the wine to the customer service, everything was *Chef’s kiss*

I will definite be back! ( well I kind of have to I joined the wine club!)

This is the first ever wine club that I joined! Well I’m a member of Winc wine club but this is my first wine club that is affiliated with a winery.

Fun Fact: I should not be allowed to make large purchases after a tasting and bottle of wine but alas one can never have too much wine!

But I am excited to be apart of this wine club, which includes complementary tastings each time you visit the tasting room, exclusive member perks for new releases and special events, and 3 bottle seasonal releases 4 times a year.

We started with the wine tasting which included 4 wines, two white and two red. My favorite was the Petit Manseng.

We also ended up getting a bottle of the Petit Manseng before heading out.

They had mulled wine available for purchase! Which also if you know me, you know I love my mulled wine!

We brought our own food, picnic style, which is recommended, but they do have cheese and meat plates available for purchase. So up to you! I like wine pairings with my tastings so you will always find me with the snacks!

Lets Talk Safety!

Social distanced seating.: They are only offering outdoor seating currently. I felt incredibly spaced out and distanced. There were 5 tables total in the section that we were in ( the upper deck). Our table also had its only little gas fire pit which was faboulos!

**You didn’t have to make reservations but it is highly encouraged. If you are a group pf 6 or more you are required to make a Reservation.

Facemasks are being enforced throughout the facility, def be ready to wear it when not at your table and if you are interacting with your server.

We also got our own little bottle of hand sanitizer at the table which was a cute touch!

Overall! I had a fabulous experience at Delaplane Cellars and can’t wait to go back!!

"Hello Lover"

Hello Lover

Just in time for Valentine’s day……

A Valentine’s/ Galantines Cocktail!

This cocktail is perfect for valentines day with the girls or with your lover! It’s a simple 4 ingredient cocktail. It can be made as a mock-tail just remove Chambord and vodka and share with the little ones The raspberry Chambord gives the detail a beautiful purple pinkish color!

I’ve been loving Martinelli’s Sparkling blush and have used it in a bunch of cocktails recently. Iv’e picked it up from Target or total wine. Im sure they have it at the grocery stores too!

Recipe Notes:

**Since the Sparkling blush and rose lemonade are carbonated do not shake in shaker, def stir!

** This can be made without vodka which originally I planned, but it was a bit too sweet for me, so I added the vodka to cut some of the sugar

** I used cranberries as a garnish because that’s what I had, but I think raspberries would be perfect, especially since Chambord is a black raspberry Liqueur

Top Sparkling wines

Its no surprise I love my bubbly, and with the OG champagne holiday coming up I figured i’d do a quick round up of my favorite bubbles!

Prosecco-

1. La marca:

   Tasting Deets

   • Region: Italty

   • Light bodied, citrus crisp and fresh

Champagne-

1. Veuve Clicquot:

   Tasting deets:

   • HInts of Golden Apple, Peach, Biscuit

   • Dry, Medium bodied

   • I only had this once on my 30th birthday but i had 2 bottles haha so I think I can speak to it’s

     quality. Def a splurge hence why i’ve only had it once!

2. Cooks:

Tasting deets:

• A california Champagne

• Light-bodied, off-dry,

• Hints of citrus and floral notes: sweet pear and apple flavors.

• It’s not a bad champagne! I like it over like Andre but its a good choice if you are not trying to break the bank!

Sparkling rose:

1. La Vosta rose

   Tasting deets:

• Strawberry, white peach

• 11.5% alc.

• Light bodied, fresh and floral

• Country: Italy

2. Louis Vouillot Brut Rose:

Tasting deets

• Country: France

• Tastes of cherry and strawberry

• 12% alc.

• higher price point but a great deal for the price!

• 91 tasting pts

Bonus: Prettiest body:

Borrasca Cava:

Tasting deets:

• Country: Spain

• 11.5% alc

• Apple pear and citrus notes

• Dry

• Decent for the price

Top Wine picks for Thanksgiving! ( under $15)

Hey Folks!

I rounded up my top 6 Wines for Thanksgiving this year! I had a chance to try a few at a tasting at total wine and the other’s I just love! I never like to bank the break especially this year so all my picks are under $15.

I have linked all the wines below as well as my recommendations for pairings! Hope you all have a safe and relaxing thanksgiving :)

1. DEBEAUNE Beaujolais Nouveau

   • This is a new wine to me but I instantly feel in love.

   • This wine is filled with berry notes, it is slightly sweet and very flavorful.

   • My pairing pick for any smoked meats, roasted veggies, earthy mushroom dishes and starches

2. BOUGRIER 'V' VOUVRAY- Chenin Blanc

   • Slightly sweet and acidic wine pairs well with cheeses and fruits

   • My pick for the Charcuterie Board pairing

3. MUIRWOOD CHARDONNAY ARROYO SECO, 2018

   • White white is a Turkey’s best friend ( Like diamonds)

   • My Pairing for the main bird/ Entree

4. Belletti Prosecco

   ( Can’t Link this one directly to Aldi, so I linked Instacart but its $8.99 in stores)

   • Extra dry, crisp and refreshing, floral hints. The creaminess of the wine would pair with desserts ( sugar cookies, vanilla cakes) or have a glass as your dessert.

   • My pick for dessert pairing

5. SUNSHINE BAY Sauvignon Blanc

   (Can’t Link this one directly to Aldi, so I linked Instacart but its $6.99 in stores)

   • Another Pick: for the main course, would pair well with any poultry dish, a robust green salad, or seafood

6. HXM INSPIRATIONS Reisling

   • Riesling from Germany, marked by citrus aromas, a mix of sweetness and acidity balance this wine.

   • My Pairing pick for your spicy pairings, savory and robust bold flavors.

2 ways to use peach Schnapps

I was recently gifted a bottle of schnapps and decided to try my hand at a couple of recipes. Since we are on the border of the end of summer and all things fall, I decided to create two cocktails, one for each season!

For summer i chose a light and refreshing peach sangria. I used a peach wine i picked up from Aldi for $3.49! This is a seasonal item and i’ve seen it go quickly so it may not be the easily accessible. You can use another peach wine if you can find it though like this Stella Rosa Peach from total wine linked here. I also added moscato, but you could use another white wine if you’d like it less sweet.

For Fall I chose an apple cider mimosa with peach schnapps. I love making a seasonal mimosa and this one with apple cider and peach is sooo yummy. I used Prosecco, but a Cava or any sparking wine works. Check out both recipes below for the deets!

Let me know which cocktail you’d try? Are you team Still summer or team bring on the fall?

National Wine and cheese day

Did you know today is national Wine and cheese day? I didn’t either until I got a message form total wine telling me and also helping me figuring out some pairings. Check out three wines I paired with three cheeses. I chose lighter ( white wines) because its been so hot and i have not been about that red wine life in this heatwave!

Chardonnay and Cheddar

Chardonnay pairs well with cheddar cheese because of the dryness of it. It's not too light to get lost in the flavor of the cheese but not too full to overpower the cheddar. Oak aged chardonnay helps to compliment some of the flavors of the cheese but (unoaked) is what i selected because iI generally find it less overpowering.

I got this recommendation at total wine, i’m not a huge chardonnay drinker so i needed a bit of help. paired with some cheddar from trader Joes.

** Wine: here

Rosé and Feta

Rosé pairs really well with the tangy flavors of feta because of it’s crisp and sometimes tart flavor.

I saw a recommendation to prepare the feta with olive oil and herbs and serve with fresh, warm bread. I did not do neither but it still paired really well.

This was another TW ( total wine) rec, The Olema rose and yall it was such a winner.

Side note: if your familiar with the wine rating points system it got 91 points and is a $16.99 bottle which is such a good price.

**Wine here

Sauvignon Blanc and Goat cheese

Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with the tangy flavors of goat cheese, especially when mixed with garlic and herbs because of the tart crisp and grassy flavors of the wine. I loved this paring i also added some grapes and glazed pecans for a touch of sweetness as well!

Wine: here

What is your favorite wine and cheese parings? I’d love to know!

Winc ;)

It has been a while and this post is long overdue!! I’ve had some technical difficulties combined with a lack of motivation. Both of those combined was the perfect recipe for not producing any blog posts since July! In an attempt to get back on the horse I figured it was as good a time as ever for a new blog post! I wanted to do a quick review of the WINC wine subscription I received in November via a good friend.

No surprise here I love wine! But just in case you are new in town, you’re up to speed now.

Funny story about how I received this free month subscription: My teammates (from my volleyball team) devised an intricate plan to surprise me at my apartment. They got my address by texting our group chat asking if any one wanted 3 bottles of wine. Historically I am not a great texter however once someone mentioned wine, naturally I responded immediately with my address. They ended up coordinating it with me to make sure I was home when the bottles would be “delivered”. the day it was supposed to be delivered my teammate called me saying the delivery was on the way, I rushed home to be there to sign ( fun fact, for this wine subscription, an adult 21 or over has to be available to sign for the package) when I arrived home I found my two teammates with a box wine instead waiting at my front door and we ended up having a nice little gals night around my birthday.

After the fact, my teammates informed me she was actually in a wine club called WINC and could actually send me 3 bottles of wine. I could continue the subscription monthly, skip a month or cancel after depending on if I liked it or not

When my friend sent me the link it prompted me to take a one minute quiz to figure out which wines I would like best. Although I already have a pretty good idea of the styles I like, I liked the idea of having them tailor the wines in the box to my taste preferences instead of just having me choose.

You receive 4 bottles of wine each month, I ended up doing the selection with 3 as part of the promotion I received. They also give you the choice to select if you want, 2 red and 2 white, all white, all red or whatever combination you would like which I love, especially if your someone who changes from red to wine with the seasons.

I also love that they give you the option to pause a month if you find yourself overstocked (I don’t have that issue) or you just want to skip a month.

The Wines:

2018 Cape Route Chenin Blanc: Described as Refreshing, Tropical, Fun. It did not disappoint. Probably my favorite from the box, it was clean and crisp and faired amazing with the appetizers we had that were served on thanksgiving. It would pair well with light pasta dishes, chicken or turkey, and hard cheeses. Tasting notes of apple, lemon, pear, pineapple

The 2018 Passarola White blend described as Refreshing, Bright, Portuguese. I enjoyed this wine as well and generally I am a red wine gal. I had never had a white blend, but I drink red blends all the time so I figured id give it a try. It was delicious. This wine I paired with my thankgiving meal which consisted of the usual suspects, turkey, stuffing, Mac and cheese, etc. It was light and flavorful enough that it did not over power the main event. This is an easy drinking wine you could pair with almost anything that would really compliment any meal.

** I did not try the third bottle as I’m saving it for a rainy day, but some quick specs on it are as followed:

2017 Rosa Obscura Red Blend, described as Quaffable, Juicy, Silky. Tasting notes are described as Tasting notes of cocoa, cranberry, jasmine. Im thinking i will fair this with a rich dessert some day this winter. Or maybe with a rich saucy pasta dish!

The box came with a super cute and informative wine guide that talked about the different styles, some wine vocabulary and just amazing information that can help even the most seasoned wine drinker. It included great tips that could be used for hosting as well. It would make a great Christmas gift for the wine lover in your life, because who wouldn’t want wine , delivered to them, every month!

Potomac Point Winery

Potomac point Winery is located about an hour’s drive from the Washington D.C in Stafford VA. Its a beautiful venue with amazing views. It has a very old world feel with Mediterranean and Old World Tuscan Vibes. If your in the Washington DC/ Northern Virginia Area it is definitely worth the trip!

It’s dog friendly and has tons of room for outdoor events including picnic areas near the vineyards. They do live music every Friday and different events on the weekend. The day I went they were doing a Rose and Reggae event for members in the wine club which is such a fun idea!

There is a variety of tastings that you can try. We decided to do the $12 premier tasting. The tasting typically consists of 8-11 wines which for $12 is the bomb.com which included a complimentary glass “as supplies last”. We went on a Saturday evening so by the time we finished our tasting there were no more glasses with the tastings. One complaint or downside for me (this is totally the alcoholic in me talking, but really) was the tasting size. I have been to a lot of wineries and am fairly knowledgeable about correct portion sizes for tastings, order of how to try the wines, cleaning glasses in between certain styles etc. The particular tasting we received was one the smallest pours I have ever seen. Some wineries use stoppers that measure out the exact ounce pour for each wine. They used stoppers for some bottles at this winery, however they also free hand poured some varieties and the tasting size was barely enough for me personally to even get an idea of what the wine tasted like. Looking around the venue other wine experts provided larger pours so perhaps it was just our particular wine export. I say this not to be cheap, because obviously a tasting is just that, a tasting, but to provide feedback. Providing guests with enough of the wine to actually accurately taste the wine and form an opinion is important. Ok rant over!

One thing I did enjoy about this venue was the dining option they had on the premises. I got the Chicken Pesto flatbread (not pictured because I ate it so fast). They have a variety of chachuterrie platters and other entrees that are perfect after a tasting. They also offer wine flights which is another cool option if your not looking for a full tasting but to try 3 different kinds of wines.

One of my goals for the year/ summer was to visit some new wineries that I haven’t visited before. That being said I am glad that I visited Potomac Point Winery, overall I enjoyed the day at the Winery and will def return!

Mom's Mimosas

For Mother’s day this year I tried to keep it simple and not go too overboard with spending a bunch on food and drinks. We decided to go to our favorite dinner that has a great menu that's vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian friendly. Silver dinner, if your in the DC VA MD area I highly recommend it!

For dessert I wanted to keep it light and vegan friendly. So I decided on Sorbet! But what a celebration without a little bubbly. So I found this quick recipe on Pintrest for Sorbet Mimosas.

Legit two steps:

1. Grab some Sorbet, put about 1,2,3 or 7 Scoops in a champagne flute ( I used Talenti Dairy free Sorbetto)

2. Top with Sparking Rose. ( I picked up My bottle from Trader Joes for $6)

3. Bam! ( Emeril Lagasse Voice) The Recipe I followed stated you could garnish with something cute like rosemary or something fancy. I did not although I am usually all about the garnish!

Overall this was a super quick, super easy and  Super delicious treat!

Fleetwood Winery

I had the opportunity to go to fleetwood winery last week. It is a hidden quaint winery in Leesburg Virginia. About 45 minutes to an hour from D.C it’s a nice place to grab a quick 🍷. 

I used to never drink red and only drink white wine. Now I’ve converted into a red wine drinker that it’s not really about white unless it’s a sparkling white

I love wineries though. It feels like It’s like a mini vacation, the beautiful landscapes, the wine and hanging out with friends .

Fleetwood is a fairly new winery and have their grapes shipped from other local wineries on the area and as well as some out of Willamette in Oregon. The sampler included 3 red and 3 white so it was a nice taste of all their wines for $14 I always go with a sampler instead of ordering a glass of wine so I can try a bunch of varietals at a winery!

I was bummed that they didn’t have a sparkling option but again being a newer winery it wasn’t something they had produced yet. 

Overall it was nice midweek, midday winery not too far from home! I’d def recommend it if you are in the Leesburg Area. My goal is to go to a winery in each new place I’m visiting and even trying new wineries near me. I’m heading to Ohio and Pittsburgh next month and going to check out a winery or two. Let’ me know if you have any recommendations for the area!

Totally Tasting Wine

So if you couldn’t deduce form the blog name I enjoy a nice glass of wine! One of my favorite activities to do when the weather is nice is go soak up some sun at a winery and try some different varietals! Last summer I went to my favorite winery a few times. I also visited a few new wineries in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. One of my goals this year is to travel more and while traveling I’m planning on checking out some new wineries for sure!

When the weather is not so hot I like doing indoor tastings at local wineries. I’d been receiving emails for months about tastings and classes at total wine and had just never been able to make it with my work and coaching schedule. Well a few weeks ago I was finally able to make it to a class and i was not disappointed!

I went about a week before Valentine’s Day and they we’re doing a wine and chocolate tasting easily two of my favorite indulgences! They offer classes every week at different days and times which is nice!! It was super reasonably priced. $20 for a two hour class. I’m also a total wine member ( don’t judge me) which is a free membership, so I get 50 percent off 2 tickets to all classes and tastings each month so at $10 its a steal! Each month there is a different theme, a few of the upcoming classes including like California wines, Napa valley as well as wines from the old world. It was a two hour class which is a bit longer than Im used to for a tasting but it was super information and i learned a ton about wine pairings and wine origins! And there were refreshments too which is ways a plus!

This week’s recommendation!

My favorite wine of the tasting was the Mailly Brut Rose Grand Cru champagne it was amazing. So I’m usually a frugal Francine and don’t spend more than $20 for a bottle of bubbly to be honest with you especially at Total Wine where the prices are so cheap! I will splurge if I’m at a winery and there’s a wine i’m in love with or if I’m buying a nice present for someone.

But it sometimes you gotta treat yourself and this is definitely a splurge I’d make for a special occasion like a birthday or bridal shower or a Tuesday lol. It’s smooth crispy and not overly sweet and paired great with the dark chocolate vanilla Godiva chocolate

Overall I had such a fun time and gained so much insight into different pairings and stepped outside my “wine box” and tried some varieties that I don’t normally drink. That’s one of the things I like about doing wine tastings. It literally forces you to taste and try some things you might not have normally considered! Life is kind of like a glass of wine, we some times we get in a routine that might be just fine but its nice to try other options every once in a while you might discover something cool you like! Just my thoughts!

I’d like to know some of your favorite wine and chocolate or wine and whatever pairings in the comments below!

Love is in the air

Happy Monday, I hope everyone rocked this Monday and was able to shake off those Monday Blues! As the most loved filled week of the year begins I wanted to share some Valentine’s day themed inspiration and my thoughts on the Holiday!

Kinda sorta maybe unpopular opinion but as a single gal I actually I love valentines day! As we all know or have been fed, Valentine’s day was invented by the greeting card company yatta yatta. But how could I not love a holiday revolved around chocolate! oh yeah and Love! But really valentine’s day is about being unapologetic-ally in love! In love with another person, your loved ones and most importantly in love with yourself!

“Maybe our girlfriend’s are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.”

— Carrie Bradshaw

True story I have been single for a lot of Valentines days but it has never stopped me from feeling the love, eating the chocolate and being just a tinsy but cliche, so why should this year be any different! Each year,even when I have been dating someone or have had a “ traditional” valentine. My mom and sister have been my valentines. They mean so much to me and I love showing them with a small token of appreciation on the day!

Along with my sister and Ma, I love hanging out with my girlfriend’s/ best guy friend and doing something special for valentine’s day! This year I’m planning on a little valentine’s girl’s night in with some of my gals single and taken alike. I selected two of my favorites bottles that will definitely be on hand for the occasion. a classic and cheap Rose and a delicious Rose Cava. I got both from total wine ( shocker right?) and they are definitely my go to’s. I’ve linked them here and here for you to shop them!

Fun fact I get like a significant amount of my materials and decorations for anything I host from the dollar tree. this is real life y’all. You do of course have to sift through some cheesy and cheap stuff but dollar tree is full of hidden gems, if you don’t know now you knoww. I picked up these glitter hearts, heart wine glasses, a vase, drink containers and the banners from the dollar tree. I picked up the ceramic candy dishes at Marshall’s which you can total use year round!

I’m super excited for valentine’s day this year single or not because I know that I have an amazing support system of amazing girlies who are there for me and love me unconditionally. Although a bit cheesy and cliche at times valentines day is not only the perfect excuse but a great reason to shower your loved ones and your self with all the love! You deserve it!

What are you getting into this valentines day? Let me know in the comment’s below!

Snow days and Cocktails

I just had the most amazing, much needed snow weekend which extended to a snow day on Monday and a projected two hour delay on Tuesday. Won’t he do it!

My snow days consisted of copious amounts of hot chocolate, snacks , and organizing and planning in my happy planner. There also might have been the occasional Hulu and Netflix streaming happening. My snow days are not complete without the occasional cocktail as well. Its just a little cheers from me to me for you know surviving possible impending doom!

These cocktails i’m posting I actually made this holiday season, they are great if your hosting any type of get together this winter, a girls night, or just hanging at home on a snow day. I found both recipes on Pinterest and have linked them both below.

The First is an eggnog Martini. Although eggnog drinks are viewed as mostly a Christmas drink, many stores carry eggnog throughout the winter season so no worries you can still totes make this drink after Christmas. There are also tons of recipes on how to make homemade eggnog if your really trying to be an overachiever! The nutmeg and cinnamon just give me all the winter feels and the brown sugar rim so cutee.

FYI as you can see in the photo I used disposable martini glasses so clean up was quick and easy okurrrr!

Eggnog Martini

The second drink I linked is a Christmas Sangria. Again you can make this white wine sangria throughout the winter into spring and super forreal forreal. The cranberries and green apples give it a tart and crisp taste and offset the dryness of a chardonnay or another dry white.

Christmas Sangria

How do you all stay warm on snow days? Leave a comment below!