The end of January I took a very chilly trip upstate with my husband to celebrate three months married and my 32nd birthday! It was a lovely house we rented you can read about here.

The weekend was full of wine, and besides the five course dinner we did, the other nights I cooked I had to pair some other beautiful wines too. What weekend would it be celebrating with a Sommelier if there wasn’t some other amazing wines, am I right? I had some fun bringing up some of my wedding registry items to play with and it was a blast. I registered for this awesome Raclette Grill, which is a table top grill with broiler capability underneath. They say it feeds 8 people, but honestly I loved it for a group of 2-4 people to keep it more intimate. The grill is great, and one night I made Korean BBQ Style dinner, as well as some lunch with grilled pork belly and more. This is so much fun, and at first hubby said “NO” to me even registering for it… but I did anyway, and you know what, it’s his favorite thing now we own!

Night 1 we decided to do the Korean BBQ and grill and let me tell you, it was fabulous! Make sure you get high quality and thin sliced meats. I used some fun sauces to marinate the meats in, and also picked up some amazing Aldi Tiger Shrimp to grill too. They’re so big and delicious and for frozen shrimp they don’t become rubbery and also cook nice and evenly; way more then other shrimp. Paired alongside this K-Town inspired feast was one of my favorite California wineries Beaulieu Vineyards 2018 Reserve Tapestry, Napa Valley Red Wine.

This wine is incredible and if you’ve noticed I like to mention BV Vineyards a lot on this blog. I think the consistency and elegance of their wines are ideal for those who love great wines from Napa Valley but want more than Cabernet Sauvignon. Don’t get me wrong, I love their Cabs however their Red Blend is always on my list, when I am feeling a bit “I don’t know what I want, but I want an amazing wine” tonight. This wine shows the artistry of the blending five Bordeaux-heritage grape varieties, and the talent of their winery team. It is elegant, as their wines are however it has a complexity that was really fun to pair with the sweet and salty marinades. this It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with Cab Franc, and Petit Verdot with a bit of Malbec. The dark plum and earthy fruit went beautifully with the grilled meats, while the darker berry notes that grew once the wine was open really complimented the grilled Tiger Shrimp and Pork Belly! Normally I am pairing these wines with a nice steak or lamb dinner, but I wanted to do something different and enjoy an incredible wine with a unique dinner.

After a delectable wine and food filled evening, we headed to the hot tub for some whiskey and cigars! The next morning we woke up and it was exactly 1 degrees outside. This was not so fun, however we knew it was a good morning for staying in, cranking the heat, and playing a movie while I fixed some ingredients for a Fondue Day! I wanted to keep us going for the day so I didn’t want wines that were too heavy or high in alcohol. I chose one of my go-to “healthier” wine options (I use the term healthier wine loosely). Sunny With A Chance of Flowers wine is a fun line of wines with zero sugar, lower alcohol, and also lower calories! These wines are great if you’re looking for nice quality in these style of wines, and I really do enjoy these for brunch, lunch, and also in general drinking when I just want something simple and good quality. The rosé is bright and refreshing with great ripe red berry notes and a freshness that’s just delicious for brunch. This is a rosé I can drink anytime of day, it’s that sip-able. The Cabernet Sauvignon is fun when you want a cab that’s fruity and fun, medium bodied, and not too complex. It’s just good and paired really well with the Swiss Fondue which was a nice late lunch. The rosé paired nicely with the duck fat potatoes I made as well as the rosemary baguette, while the Cab was perfect with the onion rings, charred broccoli, and potatoes.

If you’re looking for some fun winter foods and wine pairings, absolutely taste all of these California beauties. Always remember, eat what you like, drink what you love, and please pair responsibly!