Our love needs a transfusion, let's shoot it full of wine…
I knew Tom Waits was talking about me, so where’s my nurse?
Welcome back to another installment of Wine Down with Cole! For those who are new, Hey y’all! We made it through the first half of this weird year and if you are reading this you are blessed - seriously. It’s said that joy is an act of resistance, so please cherish all the laughter and memories with loved ones. Life be life-ing yo! And although sparing porch hangs (with 1-2 people max), long walks, and becoming a Zoom expert are the most I can give the universe right now, that’s quite okay. I’m choosing to make the best of it.
This heat wave is hitting something different. It’s July, and I’m drenched in sweat. I feel like Alicia Keys in the “Fire We Make” video. Humidity is living its best life and there is nothing we can do about it. When it rains, though, you then get a cool breeze that carries a newness of sorts - the cleanest air you will breathe! (If you didn’t know, rain cleans the air. Look at science!) I wonder if that’s like a fake-deep lesson Mother Nature teaches us about the importance of weathering through the storm. You’re like WTF! while you’re in it, but feel like a whole different person after; because everything is so fresh and so clean (Hey 3 Stacks!).
Some quick community things before we dive into the wine stuff:
We have a podcast – for the audiophiles! Check us out on these platforms: Apple Podcasts, Anchor, and Spotify. Please be sure to leave us a comment and rate us on iTunes!
Did you fill out the community form yet? If not, click the link! Your feedback is needed.
Have you followed us on Instagram? We’ll have a new, extra giveaway for every 100 followers! (More chances to win free wine!) I also finally posted one of the glasses I got from CB2. Black Girls Wine also re-posted it on their IG as well (A feature! We love to see it), so I’m excited about that.
For this week, let’s tackle a popular #WDWC Community Question.
Jeff J. asked “What are the best wines for dinner and dessert?”
If we’re being honest (and we love honesty here), this can go so many ways because the answer really depends on the type of cuisine. Here’s a few tips:
Salty dishes and dry sparkling wines are a great match. The faint touch of sweet helps make the feasting experience extra refreshing.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Shiraz! Red wines! They go well with red meats, burgers, barbecue of the like. It’s grilling season, so pull up with the red on you!
Spicy food more on the Asian and Indian side pairs well with cold wine on the sweeter end. The wine helps counter the burn of the food. German Rieslings, and Gewürztraminers are great for this. Vouvray, if you are feeling sensational.
For seafood, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc! The dish won’t overpower these wines. There’s room for everyone here. Call on Pinot Grigio or Arneis to match you when it comes to the lighter end of seafood dishes.
Cheese time! Call on Rosé. However, sparkling rosé is really a good go to when you’re at a dinner party. The range is quite impressive, if I do say so myself.
If you are eating food with a lot of acidity, pair it with a high acidic wine like a Petit Chablis or a Chenin Blanc.
For desserts, always go for a sweet wine, like a Muscat/Moscato or Sauternes. If you have sweet with dry, dry becomes bitter (I learned this the hard way, be better than me).
Date Night? Pinot Noir - it’s provocative. It gets the people going! It gives you a certain je ne sais quoi.
Hope this helps!
Coley’s Final Notes!
What I’ve been sipping on lately – Restless Earth (2018), a grenache wine by Winc. This wine comes from Santa Barbara County California. It’s got a ruby red color, and a clear clarity. It’s a bit on the dry side, but the body is more on the light to medium spectrum. It’s very flavorful with notes of pomegranate and red cherry. Reviews have said that you are supposed to taste raspberry and white pepper too, but I didn’t. I thought it had a medium finish which works for me, but if you have a long one let me know. It’s very traditional and I would pick this up again. It pairs well with chicken, charcuterie and veggies. I would give this a 3.85/5.
A wine that surprised me – Riesling (2018), by Firestone Vineyard. This is another delicious Santa Barbara wine! It is a straw yellow color that’s very clear in the glass. I found this to be a crisp, full bodied wine, with jasmine tea and honey flavors all throughout each sip. This wine does have a bit of a bite due to the high acidity. At 13.9% ABV, it’s a strong one. Whenever I think of a double digit ABV – I think of all the times I drank a Blueberry Braggot from Flying Fish - I could barely feel my face after two (just a warning).
My latest pickups! – Pinot Grigio Ramato (2019) by Sun Goddess Wines. Pinot Grigio is considered an entry-level white for those who want to get into wine, so it’s no surprise that Mary J. Blige chose this to start off her budding wine empire. I hope this wins me over because most aromatic grigios come from Friuli, Italy, so I’m curious to see how it holds up. Also, this is my first time having a Pinot Grigio in years, so I hope this doesn’t disappoint me. I tried to get the Sauvignon Blanc but it was sold out. I’ll be on the lookout and will get that as soon as I can.
I also purchased the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (2018) by McBride Sisters. So many people sent their IG posts to me and asked me to review! This is the second black owned wine I have bought (LVE Wines is the first) and I am excited to dive in this weekend with my girlfriends. This carries some nectarine, peach and citrus flavors. Nuances of papaya and guava are also supposed to be found in this wine. I’ll post a review on IG this weekend. I will be buying the rest of their line too but I wanted to get at least one to kick it off!
Upcoming Holidays – Piña Colada Day (July 10th), National Mojito Day (July 11th) and National Daiquiri Day (July 19th). These are some of my favorite drinks aside from wine, although lately I’ve been on my Gimlet wave. It is super easy to make and refreshing. Also, Grey Goose. That’s it.
A book I read recently – Red Echo by Monique Elise. Listen. I implore you to go purchase. It has drama, romance, mystery and it is worth the read. Complement this with some wine and you are good to go for a night in. She is a black writer on the come up and soon she will be a household name! Don’t say I didn’t put you on! Find it here on Amazon.
Finally, THE WINNERS OF THIS ISSUE’S GIVEAWAY ARE:
Jazerai L.
Bonus Bottle Winners: Krystle M. and E.J!
I will reach out to get your information and ship the bottles your way! xo.
This concludes the third issue of #WineDownWithCole – Stay vino’d up and indulge in a glass.