Food & Wine — Rose

  With the weather heating up, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers are abundant either in your home garden or local farmer’s market.  This is the perfect time to indulge in this delicious cold soup. Pair with a refreshing Rose or Chardonnay. Ingredients for soup: 24 oz. large ripe red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks  1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks  1 large stalk celery, chopped 1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into chunks  1 Serrano Chile (optional), seeded and cut into chunks  1/2 small red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced  12 oz. tomato juice...

Sometimes we forget about antipasto except when we throw parties. However, during the summer it is a common lunch routine in Italy and other European countries. With summer heating up and the desire for hot foods is on vacation, why not integrate more antipasto into your meals? Pack a picnic or set the patio table, it's time to dine outdoors with some of your forgotten favorites. Most people associate hors d'oeuvres with white wine, but lightness alone does not make a wine interestingly versatile. A nice crisp Chardonnay has just enough acidity to cut through creamy goat cheese. Try creating an artichoke and...

Living in Southern California comes with so many perks; gorgeous consistent weather, stunning outdoor environs and a condensed and diverse disarrangement of culinary adventures. This week we choose to focus on one of our favorite culinary niches, the fish taco!If there has even been a great time to be a taco lover, it is now. It seems that with the up-rise in culinary diversity and the increase of small and mobile eateries, the modern taco is breaking all the rules of tradition. The Kogi Truck being the most famed fusion tacos at the moment. Even within the niche of fish...

Check out our Virtual Tasting with the wines of Montpellier and our latest imports from France.  Without the luxury of traveling, let's reminisce some of our current discoveries from a historical wine region from France. Imagine the Southern Coast of France shaped like a crescent with Provence to the east and Rousillon to the South. The city of Montpellier is located 6 miles from the coast, is about 2 hours from Marseille, 1.5 hour from Perpignan and a 4-hour train ride from Paris. It is famous for its University, one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1160. Nostradamus, the...

By Patty Lyn Tweten Rosé is Summer in a bottle. This refreshing light-bodied wine has become dramatically popular of late. There are a myriad of rosés from hard-candy-like confections to ethereal, whispering wines as pale as a ballet slipper. Knowing how rosé is made can help you decide which one suits you.  WHAT IS ROSE? All rosés derive their tell-tale pink hue from red grapes fermented with minimal or no skin contact. Flavor profiles include notes of red fruit, flowers, citrus and melon with a bright, crisp finish. They can be dry—meaning they have little or no sugar, or they can...